The
THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 26 #30 Tuesday, January 10, 2012 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
Arts
L E S S I N VA S I O N S M O R E E Q U AT I O N S
CAB AUDIT
P.22
Colours, textures and imagination
Hit and run fatality John Foss, local motorised cycle entrepreneur and Marine Rescue volunteer, died of head injuries on Tuesday morning after being hit by a van while cycling along a quiet section of Coolamon Scenic Drive near Mullumbimby. Police have charged Nashua man James Andrew Mitchell, 53, with murder and dangerous driving occasioning death and was denied bail in Lismore Local Court by registrar Mark Bromhead on Thursday.
Deliberately driven at
Eve Jeffery
The quality of work this year was extraordinary and patrons at the openThe main gallery space at the Byron ing night were excited by the vast seCommunity centre was awash with lection and scope of works on display. people and colour on Friday evening for the much-anticipated awards Prizewinners The largest category was, not surceremony for the 2012 Byron Byron prisingly, painting with a display of Arts Classic. This year 404 entries were delivered 192 pieces. The other categories saw to the centre as artistic hopefuls took 103 sculptures, 76 works on paper the opportunity to display their talent. and 32 photos. The major prizewin-
ners on the night were: photography Ross Bray; works on paper Annique Goldenberg; sculpture Avital Sheffer; and the youth artist prize went to Georgina Kreutzer. Three of the prizes were won jointly this year as the quality of the work was such that the judges could not separate the winners. Money and honours were shared in the painting category by Aesha Ken-
nedy and Marlene Tholen and the Byron Shire Council and the Mayor’s Acquisitive Prize was shared between Susanne Fraser and Sarah Harvey. The Barebones Gallery Representation Award was another that was split between Dave Kill and Roslyn Swadling. The People’s Choice prize will be awarded on the last day of the exhibition at 3pm on Wednesday. Photo Jeff ‘Artsy Pants’ Dawson
Firefighter speaks up over tragic NYE car crash A local firefighter is imploring the community to work together to educate young drivers after last week’s tragic car accident that claimed the life of a young man. On New Year’s Eve, Phil Preston from Mullumbimby Fire Brigade was one of the crew called to a singlevehicle accident on Left Bank Road. ‘In the midst of the tragedy I thought to myself, “There is so much we can do to prevent these accidents from occurring.” As much as assisting at fires and accidents is part of a firefighter’s job, another part is community education and preventing them from happening in the first place.
‘Research has shown young drivers who attend driver education programs have a 44 per cent reduced risk for having an accident.’ Mr Preston says he has been helping deliver the FRNSW ‘RescuEd’ road safety program to local year 10 high school students and recently attended the RRISK road safety presentation for Year 11 students.
Recommendations He told The Echo he was even more saddened to hear the young man in the accident was a mate’s son, and has resolved to do all he can to increase the safety of young
people on the roads. ‘As a start there are three things I recommend all young people do before they drive on their own. They are free and can almost halve their chance of having an accident.’ ‘1. In Year 10 attend the FRNSW “RescuEd” road safety presentation; ‘2. Get a free “keys2drive” driving lesson with an accredited instructor; ‘3. In Year 11 attend the RRISK road safety presentation.’
‘Community support and involvement is crucial to our success. ‘I want to bring together young people, their parents and carers, schools, businesses, organisations, councils and government and work together to increase the safety of young people on the roads. ‘There are so many great resources and amazing people working to keep young people safe on the roads. We need to do more to make sure young people are getting the message.’ Transport options For more information about the Mr Preston has initiated a project to project contact Mr Preston on 0414 increase the safe transport options for 809 330 or email phil@buildingpartnerships.com.au. young people in Byron Shire.
Police allege Mr Foss was deliberately driven at by Mr Mitchell, and told media they had to chase Mr Mitchell through two kilometres of rugged bushland at Nashua before capturing him on Wednesday. Inspector Greg Jago of Tweed/Byron Local Area Command told Fairfax Radio, ‘We are aware that both parties knew each other prior to the incident and apparently there was some animosity between them’. Meanwhile, tributes have flowed for Mr Foss, who was much loved in the local community and a stalwart volunteer with Marine Rescue NSW at Brunswick Heads. He had just returned from helping four passengers of a rubber ducky that overturned at the Brunswick Bar when the incident occurred. Police have seized the van for inspection. Q Robert Bleakley’s obituary page 13
Byron lighthouse body recovered Police, rescue and helicopter crews battled rugged terrain on Friday to recover a man’s body that was discovered at the base of the Byron lighthouse headland last Friday morning. Inspector Greg Jago of Tweed/Byron Local Area Command told The Echo that the person was not from the area and relatives have yet to be contacted. He couldn’t say if it was accidental or suicide but said a report will be made for the coronor.
enrich your spirit perhaps the most tranquil tourist attraction on the East Coast and a wonderful place to spend a couple of mellow hours… Brisbane News, December 2010. www.crystalcastle.com.au Open 7 Days 10am-5pm (NSW time) 81 Monet Drive, Mullumbimby 40 mins from Tweed Heads 20 mins from Byron Bay (02) 6684 3111
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