Broadwater

History

The history of Broadwater has largely revolved around its sugar mill. In 1863 Henry Cook and Alexander MacDonald became the first people to select land in the area. To begin with, sugar was grown and crushed on the small private farms in the region. The CSR opened the town's sugar mill in 1880. In the early days sugar cane was grown as far up the Richmond River as the town of Bexhill and was carried to the mill on punts. In 1978 CSR sold the mill to the newly formed New South Wales Sugar Milling Cooperative, which established its head office at Broadwater. The nearby Riley's Hill Dock began operation in the late 19th century and many punts, river boats and larger vessels were built in the dry dock there. One of its last major jobs was the restoration of the ferry South Steyne in the 1980s. Today Broadwater is the centre of the region's highly mechanised sugar industry, which is still a major employer. In recent years the area has also seen an influx of new settlers, attracted by its peaceful rural lifestyle.

Most-observed species

• koala

  Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss, 1817) · Mammalia
  2,553
• Rainbow Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) · Aves
  1,926
• Torresian Crow

  Corvus orru Bonaparte, 1850 · Aves
  1,804
• Lewin's Honeyeater

  Meliphaga lewinii (Swainson, 1837) · Aves
  1,780
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,656
• Great Crested Tern

  Thalasseus bergii (M.H.K.Lichtenstein, 1823) · Aves
  1,338
• Silver Gull

  Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae (Stephens, 1826) · Aves
  1,320
• Australasian Figbird

  Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  1,315