The Byron Shire Echo – Issue 38.38 – February 28, 2024

released

A performance audit of how effectively, or not, the NSW government provided emergency accommodation and temporary housing in response to the 2022 floods has been released by the NSW Audit Office.

Emergency pod villages for floodaffected residents are spread across the region; there are three located in Byron Shire (Mullum and Bruns).

The report found that government agencies did not have plans for implementing their responsibilities and the ‘amount of temporary housing provided did not meet the demand’.

Additionally, the ‘extensive waitlist for temporary housing and the remaining demand in the Northern Rivers is unlikely to be met. The NSW Reconstruction Authority has not reviewed this list to confirm its accuracy’.

And while ‘demobilisation plans for the temporary housing villages have been developed, there are no long-term plans in place for the transition of tenants out of the temporary housing’.

Agencies involved in providing emergency accommodation and temporary housing are NSW Reconstruction Authority (formerly Resilience NSW); Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ); Premier’s Department (PD); NSW Public Works (NSWPW) and the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE).

Lismore-based Greens MLC, Sue Higginson, said it was concerning that communities across NSW ‘are still exposed to a government network that is unprepared for future disasters’.

Native title holders defend Wallum DA endorsement

Hans Lovejoy

Leweena Williams, representing the Tweed Byron Aboriginal Land Council (TBALC), told councillors at Thursday’s meeting that her organisation stands by their cultural assessment of the Bruns Wallum site, which is slated for urban development by Clarence Property.

Floodplain fury

With the two-year flood anniversary being recognised this week, Council appears to be pushing on with its plans to seek approval from the state government for floodplain development in Mullumbimby.

Distraught residents gathered

David Lowe

State Coroner, Teresa O’Sullivan, was in Byron Bay Courthouse on Friday afternoon to deliver her findings in the inquest into the death of Natasha Lechner, who died after taking kambo in Mullumbimby in 2019.

Derived from an Amazonian frog, kambo was criminalised in Australia not long after her death. Another death is currently being investigated by the coroner, that of Jarrad Antonovich.

The three-day inquest into Ms

at 75 New City Road, Mullum to highlight just one proposal, which they describe as complete madness. Up to a metre of water inundated homes in the area in 2022, and while the NSW government promised funding to assist with house raising, retrofits and

buybacks, those promises are yet to materialise. Council’s Byron Shire Residential Strategy refresh is expected to be on the agenda of the March 14 meeting. ‘Get your placards ready’, says Dale Emerson from the Mullum Residents Association.

The granting of consent by the authorised traditional owners has been one of the most contentious aspects to the campaign to save the rare and endangered ecological site, with claims being made by non-authorised traditional owners that the site is also sacred to them.

A statement on behalf of Arakwal Corp was read out regarding their support of the Wallum DA.

Lechner’s death took place in Lismore in May 2023. Her father, Frank Lechner, remembered her then as ‘an old soul in a young body’, close to her twin brother, and having travelled widely before settling in Mullum.

There was evidence that she’d been suffering from a range of chronic health problems for years, and had been declared medically unfit to practice her previous profession of hairdressing in 2019.

Ms Lechner had been interested in kambo since 2015, reportedly finding it beneficial for her back

pain and other issues.

At the time of her death, she’d recently completed her own training as a kambo practitioner.

Coroner O’Sullivan was unequivocal about kambo’s role in Natasha’s death, with the evidence of toxicologists and other medical experts leading her to conclude that she died ‘as a result of an adverse cardiac event, triggered by the administration of kambo, which involves scraping poisonous secretions onto burns in the body.’

Full story www.echo.net.au

Williams said consultation occurred in 2009, with two surveys completed by Bundjalung of Byron Bay Aboriginal Corporation (BOBBAC) and Arwakwal. In 2011, their report found significant vegetation and plants within the area, an animal corridor 150m along Simpsons Creek, and moderate level of disturbance at the site. ‘No significant sites were identified in the area, but there was a significant pathway between Tyagarah and Brunswick Heads’.

Further investigation is needed, they said, including investigations on site maps. Continued cultural monitoring would occur, the board added.

Save Wallum advocate James Barrie told The Echo he contacted Arakwal and TBALC asking about the 2009 survey. ‘They only replied a sentence something to the effect that their consultants would have done a proper assessment. I queried further about the assessment, and had no further response’.

DAVID DUNNING AND JUSTIN KRUGER HAVE ASSURED US WE ARE CORRECT The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 38 #38 • February 28, 2024 • www.echo.net.au

Furious flood-traumatised residents around New City Road to the west of Mullum are sending a clear message to Council around its plans to turn floodplains into residential: ‘No floodplain development’. Photo Eve Jeffery

The federal government provides a solar discount to home owners and businesses in Australia that install a small scale renewable energy system (solar, wind or hydro) under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) to help with the purchase cost. Installing an eligible system allows the creation of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). The number of STCs created is based on:

• The amount of renewable electricity the system produces or the amount of electricity consumption it reduces.

• The climate region where it’s installed.

Under the package, the federal government will pay around $400 per kilowatt towards cost of a solar system.

This amount reduces at the end of the calendar year so the right time to invest in solar is now.

Let’s break it down

Maxine and Daniel are considering a 5.81kW solar system, supplied and installed by ProSolar for $8,170. The federal government discount for this system is $2,432 (at time of publishing). This brings their system cost down to $5,738 saving them $1,750 per year enabling them to pay back their investment in 3.13 years!

Alternatively the same system can be financed for $32 per week. This can be an attractive way to reduce your bill and put the money you would normally pay your power company into your very own power system in your rooftop.

ProSolar provides advice and guidance in a simple and easy way, to ensure you select the optimal solution for your home and budget. This is the best opportunity Northern Rivers families and business owners have ever had to generate our own power. For more information, call ProSolar on 02 7912 0760 or 0482 082 304.

4.4kW Solar System

• 10 x Canadian 415W panels with a 25-year product and 25-year

• 10 x JA 440W N-Type BiFacial Panels with a 25-year product and 30-year performance warranty

• 1 x GoodWe 4.2kW inverter with a 10-year premium warranty

• Cost $5,995

• Less federal government discount of $1,710

• Total cost after discount = $4,285 or $22 per week.

6.6kW Solar System

• 15 x JA 440W N-Type BiFacial Panels with a 25-year product and 30-year warranty

• 1 x GoodWe 5kW inverter with a 10-year premium warranty

• Cost $9,300

• Less federal government discount of $2,774

• Total cost after discount = $6,526 or $33 per week.

8.8kW Solar System

• 20 x JA 440W N-Type BiFacial Panels with a 25-year product and 30-year warranty

• 1 x GoodWe 8.5kW inverter with a 10-year premium warranty

• Cost $12,454

• Less federal government discount of $3,648

• Total cost after discount = $8,806 or $45 per week.

The above prices include supply, installation (standard

The clean beach quest is on this Sunday!

Two local beach clean-ups, as part of Clean Up Australia Day, will be held in Bruns and Byron on March 3.

The Bruns event is being organised by Byron Shire Council and Positive Change for Marine Life.

They invite the public to meet at Torakina Park on South Beach Road from 8am, with the focus on rubbish around the Torakina and Brunswick Heads beach area.

Everything provided

‘We will provide everything you need, and you will even get a free coffee as a little thank you, just bring your own cup’, Sarah Child, Council’s Resource Recovery Strategy and Engagement Officer said.

Over in Byron, the Byron Yoga Centre will lead a team to clean up the town’s beaches. Organisers say

‘We’d love for you to join us – we’re meeting at our Town Yoga Studio: 6 Byron

St, Byron Bay from 9am’.

‘Bring your friends, comfy shoes and some gloves and

we will supply the bags. Let’s clean up Byron Bay together!’ Both events finish at 11am.

Delay on clothes-optional beach decision

Paul Bibby

Tyagarah Beach will remain a clothes-optional location until at least June 30, after the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) bowed to a concerted campaign from the local naturist community.

But calls are also growing for the clothes-optional designation to be permanently revoked for safety reasons, with some residents saying they have continued to be subjected to lewd and inappropriate sexual behaviour at the beach.

Hornet’s nest

The NPWS kicked over a hornet’s nest two weeks ago, when it announced that Tyagarah would no longer be a nudist beach because it was not in keeping with the department’s policies and values.

This followed a land mapping survey undertaken by NPWS, which found that a large area of the beach was under the jurisdiction of NPWS, rather than Council.

The decision, which was made without any consultation, drew an outraged reaction from local naturists who undertook a large nude protest at the beach on February 18, and launched an online petition which now has more than 6,200 signatures.

In response, NPWS issued a memo to Byron Council stating that it wished to delay the implementation date of its decision until June 30, so that it could ‘undertake

Ebony Eagles, who has recently moved to Tyagarah with her family, said that she and her children had been exposed to ‘uncomfortable and potentially dangerous encounters’.

‘On two separate occasions my partner was riding into Byron Bay on his bike with my daughter,’ Ms Eagles said, through a stream of tears.

‘On both occasions, rather coincidentally timed, a man closely crossed their paths, one with a semi-erect penis, and one with a full-blown erection.

‘I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anyone could want to own’. – Andy Warhol

further consultation with user groups at Tyagarah’.

With any say that Byron Council may have had in relation to the beach now effectively stripped away by the NPWS, councillors were left with little choice other than to accept the decision at last week’s meeting.

They passed a resolution to this effect, and made a commitment to work with the NPWS to ‘remove or amend site signage, and update social media information, and have the changes implemented by June 30, 2024’.

Mayor Michael Lyon expressed frustration about the way the NPWS had conducted itself in relation to the matter, stating that Tyagarah residents deserved safety and certainty.

‘In my view we should go and take those signs [saying “nude bating permitted”] down tomorrow,’ Cr Lyon said.

‘In the meeting [we had] with NPWS, they were all over the place. They indicated that if we did that it would be trespassing.

‘That’s an indication of where this is all coming from, the politics of it. Originally it’s like “it’s our land, shut it [the nudist beach]”… then it was “oh God we’re getting lobbied…throw us a lifeline”.

‘I don’t want to throw them a lifeline, but anyway, there you go: June 30, there’s your lifeline. From our point of view, [come] June 30, the signs get removed.’

Antisocial and inappropriate behaviour has consistently emerged as an issue ever since Tyagarah Beach was first given a clothes-optional designation back in 1998.

Earlier, during the public access section of the meeting, representatives from both sides of the debate over the beach passionately expressed their views.

‘I no longer walk alone on this beach, and I don’t take my children on the beach without the support of my partner, and needless to say he doesn’t ride his bike into Byron Bay.’

But local naturist, Jessa O’Brien, described a very different experience.

Ms O’Brien said she had felt safe attending the beach naked on her own, and that it had a strong sense of community. ‘As a body positive advocate, another significant aspect that I feel is missing from the conversation is the positive role that clothingoptional beaches play in the wider community,’ she said.

‘As a female living in a world that upholds unrealistic body image standards and hyper-sexualises the human body, getting involved with the naturist community and having the option to enjoy non-sexual social nudity has been profoundly healing’.

Constanza, Anthony and Catarina, are part of the Byron Yoga Centre clean-up team who will spend two hours on Saturday morning with gloves and bags in Byron Bay. Photo Eve Jeffery

Naturist recently held a protest around plans by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to close Tyagarah Beach as clothes-optional. Photo Eve Jeffery

A total of 13,591 infringement notices over the last 12 months have totalled $2,672,889, Council staff say.

In a media release last week, they say, ‘In 2023, the enforcement team received 4,378 notifications on a wide range of matters including parking, animals, camping, public health and illegal work’.

A free community run in Ocean Shores is happening every Monday morning, and organiser Giovanni Ginocchio encourages everyone to get involved.

‘It’s for all levels and is non-competitive’, he says.

‘We meet up in front of Kiso’s espresso bar car park every Monday at 5.50am for a 6am start, and finish around 7am’.

The cafe is located in the southern end of the car park, near the Ocean Shores Tavern.

There was no mention of how many of the fines had been paid.

‘The majority of notifications and complaints related to parking, dogs and animals and camping,’ Sarah Nagel, Manager Public and Environmental Services, said.

‘With an injection of $250,000 in our budget last

year we were able to expand our patrols and the success of this is evident,’ Ms Nagel said. She said camping-related infringements were up 75 per cent, and a ‘substantial increase’ in parking-related fines, with 13,076 issued compared to 10,869 in 2022. Mayor Michael Lyon congratulated the enforcement team.

Hans Lovejoy

Byron Bay resident, Catherine Henniker, told The Echo she lives in one of the parts of the town that has been deemed ‘365 nights for shortterm holiday lets’, under new state government rules to be introduced in September.

She told The Echo she and fellow residents of the Butler Street precinct are ‘extremely unhappy about the discriminatory decision by state government’.

Council’s proposal for a precinct model for Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA, or holiday letting) was supported by the NSW government last year. Areas earmarked for uncapped letting include Wategos, Belongil, and parts of Jonson Street and Butler Street.

‘Fortunately, some of our councillors are supportive of our situation. It is basically an eviction notice being served on many people, most of whom have neither means nor the wherewithal to move. This applies to all existing residents, but particularly to the older members of our precinct.

‘Previously, this precinct was a partial dormitory for young overseas workers, who now no longer can obtain rentals at a reasonable price’.

Other residents, Barbara and her daughter, live next to an ‘Airbnb party house’.

She told The Echo that until recently, it was advertised as the best place for a ‘bucks and hens night’.

‘Consequently, there is constant noise from this property all night, often until 4 or 5am’. She said this

continual party noise from next door leaves her in a compromised position, as she cannot get enough sleep.

She said she approached the owner of the Airbnb, ‘but he was not interested in our concerns’.

‘I’ve always asked politely for the noise to be turned down, and while they agree and are amenable, the noise increases again after a while’.

She said one party there was shut down.

After the second complaint, there is a fine, and the third complaint can lead to the partygoers losing their bond and being evicted.

