Byron Bay

On Saturday January 12 the YAC Amphitheatre is set to come alive with with the sounds of 20 young hardcore and metal bands in the first festival of it’s kind, the Which Way Festival. It will feature many of the bands who have played at the YACROCKCAFE at the Byron Youth Activities Centre on Friday nights throughout 2012. The Which Way Festival on Saturday January 12 was the brainchild of James Heath, member of local young hardcore band Like Cannons. James wanted to do a fundraiser to help to purchase more equipment for the bands to use on Friday nights. His idea spread like wildfire, with nearly 20 bands signing up to play the festival within a week! Currently the [...]

The YACROCKCAFE will tonight host a Hardcore Party for the launch of Cringe The Binge – National Weekend Of Action! The YACROCKCAFE is a music based drop-in for high school and uni aged young people which happens every Friday night at the Byron Youth Activities Centre (YAC). Since it kicked off in March this year, the YACROCKCAFE has seen young bands from as far away as Launceston & Melbourne hit the stage each week, with many of the bands coming from Byron Shire, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. On average, each week, four bands play between 7 & 10pm. The YACROCKCAFE is supported by BUDDI (Byron Underage Drinking & Drug Initiative – Community Drug Action Team), Byron Youth Service and [...]

THERE ARE NO EXCUSES FOR BORED TEENS IN BYRON BAY ON FRIDAY NIGHTS! THE YACROCKCAFE IS GOING OFF! The YACROCKCAFE is a music cafe for high school and uni aged young people, at the Byron Youth Activities Centre. Open every Friday night, music teachers and mentors are available in the Loud Room from 5-7pm some Fridays, followed by jam sessions and performance opportunities for young bands and musicians on the YAC stage from 7-10pm… There are also special gig nights with special guest artists… The Byron S.A.E. provide sound engineering students on work-placement to manage the sound for these events and a full PA is set up onstage every week for performing artists to use. Young bands and musicians can [...]

Byron Bay’s premier wedding specialists invite you to taste, sample and delight in all things wedding at Ewingsdale Hall on the 20th and 21st July 2012. The free boutique showcase features some of the area’s best event stylists, photographers, videographers, florists and more! A must-see event for any couple planning their wedding in Byron Bay. BYRON BRIDAL ByronBridal.com is a community of wedding vendors who service the ever growing Byron Bay wedding scene. They are Photographers, Stylists and Hire companies, Caterers, Florists, Wedding Gown Designers, Cake decorators, Events Managers, Stationers, Musicians and more. You won’t find a more passionate and diverse bunch of people ready to help make your Byron Bay wedding everything you hoped and dreamed it would be. Within the pages [...]

SLUTWALK IN BYRON BAY TODAY! TODAY… June 23, the streets of Byron Bay will see its 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 [...]

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 [...]

The Bay Rollers roller derby squad tussle for position at the official opening day of Byron Shire’s Regional Sports and Cultural Complex in February. Photo Jeff ‘Roll Another’ Dawson Rollers get the nod for sports complex use A howl of delight greeted a move by Byron Shire Council to allow its brand new sports complex to be used for roller derby competition, despite concerns roller blades may damage its brand new timber floor. The Bay Rollers roller derby squad had recently applied to use the auditorium for training and competition but due to concerns of their impact, councillors asked staff for a report. Councillors last week backed the report’s recommendation for inviting use of the facility by the group, subject [...]

Crankfest Xtreme is the region’s largest celebration of youth arts and culture showcasing our young people’s talents and achievements gained as part of the National Youth Week Celebrations across the Northern Rivers. Running from 11am-5pm alongside the river in Evans Head the festival offers youth a chance to step up and shine at the Breakamove showcase stage, learn some hip hop moves or test your xtreme skills in the BMX or Skate competitions. If just kicking back and watching is more your style you can tune into the live sounds of youth bands at the Essential Energy Stage, funky deejays or enjoy the work of original songwriters and musicians. With creative workshops including tumbling, aerial circus and dance, heaps of [...]

