THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 29 #29 Tuesday, December 30, 2014 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 23,200 copies every week
Inside this week
NYE 2014 LIFTOUT
P19
U N T I L F U R T H E R N O T I C E , C E L E B R AT E E V E R Y T H I N G
CAB AUDIT
Mungo dons the apron for the Abbottoir – p8
Big plans for Nimbin Museum site – p5
Parental alienation and the courts – p6
Under control
All your eating out Vale Mere Rawinia (Ra) needs in one handy place – p16–18 Ferguson – p7
Alleged Rebels bikie kingpin nabbed Three men, including the alleged leader of the Ballina Rebels bikie gang, have been remanded in custody until their court appearances for drugs and gun charges. Last Tuesday, a police investigation dubbed Operation Badim made dawn raids and arrested seven people in 10 locations across the north coast, including properties in Ballina, Evans Head, Goonellabah, Jacky Bulbin Flat, Grafton and Forster. The alleged leader of the Ballina
chapter, David Keane, appeared in Lismore Local Court last week charged with dealing ice and speed from a house in Grant Street, Ballina. Bail was refused and Keane will appear in court again in February. Lyndon Scott, 28, of Jacky Bulbin Flat, who is facing drugs and firearms charges, has also had bail refused and will also face court again in February. Gavin McElroy, 46, of Evans Head, was refused bail to reappear in December.
Roads under gridlock Rural Fire Service firefighter (Tweed Coast), Kory Masters, during the backburning operation aimed at protecting houses at the end of Victoria Ave, Pottsville on Saturday. Photo Jeff Dawson Eve Jeffery
Smoke could be seen as far south as Byron Bay on Christmas Day as around 300 acres of bushland near Pottsville burned to the ground. One firefighter told The Echo that the fire, which started at around 2pm, was a deliberately lit.
Echo publication day moves to Wednesday
Back burning Though there was never immediate danger, fire crews back burned from Thursday evening until 3am on Boxing Day then again from 9am for another 18 hours. ‘A good asset protection zone of about ten metres helped’, said Eglington. Mark said he was impressed with the number of volunteers from Cudgen, Bilambil, Tweed Coast, Burringbar, Mullumbimby, Main Arm, Byron Bay and Wilsons Creek, who attended the incident. ‘I was quite surprised as it was Christmas Day’, he said. ‘It was a good turn up. The troops all got out when they were asked and did a really good job.’
Traffic over the Christmas/New Year break is notorious for causing headaches, and this year is no exception. The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) Transport Management Centre sent out pre-Christmas warnings saying that major roads across NSW will experience a dramatic increase in traffic volumes. The northern rivers, and in particular Woodburn and Ewingsdale, were the focus of traffic warnings. ‘Roads heading north out of Sydney are expected to be significantly busier than usual between Friday December 19 and January 5, 2015’, said a Transport Management Centre spokesperson. ‘Heavy traffic on the Pacific Highway is expected at this time of year and all roadworks have been suspended over the break.’
Media alerts were sent out on the hour between 11.45am and 4.45pm warning of up to seven-kilometre queues that added up to 50 minutes to southbound journeys.
Park and Ride In Byron Bay, drivers heading east along Ewingsdale Road are experiencing long delays with vehicles regularly backed up to, and beyond, Ozigo. Locals and visitors are urged to make use of the Park and Ride from the Byron Regional Sport and Cultural Complex on Ewingsdale Road and park all day for $5 per car. Drivers are reminded that there is no parking in Shirley Street during this period. To help combat congestion Council is implementing Special Event Parking (SEP) Area for Byron Bay from 29 Dec to January 4 which limits local-precinct parking to two hours for non-SEP permit holders.
NE X
TW
EE KE ND
After roughly 28 years of being a Tuesday publication, The Echo will be moving to Wednesday from next week, January 7, 2015. The decision was made in an effort to streamline production and give our wonderful advertisers their proofed ads during weekday hours instead of weekends. Happy New Year, everyone!
About 14 vehicles and up to 35 fire crew were in attendance over a two-day period. Group captain of the Rural Fire Service, Mark Eglington, says that wet weather helped in a sticky situation. ‘The fire was in peat country [but] the rain helped put it out. It was a godsend.’
Eve Jeffery
Crystal Singing Bowls
Daily Yoga
Jason McDonald
Paul Hoogendyk
Melli O’Brien
With Chicchan
With Delemay Devi
Psychic Medium
Ancient Shamanic Wisdom
Keys to conscious living
THURS 8TH - SUN 11TH JAN, A&I HALL BANGALOW TAROT, PSYCHICS, HEALERS, LIVE MUSIC, WORKSHOPS, YOGA, FREE HEALINGS, CHANTING, CRYSTALS, SHAMANIC JOURNEYS, REIKI ATTUNEMENTS & MUCH MORE ADMISSION $15 | TWO FOR ONE ADMISSION THURSDAY & FRIDAY* | VIEW THE FULL PROGRAM ONLINE: WWW.STARLIGHTFESTIVAL.COM.AU
*Two for one on full price tickets only.