Science, local knowledge can work together

By Tim Howard

The Clarence Valley is taking a scientifc approach and utilising local knowledge to prepare for future natural disasters says mayor Peter Johnstone.

Responding to the release last month of the State Disaster Mitigation Plan, which revealed the North Coast would be one of the areas hardest hit by natural disasters in coming decades, the mayor said he was confdent the region was on the right track.

“Council engaged climate change scientists to develop our Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA) Program, which uses predictive modelling to identify high risk areas and prioritise actions locally so we can better prepare for, respond to, and recover from future disasters,” he said.

“This is just one example of how council has continued to invest funds and resources towards strengthening our Disaster Resilience Framework, so we are well placed to identify and deliver cost effective solutions and lead our community’s efforts

After 99 years, the 2.67ha park located on Deacon Street, Bangalow, fnally has an offcial name! On 1 March 2024, the park’s name was gazetted. It’s now called Piccabeen Park – after the indigenous name for the Bangalow Palm tree and the baskets made from its fronds.

In January 2022the hardy group of volunteers who have met weekly since 2011 to maintain the park’s gardens and raise funds to improve its facilities - wrote to Byron Shire Council requesting that the park be offcially named. “That the park has had no offcial name for so long has been bewildering to newcomers to the area, and confusing to locals and tourists – to say to prepare for extreme weather events.”

Cr Johnstone said while science was important, local people had a fund of knowledge gathered over generations living and working in the region they could bring to bear on disaster management.

“That is why it is so important that we keep working in partnership with our communities, so we can gather their collective local knowledge and harness their shared wisdom to guide investments on the ground and identify future risk management opportunities,” he said.

“Research has also shown that investing in disaster preparedness ultimately saves lives and money, and our own modelling has forecasted climate change impacts will result in the average dollar value of damage to homes and business due to extreme weather events will greatly increase in the future.”

The NSW Reconstruction Authority, which released the disaster mitigation plan, has done modelling which showed natural disaster costs will treble between 2023 and 2060.

And the Clarence

Valley will be one of the hardest hit, with the costs of fooding in the region in 2023 of $112 million – the biggest fgure in the table – predicted to rise to $149 million by 2060.

But the truly alarming fgure is the fgure in 2060 for coastal inundation and erosion of $419 million.

Last year that fgure combined for $2 million.

By 2060 as climate change begins to really bite, the coastal inundation and erosion fgure will occupy more than 70% of the $594 million disaster costs predicted to hit the region.

Cr Johnstone said council would not sit on its hands.

“So we will continue to benchmark our existing policies, plans and strategies against other LGAs to identify opportunities for improvement, so we can anticipate the impacts of future events so Council’s operations and our community are well place to meet the challenges climate change will bring,” he said.

The State Disaster Mitigation Plan was a requirement of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, which required the least,” explained a spokesperson for the group, formerly known as the Bangalow Parklands team, now Team Piccabeen. Byron Council’s Aboriginal Liaison offcer recommended using the Aboriginal word ‘Piccabeen’, used by the Bundjalung Nation.

The request initially passed through the lengthy administrative processes of the Arakwal Corporation and the Byron Council, before landing at the NSW Geographical Names Board for fnal advertising, approval and endorsement. The naming process has taken 26 months.

Ever since members of the local community got together in 1925 to build a swimming pool within Byron Creek running through the park, the area has been known by many names. It’s been called the Weir, the Pool, Bangalow Parklands, Pool Park, Weir Park, and many other variations - even Byron Council’s website has referred to it by different names.

Accessed via an informal roadway next to Heritage House, home of the Bangalow Historical Society and Museum, “the park is a unique non-commercial greenspace, a haven of well-cared-for native trees and plants, in the heart of town,” the spokesperson added. “It provides a retreat from the bustle and commercial focus of the town – a rare and highly valued place where anyone can come, sit peacefully by Byron Creek and soak up nature - free of charge. With house lots decreasing in size in recent years, local the NSW Reconstruction Authority to prepare and implement a state disaster mitigation plan. families in particular are happy that Piccabeen Park is available to everyone, as it creates a vast natural, screen-free area for kids to enjoy.”

It was developed to provide guidance for mitigation of disasters across NSW.

The plan outlined how the rising costs of disasters can be addressed by refocusing government policy towards risk-reducing actions, and details how government agencies can work together to help communities prepare for worsening bushfres, heatwaves, foods, storms and coastal erosion.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority will help coordinate delivery of the actions to improve community resilience and mitigate disasters.

Since 2019, NSW residents have endured more than 65 declared disasters, costing taxpayers more than $6 billion, with more than 20,000 homes damaged in 2022 alone.

The authority said climate change was expected to increase the severity and frequency of natural disasters.

