Crystal Girl Driving To Nimbin Slightly Let Down By The Realities Of A Neglected Rural Australia

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An excited school leaver on her first trip to Nimbin, India Mercer (18), has been been left slightly deflated at the state of many regional Australian towns.

India, a 3rd generation crystal enthusiast from the inner city had long dreamed of her coming of age trip to the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

“My mum and her mum both did long stays in Byron before setting up their arts and crafts studios, I couldn’t wait to be done with high school so I too could make the journey” India said.

“But most of the towns we stopped off at on the way really weren’t what we expected”

“There were a lot more pub fights and RSLs than there were mystic wanderers with deep and meaningful backstories” she admitted.

India’s dreams of connecting with free-spirited artisans and bohemian mystics were instead replaced by encounters with meat tray raffles and long lasting effect of de-industrialization.

“I thought I’d be meeting people who’d read my aura or teach me the secrets of herbal medicine, but instead, we met a guy named Kev who wouldn’t stop talking about his fishing boat,” she added.

Undeterred, India plans to focus her energy on Nimbin itself, hopeful that the town will deliver the spiritual awakening she was promised.