Richmond Tweed Regional Library (RTRL) users may not be able to access the library catalogue online tomorrow, Wednesday October 2, while the library is upgrading its online catalogue system.The library is still open and library users can still go into the library and borrow or return books.However, throughout the day, library users may not be able to access the library catalogue, their library account, book a computer or access eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines. In short, anything that requires library patrons to use their library card to login won’t be available - as work is carried out on an upgrade to the system. RTRL Regional Library Manager, Jo Carmody said “upgrades are necessary to keep the catalogue integrating seamlessly with our other library technologies, such as the library website, and the library app”.“It is expected that there will be minimal disruption to service, and when we are back online you will notice a new, streamlined look and enhanced searching capabilities,” she said.The library thanks patrons for their patience during this process.

If you are living on Newstart allowance, how hard is it to stretch your money to pay rent, bills, food and travelling costs?Your stories of doing it tough and living on the dole are needed at a free forum held at Lismore Workers Club this Thursday, October 3, at 1pm.The forum, looking at how we tackle inequality and disadvantage in Lismore and throughout NSW, is hosted by ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service) and NCOSS (NSW Council of Social Service).Pas Forgione from ACOSS said the forum is for people who are directly affected by living on a low income.“The feedback ACOSS receives will be used to influence future campaigns to see the rate of unemployment benefits raised,” Pas said.“From inadequate income support payments and unaffordable housing to expensive power bills and lack of assistance for those looking for work, much more must be done to support those doing it tough.“We will bring together the experts and those directly affected by economic and social inequality, along with the rest of community, to discuss how we can address inequality and work together to achieve positive social change.”Pas said people are doing their best to get by, and the main challenge is that there’s still not enough money to cover expenses.“At the same time, the number of job vacancies is smaller than the number of people competing for the jobs,” he said.“In Lismore, the local Council supports raising Newstart – and the Lismore Chamber of Commerce is the first one on Australia to back raising Newstart.“Lismore is punching above its weight when it comes to having strong concerns about tackling poverty.“Having these organisations of board shows the wonderful work happening there already.“There’s also been local Lismore residents who have travelled to Canberra to talk about these issues in Parliament.”If you wish to attend the forum, it is open to everyone and will be fully catered at Lismore Workers Club on Thursday, October 3, at 1pm.

If you have a project designed to inspire young people to be physically active and eat healthy food, you can now apply for a Healthy Communities Northern Rivers grant.Schools and community organisations across the Northern Rivers are invited to apply for grants of up to $4000 to support health and wellbeing projects for young people. The Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) is funding the $40,000 grant program, as part of the Healthy Communities Northern Rivers initiative. The grants are designed to inspire projects that make it easier for young people aged 13-24 to be physically active and eat healthy food. Health Promotion Manager, Jillian Adams, said many of the behaviours that increase the risk of chronic disease - smoking, drinking alcohol, eating junk food and low levels of physical activity- start in adolescence. “Teenagers may not care much about the risk of chronic disease in the future, so our focus is on how to increase their wellbeing and help them feel good now,” Ms Adams said. “One of the criteria for the grants is that young people are involved in planning the projects. The ideas need to come from young people, because they know what sort of activities will work best for them.”The grant program was launched at a Youth Health and Wellbeing event in Ballina on 24 September which highlighted the latest research about the links between physical activity and wellbeing for young people - and showcased innovative youth programs. Healthy Communities Northern Rivers was established by NNSWLHD in 2018 to bring government, non-government and community organisations together to address rising levels of chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The youth grants are part of the Healthy Communities Northern Rivers action plan for building communities that make it is easier for people to make healthy choices, such as being physically active and eating healthy food. For grant application forms, visit the Health Communities Northern Rivers website at https://nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/health-promotion/healthy-communities

