PhD student Toby Piddocke from the University’s National Marine Science Centre based at Coffs Harbour is using acoustic telemetry to follow the movements of mangrove jack in northern New South Wales. Anglers are being offered a gift voucher to the value of $50 for each of the first 20 live specimens donated to the study.

The research is funded by the NSW Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trust.

At this stage, the research team is seeking live fish from the NSW North Coast locations of Deep Creek (near Valla) and the Clarence River.

“The use of acoustic tags will enable us to track the jacks over a two-year period,” Toby said.

“We’re particularly interested in seeing whether they move from estuaries to offshore reefs once they reach maturity. As well as that, we’re interested in seeing how jacks move around within an estuary. For example, where they spend the day as opposed to the night, and where they go on high tide versus low tide.”

Mangrove jack (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) are found in estuaries, coastal swamps and rivers across northern Australia, stretching from northern NSW into Queensland, the Northern Territory and down to Shark Bay in Western Australia.

Toby said that southern mangrove jack possess some unique characteristics that make them highly prized by recreational anglers.

“In North Queensland estuaries, mangrove jack are relatively abundant but their average size is fairly small, around 45 centimetres. However, in southern estuaries, between Coffs Harbour and the Queensland border, they tend to be fewer in number but considerably larger, up to about 60 centimetres and three kilograms in weight,” he said.

The research will determine whether the size difference might reflect longer inshore residence times by adult fish.

“Not only does the size of mangrove jack in northern NSW waters make them popular with anglers, but they’re seen as being really challenging. They’re elusive and when you do snare one it puts up a good fight,” said Toby.

In addition to the tagging component of the research, mangrove jack frames (filleted skeletons with head and guts intact) are also being sought to study the age, growth, diet and reproduction of the species.

The outcomes of the research will be used to help ensure the long-term viability of the recreational mangrove jack fishery in Northern NSW.

Anglers interested in taking part in the research can find out more information by contacting Toby Piddocke at the National Marine Science Centre on 02 6648 3900 or via email mangrovejackresearch@gmail.com

PICTURE: Toby Piddocke measuring a mangrove jack.

While a ban on outdoor water usage has been lifted, Council encourages residents across the Tweed to continue to minimise water use as much as possible today to allow the system to recover.

The damaged water pump station is critical pumping infrastructure which delivers treated water through the distribution centre to 75,000 residents across the Tweed, including the major centres of Tweed Heads, Banora Point, Tweed Coast, Murwillumbah and all other surrounding residential areas.

Vital equipment in the pump station was damaged following a power surge caused by an electrical failure on Wednesday.

Mayor of Tweed Barry Longland said he hoped residents would co-operate in continuing to minimise their water use for at least today.

“While treated water is now being pumped into the distribution system, we’re still recovering from the low levels due to the outage since Wednesday,” Councillor Longland said.

“The situation reached a serious level with around 24 hours of water left in the system.

“I had every confidence our technical staff would be able to fix the problem in time, and they did.

“I’d like to thank all the Council staff, suppliers, contractors and external agencies who were involved in achieving this outcome.

“In particular, I’m proud of the professionalism and commitment of our technical and field-based staff.

“We also thank our water customers for their co-operation during this water shortage.”

Council staff are today monitoring water supply levels and distributing water to reservoirs as required.

There are also measures still available should the single pump fail to deliver water.

Council is still carting water to the village of Tyalgum, as the water from the Oxley River is too dirty for the local water treatment plant to operate. Tyalgum residents are also asked to minimise their water use as much as possible until further advised.

Uki village residents remain unaffected as the village has its own water supply.

As a volunteer for the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program, Tweed Shire Council’s Senior Construction Engineer, Nigel Dobson, will work with Kenyans to rehabilitate the Gona Dam at Obambo Kadenge. This is a very poor area of rural Kenya, located some six to eight hours west of Nairobi.

Nigel will certainly have some company, with a further 12 volunteers – many Tweed residents – set to join him in the village as they help the district’s residents in their own ways.

While Nigel’s focus will be establishing a fresh, safe water supply for drinking, Murwillumbah midwife Lyle Burgoyne and his small team of nurses and other volunteers from Kenya Health will meet him in the village to conduct health clinics to administer free medicine, medical treatment and advice.

A further group – Nigel’s wife, Tiffany Dobson, mother Helen Dobson and friends Hopal McClintock and Cara Gately – will travel to the village with Kenya Health, but will stay on after the clinics are completed to work with the grandmothers of the village and students in the nearby school to teach basic health and sanitation.

Another two independent volunteers from Murwillumbah, Cathy and Nicole Heffernan, will be working in an orphanage at Nakuru. It is this same orphanage that Kenya Health uses as a “home” base while running clinics.

“We knew about each other’s work and organisations through contacts with various Seventh Day Adventist churches but it is amazing that we can all work together at the one time in the one location to improve the lives of the people of this village,” Nigel said.

The aim of the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program project – known as Safe Water Four – is to provide an accessible and hygienic drinking water supply for the district’s 6000 residents. The project will increase the storage capacity of the existing dam and boost water security for residents.

