A Koonorigan man who produced a Queensland driver’s licence with a hospital address has been charged with traffic and licence offences by Richmond District Police.Police from the Rural Crime Investigators will allege that on Saturday, November 16, they saw a 36 year old Koonorigan man driving a van along Snow Street in Lismore. The man produced a Queensland driver’s licence.Police investigations revealed that the Koonorigan man has never lived at the Queensland address (which was a hospital), and has been living at Koonorigan for some time.A search of his vehicle revealed three Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN's) on the dash of his vehicle. None of the VIN's have ever been registered to the Koonorigan man's vehicles.He was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for Resident Not Obtain NSW Licence and Knowingly possess identity plate not on correct vehicle. His vehicle was also issued a Red Label defect.He will appear at Lismore Local Court in January. 

An 11 year old girl who is believed to have been bitten by a snake is in a critical condition.The girl was taken to Lismore Base Hospital yesterday, but when her condition worsened, the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was called take her to Queensland Children’s Hospital.The medical team stablised her condition before transporting her to the children's hospital, where she could receive specialist care.

Lismore councillors will again have to debate about the Special Rate Variation (SRV) at next Tuesday’s council meeting.Yesterday, a recission motion was lodged by Councillors Casson, Battista and Bennet. Crs Casson and Bennett were two of the councillors who voted against introducing the SRV at the extraordinary council meeting two days ago.The recission motion means that the council must delay sending to Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) the recommendation to increase property rates by almost 25% over four years, until the issue goes back to council again.With councillor and community opinions divided on the introduction of the controversial property rates increase, Councillor Battista said he hopes that bringing the issue back to a council meeting will give the community a chance to express their disappointment or thoughts before the meeting. “The recisison motion needed three signatures and Cr Casson and I went to see Cr Bennet yesterday to get him to sign it too, then I dropped it off at council,” he said.At the last meeting, three councillors were absent and the vote to introduce the SRV was won with five councillors voting for it, and three against.Cr Battista said he hopes all of the councillors will be at the next meeting when the issue is again discussed.“I encourage everybody to come to council and share their views between between now and Tuesday,” he said.“We need the community’s support behind us.“I advise everyone to look at their rates today and the amount and work out what they will be paying in four years if this SRV goes ahead and think ‘can I afford this?’.Cr Battista said people should question whether they believe council can really deliver on the road works which the extra revenue will fund.  “Last year, only 27% of the work was completed that was supposed to be. So 63% of that has been deferred to this year and on top of that, next year they want four million.“How can they manage this work and money when they can’t spend it every year on the roads like they are supposed to.“It’s a matter of trust and the council needs to build trust with the community before going back to them with any increases.“This is the wrong time - we are between floods and drought and fires and the economic crisis. Things are not going well.“It’s a bit risky to go ahead and charge more to an already super charged community.“The people mostly affected will be pensioners, single parents and people on Centrelink who won’t see more than maybe a 2-3% increase in income.“We’ll be taking money people who can’t then afford to spend money in local businesses. “I ask, why did council spend $70-100K on a consultation with people and ask them what they thought about it, and when they say no, say we’ll ignore it and send the decision to IPART.“IPART does make the final decision, but we can decide not to go ahead. “They have no idea what’s happening in Lismore.“If the recission motion doesn’t pass, we can’t put another one in for three months - and the decision on the SRV must be lodged with IPART by November 30.“Unless we reverse the vote next Tuesday, we will have a SRV.”