David Spiteri will be at the Bangalow Hotel in Bangalow on Saturday the 31st March for a Book Launch and Signing of ‘The Prez’. This is your chance to meet the author and have your own copy of ‘The Prez’ signed. The Prez is a true account of the birth of the outlaw motorcycle clubs in Australia. Names have had to be changed and identities and events obscured. This is the only way the story could be told. Author David Spiteri says of the book ′This story is a true account of the birth of outlaw motorcycle clubs in Australia. There was no template for us, it just evolved. It shows our simple creed: loyalty to the club and respect [...]

The Lismore Blisstas in 2011. WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE SAMBA BLISSTAS? THEN HERE’S YOUR CHANCE! Hugely popular Northern Rivers percussion band, the Samba Blisstas are recruiting new members across the Northern Rivers through a series of ‘Carnival Drumming & Percussion’ workshops and courses in Bangalow, Kingscliff and Ballina. There are now three versions of the Blisstas across the North Coast, due to their ever increasing popularity!  The Ballina Blisstas at Ballina, Samba Blisstas at Bangalow and the King Blisstas at Kingscliff. The ‘Blisstas’ are running  four-week courses across the North Coast as part of their 2012 recruitment drive. Courses will be held on Tuesdays in Bangalow at the Bangalow Pavilion Hall (starting May 1, 6pm to 8pm), Wednesdays at the [...]

GET YOUR ENTRIES IN FOR THE UNDER 18′S BLUESFEST GROMMET BUSKING COMP!! Entry deadline has been extended to Monday… Grommet Busking Comp Bonanza – NEW IN 2012 For the first time, the Bluesfest Busking Comp will be including a Grommet Busking Comp where musicians under the age of 18 have an opportunity to reveal their abilities in their own exclusive category. The Grommet division will be set up in a similar fashion to the original Bluesfest Busking Comp offering heats in Byron Bay on a weekend prior to the Bluesfest with the finals to be held at the Beach Hotel prior to the adult finals. This is an exciting change to this year’s comp and is key to the expansion [...]

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, [...]

IT’S a big day for the Big Prawn. Today a decision will be made on whether our favourite crustacean lives or dies. Ballina Shire councillors will make the call at today’s ordinary meeting when they vote on the application for a $12 million Bunnings Warehouse at the site at West Ballina that includes a much-needed makeover for the prawn. Council staff have recommended approval. But while Bunnings had some big plans for the Big Prawn, including increasing its height by 1m to 15m, the council staff are keen to see it stay the same height. The report states that the prawn is “too high in relation to surrounding structures”. “It is considered that if council were of a mind to [...]

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 [...]

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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, [...]

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 [...]

(From left) engineering works manager Paul Busmanis, Ballina civil services group manager John Truman, Ballina councillor Susan Meehan and Ballina Mayor Phillip Silver (front) at the re-opening of the Coast Rd between Lennox Head and Ballina. Coast Rd’s ‘root-canal’ complete NORTH Coast commuters will breathe a sigh of relief today as the Coast Rd at Lennox Head re-opens almost a month ahead of schedule. The road, which was damaged in a landslide in January, was closed for urgent repairs in October to allow the road foundation to be excavated and rebuilt. The closure of the Coast Rd limited access to one of Australia’s most popular surf beaches and frustrated regular commuters between Lennox Head and Ballina. Local business owners also [...]

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 [...]

Ballina Fisherman’s Co-Op Retail Sales Manager Alister Robertson shows off a fresh catch of prawns. WHILE many of us love a hot roast lunch, there’s nothing more classically Australian than a Christmas feast of prawns. Ballina Fisherman’s Co-op retail sales manager Alister Robertson said the hot Australian climate made prawns a popular choice at Christmas. “It’s definitely the weather,” he said. “I lived in London for seven years and the tradition over there is to eat hot, stodgy and warming food, whereas in Australia you have the option of eating seafood, which is light and tasty.” The Ballina Co-op has begun taking pre-orders for prawns in the lead-up to Christmas. Mr Robertson said small, medium and large king prawns were [...]

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 [...]

West Ballina’s Big Prawn NEVER fear, Big Prawn fans – your favourite crustacean is here to stay. It’s going to cost a lot of money, but Bunnings, the new owner of the prawn site at West Ballina, has decided this is one Australian icon that just can’t be demolished. Instead the hardware giant is planning to give the beloved creature a bit of a makeover. And it will be moved so it has pride of place at the entry to the new store. Managing director John Gillam said the company had recognised the “importance of the Big Prawn to many in the Ballina community”. “At this stage as part of our development we hope to refurbish the existing giant prawn [...]