Catherine adds, ‘We just want the community to be aware of our plight and hopefully join us to get the Butler Street precinct removed from the STRA map’.

‘We would like an equitable outcome for all members of our community’, she adds.

The Echo asked Council staff whether residents have a chance of being removed from the mapping.

Council’s media spokesperson replied, ‘The changes relating to short-term holiday letting come into

effect in September, with this time frame set by the NSW government. Council has been working on limiting STRA in parts of the Shire for a number of years and extensive consultation has been done as part of this process.

‘Noise complaints should be made to Council and they will be investigated, however if they are happening at night, people should call the police’.

NSW MP, Tamara Smith (Greens), told The Echo, ‘In my submission to both the IPC and the STRA draft planning control public exhibition back in 2020, I said we should have 90 days for the whole of Byron Shire’.

A NSW department of planning review on the shortterm rental accommodation industry is now underway for the state, with public submissions ending on March 14.

Ms Smith is calling on renters and homeowners in the electorate ‘to give the government their holidayletting horror stories’.

To make a submission, visit tinyurl.com/yeyt4w2n.

Getting ready for a big weekend of film at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall from Thursday –Shane Rennie and Bronwyn Kidd from Flickerfest and Byron All Shorts and local filmmakers Andy Bambach, Suzie Whiteman, Alisha Doherty Hough and Nicole Fantl. Photo Eve Jeffery

The homes of Barbara and Catherine are within the new holiday letting areas to be introduced in September.

Photo Eve Jeffery

From left, Oisin Canney, Dane Renshaw, Simone Hemy, Murray Bowler, RJ Menzies, Giovanni Ginocchio, Elisa Lopes and Stephen Moy. Photo supplied

Paul Bibby

Byron Shire Council has publicly pledged that the first block of land it is acquiring under its Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme (AHCS) will be used for genuinely affordable housing, and remain so in perpetuity rather than adhering to the state government’s much-maligned affordability criteria.

The promise came during last week’s Council meeting, as councillors discussed a planning proposal for a low and medium-density housing development in Rankin Drive, Bangalow.

Landowner, Maxwell Campbell, via his company, Instant Steel Pty Ltd, is applying to rezone the existing RU2 Rural Landscape and the RU1 Primary Production zones, to a mix of R2 Low Density Residential and R3 Medium Density Residential.

According to planning documents before last week’s meeting, the rezoning would facilitate the construction of more than 40 new residential dwellings.

The project is the first to come under the AHCS, a policy which requires developers in Bangalow,

Mullumbimby and Byron Bay, who want their land rezoned to facilitate housing, to contribute land, money or dwellings to Council which would then use it to create affordable housing.

Such government-led affordable housing policies have come in for significant criticism in the past because of the way affordability is defined.

In particular, the state government currently considers housing which is rented at 20 per cent off the market rate as affordable, and only requires developers to offer this discount for 10 to 15 years.

But Byron Council has declared that the block it has effectively acquired on Rankin Drive will be used to ‘facilitate the provision of affordable housing to meet the needs of low, very low- and moderate-income households’.

It has also stated that the dwellings ‘will be managed so as to maintain continued use as affordable rental housing’.

‘This affordable housing is not bound by the definitions created by the state government’, Labor councillor Asren Pugh said.

‘This is not a ten-year or 15-year contribution from the

developer that gets rented at 20 per cent off the market rate and then they go back into the mainstream market.

‘This is permanent affordable housing…

‘My preferred option is to look at the income of the residents of the place and look at the rent being 30 per cent of that, rather than looking at the market rate, but we’ll have those conversations at a later date.’

First regional council

The meeting heard that Byron Council was the first regional council to enact such a scheme, but that doing so had required swimming through a sea of red tape courtesy of state government bureaucracy.

‘It’s taken years of committed work, particularly from Council staff,’ Greens councillor Sarah Ndiaye said.

The planning proposal for 68 Rankin Drive was given a preliminary green light at the meeting, paving the way for it to proceed to the state government for gateway determination, a process that applies to all rezoning proposals.

If determination is granted, the whole project will go on public exhibition.

Twins die during childbirth in Mullumbimby

The death of twins born in Mullumbimby on February 11 has been reported by the national media as being part of the ‘free’ or ‘wild’ birth movement, and that their deaths may have been preventable if born in hospital.

Police media have stated that, ‘At about 2am Sunday

February 11, 2024, emergency services were called to a home in Mullumbimby following reports of a concern for welfare’.

‘NSW Ambulance paramedics treated two babies, one died at the scene, and another was taken to hospital where it died.

‘Officers attached to Tweed/Byron Police District established a crime scene and are investigating the incident.

Report for coroner

A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.’

North Coast News

Missing woman Evans Head and missing man Tweed Heads

The Art of Woman highlights the upcoming Lismore Women’s Festival

News from across the North Coast online www.echo.net.au

Four killed in Wardell crash

Police on Saturday said three men and a woman died shortly after 5.45am on Saturday when a blue Mazda BT50 ute veered off Wardell’s Back Channel Road and rolled.

New board announced for Dirawong Reserve –no former members selected

A new community board has been appointed to oversee the management of the popular Dirawong Reserve at Evans Head more than six months after the previous board’s five-year appointment had finished.

Tried catching a bus to TAFE or work in the Northern Rivers? It’s a serious challenge

Getting around the Northern Rivers is no easy task without your own transport. Young people are unable to attend TAFE, and you can’t catch public transport to work due to the impossible timing of, and lack of access to, public transport.

Antonovich inquest delayed again, as new witnesses emerge

The inquest into the kambo-related death of Jarrad Antonovich has taken a surprising turn, with new witnesses coming forward to police.

Tamara Smith announces new Wollongbar preschool

Tamara Smith MP, Member for Ballina, and NSW Greens Early Learning Spokesperson, has welcomed an announcement from the NSW government to build a new public preschool adjacent to Wollongbar public school.

www.echo.net.au

Police are asking the public for help finding two missing people.

30-year-old Joelean Turner, was last seen about 3.30pm Wednesday, 21 February. Ms Turner is described as about 170cm tall, with Caucasian appearance, a thin build, brown eyes and shoulder length blonde hair. She is reported to have been wearing a black dress and thongs when most recently seen. She is known to frequent the Ballina area. Police and Ms Turner’s family are worried about her health.

Christopher Hardy has been missing for more than two weeks. The 41-year-old’s most recent sighting was in the Coolangatta area on Sunday, 11 February. Mr Hardy is described as about 180cm tall, with Caucasian appearance, a medium build and blonde/brown hair. The relevant police report ID is E1149251690.

Anyone with information should contact their nearest police station or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or Tweed Heads Police Station (07) 5506 9499.

Friday evening saw a bountiful display of art at Lismore’s Serpentine Gallery celebrating the feminine in the lead up to the 2024 Lismore Women’s Festival. The show saw a range of work from artists who identify as women who were celebrating the wonderful diversity of the feminine. The show will run until Friday, 15 March and will launch the Lismore Women’s Festival on 7 March from 5pm with Kelly Banister, CEO NORWACS providing the opening address. Photo Aslan Shand

‘Key workers’ removed from Ballina Council’s housing project as mayor seeks full market rents

Ballina Council have removed any doubt that the development of housing on land it owns in Wollongbar is for the benefit of ‘key workers’.

In April 2022 Council resolved to sell 18 of the 30 lots it owned in the Wollongbar Urban Expansion Area, and further explore the feasibility of developing and retaining for leasing all or part of the 12 remaining lots ‘for the purposes of providing affordable housing for essential workers in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2021’. This led to the commissioning of a feasibility study and an expression of interest process with prospective

tenderers who could design and construct the housing, with the Council maintaining ownership.

‘Key workers’ gone

When councillors were asked to approve the signing of a contract with the selected tenderer, The Kollective, and proceed with the first stage of the construction of the rental housing a last minute notice of motion (NoM) saw the removal of ‘key workers’ as a description of the project.

‘Council’s decision to remove all reference to “key workers” from the housing development amounts to a betrayal of essential workers and small businesses who are suffering because of the housing crisis,’ said

Greens Councillor, Kiri Dicker.

Financial forecasts presented to councillors in the February Commercial Services Committee estimated that Stage 1 of the project could earn Council $11,118,000 in rental income over a 20-year period.

According to Ms Dicker references to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) had disappeared from the recommendation and during the debate Mayor Cadwallader asserted that this project would not be social or affordable housing and would in fact be rented to the public at market rate.

Read full story in The Echo online: www.echo.net.au.

K6 LEARNING SUPPORT COORDINATOR

Permanent Part/ Time FTE 0.90

(Monday to Thursday and ½ day Friday) - Commencing April 2024

Cape Byron Steiner School is a vibrant and progressive K-12 school dedicated to the educational principles inspired by Rudolf Steiner.

The K6 Learning Support Coordinator has responsibility, in collaboration with the Head of School, for the development and continuous improvement of learning support in K6 collaborating with Class Teachers and the Director of Primary to monitor and assess the progress of students requiring learning and wellbeing support. Previous experience in

Applicants will be registered or eligible to register with the NSW Institute of Teachers and hold a current NSW Working with Children Check.

Applications close COB Monday 11th March. Position Description and application process available www.capebyronsteiner.nsw.edu.au

GemLife’s seniors’ housing estate and Ballina Council court action

Mia Armitage

A conciliation conference between the Ballina Shire Council and developers wanting to build a seniors’ resort-style estate in West Ballina is to happen in less than three weeks.

The land at 550–578 River Street, near Burns Point Ferry Road in West Ballina, was found to be ecologically sensitive in a previous NSW Land and Environment Court (L&EC) case.

Nearby residents have expressed concerns about flood risks of any development on the wetlands.

GemLife’s plans in the L&EC case are for ‘148 independent living units for a seniors’ housing community with associated manager’s residence, community facilities, infrastructure and services’, council staff notes show.

Ballina Shire Councillors delayed debate over whether to rezone the land as a C2 Environmental Conservation

Zone for years but eventually agreed to recommend it to the state’s planning department last year.

The department granted approval in late November, around the same time the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP) refused a modified development application (DA) from GemLife.

Approval under old regulations?

But GemLife is understood to be arguing their ‘deemed refusal’ case based on regulations applicable under a previous zoning.

Deemed refusals can happen when councils take more than 40 days to deliver a decision on a development application.

The council has heard in previous meetings legal costs of such cases can start at $500,000 and mount to millions of ratepayer dollars.

Read full story in The Echo online: www.echo.net.au.

Joelean Turner is missing from Evans Head.

Christopher Hard is missing from Tweed Heads.

Bluesfest puts the Brotherhood back together

Paul Bibby

To say that a lot has happened since Brotherhood of the Blues last took the stage at Bluesfest in 2019 would be a pretty massive understatement.

The Lismore foursome and their bandmates have lived through a global pandemic, the worst floods in the region’s living memory, and numerous other challenges, both small and large.

Suffice to say, getting all 11 members together for regular rehearsals has been a challenge for large chunks of that time.

But when Bluesfest’s organisers invited them to step back onto the stage at this year’s event, the answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’.

‘I don’t think the guys could quite believe it at first,’ the band’s bass player and manager, Matt Cassells said.

‘We haven’t been able to play together that much recently, because of everything that’s happened, and while we were always talking about playing together again, we didn’t think this was how it would go down.’

Not only did Covid throw

a major spanner in the works for the Brotherhood, but the floods then destroyed the band’s headquarters at the Red Inc disability service in Lismore.

‘After the flood, we had a year of rebuilding,’ Mr Cassells says.

‘Red Inc was put out of business. That was our home base, so we didn’t really have anywhere to rehearse.

‘We still communicated over the phone, and made plans but then there would be another setback. We’ve always had music going in the background.’

The band is now back in full rehearsal mode, and is clicking back into their old groove like a well-oiled machine.

‘I thought there’s no way we’ll be able to get everyone together, but everyone was available and super

keen,’ Cassells says.

‘The guys are pretty solid, and the songs are really strong. I can say that everyone likes everyone. Music gives us an excuse to come together so it’s been really awesome to get together again.’

Brotherhood of the Blues will play five shows at Bluesfest over the course of the festival at a range of locations.

For more information visit www.bluesfest.com.au.

Brotherhood of the Blues got in solid hours of rehearsal at the Red Inc mini studio as part of their prep for Bluesfest 2024. Photo Eve Jeffery

Grab the popcorn and bean bags

Here’s something you don’t see too often!

Both Mayor Michael Lyon and fellow councillor, Mark Swivel, offered an apology to the followers of the Save Wallum Facebook page last week.

It was for the ‘unhelpful’ things they said regarding the (presumably) looming destruction of a rare ecosystem for expensive houses in Bruns.

It’s not something you see often, because political actors of their ilk think they are always right – about everything.

But this was about being rude and unprofessional, not what they believe is right.

Of course they are right!

Both statements were very, very similar in tone and language, and presumably the mayor was inspired by Cr Swivel, because the mayor posted his statement after.

They take their roles seriously, they both said, and want the best outcome yaddah yaddah, blah blah.

And because they acknowledge their interactions on social media were ‘unhelpful’, they think it’s best they limit their public statements and ‘restrict’ their discussions to private exchanges.

Presumably being mute will help limit their reputational damage?

Are we exhausted yet?

It is exhausting being a Byron Shire resident under this Council.

Imagine having to put your life on hold to defend yourself against the never-ending marauding grind of bureaucracy and politics that sees you as an obstacle.

Flood-affected New City Road residents in Mullum are now mobilised for a fight they shouldn’t have to wage – see page 1.

Prior to being elected last year, the NSW Labor government

pledged that it wouldn’t develop on floodplains.

Yet that is what Council is proposing with its Housing Options Paper (HOP), which will ‘inform’ the upcoming Residential Strategy Refresh. At the December 14, 2023 meeting, a councillor majority made last-minute inclusions into its HOP.

One inclusion was a large block, 75 New City Road, and it all came without community consultation.

