THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #36 TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2006 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
A N O T H E R
C H A R D O N N AY
Beach protection plan to cost $50 million Lesley Patterson
Out in the waters off Cape Byron lies a huge deposit or lobe of sand. Sand which could be used to solve the erosion problems on the Shire’s coastline, according to a new report commissioned by Byron Shire Council. Property at Belongil and New Brighton are both at short term risk of serious erosion, if or rather when, stormy seas hit the Shire. Initially costed at just over $25 million, dredging sand from the Cape and pumping it on to beaches at Belongil and New Brighton will cost double that amount, according to the new study which says $53 million is needed to pay for the capital works. Council’s Planning Direc-
tor, Ray Darney, says it is unlikely the local community could cover the cost of sand nourishment, as the process is called, and believes the state government would need to ďŹ nance a large part of the project. In addition to the cost of the operation, residents would be faced with the prospect of dredges operating for around 22 weeks, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as the noise and disturbance associated with bulldozers spreading sand along beaches for most of that time. The construction of a groyne, a structure which would extend into the ocean for 250 metres at right angles from the beach, is also pro-
Wyuna with his dad Dhinawan are members of the Dhinawan Dreaming Dance company which performed a traditional Australian opening performance to Saturday’s multicultural festival. Photo Jeff ‘Washed Out Tye-Dye’ Dawson
The Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance celebrated ‘Colours of the World’, a multicultural festival, in Byron Bay last Saturday. The event began with a martial arts expo in Railway Park and continued in the Community Centre with Japanese music, Irish
dancing, African dance and singing, Indian sitar, Aboriginal ďŹ lms, speakers, dances of peace, and much more. Along with many artists volunteering their talents, the Alliance was assisted in the festival preparation by a Work for the Dole team.
posed to stop sand drifting north from Belongil Beach. A long list of potential side effects of sand nourishment are listed in the report, including potential nutrient/ toxic release, threats to marine ecology including disruption to the humpback whale migration, water quality, potential pollution, impacts on tourism, shorebirds and sea turtles. The study also mentions a possible need to close the beach during sand pumping which could take several months. The draft Scoping Study on the feasibility to access the Cape Byron sand lobe for sand extraction for beach nourishment by Patterson Britton and Partners has been distributed to Councillors but will not be formally discussed by Council until a ďŹ nal report has been prepared, says Ray Darney. ‘There are quite a number of issues such as environmental considerations which still need to be studied. Council will need to decide whether they want to proceed [with sand nourishment] further,’ he told The Echo. ‘The process so far has been funded dollar for dollar by the state government and we will need to get in line behind other councils to ask for funding for implementation of any solutions,’ he said. Paradoxically, sand nourishment is not Council’s previously stated preferred option for addressing coastal erosion in the shire. Planned Retreat, the policy of not protecting property but informing purchasers of the erosion risks they face before continued on page 2
M A R X I S T
P L U M E
Arakwal celebrate Survival Day
Yvonne Stewart, Dulcie Nicholls and Delta Kay at last Thursday’s Survival Day celebration at Byron Bay’s Apex Park. Photo Jeff ‘Sir Vival’ Dawson Louise Beaumont
January 26 is known to Aboriginal Australians as ‘Invasion Day’ and more positively and most recently, is now named ‘Survival Day’. Thursday saw the Arakwal People, the Sisters of Reconciliation and the Byron Shire Council Australia Day Committee host ‘A Celebration of the Survival of Indigenous Culture in Arakwal Country’ on Main Beach. Bronwyn Sindel of Sisters of Reconciliation said, ‘The aim of this day is to come together and celebrate and rejoice in the survival of indigenous culture.’ After the ofďŹ cial Welcome to Country by Aunty Dulcie Nicholls and words from Arakwal member Yvonne Stewart, Bronwyn acknowledged the sprits and custodians of the land, and the Arakwal elders. Bronwyn highlighted the beneďŹ ts in looking forward together as a community, ‘White Australians have just
as much to celebrate today as our indigenous people because with their strong and dynamic presence in our society we have the most excellent opportunity for combining our sophisticated literary and technological heritage from Europe with the earth based spirit knowledge and wisdom of the oldest living culture on the planet in a place of great beauty, diversity and abundance.’ Yvonne Stewart believes, ‘We live in a wonderful community, one where we can learn so much from each other. This day of celebration is deliberately informal and wholly accessible to all people. It aims to bring forth harmony and acceptance of each other. Next year we hope to achieve even more community education, and with it, participation.’ Bronwyn and Yvonne agree that there are still some people who are angry, who speak of their stolen country
and are stuck in the past, and they believe a community cannot grow from these feelings. Those not willing to let go appear to be the minority however, with the indigenous community for the most part wanting to use ‘Survival Day’ to remember and reect on the lives of their forefathers but also to recognise that they, as a people, are survivors, and they are still here. Quoting Bob Marley, Bronwyn pointed out that all they need do is ‘Feed the Positive’. She said, ‘None of us can go back and change the past, we just have to move on and make the best of it‌ and keep our sense of humour.’ On behalf of Arakwal Elders Linda, Dulcie and Delta, Yvonne would like to thank the organisers and supporters of the celebration. With numbers growing each year, she hopes there will be even more opportunities for community support and participation next year.
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