Jasmin Howard, 23 of Central Coast, returned home on the first flight between the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport and Newcastle, cutting hours from her travel time. WHILE Australian commuters faced an agonising day of cancelled Qantas flights yesterday, passengers at Ballina/Byron Gateway Airport were celebrating the addition of an extra destination for Rex services. The first Rex flight from Ballina to Newcastle departed at 3pm yesterday to the delight of Novocastrian traveller Jasmin Howard. The 23-year-old was on the first flight offered by Rex to Newcastle after spending a long weekend holidaying in Byron Bay. “I have to return to work tomorrow after a beautiful long weekend away in Byron,” the childcare worker said. “The direct flight to Newcastle will [...]

Getting ready to party for Halloween are (from left) Yogita Gupta of Ballina and Nicole Pacanowski from Pennsylvania, US, who is living in Lismore. WHILE SOME reject it as an American tradition with no place in Australia, others see Halloween as a great chance to get dressed up and eat sweets. Halloween is seen by some as originating in a pagan holiday to honour the dead, apparently it dates from the ancient Celtic harvest festival, Samhain, more than 2000 years ago. In Australia, Halloween is increasingly marked by children who watch horror films and play trick-or-treat and adults who like to party in spooky costumes. The owner of Let’s Party Lismore, Michelle Stone, said there are plenty of Halloween parties [...]

Working With Voices – Essential Skills Workshop Byron Youth Activities Centre, 1 Gilmore Crescent Byron Bay, NSW 2481 Australia - Friday 14th October 2011, 9.00am – 4pm: Programme~ The “Working with Voices“workshop will equip participants with a tool kit for working with voice-hearers. It is suitable for front-line mental health staff working in the health, social service and voluntary sectors. ..Using MP3 technology (supplied), experience the world of a psychiatric disability through a simulated experience of hearing voices that are distressing. ..Gain a better understanding of the challenges that people with a psychiatric disability face. ..Identify the difference between voices that are distressing and other voices. ..Voice profiling ..Working within belief systems ..Developing coping strategies ..Facilitating consumer peer support Workbook included [...]

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 [...]

Angry Anderson: “I used to cry tears of joy when spending time with my children when they were young. To me that memory is just as important as being Angry Anderson from Rose Tattoo.” ROCK’n’roll bad boy Angry Anderson could be bound for glory in the Northern Rivers seat of Page if he takes Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s advice seriously. About a month ago Mr Abbott suggested the idea in passing to Mr Anderson, who has made no secret of his distaste for the Gillard government’s carbon tax. He described it on his website as a global conspiracy and, as a recent convert to The Nationals, is now planning a serious foray into politics. The Nationals are lapping it up, [...]

Preparing for the boat and fishing show in Ballina.from left to right on top David Nockolds, Jeff Norton, in front of the boat, left to right, Tony Henseley, Duncan Woodhead (all from Marine Rescue), Bill Hession (from Cape Marine). WITH clear skies forecast for most of the weekend, Marine Rescue Ballina is hoping for a good turnout at its second annual boat and leisure show. Co-ordinator Duncan Woodhead said the fine weather should bring thousands of people along to the event at the Seagulls rugby league grounds at Kingsford Smith Park. It will be held from 9am today and tomorrow, with more than 40 exhibitors. These include Ballina Marineland, Tweed Coast Marine, Wild Water Sports, Out of the Blue Tackle, [...]

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 [...]

Ballina Island paddle challenge, organised by Andrew Dougherty, raises money for Ballina surf lifesavers. Mireille Merlet-Shaw What’s on Saturday Ballina Country Music Festival Ballina Boat and Leisure Show at Seagulls Rugby League Ground North Coast Fishing Bonanza – Tweed River to Clarence River Sunday Ballina Island Paddle Challenge at the Sailing Club on River St, 10am Ballina Boat and Leisure Show North Coast Fishing Bonanza Ballina Rotary Duck Race at Fawcett Park, 11am Ballina Country Music Festival Monday Ballina Country Music Festival IT’S one of the most popular events of the Ballina Big Weekend. In fact, people go a bit quackers. It’s the 19th annual Charity Duck Race, conducted by Ballina Rotary Club at 11am on Sunday. First is the [...]