Over three days last weekend, October 27-29, the 20th Lismore Masters Games brought over 1600 of sports players on the wrong side of 30 to Lismore for competition and social fun.Lismore City Council Tourism and Events Manager Mitch Lowe said competitor numbers were up by 10% on previous years.“It was the biggest Masters Games in six years,” Mitch said.“Feedback from the business community has been great.“Beneficiaries from visitors to Lismore include pubs, restaurants and cafes who told us they had a massive weekend of business."Other industries contributing to the needs of people here who said they had a large increase in people through the doors and sales were chemists, sports shops and petrol stations.“The Rous hotel in Lismore said it was the biggest weekend of the year for them.”Mitch said the organisers of the Masters Games were running a post event survey to look at the economic impact of the event on the region. “We’d like everybody to feed back to us via our website,” Mitch said.Mitch said the official celebration for the event at the Lismore Workers Club on Friday night, with live music and dancing, brought lots of teams out and the “atmosphere involved plenty of laughs”.“In the day, there was competition on field, but that night we saw people in teams having a great time and networking with each other,” he said.“Sure we give out gold, silver and bronze medals, but it’s about having fun.“Sports teams were scattered across the city in various pubs and restaurants and there was a buzz in the air. “Friday night was the bigger night for Lismore businesses as people got into the socialising on the first day.“A lot of the players don’t participate in sports regularly and only jump in and do the Masters Games once every two years, so they tend to let their hair out on the first night and take it easier on Saturday night.”Mitch said that feedback from sports groups was that this year’s event was the “smoothest” running event yet.“The weather played a big in that,” he said. “There was no wet weather, so the logistics went smoothly with the competition draws. “The coordination of sports went really well too and that was thanks to the local volunteers doing that. Without them and the support of people in various sports, there wouldn’t be a game. Mitch said he enjoyed watching the cricket at the Masters Games.“The Cads team from Casino were 9 wickets down with one ball to go and batsman hit the ball over the boundary to win the game," he saidThat was the highlight for me.“They were the gold medal winners for cricket and beat a Queensland team in the final game – it was very exciting.”For more information about the Lismore Masters Games, or give feedback about the event, visit https://www.lismoremastersgames.com.au/Or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lismoremastersgames/

Lismore Base Hospital Midwife Robin Stabler has been named a finalist in the Excellence in Midwifery category of the 2019 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.Robin has been nominated for for being an integral part of the team, strong person-centred beliefs, and for being a strong advocate of her profession.She’s one of the nurses and midwives from the Northern NSW Local Health District who are among 43 statewide finalists nominated for the 2019 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.The finalists have been selected from nominations in 12 categories which recognise nurses and midwives who have made a difference in clinical practice, research, management and leadership.Registered Nurse Sally Smith from The Tweed Hospital has also been named a finalist in the Excellence in Nursing category for her strong team and work ethic, her excellent ability to build positive rapport with patients, and for being a role model on the wards.Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Aboriginal Health Katharine Duffy said the awards recognise the contribution and of nurses and midwives working in the NSW public health system.“These awards are an opportunity to honour nurses and midwives across NSW who go above and beyond and make a real difference not only within their teams but most importantly, to our patients,” Ms Duffy said.Health professionals across the state nominated nurses and midwives working in the NSW public health system for 11 of the award categories.Members of the public living in NSW were eligible to vote for the Consumer Appreciation Award, the 12th category, which recognises nurses and midwives who demonstrate outstanding patient care and support of families and carers.Over 53,000 nurses and midwives are working in full-time and part-time positions in NSW Health hospitals and health services.The Awards ceremony will be held in Sydney on October 1 at the International Convention Centre.The NSW Government is investing $2.8 billion to recruit 8,300 extra frontline staff over the next four years, including an additional 5000 more nurses and midwives.For more information on the 2019 Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards, visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/enma/Pages/default.aspx

New prostate cancer treatments offered in Lismore have brought the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) onto the global stage.NNSWLHD is being recognised as a leader in cancer treatment, with world-first programs that improve healthcare for regional patients. Radiation Oncologist with North Coast Cancer Institute Lismore, Associate Professor Tom Shakespeare, is involved in projects evaluating new techniques in prostate cancer treatment, which he showcased at an international conference last week. A/Prof Shakespeare presented two papers at the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) annual meeting in Chicago, which attracts around 10,000 delegates from around the world. “The first paper was an evaluation of patient involvement in choosing their cancer treatment through shared decision-making with their oncologist,” A/Prof Shakespeare said. Patients involved in the research were provided with a decision aid to help them choose between two radiation therapy options in the cure of prostate cancer. “This high degree of patient involvement is a world first, putting the patient at the centre of their care planning alongside their treating specialist.” A/ Professor Shakespeare’s second presentation discussed the outcomes of world-leading research involving men from the North and Mid North Coast areas using PET scans to help target radiation therapy to the prostate and lymph nodes. “In the past, men with prostate cancer which has spread to the lymph glands were thought to be incurable, but modern advances in radiation therapy and PET scan imaging mean we can offer curative radiation,” he said.“The early results show that after two years, 100% of patients had their prostate cancer controlled, with minimal side-effects.“It brings new hope for men whose prostate cancer has escaped from the prostate, that there is a potential for a cure.”NNSWLHD has a strong focus on clinical trials and quality assurance programs, building on its research and innovation capacity since NCCI first opened in 2010. “Everything that we do in research is about helping the people in our community by providing world-class locally-based services,” A/Prof Shakespeare said.

