Tweed Valley Weekly New Year Double Edition, December 29 and January 5, 2023

Big year for rescues

By Jo Kennett

MARINE RESCUE Point Danger (MRPD) responded to 140 incidents during 2022, with several rescue operations conducted successfully in challenging conditions.

Marine Rescue Point Danger media officer Aaron Ashley said there was almost one incident every second day during 2022.

“In November and December we responded to several requests for assistance, notably two that extended into the late evening,” he said.

“In mid-November, crews were called out to assist a 42-foot cruiser with engine and steering trouble and two people on board (POB) a few nautical miles offshore. They were safely towed back into the Tweed River.

“On Sunday night, a small five-metre open boat found itself a few hundred metres off Tallebudgera Creek Inlet with a failed engine and four people on board,” Aaron said.

“In both emergencies MRPD crew responded quickly and both vessels and those on board were towed back into the safe waters of the Tweed River.”

Aaron said that night operations add “a layer of complexity and risk” to marine rescue operations.

“However, the MRPD unit maintains a consistent focus on readiness to operate

in these challenging conditions,” he said.

“Each time our crews are on the water they are refining our emergency response, running through drill exercises, training, developing skills or crew capability assessments.

“We’ve seen nearly 5000 vessels log on with marine rescue services and fantastic uptake in the use of the MarineRescue app, making up 35 per cent of total logins (www.marinerescuensw.com.au/boating-safety/marinerescue-app).

“When you log on with us, we know where you’re heading and when you’re planning to return, so we can quickly start a search if you’re not safely back when expected.

“The app also offers you an extra live safety tracking option, automatically updating your position every 30 minutes so

we can track your journey.”

The temporary Marine Rescue base location at Duranbah Beach hosts weekend barbecues on the deck, the Barefoot Bowls Co coffee van open daily and a shop open for gifts, drinks and chips — all key parts of the team’s fundraising efforts.

“The redevelopment project of our facilities at the Captain Cook monument lighthouse location has commenced, with the worksite boundary fencing established and work started on the initial deconstruction phase,” Aaron said.

“The project has a target completion date of September, 2023, when all our radio service and communication centre operation will return to the new base.

“These services have been temporarily housed in the Duranbah base location while the project is active.”

Slab laid at surf club

By Jo Kennett

THE $1.5 million dollar redevelopment of the Cabarita Beach Surf Life Saving Club to turn it into a state-of-the-art rescue and disaster response facility reached a significant milestone this week.

Three years after the development application was approved by Tweed Shire Council, Member for Tweed Geoff Provest, club president Teniell Jocumsen and vice-president Ken Gordon were there to witness the pouring of the slab as the first stage of the rebuild nears completion.

“Today marks significant progress towards the completion of stage 1, which will enable us to utilise our gear shed for our ongoing patrol requirements,” Teniell said.

“The pouring of the new suspended concrete slab will provide the foundation for two new state-of-the-art training rooms for surf lifesaving training.

“This new space will also be open to

the public and local groups to access purpose-built facilities to enhance and complement their training needs.”

Teniell, who made history when she became the surf club’s first female president this year, said the club had come a long way since the project was first conceptualised in 2017.

“We are excited to be celebrating this milestone,” she said.

“In addition to the new training rooms, as part of stage 2, the club will have an upgrade to both the upstairs and downstairs amenities incorporating inclusive and universal designs.

“The building project has been made possible through generous donations and grants from the Westpac Helicopter fund, the Australian federal and NSW governments and Tweed Shire Council, and thanks go to those who have supported the club.

“We are currently seeking sponsorship for our new Isuzu D-Max Rescue 4WD.”

please

If you are interested in this opportunity,

contact the Cabarita Beach SLSC for further details.

This fishing boat was towed to safety by Marine Rescue Point Danger volunteers

Geoff Provest MP, club president Teniell Jocumsen and vice-president Ken Gordon

Why You Need Solar & Batteries Now!

Power Prices Rise by 18%

Australian electricity prices have risen by up to 18.3 per cent under a decision by the Australian Energy Regulator due to increased cost of generation due to global rises in coal and gas prices. The increases, which came into effect from July, amount to more than $250 a year based on ACCC figures putting the average residential electricity bill at $1,434.

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The quality of workmanship and concern for their product is AAA grade standing.

I congratulate Ian, Kirsty and their experienced trade people on a pleasing outcome.

Wayne Place, Bogangar

Fossil fuels changed the world for good and bad

Thank you volunteers

The Seascape Apartments Committee would like to acknowledge the work of volunteers.

In a small ceremony, the Seascape Committee thanked Kerry and Neville Case (pictured above) for their voluntary work in recycling refundable bottles collected from the building to sponsor orphaned children.

Committee Member Don Skyring presented a gift of thanks to Kerry and Neville to acknowledge their efforts.

The NSW Container Deposit Scheme, Return and Earn, is an environmental game changer, in that it is the largest litter reduction initiative for NSW and everyone can play a role.

Our committee wished to take some action in this regard and Kerry and Neville stepped up to the fore. Currently, due to their efforts, the residents of the Seascape building at 53 Bay Street have been sponsoring the education of four children through this 10 cent bottle and can refund policy.

We started out sponsoring a single child but swiftly grew and reached the target of processing roughly 2,000 ($200 worth) of refundable cans and bottles monthly.

The children are doing well and are now receiving an education which they would otherwise not have had. Their correspondence clearly shows their appreciation of the sponsorship money.

On accepting the acknowledgment, Kerry thanked the Seascape residents and stated: “It is a privilege living in the Tweed and to be able to support the education of less advantaged children through the Seascape Community”.

Seascape owners hope that other strata communities follow the example of Kerry and Neville using the NSW Container Deposit Scheme to assist worthwhile causes.

Bernie Sydenham, chairman of Seascape Strata Committee, Tweed Heads

Congratulations to Do It Easy Painting

Congratulations on a job well done to Do It Easy Painting Services. Something you don’t see often enough these days, in my opinion.

I am a retired indentured painter, decorator and signwriter.

My business of 46 years was Wayne Place Signs Design, both in Sydney and Mackay, Queensland.

Due to a situation out of my control, I can no longer practice my craft.

When it came time to repaint our home, I searched for a painting company I would trust to service our needs, in the way I would have treated the work myself.

I found a father-daughter company with 76 years’ experience and service to the community. I have no problem in thoroughly recommending Do It Easy Painting Services.

Let’s celebrate Christmas with some good news to balance Alan Watterson’s “record fires, floods, storms and droughts throughout the world”, the Mississippi and Colorado rivers drying up (Letters, 15 Dec).

The annual area burnt globally is declining. Victoria’s biggest bushfire on record burned five million hectares in 1851.

My hometown Gympie had its worst recorded flood in 1893. The worst cyclones to hit North Queensland preceded white settlement (Chillagoe Cave study).

Hurricane energy is declining globally. Australia had its worst recorded heatwave in 1896 and its worst drought in 1901.

The Colorado River had a megadrought spanning most of the 12th century (tree ring study).

Yes, climate change is a reality to grapple with but not all bad news; many more lives are being saved by much milder winters than lost by slightly hotter summers made much worse by urban heat than by carbon dioxide, which is reducing the diurnal temperature range and hence human mortality, greening planet Earth and feeding billions more mouths.

Fossil fuels helped to emancipate slaves, women, and children (who now fear them), to promote science and education (which now condemns them), to feed, clothe, house, and transport us (even to climate conferences), to make lifesaving medicines and fund hospitals (via royalties ignored by Alan Watterson).

We can, of course, have too much of a good thing, like Christmas treats,

Test Drive a Nissan Leaf EV! We have 24, 30 & 40 kWh cars at half the new price.

The Best Technology in Solar Power, Off Grid, Residential & Business

but let’s celebrate the benefits while working for a truly sustainable future, not focused only on short-lived resource-intensive renewables plus storage.

D Weston Allen, Cudgen Strange bedfellows indeed

One should always be careful with historical reviews, as a look at political and military imperatives of a particular snapshot in time supported by selective historical events may give a skewed perspective.

Certainly, it is true that a number of countries under the Nazi empire provided SS Units, which goes to show that there are right (and left) wing extremists in all countries ready to take advantage of particular circumstances to peddle their philosophies and put them into practice.

In addition, there were many hundreds of thousands of volunteers from most European countries, including estimates of upward of 600,000 Soviet citizens who served in the Wehrmacht (German Army) as ordinary soldiers in WWII.

It should be recalled that in WWI Japan was counted amongst our allies and a few years earlier had more or less destroyed the Imperial Russian Pacific fleet, thus eliminating the perceived Russian threat to Australia and other Pacific territories at the beginning of the 20th century (Russo-Japan War 1904-05)

Fast forward to 1939 Nazi Germany and communist Russia signed a nonaggression pact which included the two countries happily chopping up existing Eastern European countries including Poland.

Our later Russian allies were comfortable to leave Britain and the dominions to face Germany alone.

Later in WWII, Stalin cynically kept his forces on the eastern side of the Vistula while the Nazis ruthlessly put down the Warsaw uprising and then proceeded to flatten the city.

Stalin was content to let the Nazis eliminate the Polish Home Army to save him the trouble later.

Data available in the 1990s post dismantling of the Russian communist dictatorship indicates deaths of ordinary citizens from Russia and various eastern bloc countries by direct execution and deportation to the gulags runs to many millions.

Russia also only opportunistically declared war on Japan close to the end of WWII when it was clear Japan would surrender in order to seize territory and be at the table to divvy up the spoils.

Essentially the west engaged in alliances of convenience to achieve as a priority the defeat of Nazi regimes across Europe and also Imperial Japan knowing full well that those alliances were absolutely temporary. From the general citizens point of view there is little to differentiate between theocracy, communist and fascist dictatorships, or in the case of Putin, a dictatorship looking to recreate the Imperial Russian Empire.

They all thrive on establishing absolute political, social and military control, including employing genocide as a tool.

Alliances of convenience with current dictatorships (eg Saudi Arabia) continue to be a useful and necessary evil on the international stage.

However, the most stable countries continue to be democracies with high levels of public participation.

I think these observations demonstrate that alliances are fluid and it is important to take a much broader view of historical events.

Stuart Hamilton, Casuarina

note the views on

letters page are that of the letter writer and not of the Tweed Valley Weekly. Letters must include a suburb and contact number for verification. Letters may be edited for length or legal reasons. Send your letters to editor@theweekly. net.au.

Fingal General Store petition

By Jo Kennett

A PETITION over the redevelopment of the Fingal General Store was submitted to Tweed Shire Council on Thursday, December 15.

The store was purchased by the owners of Chinderah’s Cubby Bakehouse in July 2021, and has been closed ever since as work on the building is undertaken.

However, some locals were concerned that no development application (DA) had been submitted and that the owners might have plans for an onsite bakery.

“After enquiries from residents, Council compliance officers inspected the site of the old general store at 50 Main Road, Fingal Head and met with the new owners of the property,” Council’s director of planning and regulation Vince Connell told The Weekly in November.

“The owners confirmed they have plans to renovate and operate a new business at the site.

“The property currently has approvals for a general store, a restaurant and a dwelling.

