Memories of North Lismore showcased in new exhibition

AN exhibition featuring portraits, stories, and memorabilia of past and present North Lismore residents has officially opened to the public.

Titled The Living Memory project, the exhibition aims to capture and preserve the suburb’s unique history before it risks being lost.

The initiative comes as North Lismore undergoes significant transformation in the wake of the 2022 Northern Rivers floods, with many properties now part of the Resilient Homes Program’s buyback scheme.

Historian Dr Adele Wessell and photographic artist Cherine Fahd partnered with local photographer Elise Derwin to collect materials as part of the Living Lab Northern Rivers project.

“We had a couple of pop-up photo booths last year where people were invited to come to North Lismore and have their portrait taken,” Dr Wessell said.

“We have also been recording a series of oral histories of people who have a deep connection to the area and collecting historical artefacts from people’s personal archives that we will preserve for the future. The exhibition is only a selection of the materials that we have been gathering.”

Dr Wessell said that many participants shared fond memories of swimming in the river, along with stories that are less widely known.

“There’s a big Lebanese community that migrated and lived there from the end of the 19th century, and there were a lot of Chinese market gardens,” she said.

“There’s also a strong Aboriginal community who have lived there for generations, so it’s a really diverse community. In the 1990s lots of creative people moved to the area – musicians, artists and students.”

She was also surprised to learn that the world’s first rainforest conservation journal originated in the region.

But she said the most powerful theme to emerge was the strong sense of connection among residents — and how they’ve supported one another through the many floods that have impacted the area over the years.

The Living Lab is a collaborative project between Southern Cross University and the University of Technology Sydney, in partnership with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation.

The initiative was established to support the recovery and resilient rebuilding of the region.

The Living Memory exhibition is open from 1pm to 4pm Tuesday to Thursday at the Living Lab Northern Rivers shopfront at 11 Woodlark Street, Lismore until August 7.

For more, visit llnr.com.au