Two Lismore Landcare groups are set to benefit from an unfortunate error.Earlier this year, contractors installing the new fence around Goonellabah PS, removed several trees in the grounds of Lismore Theatre Company’s (LTC) Rochdale Theatre. Fortunately the NSW Department of Education accepted responsibility for the error and paid LTC compensation for the loss under the local tree protection arrangements for native species.The compensation received not only allows LTC to plant replacement trees in its grounds but the Committee decided to provide some of the funds to two local Landcare groups to enable additional plantings off site.Upper Tucki Tucki Creek Landcare and Wilson’s River Landcarers will each receive $500 to purchase plants most of which will be purchased from NR Friends of the Koala nursery thereby benefiting another community organisation.Lismore Theatre Company President Sharon Brodie said “Lismore Theatre Company is delighted that the distress of losing some mature koala food trees early this year has turned to joy in that we are able to provide more trees for the wider community and our native wildlife to enjoy”.“The compensation we received will be multiplied in the community by the volunteer groups that do so much to enhance our natural environment”, she said.“When koala habitat is unfortunately lost, it’s important to recognise its importance and replace like-for-like’ said Luke Kane who is a member of Friends of the Koala (FoK) and LTC.“This will considerably boost our efforts to rehabilitate the creek and nearby bushland and restore habitat for wildlife. Corena Wynd from Upper Tucki Tucki Creek Landcare said “our goal is to improve and establish koala corridors and we are focused on planting along degraded riparian zones to help our struggling platypus and other wildlife. “Thank you to LTC for this help to achieve our goals.’ Dr Kristin den Exter of the Wilson’s River Landcarers Group said “the Wilson’s River Landcarer’s Group is actively replanting the riverbank - focusing on public land in Lismore. “This money will ensure more trees are planted contributing to the re-creation of lowland rainforest on the floodplain - an endangered ecological community.” 

Last year’s TURSA Art Prize competition at the Lismore Show was the biggest it had ever been.This year, with $4000 in prize money for the winners, it’s looking to be even bigger.The main acquisitive prize winner will receive $3000 and the grand champion will receive prize money of $1000.And the good news is - entries close October 4 - so there’s still time to enter your artworks.The Lismore Show this year will be held October 17 to 19, with school groups and their teachers and accompanying parents invited to come to the show for free on Thursday, October 17 and Friday, October 19.North Coast National Agricultural and Industrial Society secretary Mark Bailey said this year’s acquisitive art prize is attracting entries from all around Australia. “TURSA Employment Services has been a major sponsor of the Lismore North Coast National Show for many years,” Mr Bailey said.“This year, TURSA has doubled the prize money and this funding is what has made the TURSA Art Prize a major event in the Northern Rivers, attracting a high quality of artwork.“There’s also an art prize sponsored by MP Janelle Saffin with $400 prize money. Local sponsors are also on board, like Lismore Regional Gallery and print and art supply shops.”In fact, this year’s competition is so big, Mr Bailey said organisers had to limit the number of paintings one artists could enter to four. “Previously, there was a maximum of 10, but we have so many entries that we still have the same number of artworks even though we halved the entries," Mr Bailey said.Winners of the TURSA Art Prize will be announced on Wednesday, October 16 at 5.30pm at a free opening of the art show.“Deputy Mayor Darlene Cook will open the show in the Gem Club at Lismore Showground,” Mr Bailey said.“We’ll also have free drinks and nibbles supplied by TURSA.“It will be quite and event.”This year’s TURSA Art Prize judges are TAFE head art teacher Steven Giese and Lismore Regional Gallery director Brett Adlington.“We also have a new team of volunteers helping out including Jeht Burgoyne , the former assistant director at Ballina Gallery.”For more information or to enter the TURSA Art Prize, visithttp://www.northcoastnational.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Art-Entry-2019-Form.pdfFor more information on the Lismore Show, visit http://www.northcoastnational.com.au/

Weapons were seized after a violent incident in Lismore yesterday, according to a Richmond Police District Facebook statement.“Police will allege that at 9.30pm on Thursday, a year 33 year old Bowraville woman has attended a Dalziell Street address with other people armed with baseball bats,” the statement said. “As police arrived they saw a juvenile hitting the 33 year old with a wooden stick. “Police were pushed and hindered as they placed the juvenile under arrest and disarmed her.“Police seized the (pictured) items. “Further inquiries are to be made but police anticipate several charges of Affray, Resist Police and Hinder Police will be laid on some of the people involved in this incident.”

