Water Stories: Remembering the Lebanese in NSW as floods impact their lives

Exploring the diverse ways water has shaped NSW’s history, culture, and identity – Part of the History Council of NSW’s History Week 6-14 September 2025

The presentation will outline experiences on the mid to north coasts of NSW including: Early Days – The “Big Flood of 1866” on the Manning River, Taree; Family Histories such the story of Joseph Bracks who nearly drowned in the Manning River. Later he settled in North Lismore; North Lismore Lebanese Settlers – from the late 19th century until 2025; Yearly flooding events in North Lismore explained.

In “Branches of the Cedar Tree: Lebanese on the NSW Far North Coast”,

Anne Thacker has written about Lebanese settlement on the NSW

Far North Coast covering the history of some 30 Lebanese families.

The presentation will end with the 2022 Lismore floods and the impact on

North Lismore as no longer a viable suburb, and the “Living Lab Project”

established in 2024 to protect the history of North Lismore.

Date: Saturday 13th September 2025

Time: 3pm to 4pm

Place: Via Zoom: Please RSVP, Zoom link will be sent 24 hours before the event.

Book here to reserve your spot