Byron Bay articles of interest.

Positive Change For Marine Life’s ‘Movie Under The Plastic Stars‘ is an evening of local and international music, delicious vegetarian/vegan food, a screening of the critically acclaimed ‘Bag It’ film, art installations and special presentations as we launch Phase II of our ‘Honour the Ocean’ marine debris campaign. Since May of 2012 we’ve collected over 100,000 pieces of trash from Main and Seven Mile beaches in the Byron Shire! Through sorting the trash and collating our data we’ve found that the majority of litter on Main Beach is a result of direct dumping and storm water outlets. This event will unveil our plans to make Byron Bay Australia’s most ‘ocean friendly’ tourism town and outline how we are turning this [...]

Australian documentary maker David Bradbury was detained by police late yesterday in Tamil Nadu while investigating the Indian nuclear industry. Greens nuclear policy spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the arrest was only the latest in a series of moves to suppress criticism of India’s notorious nuclear sector. “Mr Bradbury was approaching Idinthakarai, a village that has been subjected to severe police repression in response to anti-nuclear protests, when he was detained and taken to Radhapuram Police Station. He has since been released. I will be raising the matter with the Indian Ambassador today. “On October 12 an ‘All India Fact Finding’ team of about 12 people was intercepted on route to Idinthakarai, interrogated and remanded in Tirunelveli Jail. This is [...]

FREE entry – book here Battle For Byron (52 minutes) Friday 10 August from 6pm to 7.30pm Byron Bay Community Centre Gold coin donations welcome at the door THE BATTLE FOR BYRON Back in the mid 90s for most Byron Shire residents it seemed that the arts and eco minded surfing Shire they lived in was about to become the next Gold Coast, or at least Noosa. A huge tourist complex, Club Med, was about to be built and the Council was overwhelmingly pro-development. Helicopters regularly flew overhead as developers looked for the next great site. And then something happened. David Bradbury’s classic 52 minute 1996 documentary tells the story of a community lead campaign that shaped the Byron Shire we enjoy today. Despite our many differences and unresolved issues we remain a model for planned sustainable development for many lin Australia. For its Byron Bay [...]

Claude Kellermann from the Gold Coast uses degradable plastic bags while on holidays in Lennox Head. Let the sea breathe THE Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce is running a campaign to make the town plastic-bag free for the month of January 2012. It is hoped the campaign will make locals and visitors aware of the environmental problems caused by plastic waste. “Our sea-life is suffering because of the plastic in the ocean and as Lennox Heads is a seaside village, it’s the perfect place to say no,” Chamber of Commerce president Louise Owen said. The town previously tried to go plastic-bag-free in 2009 but not all businesses supported the campaign and some said it was hard to convince tourists not [...]

Madi Stewart photographing sharks in the Caribbean. BYRON Bay’s Madison Stewart has spent most of her life with sharks. Naturally that led to her getting involved with politics. Ms Stewart, 18, wants people interested in protecting the ocean’s assets to lobby the Federal Government to revise fishery management plans because of concerns about dwindling shark numbers. The Federal Government is taking submissions on whether to extend its approval for the Queensland East Coast Fin Fish Fishery. The fishery, which stretches into the Great Barrier Reef, is approved until February 28. Its current management plan allows commercial fishers to catch sharks. Ms Stewart said the current plan allowed 600 tonnes of shark to be removed from the fishery annually for domestic [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 & [...]

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 [...]

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 FEMALE escapee who has been on the run since 2003 was spotted at Cape Byron headland last Thursday – much to the surprise of local electrician Geoff Bensley. And the contractor, who works at the lighthouse once a week, was quick to shoot her – with his camera. But don’t go phoning the police – this escapee is not being hunted by the Law. She’s a goat. She was once part of the feral herd that used to roam the headland. – a leftover from times long gone. When the herd was rounded up by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2003 because of the damage they were causing to the environment, the goat managed to outwit her [...]

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 [...]

