Byron Bay articles of interest.

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 [...]

NATURAL LOOKS: The face of the Byron Naturally Campaign, Lisa Mae, during the development of the highly successful tourism promotion. THE 2012 Byron Naturally campaign is shaping up to deliver an even greater impact than last year’s highly successful tourism promotion. The campaign, run by Byron United, is being supported by tourism industry heavyweights including Destination NSW. “In 2012 we will achieve additional exposure via more industry partnerships with airlines and airports,” Utopia Creative principal and campaign creator Adrian Nelson said. “We have developed exciting new components for this year’s campaign including a Smart Phone application that expands the functionality of the website with an integrated, trackable redemption system and extended marketing reach using TV on the web. “We are [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

SES are expecting heavy showers to swell the Bellinger and Orara rivers on Tuesday. STATE Emergency Service crews are on flood watch expecting heavy showers to swell the Orara and Bellinger rivers. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a statement warning that a low pressure trough off the NSW north coast is deepening in response to an upper level trough approaching from the west. Clarence Nambucca SES commanders have been told that scattered showers tending to widespread rain are expected throughout Tuesday. The bureau says there is also the possibility of local heavy falls on the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers. “At this stage there is a greater than 70% chance of minor to moderate main river flooding as well [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

THE investigation into missing drugs from a Tweed-Byron lock-up comes just weeks after a senior police officer within the command tested positive to illicit drugs, including cocaine. The Northern Star can now reveal that officer is Detective Inspector Shane Diehm (pictured), who was crime manager at the time. The Northern Star is not suggesting Det Insp Diehm is in any way linked to the drugs theft. AN internal police investigation is under way into the theft of drugs from a police lock-up within the Tweed -Byron Local Area Command. A spokesperson for police media said the investigation was focused on a small amount of seized drugs which had not been accounted for. A police source told The Northern Star the [...]

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, [...]

The famous white whale spotted off Byron Bay for first time in 2011. MIGALOO the white humpback whale triggered joy among those people lucky enough to spot him north of Byron Bay at the weekend. The sighting, about 2pm on Sunday, was the first time Migaloo had been seen on the Northern Rivers this year. The hypo-pigmented (albino) humpback and his companions were migrating south when they entered the Bay in a playful manner, surfacing every few minutes. While the bulk of the accompanying whales continued with their journey, Migaloo lingered behind, entertaining his audience. Up until last month Migaloo was the only all-white humpback recorded in the world. Recently video footage was released of an all-white humpback calf, believed [...]

Revellers at the Tropical Fruits new year’s eve party at the Lismore Showground. THE good deeds of Tropical Fruits – a Northern Rivers gay and lesbian social group which organises parties and other events – has been acknowledged with an ACON community award presented in Sydney last week. The organisation was one of four finalists up for the prestigious award, which acknowledges the community work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organisations. The award covers the whole gamut of Tropical Fruits’ activities. Tropical Fruits co-ordinator Shane Duniam said there was more to the organisation than dance parties. “We do lots of work in the community. We are not just about dance parties,” Mr Duniam said. Tropical Fruits runs a number [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

This seal was photographed on Julian Rocks on August 31. A PAIR of fur seal pups have been stealing hearts along the Byron coastline. The first, dubbed “Julian” has been resting on Julian Rocks, while the second has been lying on the breakwall at Brunswick Heads as it recovers from an injury. A seal pup was also spotted on local beaches in July. National Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Lawrence Orel said it was fairly uncommon, but not that unusual to see seals on the North Coast, especially at this time of year. Seal pups were weaned at this time of year and their mothers “kicked them out into the big bad ocean”. He said both pups and adults needed to [...]

POLICE are investigating the emergence of organised groups of shoplifters who “steal to order” at various retail spots around the Northern Rivers. While the term shoplifting is usually associated with teenagers with a need for brightly coloured lip glosses and candy from the corner store, the groups under police scrutiny are targeting the finer things in life. And they are allegedly doing the dirty work for other people. Last week police attached to the Richmond Local Area Command Target Action Group seized $20,000 worth of suspected stolen goods from a residence in Mullumbimby. Richmond Local Area Command crime manager Detective Inspector Greg Moore said the raid came after an investigation into professional thieves in the region. “There were reports of [...]

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 [...]

SMILING for the camera. Bangalow residents put on their happy faces as Sunrise TV presenter, James Tobin, goes live to air yesterday morning. Photo Gary Chigwidden. NOW the whole country knows. Bangalow is the happiest town in Australia. Well, at least according to the Sunrise TV breakfast show it is. And yesterday, one of the show’s presenters, James Tobin, broadcasting live, showed the rest of the nation why the town won the title. There was a bit of quickly-organised fun for the TV cameras on a chilly, but clear, morning including a mock billycart race down the main street and a mini-horse parade. It all came about because Eva Heath from Heath’s Old Wares and Collectables was thinking one morning [...]

