Byron Bay

A major protest and concert at Murwillumbah to kick off the Lock the Gate Alliance “National Week of Action” against coal and coal seam gas in the Northern Rivers. Come and join with other Northern Rivers residents to send a strong, clear message to local, state and federal governments that the Northern Rivers Community says “Lock the Gate” to coal and coal seam gas. Gates open at 9.30am for a 10am start. March through the Murwillumbah CBD from 12 noon. Concert starts at 1pm back at the Showgrounds. Please wear yellow.

The Human Rights Film Festival starts at the PigHouse Flicks in Byron tonight, with four sessions over four nights. The Island President – Tue 13 June, 7pm http://hraff.org.au/film-event/the-island-president-2 Australian Shorts – Wed 14 June, 7pm http://hraff.org.au/film-event/australian-shorts-home-grown International Shorts – Thu 15 June, 7pm http://hraff.org.au/film-event/international-mixtape Fantome Island – Fri 16 June, 7pm http://hraff.org.au/film-event/fantome-island Art is indeed a luminous language. When unbound by culture or borders, it becomes a powerful means of communication, transcending cultural, ethnic or linguistic differences. Harnessing such power, what sort of a world could be built when art is used to explore the difficult issues of human rights? This is the question that we at the Human Rights Art and Film Festival (HRAFF) 2012 seek to answer. In [...]

Reuben Scown – missing since Monday. Police appeal for help to find missing man – Far North Coast Police from Tweed/Byron Local Area Command are appealing for public assistance to locate a man last seen leaving his home in Suffolk Park earlier this week. Police have been inquiring into the whereabouts of 22-year-old Reuben Scown who left in his blue 1994-model Toyota Camry station wagon about 6pm on Monday (28 May). Reuben has not been seen or been in contact with his family since and police have concerns for his welfare. Reuben’s station wagon has NSW registration WNF 683. Anyone who may have seen Reuben or Reuben’s car, or who has information about his movements, is asked to contact Byron [...]

On June 23 the streets of Byron Bay will see it’s first SlutWalk.  The main idea of SlutWalk is that it is a protest against explaining or excusing rape by referring to any aspect of a woman’s appearance. On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police, during a lecture to college students, gave shocking insight into the Police Force’s view of sexual assault by stating: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” The reaction to this statement has since started a world-wide grassroots movement challenging rape culture, victim-blaming and slut-shaming, and working to end sexual and domestic violence. Over the last 16 months, SlutWalks have taken place in almost every country in the [...]

Friday sees the third Tweed Battle of the Bands kicking off at the Tweed Civic Centre. 10 young bands are competing in this years comp, coming from  as far away as Brisbane and Coffs Harbour. The heats on April 6, 13 and 20 will feature headline acts such as Double Lined Minority and Mason Rack. There will also be a graffiti exhibition, hip-hop and break dancing displays. The winners of the Tweed Battle of the bands will take away $2000 for first place, $1000 for second and $500 for third. It’s $10 at the doors… doors open at 6pm. Tweed Battle of the Bands is an initiative of the Safer Communities Alliance in partnership with Tweed Shire Council and National Youth [...]

Rocky Creek Dam. Photo Jacklyn Wagner / The Northern Star CYANIDE has been detected in Rocky Creek Dam which supplies drinking water to much of the Northern Rivers. Last month, the naturally occurring compound was found in tap water at a level above that recommended under the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Rous Water general manager Kyme Lavellesaid laboratory testing conducted in February found small traces of cyanide in water which had been filtered. However, all testing since has been clear. “It’s a minute amount,” Mr Lavelle said. The cyanide was detected at a level between .04 and .08mm above the acceptable level of .08mm per litre. Mr Lavelle stressed these levels were well below that which would cause health problems, [...]

Police assembled for Police Memorial Day in Lismore last year. Police Shortfall: Parsons IT HAS never been a secret that the Northern Rivers suffers from a shortage of police resources and an abnormally high rate of stress leave. But now the State Government has officially recognised the problem with the full release of the statewide audit into police resources, conducted by former assistant commissioner Peter Parsons. The long-awaited audit shows that in the Northern Region – from Newcastle to the Queensland border – the Tweed-Byron Local Area Command (LAC) and Richmond LAC occupy the second and third spots for stress leave vacancies, with 15 and 14 empty spots respectively. Richmond LAC was operating with 32 police officers under strength as [...]