Second Hand Saturday – the country’s biggest garage sale – will be held again this Saturday, 28 September.Almost 100 garage sales have been registered in the Lismore area alone with more than 500 across the North Coast.Organisers say everything from boats to brushcutters, camping gear and preloved children’s treasures, will be for sale.Hosted by North East Waste, the free annual community event has continued to gather momentum over the past 14 years, encouraging the community to support re-use over landfill and contribute to the war on waste.North East Waste coordinator Linda Tohver said "a popular trend we are seeing emerge, particularly this year, is neighbours, families and community centres joining forces to hold joint street sales or host market-place style sales".“This year there are over 80 joint sales registered across the North Coast, many with more than 10 individual sellers meaning you really don’t need to wander far to bag yourself some preloved bargains," she said.Len Johnston from the Richmond Hill Community Centre has been busy organising its combined garage sale event with over 10 stallholders from around the local area.“This is the first time we’ve participated in Second Hand Saturday, however our members thought it would be a great way to bring our community together,” he said.“With stallholders set up in the community centre, one can expect to find a wide range on offer, including jewellery, camping gear, clothing, homewares, gardening equipment and children’s items.“Plus, if the sales are starting to make you hungry, we’ll have a sausage sizzle on the day and cold drinks available for purchase to support the community centre,” he said.The Richmond Hill Community Centre sales will be held at 149 Richmond Hill Road, Richmond Hill.To see what other sales are on and plan your shopping list, the Lismore App has a handy Second Hand Saturday button you can also use to find out what's on where.You can also visit the Second Hand Saturday website www.secondhandsaturday.com.au or download the free Second Hand Saturday app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.Here you’ll find a full garage sale list, interactive maps and route calculation and options to bookmark your favourite sales.You can also find a full list of garage sales in The Northern Rivers Echo this Thursday or The Northern Star on Saturday.Alternatively, check the Second Hand Saturday Facebook page @mysecondhandsaturday to stay in the loop with what’s happening this Second Hand Saturday.

To celebrate the school holidays, Lismore City Council is inviting families to Water Wednesday at Rocky Creek Dam on October 9.Families are invited to Water Wednesday at the Rocky Creek Dam picnic area on October 9 from 10am to 2pm. Bring the kids and explore, create and learn through a series of outdoor activities about water, water saving, our water catchment and the plants and animals of the Big Scrub.Free fun activities on the day include:• Nature activities: Take a close-up look at the rainforest plants of the Big Scrub. • Backyard birds: Identify local birds and their calls. Come along for info and get involved in the Aussie backyard bird count. • Koala watch and habitats: When does a koala need our help? Where does our wildlife live and why? • Catchment creation: Why do we need trees? Find out in this great learning activity. • Water walk: Take a guided walk across the dam wall. How does the water get from the dam to the tap and back? • Information Tent: Ask about what’s on and play the giant water-saving game. • 3D working Catchment Model: How can we help to keep the water clean and healthy? • Water science: Try some water experiments to make lilies, stars and giant bubbles. • Be waste wise: Draw your own design on a reusable bag to take home and shoot the 10c container basketball hoop!Ample parking is available or you can catch the free bus from the Lismore Visitor Information Centre. It leaves Lismore at 9.30am and returns at 1.30pm. Bus bookings are essential – please phone 1300 87 83 87.Children must be accompanied by a supervising adult at all times and please be safe and aware when walking in the carpark. Bring a hat, sunscreen and drinking water, and wear covered shoes.Families are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy with the beautiful dam views or amongst the rainforest.Lismore City Council is hosting Water Wednesday with support from the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens, Friends of the Koala, Richmond Landcare, Rous County Council and NE Waste.

“A Sydney woman will always regret the time she visited Woodburn”, a Richmond District Police Facebook statement said today.The woman, who is disqualified from driving until 2030 will appear in court after being stopped by police and testing positive for drugs in Woodburn yesterday.“Police will allege that at 3pm on Wednesday, a 34 year old Waterloo woman was driving through Woodburn when she was stopped by your local police,” the statement read.“She told police that she did not have a licence. “She then failed a roadside drug test for methamphetamine. “Police then discovered that she had supplied them with a false name and had a revocation of parole (straight to jail) warrant.“At Ballina, checks revealed she is disqualified from driving until 2030. “She also failed her secondary drug test.“She has been charged with Drive Whilst Disqualified and State False Name. “A further charge may be laid pending the final result of her drug analysis. “She will appear at Ballina Local Court today, and her revocation of parole warrant was executed.”