The regional water supplier, Rous County Council is implementing Level 1 water restrictions to the area early in an attempt to reduce overall water consumption by 5%. Normally, the trigger point for introducing restrictions is when Rocky Creek Dam reaches 60% capacity, according to the Council’s Drought Management Plan. Now, water restrictions will kick in when the dam reaches 70%.The dam is currently at 75.6% capacity and it is expected it will reach 70% by the end of November.Water consumption has been more than 20% higher across the Rous supply area for October and November - more than the same period in 2018. Council may apply higher restrictions if the target of 5% reduction is usage is not achieved within a reasonable timeframe.The decision was made at an extraordinary Council meeting yesterday and in conjunction with Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley Councils. Restrictions apply to Council’s direct customers and the local government areas it services with bulk water: Ballina (excluding Wardell), Byron (excluding Mullumbimby), Lismore (excluding Nimbin) and Richmond (excluding Casino and all land west of Coraki). Rous County Council chair Cr Keith Williams said the decision is a prudent one. “Applying Level 1 water restrictions before Rocky Creek Dam reaches 60% is a signal to the community that we need to make water conservation an everyday part of our lives,” he said.“The decision has been based on falling dam levels, declining inflows into Rocky Creek Dam, a poor outlook for rainfall for summer, community sentiment that restrictions were required and water restrictions being in place for most of our neighbouring towns and council areas. “A rapid drop in water levels at Rocky Creek Dam combined with a drier than average outlook for the rest of spring are the primary reasons for restricting water use now. “It’s essential we reduce demand now to prolong our water supply. “If dam levels drop further or reductions in consumption are not met, we could be looking at higher level restrictions. “We urge people to reduce their water usage now to delay the introduction of tougher water restrictions. “Water carters will be unaffected by the restrictions. “It is vitally important that this service continues to provide drinking water to the many parts of our community that aren’t serviced by reticulated water. “Rous will continue to work with water carters and our constituent councils to improve access to water to reduce waiting times where possible.Level 1 residential water saving measures include: watering established gardens with hand-held hoses fitted with an on/off nozzle for one hour every second day, between 4pm and 9am on odd or even days matching house numbers topping up swimming pools permitted between 4pm and 9am using hand-held hose fitted with an on/off nozzle washing cars with hand-held hoses permitted between 4pm and 9am on odd or even days matching house numbers. Compliance with the water restrictions is reliant on the community acknowledging the need to reduce their water consumption and reducing the wasting of water, particularly on outside use. To find out more about water restrictions and dam levels on Council’s website. click here: https://rous.nsw.gov.au/cp_themes/default/page.asp?p=DOC-OWX-54-47-20To find out more about what the water restrictions are for residential urban and rural properties, public facilities, and business and commercial properties, click here: https://www.rous.nsw.gov.au/page.asp?f=RES-QKD-14-08-70

Children and teenagers who would like to be on stage in the pantomine Puss in Thongs are invited to audition on December 7.Puss in Thongs is the next children’s production of Lismore Theatre Company (LTC) and will be coming to the Rochdale Theatre in the April 2020 school holidays. The pantomine’s director Danica Taylor said Puss in Thongs puts an Australian spin on a well known story.Danica is the teaching director of The D-Vine Drama Company that provides after-school drama classes for children and teens on the Northern Rivers. Danica loved directing last year’s Happily Never After pantomime and she in the cast on the LTC stage in the 2018 production of Cagebirds.  Puss in Thongs will be produced by Jade Johnston and LTC rising star Katie Knowles will be assistant director. This Pantomime that puts an Australian spin on a well known story, is sure to be another hit with audiences.  The production team is seeking 20 children and/or teens to attend the pantomine’s audition at the Wollongbar Community Hall on December 7 from 12.30pm. Potential cast members will need to be available on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings in February until the school holiday performances in April 2020.  For more information or to request an audition package, e-mail Jade – jaderjohnston@gmail.com or Danica – dvinedrama@gmail.com  

Summerland Tool Supplies owner Santé Verardo (aka Butch) and Jeff Little donned pink shirts and held a fundraising bbq yesterday on Pink Tradie Tuesday.They joined the many businesses in the Lismore Industrial Estate flying pink streamers and balloons in a show of support for cancer awareness organisation Jodie’s Inspiration. "i know lots of people who have died from cancer," Butch said. "We always like to hold a fundraiser for this each year."Pictured: Lismore City Council got together for Pink Tradie Tuesday.Jodie’s Inspiration committee member Sally Sullivan said while cancer is a serious issue, the day was meant to be fun.“Everyone has a bit of pink hiding at home, it’s a good chance to get it out and wear it,” she said.“Every third Tuesday in November, we hold Pink Tradie Tuesday.“It’s important that we get men more aware about cancer too. Men often don’t go and get tested.”Pictured: Lifeline staff get into Pink Tradie Tuesday.Sally had been distributing pink tins for money donations to 126 businesses in the area which had registered their support for the cause.“We ask tradespeople to put in a gold coin donation and wear pink,” she said.“Furniture Wiz on Casino Street held a morning tea today too to raise money.”Jodie’s Inspiration is founded by Jodie McRae with the aim of raising funds to help purchase essential and non-essential medical equipment and resources for Lismore’s oncology units. Jodie’s Inspiration also seeks to promote the importance of early cancer detection and awareness.Pictured: Furniture Wiz staff got together for Pink Tradie Tuesday.Jodie McRae is a Lismore local who was diagnosed in May 2013 with a rare aggressive form of triple negative breast cancer. After being given the all clear in December 2013, Jodie was diagnosed in September 2014 with secondary breast cancer and then launched Jodie's Inspiration in mid-2015. Run by volunteers, all the money from the charity is invested in supporting the local area.Its first goal was to raise money to fund cold cap therapy machines, which keep the scalp cool during chemotherapy so cancer patients do not lose their hair.Jodie and her team wish to raise funds and awareness to bring Jodie’s Inspiration’s mission to life.For more information, visit http://www.jodiesinspiration.com.au/ or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jodiesinspiration/Southern Cross Credit Union staff.CASPA employees.