THE STATE government has released the results of its controversial review of NSW Marine Parks. The Independent Scientific Audit of Marine Parks calls for significant change in marine park management, including that the Marine Parks Authority, Coastal Management Panel and NSW Fisheries be abolished and replaced with a Coastal and Marine Management Authority. The audit, chaired by Professor Robert Beeton AM, also found marine park zoning should have been carried out in a more consultative way by the former Labor government. It said there had been an ‘ad hoc and generally poor approach to social assessment, if undertaken at all’ in relation to marine parks and recommended an independent scientific committee that would give a greater emphasis to social and [...]

Mental Illness Starts Young CLOSE to 50% of all mental health issues develop by the age of 18. 75% are developed by the age of 25, according to the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being. With these statistics in mind, the region’s youth are becoming increasingly aware of mental illnesses and now they are learning to help deal with them. A Group of young people from the Northern Rivers Youth Advisory Council and the Fresh Fruits Youth Group have finished their Youth Mental Health Firs Aid Course in Lismore The two-day course covered depression, anxiety, psychosis, self-harm and substance misuse, issues that commonly arise in the younger community. As the co-chair of Fresh Fruits, the under-25′s sub-group attached [...]

Margie Wheatley and her dog, Honey, searching for Mrs Wheatley’s missing cows at Main Arm. WITH its hilly surroundings and steep valleys, Main Arm has seen its fair share of floods. But this week’s inundation was like none the area’s long-time locals had ever seen. “It was the biggest I have ever seen,” Main Arm Store owner Marianne Dichiera said. In the six hours until 4pm on Wednesday, Mullumbimby recorded 160mm of rain. By lunchtime on Wednesday, Main Arm Rd was completely cut off and the surrounding, low-lying paddocks resembled a wide and rapidly flowing brown river. Mrs Dichiera, who has lived in the Main Arm area for more than a decade, said she had never seen the area flood [...]

IT’S official. The Northern Rivers now holds the unenviable title of the most expensive regional residential land in the country, surpassing popular areas such as the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast for the first time. The median price for a housing block on the Northern Rivers is $238,250 – almost as much as the country’s minor capital cities such as Hobart and Darwin, according to the new quarterly Housing Industry Association/RP Data report. “It is a surprise,” said Colin Buttenshaw, executive director of HIA’s Gold Coast and Northern Rivers division. “You would have thought the price of land around the Hunter and Newcastle or the Illawarra, which have had massive developments and population growth with people now commuting to Sydney, [...]

Swedish backpackers Madeleine Harryson and Emike Szanto enjoy the sunshine (for free) at Byron Bay. Emike said the high dollar had made her stay more expensive than she first thought. THE STRONG Australian dollar is cutting into backpacker’s budgets, forcing them to stay longer in capital cities and away from regional destinations like Byron Bay. Byron Bay backpacker hostels are reporting a decline in bookings – particularly from Irish, British and American backpackers – and say the high Australian dollar is at least partly to blame. Dougall Pennefarther, of the Backpackers Inn in Shirley St, said traditional backpacker markets like the US and Britain had dropped by up to 90% in recent years. Those that were still coming, such as [...]

Candy Cracksmacker, Metal Minx and Chook Eye China of the Bay Rollers roller derby team who are struggling to find a home. They are pinning their hopes on the Byron Regional Sports Complex in the background. Fast women leave town THEY’RE part of the world’s fastest growing women’s sport, boast a membership that’s grown five-fold in just two years and their games attract thousands of spectators but their inability to find a permanent home could spell the end of the Byron Bay-based roller derby league team, the Bay Rollers. In the past two years at least 15 local venues have knocked back requests from the league to use their facilities for training and competition, forcing the 50 team members to [...]

Warmer sea may ’cause’ hybrid shark SHARKS off the east coast of Australia could have been interbreeding and creating hybrid species for many years, a shark expert from Southern Cross University says. Dr Danny Bucher, a senior lecturer in marine biology and fisheries at SCU’s School of Environmental Science and Management, said the recent discovery of hybrids of the Australian black tip shark and the common black tip shark was “an interesting find”. Scientists found 57 hybrid sharks between northern NSW and far north Queensland. Although the two species are similar, they grow to different sizes and are genetically distinct. Dr Bucher said hybrids often occurred between closely related species. However he also said that it had not been known [...]

