Charity golf day will aid Australian Seabird Rescue
February 28, 2009
Volunteers at Australian Seabird Rescue have been working overtime this summer rescuing a wide variety of marine wildlife, educating the public and cleaning up our waterways.
But economic times are tough, with a major sponsor being forced to halve funding to the organisation due to the financial crisis, and the theft of a highly successful donation tin from a counter top in Byron Bay.
“Australian Seabird Rescue will be forced to severely scale back its operations to cope with the funding shortfall,” General Manager Rochelle Ferris said.
“Funding for operational costs like rescue phones and fuel costs are difficult to source and are our biggest, unavoidable expenses.”
Tony Zann’s weekend fishing report
February 27, 2009
Mandy at Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina says there have been some good catches of tailor off most of the beaches, with South Ballina Beach also supporting bream, dart and a few decent whiting.
The walls also have bream and the odd whiting.
Not many have been fishing the river but a few mud crabs have been caught. However, the Richmond is clearing on the high tide and should fish pretty well.
No outside reports.
Stiff southerly at Evans Head this morning (Fri) with about 1.5m of swell coming into the bay and 2m on the exposed coast.
Ian Donnelly goes back to where it all began
February 27, 2009
Jetstar Gold Coast Titans prop Ian Donnelly is hoping to take another step towards reigniting his first grade career this weekend, on the very soil at which it began a decade ago.
Donnelly, who broke into first grade as a teenager playing for Lismore-based club Marist Brothers, will return to Lismore’s Oakes Oval for tomorrow night’s pre-season trial match against the New Zealand Warriors.
After a lean 2008 season with the Jetstar Titans, Donnelly said the trial against the Warriors would be another chance for him to continue to work towards his goal of breaking back into the NRL this season.
The Ballina junior, 28, has fond memories of Oakes Oval, having won a premiership there with Marist Brothers before he moved to Sydney to chase his NRL dream.
“I think the last time I played there in 1999 was when we won the grand final in all three grades that day,’’ recalled Donnelly.
Free ceiling insulation plan now in operation
February 26, 2009
Page MP Janelle Saffin has welcomed today’s announcement that homeowners can start applying for free ceiling insulation immediately.
Ms Saffin said: “I have had so many inquiries from people right across Page who are keen to take advantage of the free insulation. I can now let them know they can apply from today.
“Many local businesses which supply and install ceiling insulation will have to prepare for a boom in business, going by the level of interest in this program.”
Through the Government’s $3.9 billion Energy Efficient Homes package, households can now apply for one of the following upgrades:
Drum gates may be the key to preventing fish kills, say ECOfishers
February 26, 2009
This is the device which environmental fishing group ECOfishers hopes will prevent further fish kills in our local rivers during floods.
It’s called a drum gate, and ECOfishers’ Ken Thurlow hopes that this one, installed at Montis Creek at Broadwater, will be followed by more on the Richmond River.
Lismore Council grants 21-year lease to Friends of the Koala
February 26, 2009
Lismore City Council has granted Friends of the Koala a 21-year lease on the land it occupies and up to the corner of Industry Drive and Rifle Range Road in East Lismore.
Tenure over the extended site of 1.27 hectares will enable the group to proceed with plans to expand its koala care facilities.
Friends of the Koala’s Koala Care and Research Centre and associated plant nursery, located in East Lismore’s koala corridor, have become a regional landmark over the past decade or so.
With the number of koalas now being received into care increasing nearly three-fold and more emphasis being given to community education, expansion of the facilities is necessary.
Exhibition features work of SCU, TAFE students
February 26, 2009
The second combined exhibition featuring works from graduating Southern Cross University and TAFE visual arts students will be on show in Lismore from March 3 until March 21.
The annual exhibition, titled TANDEM10, will showcase the works of five students from TAFE’s Fine Arts and Ceramics courses and five students graduating from Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Visual Arts.
It will include animation, installation, painting with mixed media, artist books, ceramics and works on paper, including drawing, traditional and digital printmaking.
Elevation estate just perfect for the Radburn family
February 25, 2009
Solicitor Sean Radburn is eagerly awaiting completion of his two-storey home within Lennox Head’s boutique residential estate, Elevation.
“With three children we were impressed with the playground, the level building blocks, the sea breezes and views,” he said.
The recent drops in interest rates and the increase in the first home owners grant have seen interest in new land in the coastal village escalate.
Sonya Keenan is Marketing Manager for Indigo Group, joint venture developers of Elevation with Urbex.
Rally organisers promise ‘world-leading approach’ to environmental issues
February 25, 2009
The organisers of Repco Rally Australia have strongly rejected some of the reasons cited by specific interest groups opposed to the event.
Rally Australia Organising Committee chairman Garry Connelly said the World Rally Championship round on 3-6 September had substantial community support and would bring major benefits to the Tweed and Kyogle shires.
Home-grown talent on show in Titans’ Lismore trial match
February 25, 2009
Plenty of home-grown talent will be on show when the Gold Coast Titans take on New Zealand Warriors in their final NRL trial match at Lismore on Saturday night.
Included in the Titans’ squad are Northern Rivers products Will Matthews (Kyogle), Shannon Walker (Kyogle) and Ian Donnelly (Ballina).
In the Under-20s, Andrew Battese (Ballina) and Kayne Lawton (Tweed Coast) have been named in the Titans’ squad.
And former Ballina junior player Matt Hawkins, who is aiming for a refereeing career in the NRL, will control the Under-20 match.
The Warriors have named a near full-strength line-up.
Teams:
