Heartbeat Bangalow’s
free l april 2013 No.168 l Celebrating the Life and Times of the local Community
Like a dash of water with that? The record wet spell is just one in a line of deluges that have plagued Bangalow over the years. See our story on page 18, and our rain chart on page 5. Sure has made the local waterfalls spectacular though.
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editorial Scouts tell us that Julia made a visit to Bangalow on Friday, 22 March, unfortunately too late for us to bring you photos. Maybe next issue? This issue, however, is packed with news of coming local events and reports: a new tourism campaign, a public meeting to discuss the weir options, three pages of gardening information and much more. We report the sad passing of a well-loved local identity on page 13, on the gardening pages to honour this keen gardener. If you’re not tired of hearing about the
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weather, we have some old photos on page 18 of floods in downtown Bangalow in past times. The last I remember was in January 2006. The answer to our March mystery pic – where was this taken? – on the footbridge over the highway leading to the cemetery. Our April mystery photo is also our cover shot. No doubt everyone will recognise this lovely spot. Apologies to Dayne Thompson, who was not credited as the photographer for our March cover and the Harvest article on page 14. Di Martin
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Joanna is responsible for the website, ensuring our past and future locals keep their fingers on the digital Heartbeat pulse. Having transferred to Southern Cross Uni to complete her Media Communications degree back in 1995, Joanna worked at the pub whilst putting herself through uni and there she met her husband, Craig Wilkinson. They are now partners in Camwil Palms at Newrybar. Even though she no longer lives in town she is very much part of the community, with her two girls Kyra and Amelia attending the childcare centre and with her involvement in the Heartbeat. “My heart always belongs in Bangalow!” www.heartbeat.net.au PO Box 132 Bangalow NSW 2479 Editors: Dianne Martin 6687 2592 Ruth Kirby Email: editors@heartbeat.net.au Advertising: Janelle Saunders 0422 069 861 advertising@ www.heartbeat.net.au Email: advertising@heartbeat.net.au heartbeat.net.au PO Box 132 Bangalow Production: allieleo@bigpond.net .au
B A N G A L OW ’ S H E A R T B E AT
For the
Niels Arup Design
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When Niels packed his bags to move from Sydney to the hills of Eureka he not only brought his beloved, his hound and a huge music collection, he carried many publishing skills. He is a graphic artist and wordsmith with a finely honed appreciation of photography. In preparation for his position on Heartbeat he was a long-serving art director on Belle magazine, a senior designer on the Sydney Morning Herald, and the founding art director for InStyle magazine in Australia. In an earlier life he worked as an illustrator and in the advertising industry. More recently he has developed an intimate knowledge of mowing, brush-cutting and weed control – especially the dreaded Madiera vine.
Editorial Team: Judy Baker, Marika Bryant, Tony Hart, Lyn Plummer, Brian Sundstrom, Christobel Munson Sub Editor: Helen Wilson Distribution: Bangalow Post Office, Brian Sundstrom, Peter Bradridge Web Pages: Wendy Gray Brian Sundstrom Accounts: Rob DISCLAIMER. Campbell This newsletter is published by Bangalow’s Heartbeat Incorporated PO Box 132 NSW 2479. Distribution: Bangalow P.O., Neville Chariman: Maloney Hon. Editors Dianne Martin, Ruth Kirby, Hon Sec/
Brian Sundstrom, Peter Ad Production: Allie Leo NSW 2479 Public Officer Neville Maloney. Membership is open Bradridge, Neil McKenzie Design: Niels Arup Editors: Dianne Martin DISCLAIMER. This news-letter is published by Bangalow’s Heartbeat Incorporated Boxpostal 132 district. NSW The 2479. to all adult residents of PO the 2479 Website: Joanna Wilkinson Editorial team: Judy Baker, 6687 2592 opinions expressed by individual not Hon Editors Dianne Martin; Hon Sec/Public Officer Helen Wilson. Membership is contributors open to allare adult Rob Campbell Don Brown, MarikaRuth Bryant,Kirby,Accounts: Ruth Kirby necessarily shared by the Editors and other members residents of the ‘2479’ postal opinions contributors not necessarily Chairman: Nevilleexpressed Maloney by ofindividual Sophie Clare, Tony Hart,district. The Email: editors@heartbeat. the Association committee. are While every reasonshared by theRobin Editors and Lyn other members of the Association committee. While every reasonable effort is made Osborne, Plummer, net.au able effort is made to publish accurate information, Bangalow’s Heartbeat Inc. no responsibility Benny Saunders, Sally Cover photo: Benny Saundersaccurate to publish information, Bangalow’s Heartbeat Inc. accepts no responsibility foraccepts statements made or for statements made or opinions expressed. Advertising: Janelle Saunders Schofield, Andrea Sturgeon,
opinions expressed.
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local news
Byron’s 2020 vision looks inland A new campaign looks to encourage the older, wealthier and more responsible tourist to visit the hinterland It seems fair to suggest that most Byron Shire residents and many of its visitors feel the Bay – although less so the hinterland – is already reeling under the strain of visitor numbers. So it may be surprising to learn that the Visitor Industry Association (ViA) Byron, the Shire’s official tourist organisation, is mounting a four-month, $160,000 marketing campaign aimed at starting a process to double the number of overnight visitors (and their expenditure) by the year 2020. Of late what’s tarnished the Byron Bay ‘brand’ is the minority of generally younger visitors who have presented a security risk to the unlucky or the incautious, or made life miserable for those living near their accommodation. According to ViA the 1524 years group comprises 22.7 per cent of domestic overnight visitors to the Shire. For now at least, ViA doesn’t want this number to rise: the campaign will explicitly target 35-44 year olds (21.1 per cent of visitors) and mid-life couples with no kids (15 per cent). The belief is that these groups can holiday outside school vacations, have high disposable incomes and are likely to stay for multiple nights. Another key objective of the strategy is to “disperse overnight visitors throughout the Shire to nearby towns and villages for a full Byron Shire experience”. Given the shortage of hinterland accommodation, ‘overnight’ in this context does not mean staying in, say, Bangalow, Mullumbimby or Ocean Shores, but undertaking day trips and spending money,
Getting tourists out of Byron and into the surrounding areas is the aim of the campaign
as ViA board president Cameron Arnold explained to Heartbeat. “These market segments are mostly self-driving, so they’re able to get around. Encouraging their dispersal Shire-wide is vital. We want them to venture out from Byron Bay to experience the hinterland attractions. This is a core part of the strategy, and it’s essential for the prosperity of the shops, cafes and restaurants.” Eve Heath, a Bangalow Chamber of Commerce representative on the ViA Board, agrees heartily. “The fact is that if the village’s businesses had to rely on locals we simply wouldn’t be able to survive. Some people might think that Bangalow has enough visitors already, and sure, main street parking can be an issue. But visitors are vital for the health of the hinterland.” Ms Heath strongly supports the dispersal component of the marketing campaign, which is being co-funded by a variety of Byron Shire businesses and organisations as
well as the NSW Government. For a minimal outlay, Bangalow will receive advertising and other exposure. It will also get its name on the map – in fact, on the 100,000 ‘visitor trails’ maps that will be distributed through tourist centres and other outlets. “I’m not alone in thinking ViA Byron is doing a fabulous job, and I look forward to seeing the results of this campaign,” Ms Heath said. Cameron Arnold is similarly enthusiastic, but concedes that the campaign is only part of a much larger, long-term effort to position Byron Shire as a diverse destination for a diversity of visitors. He said this includes the 15-24 year old market, which needs to be targeted – and not just by the police – in an effort to encourage more responsible behavior when they visit what is perhaps the most appealing holiday destination on Australia’s east coast. Robin Osborne
Bangalow
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the environment
Back to the future: On March 13, Byron Shire councillors unanimously voted down a staff recommendation to demolish part of the Bangalow weir. A motion was carried to await the results of an upcoming public meeting to consider an independent engineering report on the damage to the century-old weir and its pool where generations of Bangalow people learned to swim. The weir, pool and park have been the heart of community life for much of that time. The weir was undermined by tree roots almost three years ago. Nothing was done and eventually part of it collapsed. The water level dropped over a meter in short time, leaving platypus and other burrows high and dry.
