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Fax http VOLUME TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, , copies every week 1 at newsagents onlyL A B O U R I N GU N D E RAH A R S HS E N T E N C EByron Writers Festival continues to thriveRivalling Melbournes Writers Festival in terms of size the Byron Bay event, on this week, has grown from an elite gathering of a few hundred people in to around 8, today. Writers Festival Director Jill Eddington started her six year association with the Byron Bay festival in when she signed on as a volunteer. The biggest change in that time is seeing the incredible growth from a small, niche and quite elite program to a very broad ranging and inclusive program. It has gone from something mainly for locals to something which has become nationally signicant and of which I am very proud, she says. It used to be purely about books and literary writers, but has become a festival of ideas and a forum for people to come along and engage in debate and discussion. The audience now includes a very broad sweep of the community. By bringing a lot of different things into the program such as sport and celebrities the audience is not just a little elite group. Our audience from outside the Byron Shire is also growing. People are seeing this as a perfect example of cultural tourism, to enjoy food for the mind. An impressive line-up of writers and commentators turn up each year. Jill says that her personal highlight is the appearance of author Kate Grenville this year. I was personally thrilled that Kate Grenville is coming this year, she is one of my most favourite writers. Since the day I started this job I have been inviting her and this is the rst time since I have been here that she has been able to make it. She has her wonderful new book The Secret River and will be delivering the Thea Astley lecture on Friday evening. To have people like John Clarke, Peter Beattie and John Safran coming is amazing. We are also honoured to have senior aboriginal elder Hazel Brown coming from Perth. One of the most popular parts of the program has been the humour session on Saturday night with John Clarke, John Safran, Wendy Harmer and Guy Rundle which was booked out three days after the tickets went on sale. Government funding has been at the core of festival funding from the early days, but has been decreasing as a percentage of the budget as the festival has become more successful at attracting sponsorship and ticket sales have increased. Ticket sales have become much more predictable and this allows us to fund a more exciting program, explained Jill. An army of around volunteers make the wheels go around during the festival weekend, a task the ve paid staff could not handle alone. It would be unthinkable to run the festival with a paid workforce. Its just an incredible thing that we get volunteers coming back year in year out. We have a waiting list for people who would love to volunteer for us. We have developed an incredible core of people who love being involved in the event, so each year they put their hand up again. The extent to which local people are interested in writing is being mapped this year. Southern Cross Universitys School of Arts and the Northern Rivers Writers Centre will begin mapping at the festival in conjunction with the regular visitor survey. The Writers Map will provide local writers, students, academics, educators, industry professionals and comcontinued on page 2Franks still ring on all cylindersJeff Dawson Climbing into the sidecar of Paul McCarthys vintage Triumph Frank Scarrabelotti looked a little less nimble than usual still he was eager for a spin around town, Its been eight years since Ive been for a ride with Paul. That was on his th birthday. Now on the eve of his th birthday Frank reckons, though he doesnt have any aches or ailments, hes starting to feel a bit older. Its remarkable enough that Australias oldest man still lives with his wife of years, Nell, at their home in Bangalow. Far more amazing is his good health, his good spirit, love of life and wonderful sense of humour not to mention hisAt years of age, Frank Scarrabelotti takes a ride in the sidecar of a slightly younger Paul McCarthys motorbike while wife Nell hangs on the back. Photo Jeff Dawsonsharp-as-a-tack mind. Recently Ive seen Frank and Nell at the Bangalow Music festival then again a couple of months ago at the billycart derby. Hes opened the Bangalow Show, taken the kickoff for the reformed Bangalow Royals League team. The Scarrabelottis are at St Kevins Catholic church for mass every Sunday. Frank was on the committee which in commissioned the building. Nell drives Frank down to Byron Bay for a shopping trip each week and Frank isalmost daily pottering in their beautifully manicured garden. Born in Coraki, Frank moved to Newrybar in where he attended the local school. A natural man of the land Frank raised Illawarra dairy cows at his Nashua farm most of his life, then retired back to Bangalow in . When I asked the inevitable, whats the secret to your long life Frank replied, Thats the wrong question. To me the question should be, how to enjoy a long lifecontinued on page 2Development possible for sensitive Lennox siteAlex McAuley A hectare property opposite the Lennox Headland is currently being investigated for its development potential. Hugging the western side of the coast road between Lennox and Skenners Heads, much of the land in question is protected under state government SEPP policy as it contains a large remnant of Littoral rainforest, a wetland area and a number of threatened plant species. It also contains prominent ridges and hill slopes that comprise an important part of the character of Lennox Headland. The owner of the land says he is aware of the enormous sensitivity of the site and has described any potential development as limited and sensitive. He has employed the services of Rob Kooyman of Earth Process Ecological Proccontinued on page 2Some of the Byron Bay Writers Festival event team, left to right, Rebecca Park, Jill Eddington, Susie Warrick and Claire Dunigan, pointing out some of the highlights of this years program. Photo Jeff Write Off Dawson
