Read the story and see the picture gallery of Riverfest from Saturday, September 7.Sitting under shady trees by the Wilson’s River listening to live music and talks were some of the highlights of the Riverfest for festival goers.Hundreds of people enjoyed music from the Romaniacs, Mikaela and Sara Tindley, as well as talks and displays from the SES looking at flood safety and how to rescue people in a flood. Local Landcare groups and science displays on the day focussed on river health and local services and brought an awareness of the local river and floods to the Lismore community.People gathered by the Wilson's River for Riverfest on Saturday, September 7SES community capability officer Janet Pettit said the Riverfest was a fantastic opportunity to talk to the Lismore community about local risks and beauty and danger of floods. “We have lots of demonstrations about what the local SES does during flood rescues,” Janet said.SES crew John Ludlow, Kelly Bohn, Andrew Adams, Paul Von Bratt, Jason Balderi, Layla Balderi and Crystal Enspey at Riverfest.Riverfest MC Lisa Sharpe said she had worked in Lismore for four years and didn’t know this area by the river was here. “I’ve got a new thing to do in this town,” Lisa said. “It’s one of the best places to come at lunchtime and sit under the shade of the trees next to the river. I have a vision of swimming in the river.”MC Lisa Sharpe and Pip Ross. "River Health is so important," Pip said.Keith Bale said he attended one of the talks in the River Talks tent by John Larsson called ‘The changing face of oysters’.“I learned about oysters,” Keith said. “The Sydney rock oyster died from contamination in the ocean."Now there’s a new breed of oyster in the Richmond River. Oysters are essential for the health of the river as they filter the water clean."We need oysters for clean water."There was a flood in the Richmond River in 2017 some of the oysters survived the contamination of the river – but we need millions of them to clean the water.” Keith Bale and Malcolm Young.Ray parry writes poetry at the 'Write a limerick' workshop'.Omega, Rana White and Mark Broomhall.Kieran Shah, Liz Shah and singer Amanda Shoebridge.Barbara Jensen from Lismore City Council explains how flooding works in a model of town.Mel Marshall and Kylie Watson.Proprietor of Fox Den Studios, Guy Ingham.Riverfest organisers Elly Bird and Maddy-rose Braddon.Wendy Lane.Dave Dreher and Alex Stephens.Alex Clarke enjoys looking at the river.Mikaela performs on the River Stage.Zac Mifsud said he used to be an SES volunteer.Sara Tindley performs on the River Stage.Melinda Turner and Jay Watts.Information displays went from small to big.Children learned about SES rescues during floods.

CASPA house leader Jayde McMurray, 25, said her experience growing up in the foster care system was hard.“I never felt like I belonged anywhere and was moved around to different foster homes constantly,” Jayde said. “It was difficult getting to know and trusting new people all the time.”But Jayde said it was these experiences that gave her the strength and compassion she needed to help and mentor other young people in care.In July this year, Jayde won the Outstanding Young Employee award at the Lismore Business Awards. In October, she’s off to the regional business awards and if she wins that, she’ll make the national awards.Jayde said she was happy to be nominated for her work at CASPA because she wanted to make the public more aware of the important work CASPA does.“We take some of the most traumatised kids in NSW that no one else will take and we don’t give up – ever,” Jayde said.CASPA is a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of specialised care services for youth with complex needs and for people with disabilities. A large part of CASPA’s work is providing residential care and support for young people in the foster system. “I think people don’t understand what we do,” Jayde said. “These kids are often seen as dysfunctional in our community and I want people to see them in a more positive light.Jayde started working at CASPA two and a half years ago as a youth worker, before becoming a house leader and looking after the residential support services.“I have two houses, ten staff and one or two young people in each house,” Jayde said. “I support the staff and young people and make sure everything runs smoothly.Jayde said when she was in foster care, it was her team leader who looked after her who was one of her greatest inspirations. “When I had my first child, she fostered me and she never gave up and pushed me for a lot of years,” Jayde said “Without her I wouldn’t be alive. It took that one person to see something in me that I couldn’t see in myself.“She’s still my mum.“You need to be a strong person to be a carer in a mentoring role.“For these kids who are in and out of care, they have so many people in and out of their lives, that nothing feels permanent and they feel that they don’t belong or are not valued.”Because she moved around so much in the foster care system, Jayde did most of her high school education through distance education, and then left school in year 10.“I didn’t stick with education and realised importance of it as I got older,” Jayde said.“I say to kids that now it seems like a burden, but when you are older, you’ll be thankful you did it.“Distance education is hard because there’s no social side of life. A lot of kids here are not supported in the mainstream school system at all. They then go and find alternative peer groups – probably not the best type of people and no one their own age.By the time Jayde was 22, she had two children and was working in retail jobs - until she decided to change her path. She went to TAFE and studied Certificate 4 in Community Services, realising she wanted to help people. A year later, she applied for a job at CASPA.“I’m still doing my diploma and working full time with three kids - it’s hard,” Jayde said.“I don’t think I can do anything else with my life - I understand where the kids are at.“I talk to them and empathise with them.“A massive part of their healing is to be accepted in the community, but they are looked at like they are naughty kids.“All they want is to be accepted and have somewhere they feel like they belong.“These kids have been through the most unimaginable traumas in their life. “They have been though every kind of abuse a human could be subject to and they can’t help it.“They missed out on the vital parts of life – of having a mum and dad.“They are running in survival mode, their brains are always on high alert and their behaviours are pain based.“These behaviours have kept them alive and they will continue to do it until they have the right people and acceptance.”“If we can educate people in our community about trauma, then they will be able to understand these kids so much more.”To find out more information about CASPA, visit https://www.caspa.asn.au/