Tuntable CoOp community resident Teresa Biscoe (aka Biskit) has already returned to her home after the recent Mount Nardi bushfire caused her and her family to flee.She is one of the many Nimbin residents affected by the bushfire in the heritage listed Nightcap National Park, which is now at a watch and act advice level.Teresa said Lismore City Council and the Rural Fire Service issued a directive stating residents could return home.“But we are now still doing spot fire patrols on affected hamlets and maintaining communications and striker rosters so we can handle any fires that cross the containment lines,” she said.“Falling trees still pose a significant hazard and we are doing an ongoing assessment.”The Tuntable community is the largest community in the Nimbin area, with 137 homes on the property.Thankfully, only two buildings were lost, but the community’s water infrastructure pipelines were damaged.“It will be a huge job to replace,” Teresa said.Pictured: Charlie Cohen from Nimbin Rural Fire Service was one of the tireless workers who was instrumental in coordinating the fire fighting efforts."And it was the amazing and heroic effort by the young men and women in Nimbin, the wider community and the RFS that saved so many homes.“At the moment, we are researching where we can get external financial support and we have a Tuntable / Nightcap Fire Nov 2019 gofundme page set up to seek assistance from the wider community."Click here to donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/tuntable-nightcap-fire-nov-2019?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheetTeresa said the community's treasurer is looking into the community's finances, but their budget is limited.“We have decided to allocate payments to key people involved in the management and organisation of the emergency response," she said.“These people took time off work time off work and we want to allocate funds to them so they can document the organisation they did.“We organised quite well and that’s why we saved so many homes.“The people who worked with us were experienced and trained enough to work with the RFS and go into places the RFS was not able to access due to their protocols.”Max Pike, another Nimbin local who was instrumental in coordinating the fire fighting effort said the best tool in a home defender’s arsenal is a leaf blower.“They can cut control lines back to bare earth and can also be used to fight fires," he said in a Facebook post. "I highly recommend a petrol model as in a fire you may lose power and not be able to recharge batteries. Plus, you can use them to clear your gutters."GenerosityTeresa said she was also involved with the local Country Women’s Association (CWA) which worked with the local firies and RFS to provide food and help where it was need through the emergency.“The CWA in Lismore was awesome – their compassion was incredible and the wider community has been so generous throughout this emergency,” she said. “The generosity in Lismore and all over was overwhelming. We received so many boxes of food and things donated to us.“Bunnings donated fire equipment and the Thai shop at the university provided all the meals to the RFS one night.“All of us will be making a list of all groups who provided assistance and we want to thank Casino RFS central control for the incredible support we were given.“This is indicative of what communities in this region are capable of when we work together.”Coordination and sharing informationNimbin’s overall fire emergency coordinator Diana Roberts said her job was scaled back now.“Most of the people in communities affected by the fires have gone home now - with one exception on Siddah Farm where they still need to bring trees down,” she said.“The evacuation centre at Nimbin Showground may close tonight once the last few people go home.“Now, I’m sharing information as much as possible and following up on requests from people not resourced to it.“The ongoing message from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) is to be vigilant. “I’m also talking to Lismore City Council who want to support us in disposing of waste generated by the fire, but as a community we don’t have a lot of that.”Pictured: Protestors Falls. Teri Nicholson reported on Facebook that some parts of the Protestors Falls area remain unaffected by fire.Diana said she stepped up as coordinator on the Wednesday after the fires started after being approached by locals to take the job on after “a frantic Tuesday”.“It would have been good to have that central coordination in place at the beginning, but it’s a good lesson for us that we are now sharing with the Uki community in response to their fire emergency.“It should be a small group of people with access to all different lines of communications and networks, because the people on the ground are so busy.“The people in Tuntable are already documenting everything into a plan for working on disaster relief.“This is the way forward for all communities in the future.“We think we’ve learned a lot and we can bring that plan to fruition in floods or fires, or whatever disaster comes, so we are better organised.“Our organisation says a lot about the strength of our community.”Diana said one of the things that could have been done better was how to share information with people who don’t use social media. “Our reception out here is so dicey, so the internet is not a great option.“We used to use CBs, but a having a mobile phone and a phone network is important. “At Tuntable, they have a warning siren. The community is as big as Nimbin and they have a school and a shop and a fire brigade. “Other communities can learn from that too.”Diana said the amount of support that was still being offered to people who had helped out was huge.“We had people offering massages to the firies,” she said. “There are government support services and counselling activities with children who are traumatised.“Everybody is exhausted. It’s emotional exhaustion rather than physical and its testimony to our strong resilient community that we’ve pulled through.”

