THE BYRON SHIRE
By ron Bay
Volume 31 #37
Surf Festival
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
www.echo.net.au Phone 02 6684 1777 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
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Meet Jan Barham’s Let’s explore replacement, where NSWNCPT’s Dawn Walker – p5 profits go – p14
The land clearing Mandy isn’t and rainfall wearing Boho: connection – p20 here’s why – p31
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Uki spring-water bore ‘too close’ to dip site www.echo.net.au/uki-springwater-bore-close-dip-site
Bruns WWI memorial The long story of staying trim slated for tourist use Hans Lovejoy
Plans to erect ‘structures’ around protected Coastal Cypress Pine trees planted 100 years ago to remember those who died in WWI have sparked anger from long-time locals who want the site registered and protected. Terrace Reserve, or Memorial Park, is located on The Terrace adjacent to Simpsons Creek in Brunswick Heads and contains approximately 100 endangered Coastal Cypress Pine trees. Yet managers of town’s three caravan parks, the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust (NSWCHPT), have flagged their intention to develop the park, saying the plans will be contained in soon-to-be-released concepts for the three Brunswick parks. NSWCHPT, which is a state government-run corporation, manages 36 parks across the state but has been under pressure for years to come to agreement with Council and the community over its largescale development plans and associated issues. The latest talks last November with locals eased tensions however, with its proposed redevelopment plans including a longfought-for public walkway along the foreshore boundary of each park. The Echo understands a recent closed meeting between NSWCHPT and Council on January 17 saw an option tabled to relocate permanent residents from the Terrace caravan park on the southern end of the Memorial Park. When asked to confirm, NSWCHPT CEO Steve Edmonds instead told The Echo that after lis-
tening to feedback regarding the Terrace Reserve, ‘the protection of the trees is a priority and any structures will honour a 5m radius from the tree or as recommended by a qualified arborist.’
Camping not ideal But Mr Edmonds did admit that ‘camping is not ideal’ in that area of the park, ‘as there is much potential for damaging the tree roots and trunks with holiday makers pitching their tents too close to the trees and tying their tents to the trunks.’ ‘It is the Trust’s intention to retain and protect the current grove within the park, which was planted in the 1920s’. When asked if NSWCHPT would instead offer help to register the land as a war memorial to protect it from development, their media spokesperson replied, ‘The Trust is in initial concept stages of the Memorial area at this point. However, officially registering the site as a memorial could be pursued through Crown Lands. This is something the Trust is prepared to look at once the consultation phase is complete.’ Mr Edmonds also added, ‘We are also very excited to be proposing an additional interactive memorial area where the community and visitors to the area can learn about the significance of the trees and of the sacrifices made in war of those before them.’ ‘A representative from the Brunswick RSL attended the community park walkthrough and we will continue to consult with this significant continued on page 2
Bob McTavish will feature in the Byron Bay Surf Festival, which will run from Friday till Sunday. Photo supplied Mandy Nolan
Bob McTavish knows the surfing history of the Bay. He should, because he’s a major part of it. McTavish’s own philosophy reflects the underlying ethos of this weekend’s Byron Bay Surf Festival, where it’s not about competition but about the culture of surfing. The connection to nature. Being in harmony with the environment. It’s about having fun. Bob first came here in 1956. He moved here in 1969, the Summer of Love as they called it back then, and this elder statesman not only pioneered the shaping of boards, but also of Byron Bay. What was to become McTavish Surfboards was the first building on the industrial estate. ‘It was 1971,’ he laughed, ‘and when it rained you couldn’t get
to work because the Belongil was flooded and there was just a little timber bridge across it.’
Byron Bay history Byron was a very different place back then. ‘You knew everyone; every surfer knew every surfer,’ says Bob. ‘There was the Aquarius Festival over in Nimbin and it was peace love and happiness, but the surfers had been living here and suddenly the hippies hit town… they were taking all our hot spots; before they came the surfers had it to themselves!’ ‘We Queenslanders got onto Byron in the very early 60s. We heard about The Pass. The Pass is unique. To find anything like that you’d have to go to Mexico. It’s amazing.’ And it wasn’t long before this quiet little seaside town was in the biggest international surf magazine.
‘In ’62 at Easter there was a big convergence here. We did a thing where we crammed into a car – it was an old car with running boards and open top – we put 27 people and boards on the car and rolled down the hill to The Pass and submitted it to the American Surfer magazine and won! ‘That was the launch of Byron Bay as a well-known surf spot. There were a couple of American adventurers here at the time. The famous one was Derek Beckner; he was the first Yank to settle in Byron. We are painting his photo on the wall of our showroom right now; it was a photo that Yvonne Pendergast took of Derek surfing!’ Although he’d been a competitive surfer, Bob lost the passion for it and found it in shaping boards instead. ‘I had a competitive career through the 60s but I became anticontinued on page 3 Courtesy Bus Available 6685 5008
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