The Alzheimer’s Australia NSW Memory Van is a mobile education resource that travels statewide to help raise awareness on the importance of brain health and dementia risk reduction.

The Memory Van provides communities with information designed to help educate and assist people living with dementia, their carers and health professionals.

Staff can also assist with enquiries about memory loss.

The Memory Van is fully equipped with Help Sheets, Fact Sheets, DVD and video resources and a Nintendo Brain Game.

The Alzheimer’s Australia NSW Memory Van and experienced staff will be at:

• Ballina District Community Services Association Community Centre, 20 Bangalow Rd (next to IGA) on Tuesday, 9 March, from 1.30pm – 4pm
• Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club, Dalley Street, Mullumbimby, on Wednesday, 10 March, from 1pm – 4pm
• Byron Bay Plaza carpark, Jonson Street, on Thursday, 11 March, from 2pm – 4.30pm
• Ocean Village Shopping Centre, Rajah Road, Ocean Shores, on Friday, 12 March, from 9.30am – 12.30pm

1300 new cases of dementia are diagnosed a week in Australia and 1 in 3 Australians with dementia live in NSW. Dementia is a fatal disease and there is, as yet, no cure.

The Memory Van visit has been made possible by Community Development Support Expenditure funding from the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club.

Alzheimer’s Australia NSW is the peak body for people with dementia and their families and carers. It provides advocacy, support services, education and information.

Currently 257,000 people have dementia in Australia. This number is projected to double by 2030. 

National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500

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NPWS Pest Management Officer, Lisa Wellman, said prior to the start of each program, which began in 2006, advertisements are placed in local newspapers advising people.

“The program is undertaken twice a year in autumn and spring and looks for evidence of wild dogs, which can then be controlled,” Ms Wellman said. 

“Control programs are based around baiting programs, and monitoring is also undertaken after control to determine how successful the program has been.

“Neighbours of these reserves are notified of this program and areas that are baited are signposted.

“Our monitoring allows us to target wild dogs in specific areas where they are found and in the past has shown that control has been effective.’
 
“We have received very positive feedback from the community in response to our programs. We encourage park neighbours to report wild dog incidents to the NPWS and the LHPA.

“Local LHPA Wild Dog Management Plans outline where and when wild dog control should be undertaken and have a central objective to reduce the impacts of wild dogs on agriculture and biodiversity.
 
“The local LHPA Wild Dog Management Plans are to be reviewed in 2011 and this provides an opportunity for the community to have input into the priorities for wild dog control in the region.

“The reserves to be targeted this autumn are Maryland, Toonumbar, Richmond Range, Mebbin, Mt Jerusalem, Bundjalung, Nightcap and Goonengerry National Parks, Whian Whian State Conservation Area and Bungabbee and Muckleewee Mountain Nature Reserve.

“Landholders in areas nearby who wish to conduct baiting on their own properties should contact their local Livestock, Health and Pest Authority.”

For information on where wild dog control programs are taking place, contact your local NPWS office: Kyogle Area 6632 0000, Tweed Area 6670 8600, Richmond River Area 6627 0200.

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“This is especially important in times of emergency,” said Cr Jenny Dowell, president of the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC).

“Although the new system will show roadworks and scheduled road closures on an everyday basis, it will come into its own during a flood or in other emergency event.

“It is the experience of most councils that the information people request most is ‘what roads are closed?’ and ‘how can I travel from A to B?’

“This new system will put that information at their fingertips.”

Travellers will be able to view a map of the Northern Rivers region, from Clarence Valley in the south to Tweed in the north and out to Kyogle in the west which shows ‘roads closed information’ with markers placed at the location of the closure.
This visual guide will indicate the most reliable routes for travel across the region.

The RoadInfo website, www.myroadinfo.com.au, will be launched at the NOROC meeting on Friday, 26 February at 11am.

The initial idea came up during the post-flood review conducted after the January 2008 flood.

Councils applied for and received $14,000 from the Natural Disaster Mitigation Programme courtesy of the NSW Department of Emergency Services in May 2009.

The past nine months have been spent designing and developing the website.

The development of the website has seen strong collaboration between Lismore, Ballina, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Tweed, Byron, and Clarence Valley councils.