Piccabeen Park is maintained and enhanced year-round by Team Piccabeen. It is well used throughout the year by locals and visitors of all ages. Its two playgrounds are popular with families with young kids, and busloads of the elderly are also frequent visitors. Others who enjoy the space include musicians, dog walkers, special interest groups such as singing, tai chi, art, ftness and yoga groups, with the location also attracting birthday and wedding parties. It’s also a popular destination for local workers on lunch or morning tea break. And that doesn’t include the park’s convenient amenities block: the mural on its outer walls depicting the last 2000 years of Bangalow’s history, is itself a muchphotographed attraction. A recent addition to the park has been Team Piccabeen’s establishment of a number of ‘pods’ of plants native to the area, inspiring local residents in their garden design choices. Most popular is its Bush Tucker Garden, now a feature of park tours by local indigenous identity, Delta Kay.

Team Piccabeen works closely and cooperatively with Byron Shire Council’s Open Spaces team, Bangalow Land and Rivercare and Bangalow Historical Society on many parkland projects.

Samatha’s Book

Community house raising workshop brings local experience and expert knowledge to Byron Shire

Where were you when the president was assassinated?

Title: A Man in Dallas

Author: Jeff Townsend

Price: $32.99

Publisher: Authoraide By Samantha Elley ere is nothing worse than being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and this has never been more true than for Australian journalist Kit Kershon.

It is November, 1963 and the young reporter nds himself in Dallas, Texas watching with so many others, the cavalcade that accompanies the President John F Kennedy on his nal and fatal car ride.

All hell breaks loose when the president slumps over in his car, shot by an unknown gunman.

Living Lab Northern Rivers is inviting the Byron Shire community to a free workshop in Mullumbimby to learn more about house raising and what they need to think about before they start their project.

Later that night, Kit is drinking with a stranger he chances upon in a bar, not far from the shooting. What the stranger tells him and what legacy he leaves behind for Kit is the stu of nightmares.

Over the next few weeks, Kit, with the help of Justice Department agent Wende Wallace, is on the run to literally save his own life, while discovering that the assassination of the US president isn’t all that it seems.

Je Townsend is a local Northern Rivers author and a proli c writer. He has written a number of titles reviewed in this column including Deep Water and A Spirit of Place.

You can order your copy of A Man in Dallas from www.amazon.com.au

The workshop is designed to assist anyone considering raising their home – old or new – to protect themselves from future foods. Whether they’ve qualifed for government assistance, or they’re just taking the initiative, the goal is to help them think through the critical issues to make their project truly successful.

Hosted by Dan Etheridge, Engagement Director of Living Lab Northern Rivers, together with staff from James Davidson Architects, attendees will hear personal stories of

People Who Have Raised Their

houses in food prone areas

Planning and Recovery Offcers there to answer any questions about

How High? Thinking through a successful house raising project

Presented by Living Lab Northern Rivers

Thursday 21 March 2024, 5.00pm—6.30pm Multipurpose Room, Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall 55 Dalley Street, Mullumbimby NSW 2482 Free. All are welcome.

Places are limited and registration is essential. This venue is wheelchair accessible.

For more info and to register for the workshop visit www.llnr.com.au/lwhatson across the Northern Rivers and Brisbane. The presenters will be sharing practical steps on lifting homes to a safer level and highlighting the challenges and opportunities that this change can create.

There will also be Byron Shire Council relevant regulations and requirements in the area. A case manager from NSW Reconstruction Authority will be in attendance to assist with any specifc property questions.

Dan Etheridge expressed the importance of careful consideration before starting a house raising project.

“There are beautiful old houses across the Northern Rivers, and raising them out of harm’s way allows them to continue sheltering and protecting our families as they’ve done for many decades. This workshop is designed to help people decide what’s best for them and their home, before engaging anyone to work. This way, they’re in a good position to drive their project towards a clear and wellconsidered outcome. Then they can enjoy their new perch, from a little higher in the sky”.

The workshop is free and all are welcome to attend. Places are limited so registration via the Living Lab Northern Rivers website is essential.

Finally… the Rife Range Road upgrade is about to start

It’s a project that has endured many delays but fnally the upgrade of Rife Range Road at Bangalow is poised to start in early April.

All the approvals for the work have been signed off by the NSW Government giving Council the green light to start work.

“We were expecting to start in July last year but because the project involves work on Lismore Road, which is a major regional road, we were waiting on special permits from Transport for NSW,” Phil Holloway, Director Infrastructure Services, said.

“These are now in place, the contractors have been engaged and staff are working through the fnal details and timing,” Mr Holloway said. “I thank Bangalow residents for their patience because there have been so many delays because of COVID, the foods, increases in the cost of materials and fnally, the approvals process,” he said.

The Rife Range Road upgrade is funded by the Federal Government, NSW Government and Council.

“The delays have resulted in additional costs, and we would like to thank Transport for NSW for its continued support of the project and allocating another $1 million to ensure completion,” Mr Holloway said.

The project includes:

• Widening Lismore Road to allow for a right turning lane into Rife

Range Road.

• Drainage upgrades, including a new culvert under Lismore Road, to reduce fooding.

• New bus bays and shelters on Lismore Road and Rife Range Road.

• Shared paths connecting the bus bays to Tristania Street.

• Signage, safety barriers and line-marking. For more information visit Rife Range Road upgrade on Council’s website.