“Council officers advised the new owners they will need to lodge a DA and building certificate for the works which they have already undertaken and any planned future works.

“The owners are working with Council to ensure everything is done in compliance with legislation so they are able to serve the community to the best of their ability.”

The petition was signed by 56 Fingal Head residents and ratepayers, calling on Council to maintain the currently approved use of the site as a general store and the approved operating hours of 7am to 7pm.

“Any other use including a bakery would have a major negative impact on the amenity of Fingal Head,” the petition states.

“It would further reduce services and would compound the pressures on the environment including traffic, noise and parking.

“Our objection also applies to any future proposals to operate outside current approval.”

Petitioners said the restrictions and provisions they requested are in keeping with the R2 low density residential zoning to provide low density housing for the community and “to enable other land uses that provide facilities or services to meet the day-to-day needs of residents”.

Cubby Bakehouse and Chinderah residents Ursula and Ben Watts were flooded earlier in the year, which Ursula said held up their plans for the store, telling The Weekly they had trouble getting consultants to submit a DA as they were busy doing post-flood work.

The owners sent a letter to locals saying they are planning “a modern version” of the general store with fresh baked

goods daily, as well as coffee, milk, eggs, newspapers, butter, alcohol, deli goods, frozen meals, ice, bait, ice creams, chips, sunscreen and board wax.

A DA was submitted on Wednesday, December 7, seeking approval for food preparation from 4.30am to 7pm Monday to Sunday, the general store opening from 6am to 7pm and the café and deliveries from 7am to 7pm.

The size of the store would be more than halved while the restaurant area would be almost tripled if the DA is approved.

The DA’s environmental effects statement says more room is needed for food preparation “to facilitate the specialised food selection offering proposed”.

“We have also provided an indication of potential mechanical plant noise impact levels although the levels are merely a guide as no plant selections have yet been completed,” the acoustical assessment provided for the applicants reads.

“For this reason, we recommend that plant noise be assessed upon detailed design to ensure compliance with the noise limit criteria.”

The Fingal General Store is under construction

Tweed candidates gear up

Guilty or not guilty – could a computer be the judge?

Weighing up the pros and cons of a case, discarding irrelevancies, assessing the likelihood of statements being the truth or a lie… it’s all in a day’s work for a judge in a court.

But could a computer do the same thing? Programmed properly, could a computer weigh the evidence presented in a court case and decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty?

Early in 2021 the Federal Court of Australia ruled that an inventor can be non-human, meaning that an artificial intelligence (AI) could hold a patent. It was later overturned on appeal, but for the AI it was a shining moment of legal recognition.

In some overseas courts, AI has been accepted as part of the legal judgment process.

The University of NSW reports Estonia has used an AI judge to adjudicate small claim disputes, such as contract claims valued under 7,000 Euros.

Canada has used AI to decide some areas of law, such as strata property disputes and motor vehicle claims below a certain value.

According to Professor Michael Legg of UNSW, computer algorithms can be used to review large numbers of judgments or other data to find whether particular injuries receive compensation in a specific dollar range, or how to divide property in divorce proceedings.

Prof Legg says predictive analytics can overcome human biases in decision making by finding correlations through harnessing enormous amounts of computing power and data.

According to a paper by UNSW and others, research groups have developed computers which are able to predict the outcomes of decisions in various courts, including the Australian Federal Court and courts in Europe.

Machine learning programs have been used to predict the outcomes of securities fraud class actions and intellectual property lawsuits. AI has been used to predict decisions by particular judges, based on their history.

Courts in China use AI to give judges a warning if their judgment does not match what a database predicted it ought to be, particularly in sentencing, and send a warning to the judge’s superiors.

In the US, AI is used in bail and sentencing to predict the likelihood that an accused will reoffend. The system, called COMPAS, has been used in more than a million court hearings.

Anneka Frayne at Stacks Law Firm warns AI is only as good as the data provided to it, and while it may assist in administration of courts, computers have no place on the judicial bench.

“In matters that involve open justice, judicial discretion, procedural fairness, impartiality and even compassion, humans will always be needed to sit in judgment,” Ms Frayne said.

Responsibility for comment is taken by Stacks Law Firm

THE COST of living in the Tweed is an issue set to be addressed by both the incumbent, Geoff Provest, and his Greens opponent Rachael Cavanagh, in the upcoming NSW Election.

The Australian Labor Party is expected to announce its candidate soon.

The Nationals member Mr Provest has represented the Tweed electorate in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since March 2007.

for the nationalisation of the energy sector to reduce living costs.

Rachael

Mr Provest brings a strong campaign as the incumbent and a large feather in his cap having secured his electorate a new hospital, which was the largest infrastructure project in the state during 2022.

“I listen to Tweed residents, families, young people and young-at-heart people every day,” he said.

“Their top three concerns are cost-of-living pressures, health care and preserving the Tweed’s unique, beautiful environment.

“(To address the cost of living), I am part of the government that brought the $250 Seniors Regional Fuel/Taxi Card to the Tweed and the Creative and Active kids’ voucher programs.

“As of right now, parents can also claim the new $150 Back to School vouchers for each of their children. Shortly, the $250 travel card will be available to Tweed apprentices and university students.”

Among The Greens’ policy platform for the 2023 NSW State Election on March 25 is an emergency rent freeze to combat skyrocketing rental costs and the growing housing “unaffordability” crisis.

The party will also continue to advocate

Queensland border.

Ms Cavanagh’s focus is also firmly on the cost-of-living crisis.

“We already know that the Tweed region is one of the top communities of growth and expansion, which is driving a costof-living crisis for our area’s renters and homeowners,” she told The Weekly.

“Tweed Coast already has one of the most unreachable housing markets in NSW. These continual extreme weather

events are pushing more and more people out.

“This with the cost of living increasing. Wages are not keeping up. Our community is being pushed out. The people of the Tweed Coast need a rent freeze. The people of the Tweed Coast need a living income.

“I am a Minyungbal wajung from the Tweed region. My peoples’ enterprise, business, engagement and commerce are built on 60,000-plus years of innovation.

“I bring a decade of senior executive experience in partnership building, strategic planning, community consultation and policy development.”

Mr Provest has negotiated deals with the NSW Government to deliver a $770 million new hospital, $140 million of new school upgrades, rising Tweed police numbers and channelling much more money to Tweed Shire Council to fix potholes.

“Nobody gets left behind, because I am 100 per cent for Tweed,” he told The Weekly.

“It is easy to criticise governments, but I have worked with the NSW Government for a massive increase in the size of Tweed koala protection sanctuaries.

“I have worked with the government to help Currumbin Wildlife Hospital build the Tweed’s first ever koala hospital near Pottsville.

“I have worked with the government to stop further development of prime agricultural land.”

David Crossan Lawyer

Cavanagh is the Greens candidate for Tweed, which is the state’s most northerly electorate and covers the coastal strip of the Tweed Shire along the Pacific Highway from near Mooball to the

Special report by Yvonne Gardiner

Geoff Provest MP

Greens candidate Rachael Cavanagh

Work on the Tweed Valley Hospital is storming ahead with the signage now up

Kunghur

By

According to a Council analysis, the hall had been operating as a preschool since 1985 for three days a week.

The hall was managed by local residents known as the Kunghur Hall Management Committee and used for a range of events up until 2009.

“Initially this agreement worked well with the arrangement that the preschool would be packed up when the large room in the hall was hired,” Council’s report stated.

“This arrangement was in place until 2009 at which time the Kunghur Hall Management Committee stopped meeting.

“Since 2009, with no official agreement or approval in place, the Kunghur Community Preschool has been exclusively using the space rather than Kunghur Hall being a shared community hub.

“This has raised substantial concerns in the community over the past eight years, and Council continues to receive numerous complaints from residents who have been unable to use the hall.”

The Kunghur Community Hall Action Group recently submitted a petition to Council that the hall be made available to the community again.

Kunghur Community Hall Action Group’s Karen Challand said the decision had sparked both “relief and joy that the Council took note of the wishes in our community and voted to return our community hall back to the shared space.”

“Now the needs of the whole community can be met,” Karen, who headed the Kunghur and Surrounds Community Resilience Team (KSCRT) which proved critical during the floods, said.

“It is all about health and safety; mental health through community and connection and emergency coordination and communication, in times of flood and disaster.

“There simply is nowhere else in our remote area for people to meet.

“As such, the KSCRT will set up a UHF communication hub, to assist in coordinating emergency response.”

Karen said a Portable defibrillator, first aid and snake kits will all be housed at the hall for easy access by the community.

“For many years the community and preschool worked together to share the hall,” she said.

“The biggest objection from the preschool is packing up their equipment, and the truth is after 13 years of sole usage, the amount of equipment has grown.

“With some creative problem solving, lockable and movable equipment could be built, to help roll it into the side room.

“Other preschools sharing a community hall do this and children benefit from

community activities and feeling part of the wider community.

“The council has also offered to help with grant applications, so that an extension might be purpose built to house the preschool undisturbed.

“This would be a great outcome for everyone. The council will also manage the Hall, set rules, guidelines, et cetera, and ensure there is compliance.

“The wider community are already planning activities, workshops and events, for when it opens up in July 2023. What a wonderful thing.”

Council resolved to assume management of the hall from January 31, 2023, and to make Kunghur Hall available for community use outside of the current Kunghur Preschool use commencing on July 1, 2023.

The preschool will be required to pay rent from the same date.

Council staff will also liaise with the Kunghur Preschool Director, the Kunghur Community Preschool Committee and relevant Council units to explore if there is funding available to support the preschool operations.

The Weekly has contacted the preschool committee for comment.

Falls Festival for New Years

By Jo Kennett

FALLS FESTIVAL kicks off on New Years Eve and ends on January 2, with genre-smashing, culture shifting Little Nas X bringing in 2023 from the main stage at the North Byron Parklands at Wooyung.

British superstar band The Arctic Monkeys will close up the festival from the main stage on January 2.

The dress up theme for New Year’s Eve is ‘Falls Formal’ so don your schmick suits and tasteful taffeta to join Lil Nas X in a midnight countdown.

Also announced to play Falls is Triple J Unearthed winner Medhanit, who is no stranger to a heavy hitting live performance, having spent the year as a live singer for PNAU and joined Holy Holy in the Triple J studio for their Like A Version earlier this year.

More than $1million has been spent on restoration, additional drainage, ground and roadworks to upgrade the venue for Falls Byron.

Significant upgrades have also been made to venue entry points to allow for a smoother and faster ingress for Falls campers.

The majority of campers will enter North Byron Parklands on Friday, December 30, from 8am to 10pm. Campers will exit from the site on Tuesday, January 3, between 6am and 1pm.

Event tickets, car passes and bus tickets for Falls Byron are now all on sale through www.fallsfestival.com

DECISION MADE: Kunghur Hall is set to return to Council as the new administrator

Medhanit will play Falls Festival

Jo Kennett

Expect plenty of RBTs

By Jo Kennett

TWEED POLICE are warning drivers to have a plan ‘B’ this New Years as drivers can expect more drink and drug testing on local roads this festive season.

Police have celebrated a halving of road deaths since the introduction of random breath testing (RBT) 40 years ago in 1982.

