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 #40 TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2007 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Rural groups lobby against ‘suburban satellites’ Five community groups representing residents from the Byron hinterland communities of Main Arm, Eureka, Federal, Coorabell and Coopers Shoot/Broken Head have come together to try to stop ‘any further inappropriate suburban style settlement’ in their areas under the 1998 Byron Rural Settlement Strategy (BRSS). These five areas account for almost all the planned
of suburban subdivisions,’ the groups said in a joint press release. ‘This will result in a great loss of social amenity for residents, who live in these areas to have a peaceful rural lifestyle. ‘It also goes directly against a key BRSS rural land release purpose “to minimise the potential social impact and costs to the existing community, particularly in areas affected by proposed rural settlement�.’ Council is currently conducting an overdue ‘limited’ review of the BRSS, which was supposed to occur in 2003. According to the groups’ spokesperson, Nino MacDonald, ‘We believe it is vital that we have an opportunity to meet with Council’s planning staff and with Councillors to discuss our concerns with the proposed rural settlement strategy as part of the review process. We believe that our areas should be eliminated from any future consideration for future rural community title settlement as has been proposed in the BRSS. ‘In the publicly exhibited 1998 Draft BRSS, Council selected nine geographically dispersed areas for community title settlement, sensibly situated close to Mullumbimby or Byron Bay. However in the final version, seven localities were eliminated with only Broken Head and Coopers Shoot remaining from the original list. ‘Instead, Council substituted the isolated communities of Main Arm, Federal/ Isabelle Wills puts the finishing touches on her hearts at the HeartCoorabell and Eureka in the land workshop at the Brunswick Housie Shed on Saturday. Organfinal strategy, yet failed to ised by artist Samantha Collyer, the shed was full to overflowing consult the communities with people of all ages creating clay hearts and painting pebbles before the switch was made. that are to be united in a community art installation in the park near Torakina. Led by the Heart Circles Choir, the shed brimmed with ‘This change goes against a
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Bioplastics factory for Mullum
future rural community title (CT) settlement in the Shire under the BRSS, with 215 houses planned for Federal/ Coorabell, 169 houses in Eureka, 135 houses in Main Arm and 105 houses in Coopers Shoot/Broken Head. ‘If the final BRSS is fully implemented, it will create four new, densely populated satellites, each with hundreds of new residents, in a series
Art for heart’s sake
creative expression in song as well as in clay. Photo Lou Beaumont
Zelfo founder Paul Benhaim with Mayor Jan Barham and the didgeredoo she had just won in a fiercely fought bidding war against Greens MLC Ian Cohen. The didge is made using the revolutionary Zelfo plastic from plants process, a constituent of which was waste paper recycled from Byron Shire Council offices. Photo Jeff ‘Blowhard’ Dawson
Hans Lovejoy In what is a first for Byron Shire, a new factory producing hemp and recycled paper products opened its doors officially last Friday in the Ross Industrial Complex in Mullumbimby. Zelfo Australia manufactures high-end designed items such as homewares, lighting, furniture and musi-
cal instruments. ‘We are taking cellulose based material and making it into moldable forms,’ manager Paul Benhaim told The Echo. ‘All Byron Council’s paper waste is being recycled, so rates notices and parking fines could now be that new chair, jewellery or drum.’ The substance is a strong, light, solid wood-like mate-
rial made from recycled paper, natural fibres and other cellulose raw materials, according to Mr Benhaim. ‘Our company is also carbon neutral,’ he claims. ‘The production process is sustainable: the larger manufacturing machines run on vegetable oil and the drying room is powered by solar. continued on page 2
Sex assault: five teens charged
Five local teenagers have been charged with sex offences after the alleged assault of a 13-year-old girl. Police have declined to give the location of the assault in order to protect the girl’s identity. Police will allege that on Sunday March 11 five teenage males aged between 16 and 18 had sex with the girl at an address in the ByronTweed area. The matter was investigated by the Ballina Joint Investigation Response continued on page 4 Team and Tweed/Byron
Local Area Command and inquiries led to the arrest of the five teenagers last week. A 17-year-old youth was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual intercourse in company with a person aged between 10 and 14 years, while a second 17year-old youth was charged with one count of the same offence. Both were granted conditional bail to appear at Byron Bay Court on Thursday April 5. An 18-year-old man was charged with two counts of
aggravated sexual intercourse in company with a person aged between 10 and 14 years and a 16-year-old youth was charged with one count of the offence. They were granted conditional bail to appear before Byron Bay Court on Friday April 13. A 16-year-old youth has appeared last week in Byron Bay Court charged with three counts of aggravated sexual intercourse in company with a person aged between 10 and 14 years.
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