Kodi Butler, of Byron Bay, hopes to travel to Borneo to help save the endangered orang-utan. KODI Butler  is determined to help save Borneo’s orang-utans. This passionate 19-year-old from Byron Bay is hoping to reach the final 10 in a competition which could see her travel to Borneo to work in the jungle for 100 days replanting rainforests, rehabilitating endangered orang-utans and raising global awareness about deforestation. The global competition is run by Project Borneo: 3D, DeforestAction.com and TakingITGlobal. From 231 entries from 26 countries, Ms Butler has been selected in the top 50 and by the end the month she will know whether she’s going to Borneo. “I am positive that I will be selected to go,” Ms Butler said. [...]

Taking part in the School’s Clean Up Day were Byron Bay Public School students (in front) Tia Gotterson, Nikita Jeftic, (behind) Zoe Palmer, teacher Julie Pavlovich, Quinn Howarth, Sid Kennedy and Nathaniel Jensen. A LIZARD that lives under their library has taught students at Byron Bay Public School an important lesson about littering. The young water dragon recently got a milk bottle ring stuck around its neck, and although it’s okay for now, it will have to be caught before it grows and the ring gets tighter. It was a timely reminder of the problems littering can cause, principal Geoff Spargo said, as his school participated in School’s Clean Up Day yesterday. Byron Bay Public School students joined thousands of [...]

I remember the first doof I went to. I was about 25. It was a three day dance marathon held up at Macca’s campground somewhere in Main Arm. It wasn’t easy to find. In fact, I think that finding it was the first part of the challenge. We traipsed along a winding bush track in the pitch dark for what felt like an hour but was probably only 15 minutes. We couldn’t see it, but we could certainly hear it. A distant throbbing echoed in the forest like the heartbeat of some giant creature. Finally we emerged. A couple of feral fairies wearing fluffy flares crouched around a chai pot in a makeshift teepee at the entrance, gesturing that we make some sort of donation. I left $4 and an angel card affirmation. They smiled their beatific gratitude and handed me a cup. I felt [...]

Mia Robertson (second from right)  ”I can’t wait to come back next year and tell everyone how I have changed the world.” The Students Using Sustainable Strategies (SUSS) Forum was held from May 26 to 28 for the fourth year at Linnaeus Estate, Broken Head. Enthusiastic students and teachers from 15 high schools across the region spent two days and nights sharing their skills and ideas on environmental issues and sustainability. According to organisers, the result was ‘a lot of excitement and students buzzing and bursting with ideas and actions to take back to their schools and communities’. A student from Mullumbimby High, Mia Robertson, said, ‘The forum was fun, a great opportunity and I was proud to be a part of it. I can’t wait to come back next year and tell everyone how I have changed the world.’ Andrew Turbill, a [...]

THE Byron Shire Council yesterday voted to adopt its draft coastal zone management plan (CZMP). The move, which was opposed by councillors Diane Woods and Ross Tucker, is sure to anger many property owners along the Byron foreshore, because it is a further step to enshrining the controversial policy of ‘planned retreat’ in law. The draft plan, which was on public exhibition between October and December last year, received 654 submissions from 622 people, the majority of them saying they believed the strategies proposed would cause unacceptable adverse impacts on the shire. But the council stated its staff had ‘assessed all the submissions and provided advice against many of the comments and the issues raised’. Cr Tucker asked what the [...]

It’s Midwinter, the time of year when Persephone travels to the underworld and ritual celebrations follow the shortest day of the year as we head towards spring and times of harvest and fertility. This transformation of the seasons is being mirrored in Laura Skerlj’s debut solo ‘The Exquisite Beast’ and a fantastic group show now on at Retrospect Galleries highlighting metamorphosis, hybridity, folklore, shape shifting and the darkly poetic emergence of the feminine subconscious in art. We invite you to join us for an exciting panel with four of our beloved women artists who will discuss the inspiration and processes held in their subconscious and what they draw on to create their multi-layered masterpieces. Retrospect Galleries Curator Bree Delian will [...]