The event had been scheduled for Australia Day last Thursday at Tyalgum, however, the event was postponed due to heavy rains and flooded roads.

The recipients of the Tweed Shire Australia Day Awards will be:

• Doreen Welsh (Citizen of the Year)
• Rosie Kahl (Young Achiever)
• Pottsville Beach Public School musical (Arts and Cultural Achievement Award)
• Kane Townsend (Sporting Achievement Award Individual)
• Kingscliff High School’s 17-19 years male 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay team (Sporting Achievement for Team)
• Tweed Valley Equestrian Group – Power of Pink Dressage (Community Event of the Year)
• Claire Chauvier and Georgina Harbottle (Academic Achievement Award)
• John Lee (Volunteer of the Year).

The Tweed Shire Awards will be presented by the Mayor of Tweed Councillor Barry Longland and the Chair of the community-based Tweed Shire Australia Day Committee, Don Beck.

Meanwhile, 40 Tweed residents are set to become Australia Citizens on Saturday, originating from 16 nations across the globe.

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.

The majority of community events at towns and villages across the Tweed have been cancelled or postponed because of the rain and flooded roads.

Mayor of Tweed Councillor Barry Longland said it was unfortunate that events would not go ahead as planned tomorrow, but the safety of residents was paramount.

“It’s a great disappointment for all the volunteers from a variety of community organisations, including the Tweed Shire Australia Day Committee, who have worked tirelessly to organise these events,” Councillor Longland said.

“However, given the circumstances, it would be unwise to plan events which many residents would be unable to attend.

“We will take the first opportunity to organise another citizenship and award ceremony where everyone can receive their certificates.”

The one bright bit of news is that if the weather improves, the Mad Sports games and other activities planned for Jack Evans Boat Harbour will go ahead tomorrow, starting at 10am (NSW).

Many roads have been cut across the Tweed due to the rain. Road closures are being kept updated as information comes to hand via Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au. This links through to the regional site, www.myroadinfo.com.au. This regional site provides road closures for Tweed, Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore, Clarence Valley and Richmond Valley councils.

“Any residents wanting to know about road closures are asked to go to this site for information, bearing in mind that it covers major roads only and some minor roads will not be listed,” Councillor Longland said.

“I’d like to remind residents to follow the direction of Council, Police and the State Emergency Service (SES) if you have to be out on the roads during the wet weather and please don’t drive through flood waters,” he said.

Here is information about other Council services affected by the weather:

Water restrictions at Uki and Tyalgum

Due to the extreme weather, Council is currently unable to operate the water treatment plants at the villages of Tyalgum and Uki, or cart water due to road closures.

Residents who are connected to these supplies are requested to minimise their water use as much as possible in order to conserve the limited reservoir supplies until the weather eases.

Garbage, recycling and green waste collections

Council requests that residents whose garbage, recycling or green waste collections occur on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 January (and those missed on Wednesday 25 January) to please leave your full bins out on the kerb until they are emptied.

Council intends to service all bins on the normal service day, however, due to uncertain access and weather conditions, it may not be possible to service the bins on normal collection day.

Garbage, recycling and green waste collection services will be conducted over the weekend to catch up if required. Please leave any full bins out on the kerb.

Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre is closed today (Wednesday 25 January 2012) and will be open Thursday 26 January 2012 and Friday 27 January 2012 (dependent on access).

Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre

Please note that the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre (TRAC) in Murwillumbah will close today at 3pm, as it is unable to comply with regulations due to staff shortages because of the rain. At this stage it is proposed to reopen 9am to 5pm tomorrow (26 January).

Sportfields

All Council-owned sports field in the Tweed are closed until further notice. For sports field closure information, go to Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au

With rainfalls of up to 200mm overnight, flooding continues across the area. Rainfall averaging 80-100mm is expected, with the potential for very heavy, localised falls up to 250mm in the Tweed area.

There is a high potential for flash flooding in the area and the Bureau of Meteorology has a Severe Weather Warning in place.

There are also eight Flood Warnings, a Flood Watch and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning in place. People in the affected areas are advised to check the Bureau of Meteorology’s website for updates on the warnings.

The NSW SES has deployed members to the areas of concern, including Flood Rescue Technicians and Incident management Teams. At present there are over 110 requests for assistance that have been received and multiple flood rescues have been undertaken.

The Northern Rivers will continue to be the focus for today, with the Tweed and Chinderah areas of particular concern. Holiday makers in the area are asked to listen to local radio stations for updates on the situation and be prepared to act.

With heavy rainfall, motorists are urged to drive to the conditions of the day, and to avoid any unnecessary travel. Road information can be obtained from the RTA through the Live Traffic website or by calling 131 700.

If you require flood or storm help, call the SES on 132 500.

Remember, never ride, drive or walk through floodwater and stay clear of rivers, creeks, stormwater drains and causeways as heavy localised falls may cause flash flooding.