There are hopes that a high-speed rail network in Australia using trains similar to this one in China, could bring bring benefits to the Northern Rivers. THE prospect of a high-speed rail line taking in the Northern Rivers has stirred excitement in the region. Karin Kolbe from the group Trains On Our Tracks (TOOT) said a report from federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday was highly encouraging. “We welcome any kind of rail, whether it’s a complete fast train that goes Sydney to Brisbane or whether it has a few little stops along the way, with other lines linking in,” she said. “That would be where the existing Casino-Murwillumbah line comes in.” Mr Albanese said Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Newcastle, [...]

At the launch are back Nora Vidler Blanksby; middle from left Greg Meek designer, , mayor Jenny Dowell, Mitch Lowe; front from left Joseph Smith, 3 (in car), Ruby Lowe, 5 and Jack Lowe, 7. IT’S time residents of Lismore and Nimbin wore their hearts on their sleeves … or chest, or head, whatever the case may be, Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell said yesterday at the launch of new tourist branding for the two towns. The red heart, made famous by the CBD’s successful Come to the Heart campaign, has been incorporated in the Lismore tourism brand under the slogan Come to the Heart of the Northern Rivers. Lismore Council’s tourism services co-ordinator Mitch Lowe said the Lismore campaign would [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Lismore Art Gallery Director Brett Adlington with two Margaret Olley paintings that are part of the permanent collection. AS RECENTLY as a few weeks ago, Margaret Olley was still discussing the planned new gallery that would – one day – bear her name. Former Lismore Regional Gallery director Steven Alderton, who was heavily involved in the initial planning of the new gallery in Lismore, met with Ms Olley to discuss the gallery after she heard the project had stalled because of financial concerns in council. Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell said she asked Mr Alderton, who became friends with Ms Olley while he worked at Lismore, to tell the revered painter she hadn’t given up. “I asked him to tell her [...]

Gay Schofield, of Wyrallah, has had to lower the price on her home. THE sales figures speak volumes. If anyone doubted that the real estate market in the Northern Rivers had slumped this year, recent statistics reveal the harsh truth. The number of sales and the prices fetched have dropped drastically in 2011. Prices in many cases are down from a peak in 2010 – indicating the full extent of the GFC took a while to strike Australia. Figures for the past six years tell slightly different stories for the five local government areas in the Northern Rivers, but they all share a common theme. To add to the frustration of both vendors and buyers, the entire transaction process has [...]

The North Coast could become a renewable energy hot spot. THE North Coast could become one of the state’s renewable energy hot spots under the Federal Government’s huge investment in creating a cleaner energy future for Australia. The $13 billion investment in the renewable energy sector was announced yesterday as part of the carbon tax scheme. It included grants to businesses aspiring to be greener, low-income households and the establishment of a new Biodiversity Fund. The urbanised and overcrowded metropolitan areas in and around Australia’s capital cities are no place for a wind farm, unlike the vacant, greener pastures of the Northern Rivers. “The reason I think the Northern Rivers will do alright is because you can’t put wind farms [...]

The rest of the beach was almost deserted, but a grey and windy day didn’t stop this group of American students enjoying their stop-off at Byron Bay’s Main Beach yesterday AFTER a string of picture perfect days, weather on the Northern Rivers has returned to wet, windy and wintry. The Bureau if Meteorology says it won’t last long – the skies should clear by late Saturday – but it is cold comfort to the scores of Queenslanders who are in Byron Bay for the first week of the school holidays. Main Beach was all but deserted at lunchtime yesterday as northern tourists huddled in cafes and stuck to window shopping. A spokesman from the bureau said the current conditions were [...]

THE Northern Rivers Animal Services is holding a pet adoption day on Saturday. Starting at midday and continuing until 2pm, it is at 25 Racecourse Road in the Southern Cross Industrial Estate at Ballina. Kittens, cats, dogs and puppies are all looking for new homes. The adoption fee for adult cats will be waived on the day, but only to suitable homes. They have been vet checked, wormed, flea treated, vaccinated, micro chipped and desexed. “We had a hugely successful day on Saturday, June 26, with lots of lovely people and a number of our foster animals found great homes,” organiser Michela Brown said. “Sadly adult cats as young as eight months are over looked for the younger kitten, but adopting an [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Kronic, which mimics the effect of cannabis (above), is a mix of herbs and chemicals made in New Zealand and now being sold in Australia. A NEW synthetic “drug” that mimics the effect of cannabis is creeping into the Northern Rivers – and it’s perfectly legal. Kronic is a mix of herbs and chemicals made in New Zealand and now being sold in Australia – although you won’t find a shop stocking it in NorthernRivers. Happy High Herbs founder Ray Thorpe said he was refusing to stock the product at his Byron Bay or Uki stores after hearing of cases where people’s lungs had collapsed after using the substance. A sales assistant at Happy High Herbs at Nimbin, which is [...]

