Sugar Barge Ballina, NSW - Australian Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The North Creek Canal is located at Ballina on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, about 750 km north of Sydney. The canal is about 3.5 km in length, and was constructed in the late nineteenth century to provide a safe and reliable route for the transport of sugar cane.
The cultivation of sugar cane in the Richmond River area started in the mid-19th century, and became a significant factor in the economy of the area. A substantial mill was in operation at Broadwater in the 1880s.

In the 1800s transport of cane to the mills was predominantly by water. Barges carrying cane from the areas north of Ballina travelled via North Creek to the junction with the Richmond River (located about one kilometre from the river mouth), and thence along the Richmond River to Broadwater. The channels near the junction were unstable, and navigation through the area was at times very difficult, due to shifting sandbanks and strong wave action. This frequently disrupted the transport of cane.

Fishery Creek joined the Richmond River at a point about three kilometres upstream of the junction with North Creek. This creek formed the basis of the Canal. The canal was completed in late 1896 by the NSW Department of Public Works. The Canal was lock-free with a channel width of 19 m and depth of about 2.4 m at low tide. Cane was transported through the canal on wooden barges towed by small tugs. The transport of cane by water generally declined progressively throughout the 20th century.

Today the canal appears to be in reasonably good condition. The canal banks are reasonably accessible to walkers. There is no towpath. Road signs on the Pacific Highway show in one place Fishery Creek and in another, The Canal.

The cane barge in the park is built in Newcastle in the 1942 and has been on display since 1981.

To prove you been here you need to answer couple questions
what was the other barge in this park?
There is a blue marker at the end of the cane barge what are the letters on this marker?

Age/Event Date: 1942 Type of Historic Marker: If other (please specify) Type of Historic Marker if other: Barge Related Website: Not listed Historic Resources.: Not listed

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