Fire guts Nimbin Museum and Rainbow Cafe

[MongyMan]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-13/fire-guts-buildings-in-main-street-of-nimbin-nsw/5666994

 

Fire guts Nimbin Museum and Rainbow Cafe, NSW firefighters say

By Elloise Farrow-Smith, staff

Updated August 13, 2014 07:58:27

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/5667036-3x2-340x227.jpg 

A large fire has torn through several businesses in the main street of Nimbin, destroying the northern NSW town's museum and well-known Rainbow Cafe.

Several other buildings on Cullen Street suffered fire, smoke and water damage from the overnight blaze, although no-one was injured, Superintendent Michael Brett from the Rural Fire Service said.

"The reports we have is that the Rainbow Cafe has been destroyed, the museum which adjoins that has been destroyed, and there is another business adjoining the museum which has been destroyed," he said.

Museum manager Michael Balderstone told ABC Local Radio the loss of the buildings would have a "huge impact" on the town, which is famed for its drug history and alternative culture..

 

"It's really right in the middle of town, the Rainbow's probably the heart," he said.

"The museum's the biggest tourist attraction. It's a bloody mess."

Nimbin Museum chronicled Aquarius festivals, counterculture

The museum's collection chronicled the history of the town, its artists and its 1970s Aquarius festivals, which helped Nimbin make a name as a haven for counterculture.

"It's a 30-year collection of stuff - you can't hang on to anything, can you?" Mr Balderstone said.

Police asked people to stay away from the street this morning.

Inspector Doug Conners said the area needed to be assessed for safety.

"We have police on scene to control traffic flow in the area," he said.

"Again, the level of danger, obviously we will keep people away from the immediate vicinity of the fire, but we just ask that unless people have a reason to be in Nimbin just to stay away from the fire scene and let the emergency services do what they need to do this morning."

Mr Balderstone said the destruction would hurt the local economy.

"We're really resilient so the community will just power on," he said.

"But tourism's a big business, a big part of Nimbin now so it'll be a kick in the guts for that."

[Matanuska Thunder]

Nooooooooo

My fave little hippy town.
 

http://www.echonews.com.au/news/three-buildings-destroyed-fire-hits-nimbins-main-s/2350112/
photos in this link

Edited August 12, 2014 by Matanuska Thunder

[Vape]

so glad i stopped in for a look last visit.. what a tragic loss... 

[cap'n yNg]

My thoughts go out to Nimbin!

[The Stoned Jester]

oh shit

[Ford Fairlane]

Damn shame that

[OZ Stoners]

A fire tore through the counter-culture capital of Nimbin in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

 

View the full article

[lifestylez]

I'm really sorry to hear about this!

[sundrop]

So sad! I can't believe its gone, I never got the chance to visit