A man has died following a single-vehicle crash near Nimbin yesterday.About 4.50pm on Tuesday, November 19, emergency services were called to Stoney Chute Road, Stoney Chute, about 8km west of Nimbin, following reports a utility had struck a tree.The driver, believed to be a 38-year-old man, died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.Officers from Richmond Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

NSW Health is again reminding people to take necessary precautions in periods of hot weather and poor air quality to reduce their risk of illness, with heatwave conditions forecast for parts of the state this week. The forecast heat will potentially break November records, while health risks will be compounded by smoke from bushfires which continue to affect large parts of NSW. NSW Health Director of Environmental Health, Dr Richard Broome, urged people to avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day, to minimise physical activity and to keep well hydrated. “We’re expecting temperatures over 40 for some rural areas of NSW and the high 30s for western Sydney. This is the first really hot period of summer and I’d encourage everyone to take the risk of heat related illness seriously,” Dr Broome said. “We know that heatwaves cause severe illness, hospital admission and even deaths, and that people are more sensitive to heatwaves early in the season. The combination of heat and poor air quality adds to the risk.” “Hot weather puts a lot of strain on the body, causes dehydration and can make underlying health conditions worse. It also causes heat stress and heat stroke. People over 75, people with chronic medical conditions and people who live alone are particularly vulnerable.” “Simple precautions can reduce the risk of heat-related illness,” said Dr Broome. “It’s best to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, which is generally from about 11am to 4pm. Staying indoors also protects you from bushfire smoke. If you don’t have air conditioning, using a fan can cool you down and keeping curtains shut helps to keep the heat out of your home. It’s also important to minimise physical activity and to drink plenty of water. “It’s also really important to stay in regular contact with elderly neighbours, friends and relatives because they may be more vulnerable to the heat. “Signs of heat-related illness include dizziness, tiredness, irritability, thirst, fainting, muscle pains or cramps, headache, changes in skin colour, rapid pulse, shallow breathing, vomiting and confusion,” he said. Dr Broome said it’s important to get to a cool place quickly if symptoms occur. People showing severe signs of heat-related illness should seek urgent medical attention, in an emergency situation call Triple Zero (000). More information can be found at the NSW Health website: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/beattheheat

A new service which provides free psychosocial support to people with moderate to severe and/or episodic mental illness is available in Lismore.The service, Footprints2Wellbeing, can be accessed by anyone aged 12 and over who is not registered for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and who has intermittent moderate to severe mental illness and reduced psychosocial functioning.The new $1 million mental health service is delivered by Healthy North Coast through their North Coast Primary Health Network (PHN) funding, part of the Australian Government’s PHN program.Healthy North Coast chief executive Julie Sturgess said signs of reduced psychosocial functioning can include experiencing difficulty maintaining personal or family relationships, housing, employment or other daily tasks, as a result of poor mental health.Footprints2Wellbeing staff are based in Lismore, Grafton, Ballina, Kempsey, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, and also support people in surrounding areas and in smaller local towns via outreach visits. Around 500 people are expected to benefit from these activities which will be available to community members who do not already have access to similar supports. Many people experiencing significant challenges with their mental health have difficulty achieving their goals within the community. North Coast PHN’s 2018 Needs Assessment identified that people within the region with severe mental illness had a number of unmet needs. These include loneliness (68%), daytime activities (67%), psychological distress (57%), employment/volunteering (52%), relationships (36%), budgeting (36%), looking after the home (32%) and transport (31%). Footprints2Wellbeing manager Stuart Nunan said that not only would people with significant mental health challenges be able to access both individual and group capacity building activities, they would also be able to access NDIS application support. “This program will go a long way towards helping people struggling with day-to-day activities,” Ms Sturgess said.“So many things that we take for granted, people with severe mental illness find very difficult. “It’s very normal that people could benefit from coaching to enhance their everyday functioning and social capacity. “We would like to reduce the stigma that can sometimes prevent people from reaching out for help.”  What is Psychosocial Support? Psychosocial support aims to address both the psychological and social needs of individuals, families and communities. Some of the ways the Footprints2Wellbeing service will help people living on the Mid North Coast and Northern NSW include supporting community members to: • recover from mental health challenges through group and individual sessions.• develop their capacity to live productive and meaningful lives• access education and supports to relevant to the management of alcohol and other drug issues• live a healthier lifestyle by providing information and training relating to healthy eating and regular exercise• develop daily living skills such as budgeting, cooking and shopping• access and navigate housing, employment and education services• develop the skills for maintaining positive relationships with other people• apply to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) if desired. The Footprints2Wellbeing service is being delivered by a group of local partner organisations led by The Buttery and includes Wellways, Rekindling the Spirit and Werin Aboriginal Medical Service. These organisations will collectively service the Mid North Coast and Northern NSW from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie. Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan said “psychosocial support can include mental health counselling, education, spiritual support, group support, and many other such services.”“The services are a critical component of our mental health care system”, Mr Hogan said.“They will make a dramatic difference to many people who are currently struggling to get through each day.”\The Government has made a strong commitment to the mental health of all Australians, and is ensuring people from all walks of life have affordable access to the services and support they need now, and in the future.  If you or someone you know would like to find out more about Footprints2Wellbeing, you can self-refer or simply get in touch for more information. Phone The Buttery 02 6687 1111 during weekday business hours.