One school of thought is to repair the weir and bring the water level back to where it was. However it’s not a simple matter of “just put it back”. Government authorities have stated detailed assessment is required before substantial repair is permitted. Fish passage has been restricted by the height of the weir, and not only does a fishway appear to be mandated by the authorities, it would be environmentally responsible to install one. However the higher the weir, the more difficult and expensive the fishway will be. Others are of the opinion the original weir height and large pool are not needed now that swimming carnivals don’t happen (formerly a big thing in the old pool), but still want to be able to swim there. Some
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height in the middle may be practical. NSW Health doesn’t support swimming there because it’s “in an agricultural catchment”. There’s also no conflict with the proposed new Bangalow swimming pool as they have different values for different groups. Tourism has suffered over the past three years. When they see the ugly fence, weedy grubby surrounds and broken weir, the many visitors to the park invariably ask “What’s happened to the beautiful pool?” The value of the park as a place for young people to gather, who may be otherwise playing computer games, has also been lost. The engineering report by respected company WBM has looked in detail at most of the questions around the weir and delivered
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Bangalow Weir their report to Council. It can be viewed on Council’s website. They concluded there are no insurmountable obstacles to any of the four options they developed, partly in response to a community meeting attended in February 2012 by over 90 people. A major feature of the WBM report was to put some dollar costs on those options. It looked at weir removal (to make it simple, this is a weir/water height of zero) and making the area safe. This ‘back to nature’ option would cost $115,000. Repairing the weir to a height of 0.9 meters (just below the concrete floor of the kids’ pool) with a rock fishway, would carry a possible cost of $290,000, of which about $200,000 would be in materials and the rest for geotechnical investigation and design. (We wouldn’t want it washing out again if there isn’t a foundation). Plus approvals and project management. Repairing it to a height of 1.2m with rock weir and rock fishway would cost in the order of $320,000, more
APRIL APRIL 2013 2013
if it was concrete. Raising it to the original height of 1.5m would cost some $415,000. These are serious costs and it’s a serious problem. Where will the money come from? Council doesn’t have much. What about the environmental aspects? The report also raises the spectre of “risk” associated with swimming, but states that Council could address this by allowing ‘informal’ swimming as in the past, with a commonsense approach of formal risk assessment by experts. It would also use the same risk plan that always applied – signage to warn of dangers, removing sharp or other risky objects - and keep an overview of its operation. Other people have offered expertise. Tony Baggio is a retired engineer of long international experience who assisted the Golden Beach community with the Helen Street Footbridge. He suggests repairs could be a lot cheaper. Baulderstones, the big highway contracting company, has
previously offered to consider providing some rock. Some people think the weir’s had its day and why not remove it altogether and let the creek do its natural thing. There are a few problems with this option as well. One is the concrete wall on the western side of the pool: it’s being undermined by bank slumping with the present low water level. If it goes and the creek cuts through the bank there, it will have impacts downstream near town where there’s already serious erosion. It’s up to us, the community of Bangalow, to inform ourselves about the benefits and costs of each option then make an informed decision. Councillors have committed to listen to our views. Come along to the public community meeting on Monday, 8 April at St Kevins Catholic Church Hall in Deacon Street, from 6pm – 8pm to learn more about the options raised in the WBM report. MC Mick O’Regan. Gold coin admission to cover costs. David Pont
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community noticeboard BCCC sale postponed Apologies to anyone who turned up at the BCCC for the sale. Organisers decided to postpone it until spring when there will hopefully be better weather. Eds
Anglican Op Shop Sale Our pre winter bag sale is on once again. $5 per bag or, if preferred, half price for any single item of clothing starting Tuesday, 2 April for three weeks ending 19 April. In order to change over to our winter stock we will close on Saturday, 20 April and reopen Monday, 22 April. This month’s charity will be the Westpac Helicopter. We thank all of our supporters who enable us to keep donating to our charities. See you at our sale. Jan Shultz
Bangalow Garden Club The next meeting is at our new venue the Moller Pavilion in the show grounds on Wednesday, 3 April at 1.30 pm. Hazel Sowerby will be in the chair. Many of our members mourn the sudden loss of Lou Dingjan, an enthusiastic supporter of the Garden Club since the mid 1980s. See article on page 13. Helen Johnston
Have your say re CSG The end of the Bangalow survey process is approaching. If, for any reason, you have not been
approached by a surveyor to ask your view, please contact the Bangalow coordinator, Bianca Ferrari on 6687 2511 to be able to respond to the question: ‘Do you want your road/land to be gasfield free?’ Answers can be Yes, No, or Not Sure. Results to be announced on survey completion. Christobel Munson
032591 Account 236213 and indicate name. Tickets may be available at the door unless sold out beforehand. For movie details see www.travellingflicks. com Enquiries: newrybarhall@ gmail.com or 6687 8443. This event is a fundraiser for Newrybar Hall. Ian Duncan
Chamber news
Just a reminder to everyone: the ‘big poultry auction’ is on Sunday, 21 April at the showground. If you need any type of poultry, whether it is chickens, turkeys, ducks, guinea fowl or finches, they will be up for sale. Furthermore the Annual Poultry Show will be held on 25 May in the poultry pavilion with around 1000 birds posing for the grand champion. Pop the dates in your diary and come along for a fun day out with the family. If you need more information on anything go to the web site bangalowpoultryclub.com.au. Glenda McKenzie
Peter Mortimore and the executive members of the Bangalow Chamber of Commerce wish to say thank you for the support they are receiving from the community. It was a great turnout with over 30 members for the February meeting. The new format will be business after hours, 5-5.30 at the Museum, with nibbles and drinks catered by the Bangalow Museum volunteers and wine donated by Bangalow Cellars, and meeting at 6pm. Hope to see you there. For any enquiries please phone 6687 2222 or mob 0415 389 803. Eva Heath
Newrybar movie dinner
Newrybar Hall in partnership with Travelling Flicks present ‘The Blues Brothers’ at Newrybar Cinema Saturday, 20 April at 7pm. Tickets $30/head, includes a delicious dinner. Tickets from Barebones 6687 1393, Driftlab 6687 0751, and Talisman 6687 4551. Or direct via payment to Newrybar Community Hall BSB
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Bangalow Landcare meeting outcome The future of the Bangalow Landcare and Rivercare Group is still quite uncertain after the meeting we held on Monday, 10 March. A bigger handful of people than come to our work days turned up but no new faces were to be seen. We discussed the input from the
few contacts we had had and came to the conclusion that we will probably wind up the group at the AGM. In the meantime we are running working bees every Saturday morning to gauge support. Consensus seemed to be that Saturday mornings worked for more people and we would try a casual approach to working bees up until the time of the AGM. If you are keen to keep this going, now is the time to show your support. Start time is 8.30am for no more than two hours. If you only have half an hour to spare it would make all the difference. AGM is on Monday, 22 April at 6pm on the verandah of Heritage House in Deacon Street. Call Liz 6687 1309 or 0403 720 950 for more information or find us at the wetland 8.30am Saturdays. Liz Gander
Networking Luncheon For men and women, on Wednesday, 24 April at 12.30 pm at Town, Bangalow. Presenter Francesca Esposito – Rose, from The Like Effect, will answer your concerns about social media. Bookings are essential. Our numbers are limited. Rosemarie Toynbee
Volunteer grants Not-for-profit organisations on the North Coast are encouraged to apply for volunteer grants
