Amber alert for blue-green algae at Bray Park Weir

Tweed Shire Council has issued an amber alert for blue-green algae in the Tweed River at Bray Park Weir, however, tap water across the Tweed remains safe to drink and bathe in.

Manager Water and Wastewater Operations her secret and has a marked impression on her life.

Brie Jowett said the amber alert meant blue-green algae might be multiplying in the affected waterway.

“Bray Park Weir is the source of water for the Bray Park Water Treatment Plant, the plant that supplies drinking water for most of the Tweed,” Mrs Jowett said.

A er a fatal ship wreck Rose and Ruain are separated and their lives from there take separate paths.

Rose is rescued from a group of whalers by an Aboriginal named Wajum who teaches her the ways of the Indigenous people of the land.

Ruain establishes his business amongst the white settlers and eventually turning to studying and practicing law.

As the years pass, it becomes inevitable that they would once again enter each other’s lives, but not without sacri ce and trauma.

Je Townsend is a local author on the Northern Rivers and has enjoyed a diverse career as a teacher, entrepreneur and writer.

His other books include e Path of the Hawk, e Way of Wolves and Deep Water.

You can order A Spirit of Place at booktopia. com.au

“Testing by the NATA-accredited Tweed Laboratory Centre found no evidence in the Bray Park Weir pool of the algal species capable of producing toxin.

“Even if this species was there, Council’s water treatment processes are very robust. We remove blue-green algae from the water when blooms occur so our water would remain perfectly safe to drink.”

Further upstream at Clarrie Hall Dam, a green alert for blue-green algae remains in place, issued on 30 November 2022. A green alert means algae is present in low densities in the dam.

Council is continuing to monitor the situation and is testing twice a week at the dam, Bray Park Weir and Tweed River at Uki while ensuring water is treated appropriately for the conditions.

To inform the public of the presence of blue-green algae and any potential risk, warning signs are being placed along the Tweed River near Bray Park including Byangum Bridge. such as swimming or kayaking,” Mrs Jowett said. reproduce quickly in still or slow-fowing water, when it is warm and sunny, and the water is nutrient-rich.

Tap water in the Tweed remains safe

Signs remain in place at Clarrie Hall Dam wall and Crams Farm.

Mrs Jowett said Council was taking a precautionary approach

“Do not eat fsh or shellfsh from the waterways and keep animals away.

“Please remember, never drink untreated river water at any time.

“During the bloom, do

Affected water may appear to have a green, paint-like scum on the water, near the edges or greenish clumps and advising against recreational activities in the Tweed River upstream of Bray Park Weir.

“At this time, we advise people not to touch water in the affected waterways, including recreational activities not water livestock with untreated river water upstream of the weir. If you come into contact with the algae, rinse it off with fresh water and seek medical advice if symptoms appear.”

Blue-green algae occurs naturally and can throughout the water and can have a musty odour. Go to tweed.nsw.gov. au/waterandwastewater for the latest information.

For more information on blue-green algae, visit waternsw.com.au/waterquality/algae.

Whether you know it or not, you are probably familiar with the paintings of Katherine Carson. Her bird paintings feature on more than 2 million pieces of Maxwell & Williams crockery. But here in this exhibition she reveals her frst love, painting the landscape.

These landscapes show Katherine’s superb facility with colour and tone to create the illusion of light and space. She reveals the feeting shafts of light at Cedar Creek, mists swirling around the Caldera, the frst hour after the sun rises and the last hour before sunset; scenes that stir the heart is what she loves to capture most.

She describes her new work as ‘featuring those magical moments where

To Ensure Equal Opportunity For People Of All Abilities

the light transforms the subject into the extraordinary’.

Katherine completed her art diploma at Meadowbank TAFE where she learnt the fundamental skills of painting. She then worked in the graphic design industry before becoming a freelance illustrator. After a threeyear odyssey travelling around Australia, reveling in the country and its breathtaking landscapes, Katherine settled in 2000 on a rainforest property in the and in her spare time works regenerating the rainforest. e sublime sleep I had made me decide to swap the mattress in YOUR downstairs bedroom with my older mattress upstairs. A er 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? e 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. e 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. A er a ni y snooze on our front grass, I addressed her,

She has exhibited solo and in group exhibitions throughout the region. Her most recent achievement was winning the 2023 Bentley Art Prize with her painting Touch of Gold.

The exhibition ends 6 December 2023. It can be seen every day at Uki Post Offce: 7am-5pm weekdays, 7.30-12.30pm Saturday and 8am12.30pm Sunday.

Art Post Uki is committed to displaying the works of talented artists of the local area in what is truly an unusual venue. The exhibitions are selected by an independent panel and curated by local artist, Susan Kinneally.

‘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 a er my hospital visit?

WELL, I slept on a brand new mattress at their house. It was blissful.

To me, this is a most abhorrent suggestion.

(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 stu for our house instead of interfering with MY ROOM?

Stu like chairs, tables, ornaments, plants, rugs, & pictures on our walls? ey 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 stu 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?” en 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 stu . 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 oor 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, stu 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.