It was 15 years ago in January, 2007, NSW Police commenced testing motorists for drug driving.

The Weekly caught up with Tweed-Byron Police District Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell recently, who was at Kennedy Drive with his team testing drivers to mark the occasion.

“We are celebrating 40 years of RBT so we will be out and about doing a lot of random roadside breath testing as well as drug testing,” Supt Roptell said.

“Tweed-Byron Police are out in force in partnership with the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command to mark the milestone.

“As a result of random breath testing, road-related deaths have been reduced by 50 per cent so we are committed to continuing to use them

to keep our roads safe.

“We will continue this focus in particular over the New Year break and into the festive season.”

Saturday, December 17, marked the 40th anniversary of the introduction of random breath testing across NSW roads.

Before that, the state’s annual road toll regularly surpassed 1,200 fatalities, and authorities recognised that measures needed to be introduced to address the issue.

In 1982, NSW became one of the first jurisdictions in the world and the first in Australia to introduce random breath testing.

Prior to the introduction of random breath testing police could only stop a motorist due to their manner of driving.

In the first five years following the introduction of random breath testing across the state, road fatalities fell from 1,303 in 1980 to 1,067 in 1985.

In 1980, the percentage of road fatalities linked to drink driving was 30 per cent.

Of the 275 road fatalities recorded in NSW last year (2021), 17 per cent were attributed to drink driving, cutting the percentage by almost half and reducing the number of alcohol-related fatalities by 88 per cent.

Police thankful for tributes

By Jo Kennett

THE LOCAL community has reached out to Tweed-Byron Police officers this month in the wake of the shocking ambush and execution of two police officers, and another man in Queensland on December 12.

Some residents took flowers into the Tweed Heads Police Station to show their support while many others offered their condolences.

“It was shocking news and very disheartening to know that this can happen to us or any member of the public at any time,” Tweed-Byron Police Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell told The Weekly.

“It hits home how vigilant we have to be and we stand in support of our fellow officers in Queensland.

“We are so grateful for the support we have had from our local community. They have been nothing short of outstanding in supporting us.

“We have received flowers and have had people coming in wanting to thank police for what we do and to show their condolences for our colleagues in Queensland.

“They have been coming into the station and coming up to us on the street and reaching out on social media.”

Supt Roptell said police still treat each day as it comes.

“We do our core business of keeping the public safe, but it’s just a reminder that we have to be careful and vigilant about doing our job,” he said.

“It’s been another challenging year with the floods and managing COVID and border issues, however we have a fantastic community and fantastic civic leaders across the board and we will be prepared for whatever challenges come our way.

“I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year.”

RBT/RDT means you need a plan B. Expect plenty of officers on the beat this New Years

Tributes have flowed for two officers, Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, and Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, who were shot and killed in a terrible ambush in Queensland's Western Downs

By Jonathon Howard

HIGH ACHIEVING year 12 graduates from Mt Saint Patrick College in Murwillumbah have shared their advice for success and the importance of caring for your mental health.

The college has again achieved outstanding results in 2022 with a total of 57 band six achievements across a range of subjects.

The Weekly met with some of the students to find out their future plans and what advice they can offer their peers.

Year 12 graduate

Lincoln Taylor achieved a band six in English standard and said he worked hard. Lincoln said he condensed his essays and made sure they were “specific and precise to the questions” during his studies.

Lincoln is also a gun tennis player and has been offered a scholarship to study and play in the United States next year.

“Never been a star student of the class, so I think anyone can do it,” he said.

“I’m hopeful that I can go to the US to play tennis and further my studies, so fingers crossed.”

Band six English advanced achiever Amelie Ogg, who also achieved band six across many other subjects, said there’s a lot more things in life than school.

“Like your wellbeing,” she said.

Amelie wants to study a maths degree at UQ.

Wren Dunbar achieved a band six in extension English and said focusing on your strengths was important.

Wren wants to become a primary school teacher through the University of New England.

Ruby Waters is a band six English advanced student and said it was important to believe in yourself. “You are capable of so much,” she said.

“Don’t get too stressed and have fun.”

Ruby wants to study occupational therapy or psychology at university.

Earth and environmental science band six student Lucy Jones said your wellbeing should come first.

“I’m considering studying psychology at Macquarie Uni in Sydney,” she said.

Band six visual arts, English standard, community and family studies Mia Adams said it was important not to dwell on the little things as a senior student.

“My advice to others is not to get hung up on superficiality,” she said.

“And study more in the subject that you’re not doing well in.”

Mia is planning on going to university in Mel -

bourne.

“I would like to go to Uni Melbourne and study English and art history,” she said.

Described by his teacher as an outstanding musician, band six music achiever Billy Campbell said practice makes perfect.

“I’ve always played guitar and started playing base,” he said, when asked about his favourite instrument.

Billy also offered some great ad -

vice to other students.

“My advice to others is to just focus on your own performance,” he said. “Spend time practicing.”

Billy hopes to continue performing in a band at university, where he’d like to study nursing.

“Yeah, I’m going to uni for nursing and probably a band at uni, I hope,” he said.

“I think it’s important students pick something you enjoy and go for it”

WREN DUNBAR

“My advice to other students is to have a go, and you never know your limits”

LINCOLN TAYLOR

“Look after your wellbeing and do what makes you happy”

LUCY JONES

“Practice makes perfect.” BILLY CAMPBELL

The NSW Government is offering a new way to assist people on low incomes with their power bills by installing free solar systems for eligible households in place of their Low Income Household Rebate. This program aims to improve energy affordability by helping households unlock long terms savings on their electricity bills. While this means you will no longer receive the $285 annual rebate on your electricity bill, you could receive up to $600 in savings per year from your new solar system!

The offer is only available to households that live in the specified regions and meet the eligibility criteria. When participating in this program households will receive a free, fully installed 3kW solar system in place of their Low Income Household Rebate.

SAE Group are the approved provider, designing and installing solar systems to eligible homes in your region.

To be eligible you must:

- Currently be receiving the Low Income Household Rebate

- Agree not to receive the rebate for ten years

- Own your own home

- Not already have a solar PV system

- Hold a valid Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veteran Affairs Gold Card

- If you are not the registered homeowner, but your spouse is, you may be considered eligible collectively as a household

A 3kW system is designed to generate an average of 12.6kwh per day, which will deliver electricity savings depending on each household’s energy consumption. Managing Director of SAE Group Glen Ashton comments “We know electricity bills continue to place a lot of pressure on households, and we are pleased to be working with the NSW Government to help ease the pressure on low income households.”

SAE Group are an Australian owned and operated organisation with over ten years’ experience in the solar industry. SAE Group are a Clean Energy Council Approved Retailer, and hold accreditations ISO 9001, ISO 45001 for safety and quality systems. Safety is paramount to us, and it our goal to ensure we provide quality solar systems to eligible households that will deliver ongoing savings for many years to come.

Want to find out more?

Visit: https://energysaver.nsw.gov.au/solar-low-income-households to check your eligibility and apply online or visit www.saegroup.com.au or call us on 02 66 389 439. The Solar for Low Income Household Offer is supported by the NSW Government.

Mountain bike trail win

By Madedeline Murray

AN EXCITING new project is going to give mountain bikers dedicated trails for the first time in the Tweed Valley.

Tweed Shire Council, in partnership with Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders, has engaged outdoor trail design and construction specialists Trailworx to build more than 8.5km of mountain bike trails on Council-owned land adjacent to the Uki Wastewater Treatment Plant on Smiths Creek Road.

Work on the tracks and park began in late November and will take about six months to complete.

The win-win project will give youth and other mountain bikers a great outdoor activity area, as well as providing a much-needed accessible bushland area.

This is great news in a shire with few nature

reserves, apart from the glorious national parks that are either closed, a long drive away, and/ or don’t have many trails.

“We have been working on this since 2012,” Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders Club president Hugh Flower told The Weekly.

“Currently, mountain bike enthusiasts in the Tweed have to travel to Kyogle, Gold Coast or further south to get their biking fix.

“We want it to be a community facility, not just for mountain bikers.

“We will keep a mown access track alongside some of the trails so that people can walk.”

Tweed Shire Council will create a parkland around the staging area where people can picnic and enjoy nature.

Most of the land, cleared for farming, will be replanted with native vegetation, which will attract birds, and other wildlife, perhaps even koalas.

Jackpot win at Golf Club

By Madeleine Murray

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, started out as an ordinary day for Murwillumbah local Toni Veares.

But at 8pm that night, she was $5,200 richer.

After 52 weeks, someone finally won the draw at Wednesday Trivia at the beautiful Murwillumbah Golf Club.

The lucky and deserving winner was Toni, a volunteer for Tweed Tourism at the Murwillumbah Visitor Information Centre.

The draw had been increasing by $100 each week. Every week, the screen scrolled through all the club members, and stopped at a name.

The suspense enthralled the crowd, who waited for three minutes after the name was called. You have to be at the club when your

name comes up.

For 52 weeks, the winner was never there, and the jackpot went up and up.

Such a big prize was very attractive, and the excellent trivia night, with quizmaster Rainer Luedecke, became even more popular. At one point, there were 20 teams. The whole room erupted with delight the night that Toni won.

Toni started the Murwillumbah branch of the St George Building Society in 1984, went on to work as a foot reflexologist, and now volunteers at the information centre.

“I’m feeling great,” Toni told The Weekly.

“I’m very excited. One of the things I need is a new hot water service, which is about $2,200, so I’m going to buy that!

“I’ve been going to trivia for a couple of years.

“I never win anything, so this is wonderful.”

Uki bike track team including Council

Mountain bike specialist Trailworx general

manager Sunni Chandra

Uki mountain bike trail Map

Quizmaster Rainer Luedecke presented the jackpot prize to Toni giving her Wednesday a big lift

call McKenzie home.

and

our residents enjoy, you’ll want to call McKenzie home.

Kids dig deep for hub

By Jo Kennett

KINGSCLIFF PUBLIC School students have helped to raise hundreds of dollars to aid flood-affected locals via the school’s P&C end of year raffle.

Co-president Angela

Gifts for park residents

By Jo Kennett

RESIDENTS FROM Chinderah’s flooded residential parks received a welcome boost after a harrowing year, thanks to a Pottsville family day care centre, and they are looking forward to a happier year in 2023.

Busy Beez Day FDC (Family Day Care) held a Chinderah Flood Appeal and a group of park residents attended an emotional ceremony at the centre recently where children gave them gift boxes.

With the help of daughter Maddie, Bernie Beatty runs Busy Beez and her Pottsville home was also flooded in February.

Despite that she decided “the elders of the Hacienda and Homestead Parks at Chinderah needed a little cheering up.”

“We have been collecting vintage tea sets to replace items that floated away in the February floods,” she said.

“The children have decorated shoe boxes, inside is a small fruit cake made locally in Pottsville by Friends of the Hive, a teabag and the vintage tea set.”

“We made up 60 gift boxes for the park residents.

“We had a lot of help from the community and particularly from Trish Longhurst who made the cakes and Helen Crowe donated raffle prizes to the park and a lot of china.”

Hacienda resident Maz Nelson said there were still people rebuilding their homes.