Cr Dowell said, “It is really good to see our Councils working together, especially to provide such a useful service. This project shows just what can be achieved by us working together.

“We have shared resources and kept the cost down to an absolute minimum. I would like to thank all the councils for their hard work.

“Giving people across the region easy access to road closure information will be a real benefit to the whole Northern Rivers community, and although during a flood people should keep their travel down to a minimum, this new website will help to keep people safe when travel is essential,” she said.

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A regional launch of the prize will be held at the Tweed River Art Gallery at 11am on Tuesday 16 February to officially launch the 2010 prize and invite artists to enter.

The $35,000 Country Energy Art Prize for Landscape Painting is Australia’s richest annual landscape prize.

In its eighth year, the art pPrize showcases the wealth of artistic talent across country and coastal New South Wales while contributing to the visual arts industry.

A series of regional launches are held across NSW announcing that the annual prize is open for 2010, and inviting artists to enter.

Entries for the 2010 Art Prize close on 25 June 2010, with the finalists exhibited at the Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre in Port Macquarie. The winner will be announced at an opening event at the Glasshouse on 30 September.

Entry is exclusive to artists whose principal place of residence is within Country Energy’s network distribution area, which covers 95 per cent of New South Wales’ land mass.

The prize is open to all artistic styles, mediums and contexts, ranging from figurative to abstract, charcoal to traditional oil paint and landscapes to seascapes.

The Art Prize also includes the Youth Encouragement Award. This award is designed to support and promote the work of emerging young artists from regional NSW. The additional prize of $5000 from Country Energy is presented each year to an artist who has entered Countryscapes and is aged 25 years or younger.

Artists and art lovers are all invited to the launch of Countryscapes 2010. The guest speaker, and three time Countryscapes exhibitor, painter Robyn Sweaney from Mullumbimby, will speak about her experiences as a regional artist and being a finalist in the prize.

PICTURE: Graham Lupp of Bathurst won Countryscapes 2009 for his work Hen and Chicken Lane (courtesy of Country Energy).

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“The Sustainable Street program is a joint initiative of Tweed and Byron shire councils which aims to bring neighbours together for local environmental improvements,” Councillor Warren Polglase said.

“This project has been so successful that Tweed and Byron shire councils are now seeking more streets to take part.

“Tweed and Byron councils are pleased to announce that we have secured State Government funding through the Tweed-Byron Bush Futures Program to deliver the Sustainable Streets package to two streets in each shire in 2010.”

For the past year, Murwillumbah Street has become ‘Sustainability Street’ and neighbours have become friends through swapping goods, information and ideas.

Murwillumbah Street resident Lisa Blackwell was one of the instigators of the project, and sought help from Tweed Shire Council’s Sustainability Officer Dan Walton to help move the project from the discussion stage to reality.

“Initially we wanted to get our little street operating as a community – we wanted to get back to grassroots,” Ms Blackwell said.

“We live in a town but it can be a village. We all know our neighbours but we don’t live in each others’ pockets.”

Interested residents meet once a month at a bench under a shady jacaranda tree to discuss joint and individual projects to reduce water and energy consumption, swap vegetables, eggs, unwanted goods and talk about practical environmental improvements, such as car pooling.

“Through our meetings, we have identified common goals, including a bushland restoration project in a nearby reserve,” Ms Blackwell said.

Over the last few months, Dan Walton has initiated a monthly project to improve environmental outcomes. One month, residents painted gutters with stormwater messages, while another, they set daily targets for water (150 litres per person per day) and energy consumption (less than five kilowatts per person per day).

Through the Bush Futures program, Mr Walton also helped residents at access a State Government grant to plant sustainable street trees, including oranges and lemon myrtles.

“This program offers residents practical ways to restore local biodiversity, improve household water and energy efficiency as well as organic gardening and ethical shopping workshops,” Mr Walton said.

“We’re hoping residents of other streets in Tweed and Byron will be inspired by the hard work, enthusiasm and practical example of Murwillumbah Street.”

Once chosen, the successful streets will participate in series of council-led workshops and community activities including the planting of community fruit trees, painting stormwater messages on gutters, energy and water efficiency workshops and culminating in a community feast using locally sourced ingredients.

Participants will also get the opportunity to provide ideas and suggestions on activities and outcomes they’d like to see for their street.

