Northern NSW Local Health District is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a second person with measles who was infectious while visiting Lismore Square Shopping Centre last week.The new case is a family member of a person who had recently returned from overseas and was confirmed on 9 February 2025 to have measles.Northern NSW Local Health District Director of Population and Public Health, Dr Valerie Delpech, said the locations pose no ongoing risk to the public.Dr Delpech said if you or someone you know visited the following locations during the specified times, they should monitor for the development of symptoms:Wednesday 12 February 2025 - Lismore Square Shopping Centre, from 8.40am to 2.45pm, in particular time spent in Woolworths, Coles, Cotton On Body, and Pet BarnThursday 13 February 2025 - Lismore Square Shopping Centre, from 8.45am to 5.25pm, in particular time spent in Cotton On, Cotton On Body, and Coles.“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body,” Dr Delpech said.“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it's important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until 3 March 2025.“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough. This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.“Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn't already had two doses.Children under the age of 12 months can have their first dose of MMR up to six months earlier if they are travelling to areas with a high risk for measles. Parents should consult their GP.People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel. MMR vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over five years of age).For more information on measles, view the measles factsheet​.

The NSW Government has moved to extend the strict bail test that applies to young people accused of stealing cars and breaking into homes, amid ongoing concerns about youth crime.An additional test under section 22C of the Bail Act 2013 was introduced by the Government last year in response to rising community concerns about youth crime, particularly in the regions.It applies to young people aged between 14 and 18 who are charged with certain car theft or serious break and enter offences while on bail for another offence of that type.Under the law, bail must not be granted unless the bail authority has a “high degree of confidence the young person will not commit a serious indictable offence while on bail” subject to any proposed bail conditions.The section was originally intended to sunset after 12 months and would have ceased operation on April 4, 2025. However, legislation introduced today will extend it for three years to April 2028.Early data shows the strict test is working, with the bail refusal rate under 22C more than double that of the general bail refusal rate for young people charged with similar offences.The impacts of the section 22C amendment would continue to be evaluated throughout the three-year extension.This extension would help keep the community safer while the Government continues efforts to reduce youth crime and minimise young peoples’ long-term contact with the criminal justice system.The NSW Government last year announced a $26.2 million community safety package, including:Expansion of NSW Police-run Youth Action Meetings.Expansion of the Youth Justice NSW Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol Program.Additional funding for a targeted response in the town of Moree and surrounds.The Government is concerned about youth crime and will have more to say about further measures to help keep people safe.Premier Chris Minns said, “Extending this bail test is one way my Government is responding to youth crime.“Under our stronger bail laws, alleged offenders are more than twice as likely to be denied bail.“It’s not ‘mission accomplished’ on youth crime, but the bail laws are working, so we’re extending them.”Attorney General Michael Daley said, “We initially intended this bail law to be a 12-month circuit breaker. One year later, we can see that it is helping, and it is still needed. This is not a step we take lightly.“I acknowledge that many regional communities feel fear, concern, and frustration about youth crime. We are working on additional measures to address this issue.“By extending this bail test, judicial officers must refuse bail if they do not have a high degree of confidence that the young person will not commit further offences of the same type.”

Lismore Regional Gallery presents ARTEXPRESS, a showcase of extraordinary student talent opening on Friday, 21 February, at 6pm.ARTEXPRESS is an annual series of exhibitions of exemplary artworks created by New South Wales visual arts students for the Higher School Certificate examination. Exhibitions are selected by gallery curators, education officers in association with an ARTEXPRESS Officer, featuring a selection of outstanding student artworks developed for the art-making component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts in 2024. ARTEXPRESS provides insight into students’ creativity and the issues important to them."After an extensive selection process, our Curator, Ineke Dane, has curated an inspiring and diverse collection of student works. We are thrilled to invite visitors to experience the remarkable depth and vision of these emerging artists. The future of the creative industries is undeniably bright." – Director, Lismore Regional Gallery, Ashleigh RalphThe exhibition is on display at Lismore Regional Gallery from 21 February to 20 April 2025. It encompasses a broad range of approaches and expressive forms, including ceramics, collection of works, designed objects, documented forms, drawing, graphic design, painting, photomedia, printmaking, sculpture, textiles and fibre, and time-based forms.(Rosie Dunkerley, 'When the bough breaks' 2024, textiles and found objects. Image courtesy of the artist.From the late 1950s, ARTEXPRESS has showcased the artistic orientation of young people and is a testament to their teachers across the state. This year, Lismore Regional Gallery is pleased to present local student artists from the region – from Ballina Coast, Banora Point, Byron Bay, and Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner schools – in addition to those from far and wide NSW. The result is an inspiring and diverse survey of the next generation’s creative talent.ARTEXPRESS is a collaboration between the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

