Coastcare Week highlights Cape Byron Marine Park volunteers’ efforts
November 29, 2008
Cape Byron Marine Park manager Andrew Page says Coastcare Week is a fantastic opportunity to highlight and thank community groups for their amazing contribution to the marine park.
Coastcare Week runs from December 1-7 and this year celebrates ‘Life on the Edge’.
Mr Page says groups such as the Brunswick Valley Landcare Group, Byron Bird Buddies, Australian Seabird Rescue and the Byron Underwater Research Group all work to protect the park.
“From the Brunswick River and coastal creeks, to the beaches and out to sea, dedicated groups are restoring habitats, protecting threatened species and cleaning up the marine park,” Mr Page said.
Seabird Rescue wants Green Corps team members
November 29, 2008
Australian Seabird Rescue based in Ballina has been selected to host a Green Corps team for the next six months and is seeking applications from people aged 17 to 20 looking for a full-time youth traineeship.
Green Corps is an Australian Government program to provide training and skills for young people interested in our environment.
Participants at Seabird Rescue will work on a diverse range of projects including walking track construction, wetland restoration, sea turtle monitoring and a host of other projects.
Project spokesperson Keith Williams said: “This is a unique opportunity for young people in the Ballina area.
Greens MP calls for NSW to use COAG funding for North Coast health
November 29, 2008
Greens MP and health spokesperson Lee Rhiannon is calling on the NSW Premier to reverse the push to cut 400 jobs from the North Coast Area Health Service, particularly considering the substantial funding expected to flow to NSW Health at a result of today’s COAG meeting in Canberra.
“Premier Nathan Rees could cancel the need for today’s rallies by dropping plans to cut an estimated 400 jobs now he is set to pocket a significant share of the almost $8 billion in health Federal funding being offered by Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon,” she said.
“Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is offering generous funding to the States in a bid to remedy the ailing health system.
“Premier Rees should ensure some of the windfall flows to the Far North Coast.”
Far North Coast represented at Australian Junior Surfing Titles
November 29, 2008
The Far North Coast has two surfing representatives and one manager representative in the New South Wales team for the Australian Junior Surfing Titles at Margaret River in Western Australia from December 1-7.
Kingscliff High School duo Jarrod White and Keiran Lloyd will surf in the Under-19 boys Allstars division, while teacher Steve Watts (pictured), of Southern Cross School K12 in Ballina, is part of the NSW management team.
It will be Steve Watts’ seventh year as manager of the NSW team. His first was at Margaret River in 2002, a year he remembers for the emergence of a first-time NSW team member, Stephanie Gilmore, now the current women’s world champ.
The NSW team have won the past five national titles but will face a tough challenge this year, with only one team member — Phillipa Anderson — remaining from last year.
Tony Zann’s weekend fishing report
November 28, 2008
Mandy at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says flathead are prevalent throughout the lower river.
Up Pimlico way they’re still catching whiting despite the fresh.
A few mud crabs showing in the dirty water.
Not a great number of bream have been caught but we’ll know more about that after the Gamakatsu Teams Series event on Sunday.
It’s official: for dolphins, the Clarence River tops the Richmond
November 27, 2008
If you were a Northern Rivers bottlenose dolphin, the most popular place to live would be the Clarence River, according to new research.
Christine Fury, a researcher with Southern Cross University’s Whale Research Centre, has been studying local estuarine dolphin populations for three years and has uncovered some fascinating facts about our warm-blooded mammalian cousins.
13 Northern Rivers players chosen in Titans’ Under-16 squad
November 27, 2008
The pathway for junior rugby league players on the Far North Coast is set to be enhanced next season with the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans electing to enter a team into the Harold Matthews competition in 2009.
The squad, which contains 13 Northern Rivers players, will contest Under-16 games in Sydney every second week.
Following on from the success of the Jetstar Titans’ inaugural year in the SG Ball (Under-18s) competition, the Gold Coast will become the only Queensland club to field a team in the Under-16s Harold Matthews competition as of next season.
The decision means the next generation of homegrown Jetstar Titans will receive the chance to test themselves against the strongest junior sides in the country over a 13-week competition, which culminates in a finals series.
Holiday hints to deter thieves
November 27, 2008
It’s almost holiday time, and Richmond Area Command police Crime Prevention Officer Michael Hogan has issued these hints to avoid theft.
Don’t hide spare keys in places around the house; burglars know hiding places also.
Going on holidays:
- Cancel regular deliveries
- Advise a neighbour, and request they clear your mailbox
- Notify someone of your plans – date of departure, date of return in particular, any contact numbers to alert you or family of any problems.
When approaching or leaving your vehicle, have a quick glance around to see if anyone is taking unwarranted interest in your movements.
Condong, Broadwater renewable energy plants open
November 27, 2008
Delta Electricity has taken a significant step towards developing its portfolio of low-emission electricity with the opening of the Condong and Broadwater renewable energy plants this week.
Both the Condong plant, on the Tweed River just north of Murwillumbah, and Broadwater (pictured) on the Richmond River near Ballina, will be powered by the waste material from milling sugar cane – bagasse – and has seen the gradual phasing out of pre-harvest burning of green cane in the field.
Ocean Shores Community Association elects a new board
November 27, 2008
Ocean Shores Community Association (OSCA) elected a new board this week which Matthew Denehy, the new president, says consists of a group of hard-working, committed individuals.
Mr Denehy said there had been an enormous amount of work done by the previous executive headed by Tina Petroff.
“Our aim is to again lift the profile and exposure of the association to the general community of Ocean Shores,” he said.
“The new board intends to bolster the membership of individuals in Ocean Shores and start a ‘Business’ sub-division of the
association, as they also form a very important part of the Community as a whole.
