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 #33 TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2007 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Australia Day means different things to different people
Survival: no laughing matter? Breakfast in Park turns 20
Byron Bay Arakwal Elder Linda Vidler and friend Jean Sindel, mother of Bronwyn Sindel of Sisters for Reconciliation, share a laugh under the shade of the flag at the Survival Day gathering at Apex Park in Byron Bay on January 26. Linda was a proud and happy witness to a gathering that she said is getting bigger and bigger every year. So it appears more people each year would like to help celebrate the survival of Indigenous culture in Australia. Photo Lou Beaumont
Breakfast in the Park – the Australia Day event at Brunswick Heads run by the combined service clubs of Brunswick Valley – celebrated its 20th birthday last Friday. The fans lined up early in the morning to enjoy the sausage sizzle and sing oldtime songs. Margaret Giles, pictured right, one of the chief organisers and staunch publicist for the Breakfast, told the crowd, ‘When we organised our first breakfast‌ we never imagined it would come to this. In fact some thought it would never get off the ground. ‘I had persuaded the Quota Club to cater for 400 people. We had a queue along the river right back to the bridge and 600 locals and holidaymakers joined us for a good old Aussie BBQ breakfast and singalong.’ Mrs Giles paid tribute to
all the volunteers and businesses who had helped out over the years. ‘I say a big thankyou to each and every one of you – this breakfast may have been Quota’s idea but we could never have done it without your help.’ She described how the Breakfast had been carried out in all kinds of weather.
‘In 1997 you might remember was flowing through the tent ankle deep before we finished up.’ Mrs Giles put the average attendance at the Breakfast over the 20 years at 1,000. The largest crowd was 1,442 in the Centenary of Federation year. Photo Jeff Dawson
Community honours its talented and hardworking citizens Lou Beaumont The Byron Shire Community Awards for 2007 were presented by Mayor Jan Barham at the Official Australia Day Ceremony in Mullumbimby. Our mayor reminded the audience that such awards are peer nominated, ‘The nominees are not selected by Council but by you, members of the community, which makes the nominations and awards so much more valuable.’ Bangalow Billy Cart Derby was awarded the Community Event of the Year for being a
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Left, Citizen of the Year John Brophy with Mayor Jan Barham and above right, young sports persons Zali Fung and Danielle Roland. Photos Jeff Dawson
family orientated event that had the ability to consistently unite residents, businesses and local charities throughout the Shire, raising substantial funds for numerous community groups and charities. Danielle Roland and Zali Fung picked up the Junior Sports Person and Sports Person Awards respectively for their vast involvement and success in various sporting arenas and in both team and individual events. Both girls were congratulated for their contribution to their schools and community, their dedication to sport and their team mates and for being positive role models for their peers. John Brophy was named Citizen of the Year for over 70 years of community work.
Jan Barham praised him for his countless hours on community projects and for being the instigator of many charity events, including Red Cross and Salvation Army appeals. John Brophy is also responsible for getting the Taste of Byron back on Byron’s event calendar, motivating local
businesses to be a part of what materialised to be a hugely popular and successful local event. Cr Barham said of Mr Brophy, ‘A much loved and respected member of our community, John is an outstanding citizen of vision, and for that he is Citizen of the Year.’