Northern Rivers Roller Derby team members (from left) Alice Burgess (Maim’n’Shame), Sarah Robertson (Mia Submersive), Alica Wotherspoon (Sydeshow Ali) and Sarah Chambers (Pow3r Pout) get ready for some bump and bruising. LISMORE’S Alice Burgess wants to be known as Maim’n’Shame. Don’t be alarmed, she’s not a dangerous fugitive, just a member of the Northern Rivers Roller Derby where having an alias is required. She’ll be in good company with the likes of Psycho Cindy and Joni Bitchell. The local chapter of the 1970s-inspired sport that involves grace and mayhem in equal measure, is putting out the call for more members ahead of an open night on April 28. They need players, referees and off-skate volunteers to help run the show. [...]

British singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, who will be performing at Bluesfest with The Imposters on Monday and Tuesday, is renowned for jumping from one genre to another over his long career in the music industry. WITH Bluesfest kicking off in two days, the who’s who of the music business are rolling into the Northern Rivers. While artists like Grace Jones and Elvis Costello are touring other parts of the country, some acts are already making their way into Byron Bay. Michael Franti heads in tomorrow for his benefit concert at The Great Northern, while others are already here. Luciano and Ernest Ranglin are here, ready for their slots on Thursday’s schedule. Elvis Costello won’t touch down in Byron Bay until Sunday, [...]

Tent master Marty Ashton busy setting up one of the tents for the start of Bluesfest on Thursday. THERE are only three sleeps before Bluesfest kicks off for 2011. Not that we’ve got a countdown going. Setting up of the Tyagarah site for the six-day event started two weeks ago, with the five stages already ready to house an estimated 44,500attendees – a 20% increase on last year’s crowd of 35,335 – and 114 acts, or around 1140 musos. With only 11% of ticket-holders residing on the Northern Rivers, an estimated 89% of attendees will seek accommodation for the festival, with around 5500 camping on-site. This year the site consists of five stages, four bars (including one VIP bar), five [...]

A report by the NSW Auditor General reveals that Byron Shire and Lismore LGAs took the second and third spots for highest number of cannabis possession offences in the State. TWO local government areas (LGAs) on the Northern Rivers take some of the top spots for the most cannabis offences in the State, a crime which costs the NSW economy $700 million a year, a new report states. The NSW Auditor-General yesterday released his findings on the effectiveness of police issuing cautions to people in possession of minor amounts of cannabis (less than 15 grams). Eight per cent of the NSW population are cannabis users, the report found, a large proportion of which are on the Northern Rivers. The Byron [...]

A STAGGERING 21 of the 96 clandestine drug laboratories seized in NSW last year were found on the Northern Rivers. While the state-wide haul represents a 43% increase on 2009 figures, NSW Drug Squad Detective Inspector Nick Iorfino says the local spike was greater – though he cautions against interpreting that as a drug crime surge. “Seventy per cent of labs are found through proactive investigations and I know that Tweed-Byron, Richmond and Coffs-Clarence commands have been very proactive in their investigations so it is probably as much a reflection on the good work that they’ve been doing. “It’s important to note that these statistics can vary dramatically from year to year so they’re not indicative of certain areas having [...]

The popular Main Beach area of Byron Bay, scene of an alleged sexual assault on an 18-year-old Northern Rivers woman on Friday, March 4. Police investigating the incident are yet to speak to the alleged victim. POLICE are investigating the alleged pack rape of a young woman at Byron Bay earlier this month. Tweed/Byron Local Area Command (LAC) police yesterday confirmed they were investigating claims made by the 18-year-old woman that she was sexually assaulted by a group of men. The incident allegedly occurred on a reserve near Main Beach in the early hours of the morning on Friday, March 4, Tweed/Byron LAC crime manager, Acting Inspector Laurie Moroney said. He said it was claimed there were multiple offenders involved. [...]

Wearing their purple International Women’s Day ribbons at Kadina High School yesterday ahead of today’s celebrations are (front) student Ayana Tanaka, 16, and teacher Kirsten Rowan. Also pictured are (rear, from left) Anna Podgorczyk, 15, teacher Julie Bryant, Isabella Tremayne, 15, Chelsea Jones (holding guitar), 12, Jane Newby, Tamika Kennedy, 15, and Natalie Russell, 15. THE up and coming generation of “powerful” young women will be celebrating their gender at Goonellabah’s Kadina High School today. The students will join thousands of other young women on the Northern Rivers celebrating the 100th International Women’s Day. A select group of the students will decorate their uniform in purple accessories, the colour of femininity. The young women lwill have cake and conversation with [...]

