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Byron Shire
March 29, 2024

West Byron unity call

Latest News

Resilient Lismore’s ‘Repair to Return’ funding

On the eve of the second anniversary of the second devastating flood in 2022, Resilient Lismore has welcomed the finalisation of its funding deed with the NSW Reconstruction Authority, which will enable the continuation of its ‘Repair to Return’ program.

Other News

It’s a biggest little town festival! 

Supporters, performers, and volunteers gathered to launch the Mullum Laneways Festival 2024 last Friday. 

Could the future of the Richmond River be a clean and healthy one?

Imagine a drinkable, swimmable, fishable Richmond River? That is the aim of the Richmond Riverkeepers Association.

Community grants on offer

Ingrained Foundation is running its fifth annual grants program, with a funding pool of $150,000.

Bruns-Billinudgel RSL marches on

Though recently the membership of the Brunswick Heads–Billinudgel RSL sub-Branch has grown, the numbers are still very low and if there is not a continual increase, this chapter faces closing.

Resilient Lismore’s ‘Repair to Return’ funding

On the eve of the second anniversary of the second devastating flood in 2022, Resilient Lismore has welcomed the finalisation of its funding deed with the NSW Reconstruction Authority, which will enable the continuation of its ‘Repair to Return’ program.

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Why Being Seen is Beautiful

There is something profound about being seen. Being accepted and loved for exactly who you are. It’s life changing. It’s simple. It’s transformative. But some people don’t get to experience this. Nearly half of transgender Australians have attempted suicide.That data tells the very real impact of discrimination, stigma and lack of access to gender-affirming surgery. I write this as a woman who was born a woman, who identifies as a woman. I’ll admit, that even in that gender role, that fits within the societal binary, I’ve had my own challenges.

Byron Bay is hardly a sleepy little village – 1.7m tourists visit each year; I would have to say the horse has bolted. Nineteen thousand ratepayers are already hosting and paying the price of visitors from outside our shire. Adding 1,000 more families to share the burden of caring for our roads and infrastructure will add to Council’s – and the shire’s as a whole – bottom line.

We need to look at ways we can fund ideologies. Voluntary planning agreements paid by developers are a way of securing funds to rehabilitate lands that have been sadly neglected for many decades.

Koala habitat that has never had a single extra tree planted for decades could become a mecca for new life and be made into a wildlife sanctuary where tourists could be given tours and educated on the proper care of them. Entry fees could be charged to fund research into one of the major problems facing our koalas today: the koala retrovirus.

Via the DA process Council will be able to direct how this subdivision will look. We could have a state-of-the-art, award-winning ecovillage.

The state government has requested a VPA (Voluntary Planning Agreement) of $7,000 per lot which could potentially see $6m made available to assist with traffic issues.

Almost two thirds of the 250-acre site is cleared, abandoned grazing land; some of it has been this way for decades, hence the present zoning since 1988 of ‘urban investigation’. The remainder of the land, approximately 50 acres, has some ecological value. Perhaps Council could be granted dominion over this land in a voluntary planning agreement.

This is my vision and mine alone. I am just one of nine who will need to make these decisions in coming years. I believe if we all come together in a spirit of unity we could achieve social and environmental justice for all of the inhabitants of our community, our little furry friends included.

Byron Shire Cr Rose Wanchap

 


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3 COMMENTS

  1. SOLD JULIAN ROCKS DRIVE: due to rates & FREE-LOADERS…in CAMPER VANS:Absolute DISGUSTING. THE SHIRE has big problems with TOURISTS…’More RANGERS i say.. Tho I got out to more pristine OCEAN !!!!!!!!! Byron Bay is disgusting!!

  2. Rose, you mention that 1.7 million tourists visit Byron each year. Do you know how many ‘tourist nights’ that this equates to? (I am not being smart – I don’t know.) Anyway a modest bed tax, of say $10/night, coupled with the reinstatement of the very successful paid parking scheme might be another way around your fiscal dilemma rather than enlisting the support of ‘1000 more families to share the burden of caring for our roads and infrastructure’. Or would this kill business?

  3. Oh Dear! Lets put ‘our little furry friends’ inside a fenced off area and let people pay to see them. Why not just leave their habitat, and them, alone?
    Or why not cut down all the trees and put up a parking lot?
    The reason West Byron development shouldn’t go ahead is because it is a swamp, Rose. Yes some parts have been drained and used for cattle grazing, in the past, but all of west Byron remains a swamp and is only good as wet lands habitat.
    Your solution of just add more people just exacerbates the existing problem. Why not a bed tax? Good idea. Paid parking? Good idea.
    As for your Eco Village well that’s just nonsense. We’ve heard all that before out here in Main Arm and in the end it’s just another tawdry development

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