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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About 8am today (Thursday 28 January 2010), a co-ordinated search utilising a specialised police dog commenced in bushland.

About 12.55pm, human remains and a number of personal items were located near Oola Place.

The body has not been positively identified and investigations are continuing.

Since Wednesday 20 January, police from Tweed/Byron Local Area Command have conducted a series of searches for a 70-year-old man.

Kevin Kirk was last seen walking his dog through the Ferry Reserve Caravan Park at Brunswick Heads at 9.30am on Monday 18 January.

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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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Mr Kirk was last seen on the morning of Friday 15 January this year, when he left his home at Brunswick Heads to walk a friend’s brown Staffordshire dog.

The dog was located by a member of the public on Friday 22 January in the area of Divines Hill but it was not wearing a distinctive pink leash used by Mr Kirk.

An extensive search of Brunswick Heads, Ocean Shores and surrounding areas has been conducted by police, members of the SES, local surf lifesaving clubs and the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter but failed to find any trace of Mr Kirk.

Police are continuing their inquiries in relation to Mr Kirk’s disappearance and are continuing to search the areas where it is believed he regularly walked with the dog.

Any person with information regarding Mr Kirk should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Byron Bay Police on 02 6685 9499.

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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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About 1.20pm (4 December) police and emergency services were called to the intersection of the Pacific Highway and Brunswick Valley Way, Yelgun following reports of a collision.

Upon arrival, a 67-year-old Ocean Shores man who was the driver, and only occupant, of a Toyota Camry was located trapped. He was released after a short time and conveyed to Tweed Heads District Hospital in a serious condition, where he later died.

It appears the man was attempting to turn right onto Brunswick Valley Way from Tweed Valley Way and collided with a Ford Falcon.

The occupants of the Ford Falcon, an 80-year-old Crabbes Creek man and his wife, were not seriously injured.

Ballina Crash Investigation Unit attended and a crime scene was established.

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Operation Palm is an innovative campaign to reduce the problem, and involves DECCW and Byron Shire Council.

DECCW Manager Waste Management Section, Mark Gorta, said that illegal dumping of garden waste is a highly visible and costly environmental problem.

“Problems caused include threats to native bushland from environmental weeds and disease, and reduced habitat for native animals and birds,” he said.

“It can also mean an increased fire risk to bushland and adjoining properties, more hiding and breeding sites for vermin, and the ugliness of the dumping can compound the problem as the local community loses pride in the affected areas.

“Illegal dumping across NSW costs local and State governments and the community more than $10 million a year to prevent and clean up.”

Previous campaigns have shown that the incidence of illegal dumping can be prevented by the combination of education and enforcement activities in a collaborative approach at the local, regional and State level.

Byron Shire Council’s waste and recycling services manager, Russell Chaplin, said the council, in partnership with DECCW, will be conducting a campaign seeking support from gardening, landscaping and tree servicing businesses. The campaign will also target garden waste dumping by local residents.

“The campaign aims to raise awareness of businesses and residents as to the harmful effects of the illegal dumping of garden waste and their legal responsibilities. The illegal dumping of garden waste can result in significant on-the-spot fines,” Mr Chaplin said.

“We’ll be sending a brochure to landscape, gardening and tree services businesses in the local area and following up with a waste survey of their operations.

“There will also be an advertising campaign in local publications warning householders to be aware of the problem and to report suspicious activity or illegal dumping.”

Mr Chaplin said council staff would be carrying out increased patrols of illegal dumping hot-spots over spring and summer, when the problem is most prevalent.

Residents who suspect illegal dumping or become aware of illegal waste operations should contact Byron Shire Council on 6626 7000.

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The planning is going ahead full steam for the exhibition. 

There are four categories: painting, works on paper, photography and sculpture.

First prize in these categories is $1000, with $200 for second prize.

Byron Shire Council and the Mayor’s Fund are sponsoring a $2000 acquisition prize.

There is a $500 People’s Choice prize and a Major Overall prize to be announced, as well as other prizes.

One new aspect to this year’s planning is the fact that local community residents groups have joined together and sponsored prizes e.g. the Skinners Shoot Residents Group, the Wategos Residents Group and more are forming.

Get your forms from the Byron Community Centre in Byron Bay or online at artsclassic@byroncentre.com.au  and visit the website www.byroncentre.com.au

The entry forms have to be returned in mid-December. The Exhibition will be shown from 7th-11th January 2010.

PICTURE: All abuzz for the Byron Arts Classic are (back) Jani, Jan Dawkins, Helene Sheean; and Samaya Zakay and Lelli Brown.

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Ocean Shores, which began in 1969, was developed by an American international resort-style company, Wendell West Company Pty Ltd.

The company bought 16 dairy farms north of the Brunswick River and along the coast to Wooyung, a total of 1500 hectares.

One of the men behind the development was American singer Pat Boone, who lived in a town in Washington state also known as Ocean Shores, where he hosted celebrity golf tournaments.

The town has grown into the present-day population of 6000 people. 

Many local people were employed in the design and construction of the town.

The Ocean Shores Community Association (OSCA) invites people from the region to come to the birthday party, especially those who may have had a connection with the town in the early days. 

Many ‘Golden Oldies’ will be attending the birthday lunch, as well as locals who want to know more about the town’s origins.

The lunch will be held next Sunday, November 22, at the Ocean Shores Country Club, Orana Road, commencing from midday. Cost is $20, children $5.

For further details, please check the OSCA website at www.osca.org.au or phone Jan at 66801108 or Donna at 66803137 to make a booking.

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The Bureau of Meteorology says locations which may be affected include Lismore, Grafton, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Byron Bay, Ballina, Casino, Kyogle, Yamba and Maclean.

Prior to 4pm, 2-4cm hail was reported in the Murwillumbah area.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
* Keep clear of fallen power lines.
* Unplug computers and appliances.
* Avoid using the phone during the storm.
* Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.

Warnings are also available through TV and radio broadcasts, the Bureau’s website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 218.

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