Heritage House Tearoom open 10am to 3pm Wednesday - Friday Booking (p) 6687 2183
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worth between $1000 and $5000. Local organisations can use the funding to buy much-needed small equipment items, such as computers or first-aid kits or to contribute to volunteers’ fuel costs, including transport costs for people with disability who are unable to drive, and help fund volunteers’ training courses and background checks. Applications for Volunteer Grants 2013 close at 5pm AEST 24 April. To apply, go to: www. fahcsia.gov.au Press release
Tech Savvy Seniors As part of NSW Seniors Week this week, Telstra and the NSW Government can announce that ACE Community Colleges, Murwillumbah Community College, Coffs Coast Community College, Ballina Region Community College and Byron Region Community College have been confirmed as hosting Tech Savvy Seniors courses in the region. The courses aim to help seniors improve their computer, tablet and smartphone skills with easy-to-understand tutorials. For those unable to attend a course, local libraries in your area are also eligible to receive Tech Savvy Seniors training materials. Telstra Country Wide Area General Manager for North Coast, Sue Passmore, is available to talk further about
the workshops and how locals can benefit. Roxanne Millar
Choralfest It’s early this year. Calling all singers to keep 16 and 17 May free for vocal workshops and concerts. It will be held again in Bangalow’s wonderful variety of halls. Ruth Kirby
Museum News Things have been fairly difficult at the Museum over the past month due to the weather and some changes with our volunteer structure. Trish Bleakley will no longer be managing the Tea Room, stepping back to being a weekly volunteer. Trish has done a fabulous job over the past two years and the committee would like to thank her very much for her dedication, leadership, humour and great cooking. The Museum is always looking for volunteers to help with a wide range of jobs – helping in the Tea Room, cooking cakes and goodies, cleaning, gardening, maintenance, office work, marketing, fundraising. The list goes on. So if you are looking for something to fill in a few hours and want to have a few laughs, please come and see us. We are open Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, or phone me on 6687 2183 (Museum) or 0447 580 920. See page 19 for information about our ANZAC display on
War Brides, exhibiting through April and May, and below for information regarding the spinning and weaving day. Wendy Grissell
Spinning and Weaving at the Museum Lismore Spinners & Weavers will be at the Bangalow Museum on Friday, 3 May with displays of their many and varied fibre crafts. The group will have lots of items available for purchase and, with Mother’s Day not too far away, it might be worth a browse – followed by a lovely morning tea at the Tea Room. Also on offer are two workshops on how to make silk paper, which can then be used like fabric for making items such as purses, bowls, notebook covers or for embroidery. Cost is $20 including all materials plus morning/afternoon tea, and bookings can be made by ringing the Bangalow Museum on 6687 2183. Places are limited. Workshop sessions are at 10.30 am and 1.30 pm. For anyone interested in joining Spinners & Weavers the group meets from 10am on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at McLeans Ridges Hall, Cowlong Road, McLeans Ridges. Or come along on 3 May and have a ‘fibre yarn’ with our enthusiastic group members. Contact me for more details on 6622 2252. Dayle Snail
Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea Northern Region locals are gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cancer Council’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. The official day for this year’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is Thursday, 23 May, but morning teas can be held anytime during the month of May and can be as simple or as extravagant as you like - we’re looking forward to seeing lots of photos! Registering is easy, simply visit www.biggestmorningtea.com. au or call 1300 65 6585 or text HOST to 0400 867 867 to receive your Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea host kit today. Sarah Royall
Better Start for Children with Disability Initiative Children who are eligible for the program can access funding of up to $12,000 (maximum of $6000 per financial year) for a range of early intervention services. Children must register before the age of 6 to be eligible. For more information call the Carer Line at 1800 242 636 or visit us at www.carersnsw.org.au
Red Cross Report Our next meeting will be held on Friday, 5 April at 10am at the RSL Hall. Next issue of Heartbeat we will report on our recent fundraising projects and where the money goes. Dot Gill
North Coast Bookkeeping Services For all your Bookkeeping requirements including BAS, QuickBooks or MYOB ph: 6687 2604 Ian Holden fax: 6687 2893 7 Rosewood Ave, Bangalow book001@bigpond.net.au Member of Australian Bookkeepers Network
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artery
the arts After the final flush of chocolate leaves my brain and the last guest leaves, knowing they have shared another blues space in this ever-green part of the country we are so lucky to abide in (and our road declared CSG free, with yellow sign to prove it) I realise what a colourful world we live in. C’mon, drag yourself out of that pothole and add some colour to your life! Why wait? Creativity is just around the bend........ No space of your own? Try a 12 week residency (October - December) with Regional Arts NSW and Artspace Visual Arts Cenre, partnering up so they can offer us regional and remote (ha ha ha) artists a “contemporary professional environment” in Sydney. Rub shoulders and extend networks with Sydney arts professionals show them just how clever YOU are! More at www.regionalartsnsw.com.au/2013/02/ artspace-ransw-residency/ by 3 May. Or if you don’t want to leave the Northern Rivers (totally understandable)
you can avail yourself of some light-filled, communal space, outdoor work area and gardens with a communal style studio space at the Lismore Art Space. http:// lismoreartspace.net.au: Even closer to home, The Office Collective, Byron’s co-working space, in the Arts and Industry Estate, where you can be an artist-in-residence for a month at a time, bringing your own following with the opp to host a gallery evening in the event space. More info community@ theofficecollective.com.au Hot Shorts is on again with prize money totalling $1500 going to the three writers who deliver an audience-voted Hot Short of around ten minutes duration (simple on stage: no, not the writer, the play, silly) so give it a go if you love to write. Closing date for entries 30 June drillhalltheatre@ gmail.com Theatre Grants to help with operational support to arts organisations (and to
individual artists) are on offer again, so check out www.australiacouncil.gov.au/ by 2 July. More help could be on your way with the Windmill Trust Scholarship for regional NSW artists who need financial assistance to advance their career (put your hand up who doesn’t need a hand out) so contact http://www.visualarts.net. au/grants/windmill-trust-scholarship by 28 May to see if you can be awarded the $5000 annual help-drop. Something for the YOUTH (yeah, kid, I’m talkin’ to you) in a musical cafe for high school aged persons at the Byron Youth Activities Centre. The YAC Rock Cafe is open every Friday night from 5-10pm with jam sessions and performance opps for young bands and musicians with a full PA supplied and an extensive array of instruments available. http://bys.org.au/ byron-community-campus/outreachservices. Marika Bryant
adfas lecture: contemporary art On Monday, 8 April ADFAS (the Association of Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) presents: “Contemporary Art - Trash or Treasure?” by John Neylon. John is an Adelaidebased independent author and curator and formerly Head of Education, Art Gallery of South Australia. He is one of Australia’s most experienced art critics, having worked continuously since the
1980s for the Adelaide Advertiser and currently The Adelaide Review. He lectures in Art History and Theory at the Adelaide Central School of Art. The challenge of contemporary art is that there appear to be no rules of engagement. Anything goes. Or does it? This presentation looks at current trends and explores options for viewers to engage with contemporary art in all its guises:
the good, the bad and the downright inexplicable. Our second event of the year will start at 6.30 in the A&I Hall, Bangalow. Guests are welcome at $25 per lecture. Membership for 2013 is $125 for the eight talks, plus some surprises. Guest fee for members of other societies is $5. For more information contact Hans Mol on 6687 8293 or email myconnexxions@bigpond.com.