Councillors who supported that were Mayor Michael Lyon (mover), Crs Mark Swivel, Asren Pugh, Peter Westheimer and Alan Hunter.

The HOP was roundly criticised by community groups for a myriad of reasons. Public submissions remain confidential, and they are referred to by planning staff as rationale to increase dwelling density.

As for 75 New City Road, the owner has supplied reasoning to The Echo as to why residents should accept further development.

Apparently, further urbanisation is the only way adequate drainage can be built.

The full story will be published next week.

Mayor Lyon confidently announced at last Thursday’s Council meeting that he plans to hold a community Zoom meeting over the escalating PR disaster.

‘It’s important the community get behind the strategy with a full understanding’, he said. The dates would be either March 8 or 11.

An audibly peeved Cr Sarah Ndiaye asked Cr Lyon, ‘Is this just your Zoom with the community, or is this something councillors can take part in?’

He replied details had not been finalised, and yes, councillors could participate.

Will residents be listened to, or will their concerns just be ‘noted’?

Hans Lovejoy, editor

Hijacking feminism, harming women

Surely the success of feminist activism is one of the most positive stories of our times. Just think of the limited options of our mothers, compared to young women today.

Yes, there’s a long way to go, and struggles for equality continue on many fronts. From domestic violence to boardroom representation. From sharing domestic labour to equal pay in the workplace.

But for a moment let’s remind ourselves how far feminism has brought us. From Mary Wollstonecraft to #MeToo.

Two centuries ago Wollstonecraft’s advocacy for the empowerment of women helped bring equal access to education and the vote.

Last century, Simone de Beauvoir’s classic The Second Sex reaffirmed the dehumanising impacts of oppression and renewed the push for genuine equality. In this century, #MeToo focused public attention on sexual harassment, empowered survivors and won some systemic change.

Language co-option

Against this background of success, corporate co-option of the language of liberation is proving to have some sinister side effects.

In a landmark academic paper out this month, a group of Australian health researchers argue the feminist language of ‘empowerment’ is being hijacked. The result, they say, is the misleading promotion of medical tests and treatments that may do women more harm than good.

The piece was published in one of the world’s most influential journals, the British Medical Journal, (BMJ), and sparked global interest.

Based at the University of Sydney, the authors cited examples showing how this marketing is increasing women’s risk of ‘inappropriate medicalisation, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment.’

One example is the ‘anti-mullerian hormone’ test, or AMH, which gives an indication of a woman’s egg numbers and can be useful if undergoing fertility treatment.

However, the AMH test is now

‘The challenge is to discern genuine attempts to empower people, from commercial propaganda that can only ever disempower.’

– Dr Ray Moynihan

being widely promoted to the general population to help inform decision-making about reproduction. And this is despite evidence consistently showing the AMH test ‘cannot reliably predict likelihood of pregnancy, time to pregnancy or specific age of menopause.’

Misleading marketing

The marketing messages being used include ‘information is power’, ‘you deserve to know’, and ‘make informed choices’.

According to the BMJ paper, apart from being misleading, this marketing can cause harms.

These include a false sense of security about delaying pregnancy for those with high test results, and unwanted anxiety for those with low results, potentially pressuring women to freeze their eggs.

Another example is the commercial push to inform all women about their breast density, when being screened for breast cancer. This is despite a lack of evidence showing such a strategy can bring benefits. Harms to women in this case could come through more ‘false positive’ results, more anxiety, and even unnecessary cancer diagnoses.

A third example is the drug flibanserin, promoted to women as a treatment for a controversial ‘disorder of low desire’. A decade ago, the company hoping to sell the drug launched an aggressive marketing campaign, called ‘Even the Score’.

The simple idea was that the US FDA had approved drugs for men’s sexual problems, including Viagra, but had not yet approved any for women. A genuine women’s health group dismissed ‘Even the Score’ as a slick PR campaign ‘masquerading as a grassroots feminist movement’, but the drug was ultimately approved by the FDA, despite being virtually useless, and

carrying serious side effects.

In an accompanying editorial in the BMJ this month, a professor from University College London, points out that corporate co-option of feminist messages is not new.

Professor Sarah Hawkes cites the example from a century ago of a tobacco company employing Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays, to help promote female smoking.

The resulting advertising shouted, ‘Women are free: an ancient prejudice has been removed’, and cigarettes were transformed into ‘torches of freedom.’ Bernays has the dubious honour of being remembered as a father of the modern PR industry, and a specialist in propaganda.

For Professor Hawkes, the current wave of misleading medical marketing is another example of the wider problem of neoliberalism seeking to draw profits from women’s bodies. And the best way to combat this, she argues, is collective action, using examples of successful women’s movements in Nepal for access to abortion, and in Brazil for better maternal care.

The authors of this month’s BMJ paper – with whom I’m honoured to be working – argue people need to be wary of simplistic narratives that any information means power. And governments, they say, have a responsibility to counter misleading corporate marketing and provide evidence-based information.

The challenge for all of us living in this age of so much noise, is to discern genuine attempts to empower people, from commercial propaganda that can only ever disempower.

Honorary Assistant Professor at Bond University, Dr Ray Moynihan is currently working at the University of Sydney, researching misleading marketing on social media.

Gratitude for the ‘vagina' events

This year I joined the V-day dance for the first time and I will treasure this sacred gathering for many years to come. To dress in red and join this enthusiastic group of women dancing their demand to be heard was a privilege.

The naked swim was a little less comfortable with a clothed audience on the beach watching but I did it. The sun came up with a stunning golden glow against the bright blue sky over Main Beach and as Zenith reminded us why we were there, a pod of dolphins frolicked behind her joining the call to honour the divine feminine.

The Vagina Conversations at the Brunswick Picture House was a further reminder of the power of coming together and sharing from a place of vulnerability. The audience was joined in a way that is rarely experienced. The pain of the women presenting became our pain, their loss became our loss and their ability to laugh at themselves gave us hope and brought so much joy.

I am in awe of all of the women who shared their stories, of Zenith Virago and Mandy Nolan who continually show up to give of their time and themselves and for us, the audience, who had the privilege of witnessing these precious hours. There is a responsibility too – to remember the divine feminine in myself and all beings – to bring Her forth into the

world where She is needed today more than ever before.

Lynne West

Byron Bay

Bulldozers

Council’s excuse for letting the bulldozers into the Wallum site is that it will lose in court and waste money (note: always money not the environment!).

The Green movement historically won many times when the establishment was certain to win in court but backed down with pressure from the protests:

Myall Lakes was certain to be sandmined but the public voice stopped it and the follow-on was a ban on all sandmining.

Terania Creek was certain to be logged but Labor listened to the Terania Creek protesters and stopped the logging, and then Bob Carr gave us huge national parks.

The Franklin River was also a goner until enough people said ‘no’.

Bentley stopped the inevitable coal seam gas (CSG) and the north of NSW is gas exploration-free. But at the beginning the courts agreed with this hooligan industry.

And so on. Basically if you don’t fight you lose.

Does anyone think there is any fight in this Council?

Ronald Priestly Main Arm

Defacing artworks

Mullumbimby is a colourful place. We love all the events, workshops, activities and

markets – it all adds to our diverse culture. What we don’t love is disrespect for the art and murals in the town.

Event organisers and their volunteers have taken to sticking their promotional materials on top of the artworks painted by groups of Mullumbimby students on the light poles in Burringbar Street. Posters can also be found on the edges of Daniel Hend’s murals in the laneways.

There is an unwritten rule, even amongst taggers and graffiti artists, that you do not deface other people’s works and this includes on sticking posters and fliers. However, this age-old consideration seems to be disappearing in our current society and it is so sad, so selfish and shows disregard for the efforts of others.

We know your events and activities are important and promotion is always a challenge but there is no shortage of spaces in town for fliers, there is also free ‘what’s on’ in The Echo, email: gigs@echo.net.au.

Please take note, if fliers and posters are found on existing artworks in the main street of Mullumbimby – they will be removed.

Jeannette Martin

Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce

Time for marriage?

I have a huge dilemma that I thought your readers might be able to help me with. I never got married

because I thought it was a way of tricking women into a life of subservience. But my problem now is that I’ve fallen passionately in love with two utterly divine, deep, caring, sensitive men. They are so amazing that they out-Mahatma, Mahatma and they’re both handsome and charismatic too, Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu.

I imagine having the hands of these loving, adorable men upon me – maybe both at the same time? Wow, how beautiful and fulfilling would that be?

Help me decide which one girls, or maybe I’ll just go with the polygamy thing and satisfy my every hope and dream for a sublime, precious future.

Hannah Grace

Ocean Shores

Adam Glimore, CEO of Gilmore Space Technologies, The Echo's own Electron Wrangler Ewan Willis, and the Gilmore team read The Echo as they assemble Eris, the first Australian-made rocket. The rocket, developed on the Gold Coast, was recently transported to the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in north Queensland and is looking to launch in the next few months.

Byron

Shire’s go-to Mac Support Service!

*Batteries

*Upgrades

*System maintenance

Call Dave:

0418 408 569 www.mrmacintosh.com.au

Bill Stewart – a man who loved his frangipanis

Provided by family

Bill was born and raised in Mullumbimby, he attended both primary and high school here. He wasn't an academic but loved sports.

Bill played in the local field hockey team and went on to represent Mullum High in the school representative league team. He loved to surf and was in the car with Tom and brother John, boards on top and heading to Brunswick Heads (especially if the Bruns bar was pumping ) or as far as Coffs Harbour every weekend. Stories of their exploits can be found across several shires.

Bill married Joanne Brims of Chillingham and they have four children, Holly, Amanda, Ellie and James and three grandchildren Finn, Ari and Zane.

Bill was a keen gardener, inherited from his parents. A gifted handyman and DIY enthusiast, he loved spending time on the tools, shovel and mattock, shifting dirt, rolling basalt and creating jungles. His shed reflected this and the reclaimed timbers were stacked high.

His drop saw could be

heard by neighbours until entirely too late at night. He knew every colour of every frangipani tree between Coolangatta and Lennox Head. If you had a rare colour, some branches would likely have been liberated, from your front yard. With a great love for native plants, Bill was constantly putting them in the ground at any opportunity. This flowed into his enthusiasm for our native birds; he was always one to throw cracked corn. Bird populations increased ten-fold wherever Bill called home.

Bill was a well-known identity in Mullumbimby especially after he took over the menswear business from his parents Tom and Jean. He shared his dad's gentle nature and knack for customer service. Whether you went into the shop to buy your Sunday best or just a pair of socks, he was always on for a chat.

Bill took up snorkelling after retirement and could be found with flippers and snorkel at the steps at the Bruns River. He was never short on advice – if he came across anyone who he thought required a little he would give it. A novice golfer, he could also often be found retrieving balls out of the cane fields surrounding Mullum Leagues Club. He moved to Riverside Crescent, Brunswick Heads in February 2012, instantly erected ten-foot high shelves in his shed and an eight-foot fence, and the collection began again. Those who know, they know.

Loved a bargain

On most Saturdays you would find Bill and cousin Frank at an auction house scouring the items list for a bargain and anything that could become useful 'one day'. Bill could spot a bargain; a beach towel or bicycle left

unattended for a day or two, that was a good bargain.

For years he spoke of a motorhome, one day he finally purchased his dream Winnebago. Like the Volkswagen Caddy, or the Volkswagen Kombi before it, he found the Winnebago could hold a very large amount of items.

He had an individual sense of style and a shirt to match any occasion. He took a liking to Hawaiian shirts in more recent years, we think we counted well over 75.

Bill loved his music, he loved his shed, his Kombi and his collection of acquired frangipanis. We won't mention the bicycle collection, or the spanners, or the hammers, or the garden pots, or the books, or the golf clubs, or the antiques…

Whether he was a friend, a father, an acquaintance or an eccentric, a cousin or a brother, Bill you will be missed.

A podcast exploring the unique and diverse community of Byron Bay

Bill with his son James’ partner Kellen. They cared for Bill in the last four years of his life. Photo supplied

Getting nude at Tyagarah questioned

Clothing-optional

I am writing to object to Byron Shire Council’s intention to revoke the clothing-optional status of Tyagarah Beach.

I grew up in neighbouring Ballina Shire and have spent many, many years visiting and enjoying Byron Bay. I continue this regular pilgrimage despite now living in Queensland for work. As a young gay man, closeted and hiding from the realities of my ultra-conservative surrounds in rural northern NSW, Byron Bay was an oasis of tolerance and freedom.

The clothing-optional status of Tyagarah has a long-established cultural significance stretching back decades. It has its roots in the counterculture that once thrived in Byron Bay.

I fear the conservative, and often repressive, social strictures of the surrounding communities are steadily encroaching on Byron Bay, progressively sanitising what made the town the mecca it now is.

Byron Bay is not unique in its natural beauty. Nor is it sophisticated or cosmopolitan in its restaurant and hospitality offering. There are dozens of equally beautiful, more affordable and more accessible towns up and down the east coast of NSW.

What makes Byron Bay unique is its counterculture roots that give it status, give it a vibe, give it the power to make positive memories that move past a happy snap on a lovely beach. It attracts artists and artisans, it generates a pseudo-alternative economy and culture that is unique in NSW and certainly rare in Australia.

I would hope that Byron Shire Council understands this cultural significance and the additional obligations it places on its representatives. In addition to ensuring the smooth runnings of key services, Byron Shire Council has a duty to preserve and defend the many histories and cultures that Byron Bay has nurtured.

The clothing-optional status of Tyagarah and other naturist spaces in the area symbolises and embodies Byron’s unique cultural status. Equally, revoking the protection these spaces rightly deserve sends a powerful cultural message that damages the global reputation of Byron Bay as a unique cultural oasis. But

more importantly, it says to the countercultures that have called the region home for half a century that ‘you are no longer welcome here’.