A reported stolen car failed to stop after being spotted on Diadem Street, Lismore, and was pursued by police late last night.Richmond Police District Highway Patrol will allege that at 11:15pm they saw a stolen car driving along Diadem Street. It failed to stop and a pursuit commenced."The stolen car drove at a speed well over the speed limit, and eventually stopped on Invercauld Road. As police approached the vehicle, the juvenile driver released the handbrake. Police had to lean into the car and engage the handbrake before it hit the highway patrol car," Richmond Police District said on its Facebook page."Police located a knife and drug paraphernalia in the car, and the driver was taken to hospital for a blood test. He was then charged with Take and Drive Conveyance, Police Pursuit, Unlicensed Driver and Custody of a Knife. He was released on conditional bail and will appear at Lismore Children's Court in October.

Smoke and dust is likely to cover Lismore today and tomorrow as gusty winds bring them into the city.A satellite picture from Northern NSW Severe Weather this morning showed the band of dust (over Bundaberg now) which moved through overnight. The smoke was moving eastwards from the fires in Ebor, Drake, Tenterfield and Legume.NSW Rural Fire Service commenting on the fires at Drake and Tabulum at 7.02pm said that strong winds were expected to continue through the night.The skyline near Clifford Park, Goonellabah, earlier today. Picture: Jaime Bowler / FacebookThe bush fire burning in the area around Mount Mackenzie Road, Tenterfield, had burnt more than 3,517 hectares and was out of control, the RFS said."The Bruxner Highway is currently open but may be affected by smoke," RFS said.NSW Rural Fire Service: "At 1700hrs today, there are 62 bush and grass fires burning across NSW with 24 uncontained, predominantly in the north of the state." Julie Lavis posted on Facebook this morning: "This is the view from our back deck in Lismore, facing east, this morning. A combination of dust and bushfire smoke. A pretty effect but so devastating. It's only the beginning of spring. Summer ahead is a scary prospect."Carson Parkes posted in Lismore What's Happening: "Does anyone in Goonellabah smell and see smoke? I’m located near the Coles and there is so much smoke everywhere and the smell is very overpowering."There is a total fire ban for the Far North Coast.This means no open fires anywhere in Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Clarence Valley, Richmond Valley, Tweed Heads.

The woodchop arena at this year’s North Coast National show at Lismore Showgrounds will be bigger and better than it’s been for decades. With a bigger area, a new fence and concrete footings for the trees to be placed in, the arena will also host this year’s woodchop state championship. This year's North Coast National will take place on October 17-19.North Coast National Agricultural and Industrial Society secretary Mark Bailey said the arena upgrade was thanks to the sponsorship of the Hurford family. “The support of Hurford Hardwood by supplying materials for the arena upgrade has been instrumental in putting the event and the North Coast National back on the map.”Even the heritage grandstand behind the arena has been given a facelift, with Lismore TAFE students building new stairs for it.Woodchop steward James Livingstone said some of the top axemen in Australia will be coming for the state championship event, which is to be held in Lismore for the first time.“Tree felling is a spectacular event,” Mr Livingstone said. “At last year’s show, we saw the most axemen attend since the old days and the axemen’s guild came along and decided to give the state championship to Lismore.” James said he and his father had been involved in woodchopping for decades and that he’d “won his fair share of woodchop events”.“In the 1970s it wasn’t uncommon to have 100 axemen at the show.”The woodchop event will take place on Friday, October 19 at the show.Lexie Hurford, Andrew Hurford, Mark Bailey, North Coast National president John Gibson, James Livingstone and Garry Connolly at the woodchop arena at Lismore Showground.Hurford’s owner Lexie Hurford said the Hurford family have been in the business of wood and wood products since 1932 and she was looking forward to seeing more school children come along to this year’s show to learn about forestry.“We have an interactive forestry exhibition on display in the next pavilion,” Ms Hurford said. “Local land services recently filmed on one of our plantations and we’ll be screening a movie about it in the pavilion and encourage school groups to come along and see it on Thursday and Friday at the show.”Hurford Hardwood’s director Andrew Hurford said a new Virtual Reality display will be coming to the show in the future, where school students will be able to wear a head set and learn about forestry and the lifecycle of forests from planting trees to making products from wood. Mr Bailey said school students and accompanying teachers and parents will get free entry to the show on the Thursday and Friday.“It’s important that a child growing up in an urban environment can learn about these important rural activities that happen in our region,” Mr Bailey said. “The North Coast National is growing and we want to encourage everyone to come along and support it. “It takes a lot of work to put the show on. The cost of running the show ground has grown, as has the work of the president and board and committee.“Because of the drought and the economy, 14 small regional shows will not happen this year and six may never happen again. “It’s a tragedy for rural NSW and show societies and something that needs to be addressed at government level. About the North Coast National:The North Coast National Agricultural and Industrial Society Inc began as a community organisation 132 years ago. The Society was formed to bring early settlers together to share knowledge about farming and also to show the world their achievements. It has been a celebration of agriculture, ingenuity, creativity and resilience.The show is one of the largest in NSW and Queensland outside the capital cities, and it is run by a small number of staff members and a large number of volunteers.Members elect a management board each year and they meet regularly to oversee the maintenance of the grounds, plan for events, and ensure that the annual show is responsive to changing times and tastes.For more information about the North Coast National Show, visit http://www.northcoastnational.com.au/