If you think your street would benefit from this exciting grassroots initiative, download the information package including the application form at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/sustainability

The closing date for applications is 1 March 2010. People without internet access can call Dan Walton, Tweed Council Sustainability Officer on 02 6670 2555.

The Sustainable Streets program is funded by the Tweed-Byron Urban Bush Futures grant – a local government partnership under the NSW Government Urban Sustainability Program.

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Strike Force Farrelly comprised detectives from the State Crime Command Drug Squad, the Tweed/Byron Local Area Command, the NSW Police Air Wing, the Dog Squad and the Radio Electronics Unit.

The Cannabis Eradication Program (CEP) targeted the areas of Burringbar, Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Uki and surrounding national parks over five days last week.

A total of 2446 plants, ranging from one to five metres in height, were located.

The haul has an estimated potential street value of $4.8m.

Police issued four men with Court Attendance Notices in relation to alleged drug cultivation, while Tweed/Byron LAC officers are investigating another four seizures following the operation.

On one property, police seized 88 cannabis plants contained in an indoor hydroponic set-up.

All the plants were recorded into evidence and destroyed.

The results of Strike Force Farrelly take the number of plants seized by the Drug Squad in the past three months to almost 20,000.

The estimated potential street value of those seizures is $57m.

Drug Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham, warned illegal drug growers, “You won’t know where or when we’ll strike, but we’ve got your crops in our sights.

“We have been conducting Cannabis Eradication Programs since the mid-1980s and we have got it down to a fine art.

“Whether it’s a semi-rural property or a steep mountainside in a remote part of the State, there’s a high chance we’ll locate these illegal crops and destroy them.

“My detectives are highly trained and can winch down from a chopper into treacherous terrain with ease to remove cannabis plantations.

“They’re backed up by the Police Air Wing, whose officers can easily spot a cannabis crop from the sky.

“NSW Police also raided a so-called ‘hydro house’ last week at Quakers Hill in Sydney, so if you think you’re safe, growing illegal drugs indoors, then you’d better think again.”

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Byron Shire Council’s executive manager of environment and land use Ray Darney said the approval was valid for five years and subject to conditions granted by the court.

“One of the conditions included is that installation cannot commence until the approval issued by the Minister has been modified to incorporate the redesigned on-site system,” Mr Darney said.

He said the council was yet to see a final copy of the court’s conditions of approval.

In August 2009, Byron Shire councillors rejected Woolworths’ Section 68 application for any on-site sewerage system in Station Street, Mullumbimby.

Mr Darney said the application was refused because the applicant failed to demonstrate that appropriate arrangements could be made for the management of sewage generated by the development.

A Section 68 Application was required to be obtained prior to a construction certificate being issued. 

Woolworths lodged an appeal against the council’s decision in the Land and Environment Court and was permitted to submit revised proposals for the on-site system.

Mullumbimby currently has in place a moratorium that prevents any new developments being connected to the town’s overloaded sewage system until a planned upgrade is complete.

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Strike Force Barsden comprises investigators from the State Crime Command’s Drug Squad, Tweed/Byron Local Area Command and Queensland Police.

The Strike Force was established in June 2009 to investigate the supply of cocaine, as well as the manufacture of safrole oil, which can be used as a precursor in the production of MDMA.

Two men have been arrested by police today including a 23-year-old man at Bangalow and a 24-year-old man at Mullumbimby. Both men were taken to Byron Bay Police Station.

The 24-year-old was charged with possess tablet press, conspiracy to manufacture prohibited drug, and two counts of possess prohibited drug. He was refused bail to appear at Byron Bay Local Court on 29 January, 2010.

The 23-year-old man was charged with three counts of possess prohibited drug, possess pill press, and cultivate prohibited plant. He was granted conditional bail to appear in court at a later date.

Six search warrants were executed by police at locations including two premises on Bangalow Road at Byron Bay, Hakea Court at Mullumbimby, Pacific Highway at Bangalow, Byrrell Creek Road at Byrrell Creek, and Centennial Court at Byron Bay.

A clandestine laboratory was discovered by police at Bangalow. Investigations are ongoing and police remain at the scene (late on Thursday afternoon). Evidence of manufacture was also uncovered at Byrrell Creek.

