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 21 #18 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2006 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Tourist resort on three islands in an artificial lake
Big plans on Byron’s doorstep Michael McDonald Wooyung residents are up in arms over plans for a 300 unit tourist resort which adjoins the Billinudgel Nature Reserve. One hundred and twenty residents have petitioned the NSW environment minister Bob Debus to have the development approval, first issued in 1988, overturned, citing fears of major environmental damage. JMS Capital Pty Ltd, which has a registered office at Robina, has applied to
Tweed Council to amend the original consent and bypass the original conditions of consent. The development on the 82 hectare site with 800m beachfront would include construction of 300 units in three-storey apartment buildings on three islands in a 15.4 hectare artificial lake. Another building would contain administration, tavern, restaurant, shops and convention room. The rest of the site is expected to include a 11.32 hectare golf course, 631 car
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Heavens above
parking spaces, six coach spaces, a country club, tennis courts and swimming pools. Objectors have also written to Byron Shire’s planning department, saying the lake will be dug into land which contains acid sulphate soils. ‘Please be aware that the property directly adjoins the Billinudgel Nature Reserve and the contaminated water would most likely result in fish kills such as those which occurred in the Mooball Story & photo Lou Beaumont Creek in 1986 and worse Maybe it’s the science geek continued on page 4 that still resides in me or just my fascination with all things heavenly, but whatever the reason, when my editor asked me to pick out an ‘interesting’ tutor from the ACE guide, Warren Taylor and his astronomy course jumped off the page. What could be more beautiful than stargazing? And what could be more incredible than knowing what is going on before your very eyes (but millions of years ago)?! Not much I think. That’s why I called him. Warren will be introducing his class to the wonders of the heavens above. There are not many people who don’t have a spiritual and/or emotional response when Mayor Jan Barham and David Campbell, minister for water utilities. Photo Jeff ‘Floater’ Dawson they look up at the stars. The new West Byron Sew- Warren’s course aims to add Around 40 people attended gathering, ‘This is the comthe official opening of the pletion of a ten year project, age Treatment Plant, located some knowledge to that Byron Bay Integrated Water driven by the community on Bayshore Drive in the practice in order to further Management Reserve last and initiated by community Industrial Estate, came into deepen and enhance the Wednesday. Both Mayor Jan concern. It has raised the operation in November last experience. Warren said, ‘When lookBarham and David Campbell, benchmark in water man- year and is designed to proNSW Minister for Water Util- agement, and has gained the tect the sensitive waters of ing at the stars, most people will just see a bunch of ranities, opened the new facility. support and respect of the the Belongil. continued on page 2 dom stars. Few realise that Mayor Barham told the NSW government.’
Minister opens water reserve
CLEAR FUTURE U N ?
all the stars are so different. There are young blue stars and old red stars. There are clusters of stars, there are constellations, there are galaxies, and there are dark areas in the sky where in fact new stars are forming. All of these are visible to the naked eye if you know what it is you are looking for. ‘If you liken the stars above to a crowd of people, when you have a little knowledge of the constellations and what sets the stars apart, you no longer just see a crowd, instead you begin to recognise your friends and families amongst that crowd. The mass of lights begins to mean much more to you and your encounter becomes even more gratifying.’ For example, Warren may tell you that just next to the Southern Cross there is a dark patch of sky. This is known as the Coalsack. It is a giant molecular cloud of gas and dust. On the edge of this cloud there lives an open cluster of stars, a tendril of the molecular cloud, known as the Jewel Box.
Through a telescope, you can see stars such as those in the Jewel Box that have just been formed in our own galaxy, mere hundreds of light years away, but you can also see stars in galaxies that are hundreds of millions of light years away. The incomprehensible vastness of this kind of information seems to have a way of putting our anxieties of life on Earth in perspective. An industrial chemist by trade, Warren has remained passionate about astronomy as a subject since his first moon sighting through his budget department store telescope when he was ten. His course will facilitate the observation and understanding of much of the night sky through regular viewing sessions both with the naked eye and telescopes. Astronomy with Warren Taylor runs for six Thursdays from November 2 to December 14, 7pm-9pm. Call ACE on 6684 3374 if you wish to enrol in this or any one of the numerous courses on offer this term.