The Lismore Memorial Baths will reopen next Monday, September 9 for the 2019/20 swimming season.The Lismore Memorial Baths has played a central role in the Lismore community since it opened in 1928 and that history is proudly depicted on the walls of the facility with historical photos and stories.From September 9, the Memorial Baths will be open Monday to Friday from 6am to 6pm and on weekends from 9am to 5pm.Once daylight saving commences on Sunday, 6 October, the Memorial Baths will be open Monday to Friday from 6am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.The Lismore Memorial Baths also has extended hours for 35 degree-plus days – Monday to Friday until 8pm and Saturday and Sunday until 7pm.As well as being available for lap swimming and recreational use, the Lismore Memorial Baths is home to the Swimsations Swim School, which is offering learn-to-swim classes at the Baths during Term 4 2019 and Term 1 2020. Free swim assessments are available for children – simply phone 6621 6166 to book an appointment.The Memorial Baths has a kiosk on site and can also cater for birthday parties.The Lismore Memorial Baths is centrally located in the Lismore CBD at 179 Molesworth Street, Lismore.

What do you think about Short-term Holiday Letting (STHL) in our region? Your chance to voice your opinion is here. Help shape the future of Lismore by taking part in an SCU research survey before September 29. Researchers from Southern Cross University (SCU) are giving residents a chance to voice their opinions on the future of Short-term Holiday Letting (STHL) in the region.A team of researchers, led by Dr Tania von der Heidt from SCU’s School of Business and Tourism, are investigating residents’ views of STHL across all local government areas (LGAs) of the North Coast. The survey is being delivered through a partnership with Destination North Coast and the results will assist Lismore City and other local councils with future decision-making.The North Coast of NSW comprises many tourist hubs with the sector valued at approximately $12.5 million per day. Even though tourism generates 9.4% of regional jobs and supports over 7000 businesses (Destination North Coast, 2019), the North Coast faces many tourism pressures, not least from the burgeoning peer-to-peer accommodation platforms.STHL – including Airbnb, its largest, fastest-growing platform – has become increasingly significant within the tourism industry. This sector often raises polarised opinions within the community.For some, STHL provides employment opportunities directly through accommodating visitors or through the jobs created by increased visitation to the area. For others it may be the vehicle that enables them to remain in the area or their residence.Alternatively, others may have been impacted negatively through increased rental prices, reduced availability of rental accommodation or issues related to having an STHL property in their vicinity.SCU researchers and Destination North Coast believe that residents sharing their experiences will facilitate a better understanding of the impacts of STHL in the local region.This new knowledge will contribute to informed civic decision-making. For instance, councils across NSW may soon be considering a short-term letting cap of 180 days for non-hosted properties. Such a policy amendment is now possible under the whole-of-government framework for STHL in NSW.Previous research in parts of the North Coast has shown that most residents perceived both positive and negative impacts on the community through STHL. Research findings have shown most people weren’t against it – they simply wanted more regulation to make it fair play for everyone.The findings from this research will provide in-depth insights that can inform strategies, planning, policies and regulation that can guide future management.The survey is open until 29 September. To take the survey, go to: https://scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0iDgjbBdqRaD2ND.

The physical theatre show Cockfight has been voted by performing arts centres around Australia as Tour of the Year at the 2019 Drover Awards.Produced by The Farm in association with Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA) and Performing Lines, Cockfight premiered in 2015 as part of NORPA’s Season at Lismore City Hall. The show is described as “The Office mashed with a cage fight; an emotive generational showdown; and a dangerously comic physical performance”,The 2018 Cockfight tour was produced by Performing Lines in association with Arts on Tour and visited communities across six states and territories. The Cockfight tour gave regional audiences the opportunity to see this intensely physical office grudge match that raises important discussions around ageing, contemporary masculinity and corporate culture. Cockfight also toured throughout the UK and to South America in 2017.“The show is an example of the quality of work NORPA creates and programs,” Julian said. “This region deserves world class theatre experiences. Audiences across Australia got to experience this incredible work and it’s very gratifying to be recognised with a Drover Award from the Australian community of Performing Arts Centres.”Now in their 16th year, PAC (Performing Arts Centres) Australia's Drover Awards recognise excellence in the field of performing arts touring, acknowledging the companies that are committed to delivering performances to the millions of audiences in communities across Australia.With the distance between regional towns often so vast, the decision to tour a performing arts production is a serious undertaking, requiring massive commitment in both time and resources.The Drover Awards recognise the operational commitment and artistic determination required to ensure that regional audiences have the opportunity to experience work of an extraordinary calibre. For more information on NORPA productions and co-productions visit https://norpa.org.au/productions

