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A peaceful village by the sea, between Ballina & Byron Bay.
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Lennox Head History

Lennox Head was named in 1828 by Captain Rous of HMS Rainbow in honour of Charles, Duke of Lennox and Richmond who was a prominent figure in British politics in the 1930s. The name was originally given to a headland further south where the Ballina Lighhouse now stands. It wasn't until 1860 that the area sparked interest among the European settlers. James Ainsworth was the first to take up land in the area behind Seven Mile Beach and others soon followed. In 1865, John Skenner had taken up land closer to the headland, just south of the exisitng viallage. Timber-getters and farmers settled in the area soon after with the farmers establishing dairy farms and many followed Ainsworth's lead in growing sugar cane.

In 1922 a village was established and much of the land in the area was subdivided into blocks suitable for weekend and holiday accommodation. Lake Ainsworth provided the inspiration for the establishment of the holdiday village as it provided a safe swimming and recreation area for familes. The village has never become over developed due its proximity to Ballina which is the main shopping and service centre for the area.

Lennox Head's Aboriginal History

Joseph Banks of the Endeavour saw a group of Aborigines walking along Seven Mile Beach and he noted that '... not one was once observed to stop and look toward the ship; they pursued their way in all appearance entirely unmoved by the neighbourhood of so remarkable an object as a ship must necessarily be to people who have never seen one.' The indigenous inhabitants of the area now known as Lennox Head were Bundjalung Aborigines. The presence of an Aboriginal ceremonial ring or 'bora' at the western end of the town suggests that the area played an important part in Aboriginal traditional life. The 'bora' is unusually large measuring 32 metres across.

According to Bundjalung Aboriginal Dreamtime, 3 brothers settled on what is now known as Seven Mile Beach and one of them, Yarbirri, produced a flow of fresh water by thrusting his spear into the sand. At low tide there is said to be a stain marking the spot from where the water flowed. It has been estimated that around 4-500 Aborigines were living in the area prior to the arrival of European settlers.

lennox-head.net

Lennox Head History

Lennox Head's Aboriginal History

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