“Clean water will be achieved by installing new SkyJuice SkyStations, an ingenious water treatment unit that utilises membrane microfiltration to purify dam water without the need for chemicals or power,” Nigel said.

“The unit used is produced by the Skyjuice Foundation, who is a major project partner in the Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program.”

Nigel Dobson is following in the footsteps of three of his Council colleagues, who have also delivered water projects in Kenya as volunteers – Tom Alletson, Marty Hancock and Sebastien Garcia-Cuenca.

“Safewater Four is at the same site as Safewater One, the Gona Dam. When the dam is dry, it is a five-kilometre walk to the next water source which is salty,” Mr Dobson said.

“Our aim for Safewater Four is to work with the community to restore and increase the capacity of the dam so it is a permanent source of water all year round.”

Nigel will use his own annual leave for the trip, and flies out tomorrow to Kenya for about a month.

The Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program is an initiative of Tweed Shire Council and the International Riverfoundation.

For more information, visit Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au

Kenya Health was founded by Murwillumbah registered nurse and midwife, Lyle Burgoyne, three years ago.

Paying for their own travel and other costs, Lyle and other volunteers have travelled to Kenya many times to hold the health clinics, which attract 300 to 400 people per day.

“There’s no free health care in Kenya, and there’s such a great need,” Lyle said.

“We treat basic things like malaria, pneumonia, ear infections – anything we can treat, we provide free medication for.

“The project has recently expanded to include a local Kenyan health worker and nurse, who can continue the work of following up patients after we leave.”

Lyle felt something more was needed when he met a man whose arm had been broken, and untreated for two years.

“He had been bashed two years ago and his fracture was still floating around,” Lyle said.

“We started using the local doctors to provide operative services and paying for these services so these people could have some sort of normal life.”

The Kenya Health and other volunteers will leave for Kenya in a fortnight.

For more information about Kenya Health, visit the website www.kenyahealth.org

PICTURE: Inspecting the ingenious Skyhydrants which will produce safe drinking water for rural Kenyas are (from left) Lyle Burgoyne, Tiffany Dobson, Sue Anderson, Hopal McClintock, Helen Dobson and Nigel Dobson. This is part of the volunteer group from a number of local organisations set to travel to Kenya.

Finray Pty Ltd provided extraction and transportation services for logs from dump sites to a local sawmill for processing.

On 5 August 2008, a 60-year-old worker had been using the loader to load logs onto a semitrailer for transportation to the nearby sawmill.

Sometime after loading a number of logs, the employee was working at ground level when the loader rolled forward, striking the worker.

The employee sustained severe crush injuries and died at the scene.

A WorkCover investigation found that the 30-year-old loader was in poor condition and was unsafe.

The Court was told that the loader was in poor condition and had not had an operating park brake or any other braking mechanism for some time before the incident.

Finray Pty Ltd was charged with breaches of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000.

In handing down the decision of the Industrial Court, Justice Marks determined the safety breaches were serious.

The Court found that the loader was inherently unsafe because of its size and the lack of a park brake. It was a serious breach to require a worker to use such equipment.

Finray was found guilty, and was convicted and fined $225,000.

WorkCover NSW’s General Manager of Workplace Health and Safety Division John Watson said the risks to the employee’s safety were entirely foreseeable and the incident was preventable and should never have happened.

“The fine goes some way to highlighting the seriousness of the offences,” Mr Watson said.

“What makes this case even more tragic is that there were simple things the company could have done to prevent this.

“If a park brake or other braking mechanism had been installed in the loader and had been activated, the employee would not have been fatally injured.

“This is a sad reminder of the need to make sure all workplace equipment is safe. This company did not do this and a man has died.”

Dr Reis, attached to the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, was commissioned to do the study by the four councils in which the rally was conducted including Coffs Harbour, Clarence Valley, Bellingen and Nambucca shires.

“Some businesses reported less trading but some reported more,” she said.

“Impacts varied largely between shires, with some reporting significant social benefits, despite more neutral economic impacts.

“Most of the economic benefit was concentrated on the accommodation sector, but that was mostly in Coffs Harbour, which was the base for the Rally.

“There was a degree of disappointment directed towards the organisers of the Rally as many of the businesses did not think the amount of people expected to come eventuated.

“Despite this, the overwhelming majority of businesses, whether they made money or not, want the Rally to return.

“You can put this down to the feeling of pride the region can get by holding such a high profile event.”

The basis of Dr Reis’ findings was on 226 surveys completed by businesses based in the region. According to Dr Reis’ report, approximately an extra $460,000 was recorded as additional revenue by the businesses surveyed and 34 per cent of businesses indicated that they had additional customers compared with the same time the previous year.

Still a considerable proportion of businesses reported losses due to the event, but aggregated data indicates that a net gain was reported by surveyed businesses.

“Although this total is a positive result, it is important to note that significant losses were also reported, which indicates that benefits were not evenly spread within the community,” Dr Reis said.

“In general, the event was considered positive by the business community, particularly if the event returns and some mistakes are avoided. Several respondents mentioned the long-term benefits that may be derived from the positive exposure of the region to other markets, possibly attracting new visitors and trade to the region.”

