LISTEN FOR LYREBIRDS IN TWEED

BY KATE COXALL

Last Wednesday morning, 24th May, residents and business owners will have heard the lights and sirens of an emergency action plan, across emergency response agencies including the NSW Police, NSW Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service, NSW Ambulance, SES, Red Cross and Lismore City Council.

A Lismore City Council spokesperson said “It’s all part of Council’s ongoing commitment to safety and preparedness. The exercise aimed to test specific aspects of the Airports Emergency Plan.”

The primary goal was to coordinate these organisations in line with the Airport’s

Emergency Plan and assess the adequacy of the procedures and facilities provided.

Council’s Chief Operating Officer Brendan Logan said this important safety exercise emphasises the airport’s commitment to preparedness and emergency response.

“The exercise [was] designed to replicate a realistic scenario, enabling all agencies to showcase their response capabilities and ensure seamless coordination.

We are confident that this exercise will further enhance our emergency response capabilities,” he said. The exercise included activities such as ‘making safe’ procedures, simulated emergency egress, medical interventions and foam blanket practice.

To create a realistic scenario, a Beechcraft Baron aircraft with simulated damage was used in the exercise. Actors and mannequins then simulated specific injuries.

The exercise took place on the airport runway, requiring a temporary closure for a period of three hours.

The emergency exercise is an essential component of Lismore Regional Airport’s commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards. The insights gained from this exercise will contribute to the continuous improvement of emergency response procedures, ensuring the safety of all airport users.

BY SARAH WATERS

In the lead up to winter, one of the Tweed’s rarest birds is in the spotlightthe Albert’s Lyrebird.

Tweed Shire Council launched its Lowland Lyrebird Links project in 2019 to help conserve the species and increase the condition and connectivity of Albert’s Lyrebird habitat.

Albert’s Lyrebird are mostly a grounddwelling bird that can only be found within a small area of far southeastern Queensland and north-eastern NSW.

The community are asked to listen for the call of the Albert’s Lyrebird in May and June as part of Tweed Shire Council’s eightyear project to protect and map where the lyrebirds are in the Tweed.

Citizen science data can help with the local threatened species’ survival.

Albert’s Lyrebirds are much more often heard than seen.

Their calls can be heard echoing through the gullies of the last remaining pockets of lowland rainforest in the Tweed.

Their dawn chorus can be heard on winter mornings.

Lowland Lyrebird Links project has been funded by the NSW Environmental Trust Saving Our Species Contestable Grants program.

Join the ‘Listening for Lyrebirds’ project on the iNaturalist website or app to record your observations.

More information on the project, how to listen for Lyrebirds, and examples of their calls can be found on Council’s website.