His head is a stuffed pillowcase stuffed, his mouth is painted on and he’s wearing second hand clothes.This may sound like a few people you know, but it’s actually Carol Boomsma’s scarecrow.Carol is a stall holder at Lismore Organic Market and she’s made her scarecrow for a competition to celebrate the organic market’s 20th birthday next Tuesday, October 1 at Lismore Showgrounds, from 7.30am until 12pm.Carol made her scarecrow to promote the event and inspire others to get involved in the competition and come along to the Northern Rivers’ only certified organic growers market for the celebrations.“It’s the longest running organic market in Australia and Lismore’s best kept secret,” Carol said. “The market is all about sustainable agriculture, low food miles and real relationships between growers and customers.”On the day, you can bring along your own scarecrow you’ve made yourself and enter the competition for $5 per entry – and there’s prizes to be won.Carol said the scarecrow making competition was a bit of fun to encourage people to get creative with ways they can put together recycled materials to keep birds,pests and bugs away.“Scarecrows are big, cute and fun and give people a chance to upcycle things they have around the house when they make one.“They really go with organic farming where we use different methods to help grow vegetables. “They don’t all have to be traditional scarecrows – they can be as simple as shirts and clothes flapping. “Anything goes. We’ll be looking at all things – creativity, uniqueness, cute factor and great use of recycled materials. Don’t buy new things to make it.“Some people make scarecrows out of plastic tubs and tins joined together to rattle around in the wind and scare crows away from picking at your crops.“When I started to make my scarecrow, I looked on the internet for ideas and was amazed at how many different scarecrows there were out there.“I made mine out of a bamboo frame tied together. Then I spent an afternoon weeding and pulled out blady grass and let that die off in the sun and I brushed it with that.”Carol said she’s been a stall holder at the organic market for 16 years and sells sunflower and salad greens.“I grow them in greenhouses in Coffee Camp and have been certified organic for 18 years. “It’s a great business to be in and I enjoy the markets – it’s such a wonderful community event every Tuesday, with seasonal, fresh locally grown organic produce.”Carol said to celebrate the 20th birthday of the market, local makers and growers are invited to have a one-off stall for the day, alongside the regular growers.There will be organic flowers, a native bee display and kits to build a hive, mushroom display and growing information, handcrafted jewellery, ceramics, organic chocolate, pecans, garden beds, plants and permaculture information.“With beautiful food prepared from our growers produce, organic coffee, live music, the scarecrow competition, a children’s art exhibition and demonstrations, it’s a family friendly celebration and everyone is welcome,” Carol said.Scarecrow competition details: All scarecrows must be handmade from scratchScarecrows can be made from any materials, but all materials must be up cycled, recycled or second hand. No new materials used and recycling is encouraged.Scarecrows must be delivered to the Lismore Organic Market before 9.30am to be eligible for display and judging.Scarecrows must not exceed 1.5m tall and be no smaller than 50cm.Name and contact number of the maker must be securely attached to the back of the scarecrow.Scarecrows can be picked up after the event. Lismore Organic market will take great care with your creations but cannot be held responsible for any scarecrows not picked up after the event. They will be left onsite.For more information about the scarecrow making competition, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2369468733379785/For more information about Lismore Organic Market, visit https://www.facebook.com/LismoreOrganicMarket/