While I understand there are challenges in terms of the regulatory framework and jurisdiction between Council and state government in terms of who has authority to declare rules for what areas, it is imperative that if Tyagarah’s clothing-optional status is revoked Council finds an alternative for the community.

Byron Shire Council must halt the steady march of banality that conservative mindsets have sought to force for decades in the Shire. It must safeguard the cultural practices that have made the town unique – or, simply, Byron Bay will become just another pretty coastal town with little to offer but sand and expensive fish and chips.

Troy Turner Alderley Qld

I'd love to know the fashion swimwear evolution for the Bundjalung people swimming at Tyagarah, 60,000, 50,000, 40,000, 30,000, 20,000, 10,000 and 250 years ago!

Raphael Lee Cass Byron Bay

The closing of the nude beach at Tyagarah can be seen as another step in the long decline of nudism. In the ‘60s and ‘70s naturism flourished in Australia but several factors have diminished it.

In those days of people working mostly in factories and offices, getting out into the sunshine was seen as a healthy thing. Hence a nudist magazine was named Australian Sun & Health.

But then people began to perceive, quite correctly, the dangers of lots of sun, especially skin cancer. Australians were particularly prone to skin cancer, and nudism

began to diminish.

Another factor was the decline of caravan parks. Once it was almost a standard practice in Australia in summer to head for camping or caravan parks, and most nudist resorts catered to this. Camping and caravanning are still popular, but many people nowadays head for more deluxe and expensive holiday trips and places, like Byron Bay for example.

The sharpest blow to naturism, however, was the growing belief in the ‘90s and after that it was somehow bad for kids to see naked adults, or for kids to be naked in the company of adults.

It didn’t matter that hundreds of thousands of kids had happily been naked for weeks in naturist resorts all over Australia, and even more in Europe and America. The kids loved running around naked in the warm summer air. Indeed many studies indicated that the kids were better off, since they were not bedevilled with body image problems.

But the historical evidence, it seems, was trumped by righteous conviction.

Indeed, nakedness itself went out of fashion.

In the ‘60s and ‘70s nudity was seen as an expression of one’s resistance to the Vietnam War, or one’s support of environmental causes and civil rights. Hugh Hefner, Marilyn Monroe, and Woodstock were icons of the time, and all were associated with nakedness.

Now very few young people see nakedness this way. Nudism itself has become seen as something done by peculiar old people.

TAN, The Australian Naturist magazine, went out of business last year.

Nude beaches have a special problem in that they are always forced into isolated spots, like Tyagarah. Thus they are bedevilled with sexual weirdness, behaviour which would never occur if Clarkes Beach, for example, were a nude beach.

But look on the bright side. Tyagarah attracts many people who drive down from Queensland, which has no legal nude beaches, a drive of 50 kms or more each way. The amount of CO2 produced must be huge.

So the nudists may not be happy, but at least the atmosphere will be smiling. Charles MacFarland

Articles

Doing it for Dunkley

David Lowe

The eyes of Australia turn this week to the electorate of Dunkley in Victoria, historically the site of the Frankston riot and just down the road from where Harold Holt disappeared. Now it’s the location of an all important federal by-election.

The electorate was created in 1984. Named for the trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay for women, Louisa Dunkley, it’s since swung between Labor and Liberal, most recently being won by the courageous ALP member Peta Murphy, who took on the gambling industry and cancer before the disease claimed her at the age of 50 in 2023.

The Dunkley by-election is being seen as a test for the two federal leaders, as well as the high profile negative campaigning strategy of the right wing organisation Advance, which used American-style tactics of high octane disformation to such effect against the Voice proposal last year.

Apparently emboldened by that result, Advance is spending big on targeted social media advertising

in Dunkley to swing the seat back in the Liberal direction, although their PR material has nothing useful or substantive to say about Liberal candidate Nathan Conroy – it’s all negative, and it’s all about attacking Labor, particularly over rising prices and asylum seekers.

Truth trucks

Dunkley residents who avoid social media aren’t safe from Advance’s onslaught, with the electorate constantly being circled by so-called ‘truth trucks’, large mobile billboards featuring a scowling Albo with scary block print saying ‘WE’VE ALL HAD ENOUGH. PUT LABOR LAST.’

This is the same approach which was used intensively against Dan Andrews, and is likely to be seen all over Australia at the next federal election if it achieves the desired result here. With 56 per cent of Dunkley voting ‘No’ in the Voice referendum, Peter Dutton and friends will be hoping Anthony Albanese will be seen as out of touch by locals struggling with costof-living issues.

Advance is not openly stating its close connections

with the Liberals, although these have been well documented elsewhere. Labor is more alive to the challenge than at the time of the referendum, with members being urged to donate to ‘fight Advance’ and Anthony Albanese telling Melbourne radio this week that the group spreads ‘a whole lot of misinformation’.

One Nation and Clive Palmer are not running candidates in Dunkley, which means anyone wishing to use their vote to put the boot into Labor over cost-of-living issues will likely be heading in the Liberal Party’s direction. Their candidate is local mayor Nathan Conroy, who was born in Ireland and has since run an inner Melbourne bowls club he describes as a ‘multimillion-dollar business’. Labor’s state MP for Frankston Paul Edbrooke says Mr Conroy is gilding the lily. As he put it, ‘There’s a pretty big difference between answering to the board of a multimillion-dollar company and selling hot dogs and parmas.’

Watch out for truth trucks if you’re in Dunkley this week! Image Cloudcatcher Media

Two dogs and a mortgage

Labor’s candidate for Dunkley Jodie Belyea is a tertiary teacher and women’s health advocate who lives and works in Frankston, presenting herself on Instagram as a typical middle-class Australian with ‘two dogs and a mortgage’. She has emphasised her links with the popular previous member, saying ‘Peta and I shared a passion for making a difference in our local community,’ which is backed up by her time working for TAFE and Anglicare.

Labor have a 6.3 per cent margin in Dunkley, very winnable for the Liberals based on previous by-election experience against a sitting government (Aston notwithstanding), which is why Peter Dutton is dog whistling louder than ever on asylum seekers and his other favourite issues. The Liberals simply have to be able to win outer suburban seats like Dunkley if they can no longer count on the wealthy inner suburban dwellers voting blue, and not teal.

The Dunkley by-election falls on Saturday, 2 March, which is also Mr Albanese’s birthday. Will the changes

to Stage 3 tax cuts keep the battlers’ baseball bats at home? Will Albo’s wedding announcement soften the hearts of voters? Will fear and PR money deliver another dark victory for Advance and the Liberals?

For both federal leaders, this by-election is likely to result in ripples which go way beyond the Mornington Peninsula, and indeed Victoria.

David Lowe is an awardwinning film-maker, writer and photographer who writes a political column every Monday on www.echo.net.au.

Top: Liberal candidate for Dunkley, Nathan Conroy. Bottom: Labor’s candidate, Jodie Belyea.

Does America need a president?

Michael McDonald

In November this year the good citizens of the USA will flock to the polls for the presidential election, most likely featuring the outstanding talents of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Ahem. It's an event that satirist Jon Stewart has already called Electile Dysfunction and Antiques Roadshow. While there are senior citizens who are capable of functioning well – David Attenborough and Jane Goodall spring to mind – the presidential candidates do not inspire that level of confidence.

Do Americans really need this expensive bunfight every four years? The issue was covered by Emily Sohn in a 2012 article for Live Science, in which she noted, ‘It wasn’t always a given that we'd have a single executive who has the power to make final decisions about the fate of our country, historians say. When the Founding Fathers met to design the constitution, in fact, many were skeptical about appointing a chief.’

Their scepticism now seems well-founded.

The chief problem is the fear and loathing the position sets up. The red and blue political parties (anything green rarely gets a look-in in the news media) go at it like it's a political Superbowl, rather than a means of running a country in which all people should give their best, either in agreement with or dissension from the incumbent.

Australia gets by moderately well with two

houses of parliament and no president, apart from that time Herr Morrison went rogue and appointed himself head of every ministry imaginable, aided in his efforts by a governor-general for a monarch we certainly don’t need.

Then there's the money. The presidents themselves are not overcompensated for their job, at $US400,000 a year receiving a lot less than many company CEOs, but the perks that follow their

tenure are pretty impressive: www.ntu.org/foundation/ detail/post-presidentialperks-subsidizingmillionaires. Former presidents also receive lifetime protection from the Secret Service, a monetary figure that is, um, secret.

Apart from that, the candidates and their parties and supporters spent $14 billion on their 2020 campaigns. $14 billion! You could run a few hospitals and schools on that for quite a while.

Incidentally, when I searched the subject, ‘Does America need a president?’, the first prompt that came up in my search engine was ‘Does America exist?’. It probably reflects the state of public speculation these days. After all, according to the International Square Earth Society, Australia doesn't exist, and any Australians you happen to see are holograms.

Perhaps America’s problems run deeper than the presidency.

Michael McDonald, an old man in his seventies, was an Echo editor during the nineties and the noughties.

Western values

In a recent vote at the United Nations, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, with 172 countries, representing 94 per cent of humanity, voting in favour and only four countries, including Israel and the US, voting against.

In expressing his enthusiasm for America's unconditional support, the President of Israel proudly proclaimed that US support is appropriate because Israel is fighting for Western values in Gaza.

I have to agree with Isaac Herzog, Gaza is a graphic reminder of the West's power and influence.

Western values were also on display at the UN when the General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning ‘unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries’, with a vote of 128 in favour and eight against, those eight being Australia, Britain, Canada, Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, Ukraine and the United States.

This is in keeping with an earlier vote on a resolution condemning the glorification of Nazism, where 118 nations

n k ig SPACES a m

Eden at Byr

Australia has over 24,000 species of native plants, and about 85% of them are endemic.

Australian native plants are a diverse group, thanks to the extraordinary range of climatic conditions and soil types in this country. Plants have adapted to survive in environments ranging from coastal heath, through rainforest to the arid outback.

So, wherever you are, there will be many native plants that will happily grow in your garden. Native plants are not only beautiful and productive, but they are essential for the survival of our native animals. While many native animals will happily feed on introduced species, some, like the larvae of the Richmond birdwing butterfly, will not.

Visit Eden at Byron to explore the great range of native plants suitable for our climate.

140 Bangalow Road, Byron Bay 02 6685 6874

Why oose Unblock Piפ Cle ing?

Unlike Unblock Pipe Clearing, many plumbers don’t have the latest technology, equipment or experience that comes with specialising in clearing blocked pipes and drains, but for Unblock Pipe Cleaning. ‘It is what they do, all day every day.’

The equipment allows them to accurately locate, identify and fix the issue correctly the first time. They don’t just fix the issue, they will give you a warranty on most jobs!

Being a local, family-run business, you can be assured that they will take care of your best interests.

Phone James on: 0429 888 683

voted in favour while most Western nations voted against.

Western values are actually isolating the West, because Western values are on display in Gaza, right now!

John Scrivener Main Arm

On Wallum

We seem to rely way too much on Byron Council and councillors to have the knowledge or expertise in assessing developments like Wallum in Bayside, Brunswick.

Nor will Council or councillors take responsibility for these poor decisions. I have asked about the stormwater channel leading into Everett Creek; this drain has erosion, the undermining of tall timbers and the ever-increasing erosion is very obvious.

Clarence Property Group have said its ‘not their problem’ as it is not part of their land. Council say: ‘oh we can't intervene as to shore it up would cause more habitat damage just to get the necessary work completed’.

So it's supposed to be a natural occurrence. You're telling me that large trees being undermined and falling into the stormwater drain will

be fine? It won't dam up the drain, it will allow the stormwater to flow on around it?

The need to build up the land out of flood level requires a metre of fill. This is a real concern as the preschool had been built on a slab and will sit lower than the new estate which will be much higher allowing stormwater to flow down.

Our stormwater system has become impaired with approximately 22 reoccurring sinkholes in our roads outside stormwater drains. Council has promised to fix this problem soon – according to the state government Council have no funding to do anything. To fix our stormwater drains the roads must be dug up and new pipes laid with the proper installation of geofabric and gravel base (missing from the old pipe system, hence the pipework has collapsed out of its rubber collars).

It would seem Council and councillors are oblivious to way too many existing problems. Don't get me started on our gravity-fed sewerage system with the pump lower in the ground than the existing preschool building!

Annie Radermacher Brunswick Heads

Osteo supp t ma ress at Beds R Us Byr Bay

In a recent study conducted by the Better Sleep Council, a remarkable 80% of participants identified comfort and back support as the crucial features in selecting a mattress.

Beds R Us Byron

Bay, renowned for their commitment to optimal sleep solutions, take particular pride in their osteo support mattress collection. The Sleepyhead Pure Balance Recapture distinguishes itself by offering unparalleled comfort and support. This Australian-made mattress, endorsed by Osteopathy Australia, integrates advanced technology for pressure relief and improved sleep quality. Available in firm, medium or plush, you can effortlessly find the ideal balance of support and comfort. The Pure Balance Recapture caters to individual preferences, blending the best of both worlds for a revitalising night’s sleep.

Cnr of Wollongbar & Brigantine Sts, Byron Arts and Industry Estate 02 6685 5212

We Need to Talk about Birth

Birth is magical. It is powerful and wild and beautiful and scary and miraculous.

Until it’s not.

When things go to shit, it happens fast and when your baby dies, your life is changed forever, but not in the way you were expecting.

When the story of the Mullumbimby mother who lost her twins in a ‘wild birth’ delivery broke last week I thought, here we go. Here’s another opportunity for mainstream media to turn someone’s pain and grief into clickbait. A woman and her partner lost their twins. They have been shamed in the media, blamed, and their private loss is now in the public domain. On every level that is unimaginably awful. I hope they are ok. I hope they have loving support around them.

Death is never the plan, but yes, it has always been part of birth. But it’s been an ever-diminishing risk. In 1902 you could expect 82 baby deaths for every 1,000 medically-assisted births. Now it’s just three. Women also died six times more often. So with those improvements why are women turning back to the risks their great-greatgrandmothers faced? Because many no longer trust the medical system.