Big swells are expected this weekend. LIFEGUARDS are preparing for a “worst-case scenario” this weekend on the Tweed and Gold Coast beaches. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecasted that a category one cyclone off the east coast of Australia might push a three to four-metre swell onto Tweed and Gold Coast beaches at Christmas. Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Michelle Berry said the weak system in the Pacific Ocean, Cyclone Fina, was likely to move south south-west before turning east on Saturday. “This will create a large ocean swell and dangerous beach conditions,” Ms Berry said. “We do get these conditions often but given the weekend and the timing it is dangerous.” Ms Berry said the one positive was that [...]

Nicole McLachlan has just returned from maintaining awareness of dolphin slaughter in Japan. THE Academy Award-winning 2009 film The Cove inspired concerns about mass dolphin slaughter in Japan. Since then 20 year old Tweed woman Nicole McLachlan with group nicknamed the Cove Guardians has battled to maintain publicity around Japan’s national annual target of 23,000 dolphins hunted and eaten. She returned from coastal town Taiji today and gave an example of the last day of the slaughter-season on Sunday. “There was a pod of 25 strip dolphins,” Ms McLachlan said. “When they come in to the cove they jump on the rocks – they’re so frantic and confused. “You don’t actually see the physical slaughter, but every so often tarps [...]

LISMORE City Council has received unprecedented community support for its popular, though legally uncertain, moratorium on coal-seam gas activities on all council-controlled land. Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell said she had been flooded with emails and phone calls from a wide range of community members who were “one-hundred per cent supportive” of the council’s controversial decision. At its final meeting for 2011 last week, the council rejected initial legal advice and voted six to five to reject a seismic testing application by Metgasco along up to 14 kilometres of council road reserves at Rock Valley, before imposing a full moratorium (nine to two) pending further legal, community and industry consultation. “It is now up to Metgasco to decide if they want [...]

POLICE who are away on extended stress leave or sick leave will no longer be counted in a police station’s “official” numbers, NSW Police Minister Michael Gallacher has announced. The announcement came with the release by the government today of 22 recommendations from former Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons, who has been reviewing issues such as police working conditions and resources for several months. The review has become a touchstone of government MPs responding to calls for increased police resources, including on the Northern Rivers where there have been loud calls for more police from across the region, particularly Casino where residents want a 24-hour police presence. It has been anticipated the report from the review would spell out the need [...]

Michael Worthington with his Williams Optics FLT110 Apochromatic Refractor setup for astro photography is hoping for clear skies so he can photograph the lunar eclipse. Seeing red, but in a good way NORTHERN Rivers residents are in for a treat this weekend with a total lunar eclipse set to coincide with a meteor shower in an astronomical phenomenon tipped to light up the sky. The lunar eclipse will be visible from 11.45pm on Saturday when the Earth’s shadow will begin covering the moon. Pegged as one of the most spectacular events on the astronomical calendar – and the second of only two this year – the lunar eclipse will last 51 minutes and is expected to transform the moon’s colour [...]

(From left) work experience student Denyelle O’Brien, Australian Seabird Rescue North Coast co-ordinator Kath Southwell and Australian Seabird Rescue veterinarian nurseMichelle Hall tend to a sick hawksbill turtle found in the Richmond River more than a week ago. VOLUNTEERS and funds are needed to care for the alarming number of sea turtles washing up on North Coast beaches. It is believed the turtles are becoming ill as a result of the destruction of food sources caused by Cyclone Yasi and the high level of plastic pollution in our oceans. “We have seen nothing like this since we began rescuing sea turtles in 1998,” Australian Seabird Rescue North Coast co-ordinator Kath Southwell said. “We are receiving twice as many stranded turtles [...]

Rescue crew search for missing Kenyan teenager in Cabarita Beach. MISSING Kenyan teenager Samuel Macharia is feared drowned after a full land and ocean search failed to locate him on Monday. The 16-year-old student, who originally came to Australia as an orphan sponsored by Tweed Shire Council five years ago, never returned home following an afternoon run and swim at Cabarita Beach on Sunday. Police were contacted about 7pm (NSW) on Sunday after family members found a backpack with his clothes and mobile phone on the beach. Police, surf life savers, family members and volunteers searched into the night with help from the Coast Guard and Marine Rescue NSW. They were back again at dawn with the help of the [...]