There’s movement on the controversial North Lismore Plateau development, which will see the construction of hundreds of residences off Sexton Rd, North Lismore. Development company Winten have begun preliminary work on the Dunoon Road access road, testing the levels of clay in the soil.Project development manager Jim Punch said the company was only in the preliminary stage, “prior to doing civil works like road construction, water and sewage”.“We have the development civil works construction certificate from Lismore City Council and we’ve gone to tender for construction of bulk earthworks,” Mr Punch said.“We’ve had having machinery on site the past few weeks doing test digs to see how deep the clay is.“The Dunoon road access is underlaid with soft clay, so we’ll need to put down wet drainage to stabilise the road before we start building.“Once the earthworks tender is finalised, we’ll begin bringing topsoil material from the top to the bottom of the plateau and preload the road to stabilise it.”Mr Punch said the stabilisation works will be happening over the next four to six months, “Once that’s finalised, work should start imminently from there and we can start to do things like bring in gravel and form roads.“We’ll be ready to start work on stage one of the first 50 lots in February, 2020.”There are three precincts planned for the 255-hectare site on North Lismore Plateau, with two of them already having received development consents.Precincts 1 and 2 comprise a total of 390 residential allotments with open space and areas for environmental management.Precinct 3 is a staged development consent application for the creation of 43 residential allotments.This precinct is still under consideration for development, with extra planning approvals needed under Section 83B of the EP&A Act.Mr Punch said the third precinct has “approval in principle”, but Winton still had “some work to do in regard to vegetation plans”.“We need to lodge a development application specifically for the Western lots,” he said.The development project has been criticised by local groups since it was first proposed, due to the development site being ecologically sensitive and a place of Aboriginal cultural heritage.Last year, in the midst of heated opposition, a Northern Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRRP) was convened to oversee the North Lismore Plateau development process. The JRRP then approved stage one of the development in October 2018.The only condition imposed by the panel was that the approval of precinct 3 will be subject to a future Aboriginal heritage application and threatened species assessment.Opponents to the development of the North Lismore Plateau include Bundjalung Elders’ Council chair Micky Ryan.Mr Ryan commenced legal action earlier this year in the hope of invalidating the JRRP’s decision and halt the 433-lot first stage of the development.Mr Ryan’s legal representative Al Oshlack – who is also a representative of the North Lismore Plateau Protection Association (NLPPA) - said the development project was due to be heard in the Land and Environment Court in February next year.“The JRRP approved the first two developments,” Mr Oshlack said. “But precinct 3 has ecologically important redgum forest and rainforest areas. “Precinct 1 is planned to be built on the flood plain and will impact on North and South Lismore residents and intensify floods in the area.“The Office of Environment and Heritage hasn’t approved the development and is not satisfied that a proper hydrological assessment for precinct 1 has been done.“The developers should have assessed the clay in the ground prior to development.“Lismore plateau is a habitat for a number of endangered species of plants and animals and the proposed works of Winten and Council will have an adverse impact on significant Aboriginal cultural sites there.Mr Oshlack said he thought the development was “one of worst approved developments in Lismore”.“And rate payers have to pay for it,” he said. “Lismore Council is borrowing $32 million to build infrastructure for the development and the developer is the one who will benefit.“They shouldn’t be borrowing money if they don’t know if the development is going to go ahead and we already have a debt crisis.“Last year in a closed meeting, Council approved $10 million to construct a reservoir for the development.”Mr Punch said Winten was aware of the need to do a koala and bat survey in precinct 3.“We have always tried to do the right things and have consulted with the Aboriginal community since the day we started,” he said.“We believe we’ve done everything correctly and so does Council.”

“What do you call a cheetah that you’re going to eat for lunch? Fast food!”Lismore Public School student Sienna Gadsby recently enthralled listeners at a school public speaking competition about what it would be like if she were an animal.Sienna’s speech earned her first place in the stage 2 semi-final of the public speaking competition at Lismore Public School.Lismore Public School instructional leader Michelle Stroud-Watts said next term, Sienna will be joined by the winner of the stage 3 section, Lara Magner, who spoke on how the world is a small place these days.  “The two students will compete in The Rivers Public Speaking competition held at the City Hall on November 8, where schools from across the Lismore region will compete for the prestigious title of Public Speaking Champion,” Mrs Stroud-Watts said.“Adjudicators of the competition were Mrs Jenny Dowell, Daisy Thompson and Sophie Halliday. “They gave competitors great advice on slowing down your voice, the use of palm cards, and how to harness your nerves.  “The task of selecting a winner is always arduous and this year honourable mentions must go to Jyson Jarrett and Noah Heighway who were picked at the post by one point.”  