The Select Committee on Birth Trauma in NSW last year received over 4,000 submissions and had some pretty shocking results. Of the 97% hospital births one third were traumatised by their experience. We have record intervention rates. Women talk again and again of lack of consent, of not being listened to. This committee has been called the ‘Me Too’ of childbirth. This has not been my experience. I need to be transparent – I’ve had four uncomplicated births. I was a low-risk pregnancy who delivered one baby at Randwick Royal Women’s and three babies at Mullumbimby Birth Centre. I delivered with the assistance of a midwife, or an obstetrician, who just smiled and let me get on with it.

STARS BY LILITH

This week’s alignment of Sun, Mercury, Neptune and Saturn in sensitive Pisces unleashes a torrent of emotions, and comes with a caution to read the room before over-sharing...

The real learning from my point of view, is not mother blame, it’s eliminating coercive care.

I delivered a posterior baby with no intervention. And I’ve had two beautiful drug-free water births with nothing but love and encouragement from my partner and the midwife. I had the kind of experience that should be available to all. Beautiful, supported, noninvasive, midwife-led care. I went home an hour or so after my births.

I’ve been reflecting on why we focus so heavily on birth. I’ve had friends who had caesareans say they feel like failures. One woman I spoke to even had a friend say to her ‘it’s sad you never got to experience birth’. What? Why are we so bloody judgy?

It’s too much pressure. Birth is not a performance. It’s the process we go through to deliver our baby. A live healthy baby should always be the desired outcome, not a rite of passage reel for Instagram. It’s like being focused on the wedding and not the relationship. We all birth differently. Our bodies are different. Some, like me, could do it in a corn field. Others need more support. Some may need intervention. Shouldn’t we have the right to know? Isn’t the key to all of this not just consent, but ‘informed’ consent? That goes for anyone who attends a birth: doctors, midwives, and doulas. And that means that pregnant women are given the maternal autonomy to make their own decisions. To prepare for my first child I attended a home-birth class. Once I’d delivered I realised I knew nothing about caring for babies. How to get her to sleep, what to do if she was sick, how to care for myself. As a mother of five kids I now realise that the birth was just the tiniest part of the experience. I had studied for months for a three-hour birth and was

ARIES: If this week’s steamy astrology has you too fired up to deal with emotionally- charged issues diplomatically, then step away from situations with inflammatory potential until you’re able to approach them with a cooler head. Treating challenges as gift s in work clothes has been known to help.

TAURUS: Is it feeling like time to readdress an unresolved issue? Instead of getting stuck on who’s right and what’s wrong, innovative Uranus in Taurus is encouraging you to open up this week’s discussions to a variety of perspectives and look at things from a range of different angles.

GEMINI: During your power planet Mercury’s introverted cycle, it’s worth taking a break from digital persistence and revisiting the organic technology of your own inner vision – because this week offers support to actualize an artistic or philanthropic project and introduce it to the wider world.

MANDY NOLAN’S

embarking on the next 18 years without a clue.

I believe we need to put baby safety and a mother’s autonomy at the centre of all our birth models. Knowing baby’s position, that the placenta is not over the cervix, how many babies you are having and if you are anaemic (likely to haemorrhage post birth) or if you have high blood pressure is imperative to maternal and infant safety.

While doulas can provide beautiful personal care they don’t do this more ‘medical’ stuff. The deep knowledge and training of midwives can only make the process safer and give a pregnant person more options to be in control and make informed choices so they don’t lose control later on. Or lose the baby.

We should be able to make our own choices around how we birth our babies, and that is going to look different for everyone. There is no perfect model because hospital births, home births, free births can all include egos and personalities that are so attached to an outcome it can get in the way, and end in tragedy or trauma. As someone who has been in labour I know how vulnerable you are. But I do know that healthy baby delivery is always the number one objective.

The real learning from my point of view, is not mother blame, it’s eliminating coercive care. Yes trust your intuition. And your midwife. They’re not in opposition. They work together.

Listening to birthing women, giving them the information they need to make informed decisions on how to deliver their babies has to be the way forward. If that was happening, if intervention rates and experience of medicalised birth trauma wasn’t so high, we wouldn’t be seeing the rise of free births. And hearing the heartbreaking stories of what happens when it goes wrong.

So let’s listen to this moment, and get it right.

CANCER: The sensitive season of your fellow water sign favours accessing spiritual guidance, paying attention to dream messages, indulging your favourite creative outlets and considering ways of giving back to your community. This week’s note to self? Don’t waste time in no-win arguments: walk away till another day.

LEO: With volatile Venus, argumentative Mars, super-size Jupiter and unpredictable Uranus all in fixed signs like your own, short fuses and stubborn mindsets could see tempers flare and opinions clash this week. Ready to roar? Probably preferable to purr, so peace and harmony can be more easily re-established.

VIRGO: Communication can become confusing when your mentor planet Mercury, under the dissolving influence of Neptune, starts blurring lines between fact and fancy. If you’re finding it hard to focus this week, don’t force things: take a break and a breather, let intuition be your guide.

Cryptic Clues

ACROSS

1. Stew of pork and beans ruined –lost cause! (9)

6. The man from Stockholm gets a root (5)

9. Report reveals secret vegetables (5)

10. Hanger for woman’s underwear (9)

11. Shelter band, warned Spooner, lurching (7)

12. Norm’s quick drink and a root (7)

13. Dangerous radiation lit papal arches festival (5,9)

17. Ladies response interpreted, makes someone into an object (14)

21. Expert pitch for solvent (7)

23. Bloke with a support for a sea cow (7)

25. Wild tigers and big stars (3,6)

26. Monastery boss – no time for Tony (5)

27. Roll over Italian in Italian city (5)

28. Says it again: unwind, rest arses (9)

DOWN

1. Alec and Eric, desperate for a root (8)

2. Observed, reported spectacle (5)

3. Stubborn, but beats into shape (9)

4. Pasta from Lola’s agnate connection (7)

5. Throw out marihuana – he’s a drunk! (7)

6. Guide for cattle (5)

7. Risks directions with untidy gardens (9)

8. English turn, tie up the continent (6)

14. Claimant before the bid (9)

15. Open land, acres where you can find dates (9)

16. Like winners, very big – and can be deadly (8)

18. More severe, but perhaps more backward (7)

19. Enema is derived from a flowering plant (7)

20. Root in a vehicle? Nonsense! (6)

22. Working? Charge for a root! (5)

24. Savage brute gets a root (5)

LIBRA: Business dealings could be dodgy this week, so think no-nonsense financial discussions and clear basic agreements. Yes, you love keeping things in the feel-good zone, but Saturn is insisting on eyes-wide-open background checks before signing contracts or inviting someone into your private world.

SCORPIO: Stubbornness and determination are two faces of the same energy: stubbornness resisting what you don’t want, determination pursuing what you do. This week advises shifting focus from won’t power to willpower, a course currently supported by the abundance of fluid energy in a fellow water sign.

SAGITTARIUS: Following the recent overload of stimulating ideas, this touchy-feely week is about process rather than goals, about embodying the concept that all the way to heaven is heaven. About slowing down and tuning in. About simplifying your busy life and finding the love. About listening.

Quick Clues

ACROSS

1. Casserole of beans and meat (9)

6. Round, purple vegetable with yellow flesh (5)

9. Long, thin onion-like vegetables (5)

10. Garter (9)

11. Stumbling (7)

12. Carrot-like vegetable (7)

13. Emitted during radioactive decay (5,9)

17. Denies one’s individuality (14)

21. Used as nail polish remover (7)

23. Herbivorous marine mammal (7)

25. Stars at a late stage of their life (3,6)

26. Head of the abbey (5)

27. Location of famous shroud (5)

28. Repeats an opinion confidently (9)

DOWN

1. Knob celery (8)

2. Backdrop; setting (5)

3. Dogged (7)

4. Flat pasta sheet (7)

5. Inebriate (7)

6. Navigate (5)

7. Imperils (9)

8. Part of the Old World (6)

14. Imposter (9)

15. Almanacs (9)

16. Heat-resistant fibrous mineral (8)

18. Stricter (7)

19. Annual flower often used for ground cover and edging (7)

20. Combined with stick, it can motivate! (6)

22. When cut may produce tears (5)

24. Swollen, underground stem (5)

Last week’s solution #531

CAPRICORN: With this week activating Capricorn’s zodiac zone of communication, creative capabilities and community activities, expect to be expressing yourself with extra flair and eloquent artistry. Even better, your ruler Saturn is under instructions from sensitive Neptune to stay open to receiving as much as you give to others.

AQUARIUS: If this week’s vague, indecisive or needy people have you wanting more personal space, then take it, because you know from experience it’s more energy-eff icient to refrain from rash reactions than deal with damage control. Venus and Mars, travelling together through your sign, are there to assist.

PISCES: With the planetary posse of radiant sun, expressive Mercury, visionary Neptune and strategist Saturn orchestrating a celestial symphony in Pisces, this is your week to walk on the wild side and revel in the Festival Of You. If moods seem more intense than usual, be assured they’ll pass soon enough.

BYRON BAY

Success Thai

Open Lunch Wed–Fri 12–2.30pm.

Dinner Mon–Sat 5–8pm.

Closed Sunday 3/31 Lawson St, Byron Bay www.facebook.com/ pages/Success-ThaiFood/237359826303469

The Rocks

Brunch 7am–1pm

Dinner 5pm–10pm

14–16 Lawson St, 5642 0149 therocksbyronbay.com.au @therocksbyronbay

KARKALLA

Byron Bay

Native Indigenous Restaurant

Cnr of Bay Lane & Fletcher St, Byron Bay

Book online at www.karkalla.com.au

NO BONES

Vegan Kitchen + Bar.

11 Fletcher Street, BYRON BAY 0481 148 007

Loft Byron Bay

4 Jonson Street, Byron Bay 6680 9183

Book online: www.loftbyronbay.com.au

All your favourites, every lunch and dinner. Experienced Thai chefs cooking fresh, delicious Thai food for you.

BYO only.

Welcome for lunch, dinner and takeaway. Menus available on Facebook.

Happy Hour 6pm–8pm

$6 tap beer or wine

$12 selected cocktails

$25 Pasta & Wine/Beer + Garlic Bread

Live Music Thursdays and DJ Saturdays

Open for dinner Wed–Sun

KARKALLA BYRON BAY

Ancient food and Modern Flavours

PROUDLY BUNDJALUNG

SPECIAL DINE and RUM EVENT

Thur 14th of March | 6.30pm

Celebrating bunya nuts with Birds of Isle rum 4-course menu and matching bunya nut rum drinks

DINNER Mon, Thur, Fri, Sat | 5pm–late

BREAKFAST Sat and Sun | 8am-12pm

We are a part of a plant-based movement and invite you to join us on our expedition to save the Earth one Brussels sprout at a time.

#brusselsnotbeef

www.nobones.co

Signature cocktails, and casual dining with ocean views.

Happy Hour | Every day from 4–6pm. $8 loft wine or lager, $10 spritzer, $14 margaritas & $30 house wine bottle Half price deli board & $2.50 fresh oysters

Espresso Martini Nights | Every day 9pm–close, 2 for $25 Classic Espresso Martini. Open 7 days from 4pm. Sat lunches from Noon.

BYRON BAY continued

Eateries Guide Good Taste

QUARTZ GALLERY

Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12pm–10pm

Upstairs at Mercato, above Woolworths, 108–114

Jonson St. Byron Bay Insta – @thequartzgallery Web – quartzgallery.com.au

BANGALOW

Bangalow Bread Co.

12 Byron St, Bangalow

6am–3pm weekdays.

7am–2pm weekends.

6687 1209

www.bangalowbread.co info@bangalowbread.co

LENNOX HEAD

Lennox Head

Pizza & Pasta

4/74 Ballina St, Lennox Head

Open 7 days

Lunch: 12–2pm

Pizza & drinks only: 2–5pm

Dinner from 5pm

MULLUMBIMBY

The Empire

20 Burringbar St, Mullum

6684 2306

Open for brunch and lunch, seven days 8am–3pm

FB/Insta: EmpireMullum empiremullum.com.au

Crystals and cocktails, tapas and wine

In the heart of Byron Bay this crystal gallery is a stunning visual experience and a taste sensation not to be missed. Sit amongst magnificent crystals from all over the world while sipping on crystal infused cocktails. We also offer delicious vegan tapas by No Bones, an eclectic wine list, an event space, and a view of the Byron Bay lighthouse.

Stone baked sourdough, hand rolled pastries, small batch pies, house made cakes.

Your local artisan bakery, specialising in all things sourdough. Serving Old Quarter coffee along with freshly made sandwiches using our own sourdough bread, hand rolled pastries, award winning pies and a variety of house made cakes.

Views, Brews, Cocktails, Beats, and Eats!

Live Music Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Bookings essential.

Head to lennoxpizza.com

Follow on Insta: @lennoxpizza

The seasonal menu features classic and modern dishes with innovative twists. Find something for all tastes, from epic burgers to vegan delights. Enjoy delectable treats and good vibes at this Mullum icon.

North Byron Hotel

61 Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay 6685 6500

Open: 11am Mon–Fri & 8am Sat–Sun

Kitchen hours: 11:30am–late daily

Breakfast: 8am–11am Sat & Sun www.northbyronhotel.com.au.

Main Street

Open for takeaway daily, 12 midday until dinner.

Menu, more details –@mainstreet_burgerbar

18 Jonson Street 6680 8832

Step away from the centre of town and into a shimmering oasis away from crowds.

A tucked away treasure, the North Byron Hotel is a thriving mecca of good food, great music, laughter and the ‘chilled Byron Bay vibes’. Eat Drink Discover

Open for takeaway daily, 12 midday until dinner.

Menu and more details

@mainstreet_burgerbar

‘Make a meal of it’ Add chips and a drink, just $5.

