| Type: | town |
| Federal | |
| State: | nsw |
| Lga: | Byron Shire |
| Postcode: | 2480 |
| Pop: | 712 |
| Elevation: | 140 |
| Timezone: | AEST |
| Utc: | +10 |
| Timezone-Dst: | AEDT |
| Utc-Dst: | +11 |
| Coordinates: | -28.6508°N 153.4553°W |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Stategov: | Ballina |
| Fedgov: | Richmond |
| Dist1: | 780 |
| Dir1: | NNE |
| Location1: | Sydney |
| Dist2: | 171 |
| Dir2: | SSE |
| Location2: | Brisbane |
| Dist3: | 20 |
| Dir3: | w |
| Location3: | Byron Bay |
Federal is a village in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Byron Shire local government area. It is approximately 20km (10miles) from the regional centre of Byron Bay.[1] [2] It is 13km (08miles) to Minyon Falls which is within the Nightcap National Park.[3] [4]
It is on the lands of the Widjabal of the Bundjalung people who are the Traditional Owners of this land.[5] [6] It stands on land that was a part of The Big Scrub, 75,000 hectares of lowland subtropical rainforest which was cleared for agricultural use; this clearing also dispossessed many of the Bundjalung people.
At the, Federal had a population of 712. At the, the population was 784, with a median age of 47.
The village is one of the older in the area and it was originally known as Jaspar (or Jasper), until it was cleared for the use of agriculture in the 19th century with farmers moving to the area in 1882.[7] Some of the first European settles were William Risley and William John Bate who were led there by a cedar-getter named Daniel Withers.[8]
When still known as Jaspar, The Federal Butter Factory was built there, this factory was a part of a dairy co-operative and was constructed around 1893. Its name is thought to have been proposed by members of the co-operative in support of the Federation of Australia.
The village was renamed Federal when a post office was built by the factory in 1899 and the name changed in common use but was not formally changed until 1906 after petitioning to the government.[9] [10] [11]
Over the last years, Federal has seen settlers revitalise new services and endures as a quaint village for its rural lifestyle.