A Lismore man was arrested in Nimbin and charged with stealing from the Rural Fire Service (RFS).Nimbin police will allege that on Thursday last week, a 27 year old Lismore man attended a Nimbin store.“Inside the store there was a cash collection point for the Nimbin RFS Brigade,” a Richmond District Police Facebook statement said.“The 27 year old took a sum of money from the collection tin and put $5 in.“On Friday, Nimbin police arrested the 27 year old at Nimbin. “He was charged with Larceny and will appear at Lismore Local Court in January.”

Did you know that you could be held responsible for any damage caused to underground networks? Lismore City Council’s Dial Before You Dig service is live.So next time you are planning to do some digging or excavating you should contact Dial Before You Dig to determine if there are any underground pipes and/or cables present.Dial Before You Dig is Australia’s free referral service for information on the location of underground infrastructure. The service is designed to protect Australia’s network of underground pipes and cables and ensure the safety of those working around this infrastructure.Mayor Isaac Smith said Council’s Dial Before You Dig automated service will mean a faster response to enquiries and lower costs for Council.“This is a win-win for the community and the Council,” he said.“Last financial year we received more than 2100 Dial Before You Dig request, which had to be processed manually by Council staff.“This new automated service means we can now respond to these requests much quicker, with less staff required to process the requests which will reduce Council’s associated costs.“The new faster service also has improved maps.”Cr Smith said implementing this new service could not have come at a better time as the Council is expecting an increase in the number of Dial Before You Dig request with the roll-out of the NBN.Visit the Dial Before You Dig website for more information: https://www.1100.com.au/

Australian country music legend Adam Harvey has been announced as the headline act for this year’s Shopbaby Carols in the Heart. With a career spanning over twenty years, half a million album sales, gold and platinum albums, and eight Golden Guitar Awards, Adam is one of Australia’s most popular and enduring recording artists. Lismore families are invited to see Adam perform live as well as enjoy carol singing, musical performances and plenty of Christmas spirit at the annual Shopbaby Carols in the Heart on Sunday, 8 December at Crozier Field. The annual event is free and will also include face painting and a jumping castle, a visit from Santa, and spectacular fireworks to end the evening. “This is a beautiful way to celebrate Christmas as a community and come together for some festive fun and carol singing,” Tourism and Events Manager Mitch Lowe said. “We are really thrilled to have Adam Harvey as our headline performer as well as a line-up of talented local performers who will be there with jingle bells on! “Our talented local performers include Megan Phillips Dance Academy, Caniaba Public School, Summerland Christian College, Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Cath Simes Band and, Marlaina and Ruben Garcia. “Food and refreshments will be available on the day and we warmly welcome everyone in the Lismore community and beyond to come and join us for this special Christmas afternoon.” Gates open at 4.30pm with the first carols from 5.30pm. Entry is free. Crozier Field can be accessed via Uralba and Brewster Street entries.If you are unfamiliar with Adam's music, you can check it out via his website https://www.adamharvey.com.au/.

