THE BYRON SHIRE
BYRON
ARTS CLASSIC
Volume 24 #30 Tuesday, January 5, 2010 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 21,000 copies every week
OPENING NIGHT PAGE 28
O N D E C K I N A L L W E AT H E R
name, same welcome Woodchop notches up 50 New rescue from marine crews From 0600 on New Year’s Day, at least half of all volunteer marine rescue units in NSW donned the distinctive new, blue uniforms of Marine Rescue NSW ready to serve the NSW boating community during the busiest holiday time of the year. All 25 units of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol will formally make the transition into Marine Rescue NSW and it is expected that a further eight units from VRA Marine will be wearing their new uniforms in the coming week. Members of what was formerly the VRA Brunswick Marine Radio Base will also suit up. Marine Rescue NSW will provide a new, streamlined service with improved marine radio communications, emergency marine search and rescue response and high quality, top value boating safety education. With two-thirds of all of the state’s marine rescue units operational as
Marine Rescue NSW, volunteer marine rescue is entering a new phase that will make boating safer in NSW coastal waters. When transition of all units to Marine Rescue NSW is completed, it will be even easier for the boating public to know who to contact for any assistance on the water. Calling Marine Rescue NSW for help with an emergency on the water will become as well known for boaties as calling the SES or RFS for help with storm damage or bushfires is for people on land. The local services are always ready to welcome new volunteers – training is provided and visitors to the Cape will find a chat with the Marine Rescue volunteers both interesting and informative. To contact Cape Byron Marine Rescue unit phone 6680 8417 or Brunswick radio tower 6685 0148 – the emergency channel, as always VHF 16.
Life member Reg Byrnes, committee president Rosslyn Hogan, VP Stu Coles and founding father, Showman Noel McGregor OAM, at the everpresent blue Woodchop Committee caravan at the Bruns market. Story & photo Eve Jeffery
The Brunswick Heads Woodchop Carnival and the Festival of the Fish and Chips will celebrate next week, when what started out as a little fundraiser turns 50. The series began in 1961 when Noel McGregor, who ran the carnival in Banner Park, approached four major organisations for the purpose of raising money to run a new Woodchop Carnival. The group of Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby RSL, Brunswick Heads Progress Association and the Lismore and District Ambulance contributed £240. Edgar Bashforth donated trees from his property and a team of volunteers felled the trees, then cut and trimmed the logs.
Back in the day, 26 axemen competed for the prize money. Since then the event has grown and the Brunswick carnival is currently regarded as the biggest woodchopping event outside the Sydney. Noel says the event is world renowned as being one of the best. ‘In 1970 we celebrated the World Centenary here with 156 competitors,’ he said. ‘The American axemen couldn’t believe their eyes with the efficiency of the ring crew.’ Life member Reg Byrnes agrees. ‘We have the best ring crew in Australia – the world actually. All the axemen agree.’ To help celebrate the festival’s milestone, there is a great program planned for the week-long event starting on Saturday. Activities include golf tournaments at both the Ocean
Shores and Mullumbimby Golf Clubs and bowls also at Ocean Shores, sand modelling and the Brunswick Masters Surf Carnival at the beach, the Brunswick Heads Bowling Club athletics carnival, and of course the annual fishing competition. One of the major highlights of the event will be the Festival Fireworks Display in Banner Park at 9pm on Saturday, which will this year feature an extraordinary show over the river. There will also be a ‘Celebrating 50 Years Reunion Get Together’ at the Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club which everyone is welcome to attend – bookings essential. For more information about any of the events during the festival, visit www.bhwoodchop.com or phone committee secretary Joy Slater on 6680 1170.
Cape Byron Marine Rescue operations officer Rob Asquith says that the advent of a new uniform is not the only change for services in the area. After many years of answering the phone as the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, the new name has arrived with the new blue duds. ‘I actually have it written on a piece of paper next to the phone to make sure I get it right,’ says Rob. ‘I haven’t slipped up yet.’ Photo Eve Jeffery
ABN 82 087 650 682
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