Chamber Chats - June 2026

There is a fair bit moving around Nimbin at the moment. Some of it is visible from the street, some of it is happening in meeting rooms, inboxes and grant applications, and some of it is the quiet work of keeping community connections alive.

A few local businesses are changing shape or finding new homes. Nimbin Pizza Cucina has opened in town, The Beauty Room is now offering personal care and beauty treatments at the back of Birth & Beyond, Fashionating is preparing to move premises to the Church of Aquarius and the former Krishna restaurant has changed hands and is now offering roadhouse-style food. The village also now has a dreadlock maintenance service. These shifts are part of the living pulse of the village. Shops open, move, adapt and reinvent themselves, and each one adds another thread, or in this case a dread, to the local business fabric.

Council and infrastructure matters are also high on the Chamber radar. Matt Potter, Lismore City Council's Director of Water, is expected to attend an upcoming Chamber meeting to discuss the Nimbin water upgrade. With recent boil water alerts and ongoing community interest in water quality, treatment capacity and future infrastructure, this will be an important opportunity for local businesses and residents to hear more directly from Council and ask practical questions.

The Chamber has also provided written support for Council's application to the Active Regional Community Participation Grant, with the proposal focused mainly on Peace Park and the children's play area. The grant stream is worth up to $1 million, with the broader project value currently understood to be around $1.2 million. The proposed improvements are aimed at recreation, accessibility and community infrastructure, with benefits for residents, young people and visitors. Peace Park sits close to the heart of village life, and any investment in safe, welcoming public space is an investment in the everyday life of Nimbin.

Transport is another item worth watching. Rainbow Power Company has put forward a proposal for a twice-daily Nimbin to Byron Bay bus service, aimed at boosting tourism and improving access to training opportunities through Wollongbar TAFE. The proposal is seeking potential Chamber support, either through a financial contribution or by helping promote advertising opportunities to local businesses. It is early days, but the idea touches several important issues at once: visitor access, education, employment pathways and regional connection.

The upcoming School Market and Youth Focus Volunteer Expo on 26 June at Nimbin Central School is another strong opportunity to connect younger people with local organisations, businesses and community groups. Local groups are encouraged to get involved, whether by hosting a stall, offering a simple activity, or outlining volunteer and work experience opportunities. Not every young person finds their pathway through a straight road. Sometimes it begins with a conversation at a stall, a few hours helping out, or discovering that the town they live in has more possibilities than they realised.

Village presentation and public art remain active topics.

The Chamber's mural collection tins are being prepared with artwork kindly provided by Benny Zable, one of the artists whose work has formed part of Nimbin's mural history. The Haberdashery mural expression of interest did not receive artist interest this round, so the Chamber will need to consider the next steps. Nimbin's murals are more than decoration. They are part of the village memory, part wayfinding, part welcome mat, part wild public diary.

The Chamber also noted the importance of continuing feedback from the recent Awards Night, including possible improvements such as a People's Choice Award or other categories in future. Community recognition matters because so much of Nimbin's working life rests on volunteers, small organisations and people doing the unseen jobs that keep the village functioning.

There are also ongoing local matters to keep an eye on, including issues involving the Caravan Park and Council, and changes affecting Jungle Patrol following the loss of a couple of staff members. These will need a little more detail before they can be properly reported, but they both sit within the broader question of how Nimbin manages services, public space, safety, tourism and Council relationships.

As always, Chamber Chat is not just a list of meeting items. It is a snapshot of a village constantly adjusting its sails: businesses opening and moving, young people being invited in, Council conversations continuing, and local people finding practical ways to look after the place.

Choose local. Experience Nimbin. David Hyett

President

Nimbin Chamber of Commerce