Wildlife Information and Rescue Service (WIRES) are seeking donations of disused electric fence tape so volunteers can flag strands of barbed wire that are dangerous to our native wildlife.Every year, hundreds of native animals, particularly birds, gliders and flying foxes, become caught in barbed wire fences in the Northern Rivers. During the past year alone WIRES Northern Rivers have attended over 300 such calls; 50 for birds, gliders, and wallabies and over 250 for flying-foxes. The survival rate for these wildlife casualties is less than 50%.Their injuries are often horrific as they become more and more tangled and their skin ripped as they struggle to free themselves. These animals become highly distressed and dehydrated as they are exposed to the elements, unable to seek shelter from the sun and wind. Members of the public and wildlife carers alike find these rescues distressing due to the severity of the injuries to wildlife. Nocturnal animals such as bats, gliders and owls are particularly susceptible because they often become caught in the barbs when flying down towards fruiting trees or dams and creeks. Sadly, there are some strips of barbed wire that repeatedly trap wildlife – particularly those that run past fruiting or flowering trees, where wildlife come to feed. One way of minimising wildlife casualties is for landowners to place a visible tape along the top strand of the fence to make it more visible, particularly at night. Various tapes can be used, but electric fence tape (often white or red and white striped) is particularly durable. In some circumstances WIRES volunteers may be able to assist. Landowners are also encouraged to consider whether their barbed wire fences are necessary. Sometimes the fence no longer contains livestock so could be removed or replaced with plain wire. While it is wonderful to plant fruiting and flowering plants, particularly natives, consider avoiding planting such trees next to barbed wire fences.WIRES are seeking donations of disused electric fence tape so that they can assist to flag strands of barbed wire in high risk areas. This is a great way of recycling and reusing what might otherwise be sent to the tip. So if you have any unused and unwanted electric fence tape in your shed that you would be willing to donate to WIRES, you could be saving the life of many a bird or animal. If you can assist, call 66281898. If you do find a bird or animal that has become tangled on a fence it is very important that you do not cut it to try to free it as this would cause the animal further pain and almost certainly make it unviable for survival. WIRES volunteers are equipped and trained to remove animals from barbed wire, so call our 24 hour hotline on 66281898 and someone will come to the animal’s rescue. Consider adding the hotline number to your contacts.If you are keen to make a difference for the wildlife in our area, consider joining WIRES. For more information about how you can join and contribute call 66281898.WIRES relies heavily on the generosity of caring people for support. All donations $2 and over are tax deductible.Now is also a great time to join WIRES and start learning to be a wildlife rescuer.The 24-hour hotline is for all rescue, advice or membership calls in the Northern Rivers.You can also visit http://wiresnr.org/Helping.html to find out how you can help.

The Lismore City Council, NSW Rural Fire Service and the Northern Rivers Emergency Operations Centre are working to assist residents affected by the Mt Nardi fire to return home. Lismore City Council today conducted impact assessments of certain roads of the Tuntable area. After consultation with the RFS and Emergency Operations Centre it is agreed that residents in nominated roads can return home. The RFS asks residents to be mindful that the Mount Nardi fire remains uncontained and may flare up again over coming days and weeks. Firefighters will continue to work establishing and consolidating containment lines, however significant rain will be required before this fire will be put out. Please exercise caution in and around the fire affected areas as trees and rocks may fall without notice. Monitor conditions and know what you will do if the situation changes and the fire threatens you and your property again. If your life or property is in danger please call 000. Lismore City Council has opened the following nominated roads for local resident access only: •   Upper Tuntable Falls Rd and Newton Drive at the intersection of Tuntable Falls Rd – full length•   Tuntable Creek Rd - from the intersection of Tuntable Falls Rd to the Channon Rd - full length•   Wallace Rd - from the intersection with Tuntable Creek Rd to 708 Wallace Rd•   Standing St - from the intersection with Mill St - full length•   Mill St - from Intersection with the Channon Rd - full length•   Nightcap Range Rd - from the intersection with Dunoon Rd to the National Park•   Minyon Falls Rd - from the intersection of Coopers creek Rd to the National ParkTerania Creek Road remains CLOSED. Access to Nightcap National Park and Minyon Falls also remains CLOSED.Please see road maps here, here and hereThe Evacuation Centre at Nimbin Showgrounds and the Disaster Welfare Assistance Point at Lismore Showground will remain open until 8pm tonight 18/11/2019 and again open at 8am on Tuesday 19/11/19. The need for these centres to remain open will be assessed on a daily basis.People who are returning home are urged to contact the NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 should they need support.