“It’s very slow and a lot of people won’t be back at all,” she said.

“It’s very quiet. Residents are just staying indoors.

“This is wonderful and hopefully it will be a fresh start for the new year.

“Bernie has done a wonderful job; she and the girls who helped out are amazing.

“From everyone at the Hacienda and Homestead parks we thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.”

Northern Rivers Children’s Services Director of FDC, Kerrie Chadburn, said it was “so beautiful to see the community come together.”

“To see ladies giving so much back; you could see how heartfelt it was,” she said.

“It means people feel supported and have got a community they can reach out to and they love that connection with the younger generation. It was gorgeous.”

“We have been incredibly supported by our families and the community at large and we are very grateful for that and with that in mind the P&C and the school community wanted to give

back and that’s how we decided to raffle the surfboard and merchandise with all proceeds going to the Chinderah Hub,” Angela said.

The lucky winner of the raffle got to take home the incredible collaborative surfboard artwork by year 1 students (the Longboards) and year 1 (the Malibus) and a signed jumper from surfing legend, Stephanie Gilmore.

“The surfboard has an amazing history, previously owned by Steph Gilmore and family,” co-president Asha Lambert Patel said.

“The family also donated a jumper signed by Stephanie celebrating her 2022 record breaking eighth World Title.”

Trish Longhurst, Maddie Beatty and Helen Crowe

The kids helped out with presents

Watson said the money raised will be donated to the Chinderah Hub in the form of supermarket vouchers along with additional gifts and hamper donations.

The Chinderah Hub's Kay Redman with Angela Watson

Happy New Year growers Sweet Talk

Talk

A HAPPY New Year to all the Tweed Valley Weekly readers and especially to all the hard-working NSW sugar industry personnel, farmers, harvester crews, truck drivers, mill workers and staff members.

A big thank you to the local businesses for the excellent support and service they have provided to our industry throughout the year.

The 2022 year was a very difficult one for all the rural industries on the North Coast, with catastrophic flooding in March, followed by prolonged

wet weather until October causing considerable damage to early planted cane and to the fields during harvest.

A crop of only 344,374 tonnes of cane was produced at Condong, which is well below the five-year average.

Cane is still being trucked from Rocky Point in Queensland and from the Richmond River to Condong Mill which is currently operating on a part-time roster.

This arrangement will continue well into January, weather permitting, to assist growers in Rocky Point and the Rich-

mond areas to complete their harvest.

The emerging crop for 2023 is backward for this time of year and ideal weather is needed from now on to maximise growth.

Weed control has been very challenging and many growers are running behind with this work.

Soybean planting is now underway for several growers.

The global sugar price has been solid for several months, which is very fortunate for all Australian sugar producers especially when we’ve had such poor crops with light tonnage in several areas of Australia.

I do hope you all have a good break this festive season. Stay safe and well.

Bye for now, Rob Hawken

with Robert Hawken Sweet

with Robert Hawken

By Jonathon Howard

TWEED CHAMBER of Commerce is pleased to announce the launch of the all-new Tweed Business Awards in 2023, taking the lead as the shire’s most prestigious business awards event.

Chamber president Warren Polglase said it was time to cast away the awards of the past and introduce an all-new name and format for Tweed businesses to shine.

“BEATS and other business award events of the past have done a great job, but we felt it was time to launch a fresh approach with the all new Tweed Business Awards,” he said.

The Weekly was recently invited to attend the Tweed Chamber’s official announcement and breakfast for the launch of the awards along with major sponsor Victory Organisation Group.

As with previous years, the awards will feature 15 business awards categories, four individual categories and four people’s choice categories, and a prestigious Hall of Fame Award.

Tweed Business Awards event organiser Julie West said she wanted to encourage local businesses to nominate, sponsor and get involved.

“These awards will acknowledge and publicly celebrate our local business excellence,” she said.

“We are hosting a special gala dinner awards night at the fabulous Seagulls Club next year, with specifics to be announced.

“We are delighted to have Victory Organi -

sation Group as our major event sponsor and we’re encouraging businesses to get involved and nominate in 2023.”

Victory Organisation Group dealer principal for Victory Ford Jason Mannix said the company was delighted to back the event.

“Victory Organisation Group is a leading business in the Tweed and wanted to support other business to be the best in their chosen field,” he said.

Victory MG sales manager Ricky Occhipinti was also in attendance and said it was a great way to get exposure for your business.

“I’d like to encourage local businesses to get involved with the Tweed Business Awards and we look forward to the event in 2023,” Mr Occhipinti said.

Ms West there are sponsorship opportunities available with multiple business award categories across all sectors.

“There are more than 2,000 businesses eligible to enter the awards in 2023,” she said.

These awards open the door for winners to go on to win other prestigious national awards such as Telstra Small Business Awards, the Australia Post Small Business Awards, Champion of Champions and Tourism NSW Awards.

“The Tweed Chamber of Commerce invites you to consider developing a relationship with our region’s business community through sponsorship.”

To find out more, or get involved, please email: Admin@tweedbusinessawards.org

TWEED BUSINESS AWARDS: Event coordinator Julie West, Victory Organisation Group dealer principal for Victory Ford Jason Mannix, Tweed Chamber board member Colin Usher and Victory MG Sales Manager Ricky Occhipinti.

Catch up with Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin

THE Nationals in the NSW Government are ploughing on with their half-baked plan to close Murwillumbah’s four public schools, merging them into an American-styled mega school campus.

A half-baked plan that will do nothing to advance the educational outcomes for local students.

This is despite widespread community concern and outright opposition.

Tweed Shire Council earlier this month (December 2022) formally objected to the proposed Murwillumbah Education Campus -- State Significant Development (SSD-16848913) due to ‘remaining concerns’ about ‘a number of unresolved matters’.

Council then wrote to NSW Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell MLC, inviting her again to meet with community representatives, Parents & Citizens, students and families affected by the NSW Government’s decision to move ahead with the Murwillumbah Campus and closing the four public schools in Murwillumbah.

A move that I fully support.

Since the meeting I arranged with the Minister at Murwillumbah High, at which we were promised to be sent the ‘educational benefits’, we have not received even one word.

Because there is no educational benefit. We all know that.

We all know that it is a cost cutting exercise and that the Murwillumbah community will not gain educational benefits, will not get the Performing Arts Centre promised, will lose space for students, will lose country school

identities, will have traffic and bus mayhem, and to top it off, will lose 20 teachers and four administrative staff.

Given Council’s formal objection on outstanding matters and the widespread and continued community opposition to the mega campus, the NSW Government should withdraw its development application before the start of the 2023 academic year.

If elected at the March 25 State Election, a Minns Labor Government will kill off the Nationals in Government’s half-baked plan and instead will keep open Murwillumbah High School, Wollumbin High School, Murwillumbah East Public School and Murwillumbah Public School.

We will consult these school communities on much-needed infrastructure upgrades to these schools, and continue with the upgrades underway.

This election commitment was made by NSW Shadow Minister for Education Prue Car and myself at a community meeting in Murwillumbah on 16 November 2021, and was reaffirmed by NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns when he met with stakeholders at a public education forum in Murwillumbah in late September.

A little over two years ago, former Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro (now not on the scene) and his colleagues rode into town to announce his half-baked thought bubble of closing four schools without any prior consultation and now they are left cleaning up the chaos.

I shall fight to save our schools.

Fight for schools goes on White Light Expo is coming

“This year we advise pre-booking your preferred reader to avoid disappointment.

The event will feature 18 informative exhibitors and five brilliant psychics, who will be there from 10am to 4pm.

The best news is the event is still only a gold coin for entry.

White Light Expo organiser Adrian Moore said exhibitors may include tarot and oracle cards, metaphysical, self-help and nutritional books, astrology, an assortment of crystals and tumbled stones, dream catchers, essential oils, spirit guide drawings, incense, pendulums, beautiful and affordable crystal jewellery, therapeutic medical equipment, reiki, scentsy home products, oil burners, healers, and much more.

“Our readers are some of the best with many years of experience. Last year was such a success, reader bookings were in demand,” he said.

“We look forward to seeing you all there, please tell all your friends; better still bring them with you for an enjoyable and informative day.”

To make a pre-booking for your preferred reader please go to www.whitelightexpos.com. au, choose your reader then call 0419 709 661 to book them. You can of course ring this number for any further information or to make exhibitor enquiries.

GET READY for the return of the White Light Health and Wellbeing Expo on Saturday, January 14, at the Pottsville Beach Community Hall.

Tweed Creative Studios to close

By Jonathon Howard

TWEED CREATIVE Studios has announced it will close in January 2023.

Studio owners Chantal and Kevin Waters said after nine years of nurturing Tweed’s musical talent the business has hit too many hurdles.

“It is with a heavy heart we have decided to shut our doors for good at Tweed Creative Studios from January 20,” Chantal said.

“After nine years enduring two floods and Covid-19 we have decided to move on.

“We love our little big business, but no longer have the motivation to keep going.”

Tweed Creative Studios has helped hundreds of young and older musicians to realise their inner voice and experience the joys of live music.

The company has aided local students, big name acts and beginners in the music industry, but had hit a wall in recent time due to natural disasters.

“Over the years we have done some amazing things for the community,” Chantal said.

“We have trained over 30 work experience students from our local schools and supplied equipment to the schools.

“We have donated to many not-for-profit organisations and organised fundraising events for the VRA and more.

“We have also employed multiple locals and built the economy from within our business.

“It’s really hard to say goodbye, we had tried to sell the business, but the March flood put a stop to that.”

Chantal and Kevin said it’s not too late if a buyer wanted to come forward and keep this amazing business going.

“The community will be at a great loss as our services included sales, rehearsals, repairs, equipment, hire and tuition. We now have no option but to close,” she said.

“Therefore, we are inviting the community to our special business closing sale from Tuesday, January 10, to January 20, 2023.

“We are selling everything at even further discounts and want to give the public an opportunity to get some great bargains.

“Everything must go all stock and fittings, including water, filters, furniture, and just about everything but the kitchen sink.

“We have been deliberating the option of downsizing to a mobile service offering minor guitar repairs, PA hire, vinyl and selected instruments and accessories.”

The couple are planning a well-earned break with a tour around Australia to shrug off 2022 and bring in a new year with a fresh outlook.

“We want to thank our Tweed Shire Council, Tweed Valley Weekly and all of our customers and suppliers for supporting us over the years,” the couple said.

“It means a lot to us and we are very proud of what we have achieved in this time.

“We wish you a very merry Christmas and hope to see you in 2023.”

To find out more about the business sale please email: Tweedcreative@bigpond.com

CLOSING DOWN: Tweed Creative Studios owners Chantal and Kevin Waters with staff member Simon Dundon

The Weekly celebrates 30 years

By Jonathon Howard

IT’S BEEN three decades since the Tweed Valley Weekly first rolled off the printing press with the goal of producing a great local paper that’s committed to the Tweed Shire.

Its legacy of putting the Tweed first continues to this day and is one that The Weekly team hold dear.

There have been many people who have shaped The Weekly over the years and it’s important to acknowledge those who have owned and contributed to the paper since its launch in 1992.