Lismore City SES volunteers (from left) Neil Coulter, Sebastian Enmark and John Ludlow are among those off to the North West Region to assist emergency efforts. LOCAL SES crews will spend the next few days assisting emergency services in Inverell after the North Coast was put on flood watch yesterday. The Northern Rivers was spared major flooding as of last night, however areas in the Northern Tablelands experienced their heaviest rains in years. Glen Innes has had its heaviest rain in more than two years, receiving 90mm, which also breaks a 130-year November record for daily rainfall, according to WeatherZone reports, while Murwillumbah also recorded heavy downpours of more than 100mm. “We have had a crew of nine volunteers go [...]

Will these railway tracks near Eltham ever see another train? BALLINA MP and Minister for the North Coast, Don Page yesterday released a call for tenders to evaluate the costs of restoring and maintaining the 130km railway line from Casino to Murwillumbah and to look at the costs of extending the line to Coolangatta Airport for heavy or light-rail passen- ger services. Mr Page said the State Government was delivering on its commitment to examine broader transport options in the region, supported by a recent $2 million budget allocation. “The NSW Government is committed to providing the right mix of transport services for customers on the North Coast. These investigations are the start of that process,” Mr Page said. Advertisements [...]

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new $8 million Tweed police headquarters facing the beachfront at Kingscliff were last night given the green light despite objections from Tweed Shire Council planning staff and opposition from nearby residents and businesses. Three members of the Northern Region Joint Planning Panel voted to give “in-principle” approval for the complex, which residents fear will cause car parking congestion in surrounding streets and rob beachgoers of parking spots along Marine Pde. Two panel members were absent. The decision came despite a recommendation from council planners for the application to be referred to NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazard, with advice it be rejected largely because of insufficient car parking for police officers and the public. The panel previously [...]

A 40sqm banner hangs on Frog Buttress an internationally renowned rockface on the side of Mt French, just across the Qld border in the Scenic Rim as part of a CSG protest that is planned for this weekend. WITH thousands expected to turn out at several rallies across the Northern Rivers against the coal seam gas industry over the weekend the groundswell of opposition to the burgeoning industry is growing. This week the NSW Farmers Association threatened to walk away from the O’Farrell government’s coal seam gas stakeholder advisory committee. The president of the NSW Farmers Association Fiona Simson said draft documents proposed the loss of agricultural activity would need to be taken into account only when considering mining projects [...]

Anti-coal seam gas protesters greet the NSW State Government inquiry into the industry in Kyogle recently. PEOPLE will take to the streets of the North Coast this weekend to voice their concerns with coal seam gas and to support the worldwide “occupy” movement. Anti-coal seam gas events will take place in Lismore tomorrow and in Kyogle and Byron Bay on Sunday as part of a national day of action to protest against the industry. Also in Byron Bay tomorrow a group calling itself Occupy Corporate Byron will make its presence known. Co-organiser of the event, John Waite, said the leaderless peaceful group would gather at Railway Park from noon to show support for the Occupy Wall Street movement in the [...]

FEEDBACK: Hop online and help out with a youth survey for your chance to win. THE Northern Rivers Youth Advisory Council (NRYAC) is carrying out a survey to find out what matters most to young people in the region. Called the Northern Rivers Youth Census, the survey was released through Facebook and sms. “It’s a chance for us to have a say about what’s important to us, so we’d like to see every single young person under 25 complete the survey by 29 October,” said Jacob Fitzroy, the NRYAC chairperson. Jacob will also represent the Northern Rivers at the 2012 Youth Parliament in Canberra. The NRYAC is offering two prizes to help get the word out. First prize is an [...]

The Northern Rivers Youth Advisory Council are a voice for young people in the Northern Rivers. They have developed a survey to find out info about young people in the Northern Rivers – who they are, what they do, where they live & what matters to them. Just like the national census, but instead created by young people in the Northern Rivers! They want to hear from all young people, so there are two great prizes on offer to help get the word out. First prize is an Apple IPAD, and 2nd prize is a ticket to the Byron Bay Blues Festival! Link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YOUTHCENSUSnorthernrivers Why is the Youth Census important? The Youth Census is a chance for young [...]