MURWILLUMBAH

Apex Dining

Fully Licensed Café Brunch + Lunch Weddings + Events

A PEXDINING

TWEED REGIONAL GALLERY

Wednesday–Sunday from 9am Bookings recommended. ww.apexdining.com.au @apexdining

A hinterland ‘destination dining’ favourite with spectacular views, first or last stop on the Rail Trail from M’bah station. Modern cafe / bistro fare featuring regional produce with a cheeky Asian twist.

Excellent coffee, fresh artisan pastries and a full a la carte brunch and lunch menu accompanied by a natural wine list, cocktails and house made soft refreshments.

lizzijjackson@gmail.com 0414 895 441

Find more tasty morsels at

BANGALOW BREAD CO.

QUARTZ GALLERY

TheGood Life

Bypass the supermarket duopoly

With more and more people feeling the pressures of Australia’s cost-of-living crisis and the government launching investigations into supermarket prices, there has never been a better time to shop at your local farmers’ market.

Fair food prices have been the focus of much media attention in the past few weeks and have highlighted the benefits of supporting local farming families and small businesses.

The zucchini omelette returns!

‘The big supermarkets continue to record steep profits while the gap between their prices and what farmers are being paid is also growing. Something is clearly not right,’ says Byron Farmers Market manager Tom Carey. With Coles and Woolworths controlling 65 per cent of the grocery market in Australia, many people, particularly those living in the city, might feel stuck for alternatives. However, in the Northern Rivers we have a number of farmers’ markets to choose from so you can bypass the duopoly and buy directly from local farmers and producers.

and author Geraldine Brooks championed the benefits of shopping at farmers’ markets.

And unlike the supermarkets, Tom says you will not find price gouging at Byron and Bangalow Farmers Markets.

‘By shopping at your local farmers’ market, you can make your dollar count because it goes directly to the person who grows or makes your food,’ he says. ‘There are no middle-men involved or multi-milliondollar businesses, just local farmers and food businesses.’

Speaking on ABC’s Q&A about the supermarket duopoly in Australia, award-winning journalist

‘We as consumers have a role to play here. If you have a farmers’ market in your neighbourhood, for goodness’ sake support it because then it’s a direct relationship between you and the grower,’ she said.

‘Farmers work so hard to produce this food for us … we have to do our part and support local businesses and have a face-to-face relationship with our farmers if we can.’

Tom agrees and says people can make an impact by voting with their money.

‘At the farmers’ market, the farmers and producers are able to dictate their own prices. Everything is

completely transparent. So not only are you buying the freshest produce available, because it’s locally grown and hasn’t travelled all over the country, but by buying directly you can control and know exactly where your money is going.

‘This way you are not only paying a fair price for your food, but it keeps the money in the local economy and profits go directly to local farmers and small businesses.’

Byron Farmers Market is held Thursdays 7 to 11am at Butler St Reserve and Bangalow Farmers Market is held Saturdays 7 to 11am behind the Bangalow pub.

After a near 12-month absence, brother and sister team Rob and Michelle Costanzo from Nomadic Kitchen are coming back to the markets, along with their ever-popular menu of rustic, hearty food informed by their Sicilian heritage. In 2023, Rob broke his Achilles heel, and that put an end to their market stall, to pumping out cauliflower omelettes and tarte tatins and big breakfasts – generally to long queues of faithful followers. While the irrepressible Rob ‘did not enjoy my “break” of my Achilles’, he tells me that he ‘had a good time working on the winery at Jilly’ as well as ‘making salami with Salumi (Australia)’. As for Michelle, yes, she missed doing the markets, but she managed to pack in time spent in Ireland with her partner’s family, a new baby, and being in her garden.

While younger sibling Rob worked in London’s fabled River Café, Michelle too always found herself working in the industry. ‘I spent a long time working in Ireland at a seafood restaurant and looking after the gardens,’ she tells me, ‘which satisfied both my passions.’

What began many years ago as a modest market stall in Byron dispensing her family’s produce – produce from the abundant Stanthorpe farm – morphed gradually into Nomadic Kitchen when Rob, back from his stint

overseas, joined forces with his sister. ‘The stall is where we have stayed’, Michelle says now. ‘It has been so successful in fulfilling what we love about food and cooking.’ That love shines through all the dishes, dishes inspired by ‘seeing all the produce around us and deciding what to do with it. Because we are able to change it at every market, it’s very creative, which is fun.’

Nomadic Kitchen will be at New Brighton Farmers Market every Tuesday from 8 to 11am from late February.

Open

Victoria Cosford

Fresh produce at Byron Farmers Market.

Byron Farmers Market.

Byron Farmers Market manager Tom Carey.

Rob and Michelle Costanzo are back.

Byron Arts & Industry Estate

Featured Chamber business

1. STONE & WOOD

Stone & Wood Byron Bay Presents: Friday Knock Off!

Join us for cold beers and live music in our leafy beer garden. Perfect for catching up with friends and family… even the doggos are welcome. Slow down and soak it up. Every Friday arvo from 3.30–6.30pm

2. BODY LANGUAGE BYRON BAY

Body Language has just launched pole (beginner to strength and conditioning, movement intelligence, and yoga.

There is also a new in-house physiotherapist and private reformer pilates instructor.

The new term starts March 18, so it’s a good time to try the classes you might enrol in!

3/12 Tasman Way, Byron Bay

0432 780 655

3.McTAVISH SURFBOARDS

Mctavish is the ultimate destination for all things surf. Grab a pre- or post-surf coffee and browse the range of handcrafted surfboards (all made on-site in the factory behind the showroom), surf accessories and apparel, or borrow a demo board for the weekend.

4.LOYAL CRUSH

in their brand new store. Drop in and try their range of perfumes, pick up your favourite journal or try out their range of makeup and skincare.

Shop their range of completely cruelty-free beauty and wellness products. Open 8.30am-4pm Monday to Friday.

02 7204 0630

5. BYRON BAY CAMPING & DISPOSALS

Have you found them in the Arts & Industry Estate yet? Byron Bay Camping & Disposals moved from the old Woolies plaza site last year into their new building, located on the corner of Tasman Way and Centennial Circuit. They stock popular brands and are regularly introducing new products to their store.

They have parking spaces out the front exclusively for customers and are open seven days.

1/1 Tasman Way, Byron Bay

0439 212 153

Byron Arts

6.BODY FLOW PHYSIOTHERAPY

Body Flow Physiotherapy is designed for active people who want to move from pain to performance and joyful movement.

They consider the individual as a whole, focusing on the root cause of an issue rather than solely concentrating combination of dry needling, manual therapy, pilates, functional movements and lifestyle adjustments.

1/12 Tasman Way, Byron Bay 0433 786 798

7.CIRCUS ARTS

Circus Arts Byron Bay boasts a giant indoor training venue for ages 1+ offering exciting term classes for kids, teens and adults along with excellent one-off workshops throughout the year.

The venue features self-training spaces, various apparatus more focused training. Call them or visit their website to enquire today!

02 6685 6566

Industry Estate

Habitat Precinct

Habitat Precinct

8. BYRON ELECTRIC LASER TATTOO REMOVAL

Discover Byron's premier tattoo removal studio located in a warehouse within the Arts & Industry Estate, offering private, by-appointment sessions.

With more than 13 years of tattoo industry expertise, they use top-tier medical-grade Quanta System lasers and specialise in full-colour removal and fading. Safe, affordable, and friendly. Expect exceptional results. Your journey to a clean slate begins here.

Mention this ad for a 20 percent discount!

Warehouse 5/59 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay 0406 188 060

info@byrontattooremoval.com.au

www.byrontattooremoval.com.au

byrontattooremoval

9.BODHI LIVING

Bodhi Living showcases a carefully curated collection of furniture, homewares, rugs and lighting, sourced both locally and globally. They have recently introduced a sustainable range of furniture designed in-house, using natural materials such as rattan, timber and recycled fabrics. The brand encapsulates the freedom of spirit and the soul of the individual as represented through one's home. Shop 1/18 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay www.bodhiliving.com.au bodhi.living

Habitat is a cleverly designed village in Byron Bay, where you can live, work and play, all in one place.

Over 20 years in the making, Habitat combines the best of old-school Byron (community, creativity, respect for the environment) with the latest in design and thinking (renewable energy, car sharing, hybrid live + work spaces) along with plenty of good times (bars, cafes, little oasis within one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

10. 7 - FIGURES BUSINESS MASTERMIND

monthly 7-Figures Business Mastermind specialising in e-commerce, SAAS, and online ventures. Led by a techning a 70+ employee company, receive guidance from fractional consultants across digital marketing, opera-

Join their community at wldm.io/mastermind Building B1/1 Porter St

11. ASTRID DISPENSARY AND CLINIC

and clinic pioneering in cannabinoid medicines, plant therapies and nutraceuticals at Habitat Byron Bay. Contact the friendly Astrid team to discuss natural medicines and book your free consultation

Monday–Friday: 9am-5pm

Suites 57-58/1 Porter St, Byron Bay

02 7908 4459

@astrid.health

www.astrid.health

HABITAT

Get out of town! Visit Habitat where you can shop, eat, drink and recharge, all in one place. They’ve carefully

expect from Byron, hassle free.

Plus, they've got all your favourite health and wellness studios and good food galore.

Habitat, Byron Bay

12. BYRON FAMILY LAW

established in Byron Bay. Through collaborative and resolution-focused practices, they support clients to separate more kindly and to rebuild following divorce or separation. They work in collaboration with local counsellors, conveyancers, accountants, mediators, and health and wellness professionals to support you and your family to not only survive but thrive following a separation.

1 Porter Street, Byron Bay

02 6687 2774

www.byronfamilylaw.com.au

13. BYRON BABY

Run by GP Dr Emma Bourke, Byron Baby specialises in women’s health, pregnancy and children.

Services include cervical screening, breast checks, contraception, pregnancy advice, shared care, antenatal care, and care for children including immunisations. Bulk billing is available for children of all ages.

60/1 Porter Street, Byron Bay 02 6617 5950

www.byronbaby.com.au

Volume

Editor: Eve Jeffery

Editorial/gigs: gigs@echo.net.au

Copy deadline: 5pm each Thursday

Gig Guide deadline: 5pm each Friday

Advertising: adcopy@echo.net.au

Tales of Lust & Madness is a new show from Lydia Lunch, New York’s ‘punk poet queen of extremities’ and Joseph Keckler, a singular performer once crowned the ‘best downtown performance artist’ in New York City.

Combining the dynamic spoken word of Lunch and the dark humour and unnerving musicality of Keckler, Tales of Lust & Madness brings these two notorious performers together to create an intimate evening of provocative musical poetry.

Passionate, confrontational and bold. Whether attacking the patriarchy and their pornographic war-mongering, turning the sexual into political or whispering a love song to the brokenhearted, Lydia Lunch’s fierce energy and rapidfire delivery lend testament to her warrior nature.

Performing in Australia for the first time, Joseph Keckler is a singular artist who performs in a genre of his own design that fuses operatic vocals and contemporary subject matter into absurd and affecting underworld voyages.

One of these performers on their own is enough to discombobulate a person but together, they are a riot – Seven caught up with them from their homes in Brooklyn very early Sunday morning AEDT.

I have to say I am a bit confused – I've looked at both of your works and it looks pretty amazing, but I'm not exactly sure what this show is going to give us.

Joseph – well, we'll be doing back-to-back sets. I'll be doing a lot of my musical vignettes and songs. So that ranges from operatic monologues to torch songs to the beyond and then Lydia will be performing prose pieces. Our sets might change from night to night. She may pull out some revenge fantasies or some other diabolical diatribes.

Lydia – thank you for calling in prose (laughs)… Joseph’s songs speak of sex with ghosts, mushroom overdoses, bizarre romances – it’s similar subject matter [to mine] actually, but in a very different form. He'll be the musical part of the show, which helps to embrace the audience, and then we'll see how much they will take from me.

It’s the velvet hammer – he comes with the velvet, then I come with the hammer.

We both have very different styles of performing – he allows me to bring out your comedic side.

Is the intention of the show to shock people?

Lydia – First of all, no. Second of all, I've never done anything shocking in my life according to my standards. I'm telling true or slightly fictitious tales. How can just telling stories be shocking?

I'm not reading from The Marquis de Sade. And Joseph

is certainly not shocking – he’s a welcome release into a perverse, different kind of presentation of expressions. Some might be shocked at how wonderful we are. Joseph – my work hinges on surprise or is driven by unpredictability in some way. But no, I think the show is more to pleasure people. To give them new, strict pleasure.

Lydia – Or, for people that have reversed the pleasure principle – you're already chuckling ( we are on Zoom) so I think if you come to the show, you're gonna be quite amused.

I have to ask you both, are you having enough fun? Joseph – there’s no such thing!

Lydia – Too much fun. What people might not know about me is: by day, I might be statistic-loving, warmongering, anti-patriarchal, corporate core-busting and confrontational, but by night, I’m having a hell of a good day. One of my mantras is pleasure is the ultimate rebellion, because it's the first thing they steal from us, especially as women, or especially in these times when everything we hear all day long on any news channel is, how rotten everything is, so we must rebel with pleasure, So yes, we're having a hell of a good time.

Lydia Lunch Tales of Lust & Madness is on at Byron Theatre on Saturday, 9 March. Tickets from byroncentre.com.au.

seven

BANGALOW FILM FESTIVAL STARTS NEXT WEEK!

Bangalow Film Festival is back for its fourth year and the full program is available in all its cinematic glory –and it starts next week.

Grab the popcorn and settle in for exclusive world and Australian premieres of critically-acclaimed feature films, award-winning documentaries, beloved classics, plus masterclasses with industry experts, Q&A sessions, special guest encounters and surprise events.

The 2024 program features over 20 premieres, three masterclasses and a specially curated program to showcase some of the Northern Rivers’ finest creative talents.