Tweed Valley Weekly was founded by Bob and Joyce Robertson and Denis and Gillian (Jill) Hallworth to provide an alternative source of news and community information that’s dedicated to the Tweed.

The owners printed the paper themselves at Church Lane inside the former Tweed Daily News building in Murwillumbah, before shifting to Quarry Road where the Print Spot resides today.

The Weekly owners purchased an advanced A2 four-colour printing press, with some of the pages printed in black and white.

Denis said he remembers many late nights and challenges to print the publication in the early ‘90s.

But the two couples developed a passion for the paper and enjoyed the excitement of producing the news.

“We dealt with many hurdles over the years including breakdowns, running late on deadline, working into the night and sometimes working all night,” he said.

“But I enjoyed the challenge and saw real potential in The Weekly’s future.”

Denis said the feedback was instant and locals embraced the masthead immediately.

“We felt at the time we were filling a gap, as the Tweed Daily News, which had dominated the area for more than 100 years, was covering more national and international news,” he said.

“We had a focus on local events and current affairs only, which is a winning formula.”

Denis’s wife Gillian worked as a social reporter and Denis covered photography.

“We tried to visit every event that was happening in the Tweed Shire to ensure we had the best coverage,” he said.

Denis said he was delighted to see The Weekly was continuing and said it provides a vital print platform for local news and events.

“I enjoy having a weekly newspaper to this day, especially one that carries on the traditions that we felt were important of putting the Tweed first,” he said.

“It’s a valuable publication and I hope it continues with the support of local businesses and readers.

“I’d like to thank the current owner Jonathon Howard and his team for keeping up the good work, as I know it’s a tough job.”

The two founding couples worked up until 2009 when The Weekly was purchased by Cherry Jackson-Saw and Kym Marsden.

Both Cherry and Kym took the paper to the next level and worked hard to make the publication a success.

They continued the locals-only approach to reporting and printed the paper in-house until the costs and servicing became too great and the printing was eventually contracted out to specialist printers.

The Weekly was purchased by the current owner Jonathon Howard and his partner Sarah Black in 2015.

Jonathon has continued the legacy of the previous owners and says he learnt a lot from Cherry.

“Having been a reporter for more than 10 years prior to owning the paper, I knew how to write a good story and produce the news, but I needed some extra help to run the core business,” he said.

“Cherry has some amazing skills, and I felt fortunate to have her by my side in the transition to ownership over two years.

“In that time, I was able to learn a lot and develop the necessary skills to build upon the previous owners’ legacy.”

The Weekly sales manager Richard Bowe has been with the paper since 2006 and has seen it go from strength to strength.

“There’s been constant fine tuning of the paper over the three decades to get the best possible publication out there for our advertisers and readers,” he said.

“I’ve met a lot of amazing people over the years as well as seeing lots of changes to the Tweed.

“We are certainly here to stay and I would like to thank those local businesses that continue to support The Weekly year on year.”

The Weekly sales executive Eryn

Young started working with The Weekly in 2014 and loves her job.

“I love The Weekly and I love working with the community and helping people with their advertising to help their businesses thrive,” she said.

“It’s wonderful watching how the paper has evolved over the years and how passionate the community is towards the paper each Thursday.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the community and local businesses to achieve their goals in 2023.”

The Weekly’s circulation has increased from around 12,000 papers in the early 2000s to more than 21,500 copies hand-delivered by our dedicated delivery team each week.

“This has all been driven by our local businesses, dedicated readers and a thriving Tweed Shire,” Jona -

thon said.

“We would like to thank everyone that has made the Tweed Valley Weekly possible over the past 30 years including the founders, previous owners, readers, distributors, advertisers, Tweed Shire Council, local politicians, graphic designers, reporters and online audience.

“We are making big plans to increase our readership and circulation in 2023 with new stands and distribution points rolling out at Banora Point and Tweed Heads.

“Please continue to support your local paper and we look forward to working with you in 2023.”

To find out more about Tweed Valley Weekly, or to get involved with fresh ideas in 2023, please contact the editor via email: Editor@theweekly.net.au or phone: 0447 300 258.

THIRTY YEARS! Thank you from The Weekly team for supporting your paper

Tweed stands together

By Jonathon Howard

THE YEAR that was 2022 started with a sense of renewed optimism across the Tweed Shire as residents shrugged off many of the COVID-19 restrictions and looked towards a prosperous year ahead.

But sadly, our optimism was short lived, after the flood of all floods struck the Tweed and wider Northern Rivers on February 28 with ferocious force.

The 2022 flood has since been described as the worst natural disaster in the Northern Rivers in modern times and one of the worst in Australia’s recorded history.

Families were shattered, businesses were forced to close and questions now remain what another year with La Niña could look like in 2023.

The Weekly has taken hundreds of calls and messages of support and praise for our hardworking volunteers, emergency services and local businesses, for their help and support to those who needed it most.

If there was one lesson out of the flood this year it was that the Tweed Shire is resilient and when our chips are down and the waters recede, we band together and face the future together.

One of the biggest legacy pieces from the February flood is the damage to vital road infrastructure.

The Tyalgum Road landslide remains one of the largest infrastructure projects for the Tweed’s damaged road network. It will require all levels of government and Tweed Shire Council to rectify what engineers are saying is a tough challenge.

Tyalgum residents and businesses are desperate for the works to get underway, with a construction schedule expected to be announced in 2023.

Our local farming families and cane farmers have had a challenging year in 2022, with the flood impacting the harvest and disrupting the

Sunshine Sugar Condong Sugar Mill.

But again, Tweed residents showed their true grit, working around the clock to get the mill back online and ensuring our farmers could start the harvest on time.

Of course, the year wasn’t all doom and gloom, with some amazing achievements, accolades, and the return of many special events this year.

The Weekly was there to cover sporting achievements, the return of the iconic Murwillumbah Show, which was a massive hit this year following years of cancellations due to COVID-19.

Some notable personalities called time on lengthy careers, including the longest-running jockey club chairman in Australia, Bernie Quinn OAM, who hung up the whip after 52 years at the helm.

Events came thick and fast towards the end of the year, with a range motoring, community and family fun days, all helping to forget how the year started.

In considering the 2023 year ahead, I would ask that residents take time to consider what they are thankful for in 2022 and how they hope to embrace the new year ahead.

A big thank you to our hardworking volunteers during the flood and post flood.

You were the sunshine in a dark time for many residents and I know your efforts were not in vain.

Happy New Year Tweed Shire and we look forward to working with you in 2023.

After the Flood party

By Hub 2484 coordinador Kerry Pritchard

HUB 2484, in collaboration with Stamp and Grind Cafe, and the Heart of Love Foundation, held its After the Flood Christmas Party for flood-impacted families on Wednesday, December14, at the Condong Bowling Club.

Over 150 people attended, 120 gifts were distributed to children and 60 hampers were donated and distributed from Heart of Love Foundation.

Hub 2484 would really like to express our gratitude to the many volunteers and donors that helped pull the event together and make it such a great night.

Particular thanks to Geoff from Stamp and Grind Cafe and to the many local business that provided gifts and cash donations, the Murwillumbah Rotary Club for their generous donation

of $2500 worth of food vouchers for families, to Cape Byron Power for their donation to the bar for drinks throughout the night, and to Heart of Love for providing the Christmas hampers and dinner for all those who attended.

Thanks also to the wonderful Shani Forrester and her band and the Hub Christmas Choir, and for all the many volunteers that assisted with wrapping of presents, the set up and pack up, running the raffle, to the rug weaving group, to Santa and our resident elf.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge one of our volunteers Jo Garrow who sadly passed away before our Christmas party, and extend our condolences to her family for their loss.

If you require any assistance over the holiday period, please call 0403 488 817. We would like to wish everyone a Christmas and New Year filled with love and joy.

Santa was kind enough to pay a visit to the Christmas After the Flood party at Condong Bowls

2022, the year that tested us all to the extreme, breaking records best left to historical almanacs of once-in-a-hundredyear events, and confirmed our shared strength, with community resilience shining through the muddied darkness. Perhaps it’s PTSD that has made this year seem to fly by, despite the long days spent cleaning up…or maybe because of them. I guess the axiom of time flying when you’re having fun could be co-opted: time flies when you’re busy, desperately dealing with what’s in front of you. Another form of flow, mindfulness seems a world away, but the mental state is actually a close cousin. “Live in the now!”, the modern mantra, may be our only option in moments of crisis. Soon enough, it will be a year since the ferocious February floods, with so many locals still displaced and awaiting governmental support, or to be advised of their eligibility for the recently approved buy-back scheme. The emergency housing, promised post-catastrophe, is really only just getting sorted out now, and doesn’t cover everyone in need. The future could look bleak, yet everywhere, in the air, there is hope. I’ve recently heard some debates

about Hope, arguing its utility, and whether, in reality, it simply ends up making one feel hopeless. I was advised by a wise man years ago that hope is worth giving up on. It can only inevitably lead to disappointment, being entwined with (often unattainable) expectations. So much can hinge on hope… Sometimes it’s the only thing keeping a person going. Faith’s sister, Hope flies on a wish and a prayer, although not the same sense of prayer given by those of Faith. Seemingly synonymous, these word siblings carry subtle nuances, with Faith feeling more solid, grounded and sure. Of course, Faith can be found in many forms, not only in the religious worlds – indeed, “trust the Universe” is the ultimate faith offering, switched from trusting “God” for the New Age spiritual movement. Divine Will still appeals to the collective consciousness of humanity. Magical Mount Wollumbin has called out to those who can hear, and for decades they have flocked here. We all hope 2023 will be better, and can have faith that our community can heal, stronger together –whatever the weather!

Mohini is rocking NYE

Spotlight with The Regent

ORIGINALLY FROM Montreal, Quebec, Mohini Cox thinks the Northern Rivers is “The best location on earth!”.

You could comfortably call her a local by now, after 16 years in the area.

“Through providence, I left my family and a solid musical career in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to come to the Tweed Shire, and I’ve never gone back as I love it so much here — nons je be regrette reins!” Mohini said.

Music, Mohini muses, is a universal language, which naturally brings people together.

“It’s a most powerful mood shifter — everyone can tell a happy song, or sad song, a love song, a thrilling soundscape, a dream sequence, a bad guy entering the room, just by the change of sound vibration,” she said.

Over the years, a solid following in the local music scene has been well-earned, both as a solo artist — recently packing out The Regent’s balcony for the Saturday Soirée — and as lead singer for the funkiest band around, JB & the Mmmms, born from a jam session. They’ll be raising the vibes this New Year’s Eve at The Regent.

“This NYE block party format has been especially curated just for The Regent, which is so gorgeous now with its chic new renovations,” she said.

“We have busily been burning the midnight oil with the aim to bring The Tweed Rivers into 2023 with panache and a blast! Bring ten friends!”

For more information please visit: www.mohinicox.info Or book tickets via: www.the-regent. com.au

Shopping Spree winners

By Jonathon Howard

TWEED VALLEY Weekly is pleased to announce the grand prize winners of the 2022 Christmas Shopping Spree.

There were again thousands of entries into the competition with winners of $50 each week and final winners of $200 and a grand prize of $500. This year’s winner of the $200 runner-up prize is Dianne King.