BREAKING NEWS: PART of a human jawbone was found washed up on Salt Beach at Kingscliff late yesterday morning. Tweed Heads Police duty officer Acting Superintendent Brad Stewart said members of the public found the bone with five teeth attached and told the surf life savers on duty. “It appears it is a small part of a human jawbone, about an inch long,” Acting Supt Stewart said. “It was below the high tide mark when they found it so the surf life savers have secured it. “Police have attended the scene and photographed the area and secured the remains. “At this stage it will be reported to the local coroner.” Source: Tweed Daily News

Back burning exercise in Ellangowan south east of Casino, with fire fighter Nathan Cawley and trainees Corey, Micke and Max. A THICK blanket of smoke which covered the Northern Rivers yesterday was caused by back burning by landholders and fire fighters in preparation for the fire season ahead. NSW Rural Fire Service Northern Rivers Superintendent Boyd Townsend said although there had been several bush and grass fires in the region over the weekend – Low humidity and high temperatures had made for volatile conditions – the thick smoke was primarily caused by multiple backburns from as far away as Tenterfield. “There is an enormous amount of hazard reduction going on,” Supt Townsend said. Smoke from these operations were reaching the [...]

TWEED/Byron police officers only fired a taser seven times between October 2008 and March this year. Figures collected through the NSW Police Force Weapons and Tactics Policy and Review unit showed while a taser had been drawn by police 12 times, there had only been seven deployments. And while that number may seem low, Tweed/Byron Local Area Command Acting Superintendent Greg Jago said the taser technology had provided a necessary non-lethal weapon capable of subduing people that had been otherwise unavailable to police before the introduction of the electroshock weapon in October, 2008. “Prior to the approval and issue of taser to the NSW Police Force our options were either baton, oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, or lethal force by use [...]

THE NSW Parliamentary inquiry into coal-seam gas will this month hold its first hearing into the burgeoning industry in Lismore. Keerong Gas Squad member Ian Gaillard said his group had already made a written submission, but hoped to address the General Purpose Standing Committee, which is conducting the Inquiry, at thehearing. Given the opportunity to speak, Mr Gaillard said he would focus on the constitutional protection of water and the use of the precautionary principle in maters relating to the environment. “We can’t run this experiment without a scientific understanding of the long-term consequences of this industry,” he said. “The scale and the size of the current gas rush should be of concern to all Northern Rivers residents.” There will [...]

Full Moon C.S.G. CD Launch Party & Fundraiser Ewingsdale Hall, Ewingsdale ~ Friday, August 12 · 7:30pm - 11:00pm Celebrate the launch of ‘Whole Lotta Frackin’ Going On’ – a compilation of radio-friendly songs in a wide range of genres that presents vital information about the dangers of ‘fracking’ and Coal Seam Gas mining to our environment, food, water & society. We don’t have big advertising budgets like the mining companies, but we can use the power of song to spread our message. Live music by Rhett Brambleby, Very Unique Existence, Laura-Doe & The Chaps, Back Deck, Surreal MC, Brendan ‘Mookx’ Hanley, Ariel Kalma + Joel Kalma, Tarshito, Hanabeth Luke, Haven and more. Admission plus CD $15. Kids free! Yummy food, chais & [...]

TWEED Byron police command is trialling a new online community policing concept using Facebook to combat crime. The NSW Police Force yesterday announced the trial of Project Eyewatch, created to allow local area commands and their communities to exchange information using police co-ordinated homepages on social media network Facebook. Crime co-ordinator Sergeant Stuart Crawford said the project was all about timeliness. “It’s all about getting timely information to the public,” Sgt Crawford said. “It will enable us to communicate with the community quickly and easily.” Sgt Crawford said Tweed-Byron officers and members of the Banora Point Neighbourhood Watch had attended a training day in Sydney to learn how to best utilise the new communication tool. “We will continue to work [...]

NSW lifeguards are “on edge” this week with school holidays in full swing. Northern NSW lifeguard co-ordinator Scott McCartney said the big swell added to the danger for people entering the water during the winter months. “No beach (in northern NSW) is patrolled during the winter months except Salt, but we do get called out whenever the public or police call us for a rescue,” Mr McCartney said. “We have gear ready to go in our lifeguard sheds, and each area has a supervisor.” Mr McCartney said while the response times were “really good” in most areas, at the more isolated beaches, particularly around Black Rocks, there were “black spots” with delayed response times. “Through winter a lot more surfers [...]

