More about the Pioneer Room
The Pioneer Room is a hippy view of history and pointedly features hippy thinking and alternative philosophy, like the stupidity of refined foods, the devastation of the forests and the land, racism, consumerism and so-on…..the monopoly game had begun!
Disease was the first sign of change brought to this area by aboriginals who had contact with white man further south. That probably wiped out half the Bundjalung Nation before they actually ever saw a European! Early adventurers and runaway convicts arrived with the timber cutters chasing the precious red cedar, “rainforest gold”. They shipped thousands of tonnes of cedar back to the UK.
Remaining forests were stripped and burnt in a remarkably short time to make way for cattle. The first house was built in Nimbin in 1851 In this short history Nimbin farmers have had eras dominated by bananas and dairy as well as beef and timber.
By the 1970′s the village was a ghost town with most of the shops closing when the butter factory down by the creek folded, with the introduction of bulk milk carriers. Along with many other empty buildings it was bought by hippies in the early days and now houses the Bush Theatre and movie house and other art and craft enterprises including the candle factory.
Largely from the old museum days when it was a second hand shop, many of the old tools have been painted with the religion of the settlers keeping in tune with the spiritual theme throughout the museum.
The journey along the Rainbow Serpent path now enters the hippie room after the traveller eats magic goldtop mushrooms growing from the pioneers cow manure!
Follow the serpent to the next room in the tour