“I shopped at Priceline in Murwillumbah for my winning entry,” Ms King said. “I’m using the $200 for groceries and Christ-

mas goodies at IGA Tweed Valley.

“Thank you to the local businesses and The Weekly.”

The grand prize winner this year is motherof-three Erin Trappel who picked up the $500 shopping spree prize.

“I shopped at IGA with a one and only entry,” Ms Trappel said.

“I’m buying our Christmas lunch and some toys for the kids at IGA Tweed Valley.

“Thanks to The Weekly and local participating businesses, it’s a great local competition.”

The Trappel family won the $500 shopping spree and Dianne King ( second right) was runner-up

Mohini Cox is coming to The Regent

Coming up fast on the 8th January 2023, Bunny Racket is hopping into The Regent to entertain your kids (and you!) rock & roll style! Don’t miss this chance to rock out with the rabbits and make your kid’s holidays!

New movie this week: THE MENU – be thrilled with these deadly dishes, served with psychopathic perfection. Hunger Games fans will love this one with Ralph Fiennes shining as sharp as his kitchen knives in this role!

A short day for the public holiday, Monday 2nd January, with the first movie at noon, and we’ll be closed by 7ish. Perfect timing to escape the heat of the day and entertain the kids for a few hours!

PUSS IN BOOTS will burst onto our screen with his usual purrrfect dramatic flurry, on 5th January (not the 1st, as previously advertised. Apologies for any disappointment caused.)

COMING SOON: TRIANGLE OF SADNESS + EMILY + MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON + LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE (12TH JAN)

THE AMAZING MAURICE + A MAN CALLED OTTO (19TH JAN)

+ WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY + BLUEBACK (same week)

YOU CAN GO NOW + THE FABLEMANS (26TH JAN)

LIVE SHOWS ON SALE NOW: KUEPPER WHITE (2/2/23)

+ THE VERY LAST LIST OF VIVIEN WALKER (3/2/23)

**new date from December postponement**

Strange World 10:00AM

Avatar: The Way of Water 12:10PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 3:45PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 5:40PM The Menu 9:15PM

FRI

30

Avatar: The Way of Water 10:00AM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 1:35PM

Strange World 3:30PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 5:35PM The Menu 9:10PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 10:00AM

Strange World 1:35PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 3:40PM Bring the Funk!! NYE Party 2022 8:00PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 10:00AM

Strange World 11:55AM

The Velvet Queen 2:00PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 3:55PM Balcony Sessions (LIVE MUSIC)

M.E. BAIRD 4:00-6:00PM The Menu 7:30PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 12:00PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 1:55PM

The Velvet Queen 5:30PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 6:20PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 10:00AM

Avatar: The Way of Water 11:55AM

Strange World 3:30PM

The Menu 5:35PM

The Velvet Queen 7:45PM

The Menu 8:00PM

Strange World 10:00AM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 12:05PM

The Menu 2:00PM

The Velvet Queen 4:10PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 1:35PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 3:40PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 5:35PM

The Menu 7:40PM

FRI 6

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 10:00AM

Strange World 12:05PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 2:10PM

The Menu 4:15PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 6:25PM

Emily 2:45PM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 5:20PM

Triangle of Sadness 7:15PM

Tad the Explorer: The Mummy Adventure 10:00AM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 11:55AM

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 1:50PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 4:00PM The Menu 6:05PM

Triangle of Sadness 8:15PM

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 10:00AM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 10:00AM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 11:55AM

Avatar: The Way of Water 2:00PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 5:35PM

Balcony Sessions (LIVE MUSIC)

BILL JACOBI 6:00-8:00PM

The Menu 7:40PM

Bunny Racket 1:00PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 3:00PM

Balcony Sessions (LIVE MUSIC)

BURNING HANDS 4:00-6:00PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 5:05PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 6:20PM

Tad the Explorer:

The Mummy Adventure 10:00AM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 11:55AM

Avatar: The Way of Water 2:00PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 5:35PM

The Menu 7:40PM

The Menu 8:00PM

SAT 7 JANUARY SUN 8 JANUARY TUES 10 JANUARY WED 11 JANUARY

Avatar: The Way of Water 10:00AM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 1:35PM

Strange World 3:40PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 5:45PM

The Menu 7:50PM

Emily 12:10PM

Tad the Explorer: The Mummy Adventure 2:45PM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 4:40PM

Balcony Sessions (LIVE MUSIC)

ELENA B WILLIAMS

with RACHEL HEATON 6:00-8:00PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 6:35PM

Triangle of Sadness 8:40PM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 10:00AM Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 11:55AM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 2:05PM

Balcony Sessions (LIVE MUSIC)

PETER HUNT 4:00-6:00PM

Triangle of Sadness 4:10PM Emily 7:00PM

Avatar: The Way of Water 6:20PM

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish 10:00AM

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 12:05PM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 2:15PM

Tad the Explorer: The Mummy Adventure 4:10PM

Triangle of Sadness 6:05PM

The Menu 8:00PM

FRI 13 JANUARY SAT 14 JANUARY SUN 15 JANUARY TUES 17 JANUARY WED 18

JANUARY

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile 10:00AM

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On 12:10PM

THU 29 DECEMBER THU 5 JANUARY THU 12 JANUARY 87002 89126

HI TO our market community and all the food-lovers out there!

On behalf of the market community, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and holiday period. By the time you are reading this you will no doubt be in between Christmas and New Year with no idea what day it is! We hope you have all had a wonderful and restful time.

As many of you will already know there has been so much going on at the market over the last month since the last Food Bowl Article – and it has been great to see the market bustling and people getting their Christmas gifts at the artisan pop up stalls. It has been great to have the pop up stalls join us for the Christmas period and bring a little extra fun

to our wonderful market. We would like to thank the pop up stallholders for coming along to join us and also to you, our customers, for supporting the pop up stallholders and the market in this time! While it has been great on the lead up to Christmas it will be good to get back to some normality in January.

You will also start to see a couple of new stalls join us over January (we will tell you about these next time).

We also have some good news to share, as Timmy from What a Mess will now be a permanent stallholder at our market.

Timmy has a selection of delicious gourmet sandwiches and toasties – perfect breakkie or brunch for your trip to the market. A

massive well done to Timmy and thanks for popping up at the market for the last few months.

You may have also noticed that the Vietnamese Lotus food truck is also now back – but it has new owners, Donna and Amanda – and importantly a new name – ‘The Lotus’. Donna and Amanda will be popping up at the market for the next few weeks to showcase their new menu, so please do go along and try it out!

Finally, in the last couple of months the market has been working on a new and refreshed logo for the market – and it is finally finished and in print – hooray!

You will start to see our branding change over the coming weeks and you will also start to see merchandise available for sale at the Market Office, so please do pop by and take a look.

We hope you all enjoy this update and look forward to seeing you every Wednesday at the market!

Claire x

We were all very excited earlier this month to hear that raspberries are back

in season at Tallogum Berries! Hooray! As I am sure many of you will feel the same, we have missed raspberries while they have been out of season but will most certainly appreciate and make the most of these delicious, sweet but tart berries while they are back. Not only are raspberries a perfect ingredient to showcase a dessert with their sweet and tangy flavour but they are also high in nutritional value – they are a high source of fibre and vitamin C making them great for gut health and our general wellbeing. Raspberries are great in smoothies, juices, fruit salads, and of course desserts like cheesecake or tarts.

Ryan at Summit Organics also tells us that they are starting to see their first few cucumbers coming through now.

Cucumbers are a great source of fibre and also help to keep us hydrated, which is what we need in this warmer weather – they would be a great addition to a salad or just as a snack.

In more very exciting news, Andy at Costanzo Apples has let us know that cherries are in season now and will be back this week - and they were just

in time for Christmas! Not only are cherries a great addition to tasty dessert (check out our recipes on social media) but they are packed with vitamin C, potassium and also fibre – so they are also great for our health too.

Will at Everest Farm also tells us that watermelons are in season and you will all start to see these back on his stall.

Watermelon is full of great nutrients, including, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C – it is also a great source of water so it will keep you hydrated over the summer months. Delish!

When and where is the market?

See you at the Murwillumbah Farmers’ Market, at the Murwillumbah Showgrounds (via gate 5) from 7am to 11am every Wednesday –come rain or shine! There will be a different local musician at the market every week – so come along, gather with friends and family and get stocked up on your local and fresh weekly produce!

If you would like more information – follow us on Instagram or Facebook, subscribe to our weekly newsletter or contact the market manager, Claire Strodder by email (manager@murwillumbahfarmersmarket.com.au) or phone (0415 328 672).

What’s in season, tasty and interesting at the market this month?

ACROSS 1 Flight facility (9)

Blends (7)

Sleep song (7)

Separated liquids via machine (11)

Actor, Owen __“ (6)

Affections of the body (8)

Monorail (8) 16 Dangerous (6) 18 Admission (6) 19 Assimilated (12) 22 Drum (7) 25 Elderly (3) 27 Birthplace of Shakespeare (7) 30 Narcotics (7) 32 Divide (5) 33 Be concerned (4) 34 Provide (5) 35 Public transport (3) 36 Indian dish (3) 37 Divided Asian country (5) 38 Unsteadily (12) 41 Meetings (12) 44 Remove (5) 46 Florid (3) 48 Prosecute (3) 49 Greenish (5) 50 Slender shoot (4) 51 Help (5) 52 Silhouette (7)

53 Moderates (7) 55 Excluding (3) 56 Con (7) 60 Stickiness (12) 63 Arouse (6) 65 Fruit (6) 67 Crystals (8) 69 Cravats (8) 71 Placing (6) 72 Relief (11) 73 Not a biological offspring (7) 74 Maidens (7) 75 Brutality (9)

DOWN

WORDSEARCH: LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE

CLUES

T his word is from the title of a Wallace & Gromit movie about the were-rabbit

A young goldfish princess becomes human in this animated film

T his arcade game character likes to wreck everything

An animal named Po who likes kung-fu

The sabre-toothed tiger in Ice Age and the binoculars in Toy Story

A sad Disney movie that makes people cry

T he job of the magical lady named MacPhee

T he title of the first Harry Potter book uses this word Mushrooms, Lettuce, Herbs, Zuchini,

TEST YOUR TWEED SHIRE KNOWLEDGE SUDOKU

N N D G U

A L I O

12 words: Good 18 words: Very good 25 words: Excellent

LAST

WEEK’S

24 Redos (7) 25 Outstanding (4) 26 Lump of food (6) 28 Values (11) 29 City in the United Arabic Emirates (5) 31 Writing fluid (3) 38 Flipper (7) 39 Calendar used in most parts of the world (9) 40 Arboretum (6) 41 German shepherd dog (8) 42 Perfect (5) 43 Long locks (7) 45 Exercised based on Chinese martial arts, __ chi (3) 47 Small projectile (4) 48 Lazily (10) 54 Hebrew judge (3) 57 Ate quickly (7) 58 Sharp, ringing sound (7) 59 Teamed with (7) 61 Aftermath of a disease (7) 62 Woman’s name (5) 64 Come forth (6) 66 Take in to graze for payment (5) 68 Coach (5) 346571982 527986431 214635879

Minimum word length 4 letters. No plurals allowed. Every word must contain the centre letter (once only). aloud, dung, languid, lung, noun, union,

SOLUTIONS

12 words: 18 words: 25 words:

In good shape (4) THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS Junior Crossword: Solutions: Curse, Ponyo, Ralph, Panda, Lenny, Bambi, Nanny, Stone (CORALINE)

Beans, Sweetpotato, Corn, Peas,

70 872349516 461253798 698427153 9 Letter Puzzle: aloud, annul, annuli, audio, auld, dual, dung, dunlin, gluon, guano, guild, languid, laud, lauding, lingua, loud, lung, noun, ulan, ulna, undo, undoing, union, unload, UNLOADING

1. W hat is the Tweed Shire Council population forecast for 2022? 2. W hat were the Queen’s middle names? 3. How many years did Bernie Quinn serve as Chairman of the Tweed River Jockey Club? 4. W ho won the NRRRL final for 2022? 5. W hat month did the Tweed Valley Hospital ‘Top Out’ (completing the upper section of the hospital)? PET OF THE WEEK

Dairy, Honey, Pecans, Snowpeas,

HIDDEN ICONS THE WEEKLY’S LOOK AT LIFE WITH PAUL DORIN

38 Activities Thursday, December 29 & January 5, 2022 Tweed Valley Weekly Locals Supporting Locals 687 9 483 9 785

READIT,READIT, READ INTHE...

