Shorebirds under the spotlight
December 14, 2011
Northern Rivers shorebirds will be under the spotlight as National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers and volunteers take to the beaches and estuaries as part of a statewide survey.
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.
Discussion paper on residential parks
November 9, 2011
Member for Ballina Don Page has welcomed the release of a discussion paper on ways to improve the governance of residential parks by the Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts.
Mr Page said that residential parks provide an affordable housing choice for many people, who develop strong, valuable networks of support within their park.
“It is vital that effective laws are in place setting out clear and balanced rights and obligations for residents and park operators,” said Mr Page.
“The discussion paper honours our election commitment to residential park residents to carry out a full review of the Residential Parks Act 1998 and improve the governance of the residential parks industry”.
The paper looks at several ways to help strengthen and grow the residential parks sector, including options for licensing park operators, education for new operators and better ways to resolve disputes about rent increases.
Fuel reduction burn in Bundjalung National Park
October 24, 2011
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is putting the final preparations in place for a fuel reduction burn to increase fire protection adjacent to Bundjalung National Park, between Evans Head and Iluka.
NPWS Richmond River Area Manager Mark Pittavino said that the burn, which is planned for Tuesday and Wednesday this week, will help to reduce risk to property and protect the natural and cultural values of the national park.
“The purpose of the burn is to provide fuel-reduced areas which will help to prevent the spread of wildfire,” Mr Pittavino said.
The burn will be in Bundjalung National Park (West) adjacent to the Pacific Highway, fifteen kilometres south of New Italy, to help reduce the spread of wildfire.
Far North Coast people asked to nominate their favourite lifesaver
August 24, 2011
As we prepare for summer and those lazy weekends spent at the beach with friends and family, spare a thought for those who make it all possible – the surf lifesavers who give up their time, and sometimes even risk their lives, to make our beaches safer, happier, family-friendly places.
Nikon Australia and Surf Life Saving are urging people on the Far North Coast to nominate a local surf lifesaver for a chance to be named the first ever Nikon Clubbie of the Year.
Go to Hell for the Helicopter!
August 17, 2011
Mountain bike enthusiasts have until this Friday, August 19 to secure a place on the 2011 Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Yellow Pages Hell on Wheels Cycle Tour.
Tour Director and event founder Tony Keogh said the Tour truly is Hell on Wheels.
Bitou bush winter control program commences soon
June 1, 2011
To help restore native coastal vegetation, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is continuing control efforts to bring one of Australia’s worst coastal weeds, bitou bush, under control.
NPWS Pest Management Officer, Lisa Wellman, said bitou bush control is undertaken in accordance with the Bitou Bush Threat Abatement Plan, which outlines Statewide priorities, based on protecting endangered species and ecological communities such as grassy headlands and littoral rainforests.
Four-wheel drive club helps out with South Ballina beach clean-up
May 18, 2011
The Tweed Valley Four-wheel Drive Club and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers did a clean-up of rubbish over 25 kilometres of beach from South Ballina Wall to a few kilometres north of Evans Head last Saturday.
This operation was undertaken with the support of the Crown Lands Division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
NSW surf lifesaving Country Championship results -Byron Bay wins pointscore
January 17, 2011
The Stramit NSW Country Championships wrapped up today after strong swells forced the relocation of the carnival to Trial Bay. Byron Bay has won the overall carnival pointscore, followed by Warilla-Barrack Point, with the defending title holder Lennox Head-Alstonville ending up in third spot.
The event has been hugely successful over the last two years for the small South West Rocks club and community, generating an estimated $5million within the local economy.
Overall Pointscore
1st Byron Bay 807 pts
2nd Warilla-Barrack Point 575
3rd Lennox-Head Alstonville 459
4th Cudgen Headland 410
5th Coffs Harbour 394
6th Tacking Point 327
7th Port Macquarie 297.5
8th Sawtell 295
9th Shellharbour 268.5
10th Wauchope-BH 200
11th South West Rocks 168
12th Woolgoolga 103
FAR NORTH COAST RESULTS
Flood recovery grants now available
January 10, 2011
Member for Page Janelle Saffin is encouraging local primary producers and small businesses affected by recent flooding in the electorate of Page to contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority to see if they are eligible for flood recovery grants now available.
To be eligible, applicants need to show that 51 per cent of their income is derived from production – based on copies of their latest personal and business taxation returns – as well as satisfying other criteria.
A package of one-off “Category C Grants” – worth up to $15,000 – is available under the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) provided jointly by the Federal and NSW governments.
Category C assistance will help primary producers with general clean-up costs including the removal of debris and dead livestock, purchase of fodder, replacement trading stock, repairs to damaged equipment and property access – without which production and viability could be disrupted beyond the next season. It will help small businesses affected by flooding to conduct repairs and resume trading as soon as possible.
Lifesavers on patrol over holiday period
December 16, 2010
Far North Coast surf life savers will be back on patrol again this weekend as the Christmas and Summer holiday season gets under way.
Beaches on the Far North Coast will be patrolled from Yamba right up to Fingal Head on the Queensland and NSW border.