Award-winning developers McCloy Group, has released their latest community, right here in Goonellabah. The initial release on Saturday 16th November offered 23 homesites to the market and saw 12 sold on day 1!Stage 1, the Cedar Release had shown keen interest from buyers for several weeks in the lead up to the launch, with prospective buyers eager to secure their piece of the community from the outset so much so a camp out started from 2:30pm Friday, with a prospective buyer spending the night to ensure their purchase, other keen purchasers joined the line up early Saturday morning.In total near 200 people attended the launch day to enjoy the free kids activities, gourmet brekkie rolls and coffee by local companies; a free treat put on by the McCloy Group as well as to get their first look at the new community. Local builders also attended and all reports show keen interested in the area and the opportunity it provides for families.“We were pleased to welcome many local families and received good feedback about the quality of the development and future plans for a children’s park and playground” Sam Rowe, Project Director commented.Eastwood, located off Invercauld Road in Goonellabah spans 21 hectares and will bring 135 new homesites to the market across several stages. Stage 1 homesites have been designed to suit a variety of buyers needs with benched blocks available and some with mild slope perfect for split level designs to capture the spanning views.The community has been crafted with the natural landscape in mind, utilising local site rock for a striking sandstone entry feature and retaining walls as well as a preservation approach, with over 200 mature trees planned to be planted across the project.Mr Rowe said that Goonellabah was identified as a key growth area of the Northern Rivers with its proximity to Lismore CBD and coastal beaches of Ballina presenting major appeal for buyers.“We identified the need for an affordable housing offering in the area and by enlisting leading civil contractors we’ve been able to deliver stage 1, within 18 months of acquiring the site.”“Our approach goes beyond property development and we wanted to showcase that, by building stage 1 before releasing to the market, so buyers were able to walk the site and see first-hand the McCloy Group approach... Planting mature street trees, utilising natural rock and open space is core to our developments. Statement entry features and public art donations are also something we’re proud to include for future residents” Mr Rowe added.The McCloy Group are known to build masterplanned communities and Eastwood has set the standard of just that. You can find out more about available Eastwood homesites and how to secure them with just a 5% deposit at eastwoodliving.com.au.

Level 2 water restrictions have been introduced in Nimbin, effective immediately.Lismore City Council Director of Infrastructure Services Peter Jeuken said the restrictions were necessary as the water level in Mulgum Creek continued to fall.“Due to reduced flows in Mulgum Creek, it has become necessary to implement water restrictions within the Nimbin water supply for the village,” he said.“For some time, we have been adjusting the operation of the water supply to manage reduced creek flows. However, with the long-term forecast showing little signs of consistent rainfall, these restrictions are now necessary to secure the water supply."We know many people have already reduced their water consumption, and we thank them for that.“It’s important everyone continues to do their bit to conserve water as making small changes in how we use water will really help our water storage supplies last longer." He said by introducing Level 2 now, the Council is hoping to delay implementing Level 3 or 4 restrictions. We will continue to monitor water consumption to ensure proper management of the water supply in Nimbin.Under Level 2 water restrictions residents:Can only use micro-sprays and drippers/sub-surface irrigation for a maximum of 15 minutes. Hand-held hoses with an on-off nozzle can only be used for half an hour every second day, between the hours of 4pm and 9am on odd or even days matching your house number.Other irrigation, such as sprinklers, and unattended hoses are banned.Filling of new swimming pools is permitted, but topping up is allowed only between 4pm and 9am using a hand-held house with one-off nozzle.Top up of fountains and water features is not permitted except to maintain fish life.Washing of driveways, paved areas, walls, windows, roofs and paths permitted prior to sale or lease of property only with council approval. Not permitted for any other reason, except for health and safety. Must use high-pressure/low-flow rate cleanerWashing of cars permitted with buckets or hand-held hose for ten minutes only between 4pm and 9am on odd and even days matching your house number.The same restrictions apply to commercial premises with the exceptions that:Sprinklers can be used for up to 30 minutes per day for sports fields between 5am and 7am.Market gardens, orchids, nurseries can use sprinklers or sprays for one hour a day between 5am and 7am, or 5pm and 7pm.For a Q&A on the restrictions, water hints and tips, and a factsheet please go to the news section of the council’s webpage www.Lismore.nsw.gov.au Background: Nimbin’s water supply is sourced from Mulgum Creek and is operated by Lismore City Council. The water supply for the rest of Lismore Local Government Area is sourced from Rocky Creek Dam and is operated by Rous County Council.

