Tweed Shire 2024 Citizen of the Year – dedicated frefghter and disability support worker Julie Lowe

By Sarah Waters

Communities often thrive because of the dedication of a few to improve the lives of others.

Kingscliff resident Julie Lowe is one of those people who has continuously put others before herself for most of her working life.

Her 17 years of service as a frefghter and 10 years of work as a disability support worker was recognised last Thursday when she was announced the Tweed Shire 2024 Citizen of the Year.

Tweed Mayor Chris Cherry presented her with the Shire’s top honour at its Australia Day awards ceremony, held at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre and Auditorium.

Ms Lowe said it was an honour and very humbling to be named citizen of the year.

“I’ve got a lot of gratitude for whoever nominated me,” she said.

Lismore CBD occupancy rates continue to edge closer to pre-February 2022 levels with local businesses experiencing an increase in customer spending, according to two reports.

A Lismore City Council CBD Audit in the days leading up to Christmas found 73.4% of all inner CBD premises are now occupied. This is an increase from 70.1% when the audit was last conducted in late June.

The occupancy rate of CBD shopfronts jumped 7.3% from June to 68.8%, while upstairs rates fell 1.2% over the same period due to CBD offce renovations as the city renews.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said the strong result showed business confdence was returning to the CBD following the worst natural disaster in Australia’s recorded history.

“This is great news.

“I put a lot of work and time into both jobs and it’s just amazing to be chosen.

“But it’s not just for me, it’s for the people I support.”

An innate desire to help people during some of their toughest moments, motivated Ms Lowe to become a frefghter.

Originally, she started her frefghting career in Toronto, Lake Macquarie, before joining Kingscliff Fire Brigade 10 years ago as a part-time frie.

The Tweed Shire has kept Ms Lowe busy during the past 10 years. She has been frst on the scene of numerous incidents, including car crashes, house fres and hazmat spills.

One particular incident still stands out to her.

“Cudgen Leagues Club fre, which happened four years ago, was the biggest incident I’ve attended,” she said.

“We were the frst to arrive - there was a fre in the front foyer and

Despite rising interest rates and other economic pressures, businesses are returning to the CBD. Now, more so than ever, it’s important to shop local,” he said. “I would like to thank our local businesses for re-investing in our city and community.” by the time we got there it had already spread upstairs.”

In another positive sign of the Lismore’s recovery, an independent analysis of credit card expenditure in the DBD during December found a 6 per cent increase in total spending compared with a year ago, this includes a 22% increase in dining and entertainment.

Signifcantly, the report found spending by visitors to our city jumped 13%, compared with December 2022.

“These reports show not only is Lismore open for business, but importantly locals and tourists are returning to the CBD to support our businesses and economy,” Mayor Krieg said.

The fre took four hours to contain, with frefghters spending six hours on site after the blaze destroyed the complex.

The other unforgettable incident was the 2022 foods, which Ms Lowe described as surreal.

“Kingscliff fre station worked beside the only two paramedics to attend 000 calls for medical

Across the Lismore Local Government Area, spending increased by a total of 3.89%, with visitor spending increasing 12.75%.

“Leading up to Christmas, Council organised numerous events to encourage locals and tourists to do their Christmas shopping in the CBD, including two Lismore Delights weekends and the popular Carols in the Heart, which was obviously successful,” Mayor Krieg said.

An estimated 3800 people Carols in the Heart and 1500 visited Santa’s Wonderland to meet Santa, with more than 600 youngsters claiming prizes in the popular cheeky Elf Hunt.

The Lismore CBD Audit covers central portions of Keen, Molesworth, Woodlark, Conway, Magellan and Carrington Streets.

Below are the streetby-street occupation help for nearly two days.

“But the thing that will stay with me forever is how many members of our community came together to risk their own lives to rescue those in food waters or help them once they were on dry land and even for weeks if not months to come.”

Ms Lowe’s frefghting colleagues described her as a leader and problem solver who is exceptionally courageous, and a rates at December 2023, compared with June 2023:

• Keen Street occupancy rate – 81.1% (up from 74.5%)

• Molesworth Street occupancy rate – 74% (up from 73.6)

• Conway Street occupancy rate – 72.1% (up from 69.2%)

• Carrington Street occupancy rate – 73.1% (up from 69.3%)

• Magellan Street occupancy rate – 76.3% (up from 62.7%)

• Woodlark Street occupancy rate – 60.7% (up from 60.2%) compassionate person driven by duty.

This is the fourth Lismore CBD Audit following the 2022 natural disaster, with previous audits undertaken in June and January 2023 and August 2022, and February 2022 (immediately prior to the February disaster). The same area of the Lismore CBD has been audited by Council staff each year since 2017.

Last year, she was promoted to Deputy Captain of the Kingscliff Fire Station. It’s a role she has also juggled with the disability support service she started four years ago, called Full Circle Support.

The service offers people with a disability a wide range of programs, including ftness classes, bike riding, photography, cooking, art classes, work ready courses and even excursions to music festivals.

All the programs are designed to support participants to achieve their goals, increase their independence and be a part of the local community, Ms Lowe said.

“When NDIS started, I thought I could do more for people with a disability and focus on their dreams and goals.

“I started out with two clients, now we’ve got 22 on our books and six support workers.”

Ms Lowe uses the money she earns as a disability support worker to rent a cottage in Kingscliff which is the base that Full Circle Support operates from. It provides a safe space where differently abled community members learn practical skills, including gardening, cooking and how to do their own laundry.

“As costly as it sometimes is, the participants have a safe space to be,” she said.

“You see them with their support workers at shopping malls, but they don’t have a place to go to (outside of their home).

“At Full Circle Support they have that space and can fnd out about the different activities we offer.

“It’s defnitely helped them with their independence - they’ve learnt cooking, gardening and how to hang out washing.

“They go home with these skills and their parents are so grateful.

“We can also take them to many different activities – even festivals, things their parents might not be able to take them to.”

Two of the participants, who attend Full Circle, have gone on to gain employment and four others are doing courses at Kingscliff Tafe.

Ms Lowe receives no government funding for Full Circle Support or the programs it offers. Recently she saved up her own money to purchase an 11-seater bus, with a wheelchair hoist, to transport the growing number of participants to different activities and excursions. Her goal is to continue to help people with a disability, live life like everyone else does.

“I want to keep focusing on getting them employment, so they can be part of the community and give them that confdence and understanding of how to get into the workforce,” she said.

“I’d also like to introduce more music programs, we have a client who is autistic and blind, but he can play any song you want him to.

“We have a girl Jess with down syndrome, but she plays the drums so well - they certainly have a lot of talent.”

Ms Lowe describes the Kingscliff and the wider Tweed community as ‘fantastic’ with a really close network of many great people, doing great things.

If you would like to learn more about Full Circle Support or think you can help in anyway, please contact Julie Lowe at: www. fullcirclesupport.com.au

Invasive Weed Alert Looks Can Be Deceiving

The ‘purple plague’ threatening our rainforests.

Miconia might look beautiful, but this highly invasive species can cause devastating environmental damage if not reported in time. Rous County Council’s Biosecurity team is dedicated to stopping the spread of Miconia and protecting our beautiful rainforests.

Together, let’s get one step ahead and stop the spread.

Have you seen this weed? Call Rous County Council on (02) 6623 3800 or visit rous.nsw.gov.au/miconia