Sharpes Beach as the storm brews overhead. A STORM which ripped across a narrow band of the Northern Rivers yesterday afternoon has been described by one Ballina resident as “20 minutes of hell.” Garry Palmer was working in his Ballina Bait and Tackle shop when a storm of hail and torrential rain hit. “It was horrendous,” said Mr Palmer, who survived Cyclone Tracy which levelled Darwin in 1974. The Northern Star received several reports of cars sustaining damage due to large hailstones. The Ballina ProAm was called off after the golf course became inundated with lager hailstones Wind gusts of 82kmh, recorded at Ballina Airport during the peak of the storm, proved so strong it lifted rooves and blew rubbish [...]

Mark Pate with his barnacle-encrusted bicycle. IF HE wanted to, Mark Pate could literally choose from hundreds of good bicycles to ride aroundByron Bay. But the one he uses is a barn-acle-encrusted model he fished from a metre of water in a Ballina creek a couple of years ago. A quick clean-up and a couple of new tyres and it was ready to go. For Mark, getting the bike ready for the road was easy. As the director of Australian Goodwill Bicycles Abroad Incorporated, it’s something he has done thousands of times. Over nearly 13 years he and his wife Jenny have collected and sent more than 10,000 unwanted bikes to developing countries including East Timor, Solomon Islands, Tonga and [...]

Winter southerly swells are the likely reason for the erosion on Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head. YOU’LL barely find space for your beach towel on some parts of Seven Mile Beach right now – and it’s not due to an early influx of tourists. In recent months, the sand on the southern end of Lennox Head’s popular beach has been slowly disappearing. It’s most noticeable close to the town centre, where rocks and crumbling sand cliffs now stand in place of sandy beaches. It may come as a shock if you’re a newcomer, or haven’t been to Lennox for a while, but according to long-time locals it’s just Mother Nature doing her work. Surfer and long time local Max [...]

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 [...]

Sign advertising a possible builders scam in Woy Woy near the Bridge to Koolewong in February. NORTH Coast residents are being warned to be on the look-out for shonky itinerant scammers posing as legitimate tradespeople. NSW Fair Trading has been investigating the travelling con-artists, tracking their movements, gathering intelligence and compiling profiles that paint disturbing pictures of extremely well-organised gangs. Each spring, many of the itinerants travel from the UK and Ireland working up and down the east coast of Australia and travelling in expensive four-wheel drives towing luxury caravans. They are cashed-up, shameless and unscrupulous, said Fair Trading officer Teresa Mullan. “We expect them to be reactivating their scams on the Northern Rivers and we urge the public to [...]

Interrelate’s Julie Leete says “it looks as though we have a lot of services, but the services don’t meet the current demand,” LAST financial year 663 children across northern NSW were removed from their families by the Family and Community Services department. The region has the second largest number of children removed in the state, according to figures obtained by The Northern Star. That took the number of children in the department’s care across the region at the end of June last year to 2950 – again the second highest in the state behind the Hunter/Central Coast region. FACS used to be known ad DOCS. A FACS spokesperson said the children were removed as a “last resort” after it was [...]

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 [...]

PARENTS of school-aged children who were intending to spend today at the Ballina Cup race meeting will have to revise their plans. While the nags will be leaving their stalls, primary and secondary school teachers will be staying away from their classrooms in a 24-hour statewide strike against proposed wage caps and job cuts. It means parents will either have to miss out on the pleasures of the cup, or treat their offspring to a day at the races. Alstonville High School principal David Silcock said no parent had complained specifically about missing out on the races, although some had expressed concern about how they were going to look after their children during the strike. Most parents had been supportive [...]

SURF Life Saving is advising rock fishermen and anglers to exercise extreme caution over the weekend with dangerous ocean conditions expected at NSW beaches from Saturday to Monday. Dangerous surf conditions are expected with large waves affecting beaches, rock shelves, cliffs and headlands along the entire NSW coast. The south easterly swell is expected to reach upwards of three metres on exposed south-facing beaches and rock platforms, with swell periods of 10 seconds. Beach wave height is expected to be between 1.8 metres and 2.4 metres. On the North Coast, the swell was expected to peak on Sunday afternoon and remain until Monday afternoon. On the South Coast through to the Hunter, it would peak on Sunday morning, easing into [...]

