20.4 C
Byron Shire
March 19, 2024

Brunswick, Belongil and Tallows wait for Emergency Response Beacons

Latest News

Nationwide marches for forests this weekend

On Sunday 24 March people from across Australia will march to call for an end to native forest logging. Bob Brown Foundation’s nationwide March for Forests is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to end native forest logging and securely protect native forests.

Other News

Surf’s up for World Pro Adaptive Titles in Byron

Favourable conditions are expected for the World Pro-Adaptive Surfing Titles 2024, to be held at Byron Bay’s Main Beach from today.

Veterans’ and Families’ Hub for the North Coast

The federal government has announced that a $5.445 million grant has been awarded to RSL LifeCare, working with RSL NSW, to establish a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in the Tweed/North Coast region of New South Wales.

Cartoon of the week – 13 March, 2024

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor.

Goonengerry residents still impacted by 2022 landslide 

Residents awaiting the completion of the Federal Drive reconstruction have highlighted the impacts of losing connections to the hinterland...

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Reach Beyond

One in 12 people over 65 are living with dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease, but is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities. It’s actually no longer called dementia, but Major Neurocognitive Disorder (MND).

Prime agricultural land to be rezoned for development in Lismore

Last night's Lismore Council meeting unanimously passed a voluntary planning agreement to rezone 70 hectares of prime agricultural land at 1055 Bruxner Highway. 

Emergency Response Beacon at Dreamtime Beach, Fingal Head. Photo Surf Life Saving NSW

In early November two men were saved from drowning at Dreamtime Beach, Fingal Head when a women activated the Emergency Response Beacon (ERB), alerting the Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) State Operations Centre that the men were drowning.

The ERB at Dreamtime is one of 20 currently positioned at blackspots around the state, the initiative is managed by Surf Life Saving NSW and funded through the NSW government. There is also another ERB at North Kingscliff.

The beacon provides direct voice communication with the Surf Life Saving State Operations Centre in Sydney and video camera capability which allows operators to view an incident, says Director of Lifesaving at Surf Life Saving NSW, Joel Wiseman.

The aim of this lifesaving device is to streamline and shorten response times to coastal emergencies. All it requires is a touch of the button and the appropriate assets can be tasked to assist.

None in Byron Shire

A reader recently alerted The Echo to the fact that Surf Lifesaving NSW has had three ERBs ready to go in since mid-2022 at Brunswick Heads breakwall, Belongil Beach and Tallows Beach – but they have yet to be installed. 

The delay to installation comes from the complicated mix of approvals that may or may not be required for the installation of the ERBs. 

Byron Shire Council’s (BSC) Manager, Open Spaces and Facilities Malcolm Robertson has told The Echo that, ‘Council is supportive of the installation of emergency response beacons at Tallow Beach, Brunswick Heads and Belongil and this has been communicated to Surf Lifesaving NSW.

‘The proposed locations are on Crown Land and it is Council’s understanding that Surf Lifesaving NSW is working with Crown Lands to obtain the necessary permits for the ERBs.’

However, the need to determine if development consent and land owners consent are required appears to be the holdup. 

‘Crown Lands has received an application from Surf Life Saving NSW for a licence to be allocated for Emergency Rescue Beacons to be placed on beachfront land,’ a spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands told The Echo.

‘SLSNSW has been asked to provide confirmation that the ERB’s are exempt from planning approvals with local councils. Also, the proposed locations for the ERB’s in Byron Shire are on lands where Native Title has been recognised, so Crown Lands is consulting with NTS CORP and the Bundjalung People of Byron Bay (Arakwal People) as the native title holders as is required in accordance with the  Commonwealth Native Title Act 1993.’

As summer approaches along with the chance to enjoy a swim at some of Byron Shire’s excellent swimming spots, there are plenty of people hoping that the process of installation can be moved along at a reasonable pace.


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Lights will always be on at Main Arm’s Kohinur Hall

After being badly damaged during the 2022 floods, the much-loved Kohinur Hall is once again starting to live up to its reputation for being the arts and cultural hub of the Main Arm community.

2022 flood doco screening March 21

In March 2022, not-for-profits Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) and Holding Hands Under Ground (HHUG) joined forces to respond to the catastrophic floods that devastated the Northern Rivers community.

Purple Day is coming, for epilepsy awareness

More than 250,000 Australians are living with epilepsy. Lennox Head's Katie Gatland sat down with the Echo to help everyone better understand what Purple Day and epilepsy awareness is all about.

Future cedar cutters?

Are subcontractors to Clarence Property the cedar cutters of 2024?  Lets put this in economic terms. Subcontractors: you are trading the priceless capital value of...