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new horizons
luke from the bowlo Sophie Claire, also a newcomer to Bangalow, profiles Luke Wilson in this continuation of the New Horizons series. As an observer sitting at the bar of the Bangalow Bowling Club, it’s apparent what an invaluable place this is and how important it is to local sport and the community. There is a friendly air and sense of belonging as the district cricketers and local lawn bowlers come in for a chat and a beer after their matches. On this busy Saturday afternoon there is a buzz about the place and it’s hard to imagine this club’s absence from the town. Like so many other sporting clubs in rural Australia however, the survival of the Bangalow Bowling Club is under threat. Determined to fight for its survival, the ‘Bowlo’ has recognised the need for action. This is a tricky task indeed: how do you keep a traditional bowling club viable without compromising its original identity? To assist with this task the Bowlo welcomes its new Manager, Luke Wilson. Luke has a solid history in Hospitality and Management, including previous work within similar sporting clubs. Although new to the town, he has a genuine interest in Bangalow and the club. Luke says he is very grateful and excited to be given the opportunity to work with the club and the Bangalow community. When asked about his strategy to strengthen the Bowlo, it’s apparent that Luke genuinely wants this club to belong to the whole community. “It’s a great space and we are looking forward to expanding the range of community events held here”.
Luke intends to encourage the club’s use as a venue for a variety of activities such as live music, fundraisers, meetings and other local events. “We want to make the club really available to the community, and to make it something that is used to its full potential.” Recently the lively and popular Jive Lounge decided to make the Bowlo the location for their monthly event. It is activities such as these that Luke hopes to attract more frequently to the club.
In addition, Luke emphasises the need to keep the club local by employing local people and maintaining the club’s sporting identity. “While we need to expand our activities to keep the club operational, we want to ensure its sporting functionality, history and identity are not lost.” To get involved or find out more about what’s on at the Bowlo, visit the website at www.bangalowbowlo.com.au or drop in and say ‘Hi’ to Luke and the team.
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the person behind the job
getting the mail This month’s person behind the job is Nicole Swain, licensee of Bangalow’s Post Office. Don Brown reports. Nicole has a strong family association with our region, having grown up in Newrybar and attended Newrybar Primary and Alstonville High before taking a Science degree in Brisbane. A specialist in microbiology, she found employment with food giant Nestle, which took her overseas to live in Mexico, Thailand Switzerland, Italy, Spain and other locations. During this period she married and had two sons, Emilio and Sam, now aged 14 and 10. She returned to Newrybar when Emilio was ready to start school. Emilio is now at Byron High School and Sam is at Bangalow Primary. The boys really enjoy their schools. After the hectic pace of a working life which involved frequent relocations Nicole really appreciates the more relaxed and rewarding job at the Post Office. However there is plenty of work involved, as the licensee must not only manage all the jobs associated with the mail, such as sorting, working with the postal staff and contractors, and carrying out banking and other services, but also the extensive business of the retail section. She loves her excellent team of workers in both the mail and retail business areas and it makes for a friendly, efficient and fun enterprise. Now in her sixth year she is kept busy planning to make the business more user friendly. Changes in the layout of the working area are necessary as part of a plan to offer a better service in the ever changing postal industry. A greater volume of parcel delivery continues to put pressure on every available space. Nicole loves promoting our quality local
ferrying two very sporty boys to football, soccer, swimming, basketball, futsal, tennis and whatever else is going. Their mum is also a tearaway racer and a star of the Billycart Derby. It’s the only activity in which Nicole could be said to be going downhill fast. Nicole relies on Nicole Swain Photo by Judy Baker her parents, Marie and Gerry, to help with the boys, and couldn’t keep up with her workload without them. Asked about hobbies and pastimes Nicole admits to having shed several of them because of the working hours at the office or on office business elsewhere. Nicole is a regular swimmer across the bay on weekends and is still a keen but irregular reader. Her love of historical fiction in general shows up in her current book choice, Jesse Blackadder’s latest novel, Chasing the Light. Her interest in sketching has been shelved and her garden exploits are enjoyable when she can fit them in. An exhausting eight hour stretch in the garden was necessary after the recent wild weather. In response to the question “Why Bangalow?” Nicole doesn’t hesitate. She loves the friendly, vibrant and creative community which has made the Post Office a hub for meeting people, making friends, and having lots of laughs. Retaining the All the family are keen surf club members village quality of life and supporting local with an interest and skill in surf activities. initiatives are important to her. The people involved in the production Nicole shares this interest and is involved in training year round. Nicole and Emilio of Heartbeat would like to express their do surf patrols together at Main Beach with thanks for the part Nicole plays in the their group, and she acts as an official at distribution of the magazine. It is just one more of her contributions to the life of her surf carnivals. Don Brown The rest of her spare time is taken up with community. products and people. She sees that this is what makes the Bangalow area so amazing, all the talented people who live here. The other foci of Nicole’s busy life are the development of her boys and sports.
Lois Buckett Real Estate Bangalow A Buckett load of service from your Property Management Professionals. 10 10
BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
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Companion Animals Welfare Inc
t: 6685 1444
CAWI provides care and finds homes for unwanted or surrendered animals. We rehabilitate orphaned or sick animals and promote responsible pet ownership. CAWI is run by volunteers and is now raising money to build a BYRON ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTRE. Our main source of income is from our Op Shop and we are always in need of household goods and furniture to sell. Pick up service available
Visit: cawi.org.au for more information or to make donations
APRIL APRIL 2013
2013
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in the garden
attracting pollinating insects It is very fashionable to talk about sustainability and food security. In the next few months and years we will most certainly hear a lot more on those subjects. Pollinating insects play a major role in plant reproduction. These insects include European bees, of course, native bees, some wasps, some flies, butterflies and moths but also beetles. As gardeners, farmers and government authorities we can make a difference at a local and regional level. The basic principle of design for attracting pollinating insects is fairly simple. Bees need a varied diet so try to have a minimum of four different types of plants flowering at the same time. A balance of native and exotic plants will cater for native pollinators as well as European bees. Use open pollinated varieties and avoid the pollen-free hybrids. Plant in multiples and try to layer from the ground up and try to have continuous flowering in your garden through the year. Do not use pesticide or at least choose the least toxic to pollinators. Have a wide range of colour; bees in particular favour the blue spectrum as well as white and yellow flowers. Have a wide range of flower shape as well. Provide water through pebbles or wet sand in hot weather or use plants that hold water such as bromeliads. Some plants for the vegetable garden that are beneficial to pollinating insects are marjoram, sage, coriander, basil, thyme, rosemary, pumpkin, sunflower, chicory, chive, comfrey, borage, passion fruit. For the orchard plant the following: citrus trees, macadamia, banana, avocado, persimmon. In domestic gardens: brachycome, leptospermum, banksia, boronia, dodonea, lemon scented myrtle, ajuga, tradescantia ‘Purple Heart’, salvia, coleus, boronia. The list being very large, remember to vary flower shapes. Butterflies will come more in the morning and bees will come later in the day.