The opening weekend features the 30th anniversary of the Australian masterpiece The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Adding sparkle and pizzaz, Priscilla will be the queen of the festival in 2024 and there will be a very special evening including an Australian exclusive panel talking about the making of this modern classic with the director Stephen Elliot, and Oscar-and-BAFTAnominated members of the original production team, giving you incredible insight into this iconic film. Prior to the screening, there’ll be a fabulous performance by Lismore's ‘queen of the drag queens’ Maude Boate, in all her sequined and sculptured-wigs glory.

The Made in the Northern Rivers program offers special events that highlight the incredible local creative talent.

MARCHING IN WITH A BANG

Get your party pants on as Nudge Nudge Wink Wink marches in with a bang this

Arrive early and leave late! Two incredible guest DJs join the Cunning Stunts residents in the Shed. Internationally-lauded DJ Phil Perry and locally-based DJ LustR return to the Shed, joining beloved Cunning Stunts resident DJs Lord Sut and Dale Stephen at March’s Nudge Nudge Wink Wink: The Ultimate Party with a Conscience!

The beloved Shire Choir brings you A Love Letter To Musicals, harmonising their way through a selection of some of film’s finest and most iconic songs, with singalong encouraged!

Nosferatu is often cited as the film that gave birth to horror, but for BFF it’s getting reborn with Nosferatu (A)Live, a music and film event with an original score written and performed live in concert by acclaimed musician Jai Piccone

This year’s industry moments will include masterclasses by BAFTA-nominated composer Guy Gross, and by Oscar-nominated sound recordist Guntis Sics, plus a session on working with archival footage with filmmakers Wendy Champagne, Sharon Shostack and producer Sam Griffin, which will also feature some clips from Wendy’s forthcoming documentary about the Aquarius festival.

Make sure you head along to the Lobby Bar at the A&I Hall, offering delicious drinks including the specially–brewed Take Two BFF beer by Common People, culinary bites and entertainment. It’s the perfect place to catch up with friends and loved ones before each screening.

Tickets are selling fast with some already or about to sell out! For more info and to grab your tickets, head to www.bangalowfilmfestival.com.au.

Cunning Stunts are honoured to welcome back an originator of the UK house scene, DJ Phil Perry. Phil has DJ’d and promoted his own clubs since 1988, was Leftfield’s first UK tour DJ, and is the creator of the infamous London Sunday session Full Circle. Phil’s unique blend of tribal house music, infused with his own twists incorporating retro-soul, jazz, street-funk, and other genres, combined with his eclectic style and impeccable talent, have garnered global acclaim. Come and experience a true master.

Opening the day, we welcome back locally-based DJ LustR playing an eclectic array of earthy bass lines, ranging from organic deep tribal to progressive house, melodic techno, and psychedelic soundscapes. LustR holds an alluring yet grounding presence behind the decks and has created a set guaranteed to call you onto the dance floor. Arrive early to not regret missing a moment of her sunset set!

Cunning Stunts resident DJs Lord Sut and Dale Stephen keep the beats rising and your senses alight with shed-alicious selections guaranteed to satiate your night! With basslines and treble, they mix and master balearic, disco, and house with some of their own edits and productions, moving your soul to soar and your body to motivate. Nudge Nudge Wink Wink is more than a party; it's a FUNdraiser, providing essential connection, charitable support, and a warming of spirit for all who attend. Once you’ve given it a nudge, you’ll have to return. Wink Wink! Nudge Nudge Wink Wink, Saturday, from 4pm. Ticketed 18+ event at The Billinudgel Hotel. Tickets from cunningstunts.com.au.

Priscilla will be the queen of the Bangalow Film Festival.

GIG GUIDE

It’s free to list your gigs in the gig guide. e: gigs@echo.net.au w: echo.net.au/gig-guide.

DEADLINE 5PM ON FRIDAYS

OCEAN SHORES TAVERN

WEDNESDAY 28

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, ISAAC FRANKHAM

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 7PM MEGAN CORE

BANGALOW BOWLO 7.30PM

BANGALOW BRACKETS

OPEN MIC

LISMORE CITY BOWLO 7PM

AUSTRALIAN SONGWRITERS

ASSOCIATION

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

6.30PM KINGY COMEDY –FEAT ANDY SAUNDERS

THURSDAY 29

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, FELICITY LAWLESS

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 7PM JOCK BARNES

BYRON THEATRE 6.30PM

THE ROAD TO PATAGONIA

ENCORE

7.30PM KARAOKE @ THE TAV – OP SHOP GLAM

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4PM DJ SALVE JORGE

THE ROCKS, BYRON BAY, 6PM

KENZO CRUZ

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 6PM

CALLUM CREELMAN

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE

HOUSE 7PM OCEAN FILM

FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR

MULLUMBIMBY CIVIC HALL

7PM FLICKERFEST – BEST OF INTERNATIONAL SHORTS

LENNOX HOTEL HOTEL STAGE

8PM THURSDAY JAM NIGHT

BALLINA RSL LEVEL ONE 7PM

THE BIG GIG COMEDY NIGHT

ELTHAM HOTEL 7PM JIMMY

DOWLING & FRIENDS

THE LEVEE, LISMORE, 5PM

LEIF LARKIN, 7.30PM

ALPHABET POETS

FRIDAY 1

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, THE WHISKEYS

MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 8PM KRAPPYOKEE WITH JESS

MULLUMBIMBY CIVIC HALL 8PM FLICKERFEST – BEST OF AUSTRALIAN SHORTS

CLUB LENNOX 7PM GEORGE

SMILOVICI

CHERRY STREET SPORTS CLUB, BALLINA, 7PM JOCK BARNES DUO

METROPOLE, LISMORE, 7.30PM CODE BROWN, THIS KISS KILLS, FLOATING WOK + DJ GOODIE

MURWILLUMBAH SERVICES CLUB 6.30PM PHIL GUEST

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

6PM ADAM BROWN

SATURDAY 2

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 5PM KANE MUIR, JEROME

WILLIAMS BAND, DJ JOEY

TUCKSHOP

BYRON THEATRE 7PM THE NECKS

NORTH BYRON HOTEL 5.30PM

DJ YASMIN

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 6PM

JUNGLE JIM SMITH

BRUNSWICK HEADS PICTURE

HOUSE 7PM OCEAN FILM

FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, TRILLIAH

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6PM MICKA SCENE + DJ TAI

DANIELS

BYRON THEATRE 8PM

HAVEN / 1TBSP, PARIS, JAI PICCONE, EXXY, DJ

SUGARUSH, CASTLA

NORTH BYRON HOTEL 1.30PM

LOKI HOUGH, 5PM DJ WILL

CONNELL

BYRON TWILIGHT MARKET

4PM HAYLEY GRACE

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 4.30PM

JOCK BARNES

OCEAN SHORES COMMUNITY CENTRE 10AM & 2PM KHENTRUL

LODRÖ T’HAYÉ RINPOCHE – ‘TRANSFORMING SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS’

MULLUMBIMBY CIVIC

HALL 4PM FLICKERFEST – BYRON ALL SHORTS –NORTHERN RIVERS SHORT FILM COMPETITION, 8PM FLICKERFEST – SHORT

LAUGHS COMEDY

MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 7PM RAGGA JUMP

BILLINUDGEL HOTEL 4PM

NUDGE NUDGE WINK WINK

FEAT. DJS PHIL PERRY, LUSTR, DALE STEPHEN & LORD SUT

CLUB LENNOX 7PM THE DETECTIVES

BALLINA RSL BOARDWALK

6PM LUKE BENNET

CHERRY STREET SPORTS CLUB, BALLINA, 8PM FAT ALBERT METROPOLE, LISMORE, 7PM NATHAN KAYE + DJ SLINKY & TRIPLE NIP

MURWILLUMBAH SERVICES

CLUB 6PM MARK AITKEN

KINGSCLIFF BEACH BOWLS

6PM LEIGH JAMES

SEAGULLS, TWEED HEADS, 7.30PM COMEDY NIGHT

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 8PM HERMAN’S HERMITS

SUNDAY 3

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, JOCK BARNES BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 4.30PM HARRY NICHOLS BAND + DJ DAN NORTHEY + DJ MATHIAS THOMSEN

BYRON THEATRE 4PM

BALLINA RSL LEVEL ONE

10.45AM BALLINA COUNTRY

MUSIC CLUB, BOARDWALK

2.30PM SUNDAY BLUES CLUB

SCREENING: RIVERTREE BYRON COMMUNITY MARKET

9AM JESSE MORRIS TRIO, HENRY WEST & CHEYNNE MURPHY

KARKALLA, BYRON BAY, 10AM FRANK SWABY

NORTH BYRON HOTEL

12.30PM COLIN BULLOCK, 4PM DJ ABEL EL TORO

THE FARM, BYRON BAY, 1.30PM UPBEAT

THE NORTHERN, BYRON BAY, 7PM STAVROZ + HUSA & ZEYADA & MOONTIDE

HOTEL BRUNSWICK 4PM SIR ARCHER

OCEAN SHORES

COMMUNITY CENTRE

10AM & 2PM KHENTRUL

LODRÖ T’HAYÉ RINPOCHE

– ‘TRANSFORMING

SUFFERING AND HAPPINESS’’

SESSIONS TAYLORMADE

SHAWS BAY HOTEL, BALLINA, 3PM SUNDAY SESSIONS FT. MATTY ROGERS BAND

ELTHAM HOTEL 2.30PM

ANDREW MORRIS

LISMORE CITY BOWLO 2PM

LISMORE JAZZ CLUB –INGRID JAMES + LIBOR

SMOLDAS QUARTET

THE LEVEE, LISMORE, 4PM MICKA SCENE, LUKE

VASSELLA AND BURNING HANDS

CUDGEN SURF CLUB, KINGSCLIFF, 3.30PM X-PORT TRIO

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 6.30PM DANIEL O’DONNELL

MONDAY 4

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, CHRIS FISHER

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6PM ADAM HARPAZ

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 7.30PM

DANIEL O’DONNELL

TUESDAY 5

MIDDLE PUB, MULLUMBIMBY, 3PM OPEN-MIC WITH THE SWAMP CATS

WANDANA BREWING CO., MULLUMBIMBY, 4PM DJ

DANE

LENNOX PIZZA 4PM CHRIS DEL MAR

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, SARAH GRANT

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6PM AKOVA

METROPOLE, LISMORE, 6.30PM OPEN MIC WITH CHRIS FISHER

TWIN TOWNS, TWEED HEADS, THE SHOWROOM 11AM NOSTALGIA

WEDNESDAY 6

RAILWAY HOTEL, BYRON BAY, JON J BRADLEY

BEACH HOTEL, BYRON BAY, 6PM JOSH LEE HAMILTON BYRON THEATRE 1PM

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: VANYA, 7PM SHAHAR HASON AND YOHAY SPONDER

BANGALOW BOWLO 7.30PM BANGALOW BRACKETS OPEN MIC

ELTHAM HOTEL 7PM NOT QUITE FOLK JAM

seven entertainment

UPDATE REGARDING KHENTRUL LODRO THAYE RINPOCHE’S RETURN TO BYRON SHIRE

The public talk in Mullumbimby on Wednesday, February 28 has been cancelled, but the weekend teachings on March 2 and 3 at the Ocean Shores Community Centre will continue as planned.

For more information on these events, please email australia@katog.org.

SHORT FILM AWESOMENESS

Flickerfest and iQ are back, Thursday to Saturday at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall. Go on a remarkable cinematic journey from global to local with 40+ of the very best short films from Australia, the world and our Northern Rivers backyard.

Enjoy the most inspiring and entertaining short films on offer, handpicked from over 3,400 entries received for Flickerfest’s Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival.

On Thursday the doors open at 7pm. Join the party on opening night, and at 8pm catch nine incredible shorts in the Best Of International Shorts program, including the not-to-be-missed Spanish drama The Masterpiece, recently awarded The Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and Special Jury Prize at Flickerfest.

On Friday at 8pm celebrate Aussie talent in the Best Of Australian Shorts program with award winners Cold Water, starring industry legend Bruce Spence and Yeah The Boys, with a stunning soundtrack from the Avalanches. Local Northern Rivers shorts Djalbuyan Nahra by Jahvis Loveday, and Living With It, by Lennox Head-born and raised Mobina Rowhani also shine.

Saturday at 2pm everyone's welcome at the free Short Film Panel as we go behind the scenes with local filmmaker Jahvis Loveday and the crew of Djalbuyan Nahra

Saturday at 4pm celebrate more local talent at the 19th year of Byron All Shorts with an incredible 13 impressive shorts showcasing the talent of our region's creators. At 8pm clever comedy also brings joy to the big screen with the Short Laughs Comedy program of hilarious Flickerfest shorts from home, and around the world. For the full program and tickets go to www.iQ.org.au.

Set high on the hillwithin Suffolk Park,with the dramaticnature-scape ofsandstone cliffs dividing the beach suburb fromCoopers Shoot, sits a homethat canonly be likened to a land-borne super yacht with ocean views! The architectural build quality is something to behold, equal to thebreathtakingviews.This is beach acreage at itsabsolute best!

The home was built in 2008 and up-kept stunningly.Minutes to townby car or accessible bybike you will find Tallow Beach, shops,schools, restaurants and everything a beach lifestyle promises. This is a privately tuckedaway 3 acres that nobody knows about until now. The home is powerfullybuilt with attractive geometry, classic design elementswith no expense spared from top to bottom.

Property / Business Directory

Privacy, Space & Tranquillity

•Spacious open-plan living and kitchen with gorgeous hardwood spotted gum flooring

•Offering three bedrooms, all with walk-in robes, two bathrooms (including one en-suite), a home office, and three generous garages

•6.25Kw solar system & solar water heating

•120,000L rainwater storage

•240m frontage along Emigrant Creek, complete with a serene swimming hole

ADDRESS:

236 Friday Hut Road, Tintenbar

AGENT:

Barb Joblin 0438 866 264 barbj@professionalsballina.com.au

PRICE:

Stunning hinterland location between Byron Bay and Coolangatta with all retreat facilities.

