Rachel’s Farm debuts July 25

What do Council committees do?

Council’s voluntary advisory committees advise Council on matters such as town planning and other areas of policy. Their meetings and subsequent minutes contain recommendations, which are noted/adopted at Council meetings.

Voluntary advisory committees also manage the Shire’s many halls.

Currently, Council’s 16 advisory committees function with community members, and some without. The Communications Panel lists only three councillors as members (no community or staff are mentioned), as does the Business and Industry Advisory Committee.

As previously reported, this committee, under mayor, Michael Lyon, operates without much transparency. They move out of committee session to invite unnamed business owners into the room. Who are they? Council won’t say.

Toni Childs music video plans back before Council

Paul Bibby

Much-loved local singer Toni Childs’ plan to shoot a music video in the centre of Byron Bay is back on the agenda, after the artist’s production team submitted a new proposal for the project.

The Emmy-awardwinning artist and Byron resident had her first application to film on a section of Jonson Street knocked back by Byron Council at its June 22 meeting.

Council rejected the application on the grounds that the plan to close the section between Lawson and Byron Streets between 6am and 2pm on Monday, August 7 would unduly impact traffic and businesses along the busy strip.

Road closure

‘A request by a film production company may not be reasonable to close a busy road during peak hour,’ Council staff said in relation to the original request.

‘Even where a council believes exceptional circumstances apply, negotiations with the film production over relocation, alternative times, or the imposition of appropriate conditions should be considered.’

Councillors voted to invite Ms Childs’ production team, Big Mother Touring Company, to submit a new proposal with an alternate location and time for the film shoot.

The company has submitted a new application that appears to have acceded to half of that request, offering to shoot the video between 3am and 11am rather than from 6am to 2pm as previously proposed. The matter was due to be debated at Monday’s meeting of the Local Traffic Committee.

Should the proposal be accepted by the committee, it will then be voted on at a future Council meeting.

Ms Childs made Australia, and Byron Bay, her home back in 2012.

She has put on numerous concerts and other offerings in the Shire since then, and has a show at Byron Theatre on August 12 called Retrospective

A documentary that follows actor-director, Rachel Ward, in the regeneration of her northern NSW beef farm, debuts July 25 at Byron’s Palace Cinema.

With the 6.15pm screening of Rachel’s Farm selling out, a second 7:15pm screening, plus Q&A, has been added. Joining Rachel for the Q&A are Andrew Cameron, Mindy Woods and Lorraine Gordon.

Based in Nambucca Valley, Rachel’s Farm shows the journey of Rachel and her husband and actor, Bryan Brown, as they go from ‘wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture to embracing a movement to restore the health of Australia’s farmland, food and climate’. Event organisers say, ‘The 2019 Black Summer fires spared the farm, but the nearmiss – and a first grandchild – set Rachel thinking hard about the future. [Her neighbour] Mick encourages Rachel to challenge established farming practices, and take on a new approach which starts from the soil up.

‘It’s hands-on hard work, but Rachel’s determination, and her joy at finding solutions – not to mention dung beetles – is palpable.

‘Rachel’s Farm is about the environmental threats we face, but it’s also the story of one woman’s resolve to tackle them head on, intent on making a difference’.

Candlelight vigil and supper held for evicted Feros residents

On Wednesday, July 19, ten remaining residents at Byron Feros are being asked to vacate their rooms, yet residents of the facility, their families and supporters say they aren’t going anywhere.

The Feros board claim the premises need to be vacated to redevelop the site, yet no plans have been provided publicly.

Subsequent public outrage has triggered an investigation by Crown Lands, who own the site on behalf of the people of NSW.

The community was invited by the residents to join the elderly residents for a candlelight vigil and supper on Tuesday night at the Marvell Hall (next to Feros). Dianne, daughter of staunch resident, Kate Smorty says.

‘It’s time to show our ageing community support.

‘We need to keep our Feros Byron aged care village open for the “Tenacious Ten” elderly residents still there, and for our future elders who will benefit by having this community village.’