Open Wed - Sun 8am - 5pm Breakfast & Lunch Licensed
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Bee foraging on Abelia grandiflora
Street and parks trees can be used to support pollinating insect biodiversity. This includes all eucalyptus, melaleuca, tristaniopsis, and ficus. Once again councils and other government authorities have a responsibility to increase and protect biodiversity in their local areas. This should not be limited to trees but also shrubs and understorey plants that contribute to nectar production. Finally farming is an important component for the safeguard of pollinators. Agriculture is dependent upon those tiny creatures for productivity. In Europe and North America, the countryside is a more toxic place for pollinators than in the cities, with sometimes 30% less pollinating insects in farming areas than in the urban centres. The European commission is considering restricting the use of certain neonicotinoids. Clover, lucerne, and buckwheat are very attractive to pollinating insects. Farmers reading this article could read the CSIRO article by following the link below: http:// www.ecosystemservicesproject.org/html/
publications/docs/AJAR.pdf Patrick Regnault (MAIH) – www.facebook. com/Interactive.landscapes
Louis Dingjan’s much-loved garden
www.lilianascafe.com.au info@lilianascafe.com.au
BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
Phaseolus giganteus
Vigna caracolla
snail vines There is some confusion over the two varieties of snail vines which grow in this area. Both plants have very similar foliage and are hard to distinguish from each other until they flower. These leguminous plants are native to Central and South America. Vigna caracalla (deriving its name from Portuguese ‘caracol’ meaning snail) is a non invasive creeper which has clusters of beautiful very fragrant lavender and white flowers shaped like a snail or a corkscrew. The flowers fade to cream as they age. Phaseolus giganteus (sometimes called
Vigna speciosa) is an invasive creeper. The flowers of this snail vine are purple to mauve with green or brown immature buds. They do not grow in clusters as Vigna caracalla does and are non fragrant. This snail plant has very rapid growth. It sends out long runners metres in length which take root from the nodes wherever they touch the ground and climb over any other plants in their way. They are a great plant to use if quick cover is needed but must be pruned back regularly and kept under control. They will also flower more heavily if runners are pruned back.
Both vines grow well in full sun or part shade. They prefer heat and humidity and a well drained soil. They flower throughout summer and into autumn and look very attractive on a pergola. The flowers are pollinated by ants and if this occurs seeds will be produced in green bean pods. (Snail bean is another name sometimes used). Plants can be propagated from seeds, cuttings or runners which have taken root. I have both of these vines but my preference is for the Vigna caracalla with its lovely perfume and flower display. Lyn Plummer
Vale Louis Dingjan At the celebration of the life of Louis Dingjan at Melaleuca Station Memorial Gardens on March 1 tributes flowed about the contribution he had made to the Byron Bay, Ewingsdale and Bangalow communities. Lou was born in Holland in 1926 the second eldest in a family of 10 children. He served in Indonesia as a soldier and after leaving the army he initially joined an oil company. This was the beginning of a most successful global business career culminating as President Director of ACI overseeing the largest glass manufacturing in South East Asia. He retired in the mid 1980s and chose this area because of the equable climate.
widely and often, to visit He and his wife Fien built the and spend time with their European styled white house beloved grandchildren. on top of St Helena Hill. Lou was a charismatic, One of his passions in larger than life personality recent years was safety on whose presence invigorated the Pacific Highway over all those with whom he came which he had a bird’s eye into contact. His warmth, view. He attended meetings energy, sense of fun and love of and wrote many letters to people made him a wonderful relevant authorities about the Louis Dingjan friend. He generously helped issues to be considered on this important subject. Lou was a most with business advice to those who sought enthusiastic long standing member of the his guidance and wise counsel. Lou was a truly lovely, charming Bangalow Garden Club and served as the gentleman who lived life to the full and he Public Officer for many years. With their four children living interstate will be sorely missed by so many people and overseas Lou and Fien travelled whose lives he touched. Helen Johnston
GNF bangalow (02) 6687 2833 www.gnfrealestate.com.au APRIL 2013
APRIL 2013
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in the garden Clumping Bamboo on the march into a neighbour’s yard in Bangalow
The recent bad weather has kept council clean- up crews busy clearing away fallen trees on local roads. A significant portion of the giant stands of bamboo at the top of Hayters Hill also came down during the February storms, creating a very messy traffic hazard.
bamboo blind? Back in the 1840s Jane Wilson waited for over three months for her three little pots of South American lantana plants to arrive in Lismore by steamboat. Those three little plants did rather well here. Today’s new settler on the Northern Rivers has instant access to local nurseries with an ever increasing range of exotic plants to choose from. Plants from throughout Asia, which undoubtedly appear to suit this subtropical environment, are very popular. The giant grasses of Asia are already adapting amazingly well here. Bamboo, it could be argued, has the potential one day of making us all feel quite nostalgic for lantana bushes. Bamboo is now being widely planted to provide a fast growing privacy screen between adjoining suburban allotments. This practice can all too soon cause a lot more trouble than it’s worth. Once bamboo plants start blocking out your next door neighbour’s sunlight, filling their yard with flammable debris and marching onward toward their foundations, you are likely to find yourself with a court order and a very expensive removal bill. It’s not that easy to get rid of bamboo once it gets established. Even where poisons are used, bamboo has a very
vigorous habit of bouncing back. Many people assume that the clumping varieties are non invasive and therefore safe to plant. There remains some cause for concern about the long term consequences of introducing exotic bamboos of any kind into this region at all. Depending on the species, bamboo only flowers once every 30 - 100 years and each species does so en masse. After flowering it produces an enormous quantity of seed and then dies. In parts of Northern India, the seeding of imported clumping bamboos has been followed by massive plagues of rats. This has led to devastating famines once the rats run out of seed and then head for the villages. The seed eating animals prevent the bamboo seed from sprouting everywhere. It seems the choice could be either a devastating plague or an impenetrable bamboo forest. Local bamboo enthusiasts do keep the many wondrous building and manufacturing qualities of bamboo in mind when they plant out their gardens. It is a remarkably useful plant. But how many of us are actually cultivating bamboo for any specific use other than blocking out the neighbours or selling more plants? I can’t help noticing that there is already enough bamboo growing around
Bangalow to make an awful lot of cane chairs, blinds and back scratchers. Imagine if you will, years into the future, when these enormous clumps of bamboo all start flowering together and set seed. Then, due to a likely shortfall in local seed eaters, the plants might just start popping up all along our local creek banks just like lantana did all those years ago. Feral bamboo would create an impenetrable wall. What will we do then? Import panda bears? Bamboo loves our wet season but is also very drought resistant and poses a serious fire hazard if planted around your house. Members of local bush fire brigades are already very wary of the giant bamboos. The dry leaf litter is like a touch paper for sparks. When those big clumps do go up in flames, the air filled cavities between the segments explode like bombs. It sounds like a war zone. Call me a bamboo paranoid but I have witnessed and had to remove or learn to live with many exotic plants that have become noxious weeds in this region over the past 40 years. The forward march of bamboo into the future is the only local weed issue that has actually caused me nightmares. Please plant local natives instead. Benny Saunders
www.bangalow.com 14 14
BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
Health & Wellbeing
women’s health naturally
award winning fusion of yoga and pilates mat work Highly experienced Sydney naturopath Susan Garrad is now seeing patients in Bangalow Specialising in: • infertility • Menstrual problems - Endometriosis, PCOS, PMS, painful or heavy periods • Menopause
9.30am - 11am
Call 6687 1121 or visit: www.womenshealth naturally.com.au Suite 6, 20 Byron Street, Bangalow
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Liz Thomas Cally O’Hara Clare Connolly
Sara Goldie
BSc Hons (Psych) MPsych (Clin) MAPS MACPA
Dr Jane Reffell
Womens Health Doctor (Medicare rebates apply)
Janelle Angel
Continence & Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Julie Streckfuss, Bimbi Gray
Osteopathy for Women & Children
Imelda Johnson
Remedial Massage & Myo-articular Therapy