This weekend, Riverfest brings musical talent, open mic poetry, talks and displays to the banks of the Wilsons River in Lismore - and the whole community is invited to join.For more information on Riverfest, read our story Riverfest calls to community to reconnect with the river this weekendCheck out the just released timetable for details of what's on:

The Return and Earn bulk collection centre at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre will reopen this Friday, September 6 as part of the ongoing staged reopening of the facility.The front half of the centre is now open with general waste, recycling and green waste disposal available. The Lismore Revolve Shop and the Lismore Pound have also reopened.The composting pads and the Materials Recovery Facility building damaged in the fire could be closed for a period of up to 12 months while damage assessments and repairs are undertaken.Compost will not be for sale for many months until the specialty compost aeration system can be replaced.Council’s acting executive director of infrastructure services Peter Jeuken said the reopening and restoration of the facility was happening as fast as possible.“We have had a very busy time since we reopened last week and we appreciate some people have been waiting quite some time for the Return and Earn bulk collection centre to reopen,” Peter said.“People may need to be patient at the bulk collection centre while we work through the expected backlog.“This collection centre is essential for community groups, sporting clubs and those recycling big volumes of bottles and cans. We understand how keen people are to see the facility reopen and we will definitely be back in operation tomorrow.“We appreciate the fire has caused major disruption for local residents but once the Return and Earn bulk collection centre reopens, all services will be back to normal, with the exception of our compost sales.“This is also an opportunity to thank the community for their patience, Council staff for their commitment, and the EPA and Safework NSW for working with Council to enable progressive reopening of the facility.”The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 4pm and Saturday/Sunday from 9am to 4pm.The Lismore Revolve Shop is open Tuesday from 9am to 2pm and Thursday/Friday/Saturday from 9am to 1pm.The Return and Earn container deposit machines at Goonellabah Shopping Centre and Brewster Street in Lismore are still operational to dispose of recyclable containers, and the Brewster Street Drop-off Centre and the Nimbin Transfer Station also remain open.

Nimbin performance poetry world cup organiser Gail Clarke has 40 keen wordsmiths polishing up their poems for the grand final prize of $2000 this weekend. “It’s going to be a massive one this year and we’ve drawn a lot of attention from new poets from near and far,” Gail said.This Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, Nimbin Town Hall will host the 17th annual Nimbin performance poetry world cup heats and semi-finals from 11am, with the grand final on Sunday night at 7.30pm.“It’s amazing the diversity of poets who come,” Gail said. “People from 17 years old to 80 get up and perform.”“It’s a hugely popular Nimbin event not to be missed and people can come along and enjoy poetry at its best during an entire weekend of brilliant performance.”Gail said each poet gets eight minutes to say their piece, and the clock starts as soon as they start speaking. “I’m not a fan of the Chicago style two minute slam,” she said. “It goes too fast.“Some of the word smiths, like David Hallett, can memorise an eight minute poem and it’s amazing how they keep their composure and are brave enough to do it.“I often watch the audience reacting to a poet and see when they’ve lost it, but when a poet has good delivery, emotional expression and can hold an audience for eight minutes, it gives me goose bumps.”Gail said it’s interesting to see what the common themes and topics for the poetry each year are. “Often it’s what’s going on in our environment and the world,” she said. “There’s always a comedy theme and some of the young ones go back to love poems.”As a poet herself, Gail said her best writing comes when “it kicks me”.“My best pieces just come and I work on them a little bit, but they are basically there,” she said. “My poems are heart felt stuff about word craziness and about waking up and remembering how lucky we are to be here and free.“In Nimbin we also have a once a month poetry night and I like to go to the one in Lismore too. These nights give poets a chance to practice their poems in front of an audience. Gail said she started the Nimbin poetry world cup 17 years ago after going along to the Byron Writer’s Festival and seeing that “poetry was treated appallingly”.“I was one of the people the Lismore Writer’s Centre and our centre started the Byron Writer’s Festival," she said.“I was with my friend Archie and we wanted to see poetry treated better, so Archie gave me $5000 and said ‘go for it – start a poetry festival’.“It was mainly local people at first, then the word spread and people started coming from Sydney and all over.As the Nimbin poetry world cup grows bigger every year, Gail said so many poets apply that she has a reserve waiting list for poets in case one of those registered doesn’t turn up.“A wild card won the people’s choice one year – Rebecca from Lismore came along but didn’t register and she got one of the empty spots - and she won.”Throughout Saturday and Sunday, eight poets compete in each heat, with winners of heats going on to semi-finals, until the last eight poets standing take the stage for the finals.“Every heat has new judges – and on Sunday at the final, one of the judges is last year’s winner Sarah Temporal, who’s off to Sydney for the NSW poetry slam,” Gail said.“She’ll also get to perform a piece. Nimbin poetry world cup details:Saturday, September 7: Heats from 11amSunday, September 8: Semi Finals from 12pm, Grand Final at 7.30pmCost: Gold coin donation for the heats. 15 or $10 concession for the grand finalWhere: Nimbin Town Hall, 45 Cullen St, NimbinMore information: www.facebook.com/NimbinPoetry/