BSANE – Byron Saving Australia’s Natural Environment, is a community group formed because of an overwhelming need to stop the destructive practice of Coal Seam Gas Exploration in our region. We stand together to protect our land’s beautiful, natural diversity and the purity of our water. BSANE presents a ‘No CSG Northern Rivers’ Information Evening and Community Forum. Speakers include: Mark Byrne – Environmental Defenders Offiice Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith – National Toxics Network Dr Libby Connors – Action on Coal and Gas Dayne ‘Frackman’ Pratzky – Western Downs Alliance Drew Hutton ~ President of Lock the Gate Justin Fields – Representing the Parliamentarian Jeremy Buckingham Please come, all welcome. Let’s become empowered through education and community networking. FB GROUP, please [...]

A surfer at Rainbow Bay makes the most of the oustanding conditions. SURFERS along the central east coast of Australia have enjoyed ideal conditions over the past month. JS surfboards salesman John Hookham said business had been better than June last year. “We are definitely selling more boards, I’d say 15-20% more,” Mr Hookham said. He said he had noticed a large number of international surfers coming to the Gold Coast. “There are lots of Europeans, Japanese and Brazilians coming for the waves … 60% of our trade is international customers,” he said. Tag Team creator Jay Carter, who organises youth surfing events, said young surfers were getting invaluable experience on the waves. “Yeah, it’s excellent. People are getting the [...]

HEAVY rain is expected to cause flash flooding across northern NSW, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says. A severe weather warning is in place for the northern tablelands, northern rivers and mid north coast, with heavy rainfall expected to develop by Monday afternoon, a BOM spokesman said on Sunday. “It may cause flash flooding across those areas,” the spokesman said. The Hunter region is already being battering by heavy showers, with 38mm recorded at Mangrove Mountain since 9am (AEST) on Sunday. The State Emergency Service (SES) said it had received 82 calls from residents in relation to leaking or damaged roofs and sandbagging issues. Residents and holiday makers are urged to avoid entering floodwaters, and motorists should be careful driving [...]

After a cold start, Northern River residents enjoyed a superb winter’s day, including this local enjoying the new cycleway at Lennox Point. Conditions are expected to deteriorate over the weekend, however, with heavy rain expected . LOCAL emergency services are bracing for widespread heavy rain and possible flooding tomorrow and into Monday, with falls of up to 100mm expected. The Richmond-Tweed SES yesterday issued a flood watch for the Tweed, Brunswick, Clarence and Wilsons/Richmond valleys, predicting a greater than 70% chance of moderate to major flooding developing from early Monday onwards. “An approaching upper trough will bring rain along the North Coast late in the weekend where a surface trough is expected to deepen. “The trough is expected to remain [...]

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service has just one day’s supply of O negative blood left in NSW. THE Australian Red Cross Blood Service has just one day’s supply of O negative blood left in NSW, the organisation says. A sudden downturn in people donating blood has severely depleted blood stocks, Blood Service manager Garry Wolfe said on Monday. While the organisation aims to have six days’ supply available, it currently has less than two days’ supply nationally and less in NSW. “Our O negative blood stocks are at worrying levels,” Mr Wolfe said. “With the cold and flu season almost upon us and many regular donors going away for the Queen’s birthday long weekend in June, we are very [...]

More than 1500 protesters packed Byron Bay’s Main Beach yesterday forming a ‘NO CSG’ slogan on the sand to protest against coal seam gas mining in the region. MORE than 1500 protesters attended an anti-coal seam gas rally at Byron Bay at the weekend, linking up to spell out “NO CSG” across main beach. Organisers Ashlee Thompson and Rebecca de Gail were ecstatic at the turn-out, saying that planning for the rally only began about a week ago after Ms Thompson saw a similar protest planned for Austinmer Beach in the Illawarra. “When we saw the protest down south we thought we should join in,” she said. “The t-shirts and signs say it all … I love the fact that [...]

A 60-DAY moratorium on new exploration licences for coal seam gas mining was announced over the weekend, following months of debate between mining companies, farmers, councils and environmentalists. Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Kyogle councils, Rous Water and Northern Rivers Tourism have all pushed for the moratorium. Just last week Federal Page MP Janelle Saffin also backed the calls, saying the community deserved more information about the “potential damaging effect on the community, environment and agriculture”. She said the 60-day freeze on new exploration licences, announced by NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday night, was a good step forward. “My approach has been that we need to put the brakes on a bit,” Ms Saffin said. “We need some breathing [...]

