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Take action on koala

crisis

Team Koala would like to thank the many people who have supported us in trying to get something done with regard to Clothiers Creek Road and the koala crisis with a beautiful healthy female and its gorgeous baby being killed there just a week ago.

Our petitions will be available to be signed at the upcoming Pottsville market which will be added to the several hundreds of signatures already.

Clothiers Creek Road is a dangerous road for both drivers and koalas. Car smashes through that winding road has seen many people injured.

It is also a precious corridor for our wildlife.

Slowing motorists down on this road is a win-win for both humans and koalas.

This corridor is one of the most significant koala corridors on the Tweed Coast and I thank Deputy Mayor Cr Meredith Dennis, Cr Nola Firth and Cr Rhiannon Brinsmead for understanding just how important this road is for our koalas to cross safely. A koala can only travel at the speed of a nine-month-old baby.

The future of our koalas is in our hands.

If you want our koalas here for future generations, speak to your local councillor and/or state representative Geoff Provest.

Even a postcard or an online email saying you support something to be done on Clothiers Creek Road will make a huge difference, especially for those fighting for their lives.

Please be part of the koalas’ team. We really need you now!

Jenny Hayes, Murwillumbah, Team Koala Inc president

Thanks to hospital

Twice this year I have presented to the emergency at the Murwillumbah hospital and I would like to express my utmost gratitude for the professional care, high quality expertise and kindness I was given by all the medical staff.

The diagnosis was spot on and a speedy transfer to the Gold Coast University Hospital was arranged where successful surgery was performed.

We are very fortunate to have this hospital with such dedicated and kind staff.

Ten out of ten and a huge thank you.

Hugo Wehner, Uki Healing views

The Tweed Hospital had expanded to its limit and was operating at capacity in June 2017 when Tweed MP Geoff Provest secured a Coalition government commitment of $534 million for a new Tweed Valley Hospital.

Independent advisors and Health

Infrastructure NSW looked at numerous sites and widely consulted the community before preparing the comprehensive Site Selection Summary Report in July 2018 and securing the present site.

An informed electorate endorsed this in 2019, and we are now mere months away from opening a superior $723-million state-of-the-art hospital, the largest in regional NSW, with many more and larger operating theatres, an expanded emergency department, eight extra renal dialysis units, a Critical Care Unit, Cardiac Cath lab, PET scanner, radiotherapy, research and training centre, ample parking etc.

Yes, it alters the Kingscliff/Cudgen skyline and impacts Cudgen Road traffic, for me as much as any, but that is a small price to pay for having such a wonderful life-saving service so close to completion.

Acute heart attacks will be treated faster, and cancer patients won’t have to travel far for radiotherapy.

An expanded outpatients will save thousands of people, including many of my patients, from having to travel interstate for specialist care.

Even its critics will one day be grateful for its proximity, top-class care and healing views.

Dr D Weston Allen, Cudgen Speed limits

I read with great interest many letters from The Weekly’s correspondents about the problem of speeding drivers on our roads.

While I agree with all that is said, including that speed limits should and must be lowered, I would bring some attention to the fact that while you can lower said speed limits to whatever number that you like and install nice new signage, it will hardly make any difference to a lot of drivers.

The problem being that unless the road laws are policed, it is all academic.

I have respect for our local police, but they cannot be everywhere at once.

I am saying then that we need more police/speed cameras to overcome this anti-social behaviour.

John Bennett, Tweed Heads West Rates shock helped motorists stuck on Kyogle Road at Byangum despite having a massive clean-up waiting back at his own property.

Regarding rate increases. Our personal circumstances are we own and live on a canal property in Tweed Heads. Our current rates are $4,560.80 per annum (pa).

An increase of 6.35 per cent takes us to $4,850.41, plus the new (and ongoing) pontoon levy of $255pa takes our rates to $5105.41pa. That is a 10 per cent increase in our rates. Petrol, groceries and mortgages/ rent are already putting a burden on everyone’s budget.

I believe he assisted, towed or dragged more than half a dozen vehicles out of the thick mud and ooze, metres deep in places, left behind after the Tweed became a kilometre-wide raging torrent.

I won’t comment on the questionable thinking of the motorists who attempted to drive through the mire.

Much respect and thanks to Pete and all the people like him who stepped up with their own vehicles and machinery to unblock roads and help strangers and neighbours alike in the recovery.

Trevor Ostrenga, Byangum Pottsville

School Thoughts

mary school, private school and there is upgrading being done at Kingscliff High School which is 25 minutes up the road by my GPS. Will another school be excessive? I would say maybe.

The data from the Census currently does not support it, so more needs to be asked. But what is positive is that in articles I have read in two different publications that an option for a possible site not far from Pottsville primary that has been identified on Crown land.

I know this would be great news for many, especially the residents and friends I have in Koala Beach and Seabreeze estates as navigating that mess on a daily basis would be crushing for them and would look unsightly, so it tells me there is a location in a far more superior and thought-out location than previous options.

Fran

and Bart Geysen, Tweed Heads

Flood thank you

On the anniversary of the devastating Tweed floods in 2022, we should acknowledge and thank all our local community members who helped out their neighbours in a time of great need.

There are thousands of people like our neighbour Pete Hayes who

This high school proposal in Pottsville is truly a double-edged sword for many. On one side we have an over two-decade promise from a dusty site plan to build in, let’s be honest, a very obscure and questionable location in Seabreeze housing estate, and the other is Census data saying we don’t need it.

I for one am not opposed to a new school in or near Pottsville, but the cost, timing, location and data needs to add up.

Pottsville has a renovated state pri-

We need to be smart with what is and what is not needed. Is it the right time, place, and does the data support it, it’s 50-50 for me.

Chris Campbell, Pottsville

Please note the views on the 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.