A school bus crashed into the rear end of a garbage truck in Goonellabah this morning.A NSW police statement said the incident happened at 8.40am on Pleasant St on the corner of Rous Rd, between Fischer St and Shearman Drive.“After reports about a bus involved in a crash, police officers, NSW Fire and Rescue and ambulance officers attended the scene,” the statement said.“The driver and ten students were unable to exit the bus due to damage sustained to the bus door. “After a short time, they were removed through an emergency exit window.“At the scene, three students and the bus driver were treated for minor injuries. “One student was taken to Lismore hospital as a precaution after saying she had neck pain. “All students on the bus were wearing seat belts.”The bus involved was from Northern Rivers Buslines.

The Lismore-based University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) has received federal government funding for health research for improving Indigenous health care equity.The $2.5m funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is to strengthen primary health care systems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing.The Centre of Research Excellence in Strengthening systems for Indigenous health care equity (nicknamed CRE-STRIDE) is a new phase of ongoing collaborative work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care that goes back to the early 2000s. Over this time, the collaboration has grown to a network of more than 360 people including health practitioners, researchers and policymakers, who have led research in applying quality improvement processes to strengthen delivery of comprehensive, integrated primary health care. CRE-STRIDE will extend the application of quality improvement beyond clinical care to address multifactorial determinants of health and empower communities to guide health care improvements. Dr Veronica Matthews and UCRH academic lead for Indigenous Health, Emma Walker are two of ten Indigenous investigators from across the country who are involved in leading CRE-STRIDE. “A key element of STRIDE is its strong Indigenous leadership placing the strengths, needs and aspirations of Indigenous people at the centre of research and health systems improvement,” Dr Matthews said.“It is a great achievement for the UCRH to lead the CRE in conjunction with a number of other universities.” UCRH director Professor Ross Bailie, said the Lismore-based CRE was pioneering rural and Indigenous health approaches. “The Indigenous leadership is a first for University of Sydney’s CREs… based in a regional town, this is also a great boost for rural health research generally as we live and work with rural communities,” Prof Bailie said.

Living with domestic and sexual violence as a young man and questioning why it was happening was the start of Scott Harrower’s journey of sorting it out. Scott, who identifies as a gay man, is one of the panelists speaking at the Sorting it Out community forum on September 11 in Lismore.Hosted by ACON Northern Rivers, the forum is now open for registrations to gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men who have sex with men. The forum will discuss gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men’s relationships and sex and launch the research report Sorting It Out.Today, as an educator and artist, Scott wants to help people begin their own journey of becoming empowered to seek help and talk about their experiences of sexual or domestic violence.   “There’s a lack of strong role models in the LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex) community,” Scott told The Lismore App.Scott said looking at his experience of sexual abuse as a child was the beginning of journey of “unpacking the baggage” he’d been carrying around with him all his life.“What happens to us as children will stay with us until we question it,” Scott said. “My early experiences affected my confidence and self-esteem and I then looked for love and respect from people who didn’t have my best interests at heart.“Once we start asking ‘why am I going here?’, we can look at our early memories and acknowledge them - the patterns will repeat if we don’t look at them.”At the age of 22, Scott fell in love with an older man who was violent and manipulative.“It connected to my early conditioning - how I looked at love and respect and valued myself.“I became isolated and cut off from my friends, living a life living in fear of my partner giving more violence. It’s a common theme in abusive relationships.“But I was young and inquisitive enough to wonder who I was - and I questioned it.“Domestic violence goes beyond the physical effects – it is emotional and psychological too. “And there are triggers for it and so much grief and trauma.”Scott said one night, he fled from the house and sought help from a neighbour saying his partner wanted to kill him - but the neighbour didn’t want to help.“Regardless of race, gender or sexuality, domestic and family violence is something we don’t discuss in our communities,” Scott said. “Tackling it requires a whole of community response and if people see a friend is not coping, they need to ask questions, don’t deny it - and get involved.”From a young age, Scott said he’d spoken out about what had happened, trying to bridge the gap between generations.He became involved with help groups, where he found himself surrounded by women in violent relationships. “It was an interesting time in Queensland in the 90s and homophobia was rife," Scott said. "I was denied Legal Aid help and police assistance and there was a general homophobic response to domestic violence relationships.”Scott wants to see a call to action to bring more awareness the issues of domestic and sexual violence within the “marginalised” gay community.“Research shows it is just as prevalent in the gay community as any other,” Scott said.“in Australia, we did have a plebiscite on gay marriage and equality, but it hasn’t changed the statistics of community discrimination against gay people. We want equality and a civil society.“No-one deserves to be treated in a violent manner. “Unfortunately, domestic violence happens again and again, regardless of the partner saying it won’t.“For the person who is subjected to violence – it’s not their fault. Even when they are told ‘you upset me, you made me like this’.“People who are violent are able to control their violence in other situations. One of the things that keeps people in these relationships is feeling that it’s their fault.“We should be able to be in relationships that validate love and support us, and shame can keep people from speaking out.Scott wants anyone in a domestic or sexually violent relationship who feels unsafe to seek help.“Tell someone you trust and ask for help. “It takes only one phone call – you can call the help line 1800 respect, or ACON has a range of services for LGBTQI people in relationships.“Research shows people make up to six attempts to escape but they keep going back. Maybe it’s because there are kids, pets or not feeling as though you will be believed. “The key drivers of violence are patriarchy and gender inequality, power and control. One of the key drivers is financial disparity between partners.“It’s happening right now someone is being abused. Don’t let it happen to you. “Say ‘no – I’ve been here and I don’t want to again - and choose to leave.“We all deserve to be in safe relationships.“Shame can be soul destroying and can stop us speaking out. If we can take ownership of our experiences, shame dissipates.“For me, my ongoing survival was about acceptance of my own truth – that what happened to me as a child was not a fairy tale – it was real. “We are affected by life, but what happened made me strong and determined not to be in denial of it.Scott urges anyone who is in need of help to come along to the Sorting it Out community forum.“Even if it’s your first point of contact,” he said. “Listen to the statistics and learn that you are part of the bigger picture - break the isolationFor more information about the forum, visit FacebookAbout the Sorting it Out community forum:The forum is on September 11, at 5.30pm at Flock Espresso and Eats, 49 Woodlark Street, Lismore.The forum will run for 2 hours, with food and entertainment following.This forum is only open to gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men who have sex with men. Men who take part in the forum will be reimbursed with a $50 voucher for their time. There are limited spots available at the forum and registration is essential.To register, visit http://sayitoutloud.org.au/sorting-it-out/About the Sorting it Out report:In 2018 ACON commissioned researchers from the Western Sydney University to undertake research on gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (GBTQ) men’s attitudes and experiences of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.The research, titled Sorting It Out, is focused on GBTQ men who have sex and relationships with men.Sorting It Out is the largest Australian study looking specifically at this topic, with 895 GBTQ-identifying men participating in this research.Sorting It Out highlighted issues such as:• Almost two thirds of men who took part in the study indicated that they had been in an unhealthy or abusive relationship in the past.• Half of respondents agreed that sexual coercion and pressure are common amongst GBTQ men.• Younger men were more accepting of some controlling behaviours than older men.• GBTQ men want healthy and safe relationships for themselves, their friends and community, and are certain about the illegality and unacceptability of sexual assault and domestic violence.If you can’t make the community forum but would like to provide your thoughts on the research you can contribute online at: http://sayitoutloud.org.au/sorting-it-out/

