THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 25#02 Tuesday, June 15, 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
BY THE PLAITED BEARD OF ODIN’S CUPBEARER
Gold in the old at Bruns fest
Old and Gold vendor Stacy Star from Vintage Palace had another great year at the Brunswick Heads Old and Gold Festival selling her vintage clothes and accessories. Story & photo Eve Jeffery
A celebration of all things old, secondhand and recycled, the 10th annual Old and Gold Festival attracted almost 6,000 punters to Brunswick Heads in search of a bargain and a treasure. Held in various venues around town, there were over 60 household garage sales, an all-time record. There were four fairs at this year’s event – the indoor Collectables Fair, Ye Olde Church Garden Fair, the school bric-a-brac fair plus this year the Pottery and Craft Fair was added to the list. Together they boasted over 100 stalls. A great example of businesses and community groups and residents working together, many community groups used the event to fundraise with combined garage sales and BBQs, cake stalls, soup and hot dog stalls scattered throughout town. An estimated $10,000 was raised for community groups including the
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Companion Animals Welfare, Bruns Marine Rescue, the Visitor Centre, the schools and preschools and the Red Cross and St Vinnies. Some of the new activities this year included the Pottery and Craft Fair, a self-guided historical town walking tour, a WWI & WWII plane display, composting demonstrations and tiedye workshops. Ray Evans from Chinderah Bay Antiques was on hand to give estimations and valuations in the hall and he said that there were some surprisingly
valuable items given to him for his appraisal, including an old handkerchief with little pictures of Sir Winston Churchill printed around the border. The third annual Australian Marbles Championship was yet again a highlight of the Old and Gold. The final of the open section was a tense and hard fought battle. In the the end it came down to the fate of two lone marbles which skipped the right way for last year’s champ Andrew Hanlon, who for the third time holds the crown of Australian Marble Champ.
Register for art expo online The Ocean Shores Art Expo is making it easier for artists to register for the 7th annual Art Exhibition and Competition coming up on August 27-29. Peter Hansen has created an new online entry form at www.osartexpo.com. Registration is open until August 6. The expanded number of categories means there will be even more opportunity for local artists to
exhibit and sell their works. This year photographic and digital art as well as printmaking are included for the first time. This has been made possible by the larger exhibition space at the Ocean Shores Public School. The 2010 theme for the expo is ‘The Elements’ and artists need to relate their work to this theme. Enquiries to email registrar@osartexpo.com.
Councils hold fears for biodiversity under state govt planning template The significance of the north coast’s biodiversity as a recognised ecological treasure places a responsibility on all levels of government for its protection. But councils in the region are concerned that the future protection of biodiversity is at risk from new State planning requirements. The state government has imposed on local government a requirement to develop new planning instruments in accordance with a state wide standard model that has been in development since 2006. At a recent meeting of the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC) a unanimous resolution was passed that will raise the concerns about the standard LEP with the State Government and seek amendment to allow for responsible natural resource management. Byron Shire Mayor Jan Barham said, ‘The united regional position sends a clear message to the state government about the inadequacy of the imposed planning process. As all councils are included in the Far North Coast Regional Strategy there is an opportunity for regionspecific changes to be made to the standard instrument. ‘The councils have expressed concerns that the template fails to meet the government’s own requirements for biodiversity protection and they seek approval for local provisions for the region.’ Byron Shire Council last year wrote to the Premier to explain the shortcomings of the state wide template, especially in relation to natural resource management and particularly biodiversity protection. According to Cr Barham, ‘Council has not adopted a document for exhibition due to concerns about the ability to maintain the protection it currently provides for recognised environmental values as well as provisions that promote the
enhancement and restoration. ‘Despite assurances by the Department of Planning there hasn’t been support for councils to use local provisions to maintain current levels of protection. The introduction of the new provisions would mean approvals that involve vegetation removal will be taken away from local control. ‘All councils have agreed that the overriding of local planning by the Native Vegetation Act is largely ineffective and potentially destructive to the north coast ecological values. ‘All councils on the north coast except Byron have completed draft LEPs that have been on public exhibition. The Northern Rivers Environment Defenders Office has provided analysis of the region’s plans and provided support for the concerns raised by local government. ‘The process of exhibition has allowed the community to scrutinise the flaws in the state’s planning process and the potential for the loss of biodiversity protection.’ Q National parks sellout, page 12
Bamboo craft Dee Tinley and the Byron Youth Crew and Belle Arnold, Council’s youth activities coordinator, have joined resources on a project. According to organisers, Regional Arts NSW have given the green light to get that started this Wednesday with an eight week course to be run all over the shire. This bamboo craft course will produce and market two products – screen printed canvas and bamboo room dividers and double hammocks. Fifteen young people will participate in this course for 12 to 24 year olds who are not in school. If you have something to offer either this course or the Byron Youth Crew please contact Belle 6685 9341 or Dee at bypinc@hotmail.com.
days of health & fitness for
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Come and see our newly renovated health and fitness club. Call 6685 5640.
Bring this ad with you for your 7 days free membership. 108 Bangalow Rd. cnr Blackbutt Place. www.heartandsoulhealthclubs.com.au *Conditions Apply - Must be over 18, First time users only. dcb adv HS 0001
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