Picture: Leslie and her kids love their land – but it’s under threat from coal seam gas mining. Currently, Australia’s laws do not take proper account of the irreversible impacts of coal seam gas mining. If we don’t act now, we’re losing precious time to protect the health and livelihoods of communities, the quality of our water, and the sustainability of our farmland. From Sydney’s water supply catchment to the rich agricultural lands of the Liverpool Plains and the Darling Downs, the coal seam gas industry is expanding at breakneck speed. Government regulators are playing catch-up, leaving local communities to deal with a poorly regulated, rapidly growing industry. They’re doing so by locking the gate to their properties, writing to [...]

MEMBERS of the Northern Rivers’ Aboriginal communities will vote on Saturday on the make-up of the North Coast Land Council. The election will be held along with polls for all nine land council regions across NSW, with voters able to choose from 48 nominees. NSW Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Geoff Scott said it was vital Aboriginal people come out to vote this weekend. “NSWALC is a very influential organisation and its purpose is to serve the Aboriginal people of this state,” he said. “Many of those gone before us suffered and sacrificed a hell of a lot so we can enjoy the rights and access to self-determination we have today – it’s time we did our own bit. “That’s [...]

Passengers ready to board a flight at Ballina Airport MILLIONS of dollars could be spent upgrading the Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport, with plans to bring more than 500,000 passengers a year into the Northern Rivers regional hub within the next four years. A development application has been lodged for one of the first steps of the ambitious expansion plan – an increase in the size of the airport’s arrivals area. It would include moving the car rental booths to reduce congestion in the arrival-departure hall. Space would also be provided for new bus transport booths and two store rooms. The awning over the set-down and pick-up area would also be extended. Airport manager Neil Weatherson said the proposed changes – which [...]

O l i v i a  N e w t o n – J o h n July 31, 2011 Open Letter to My Fellow Australians: I love this country, its people, its rugged beauty, its rainforests, its vastness and unique wildlife. And, as a longtime advocate of the environment, I am greatly concerned for the continued health and wellness of Australia. My dream is that our children and grandchildren can enjoy the Australia that we all know and love. That is why I am horrified to learn of the extensive plans for coal seam gas and shale gas exploration in Australia. Until recently, I was totally unaware of the hidden dangers lurking in this so-called clean natural gas exploration. [...]

Gaia Retreat and Spa co-owners Gregg Cave and Olivia Newton-John are delighted at the success of their luxury Newrybar retreat. AUSTRALIAN singing icon Olivia Newton John has embarked on a new role as outspoken environmental activist in a passionate open letter to the national media slamming the practise of coal seam gas mining, known as “fracking”. In a letter that appeared in the national media yesterday, the singer – who owns two properties on the North Coast, including luxury health resort Gaia Retreat & Spa at Newrybar – has called for a national moratorium of coal seam gas exploration, claiming the hunt for coal-seam gas is “dangerous to the health of all Australians”. The coal seam gas process involves hydraulic [...]

EcoMart director Effie Ablett (left) with Elke (13), and Eve (9) Howell and their mum Jenny Stonier enjoying the natural benefits of sustainable home-grown food. CAN’T eat all of the pumpkins growing in your backyard? Neither could Alstonville woman Jenny Stonier, so she decided to get involved with EcoMart Northern Rivers Co-op. “This year we planted a pumpkin patch to stop the (creek) bank eroding, and it has produced a huge number of pumpkins,” she said. “We used to give away all of our excess fruit and vegetables. “But now we can sell it through EcoMart.” Her family grows a huge variety of fresh produce on their property, including potatoes, spring onions and pineapples. “We live in a place where [...]

Workers in the Northern Rivers are among the lowest paid in NSW. WHILE residents of ritzy Mosman in Sydney’s North Shore have an average income of $130,000 a year, workers on the Northern Rivers are amongst the lowest paid in NSW. Tenterfield has the lowest total average income in the whole of the state at $27,247. This is closely followed by Kyogle at $29,182, Richmond Valley at $31,224; Byron Bay at $33,438 and Lismore at $34,461. Of all of the local government areas on the Northern Rivers, people in Ballina earned the most, with an average income of $36,844. But that is still about $12,000 less than the state average of $48,755. These new figures from the Australian Bureau of [...]