While the flu can strike anyone at any time, the recent increase in numbers of people going to Lismore Base Hospital with severe flu symptoms has prompted a local update from the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD).NNSWLHD Lismore Base Hospital general manager Ian Hatton said Lismore Base Hospital has experienced an increase in the number of patients presenting with Influenza during August compared with previous months. “The increase in influenza cases late in the season is normal for Northern NSW and this has been anticipated by staff and management,” Mr Hatton said.“While all hospital wards are operational, incoming patients testing positive for influenza are being directed to a ward where other influenza patients are receiving treatment. “This is a routine and precautionary procedure to mitigate risk of spreading infection - and allows staff to more effectively monitor patients and visitors coming into the area. “This is a timely reminder to the community that it is not too late to get vaccinated against influenza. “It is also important to prevent the spread of flu by regularly washing your hands, staying at home if you are sick, and coughing or sneezing into your elbow.” Flu shots are free under the National Immunisation Program for pregnant women, people over 65 years of age, Aboriginal people and those with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart problems. The NSW Government continues a strong investment on state-wide immunisation programs including $2.6 million for free flu shots to children up to five years of age and a $1.5 million immunisation and influenza awareness campaign. The NSW Government will invest about $130 million in the 2019-20 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines. More information on influenza can be found at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/Influenza/Pages/default.aspx.