Today, there’s a flurry of activity in the Lismore Workers Club as volunteers set up the registration area for more than 1600 participants who’ll be taking part in the 11th Lismore Workers Masters Games.Heralded by volunteers as a mini Olympics, the annual Masters Games is coming to Lismore this weekend, September 27-29 – and the whole community is invited to come and watch.The Masters Games is a weekend of competitive sports for people aged over 30. While some participants are first-time beginners, others have played sport competitively their whole lives.With 16 sports on offer, including lawn bowls, netball, softball, swimming, oztag, hockey, golf, equestrian, football, cricket and baseball, it’s an event that’s growing every year.Volunteers Lynne Sims and Gaie McAteer are putting together goody bags for participants, which include a packet of beef jerky and a handy cream for sore muscles.“There’s lots of background roles for volunteers at the games – from umpires, referees and officials’ roles – to helping out with refreshments and registrations,” Gaie said.“Organisers are always looking for people who want to help out – and that includes families and friends of competitors.”HockeyLynne Sims is the coordinator of netball at the Masters Games and said she played in the Masters Games 20 years ago when it first started.“This year we have more teams than last year,” she said. “We have 255 players registered and 27 teams.“There are 12 teams playing in the 30+ age group, and the rest playing in the 35, 40, 45, and 50+ age groups,” she said.“The age groups the teams play in starts with the youngest player in each team.“The netball grand final was held last weekend and a lot of the women from that will also be playing in the Masters.”Lynne said there were some fun team names this year, like Tequila Mockingbird, Thanks For Turning Up, and the Daily Slappers.“The Harlequins are putting in two teams into the 50+ age group this year,” she said. Lawn BowlsGraham and Grace Chapman from Whian Whian love volunteering at the Masters games – as well as participating in the sports.Graham and Grace Chapman from Whian Whian at the registration desk.Every year, they help out doing much needed tasks and this year are helping set up the registration desks – which open for registered players tomorrow.It’s the fun behind it,” Grace said. “It’s about the camaraderie of sport and meeting people.“Volunteers can be participants in the games and it’s great to be able to them support. We encourage anyone interested in helping out to join us.“When we moved to Lismore in 2007, we got involved in lots of community activities, It’s great to live here and it’s great to give back to the community.Graham will be playing in the Masters Games lawn bowls competition this weekend.“I’m not really very good at bowls,” he laughed.“It’s like chess on grass,” he said. “There’s strategy to the game – where you place your ball is important. Rather than getting close to the white ball, you might want to target your opponent‘s ball.”While lawn bowls may often be viewed as an older person’s sport, Graham said a lot of the current Australian champions are between 16 to 25 years old.“While it’s a game people often take up in retirement, it’s a great, active game for people of all ages,” Graham said."You walk two to three kilometres in a game and there’s lots of bending..“I started playing lawn bowls when I was 16. Sometimes when I go camping I even take my lawn bowls with me to practice.”While he mostly practices at Nimbin Bowling Club now, Graham said he was looking forward to playing on Sunday at Lismore City Bowling Club.“It’s the second oldest lawn bowls club in NSW,” he said. “Some of the games will be played at East Lismore Bowling Club too.“Anybody can come along and watch.“I won a gold medal in indoor bowls at the Masters games four years ago. When I played indoor bowls there weren’t so many entries so I had a good chance of winning.”SoccerLismore’s own Craig Foster, a former Socceroo and long-time SBS sports presenter, will be back in his hometown for the event, playing with his old team mates from the under 12s Richmond-Tweed representative team that won the State Title back in 1981.Social event While the Lismore Workers Masters Games is a competitive event, the social aspect of the game is just as important as the sporting competition.Lismore City Council Tourism and Events manager Mitch Lowe said “people have been playing in the Masters for the last 20 years and many people travel from across the state, Australia and the world to reconnect with old friends and have some fun”. “The event also injects more than $1 million into the Lismore economy and fills up our restaurants, clubs, pubs, cafes and accommodation providers, which is excellent for the city,” Mitch said. “The physiotherapists and the massage therapists might also see a spike in business if past years are anything to go by.”Mitch extended a special thank you to the Lismore Workers Club for 20 years of sponsorship since the very first Masters Games in 1999 and also thanked the hundreds of volunteers who make the event possible.“Without the Workers Club’s unwavering support and the countless hours our volunteers willingly donate, there wouldn’t be a Masters Games,” he said.“We are so proud of this signature event for Lismore and it is testament to the great sporting spirit in this city that it continues to be a success two decades on. “We wish all our competitors a fantastic weekend and extend a warm welcome to visitors coming to Lismore.”For information and the full program of events, visit www.lismoremastersgames.com.auThe sports played will be:BaseballBasketballCricketEquestrianGolfHockeyLawn bowlsMountain bikingNetballOztagFitness challengeFootballFive-side footballRugby unionSoftballSwimmingMasters Mini Games (euchre, darts, pool and indoor bowls)

