Doing A Blocky in Lismore

Growing up in a small Australian country town, ‘doing a blocky’—cruising around the main streets—was the quintessential pastime when you were bored and looking for something exciting to do. Lismore, however, was a step up from those tiny towns with a single main street. It boasted a proper block: four streets enclosing a bustling shopping district.

My childhood memories from the 70s and 80s are filled with the names of shops that have long since disappeared. McLeans, Brown and Jolly, AGR’s, etc… these names would sound as foreign to a young person today as the shops my parents used to reminisce about from the 40s and 50s did to me. Some names, thankfully, remain, like the Star Court Theatre and Brand’s Pharmacy, anchors in a changing landscape.

The catastrophic 2022 floods were a devastating blow to Lismore, leaving the entire CBD submerged. In the aftermath, it was heartbreaking to see so many businesses unable to reopen. But Lismore is resilient. Gradually, new life has been breathed into the town, with unexpected and delightful additions.

Tucked away in the Embassy Arcade, a Scandinavian bakery has emerged, a beacon of deliciousness. My colleagues at the ABC raved about their cinnamon buns, and I was intrigued. The baker, Farid, honed his skills in Denmark and Sweden, and his creations are truly authentic.

Meanwhile, the Lismore Regional Gallery has also reopened, showcasing a remarkable collection of salvaged artworks. Seeing those familiar pieces, restored to their former glory, is a testament to the town’s spirit.

The major exhibition right now features works from the Koori Mail Indigenous Art Prize. The Koori Mail is a national newspaper based in Lismore, and the exhibition includes some powerful pieces. My favorite is by Djon Mundine, a work created specifically for this space.

And next year, the gallery will host a photographic exhibition of images taken by Jacklyn Wagner in the days and weeks after the flood. I saw Jacklyn today while doing my “blocky,” and we chatted at length about the exhibition, which features several of my family members. It originally opened a couple of years ago at the NSW Parliament, and I’m eager to see it again in this new context.

Speaking of the flood’s impact, I caught the 684 bus today from the transit centre. For just a couple of dollars, I was able to visit parts of North and South Lismore that were deeply affected. There are positive signs of recovery: the railway station has been repainted, the Station Hotel has been restored, and a new rail trail (designed for cyclists and pedestrians) now extends all the way to Bentley. It’s somewhat controversial, of course, because for many it symbolizes the likelihood that trains will never return.

This rail trail holds a particular significance for me because it runs along Kyogle Street, where I was born and raised. I remember crossing the railway lines when trains regularly ran through, always keeping an eye out for snakes in the long grass. Now, the trail leads to a boutique brewery housed in the old railway maintenance sheds where my brother-in-law, Jack, worked when I was a child.

During my explorations, I visited the museum and shared my family’s railway history with one of the volunteers. She mentioned an upcoming exhibition about railway history, which I’m looking forward to seeing.

Times have changed. And this is a time of dramatic change for Lismore. Many residents, including my sister and brother-in-law, have relocated from South Lismore to East Lismore, thanks to the government’s buyback scheme. This scheme compensated people impacted by the 2022 flood, giving them the pre-flood price for their homes. These houses will be moved and sold, many ending up in new suburbs under construction. Nearly all the houses near where my sister lived were bought back, and those blocks will soon be vacant. Perhaps they’ll be transformed into parklands or an industrial estate.

Lismore is a town in constant flux, adapting and reinventing itself. While I miss the familiar landmarks of my childhood, I’m excited to see how it continues to evolve.