Dr Reis also found that businesses said they would now know how to better prepare for the event to maximise income after the 2011 race. The councils and businesses expect the Rally to return in 2013, although this is still not confirmed. The Rally previously was held in the Tweed and Kyogle regions.

The WRC round in Coffs Harbour this year was the first time the event had been held on the Mid North Coast.

A full copy of the report is available on request by emailing arianne.reis@scu.edu.au

The NSW Government’s Roads and Maritime Service decided to reduce the speed limit from 100km/hour to 80km/hour in response to complaints and requests from residents.

John Truman, Civil Services, Group Manager, Ballina Shire Council, said that the NSW Roads and Maritime Service was the only authority designated to change the speed limit on State roads.

“After assessing requests from residents and members of the public, and reviewing the road, traffic volumes, speeds and the history of incidents on The Coast Road, the State Government’s Roads and Maritime Service decided to reduce the speed limit to 80km/hour,” Mr Truman said.

“The Roads and Maritime Service is independent of the Ballina Shire Council and no doubt it believes there was a justified argument for the reduction in the speed limit.”

It is expected the new speed zone will reduce the number of traffic accidents on The Coast Road.

The new 80km/hour speed zone will apply from Tuesday, December 20, 2011.

“The White Paper is a document for the last century, unable to see that the world is investing strongly in renewables and that we will be left behind,” said Tony Gleeson, Ballina Climate Action Network (BCAN) and the 100% Renewable community campaign spokesperson.”

“What Mr Ferguson has released is a gas plan for Australia. Gas is no solution to our long-term energy needs.

“In Australia, gas means coal seam gas. Coal seam gas is a danger to our precious farmland and is no better than coal in terms of emissions.

“Tying ourselves to gas also exposes Australian consumers to high international gas prices at the power point, just the way we are now at the petrol pump.

“A massive investment in renewable energy is essential for Australia.

“If Australia wants low-cost, zero-carbon energy, we need to invest strongly in renewables like solar and wind now to achieve the benefits of technologies that get cheaper the more you build.

“100% Renewable is calling for 2000MW of big solar plants to be built through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation by 2015.

“Big Solar is proven and commercially available in US and ready to build now in Australia, the sunniest continent on earth, but the White Paper is too stuck in the energy sources of the past to see this.

“It’s no surprise that this committee, stacked as it is with fossil fuel interests, would come up with such a narrow document. It’s time we had people deciding our energy future who aren’t there to protect their own interests in coal and gas.

“We call on Australians to tell Mr Ferguson that we expect much better than this.”

Mr Gay and Mr Page today visited the site of the future Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Pacific Highway upgrade to unveil the options.

“I’m very pleased to be here today with the hard-working local Member Don Page,” said Mr Gay.

“In July a working party was formed between Bangalow community representatives and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) to develop alternate concepts to replace the previously proposed interchange.

“Unlike the former Labor Government, we are determined to listen to the community.

“The message was clear – the people of Bangalow overwhelmingly did not want a major interchange from the upgraded highway to their village.”

Mr Page said extensive research had been carried out by the working party, which fully explored various possibilities.

“The research done by the working party has resulted in three shortlisted options for the community to consider,” he said.

“The three options have no direct access from the upgraded highway to Bangalow while still meeting the incident management requirements for the St Helena tunnel, which will be built as part of the upgrade.”

Mr Page said the shortlisted alternative options to the Bangalow interchange were available to view online at www.rms.nsw.gov.au/pacific.

“The options are also displayed on posters at various locations around Bangalow and residents will receive printed information in their letterboxes soon,” he said.

“The plan to build an interchange at Bangalow was changed because of community opinion, so it’s important the community provides feedback about the shortlisted options.

“Comments and feedback will be accepted until close of business on Friday 10 February 2012.

“All feedback received will be considered and included in the decision report which will be produced early next year.”

The project team is preparing for major work by obtaining the necessary environmental approvals. Work to build the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade will start in first half of 2012, weather permitting.

For more information about the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade, follow the links from the RMS Pacific Highway upgrade homepage or call the project’s toll-free information line on 1800 882 787.

NPWS Pest Management Officer, Lisa Wellman, said that the survey is being undertaken from until December 16 as part of the Fox Threat Abatement Plan and will provide important data on shorebird numbers and movements to assist with management.

“The survey targets three key threatened species – the pied oystercatcher, beach stone-curlew and little terns – in order to get a snapshot of their abundance,” Ms Wellman said.

“The region is an important habitat for shorebirds and there are many challenges for conservation in managing an area of high population growth like this.

“This is the second year the survey has been undertaken. Last year’s survey found that the Northern Rivers region had about one third of the state’s pied oystercatchers (102) and about half of the beach stone-curlews (9). Little terns were in comparatively small numbers, with only 27 adults found in the region, out of about 1400 across the state.’

“The survey will target beaches and the estuaries of the Clarence, Evans, Brunswick and Tweed Rivers.

“Visitors to the coastal areas may well see NPWS rangers, Marine Park staff and volunteers including the Byron Bird Buddies out and about in boats and on foot with binoculars.

“We are looking forward to seeing how shorebirds are faring in the region, 12 months on.”