THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO
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Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au Available early Tuesday at: http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 22 #32 TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2008 22,500 copies every week
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Woodchoppers in full swing at Bruns Story & photo Eve Jeffery With so much rubbing, scrubbing, polishing, oiling and buffing, a spectator would think they were watching preparations for a prize pet parade, or a show and shine for hot rods. All this love and attention was lavished last week on a pile of wood. Logs to be precise. Banner Park became a poplar beauty salon as axemen and women prepared their wood for the chop. The 48th annual Brunswick Heads Woodchop managed to forge ahead with barely a drop from the sky. Chief handicapper Shayne Maxwell from Brisbane said the conditions were good. ‘It was overcast for most of the carnival and there were a few spots of rain,’ he said, ‘but it didn’t affect us at all. We didn’t have to stop events because of the weather.’ Event heats were battled out over the four days, where 118 competitors met from Australia and overseas. One hundred and eighty heats took place for thirty five prizes. Spectators were treated to a wide variety of cutting including the underhand chop, the standing block, tree felling and cross cut sawing. The twenty five member volunteer ring crew, without whom the event would not be possible, have a national reputation of being one of the most professional on the circuit. The crew kept the competition moving along at a fast pace with the arena and the log yard a constant hive of activity of stacking, denailing, sweeping and raking. The Brunswick woodchop has
Australia Day Australia Day activities are planned throughout the Shire for this coming Saturday. See a full program on Byron Shire Council’s website at www.byron.nsw.gov.au. The official ceremony will be held at the Brunswick Valley Historical Society Museum, Summers Park Stuart Street, Mullumbimby (wet weather venue: Byron Shire Council Chambers) from 11.30am to 12.30pm. The Australia Day Address will be given by Mullumbimby author John Bailey. The Combined Service Clubs of The Brunswick Valley will hold their popular Breakfast In The Park at Brunswick Heads from 7.30am to 9am. With Coral Grogan on the Organ, Tracy Devine will lead the community singing until about 10am. Brunswick Valley Coaches are providing a courtesy bus leaving the Mullumbimby Newsagents at 7.30am and returning around 10am. The driver will pick up breakfast participants along the way. Enquiries to Margaret on 6680 1305 any time.
Survival Day Saturday January 26 is known to Aboriginal people as Survival Day. Come celebrate the survival of AboAustralia specifically for the event riginal culture in Apex Park, oppoon Tuesday and leaving again on site the Beach Hotel, starting Sunday. continued on page 2 This year a state of origin battle was hard fought between New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria with the NSW team claiming a narrow victory over their northern neighbours, the outcome of a mere two heats the only thing between them. For the results of the events see the Sports Roundup.
Jamie Head from Redcliff swings hard in Heat 2 of the Open Standing Block at Brunswick Heads.
become a top event on the circuit, attracting the cream of both national and international competitors. The standard of competition was high and even though the battle was fierce, there was also a great sense of camaraderie between the sawyers and axemen and women, many of whom brought their families along. Favourite events for the spectators were the relay where three
axemen teams raced from the underhand chop to the standing block then onto the tree fall, with one team having a 72 second handicap in the event that lasted only a few minutes. The other popular race was the Jack and Jill cross saw event which featured a mixed couple team. This year the final was won by champion husband and wife sawyers Jason and Karmyn Wynyard from New Zealand, the pair travelling to
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Opossum Creek Bridge to be demolished and replaced The partially collapsed and closedoff Opossum Creek Bridge is now to be demolished, says Byron Shire Council. ‘In September 2007, Opossum Creek Bridge was closed in the interest of public safety after it was identified that the eastern abutment of the bridge had par-
tially collapsed,’ said Council in a press release. ‘Council had intended to leave the bridge in place while the survey, investigation, engineering design and planning took place for undertaking major maintenance works or demolition and rebuilding. ‘Unfortunately, the structural
integrity of the bridge has suffered under recent wet weather prior to and over the Christmas/New Year holiday period. The eastern abutment has collapsed further into the creek. ‘Council has therefore engaged specialist demolition contractors to remove the bridge. Demoli-
tion of the bridge is expected to be fully completed by Friday February 15.’ Council says planning for replacing the bridge is on track. For further information contact Council’s Acting Manager, Infrastructure Planning, Hayden Kress on 6626 7022.
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We’ll be beavering away as usual next Monday January 28 despite the public holiday. Usual deadlines apply.
Be quick!
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