THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 26 #15 Tuesday, September 20, 2011 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
NE W BYRON E COLLEG E S R COU E D GUIW EEK’S IN THISHO! EC
CAB AUDIT
C E N S O R I N G D A N G E R O U S I D E A S A I N ’ T W H AT I T U S E D T O B E
Council raid Buck$ Reliving Ted’s excellent adventure Unapproved-dwelling crackdown targets vocal critic
Hans Lovejoy
The Coorabell property belonging to high profile ex-councillor and outspoken critic of Council, John Anderson, aka Fast Buck$, has been searched for unapproved dwellings. A search warrant was executed by Council compliance and police officers on Thursday morning. Mr Anderson was away at the time, and is believed to be visiting family. The Echo has not been able to contact him and it is understood he will not be back for a week and half.
Mums with small children ‘They were out to get him,’ is what resident Zenna Blewitt told The Echo. Zenna says she lives on John’s property in Newes Road and woke on Thursday morning with police knocking at her door. ‘Some of us here are mums with small children,’ she said. ‘It’s a bit scary to have police and council staff on your doorstep first thing. A small child was traumatised by the whole thing – It was intimidating and invasive.’ Zenna says council staff went about measuring everything and went through all the buildings and
caravans on the estate while the police looked on. A ‘suspicious coincidence’ is how she described the raid, as it occurred while Mr Anderson was away. ‘He’s not here to defend himself. There are also plenty of other unapproved dwellings that Council can look at. I suspect this happened because in his last letter to the editor he says he is thinking of going for mayor and for all the criticism he has of Council and staff.’ Despite the trauma, Zenna hopes the issue will settle down and get back to normal. ‘I don’t want to move out; I love it out here. It means I can do my art and play music here. Having been here only a month, I have only met around seven other residents. Mostly they are mums and children, along with older single women. Everyone’s really friendly and nice to each other.’ She claims there are about 12 to 14 buildings on the estate, some of which are believed to have been bought from the Becton site beyond the Byron Industrial Estate. ‘The facilities are great; we have stoves, hot water, electricity, sewerage‌ everything works and it’s affordable
Ted Sly dons the flight goggles and scarf for another flight with his old flying companion while Tyagarah pilot Steve Richards grabs a page from Ted’s autobiography. Photo Eve Jeffery John Darcy Williams
Byron Bay’s Ted Sly has just been reacquainted with an old friend – the de Havilland Tiger Moth basic trainer. Tyagarah resident and Tiger Moth continued on page 3 scenic flight operator, Steve Richards, recently gave the airforce veteran a rundown on the two Tigers that live in Steve’s hangar. Both aeroplanes have impeccable pedigrees dating back to the days when they served as basic trainers for the RAAF. Steve, who once flew choppers in Antarctica for a living,
now enjoys the busman’s holiday of showing his passengers the wonders of the Cape Byron scenery; the joy of open-cockpit flying and the sound of the wind in the wires. With little inducement he will even throw in a few aerobatics. Upon joining the RAAF at the outbreak of the second world war, Ted was posted to an elementary flying training school in East Africa (Rhodesia). There he learned to fly on Tiger Moths, which were built in their thousands to aid the war effort. Shortly after that he joined his first
operational squadron in England flying that most famous fighter of all, the Spitfire. His service was critical to the defence of Britain against German attack, and when the worst of the fighting was over, Ted’s squadron and many others were largely engaged in sweeps across the English Channel. About those times Ted reflected, ‘My affection for the old Tiger Moth is only exceeded by the unique bond I have in my heart for the Spitfire. ‘How fortunate and how extraorcontinued on page 3
Developer seeks 175-lot subdivision at Brunswick The residential lots range in size As well as the residential lots, the proposal includes a medium-density from 450sqm to 800sqm. The proDevelopment company Codlea Pty lot, two large ‘environmental/lifestyle’ posal is being assessed by the Department of Planning under the controLtd has plans in to the state govern- lots, public reserves and parkland. versial Part 3A of the Environmental ment for a 175-lot residential subdiPlanning and Assessment Act. vision off Bayside Way, Brunswick Shopping mall plans The application is on exhibition at A site analysis submitted by BlueHeads, butting onto Simpsons Creek. According to an application by land Engineers shows a ‘proposed Byron Shire Council’s Mullumbimby Murwillumbah planning consultants shopping mall’ on the western edge offices, Byron Bay library and the Jim Glazebrook and Associates, the of the site near the existing Bayside department’s website (majorprojects. planning.nsw.gov.au) until October 31. houses. project is valued at $20 million. Michael McDonald
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Zenna Blewitt, pictured front, was one of the Newes Road residents who were woken early by police and Council staff on Thursday morning with a search warrant. Photo Eve Jeffery