Clinical Psychologist & Psychotherapist Empowering you towards harmony within your self, relationships and life. Suite 4, 20 Byron Street, Bangalow NSW 2479 Ph/Fax: (02) 6687 0431 Mob: 0414 861 653 E: info@saragoldie.com Professional and confidential psychotherapy. Medicare rebates available
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health and wellbeing
stretching your boundaries
We are all told to stretch, but why and how? Stretching should be peaceful, relaxing and non-competitive. It should feel good! The aim of stretching is to reduce muscle tension and promote freer movement. Extreme flexibility is not an objective and overstretching could lead to an injury and discomfort. Stretching before and after exercise will maintain your flexibility. Focus on the muscles being stretched and sustain the stretch to the point where you feel a mild tension, then relax as you hold the stretch. Regulate your breathing and slowly count your breaths for 10 to 30 seconds of approximately six to eight breaths. This will give your muscles time to respond to
your request. What we want is lengthening and relaxation to occur in the muscle. Where the muscle is being stretched is on the muscle spindle, which helps maintain muscle tone and protect the body from injury. When a muscle lengthens, the muscle spindle is stretched and its nerve activity increases. This increased activity causes the muscle fibres to contract and thus resist the stretch. The more sudden the change the stronger the reaction. As you hold a stretch for a prolonged period the muscle spindle habituates and reduces the signal allowing greater lengthening of the muscle. The thing that is more powerful than
the muscle spindle’s response is the golgi signal, the point where muscle is connected to tendon. This is where muscle tension is produced. It relays the change and rate of change of muscle tension to the central nervous system. The golgi signal is important to the body’s ability to protect muscles, tendons and ligaments from injury in extreme circumstances. As you hold a stretch and the muscle tension threshold is reached it triggers the ‘lengthening reaction’ which inhibits muscles from contracting and causes relaxation. So, as you see, holding a stretch allows a lengthening reaction to occur, making it easier to achieve relaxation in a muscle that is not trying to contract. Pay attention to your body - it knows! Pain when stretching is an indication that muscles are being overstretched. It is also good to be aware of your body alignment and balance. Place limbs and torso in positions that will be most effective for that particular stretch. Always protect your lower back from strain by bending at the hips/pelvis. (That is the hinge). Develop your ability to stretch by how you feel and not by how far you can stretch. Tailor your stretching routine to your particular muscle structure, as every person is unique. Take care and your body will reward you. Remember that the smallest amount of stretch is better than none. Happy stretching. Imelda Johnson, Remedial Masseur
bangalow chiropractic • Applied Kinesiology (AK) • Total Body Modification (TBM) • Sacro-Occipital Tech (SOT) • Neuro-Emotional Tech (NET) • Neuro-Organisation Tech (NOT)
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Beauty Therapy - Electrolysis - Make-up Shelley Talbot Beauty Therapist Wednesday & Friday 10am-5pm By appointment
0400 583 654
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shelleytalbot@westnet.com.au BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
health and wellbeing
a healthy history I’m sitting opposite 88-year-old Mavis Jackson at the Bangalow Bowling Club on a cheery Friday night, but I’m having trouble hearing her. The hubbub at the club is due to the fact that they are about to call the member’s draw. But that’s not why I can’t concentrate; I can’t get past her resemblance to my muchloved Nana, also Mavis. I’m here tonight, not only for a platesized chicken parmagiana, but to find women of a certain age who might recall Dr John Lentaigne, a general practitioner in Bangalow for 38 years from 1914. Mavis beams at the mention of his name. “Dr Lentaigne delivered my first baby John, up at the hospital,” smiles Mavis. The year was 1952 and at the time Bangalow boasted a small maternity hospital situated next to the doctor’s homebased surgery; his rooms are now the Bangalow Guesthouse, on Byron Creek. In that year, according to the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, John was the second most popular boy’s name after Peter. Is it, then, just coincidence that Mavis’ first-born bears the name of the doctor who delivered him? “Well, sort of,” she smiles. “I loved Dr Lentaigne and he loved us too. My husband and he were very good friends.” Dr Lentaigne and his wife Eileen Garvey, a nurse, had five daughters. The youngest, Genevieve, went on to study medicine, working in child health and developmental disability until her retirement. “His skill in obstetrics was regarded highly and in a time of non-specialisation, he was often the preferred attendant for delivery of colleague’s children,” says Genevieve Kairaitis (nee Lentaigne) from her home in Sydney. According to Genevieve, her father had strong views on the importance of educational opportunities for women. His daughters, after completing secondary school, all had successful careers in different fields. “He also took great delight in long discussions with the Irish Catholic priests
of the parish on matters both spiritual and temporal,” she says. “There were probably no winners, but much enjoyment, particularly if a drop of whisky was added.” He was known as a friend of ‘the Digger’, treating not only returned soldiers but their wives and children in their fathers’ absence, and without fee. He joked, says Genevieve, that this was his ‘war effort’. Dr Lentaigne served in the Commonwealth
He was known as a friend of ‘the Digger’, treating not only returned soldiers but their wives and children in their fathers’ absence, and without fee. He joked that this was his ‘war effort’.
Reserve Forces from November 1915. This training, says Genevieve, would have come in very handy during the influenza epidemic of 1919, when an emergency hospital was established for patients on the Bangalow showground. When not busy treating the sick and attending to the births of the ladies of the district, Dr Lentaigne indulged his passion for growing dahlias. “The choice of new seedlings, new varieties and names was a yearly affair, except when the occasional high flood waters took most of his stored bulbs,” says Genevieve. At the Bowlo, the chatter has reached fever pitch as the winning member’s number is called. I scan the room and my gaze settles on one of the polished timber boards high on the wall of the dining room. Here, past competition winners and members of the board are immortalised. I see a familiar name etched in gold: Dr John Lentaigne, President 1952. His obituary, published in the Northern Star, 3 December 1952, reveals a man well loved and respected in the community. The town literally shut down for his funeral “which was the largest ever seen in Bangalow”. Dr Lentaigne was clearly dedicated to this community; he continued to practice medicine in our town until a few weeks before his cancer-related death at 66. The warmth and esteem with which the good doctor was held is evident even after 60 years. “He was just like a father to me,” says Mavis. “He liked to talk about the kids and he was good to my mum too. He was just one of the family.” Sally Schofield
Meet the Bangalow Progress Association Want to know what’s going on in Bangalow and what’s likely to affect you? Want to have your say on issues that bother you? The Bangalow Progress Association is APRIL 2013
here to give you a voice and access to local decision makers such as councillors and Roads and Maritime Services. Remember there is strength in numbers.
The Association is holding a ‘get to know you’ public meeting at the Bangalow Bowlo on Wednesday, 23 April starting at 7.30pm. All are welcome. Tony Hart 17
rain rain
Severe weather events The recent wet weather, as well as creating havoc for our primary producers, has had townies (and ‘outies’) swapping recipes for mould removal. A couple of drops of clove oil in water, or baby oil for furniture, seems to be a favourite. See our rainfall graph on page 5 for evidence of the deluges in January and February. Fortunately Bangalow escaped serious flooding this year, unlike in times past, as can be seen in the photos below provided by Terry Bleakley. Eds
Byron Creek flood 1926 Deacon Street 1954
Flood 1981
Byron Street flood 1926
Flood 1981
NRWC – Helping in times of crisis for 20 years When ex-tropical cyclone Oswald lashed the Northern Rivers over the Australia Day weekend, trees came down bringing with them families of possums and birds. Severe storms, that bring with them wind, rain and hail, impact upon tree-dwelling animals and birds the most. Without shelter or reprieve, birds quickly become exhausted and waterlogged. Belted by the strong wind, rain and falling branches, many birds were rescued with significant injuries. During these times, the Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers is there to assist the community to respond - whether 18
through the rescue of an individual bird or the coordinated response to a mass event, sometimes involving thousands of animals. The volunteer organisations run a 24 hour emergency hotline service, and coordinate the rescues of injured and orphaned wildlife across an area which spans from Ocean Shores in the north to New Italy in the south, and from Byron Bay in the east to Tabulam in the west. Our next introductory training course will be held in Lismore on Sunday, 21st April. For further information or to book, ring 6628 1866 or email training@ wildlifecarers.com.