Whether they are reducing water use, increasing crop yield, or using new technologies, agripreneurs in the Lismore region may hold the key to solving the food challenges of the 21st century.With nominations now open for the Australian Future Agro Challenge (AusFAC), local agripreneurs are encouraged to enter the international pitching competition.Six agripreneurs will be chosen from across Australia to present their ideas to the AusFAC panel in November. The Australian winner will then compete on the world stage at the international Future Agro Challenge (FAC).In 2020, the competition will be hosted in the Northern Rivers region, but entrants this year will be heading to the AusFAC event in Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands.The national event gives the six competitors and the wider Australian Agtech community an opportunity to expand their industry networks, build collaborations, connect with investors in Australia and internationally, and gain exposure to international markets.North Queensland has hosted the event for the last four years with Australian winners proudly taking first and third place in the last two years of the international competition. AusFAC is on the lookout for the next great Australian agri-innovator - but you’ll need to be quick as entries close October 2.For more information, visit https://fac.startuptablelands.org/ FAC is the largest international competition to discover innovative and fundable food, agtech, and agriculture ventures, with over 60 countries taking part each year. FAC is an innovative way to address regional, national and international challenges across the food production industry, putting agripreneurs in the front line of efforts to increase production and crop yield, economic impact of agriculture and nutritional intake per capita while reducing water use and empowering farmers to utilise new technologies. 

Our flying foxes are in trouble.If you’ve seen one recently in the daytime in a tree, or found one dead on the ground, it could be because they are dehydrated and starving.Northern Rivers Wildlife Information and Rescue Emergency Service (WIRES) bat coordinator Lib Ruytenberg said the bats are being affected by unusually dry conditions which have affected flowering and fruiting of their usual feed trees.“Large areas of the North Coast of NSW as well as South East Queensland are experiencing what appears to be a severe flying-fox starvation and dehydration event,” Lib said.“There are many reports of bats being found alone in trees in the daytime not having the energy to return to roost in their colony.“Northern Rivers WIRES is receiving more than five times their normal number of flying-fox calls for this time of the year.  “We, like all wildlife groups in the area, are stretched to the limit.“October to December are the birthing months,” Lib said. “This is when females give birth to a single pup which they carry across their chests as it suckles a teat in the mother’s wing pit. “This starvation event could cause more females to get into difficulty birthing and more pups to be separated from their mothers. “Please call WIRES if you find a flying-fox pup. Lib said flying-foxes are very intelligent creatures and play an important role in Australian environments.“They are natural pollinators and seed dispersers and are crucial for the survival and regeneration of our native forests,” she said.“Sadly, this starvation event appears to be yet another indication of the catastrophic affect of a changing climate on our ecosystems. "Please do what you can to plant native trees and plants so that in the future our wildlife will have food available to them. With a limited number of volunteer vaccinated bat rescuers, WIRES is asking the public to be understanding about the bats and have some advice if anyone should see a flying-fox alone.“Please do not attempt to handle the flying-fox,” Lib said. “There is no risk to you if you do not handle the bat. “Observe the flying-fox and check if it is actually still alive. Many bats are hanging dead in trees - some are dead on the ground. If it is dead, simply scoop it up in a towel or newspaper and dispose of it.“If it is alive, do not disturb the flying-fox or attempt to shoo it away. This will just stress it further and make it weaker. It needs to rest and regain strength so it can return to the colony. “Keep people and pets such as dogs and cats away so they don’t stress the already compromised animal.“If the bat looks sick or injured, or is low down in a particularly public space, phone WIRES on 66281898. They will help assess the situation and determine whether it needs to be brought into care. “If the bat appears uninjured and is moving around wait until the following day and see if the animal flies off overnight. “If the bat is still there the following day, phone WIRES on 66281898 for advice. “If you do want to assist further you can try putting some fruit such as apple or pear in nearby trees, making sure not to go close to the bat. This may in some instances give it the extra nutrition and moisture it needs to survive. "If you find a live bat on a barbed wire fence or entangled in netting, call WIRES immediately and a rescuer will attend." If you are keen to make a difference for the wildlife in our area, consider joining WIRES and start learning to be a wildlife rescuer. 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.Visit http://wiresnr.org/Helping.html to find out how you can help.

A man and his daughter carrying two snakes were allegedly threatened with being stabbed yesterday afternoon, Richmond District Police said in a statement on Facebook this morning. “An unprovoked assault results in a Lismore man being bail refused,” the statement said.“Lismore Police will allege that at 4:30pm on Monday a man and his young daughter were carrying a bag containing two snakes along Airforce Road. “A 24 year old Lismore man asked to look at the snakes, and the victim obliged.“The 24 year old started poking the snakes and was asked by the victim to stop doing so.“The 24 year old became enraged and threatened to kill the victim, who started walking away. “The 24 year old 'shaped up' then said he was going to get a knife. “He returned a short time later with a knife and threatened to stab the victim. “He only stopped when a witness told him that police were on the way.“The 24 year old was arrested soon after and taken to Lismore Police Station. “He was charged with Assault and Armed With Intent. “He has been refused bail and will appear at Lismore Local Court today.”