The Northern Rivers Times
October 26, 2023
16 NEWS
Lismore Housing Expo: Your guide to housing and recovery “Leemo has views on just about anything”
‘LEEMO’S BEDROOM & OTHER STUFF’
‘Leemo Cat’ back. Life has been going along calmly with ‘Mum Jane’ and me as ‘caring sharing buddies’. My state of tranquillity crashed down today and caught me unawares. Mum’s voice had a ‘commanding’ tone; this does not bode well? ‘Leemo, you remember how I slept at our neighbour’s house after my hospital visit? WELL, I slept on a brand new mattress at their house. It was blissful. The sublime sleep I had made me decide to swap the mattress in YOUR downstairs bedroom with my older mattress upstairs. After all, your mattress has only been slept in by 2 humans since I bought it; YOU don’t sleep on it at all ‘cos you have 2 Cat beds, 8 plush blankies, armchairs, cushions & places all over our house, including bookshelves, where you can sleep. So, that’s my plan. Well Leems, your feelings about this?’ Well, what does she want me to say? To me, this is a most abhorrent suggestion. The DOWNSTAIRS bedroom is MINE, ‘Leemo’s Room’ and has a sign & photos of ME on the door stating so; I am peeved about the mattress swap. I admittedly DON’T sleep on mine, but that is, however, beside the point. The DOWNSTAIRS bedroom is mine, mine mine; I should have been consulted in advance ref. plans to change things. Hmmm. I shall meditate & ponder a bit. After a nifty snooze on our front grass, I addressed her,
(using the same tone she used on me!) ‘OK Mum, if you’re going to go changing things in our house, how about you start listening to ME? How long is it since you bought NEW stuff for our house instead of interfering with MY ROOM? Stuff like chairs, tables, ornaments, plants, rugs, & pictures on our walls? They haven’t changed since you bought me home. AND, books Mum, you have far too many. My posh friend ‘Pascale’s’ humans have the latest in fashion furnishings, called I believe the ‘minimalist’ look. Why not, instead of my room, you do some updating of OTHER stuff in our house ‘cos it’s old & dated.’ How surprising! (NOT!) Her CRABBY voice emanated. ‘OK Leems, tell me WHAT a chair to you is?’ CRIKEY, I was befuddled & responded with “something to sit on?” Then she said ‘well then, WHAT is a bed? A table? A book? A picture? A rug? I’LL TELL you what they are Leems, they’re just stuff. A ‘chair’s a thing to sit on, be it carved in ebony or is a rock. A ‘bed’ is for resting on, be it a haystack, a floor or a man-made bed. A ‘table’ is for sitting at enjoying company, eating, and reading & writing, be it a rotting timber slab or another rock. A ‘picture’, be it an original or print, will bring the same joy when you view it. A ‘book’ however, is a miracle and most necessary item in any house. Books take you to other lands & people & many fascinating facts & adventures. So, what I’m saying Leems, is that a ‘UTILITY’ need only be functional and useful, rather than expensive & most fancy in design & bought to impress others. So, my Lil Buddie, stuff in our house will STAY the same ‘cos all the things we own have purpose & bring joy. AND, by the way, my book collection will increase, and our mattresses will swap. Gottit? Go round up your buddies pronto ‘cos I’m going to need help doing this mattress swap.’ Oh, no WAY! I’m outta here. Nitey, Leemo.
The current housing crisis is not just a statistic or a news headline, it’s a current reality that affects countless individuals and families in Lismore and beyond. As we grapple with soaring prices, limited availability and the stress of securing a stable place to call home, it’s crucial we take steps to address this issue. In response to this crisis, Lismore City Council has developed the Lismore Housing Expo, demonstrating Council’s commitment to providing access to the knowledge and resources needed to find a safe and secure place to live. Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the Lismore Housing Expo is an important event not only for Lismore’s recovery but also for the City’s future. “The Expo will offer something to cater to the needs of everyone currently exploring
housing options. Navigating the available options and processes can sometimes be challenging, but having all this information along with expert guidance in one location is a valuable opportunity for our community,” he said. Stallholders will showcase the wide array of services and resources available to help people through the challenges of the current housing situation. From tiny homes and modular homes to house
removals, house raising, the two rooms project and recovery support services. Attendees can connect with experts on housing grants, development applications, financial counselling or legal advice, these free 30-minute sessions run between 10am and 2pm and are open to all attendees. Enjoy complimentary food, coffee and kids’ activities throughout the day. Plus, enter the lucky door draw for a chance to win one of three Loving
Local Gift cards. Access this important information at the Lismore Housing Expo on Saturday, 11 November, from 10am to 2pm at the South Lismore Bowling Club. For more details visit Council’s website at www.lismore. nsw.gov.au or contact Council on 6625 0500. This is a Back Lismore initiative designed to help advance Lismore into the future. To discover how you can support Lismore, visit www.backlismore. com.au.
Revisiting floodplain management in the north of the Byron Shire In 2022, flooding caused extensive damage to many properties in the north of the Byron Shire, especially in the Marshalls Creek catchment incorporating the areas of Ocean Shores, Billinudgel, New Brighton, and South Golden Beach. After the floods, Council was heavily criticised by some in the community for its approach to floodplain management. With a grant from the Local Government Flood Recovery Fund, a joint initiative of the Australian and NSW Governments, specialist consultants JBP Pacific are undertaking a review of floodplain management with a specific focus on the north of the Byron Shire. “Council’s North Byron Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan (2020) were developed in accordance with the NSW Flood Risk Management Manual and process for flood planning using best practice hydrology
and hydraulic floodplain models,” James Flockton, Infrastructure Planning Coordinator, said. “The current plan and all prior adopted plans and studies for the northern region will now be reviewed as part of this project,” Mr Flockton said. “We need to make sure that the process followed and recommended measures for Council to implement for managing flood risk are based on best practice flood planning process and absolute best data to inform how we manage our floodplains which includes structural mitigation measures and future land use and development controls,” he said. Mullumbimby, while extremely flood-prone, is not a part of this project because the pattern of flooding in the town is very different to those areas closer to the coast. Separate funding has been obtained to investigate flooding
issues for other areas of the shire including Mullumbimby, Bangalow, Suffolk Park and updated Flood Risk Management Study and Plans for both Belongil and Tallows Creek catchments. “We know there are some very strong views in the north of the Shire relating to reducing flood risk such as ocean outfalls, dredging of creek systems, modification of the Brunswick River training walls and bund structures,” Mr Flockton said. “While independent experts have not supported these as viable in the past, we feel that we need to revisit all relevant options investigated in the adopted North Byron Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan (2020). “This is an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to put forward their views on floodplain management with all feedback to be handed to JBP for investigation and
evaluation. “The information from this review will then be reported to Council’s Floodplain Management Advisory Committee for consideration and discussion before agreeing on what happens next. “The findings will be available to the community, and we will endeavour to work with residents to increase their understanding for floodplain management and how to be more prepared for future weather events,” Mr Flockton said. People will have the opportunity of providing feedback and comments: • Online via a survey on Council’s website • Via letter, email or telephone. • In person by appointment More information about the review of floodplain management including the survey is on Council’s website. The closing date for submissions is 17 November.