After we first reported the outbreak of fires in the Nightcap National Park on Friday November 8, we can finally begin to get life back to normal and think about Christmas which is only five and a half weeks away. This is not to say that the fires are under control at Mt Nardi or that our fantastic firefighters are not continuing their hard, exhausting work in creating fire breaks to protect threatened properties, they are and we cannot thank them enough.Max Pike is one of the many volunteers that have given so much to help our community in the past nine days. He posted this on Facebook today (shared by Lismore Helping Hands);"Hanging up the helmet for a little while. After 8 days, and with Tuntable, Siddah Farm and West of Wallace Rd fire fronts contained to a small patch of Siddah, my role as Logistics for Mount Nardi Fire-West Sector is winding up.Going to have Sunday off and head into work Monday. Not looking forward to the back log of emails. Big thanks to my employer Rainbow Power Company for granting me Compassionate Leave so I could fully dedicate myself to defending the Mountain I grew up on and the valley I love."This is far from over though. For the valley, the long and arduous task of monitoring the fire ground for flare ups, spot overs and trees falling over containment lines, has just begun.Massive thank you to Blue Knob RFB, Goolmangar RFB, Hanging Rock RFB and especially that monster from Tuncester RFB (you know who you are)."The work of the Tuntable Home Defenders this last week has been amazing. Without their help Nimbin RFB would not have been able to hold the fire away from residences. The combined efforts of the Tuntable Defenders, the Siddah Farm Defenders and timely assistance from some Bohdi Farm Defenders allowed RFS to squeeze the main front of the fire west of the ridge into a corner.There is so much more to do in Nardi South, East and North Sectors. This fire will not stop burning until we have decent rain."There is a message in Mike's post that we should acknowledge, the willingness of businesses to support their employees to take time off and go and help fight the bush fires. To all the businesses like the Rainbow Power Company, we say a huge 'THANK YOU'.The Dunoon Rural Fire Brigade posted this picture on the ABC North Coasts facebook page today and said "We helped save this beautiful tree yesterday by clearing the leaves around it and soaking it with water and foam before the fire went through this location.” The tree is that tall we could not fit it in this picture!The Lismore City Council have closed the evacuation centres at the SCU in Lismore and the Kyogle Memorial Hall at midday today. The Nimbin Showground remains open as an official evacuation centre as does the Lismore Showgrounds (for campers only and large animals).The above comments do come with a warning! We can not be complacent in the coming days and weeks. The Mt Nardi bush fire is still out of control and classified as 'Advice' as it is burning over 4,900 hectares. Our neighbouring towns in the Tweed Shire like Doon Doon and Commissioners Creek are suffering like we were last weekend and the town of Woodenbong in the Kyogle Shire is under threat as I write with the Bora Ridge fire. This photo looks at the Bora Ridge fire courtesy of Jimmy Malecki.Conditions can change very quickly so the advice is to stay aware, stay alert and stay safe as Councillor Elly Bird told the Lismore App yesterday. We will be leaving our Bush Fire button on the Lismore App front page for the coming week so that everyone can monitor the situation at any time. We also encourage you to download the NSW RFS 'Fires Near Me' app as it is a great source of information.There is a total fire ban in place today and the Fire Danger is Severe. You are encourage by the NSW RFS to keep your Bush Fire Plan handy at all times.We will monitor the situation with you and update you immediately if conditions change and there is a direct threat or possibility of a threat to any community in the 2480 post code. We will continue to update the bush fires in our news stories but not as a sense of urgency as we have in the last nine days.

This Mt Nardi bush fire update is following the 10am community meeting at the Nimbin Bowling Club.To watch the meeting in full please use this link https://www.facebook.com/NorthernRiversZone/videos/2326761784102608/?t=15.RFS Media Liason Officer Aaron Howard started with some good news. He told the gathering "fire activity has eased off a little bit, we will see conditions reduce later today and into tomorrow". He went on to say that the containment work will continue over the weekend with these improved conditions.Councillor Elly Bird told the Lismore App that while conditions have improved there is still a need for people to "stay aware, stay informed and stay safe". "Many people are on the edges of the fires, people need to be aware of the risks" she said. "Find family or friends and stay with, it is the safer option", she went on to say.One spect to come out of the meeting was about 'Spontaneous Volunteers'. While people have the best intentions, anyone who is thinking of helping create containment lines must go through the official channels and register their support. Please do not just turn up at a fire affected area.The other warning was to anyone who was looking to observe the bush fire and what damage it has caused the Nightcap National Park. You are advised to to keep well clear of the fire affected areas so the NSW RFS, SES and Police can do their jobs. This comment posted on the Lismore City Council facebook page earlier today "Some people are choosing to ignore roadblocks in order take photos. Roadblocks are there for a very good reason. Not only are you risking your life, but you are placing the lives of Police and RFS at risk when they have to go and rescue you".They went on to mention about illegal backburning, "Police are receiving reports that people are doing illegal backburning near bushfires. If this is you STOP NOW."The focus in the coming days is on protecting homes and to make sure there is no risk to lives and livelihoods.As for the long term forecast of the Mt Nardi bush fire, without significant rainfall it will burn well in the coming weeks and maybe even months.You can stay up to date by using our Bush Fire button on the Lismore App (Bush Fires)