Nimbin  New South Wales

Since the dawning of the Aquarius Festival in 1973, Nimbin has been the epicentre of the alternative Australian lifestyle and as a cauldron promoting peace, social justice and environmental awareness. Not surprisingly, then, Nimbin shares sister city status with New York's Woodstock where the world's first musical love-in unfolded about the same time that Oz hippies were discovering NSW's Northern Rivers. It also drives the ongoing campaign to have marijuana use legalised and the crusade is revved up every May with the Nimbin Mardi Grass. From the day the first communes were set up around the picturesque old dairy town in the late 60s, Nimbin has taken on a psychedelic character of its own. Curiosity still attracts first-time visitors to the town, but the local craft shops and markets draw regular customers. But to better appreciate the force that continues to drive the community, drop in on the annual Visions of Nimbin celebration in mid-September.