Baby squirrel gliders abandoned when their tree home was brought down in storms.
BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
local events
anzac day This year Anzac Day falls on Thursday, 25 April. All ex-servicemen and women are invited to take part in the Bangalow commemorations. The parade will assemble at Memorial Park, near the round-about at 10.30 am, ready for the march down Byron Street and to the RSL Memorial Hall in Station Street. A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Cenotaph and this includes the Last Post and Reveille. At the conclusion everyone is invited to the short traditional Anzac service in the hall, followed by an Anzac address. Accompanying the parade will be members of the 41st Battalion, a Drum Party, WW2 jeeps, and community and school groups. In recent years the crowds at the Bangalow commemorations have increased in size with more young people attending and as the centenary of Anzac approaches, there is a growing interest in the Anzac story.
At Bangalow School Every Saturday morning 9.30am -11.30am
Enquiries to Col Draper, Hon. Secretary of Bangalow RSL Sub-Branch, phone 6624 5560. Chris Gray
ACCOUNTANT Possum Business Services Rob Campbell CPA
PO Box 93 Bangalow - Tel 6687 1493 Fax 6687 1493 Email robposs@australis.net
Business & Accounts • Tax Returns • GST & BAS • Financial Accounts • Management Consulting • Quickbooks Professional Partner • Bookkeeping & Troubleshooting • Computer Training
BANGALOW Wholesale Nursery
Anzac Exhibit at the Museum The museum’s exhibit this year will be ‘War Brides’. This display will cover the story of local resident, Pat Walker, who married a British Serviceman. It will also include stories from Australian women who married American servicemen and touch on War Brides from Japan and Vietnam.
APRIL 2013
APRIL 2013
There will be some information on the impact the American servicemen had on Australia during the Second World War, plus a display of some letters and postcards sent by loved ones during the war. Entry is free and it will run through April and May. Wendy Grissell
“Growing Strong”
Stuart & Tracey Knowland PREMIUM ADVANCED TREES & SHRUBS HEDGING & SCREENING SPECIALISTS Rishworths Lane, Brooklet NSW 2479 6687 8626 BY APPOINTMENT 0428 878 626
bangalownursery@linknet.com.au
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what I’ve been reading
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion By the time you read this book review I’ll be back from my biking/hiking/ touring trip to New Zealand. Before I left, I quickly put this review together because I am absolutely loving this ‘laugh out loud’, ‘feel good’ book. Richard and I really love the humour of the TV series Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory. It’s not necessary for you to be a fan of Dr Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory) but if you know the program you will quickly identify the main protagonist of this book as being Sheldon’s twin brother. Professor Don Tillman is a man who likes to live by his routines. It’s not really clear if he knows that he suffers from Asperger syndrome but he does know that he is socially inept and that cynicism and sarcasm are concepts that confuse him. He has two friends, Gene and Claudia, who have an open marriage. Gene is a serial adulterer under the pretext of a project he is conducting to sleep with a woman from every country in the
world. Claudia is a psychologist and the person Don goes to when he needs some ‘awkwardness’ explaining or advice on how to deal with women. When we meet Don he has decided to find a wife and has prepared a questionnaire and list of the criteria which need to be met before he will waste any time on a date (The Wife Project). Gene sends potential candidates to Don’s door and when Rosie turns up Don assumes she has been sent by Gene. Rosie does not meet any of the criteria but she is in search of her biological father. Being a geneticist, Don is able to help her with this search (The Father Project). Intelligent, endearing, romantic and funny. If you want to read a book that puts a smile on your dial, this is it. Carolyn Adams – Bookworms & Papermites
useful information and contact numbers AA Tues 5.30 Richard 0466 885 820 Angling Club Outing 2nd Sat Ray 6687 1139 Aussie Rules Bill 6687 1485 Aussie Rules Junior Greg 6687 1231 Bangalow Community Alliance (BCA) Terry 6687 2525 Bangalow Markets monthly 4th Sun Jeff 6687 1911 Bridge Fri 12pm Steve 6688 4585 Cancer support 1st Wed 1-4pm Chris 6687 0004 Childcare Centre 7.45am-6pm Kerry 6687 1552 Cricket Club Anthony 0429 306 529 Co-dependents Anonymous Sat 4pm Gye 0421 583 321 CWA 2nd Wed Claire 6687 0557 Garden Club 1st Wed Hazel 6687 8409 George the Snake Man George 0407 965 092 Groundforce Georgia 6629 1189 Historical Society/Museum/Tea Room Wendy 6687 2183 Land/RiverCare 1st Sat working bee Liz 6687 1309 Lawn Bowls, Men Wed & Sat 1pm Gerry 6687 1142 Lawn Bowls,Women Tues 9am Dot 6687 1246 Lions Club 2nd/4th Tues 7pm Roger 6687 0543 Mufti Bowls 3rd Sat 9am Lynne 6687 1823 Netball Club train 4.15 Thurs Rachel 6687 0402 Op Shop 10-3pm Sat 10-12 6687 2228 Parks Committee 3rd Tues 7.30pm Jan 6684 7214 Playgroup Tues 10am Cyndi 6687 0640 Police Peta 6687 1404 Pony Club Kim 6687 8007 20
Pool Trust 3rd Wed Peta 6688 4236 Poultry Club Hec 6687 1322 Progress Association Ian 6687 1494 Quilters 2nd,4th Thurs Leonie 6687 1453 Red Cross monthly - 1st Fri Dot 6687 1246 Rugby Union Richard 0415 773 064 S355 C’mtee Heritage House Don 6687 1897 Scouts Tues 6.30pm Alison 6628 1024 Show Society Karen 6687 1033 Soccer Club 2nd Mon 6pm Nick 6687 1607 Social Golf every 2nd Sun Brian 6684 7444 Sports Association 2nd Wed bi-monthly Brian 6687 1024 Sporting Field bookings Nick 6687 1607 St Vincent de Paul Thurs 10-11am/Catholic Hall Tennis Court Hire 6687 1803 Writers Group 1st Thurs Simone 6629 1588 VENUES A&I Hall Station St Susie 0428 925 472 Anglican Hall Ashton St Philip 6687 1046 Bangalow Showgrd Moller Pavilion Karina 6687 1035 Sports/Bowling Club Byron St Scott 6687 2741 Catholic Hall Deacon St Russell 0423 089 684 Coorabell Hall Coolamon Scenic Simon 6684 2888 Newrybar Hall Newrybar Village Ian 6687 8443 RSL Hall Station St Charlotte 6687 2828 Scout Hall Showgrounds Jenny 6687 2047 Heritage House Deacon St Don 6687 1897 BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
out there
it’s on again! The Bangalow Lions Billycart Derby is to be held on the third Sunday in May – 19 May 2013. Let’s hope we have the traditional sunny weather for this family event. The Derby will follow a similar format to previous years with registration between 7am and 9am in the Bangalow Hotel. Billycarts need a safety check for such things as good brakes and being under 75kg. This check will be held in the area behind Foodworks. A few practice runs will follow. Racing commences at 9am with junior heats, schools challenges
and junior finals. Lunch time is the Grand Parade with a Scottish pipe band, vintage car groups, samba band, Scouts, schools, celebrities, sporting teams, community and business groups and our local heroes. After lunch enjoy serious racing with open, professional, tag team, mothers, novelty and celebrity races. New entries are very welcome. So get your billycart ready for this great day. Everyone has fun at this wonderful event. For further information contact: 0419 715 098 or 6688 4236. Tony Heeson
Madhatter’s Fundraiser aims high Planning for Bangalow Public School’s major annual fundraiser is once again gathering pace as the school’s P&C aims to improve on last year’s fantastic result. The Madhatter’s Tea Party will be held in the school grounds on Billy Cart Derby Day, Sunday, 19 May from 9.00am until 3.00pm. P&C President Josh Rogers said he had high hopes for the event this year, and was looking forward to another fabulous and festive day. “The Madhatter’s Tea Party is a fun family day with the aim of raising funds for Bangalow Public School,” he said. “Last year, the generosity of parents and the wider community saw the event and its accompanying raffle raise over $11,000. This has since been spent on new computers – desktops and laptops, computer headphones and wireless
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internet in the primary section of the school. The money raised also assisted with the funding of an Indigenous Artists in School Grant.” “This year our student enrolments have increased to 246 students and we would like to continue the technology boost, as well as have the money to consider big ticket items like new playground equipment.” The contributions of many parents will again see delicious homemade cakes and biscuits for sale as well mini-burgers, sandwiches, sundaes and coffee. Face painting, mad hat making and the book stall will also feature. So put the date in your diary, support your local school and come along to the Madhatter’s Tea Party fundraiser on Sunday 19 May. Lisa Peacock
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taking it to the streets
Leslie Street is one of the original streets in Bangalow and was once the bustling main street filled with businesses. In 1901 Bangalow settler Robert Campbell offered the first of four subdivisions of his land. Leslie Street was named after one of his daughters. Leslie Street is to the north of the then Granuaille Train Station and runs parallel with it. It is on the higher side of the train station. Campbell’s plan was to make this the main street of Bangalow as the lower side of the train line was subject to flooding. Campbell had the foresight to build a hotel on Leslie Street. Weary travellers stayed at the hotel and could discuss business deals at the hotel. Leslie Street thrived until the Great Depression and the war years. The Bangalow Hotel on Leslie Street burned down in 1930 and other businesses such as a School of Arts, Auctioneer, and Bangalow Herald have since been demolished. The street is now residential filled with a row of railway cottages and other lovely period homes. Andrea Sturgeon Photos by Benny Saunders
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BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT
is everyone happy?