THE Tweed-Byron area police command remains the drink-driving capital of Northern New South Wales. More than a quarter of the Northern Region’s drink-driving offences over the Easter long weekend were detected in the two shires. And the region, which stretches from Newcastle to the border, detected the highest number of drink-drivers in the state. Northern Region traffic co-ordinator acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Trubody said the detections were part of Operation Tortoise, which ran from Thursday to Monday. “Police conducted 2384 breath tests, and for that there were 27 drink-driving offences detected,” Acting Snr Sgt Trubody said. “There were 38 speeding infringements, 10 seat belt offences, 100 other traffic infringement tickets and 21 other traffic charges.” “Tweed-Byron was the highest in [...]

Tweed mayor Kevin Skinner wants no part of Byron Shire. Byron mayor Jan Barham has raised the prospect of a merger. TWEED is better off without parts of Byron Shire being added to the council area, Tweed mayor Kevin Skinner said. Cr Skinner yesterday declared the Tweed would not be interested in taking over parts of Byron Shire, such as Ocean Shores or Brunswick Heads, because the shire was already “big enough” and self-contained. His comments should come as good news to a number of Byron residents, whose Greens Party mayor Jan Barham claimed a NSW Coalition government would sack Byron council and amalgamate it with another council. Ms Barham, who is running as a Greens Party candidate for the [...]

Police were on patrol at Tweed City Shopping Centre but the brawl did not eventuate. A TEENAGER has been charged after a fight organised on a social networking website attracted the attention of more than 5000 people. Tweed police charged a 19-year-old Banora Point man with using a carriage service to make a hoax/threat late Wednesday afternoon. The charges related to a fight organised on Facebook at a Tweed Heads shopping centre on March 5, which more than 5000 people indicated they would attend. As a result police deployed additional resources to the area, but nothing eventuated. Tweed Police Inspector Greg Carey said they made numerous inquiries to identify the event’s “anonymous” creator and charged the 19-year-old man on Wednesday. [...]

Tweed Central Hotel owner Tom Butcher is offering rooms to flood victims. TWELVE families from the flood-ravaged community of Grantham will be treated to a timely holiday on the Tweed. Casuarina resident Linda Pennalligen-Hansen saw a lot of families in need while volunteering in the town. “A lot of people are still in limbo,” she said. “Some people are still waiting for insurance companies to come through and some people don’t have insurance and don’t now have the money to rebuild. “It’s cleaned up a lot but there’s a long way to go.” Ms Pennalligen-Hansen said a relaxing weekend on the Tweed would provide a good respite for a busload of people. “I’ve organised for J & B Bus Services [...]

Red Cross volunteers trained in emergency services (from left) Amanda Lucantonio, Tracee Thomson, Tweed-Byron emergency services liaison officer Kodie Alderton and Byron Bay team leader Bronwyn Raphael. We’ve all seen the tragic images. Buildings in ruins. Lives lost. Byron Shire locals have looked on in disbelief – as have people around the world – at the devastation following the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Not that long before, Australia as a nation held its collective breath as Cyclone Yasi ripped through Far North Queensland, we shook our heads as bushfires destroyed homes in Perth, and could hardly believe the inland tsunami which swept through Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley. And, in each natural disaster, there is a common feeling in [...]

Yamba’s Nathan Hollis launches for the flag at the lifesaving championships at Kingscliff. KINGSCLIFF yesterday played host to thousands of New South Wales nippers on the first day of the 2011 State Age Surf Life Saving Championships. Cudgen Headland SLSC head coach Phil Klein said his 95-strong nipper team trained three times a week in the lead-up to the event. “This is the biggest event of the year,” Mr Klein said. “They’re doing the club, the community and me very proud. “On Saturday there will be mostly individual events, and I’m hoping many kids will make the finals for Sunday.” Salt SLSC team manager Craig Mandall said all the area’s clubs were doing well in excellent surf carnival conditions. “Particularly [...]

A police air wing helicopter searches bushland in the Tweed  and Byron Shires. ABOUT $1.6 million worth of cannabis was found in two days as a police heli- copter, dogs and officers swooped on outlying villages in the Tweed and Byron shires. The NSW Police Drug Squad, along with the police air wing, dog squad and Tweed Byron Police officers began the Cannabis Eradication Program (CEP) in the region on Monday and will continue until tomorrow, Drug Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham said. “So far we have conducted the CEP in Huonbrook, Upper Wilsons Creek, Billynudgel, Yelgun, Upper Main Arm, Mullumbimby Creek, Coorabell and Saint Helena,” Det Supt Bingham said. Yesterday, the searches were staged in the Chillingham, Tyalgum [...]