Bokchoy, Potatoes

2 54 8 6 593

Because you read it, read it in the Weekly. If this is your number plate, you have won one of our amazing prizes! You have two weeks to collect your prize.

856 3 19 4 7 LAST WEEKS ICONS newspaper p. 12, elf p. 20, santa hat p. 3 Is this your number plate?

CH481

Display our Weekly Sticker on your car to win. The winning number plate will be published each week! Locals”

LAST WEEK’S SUDOKU 1. 98,487 2. Alexandra Mary, 3. 52 years, 4. Bilambil Jets, 5. August Rufus Foster Dog FD1643 $600 Peggy Staffy X Jack Russell D.O.B. 09/05/2022 Desexed Female M/C # 991003002012995 Peggy is a delightful young pup. She is sweet natured, keen to learn new things and very affectionate. Peggy would suit an active family with older kids. Location: Murwillumbah For more information contact Yvette on 0421 831 128. Interested? Please complete our online adoption expression of interest. https://friendsofthepound.com/ adoption-expression-of-interest/

$50MEAT VOUCHER $50FRUIT & VEG VOUCHER Main Street (02) 6672 1155 Terms and conditions: By displaying our sticker on your car, you give Tweed Valley Weekly permission to publish your vehicle’s number plate in a future edition to announce winners. To claim your prize, you must be able to prove that you are the owner of the vehicle, by presenting registration papers to sta at our Queen St. o ce.

Sunnyside Mall (02) 6672 3158

JUNIOR CROSSWORD

PRINT SPOT GROUP

For more than 30 years, Print Spot Group has been supporting Businesses throughout Murwillumbah and Northern Rivers. Print Spot was taken over by our local family 17 years ago and has been passed down through the family to Vanessa and Michael Hampton. We have built a strong reputation with the community and love helping people to bring their visions to life – be it for a logo, signage, vehicle signage and printing such as business cards etc. We try and be sustainable and environmentally friendly wherever possible.

We are passionate about our community and have Sponsored many local Sporting and Events over the years.

No job is too big or too small and we are always happy to help wherever we can. We genuinely care about your project and will ensure each job is undertaken in order to best suit your particular needs and specification. We always strive to have that can-do attitude and we offer truly honest and professional services. We listen to the needs and requests of our customers and act on their ideas wherever possible and within the boundaries of possibility.

FEATURED BUSINESS

So, if you’re looking for a one-stop printing and sign shop, you’ve come to the right place at Print Spot Group. We’re at the forefront of the field in fast digital printing and large-scale signage services with a reputation for quality, consistency and excellent customer service.

If you would like to know more about our services or request a quote drop us a line today info@printspotgroup.com. au or call (02) 6672 8370

We would like to thank all our loyal customers for your support over the years. We look forward to maintaining these relationships and building new ones. We wish everyone a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year for 2023.

Positions Vacant

Snake Relocation

Pouch

Be supported to make a big impact on the lives and learning of our little people.

In working with us you will:

• Work with a passionate team to deliver an innovative program that values diversity and is centred around play, exploration, and investigation

• Develop collaborative and supportive relationships with families and colleagues

• Holistically integrate Aboriginal perspectives and nurture a connection to country, self, and others

• Foster strong relationships with children in a safe, nurturing environment that feels like a home away from home

• Be part of a small, community-based, not-for-profit service where all fees and fundraising are reinvested into the service

At Joey’s Pouch we offer:

• Full time and part time positions

• Childcare discount for all permanent employees

• Pay above the award rates

• Additional hourly rate for educators while in the role of the responsible person on duty

• Generous resources budgets

• Generous professional development budgets

• Paid First Aid and CPR, WWCC, and Child Protection

• An inclusive workplace culture that values wellbeing

To be considered for the role, you must meet the selection criteria:

• Diploma of Early Childhood

• Experience developing and implementing and evaluating programs using the EYLF and National Quality Framework

• Demonstrated knowledge of theories of early childhood development

• Experience building positive and professional relationships with children, families and colleagues

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

• Current First Aid and Asthma & Anaphylaxis certificates

• Current Child Protection certificate

Please address the selection criteria and submit your CV to the Director: director@joeyspouch.com.au.

Positions Vacant

Beautiful riverside cafe, STAR BIRD is awaiting key team members. Do you have 2+ years experience as a chef, cafe manager or head barista? This could be the perfect place for you! Looking for a dynamic and reliable head team for this prime location. Above award wages, flexible hrs. Early start, early finish shifts available. Get in touch with us ASAP! OPENING MONDAY 19th DECEMBER for a busy Summer season. starbirdcafe2484@gmail.com

Positions Vacant

Social Group

Joey’s

Early Years Centre seeks passionate educators to join our team.

To Let

COOLANGATTA room to rent 200 metres from the beach, Club, shops, fully furnished, cooking facilities, No lease and No bond. Over 50’s from $225-$250 per week. (07) 5599 1089

Travel

PHUKET HOLIDAYS FOR OVER 55’S $85 per day includes- 4-star accommodation, 1 hour massage, English speaking tour guide with motorcycle hire. For further information phone0434 712 735

Wanted

Laurel Joan Mann

Late of Murwillumbah

Passed away peacefully on Saturday the 17th December 2022 “Our Matriach”

A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. A service has been held for Laurel

FEMALE

WANTED

Lawrence John O’Reilly ‘John’

22/04/1940 – 5/ 11/2022

Jan & family would like to sincerely thank everyone for their kind words, messages, flowers and all who attended the celebration of John’s life at All Saints Anglican Church. Please accept this as their personal thanks.

Kenneth Arthur Hamilton

2/1/44-19/12/22

Son of Lange and Bertha (Both dec) Brother to Bob (dec) John (Stompy. Dec) Janice, David, Richie, Bertha (Sis) and Wesley. Loved Uncle to his many nieces and nephews.

Will be sadly missed.

Family and friends are invited to attend Ken’s Funeral Service to be held on Friday 30th December 2022 at the Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery, Kirkwood Rd, Tweed Heads commencing at 10.30am NSW.

Death Notices

HEYDEN June Leila 13/12/2022

White Lady Funerals 07 5536 5300

HUGGINS Kevin Barry 13/12/2022

Dolphin Funerals 0427 743 817

LINTL Karoline 16/12/2022

Dolphin Funeral 0427 743 817

COOK Ronald Arthur 17/12/2022

Dolphin Funerals 0427 743 817

HILL Colin John 18/12/2022

Dolphin Funerals 0427 743 817

MURRAY Keith 19/12/2022

Dolphin Funerals 0427 743 817

Member for Tweed Geoff Provest

My wife Kirstin and I would like to thank the Tweed for your friendship in 2022 and wish everyone a happy and healthy 2023, a year in which we can look forward to the opening of our fabulous new Tweed Valley Hospital. We also thank Jonathon and his team for producing the Tweed's very own newspaper every week, an independent 100 per cent for Tweed publication that has been informing and entertaining the Tweed for 30 years.

The best way to keep this Tweed treasure going is to support the small businesses that advertise with it or advertise in it yourself.

our attention throughout 2023. I ap proach 2023 with complete optimism for our future. Some other key issues I’ll be fighting for include Our communities need 18,600 more affordable homes need to be built in the Northern Rivers region to pro vide all families with a home to call their own. I’ll be fighting hard for targets and timelines on new housing to ensure Murwillumbah and Tweed Valley gets its fair share. Roads (and potholes): The NSW Government must honour its promise to take over regional roads and fund them. I am pushing hard to get us better roads. Healthcare: I’m supporting nurses, midwives, healthcare workers to ensure we have safe staffing levels at Murwillumbah District Hospital. Education: I’m backing local teachers, students and parents and carers in the campaign to stop the merger of Murwillumbah’s four secondary schools into one mega school campus, working to axe teachers’ unnecessary administration and to make 10,000 casual teachers permanent. I congratulate Tweed Valley Weekly on its bumper New Year edition and wish readers all the very best for the year ahead.

Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot

The previous year was a challenging time for so many locals on the North Coast, but together, in 2023 we’re coming back stronger than ever before.

2022 will be remembered for the biggest floods in our region’s history, and for so many, the recovery from these devastating events still goes on. Despite these challenges, I believe 2023 promises to be our best year yet. My focus will be to keep on delivering for our region, including my election commitments that were in last year’s Federal Budget.

Shire Mayor Chris Cherry

2023 is upon us and it is with some trepidation I wonder what it will bring. Hopefully it brings some certainty for many going forward and the opportunity to relocate off the floodplain while staying in the Tweed. For the Shire I hope for a peaceful and harmonious time. For each of you I hope the New Year brings renewal, fulfillment and happiness.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin

AS we approach the first anniversary of last year’s floods, our flood recovery rightly will continue to dominate

These include: $5 million for a Veteran Wellbeing Centre in the Tweed region. $1 million for an animal pound and rehoming centre in South Murwillumbah. $750,000 for a social enterprise commercial laundry in Bangalow. $1.5 million for the completion of the Lennox Head village upgrade. It’s an honour to be your strong voice in the Albanese Labor Government, and I look forward to working with you this year. My husband Craig, our children Alexandra and Joe, wish everyone on the North Coast the best for the coming year.

Whatever it brings, I know we will work together to make the best of the opportunities that come our way in this incredible part of the country that we are privileged to call home. Stay safe and enjoy the holidays. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Tweed

Caba hosts Groms final

By Jo Kennett

THE 2022 Woolworths Surfer Groms

Comps National Final was held at Cabarita Beach in three to four foot blustery, wind blown conditions over the contest period from December 17 to 19.

Surfing Australia Contest Director Glen Elliot Mother Nature said all the state finalists excelled in spite of the less than perfect conditions.