During the search warrants police located and seized a total of two pill presses, ecstasy tablets, LSD, cannabis, cocaine, steroids, precursors used in the manufacture of MDMA, as well as $4000 cash.

Drug Squad Commander, Superintendent Nick Bingham, continues to warn the public about the dangers of illicit drug use.

“Drug use is dangerous. It is very difficult to know what you are consuming, and the effects can be fatal,” Det/Supt Nick Bingham said.

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Theresa Mason has embarked on her PhD research project – an oral history of the Northern Rivers – and already has many a fascinating tale to tell, thanks to locals sharing their stories for her earlier Honours project.

Her interest in the region’s history began when she was editing and writing for The Village Journal, a local newspaper based in Rosebank, serving the rural areas between Dunoon, Federal and Bexhill.

“I came across all of these older people who had fascinating stories to tell,” she said. “Many of the stories around people’s experiences during the Great Depression and in times of war were particularly interesting.

“People who lived on the land told me how it became essential for them to learn how to make their own fuel, and all sorts of mixes were developed and tested in backyard sheds. Many people also self-converted cars, buses, trucks and farm machinery to run on coal gas. While there were some tragedies from explosions, many of the designs were innovative and worked quite well.”

Theresa said that a lot of people had great ‘flood stories’ to tell.

“One woman told me how, during the big 1945 flood, her father hailed the cream boat that went from Coraki to Lismore, thinking it could drop them on the other side of the river because their house was flooding,” Theresa said.

“Instead, they were taken all the way to town where the boat was tied up to a hoop pine on the riverbank. Their family spent the night on board eating chunks of bread and cream, and early next morning, the waters had receded and they walked around town.

”The woman said the paper-mâché dress shop models in their beautiful gowns had collapsed onto the floors of the dress shops in the most grotesque attitudes, still with silly smiles on their faces.”

Theresa would like to gather as many oral histories as she can and is seeking 50 people aged 65 and over, living in the Tweed, Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Kyogle Shire areas, who would like to participate in her research.

She can be contacted on 6688 2387 or by email at theresa.mason@scu.edu.au.

PICTURE: Theresa Mason, who is doing an oral history of the Northern Rivers area for her PhD.

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He said the Byron Shire’s councillors are a hard-working group of individuals dedicated to the community.

“They are paid less than $15,000 each per year, with an additional Mayoral allowance of $33,000,” he said.

The Daily Telegraph news article reported a figure of up to $47,000 spent on ’sustenance’ within Byron Shire for the period 2008-09.

Mr Faulkner said this figure included approximately $13,000 on catering for council meetings and $32,500 attending conferences, seminars and the associated costs for travel and accommodation.

“There were no overseas trips and $32,500 is a frugal amount for nine councillors over a 12-month period,” he said.

“We are a regional shire and naturally there are costs associated to attend events that are pertinent to the interests of the shire.”

He said if a councillor wished to attend a conference, it must be identified within the approved yearly council budget or approved at a council meeting.

Councillors have the opportunity to debate the nomination of attendees including who attends and the number of delegates.

Other councillor expenses reported in the $78,682 include the provision of office equipment to the newly elected councillors in 2008 ($10,424), telephone calls ($13,977), Mayor’s vehicle expenses ($7905) and training ($660).

Byron Shire councillors during the 2008/09 period attended 39 council meetings which included Ordinary Meetings, Strategic Planning Meetings, Reserve Trust, Quarterly Reviews and Extra Ordinary Meetings. Councillors were also extensively involved with numerous Council Project Reference Groups, Section 355 Committees and regional committees.

• Councillors’ Remuneration 2008/09
• Mayoral Allowance 33,010
• Councillors – Attendance Fees 134,598
• Mayor Vehicle Expenses 7905
• Provision of dedicated office equipment to councillors 10,242
• Telephone Calls made by councillors 13,977
• Catering 12,909
• Attendance of councillors at conferences and seminars 17,383
• Training of councillors and Provision of Skill Development 660
• Interstate visits by councillors, including transport, accommodation and other out-of-pocket travelling expenses 15,206.
• Expenses involved in the provision of care for a child or an immediate family member of a councillor 400

Councillor expenses were paid in accordance with the council’s adopted Policy 1.1 – Mayor and Councillors’ Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities. The total paid, as reported in the Annual Report, was $246,290.

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