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 [...]

TOOT representatives confront Member for Lismore Thomas George and Member for Ballina Don Page outside Mr Page’s office in Ballina. THE NSW Coalition has reaffirmed its commitment to a rail service on the Northern Rivers, promising to complete a comprehensive study of reinstating the transport service if it wins the State election. Members of Trains on Our Tracks (TOOT) met with Lismore MP Thomas George and Ballina MP Don Page in Ballina yesterday to discuss how the Nationals would follow through with their long-running commitment to get trains chugging on the Northern Rivers again. Mr Page said because the rail line had been closed since 2004, the Coalition would undertake a serious evaluation of a railway. “It will look at [...]

Dire shortage of secure and affordable accommodation for workers. New figures show the cost of Byron rents jumping almost 100 per cent in a decade, making the town increasingly unaffordable for its own part-time and casual workforce. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $125 in 2002, but is $230 today, while a three-bedroom rental has blown out from $250 to $420 a week. Those exorbitant rents now match or even exceed Sydney’s, yet incomes here are on average only one half to two-thirds of what people earn in the cities. The latest available census data show that for tenants in the Byron area, 75 per cent of households on low and moderate incomes are in ‘housing stress’, which is defined as spending at least one-third of your income on housing costs. This year’s census figures are likely to paint an even [...]

Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell. PROMISES to solve the lack of transport in the Northern Rivers are still vague with just six weeks to go until the State election. The Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils is yet to hear from any of the local candidates about their plans for integrated regional transport. The Minister for Transport has told NOROC he is interested in working their respective integrated transport plans for the Northern Region together. But that was months ago. “We want to see a commitment from all candidates that they commit to delivering a transport plan to meet our growing needs,” NOROC deputy chair Jenny Dowell said. “We have a submission for a plan. We wanted one done like the [...]

Katherine Hicks who has been listed for nomination for a Logie. Former Byron Bay High School student Katherine Hicks has another chance of winning a Logie in the ‘Most Popular Actress’ category. The nomination is for Katherine’s role as ‘Heidi’ in Channel Nine’s show Rescue Special Ops. Katherine, who grew up in the Northern Rivers and completed her HSC at Byron High has been involved in local theatre productions since she was a child. She had a role in the popular series ‘Heartbreak High’ as a 16-year-old and last year she was also nominated for a Logie for her role in Rescue Special Ops. At present she is filming the third series of the show which will go to air [...]

Valued residents vie for top prize – Australia Day Awards WHILE Australia Day is famed for the announcement of the Australian of the Year, Northern Rivers residents who have gone above and beyond for their communities will be also recognised tomorrow. In the Richmond Valley Council, seven residents are up for Citizen of the Year. Casino’s Dr Jurriaan Beek, the late Dorothy Robson, and Owen Crawford have been nominated, as have Lillian Colless and ‘Boydie’ Arthur Collyer from Evans Head, Coraki’s Barbara Hicks and Woodburn’s Mervyn Morgan. In Ballina Shire, Sheila Aveling, Dawn Sword, Elizabeth Griffiths, Damien Watson and Beatrice Gray are all in the running for the Citizen of the Year award. In Lismore, 14 people have been nominated [...]

7-year-old Mia Merlini of Mullumbimby with her bandaged legs after a suspected shark attack in Cudgen Creek at Kingscliff. MULLUMBIMBY’S Mia Merlini has bandages covering her gashed and punctured legs after a vicious attack by an unknown sea creature. Seven-year-old Mia was swimming in Cudgen Creek, at Kingscliff, at 5pm Thursday afternoon when the creature, believed to be a small shark, began to bite and tear at her legs. She was pulled from the water and taken to a doctor’s surgery before being taken to the Tweed Hospital. The scared little girl received 13 stiches in her left leg and six in her right leg. Mia’s mother Susan Germann said she was terrified when she received news her daughter may [...]

Flickerfest’s Shane Rennie says local audiences will see some of the best short films in the world at this weekend’s Flickerfest at Bangalow. SHORT-FILM festival Flickerfest will showcase some of the best short films from Australia and around the world in Bangalow from tonight. The A & I Hall will be transformed into a mini-cinema for three nights of film-buff bliss. It is the first stop on Flickerfest’s annual tour, which will take in 30 venues around the country. The touring Flickerfest program presents a highlights package from the Bondi festival, including award winners and crowd favourites. It also provides local filmmakers with an opportunity to have their work shown on the big screen, via the Byron All Shorts competition. [...]