Reconnect with the river and journey to Riverfest on the banks of the Wilson’s River this Saturday, September 7, from 11am until 4pm.Bring friends, family and a picnic - settle in for music, entertainment, open mic poetry, information stalls and displays – or try kayaking down the river with the canoe club.Organised by Lismore Helping Hands - a grassroots community group that coordinated community recovery efforts after the floods in 2017 - Riverfest brings community together in celebration of our ongoing connection to our local Wilson’s River. Elly Bird from Lismore Helping Hands said the day was organised in collaboration with many local groups. “We have partnered with Wilson River Landcare, Northern Rivers Science Hub, The SES, Red Cross, Lismore City Council, Richmond River Historical Society, and the Far North Coast Canoe Club to pull together a great program on the day,” Elly said.“There will be live music on the River Stage with Ben Wilson, Sara Tindley, The Romaniacs (featuring Amanda Shoebridge) and Mykaela. “There will also be SES river displays, information stalls, kids activities, art workshops, great food and good coffee and a River Talks speakers tent with informative and interesting presentations about our river system."There will even be an open mic section on the main stage at 2.30pm – so bring your spoken word pieces and poetry and share your ideas with the community.“This event is plastic free and we are asking people to bring their own water bottles, bring a picnic rug and settle in for the day,” Elly said.“We’re really excited about Riverfest because it gives us a chance to learn more about what it means to live on a flood plain. There’s a rich and long history of people living, working and connecting to culture along the Wilson River and we want to celebrate that.“By providing opportunities for our community to build a stronger connection to place, and learn more about what it means to live on a flood plain, we can also increase community resilience and disaster preparedness.“Lismore City SES are looking forward to being part of Riverfest on Saturday, we are planning a river rescue display so that people can see our volunteers in action."Lismore City SES unit commander John Ludlow said they will also have a range of information about flood and safety awareness.Wilson River Landcare volunteer Kristin Den Exter said “having a little festival like this is a great way for people to come and share stories, and connect with the river”.“We have to embrace that we live on a flood plain,” Kristen said.“It’s the confluence of two different catchments coming together and we can never change that. “Our amazing wetlands and floodplains need those floods, but it causes us stress. “We know that good planning and understanding our environment can reduce that stress.“I think the best way to fall in love with our river is by getting out onto it, and if you haven’t been out for a paddle before then Riverfest is a great time to have a go."Far North Coast Canoe Club will be there on Saturday and Kristen said people can have a go in one of their kayaks. “The Club is also holding the Wilson River Challenge on Sunday from 10am, which will be finishing with a Splash for Cash 500m race at midday,” Kristen said.“You can catch all the action at the old Rowing Club carpark.” Riverfest has been funded by The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) through their ‘Restore-Repair-Renew’ grant. “We are incredibly grateful to FRRR for their support and for the great work they do with Regional and Rural communities across,” Elly said.What: Riverfest: Our River, Our CommunityWhen: Saturday 7th September, 10am - 4pmWhere: Riverside Park, Victoria St, Lismore, near the Boat RampMore Info: facebook.com/resilientlismore

A feral rooster attacked and wounded a 20 month old boy in Nimbin on Sunday. “There was a lot of blood,” the boy’s father, Lewis King told The Lismore App.Lewis said the offending fowl was one of the stray roosters that hangs around at the Nimbin Bush Theatre. Lewis and a friend had gone to have a coffee at the Nimbin Bush Theatre café and said it happened unexpectedly.“I was chatting to a friend and out of the blue, it happened behind me, in a matter of seconds,” Lewis said. “I turned around and saw my son lying on the ground and there was blood everywhere. “There was blood coming out of his eye and head and my first thought was that he had lost an eye.“So I ran to get the car and we took him to Nimbin Hospital where they cleaned him up and said they didn’t think he would need stitches.“The rooster’s spurs had left multiple puncture wounds on his arm, one on his face mere millimetres from his right eye and another deep gash on the side of his head.“I went back and spoke to the café owner and he said they have tolerated the roosters until now – that people had been dumping them there.  “With an incident like this happening, it’s a big risk for kids and families coming to Nimbin – and what about the tourists too?“The café owner told me that someone had disposed of the rooster that attacked my son, but that there were a lot of others to be dealt with too and he’s frustrated that the roosters are being dumped there.“When roosters are showing aggressive behaviours, I’d prefer it if they were not around.”Lewis said his son said ‘scary chook’ a lot that day.“The first thing he said to me this morning when he woke up was ‘scary chook’,” Lewis said. “It shows he’s thinking about it a lot. “I’m taking him to the doctor again tomorrow to check for infections.“While the incident itself, along with the hospital visit and dressing the wounds has been quite a traumatic experience, he is very lucky to not have more permanent damage to his eye. “I’m glad it wasn’t his eyeball – the wounds were pretty deep.“As a parent I feel really responsible for anything that happens to my son.“I spoke out about the incident because I feel like it needed to be said, and I want kids to be safe when they come to Nimbin.“I know Nimbin has had a problem with people dumping their unwanted roosters.“Not only are they a nuisance keeping people up at night, damaging gardens and leaving a mess for people to clean up, they are also dangerous for small children. “If you can’t take responsibility for your unwanted roosters then don’t breed chooks - and certainly don’t dump them at the Bush Theatre or anywhere in town where they might take out some poor little kids eye. “Please take care of your own problems don’t create more for other people. “We want families and small children to be safe in our town.”

