Byron Bay articles of interest.

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 [...]

Preparing for the Tropical Fruits New Year’s Eve festival were, from left, Susi St Julian (site manager), Alison Corfield (Tropical Fruits chairwoman), Laure Despland (green girl or waste manager) and Tim Childs (tool shed co-ordinator). Tropical Fruits brings in millions CHRISTMAS is behind us and that means only one thing for the North Coast’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities – it’s Tropical Fruits time. The task to decorate and set up the Lismore showgrounds in advance of the Tropical Fruits New Year’s Eve party shifted into top gear yesterday with some of the 300 volunteers for the event descending on the venue. Local business owners are also preparing for the influx of visitors and dollars into Lismore and the [...]

Ready for New Year’s Eve Tropical Fruits party at the Lismore Showgrounds are (from left) committee member Dermot Ryan, Penny Drops of Sydney, CoCo Kayne of Sydney, and Naomi Feller, secretary of Tropical Fruits DRUM rolls from the loud and proud Samba Blisstas will blast off a week of gay events in Lismore tonight – beginning with the Queer Fruits Film Festival. At 4.30pm, the drummers will lead a colourful parade of members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community, waving a 24-metre rainbow flag, from the Winsome Hotel to the Star Court Arcade. There they will be met by mayor Jenny Dowell and event hostess Vanessa Wagner. Drinks will follow before the film program begins at 7pm with ‘Vigilant! [...]