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Byron Shire
March 30, 2024

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Blue skies for Bluesfest day 1

If yesterday at Bluesfest was anything to go by, it's going to be an incredible event and with the weather holding, (so far) the Easter weekend's future is looking bright.

Other News

Superbowls

Superbowls is your go-to spot for a burst of woodfired flavour! Nestled in Byron Arts and Industry Estate, the...

UK court seeks assurances from US over Julian Assange

The UK High Court of Justice has released a 66 page judgement seeking more information from the United States relating to Australian citizen Julian Assange, which it says it needs before deciding whether to grant the WikiLeaks founder leave to appeal his extradition.

NORPA’s wild ride at Lismore Showgrounds

NORPA is taking audiences on an adventure outside the theatre once again, announcing it will stage its original work Wildskin in a warehouse space at the Lismore Showgrounds. A sensory, destination theatre experience, Wildskin inhabits an outrageous and unpredictable world that’s part bush-thriller, part road-trip and a whole lot of NORPA’s signature theatrical style.

Coveted Wollumbin Art Award open for young and old

Are you an artist in the Northern Rivers? Now is the time to get your art ready and submitted to the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre’s coveted biennial Wollumbin Art Award.

Roller derby rocks the Cavanbah Centre

The Red Kennedys have once again dominated the Northern Rivers Revolt Roller Derby Tournament held at the Cavanbah Centre over the weekend of March 16-17.

We just love him!

If you’re over 50 you might not be a fan of Tom Jones, but you can bet your mum is. If you’re under 40 you might not even know who he is, but your grandmother probably wet her pants at the mere mention of his name.

On 30 March, 2023 the newly formed Water and Sewer Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet. The committee would have been supplied with an agenda containing some very strange and also misleading information. Consultants Fitzroy and Associates have supplied a strategy for the committee to endorse guidelines for on-site sewage management. The main issue of importance in the guidelines is preventing contamination of groundwater.

It is hoped that the long-serving members of the previous WW&SAC, who now sit on the new W&SAC, ask what has been achieved over the last five-year investigation proposed by W&R, and endorsed by the elected Council at a cost of approximately $500,000 a year. This brings a contractor in to investigate the inflow infiltration issue with the sewer gravity mains in Mullumbimby, reline the gravity mains, inspect and repair the stormwater system. Please ask for inflow figures during and after rain events into BVSTP.

The Acting Manager of Works MR, Clarke, refers to the Main Reuse strategy, but that system has not been online for the last five years.

Mr Clarke also refers to the Constructed Wetlands at OSSTP, the four elected councillors who sat on the previous WW&SAC and now sit on the new W&SAC, would remember the then utility manager introducing a man by the name of Mr Pont. He introduced Mr Pont as one of the foremost authorities on constructed wetlands in NSW. Mr Pont, when asked, stated there were no constructed wetlands at OSSTP, there was a serpentine channel that would never perform like a constructed wetland.

The question needs to be asked of Mr Clarke, why is the effluent that passes through the UV Disinfection Plant before entering the serpentine channel being pumped back to the UV Disinfection plant when the effluent reaches the end of the serpentine channel?

Lastly, it is stated that the constructed wetlands at WBSTP may have to be taken offline, the reason given is that the melaleucas that were planted years ago to mitigate the acid sulphate levels in the surrounding area, by taking up effluent and removing the phosphorus, are causing raised phosphorus levels by dropping their leaves, which contain phosphorus.

I was the operator in charge of WBSTP when the trees were planted, I read a lot of information online concerning this process, and several highly qualified people raised this issue in their analysis and stated the leaves should be removed and not left on the ground. I raised this issue with sewer engineers and the operations manager but received little interest from them. Mr Clarke was not employed by the Council at that time but several of the engineering staff still are.

This report also suggests investigating the mains system, manholes, etc. What have the contractors been doing for the last five years? And where is the data and evidence of work successfully completed?

Alan Dickens, Ballina


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Retired local professor launches book on grief

A leading international thinker and researcher in the development of innovative sport coaching and physical education teaching has returned home to Byron Bay and is launching his first non-academic book, 'Grief and Growth', on April 4 at The Book Room in Byron. 

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.

Editorial – Joyous propaganda! 

The NSW Labor government marked its one year in office this week with a jubilant statement of achievements issued from Macquarie Street HQ.

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.