At Lismore Regional Gallery in The Quad, there’s art, sunshine and a public space for the whole community to enjoy.Lismore Regional Gallery administrator Sarah Harvey is excited about the exhibitions and programs and regular events on offer this springtime.“It’s great that we have beautiful gallery in Lismore,” Sarah said. “It’s a great space where we can have a diversity of shows, as well as being a place for other things to happen where the community can be involved and schools can tour.“It’s a nice time to come and enjoy the grassy space in the Quad, maybe have a picnic and then come inside and look at the art,” she said.“Every Wednesday we have the Hannah Cabinet opening from 10.30-11.30am. “If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a masterpiece created over six and a half years master craftsman Geoff Hannah. It is more than a cabinet – it’s a masterpiece made of wood and inlay and people are in awe of it when then they come in to see it.“Geoff Hannah will also be doing a show here with one of his students in October.“There’s also the Friends of the Gallery morning teas held once a month on the first Tuesday of the month. “Then we have a Thursday night live talk with panellists coming up soon on September 12 looking at the future of food - can we fix the food system? “Peggy Popart will do her regular free tour on the second Sunday of the month (the next one will be this Sunday, September 8).“It’s a fun tour aimed at kids, but adults love to come and tour the shows too, and there’s an art activity at the end.Exhibitions on at the moment include:Until September 8: Gesture of Balance by Grant VaughanTaking inspiration from the organic forms of natural objects, Grant’s work belies our expectations of worked timber. Characterised by a gestural interplay of smooth, rolling forms and juxtaposed with sharp flowing lines and edges, the work is made using a meticulous reductive process, it offers an impression of growth and honours the inherent beauty of wood.Until September 15: Gunyah by Melody PoppleGunyah is a performance artwork that explores concepts of belonging to the natural environment as well as the personification of an innate feminine presence within the Australian landscape. Unveiling the interplay of her Indigenous and non-Indigenous heritage, Melody uses the art making process as a way to understand current feminine cultural identities and connections to Country, manifested as intuitive expressions of collaborative dance, site specific installation, ochre painting, natural dying/eco-printing, film production and the shared therapeutic experience. Until October 13: Idle WorshipIdle Worship explores contemporary notions of reverence, worship and idolisation. The exhibition, curated by Natalie Bull & Zoë Robinson-Kennedy, focuses on personal manifestations and our need to look beyond the celestial and seek comfort in everyday deities and new-age idols. Worship presents itself in many forms. The artists feel it, know it, interpret it, challenge it, give in to it and subvert it. These idols are real and imagined, they come from the past and the future, yet are being made right now, taking their power from the present.Until October 20: The Dark Sublime by Emma WalkerNorthern Rivers based artist Emma Walker's exhibition is an ode to the shadowed beauty and crucial relevance of forests and what lies beneath the surface.Emma’s abstracted landscapes are multi-layered, and as much about the medium of paint and the process of painting as with an experience of nature. They explore the connections between the natural world, memory and the subconscious through texture and the interplay of light and dark.September 14 until November 17: Comes from the shadow by JumaadiJumaadi’s exhibition, Comes from the shadow, brings together a collection of works that are about birth and death. Life is there too, frail and fluid between these absolutes. The artist’s reference to “shadow” is metaphoric, through his exploration of the struggles of human existence, but it is also literal. The Dark Sublime and Comes from the shadow will be officially opened by Art Gallery of NSW curator Anne Ryan on Friday, September 13 at 6pmUntil October 20: Open Air Open Air by media artist Grayson Cooke in collaboration with painter Emma Walker, and with the music of The Necks. Through a partnership with Geoscience Australia, the project also uses Landsat satellite images of Australia from Digital Earth Australia.This project seeks to creatively image the forces that shape the Earth. It uses aerial imaging on two vastly divergent scales to produce two different material manifestations of these forces. Firstly, the project features motion-controlled aerial photography of the paintings and processes of Emma Walker. Secondly, set against these painted landscapes are time-lapse images of Australia as seen by Landsat satellites.For more information about Lismore Regional Gallery, visit https://www.lismoregallery.org/cp_themes/default/home.asp

While Spring is definitely in the air, so is influenza. NSW Health has sent out a precautionary warning to people that despite Winter being over, we still need to be flu-wise.NSW Health’s director of communicable disease, Dr Vicky Sheppeard said latest figures show children aged five to nine years have been particularly affected, with a rise in influenza B virus cases.“The extended period of influenza activity in 2019 has seen high numbers of presentations to hospital emergency departments, with over 245,000 presentations to NSW emergency departments for respiratory conditions this year, compared to 198,000 to this time in 2018 and 222,000 in 2017,” Dr Sheppeard said. “Even though spring is around the corner, we urge people not to be complacent, particularly parents of young children, and to take simple hygiene precautions to avoid becoming an influenza statistic.”The latest weekly Influenza Surveillance Report shows 5549 flu cases across NSW at the end of August, down from 5800 notifications the previous week but taking the yearly total to 90,409.Unusually high influenza activity over summer and the early start to the winter flu season have contributed to high numbers of notifications this year.There have been 20 additional deaths reported at the end of August in people aged over 50 years, bringing the annual total to 188 deaths.With the upswing in flu cases, NSW Health is reminding people to consider all available options such as their local GP, medical centre or pharmacy if their illness is not an emergency.“We have seen an increase in people presenting to our already very busy emergency departments because of flu, but most have not been severe cases and did not require hospital admission.”“To stop the spread of flu, stay home if you’re sick, wash your hands regularly and cover coughs and sneezes. And as strange as it sounds, it’s still not too late to vaccinate,” Dr Sheppeard said.More than 2.5 million doses of Government-funded flu vaccines have been distributed across NSW, including over 214,000 doses for children six months to three years, and 1.18 million doses for people 65 years and over. Eligible people who have not yet had their shot can still get it for free.People aged 65 and over, pregnant women, Aboriginal people and people with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of flu are all eligible under the National Immunisation Program. The free state-funded vaccine is available to all children aged six months to five years.