Road closure information.

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.

About 2.10pm yesterday (Wednesday 18 January 2012), a 37-year-old man allegedly had a verbal altercation with a 28-year-old man in a bus shelter in Brisbane Street.

It is alleged the 28-year-old man punched the other man to the face causing him to fall over.

The 28-year-old man continued to assault the other male, whilst he was on the ground, before running from the scene.

Police and NSW Ambulance Paramedics attended bus shelter and conveyed the injured man to Murwillumbah Hospital.

About 12.45pm on Thursday, 19 January 2012, police arrested the 28-year-old man after he presented at Tweed Hospital.

He was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and subsequently charged with cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent.

The man was refused bail to appear at Tweed Heads Local Court tomorrow.

The 37-year-old man is currently in a critical condition at Gold Coast Hospital.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Tweed Heads police.

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

About 5.30pm (Monday 19 December 2011) a 62-year-old woman and her 6-year-old granddaughter were travelling west on the Kyogle Road at Dum Dum (near Murwillumbah).

As the vehicle approached a left-hand bend in the road it lost control and crashed into a tree.

Two cyclists that were riding past rendered assistance and managed to free the young girl from the car. By this time police and an off-duty nurse were on scene and commenced CPR.

She was taken by ambulance to Tweed Heads Hospital but sadly passed away.

Her grandmother was airlifted to hospital suffering serious leg injures.

Her injures are not considered life-threatening and she remains in a stable condition.

Police are appealing for the two cyclists who stopped and rendered assistance to contact Tweed/Byron Police on 6672 9499.

Anyone else who may have information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact officers at Tweed/Byron Local Area Command, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

About 2am Saturday 10 December 2011, the 19-year-old woman was driving her vehicle along Holsens Lane, Murwillumbah, when she drove past a group of people.

After her vehicle was allegedly struck by an object, the woman stopped the car and she and her passengers got out.

A fight ensued involving the two groups of people and a number of witnesses.

The woman’s car was struck with a stick, causing the back window to smash.

It is alleged that during the fight, a 38-year-old man ran into a home on Holsens Lane and filled a cup with petrol.

The man then allegedly threw the cup of petrol at the woman’s car while she was standing next to it.

The petrol ignited, setting the woman’s face and hands alight.

One of the woman’s friends put the fire out using her cardigan, and then took her to Murwillumbah Hospital.

She was transferred to Royal Brisbane Hospital where she received treatment for second degree burns to her face and hands.

The vehicle also sustained fire damage to the interior upholstery and exterior paintwork.

Police from Tweed/Byron Local Area Command were notified and began an investigation into the incident.

About 12pm Saturday 10 November 2011, a 38-year-old man was arrested and taken to Tweed Heads Police Station.

He was charged with:

Recklessly inflict grievous bodily harm
Cause bodily injury by explosion or other substance
Affray
Malicious damage

The 38-year-old man from Murwillumbah was refused bail and will appear in Tweed Heads Local Court on Sunday 11 December 2011.

The Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland, said the Federal Government contribution was a valuable and greatly appreciated step towards realising a vision to establish the Margaret Olley Art Centre in the Tweed.

It follows an announcement this month by the Margaret Hannah Olley Art Trust that the late Australian artist had bequeathed $1 million to establish a recreation of her studio and elements of her home and wanted it built in the Tweed, where she spent time as a child.

Council formally accepted the Margaret Olley Trust’s offer last week, to establish the centre as an extension of the Murwillumbah gallery.

“Tweed River Art Gallery’s (TRAG) standing as one of Australia’s leading regional galleries will be further enhanced by the centre, which will include many treasured pieces by the iconic artist,” Cr Longland said.

“The Federal Government’s own contribution of $1 million will go a long way towards finding the extra funds needed to complete the extension.”

The Federal funding was originally allocated for the construction of a new Tweed regional museum at Tweed Heads, through the Better Regions program.

However, planning issues have delayed the completion of development approval for the Flagstaff Hill complex and it was evident that project would not be finalised before the funding deadline.

The president of the gallery foundation, Warren Polglase, said: “We’re thrilled the Federal Government has seen fit to redirect these funds to the Margaret Olley Art Centre.

“The gallery and the broader Tweed will be thrilled to be home to a monument to one of our nation’s best-known and loved artists. Today’s announcement takes the project a major step towards fruition.”

Cr Longland emphasised that the reallocation of funds would not have a significant impact on the upgrading of museum facilities in the Tweed.

“The extension of the Tweed River Regional Museum in Murwillumbah and the construction of a regional storage facility in South Murwillumbah, to help house the gallery collections, are funded separately and will not be affected at all,” he said.

“The Flagstaff Hill facility remains in the pipeline and will proceed once zoning issues and development approval is finalised and funds can be sourced elsewhere.”