christmas
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 #27 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2006 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
R E S I S T I N G
S O B R I E T Y
S I N C E
Wheelchair dancers rev up On December 3 every year, the world celebrates International Day for People with a Disability. Byron Shire Council joined in on these celebrations by hosting the ‘Have a Go – Accessible Sport and Dance Expo’. The festivities kicked off at Clarkes Beach with the Disabled Surfers Association teaching approximately ten courageous disabled surfers how to master Byron’s famous breaks. Up to 25 local volunteers turned up to help and allow these surfers to experience a joy most of us take for granted. Afternoon festivities then centred around the Brunswick Heads Bowling Club, where several local disability sports agencies showcased their wares. These sports included horse riding, sailing, lawn bowls, fishing, athletics, surfing and a new sport taking Australia by storm – Wheelchair Dancesport.
It’s fast, it’s exciting and two local Byron champions took to the stage to demonstrate the sport to a captivated audience. Donna Wild, a professional Latin dance instructor based at the Byron Entertainment Centre, teamed up with Scott Kenney, the current National Wheelchair Dancesport Champion (Beginners Duo) to dance an amazing two minute Salsa freestyle. It was a stunning display of dance skills and they hope to take their routine to the National Salsa Championships, held in Sydney later next year. They were joined on the dance floor by Lynette Gordon-Smith, national president of Wheelchair Dancesport Australia and Monica McHenry, a wheelchair dancer who travelled 300km from Bribie Island to dance on the day. Lynette and Monica demonstrated a ballroom dance to
1 9 8 6
shoppi n g PAGES
Cliffhanger for rescue crew
Anthony Callea’s hit ‘The Prayer’. Much interest was generated in the audience, which included Byron Shire Councillors, to start a local Wheelchair Dancesport class. As a result, plans are now under way to train interested local residents to become instructors. Level One accreditation is a two day course run by Lynette, and she hopes to bring this to Byron Shire in late January 2007. Once accredited, local instructors will then have the knowledge and skills to bring the joy of wheelchair dance to guys and gals just itching to get out on the dance floor. Further information about these classes, or about Wheelchair Dancesport in general, can be obtained from Scott Kenney 0402 050 244 or scottkenney@ozemail. com.au. Also see more at www. wheelchairdancesport.com.au.
Brunswick Valley Volunteer Rescue Squad combined some vertical cliff rescue training with a bit of a cleanup of the East Face of Cape Byron last Sunday. One of the trainees, Michael Stewart, brings another bag of jetsam to the top of the cliff. Photo Jeff ‘Refuse Squid’ Dawson
Picnic protest on Ferry foreshore
Wheelchair dancing: Donna Wild and Scott Kenney with Monica McHenry in the background. Photo Jeff Dawson
Brunswick Heads Foreshore Protection Group is hosting a Community Picnic to Protect Ferry Reserve Foreshore on Sunday December 17 from 11am. ‘A community picnic is a pleasant, enjoyable way to highlight Brunswick’s beautiful Ferry foreshore and support the community’s right to picnic and protect our public parkland – and challenge the Department of Lands latest land grab!’ says the group. ‘DOL recently adopted plans to
transform 2,000 square metres of open recreational space along the Ferry foreshore into 16 caravan sites. Both Byron Council and the community support retaining the foreshore parkland for public use and Riverside Crescent as the Caravan Park boundary. DOL plans to close Riverside Crescent and the public boat ramp. ‘So slip behind the soundwall alongside the Brunswick River bridge, and help protect our public parkland.’