Queensland dominated the event

with U14 Boys winner Jesse Fergusson and U14 Girls winner Eliza Richardson both hailing from Sunshine Beach.

Fergusson continued his incredible run of form, winning his third competition in just one week.

After victory in the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp qualifier at Coolum Beach last Sunday (Kingscliff Boardriders Lachlan Arghyros finished second), Fergusson took out the third event of the Rip Curl GromSearch series days later and

then backed it up again in the final.

Fergusson left his three competitors, Ben Zanatta from Dee Why on 12.10pts, Rene Galloway from Newport, on 11.23pts and Caden Francis from Palm Beach, Qld on 11.16pts in a combination situation, after scoring an 8.17 and 8.5 early on.

He said conditions were similar to his home break and he was really happy with the win.

Richardson is also on a winning streak.

Fresh off an Australian Title, she too

won the Woolworths Surfer Groms Comp qualifier at Coolum Beach last Sunday.

Setting up her finals appearance at Cabarita with an 8.50 single wave score in the semifinal, Richardson went from strength by strength to win again in the final.

“I’m feeling pretty good. Was hard out there but I just got a few good ones,” she said.

Charli Hately (Currumbin, QLD) finished second in the final and took out the best and fairest award.

Cruz Uros (Dunsborough, WA) was awarded best and fairest for the Boys.

Lucy Darragh from Gerringong was third on 7.33pts and Olive Hardy from Gnarabup, WA, was fourth.

The Lakes lose a legend, Colts top LJ Hooker League

By Jo Kennett

IN THE LJ Hooker League two day competition Tweed Banora Colts (18 points) sit on top of the ladder with Round 6 of 11 rounds to be played on January 7, 2023.

In second place is Tintenbar East Ballina with Goonellabah Workers in third (both on 16 points). Pottsville is in fourth place on 12 points, at 5 are the Casino RSM Cavaliers (11), at 6 is Marist Brothers (9).

At 7 is Alstonville 99) with last year’s champs, Cudgen at number 8 (8).

In 9th place is Lennox Head (4 points) with Murwillumbah at 10th (3) and Ballina Bears taking up the final place with no points.

The final round of the LJ Hooker League T20 competition was held in October.

The results going into the semi-finals were 1. Cudgen, 2. Tweed Banora

Colts, 3. Pottsville T20, 4. Goonellabah Workers, 5. Lennox Head, 6. Casino RSM Cavaliers, 7. Tintenbar East Ballina, 8. Ballina Bears, 9. Murwillumbah, 10. Alstonville and District Cricket Club, 11. Marist Brothers.

In the semi-final to be held at Reg Dalton Field/Oval on Sunday, January 23, Tweed Banora Colts take on Pottsville T20 while Cudgen play Goonellabah at 9am.

The winners will play each other for the title at 12.15pm so stick that in your diary because it will be an epic day of cricket.

Coastal League 11 rounds have been played in second grade with Terranora on top (75 points), 2. Tintenbar East Ballina (70), 3. Cudgen Senior Hornets (68), 4. Tweed Banora Colts (60), 5. Bangalow (57), 6 Lennox Head (55), 7. Pottsville (42), 8. Byron Bay (34), 9. Ballina Bears, (32), 10.

Alstonville (31 points), 11. Murwillumbah (22).

The final round, Round 21, is due to be played on March 11 next year before the semi-finalists are decided.

Thirsty Thirds Cricket NSW has taken over the running of Tweed District Cricket Association and by all accounts it’s a dog’s breakfast and should have been left in the hands of locals.

In top spot after 12 rounds are last year’s winners the Casuarina Crocs (62). At 2. Terranora Green (56), 3.Cudgen Senior Bumblebees (52), 4. Cudgen Senior Men Hornets (52), 5. Cudgen Senior Men Stingers (44), 6. Senior Men Thirsters (42), 7. Colts Senior Mixed (42), 8. Terranora Gold (38), 9. Pottsville Pelicans (37), 10. Pottsville Breakers (32) and at number 11 is Panthers Senior Mixed South Arm Green (12).

They played two rounds of 20/20 on December 17 which was supposed to

be Round 10 and 11 games.

The next four rounds will be 20/20 which hasn’t impressed anyone, with the next game on January 7.

Condolences to the Terranora Lakes and Garbett family on the passing of a man described as “one of the club’s founding fathers and true Lakes legend”, Birt Garbett.

“Birt dug out the whole back paddock to build a cricket field from a grazing paddock,” President Matt Sutton said.

He put in all the pitches and spendt eight weeks bulldozing, grading and levelling the field.

Birt was invited to send down the first ball and on the first day of play on the ground his son Geoff scored 114 not out which must have been a wonderful thing to witness.

Birt loved his club and passed away peacefully on November 26 to join his wife Evelyn, leaving a tribe of kids, grandchildren and great grandchil-

dren. Now that’s a life well lived. The Old Boys Day on December 17 had a great turnout in honour of Birt and his family.

By the time this comes out Christmas will be in the bag for another year and we will be flying into 2023. Here’s hoping there is none of the heartbreak that marked 2022 in the most beautiful shire in the country. Have a safe and happy New Year everyone.

U14 Boys winner Jesse Fergusson. Photo Surfing Australia

Terranora Lakes legend Birt Garbett with life member Brian Kenny

Real Estate

FROM COAST TO COUNTRY

Tweed’s best buys and forecast for 2023

By Jo Kennett

WITH INTEREST rates expected to steady next year, The Weekly caught up with some local real estate experts to get their forecasts for 2023 as well as some hot tips on the best buys in the Tweed Shire.

Tate Brownlee Real Estate

Principal Tate Brownlee has only one tip on his best buys that he reckons will pretty well cover everything.

“We are having a mega auction on January 24, 2023, (6pm NSW time at The Ivory Tavern); that’s where all the best buys will be,” Tate told The Weekly.

“It’s the biggest real estate event in the region and it’s got everything. It has great value renovators, and all the best value properties.”

Northern Rivers Property Group’s Paul Stobbie said one of their best buys at the moment is a four-bedroom, 175-square

metre home on a 936-square metre block at 55 Mount Ernest Crescent, Murwillumbah.

The property is open to expressions of interest (the buyer is looking for something close to $600,000) and is ideal for tradies who want to add value as it is three quarters finished.

It’s in a quiet area adjacent to bushland.

Principal at Schmith Estate Agents Justin Schmith said the best buys he has for “the astute buyer” in the Tweed Shire include a property whose owner has to go into care so they are motivated to meet the market.

It’s a single-level three-bedroom villa at 1/7 Advocate Place, Banora Point, perfect for retirees or downsizers.

The low-maintenance villa is in a small, pet-friendly complex a short walk to Club Banora and Banora Shopping Village.

Justin’s other pick for best buys is at 362 Old Lismore Road,

Byangum

“It’s the first time this property has been for sale in 150 years and the sellers are very motivated,” Justin said.

“It’s an amazing price point for 40 acres of pristine country with a forthcoming auction if not sold prior.”

This is a nature lover’s paradise filled with wildlife and native trees just five kilometres from Murwillumbah. It has potential house sites with views, some cleared areas suitable for orchards, bananas, or a few cattle or goats

Forecast for 2023

Northern Rivers Property Group’s Paul Stobbie is, like other agents, confident any slowing in the market from interest rate rises will stop next year.

“We are hopeful of a stabilisation in the market in the first quarter of 2023 when interest rates stop climbing and

buyer confidence returns, which in turn will halt the current price declines being seen,” Paul told The Weekly.

Tate Brownlee is also optimistic for the coming year.

“I feel based on the significant drop in the numbers of properties for sale that our market will hold relatively steady,” Tate said.

“There may still be some adjustments due to interest rates but I think it will steady as early as spring next year so now is a good time to get into the market.

Kel Judd from Kel Judd Real Estate said, “All the experts said the world was going to end with COVID but it went the opposite way.”

“We live in a nice part of the world and that’s not going to change,” he said.

“Some of the residential properties are longer on the market than they were.

“There was panic on the market before, but now the buyers are

getting a little bit choosier, so it’s back to the normal market where it might be on the market for a month or two.”

It’s shaping up to be an interesting year ahead but like Kel says, we live in a beautiful place and the market steadying as interest rates top out will give buyers better opportunities to have their own slice of paradise. Have a safe and happy New Year.

Cunningham Valuers look at 2023

By Jo Kennett

admits it’s hard to know exactly what will happen to the residential property market in 2023 but points out the Northern Rivers is the fastest growing area in NSW with population growth expected to continue for years.

“After nearly two years of solid growth in population, sale prices and value levels in the Northern Rivers and southern Gold Coast, early 2022 saw what I believe to be the ‘peak’ of this property cycle, with value levels peaking around this time for most market segments,” Tim told The Weekly.

“We have since seen value levels in the local area fall

throughout 2022 (for most market segments), brought on by a general softening in buyer demand and enquiry, the unprecedented flooding events in February/March and the 3.1 per cent increase in interest rates since May 2022.”

Tim said there are a number of factors to consider when looking at where the market might end up.

“The first is interest rates/ inflation. When will the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) stop raising interest rates and when will inflation be under control?” he said.

“Remember Philip Lowe famously stated last year the RBA would not lift interest rates until at least 2024. One would like to think that we are nearing the end of

the interest rate rises, however I cannot be sure.

“The cost of living has also increased quite noticeably over the past 12 months or so which is further eating into our back pockets.”

Tim says the second factor is the “cloudy skies on the horizon” regarding the war in Ukraine and tensions around China.

“We have Ukraine receiving billions in ‘aid’ from the US of A which is not making Putin very happy,” Tim said.

“We then have tensions between China and Taiwan and now also escalating tension between China and India.

“We can only hope that there will be no major flare ups in 2023.”

Dreams to reality

Tim said he is hopeful COVID-19 won’t cause more serious problems in 2023.

“All going to plan, the Tweed Valley Hospital at Kingscliff will be seeing patients at the end of 2023, which is a major win for the area,” he said.

“The interstate migration explosion brought on by COVID in 2021/2022 appears to have slowed back to more normal levels, however the Tweed/ Northern Rivers is still a very attractive place to live.

“As per the NSW Government, the Northern Rivers is the fastest growing region in NSW, with an extra 13,290 people tipped to be in the Tweed Region by 2041.”

So, with all that in mind, what are Tim’s predictions for 2023.

“Call me a pessimistic, glass half-full valuer, I believe 2023 will see similar market conditions to 2022, more ‘normal’ market conditions and with value levels to keep softening into 2023 and possibly bottoming out when inflation and interest rates stop going up,” he said.

“Unfortunately, I do not have the magical crystal ball and don’t know if or when this is going to happen in 2023.

“This is also assuming there are no world/civil wars, global pandemics, stock market crashes, global financial crisis’, floods, fires, asteroids, alien invasions or Armageddon in 2023.

“Thank you for reading and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2023.”

CUNNINGHAM VALUERS & Property Advisers Director Tim Cunningham

Pristine wilderness and river frontage at 362 Old Lismore Road, Byangum

Courtney Hartley Portfolio Manager

Tammy Stringer Company Manager

Andrea Thomas Holiday Manager

Mary Watkins

Sarah