A sanctuary at the intersection of barefoot luxury with a unique lifestyle offering.

A leader in wellness tourism with a strong cashflow.

Evolve Sanctuary is on the market for the first time. The Sanctuary is a 7.9-hectare natural haven situated in Northern NSW in one of the world’s most spectacular rainforest settings. This beautiful property is currently home to a thriving retreat business and represents a rare chance to invest in a property with an excellent cashflow and a coveted lifestyle.

A unique offering with flexibility.

Evolve Sanctuary was established in April 2021 and is successfully owner operated. The current owners have invested in infrastructure and accommodation and have been hosting retreats onsite since that time.

“Vick

She is very easy to work with and it feels like we’ve known each other for years! She is kind, supportive and wise with her extensive experience.”

Mullumbimby

0413 003 301

Mindfulness

Certified

Must

Community at Work

On The Horizon

DEADLINE NOON FRIDAY

Email copy marked ‘On The Horizon’ to editor@echo.net.au.

Unmasked in Lismore

Do you identify as autistic or maybe you are wondering? Would you like to meet other people from your neuro-tribe? Unmasked in Lismore is a new autistic adults meet up that is gently facilitated and neurodiversity led. Unmasked meet on the last Wednesday of every month from 6-7pm (except March). The next meetings are on 28 February and 20 March. Places are limited so please grab your spot by texting ‘RSVP & YOUR NAME’ to 0413 358 457 before the date. For more info see the ADULTS tab under MORE at: www. stepboldlyspeechpathology.com. au/. Please text if you would like to bring a support worker or partner as we prioritise autistic adults. Gold coin donation to cover costs. No referral, NDIS or organisational affiliations.

Independent Retirees

The next meeting of the Association of Independent Retirees (AIR) will be held on Friday, 1 March, at Ballina

will be open from 9.30 for ‘catch-up’ before the meeting. Guest speaker is Ian McBean, from Sunshine Sugar. Attendance fee of $5 is payable at each meeting. All enquiries to Secretary Bob Taylor on 04521 972 192.

BV Probus Club

The Brunswick Valley Probus Club

meeting is on Tuesday, 5 March at 10am at the Ocean Shores Country Club. After our meeting we will be holding our annual AGM. Come along and vote your club officers in. Visitors welcome. For enquires ring Margaret on 6680 3316.

Cancer Support Group

The Byron Bay General Cancer Support Group has been running for six years and welcomes new participants. The aim of the group is to provide a safe, supportive and friendly environment for people with cancer to discuss how they are feeling and connect with other people with cancer. Meetings run every four weeks on the first Tuesday of the month at 10am. The next meeting is on

Services Club, Jonson St, Byron Bay. For more information Contact the Cancer Council on 13 11 20.

BV VIEW Club

The Brunswick Valley VIEW Club

(BVVC) is supporting the Smith Family Foundation to help children with their education. The BVVC is sponsoring seven disadvantaged children to continue their education. The next BVVC luncheon meeting, with guest speaker from Byron Shire Council, is on 14 March at Brunswick Bowling Club, Brunswick Head. Start at 10:30. Apologies to Wenda on 0449 563 580 no later than Monday before or email wjhunt@yahoo.com.au.

Tough Guys Book Club

The book club for the thinking man. You don’t need to be tough. Meets at Ballina Sports Club, 7pm on the first Wednesday of every month. Completely free. https://www. toughguybookclub.com.

Author in conversation

Join local author PA Thomas in conversation about his debut novel, The Beacon, a page turning murder mystery that is set in Byron Bay. Kingscliff Library Wednesday, 28 February at 10.30am. Bookings

month at 10am The next is on Tuesday, 7 March at the Byron Bay at 10 30am. essential 6685 8540.

DEADLINE NOON FRIDAY

Please note that, owing to space restrictions, not all entries may be included each week. Email copy marked ‘Regular As Clockwork’ to editor@echo.net.au.

Mullumbimby District Neighbourhood Centre

Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre is open Monday–Friday 9am–4pm (closed 12.30–1.30pm for lunch). We offer a variety of services. Everyone is welcome. Call reception on 6684 1286.

Some of our services include: Flood recovery support service: personalised, long-term support for those impacted by the floods. Community support: food parcels, meals, showers, assistance with electricity bills. Work Development Orders.

Listening Space: free counselling.

More Than A Meal: free community lunch Tuesday–Thursday 12.30–1.30pm.

Financial counselling

Staying Home, Leaving Violence program: Information, referral, and advocacy.

Gulganii affordable pantry shop: located at 3 Bridgeland Lane.

Orange Sky: free laundry service Mon morning & Wed afternoon.

To enquire about accessing any of these services call reception 6684 1286, check our website www.mdnc.org.au, or follow us on Facebook or Instagram. @ mullumbimbyneighbourhoodcentre.

Byron Community

The Byron Community Centre provides community services and programs including meals, advocacy and counselling for locals in need. Fletcher Street Cottage: A welcoming, safe and respectful space where people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness can come to get practical relief opportunities, find connections

and access broader support.

Fletcher Street Cottage services are open Tuesday–Friday. Breakfast: Tuesday–Friday, 7–9am. Showers and laundry: Tuesday–Friday, 7am–12pm. Office support: Tuesday–Friday, 9am–12pm. Support appointments: Individual support appointments with community workers or specialist services. For bookings please call 6685 6807. Fletcher Street Cottage, 18 Fletcher St, Byron Bay. More info: www. fletcherstreetcottage.com.au.

Byron Community Cabin: Seniors Computer Club (school term only), 9–11am, Friday, Carlyle Steet. More info: www.byroncentre.com.au Phone: 6685 6807.

Low-cost or free food

Food Box Thursdays 9.30–11.30am at Uniting Church, Mullumbimby. You may purchase cheap food, obtain free veges, and enjoy a cuppa. The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores has food relief available for anyone doing it tough, please contact us on 0434 677747 if you find yourself doing it tough. No ID or Concession Card required. NILs referral service also available. Check Facebook page The Hub Baptist Ocean Shores for details. Liberation Larder Takeaway lunches and groceries Monday and Thursday 12 till 1pm. Fletcher Street end of the Byron Community Centre.

Respite Service

Byron Shire Respite Service delivers high-quality respite care to a broad range of clients throughout the Byron, Ballina and Lismore shires. Donations welcome: Ph 6685 1921, email fundraiser@byronrespite.com.au, website: www.byronrespite.com.au.

Alatee e n meeting

Alateen meeting every Thursday at 5–6pm. Do you have a parent, close

5–6pm. Do you have a parent, close friend or relative with a drinking problem? Alateen can help. For 8–16-year-olds meet St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church Hall, 13 Powell Street, corner of Florence Street Tweed Heads. Al-Anon family groups for older members at the same time and place. 1300 ALANON 1300 252 666 www. al-anon.org.au.

ACA

Adult Children of Alcoholic Parents and/or Dysfunctional Families (ACA) help & recovery group meets in Lismore every Friday 10–11.30am, Red Dove Centre, 80 Keen Street. Byron meetings are on Tuesdays at 7pm via Zoom – meeting ID 554 974 582 password byronbay.

Drug support groups

Call Alcoholics Anonymous 1800 423 431 or 0401 945 671 – 30 meetings a week in the Shire – www.aa.org.au. Are you experiencing difficulties and challenges because of the alcohol or drug use of someone close to you? Learn coping skills and gain support from others. Narcotics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. For information and meetings call 1300 652 820 or text your postcode to 0488 811 247. www. na.org.au. Are you concerned about somebody else’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups meetings held Fridays at 2pm by Zoom. 1300 252666 www. al-anon.org.au.

Support after suicide

StandBy provides support to people who have lost someone to suicide. They provide free face-to-face and telephone support and are accessible 24/7. Follow-up contact is available for up to one year. Find out more at: www.

Lennox Head surfer Nixie Ryan was a good wave short in the final of the Port Stephens Pro so had to settle for second place behind World Junior Champion Sierra Kerr last week.

The World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1,000 event final took place

The Mullumbimby men’s water polo team sit on top of the Far North Coast competition table after beating their major rivals, the Alstonville Rattle Snakes 8–4, earlier this week.

After 17 rounds the team is on top of the table and well set for the competition finals scheduled for March.

Mullumbimby, the defending champions have only lost two games this season.

‘We have a pretty solid squad with some experienced players, and in this league that experience goes a long way,’ according to Pim Hendrix, who has been playing with the team for the last seven years.

‘We have players that have competed at a higher level, both in the big cities, nationally and internationally. This then trickles down

in small waves (0.6 metre) at Birubi Beach.

After three waves each in the final Kerr (9.43) and Ryan (9.40) were neck-and-neck, but Kerr then picked up by far the best wave of the final, worth 7.50, and Ryan was left languishing.

Despite the narrow loss

Ryan left Birubi Beach with an improved ranking.

Jordy Lawler (Narrabeen, NSW) won the men’s division ahead of Winter Vincent (Northern Beaches).

Competitors now shift their focus to the Central Coast Pro QS 3,000, which is set to commence on March 4.

to lift the less experienced players,’ he said. A lot of the other teams have players who have been around locally for a long time, but don’t necessarily have the depth that Mullumbimby does, ‘across the team,’ he said.

Despite the high physically demands and competitive nature of the game, it is still a sport you can play well as you get older. Pim was recently at the World Master Games and water polo players there who were well into their 70s.

Byron Tri Club overcomes adversity

The Byron Tri Club had 18 participants finish in the top ten at the Tweed Enduro last Saturday, backing up their triumph at South West Rocks two weeks ago.

The club sits at the top of the North Coast Triathlon League with 89 points with the Yamba Stingrays (83) and Coffs Harbour Rockets (80) in hot pursuit.

‘The race felt like a rollercoaster ride, starting with an exceptionally fast swim and ride. However, things got challenging when we had to turn around into the wind at the halfway point during the ride and face the extreme humidity during the run,’ BTC organiser Deb Fuller said.

‘We really had to push ourselves to stay at the top of the leaderboard’.

Jaime Cascajares entered into the Men’s Open category where he secured second place. Similarly, Gracie

Richter clinched second place in the females overall.

David Mildren had an unforgettable race. Despite swimming 1.1km, enduring two flat tyres during the 90km ride, and assisting a marshal who had flipped his motorcycle and needed help, David still managed to

Tintenbar-East Ballina (TEB) senior cricketers face a stern test to make it through to the finals of the LJ Hooker first grade league after losing to Casino in their most recent two day-game.

The loss allowed Casino to leapfrog past them on the table and into fourth place on a total of 30 points. TEB are also on 30 competition points but have an inferior win/loss record.

There is just one game remaining in the regulalr competition (starting March 16) and to get back on top of Casino and qualify for the fourth finals cricket spot, TEB will have to topple secondplaced Marist Brothers.

Casino will face-off

complete the 21.1km run and secure a podium finish with third place, in a time of 4 hours and 43 minutes.

‘It was a day filled with sweat, laughs and lots of ‘ouch’ moments. But it looks like we maxed out on points again and that’s what makes it all worth it,’ Deb said.

against the Ballina Bears, who are currently in eighth position with just one win for the season.

In their fixture, played at Casino earlier this month, TEB sent Casino in to bat. They recovered from 2/17 to score 155 off 63 overs.

In reply TEB could muster just 120 from 35 overs.

We would love to run all kinds of local sport on these pages so please send your photos and stories to sport@echo.net.au.

Nixie Ryan taking on the small waves at Birupi Beach. Photo Surfing NSW, Peter Boskovic

Mullumbimby’s Davide Finotti takes a shot. Photo supplied

A Casino batter shows solid defence on a ‘tacky’ wicket in Casino earlier this month. Photo supplied

Byron Tri Club athietes hit the water as they start the swim leg of the Tweed Enduro last weekend. Photo supplied

In response to last week’s article on the challenges independent small breweries are facing, Paul Brewer from Pickled Pig Brewery contacted The Echo to say his small business also faces the same issues. His brewery was not included in the list of local breweries. For more info visit www.pickledpigbrewery.com.au.

On International Women’s Day, March 8, the Byron Chamber is presenting a panel of inspirational women who have been paving the way in their respective industries. Speaking from 5.30pm at the Byron Theatre’s Veranda Bar will be J’aimee SkipponVolke, Annie O’Rourke, Sarah Beardmore and Donna Kildea. To grab a ticket, visit events. humanitix.com/byron-sbadass-women-of-business.

with ‘significant local tech entrepreneurs’.

that nearly all federal politicians have accepted gifts from Qantas, while at least

92 per cent of politicians are members of the airline’s Chairman’s Lounge.

In an effort to support the wellbeing of Palestinian children, Clunes artist Trevor Thomas has created handpainted resin artworks with the Palestinian flag adorned with a golden symbol of peace (diameter 220mm). He says he is donating 50 percent of the proceeds to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. You can find Trevor at the local Sunday markets (rotating between Bangalow, The Channon, Byron Bay, Uki), or by calling 0409 844 603.

A Qld opal miner with a vision to make his opals more accessible to millions worldwide via virtual reality is hosting a free event at Coorabell Hall on Thursday, February 29 from 5.30pm. Goonengerry resident Josiah Kotzur will be joined by co-founders Malcolm and Oliver Robertson along

The Byron Writers Festival’s annual membership drive is underway, and organisers say if you join or renew before March 3, there are prizes on offer. For more information, visit www. byronwritersfestival.com.

This year’s Ocean Shores Art Expo theme will be Myths & Stories, and organisers are inviting local artists to submit their works for the upcoming November exhibition. President Elizabeth Tomlinson says, ‘The art expo is a registered charity. This is the 21st year of the expo, and we need ongoing sponsorship from the business community to continue.’ To get involved visit www.osartexpo.com.

To paraphrase US comedian George Carlin: ‘It’s one big Qantas lounge club, and you ain’t in it.’ Crikey has revealed