economic wellbeing Well-informed and thoughtful advocates of live simply and be humble. Sonam Chuki detailed Bhutan’s Gross localisation came from around the world to speak at the Economics of Happiness National Happiness index. The primacy of money strips our lives of the deeply conference in Byron Bay last month. Ways to foster a world of well-being for satisfying matrix of relationships. “The purpose of your life is to give fully of your people and the planet were explored. Stars Vandana Shiva and Bill McKibben gifts.” He recommended applying highlywere beamed in electronically. James conscious non-reactive methods to bring Skinner spoke of our debt-based monetary about positive change. Local Mick O’Regan took on the heroic system. Michael Shuman gave ten concrete suggestions to redirect money and make it task of attempting to pierce the warm fuzzy glow of enthusiasts to explore the work for us within local economies. Refreshing perspectives came from short-comings of our ‘localisation’ vision. Asia and Africa. Manish Jain spoke on the Important de-bugging work. The conference was conceived of and need for deconstructing the creation of knowledge by decolonising our minds. organized by author/filmmaker Helena His vision for a future world included Norberg-Hodge, who spoke about her ‘meaningful child-labour’ and putting insights from years of living in Ladakh. “Connecting to others and to nature is the grandmothers back in the centre of life. Different ways of knowing were on essence of happiness”, she said. The conclusion: understanding and display. Korean activist Hwang DaeKwon spoke of his 13-year imprisonment; reorienting economics is a key to achieving and how the insects and weeds in sustainable societies and the creation his cell brought him peace. His peace of genuine well being (of individuals, movement involves a yearly pilgrimage communities and the supporting ecology) to all the villages of his country; plus 100 is at the heart of this. Thank you Helena for an inspiring weekend. Nadine Hood prostrations each His and advice was tofuture A day. happy bright
Bangalow Public School
Will there be an NBN Tower installed in postcode 2479? Bangalow Public School Many Fernleigh residents are concerned that a 35-metre high National Broadcast Network (NBN) fixed wireless tower might one day overshadow their rural oasis. As well as obvious aesthetic concerns, the residents are worried about possible health risks associated with WI-FI electromagnetic radiation. Over 90 local residents signed a petition addressed to NBN Co opposing the tower. The residents are concerned the site for the tower will be on a hilltop behind the Fernleigh Public School. Angus Maciver is one of the Fernleigh residents responsible for the petition. Angus has been approached by NBN Co to lease out a parcel of his land and he knows his neighbours have also been approached. Angus said the hilltop site “is one of the highest in the district”. The petition has been sent to the Member for Ballina, Don Page, and also to the Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot. Don Page has written to NBN Co but so far there has been no response. According to the NBN Co website
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A happy and bright future for our kids
there is NBN service currently available in Alstonville and Mullumbimby but is no and proposal for construction in Athere happy bright the Fernleigh area within future for our kids their 3 year construction framework. NBN infrastructure will provide a high speed broadband network reaching one ph: hundred percent of Australian premises. Approximately ninety-three percent of Australians will connect to NBN through fibre optic cables, four percent will connect to a 4G fixed wireless network and three percent will be covered by satellite services. Fixed wireless networks will be installed for smaller rural communities where fibre optic cabling has been deemed too expensive. Fixed wireless network will receive twelve megabits per second connection. For more information about NBN Co visit their website: http://www. nbnco.com.au. For more information about the proposed tower and to be actively involved in opposing it, please contact Angus Maciver on 0413 336 798. Andrea Sturgeon
6687 1434
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april diary
town talk Authorities moved quickly this week to cordon off an area adjacent to the Newrybar School after a Grade 3 science experiment went horribly wrong. The children’s rocket ship landed in a paddock next door and broke into pieces. The Education Department is investigating. Terry Bleakley
Another great leap forward A recent meeting of the Bangalow Chamber of Commerce (below) voted to accept women members; however hats and beards would remain compulsory. Terry Bleakley
Buffet predicts good future for the Heartbeats of this world Billionaire US investor Warren Buffet, Berkshire Holdings, has recently been on a buying spree for American newspapers $344 million for 28 papers. Buffet is quoted as saying: “There is no substitute for a local newspaper that is doing its job. This includes having a sensible internet strategy.” Our Heartbeat volunteer team is certainly trying
to ‘do our job’ for the 2479 community, so hopefully we’ll continue to be relevant in this rapidly changing publication world. Ideas and volunteers always welcome. Brian Sundstrom
Wrong way, go back Residents in Station Street Bangalow are justifiably complaining about nearby street signage. Some drivers heading west up the main street see this sign outside the school and mistakenly take the next right. This lands them not in Granuaille to go north, but dead-end Station Street! Eve Heath, who lives in Station Street, told me trucks, some with trailers and in convoy, are worst affected. They cannot turn around at the A&I Hall and have to back out! The Army even came in one night! Eve is on Bangalow Chamber of Commerce which is trying to get the signage improved. Brian Sundstrom
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Op shop sale begins
3
Garden Club meeting
5
Red Cross meeting
8
ADFAS Contemporary Art; Weir meeting
20
Newrybar dinner movie night
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Poultry auction; Wildlife carers’ training course
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Landcare AGM
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Progress Association public meeting
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Networking luncheon; Volunteer grant applications close
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Anzac Day
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Bangalow Market Farmers Market; 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 HB deadlines: 10(ads) 15(copy)
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BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT BANGALOW’S HEARTBEAT