Illegal dumping of household items is an ongoing issue for those who run Op Shops.On Monday night, the Anglican Op Shop on Rous Road in Goonellabah had a number of items dumped at their building, including four mattresses.As Op Shops cannot receive mattresses for hygiene reasons, the cost to dispose of them and extra skip pick costs was $250."It's a sad state of affairs when volunteers have to experience the complete disregard of the law by others regarding dumping - at least on this occasion there were no dirty baby nappies!," said Stephen Hall of the Anglican Parish of Lismore."What they don't realise is that in addition to us having to dispose of the items, someone in our community goes without the help of the OP Shop when they need it."The more illegal items that are dumped at the Anglican Op Shop and other local Op Shops, the less aid they can provide to people in need in our community. Not only that, it can place volunteer staff at risk."Our shop is staffed by volunteers who have to sort through what is sometimes dirty and dangerous material."While most people try and do the right thing, there are some in the community that are treating the Op Shop like a dumping ground. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that "most people know that illegal dumping is wrong and they know it is socially unacceptable. However, most people don't think they will get caught.""It is so disappointing that people can do this under the guise of a donation", Stephen added.What are the guidelines around donating items to a charity?They can differ slightly from organisation to organisation. However, the Salvation Army website states, "Things that you would be happy to keep yourself but don't need anymore." Items like;Clothing and accessoriesToys, books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl recordsHomewaresFurnitureElectrical goodsWhat charities don't want is anything that is broken, damaged, ripped, stained or in any way faulty. As a simple rule, if there's something wrong with it, then charities can't sell it.They also cannot accept:Computer monitors, printers, scanners and other hardwareBuilding materialsCar partsWeapons – including replicas and martial arts weaponsTaxidermy animalsThen there are large donations like furniture, mattresses and white goods. There are certain government rules and regulations around accepting some of these items, plus it depends on the size of the charity store, so the best approach is to ring and ask or visit during trading hours.This is the main message from all charities. If you do have something to donate to any charity, you are asked to do so during operating hours when staff can assess what you have to donate.For the Anglican Op Shop in Goonellabah, this is Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm, and Saturday's 9am to 12pm.

Resilient Lismore is hosting a community gathering on Saturday, the 1st March from 3.30pm to 7pm. The whole community is invited to spend a few hours listening to good music, letting the kids play, and enjoying some food together. “It’s going to be a lovely, gentle afternoon, and it will be a space for people to connect with others in the community and just to spend some time together, three years on from the floods of 2022.  We are stronger when we build community connections and when we work together, and community events are one way we can do this,” said Elly Bird, Executive Director of Resilient Lismore.“The Quad has just reopened; the library is open again, and the Conservatorium is undergoing its own amazing restoration - with all three buildings back in action, we are really looking forward to holding this special event in the heart of our city.“It’s been three years since the floods and landslides that changed our community, and we know for some folks it’s helpful to spend time with others as we move past that milestone. “It won’t be for everyone, and that’s ok. What’s most important is that people look after themselves in whatever way works for them as we move through another milestone on our community recovery journey.”“It’s going to be low key but fun. Bring your picnic blanket or your camp chairs, and grab some takeaway from nearby businesses or from the food vans at the event.“The afternoon will kick off at 3.30pm with a Welcome to Country. There will be a performance by the All in a Chord Choir led by Imogen Wolf, soulful harmonies by Tapestry Road and grooves by the very popular Lismore Supper Club Soul Band. ‘The Chalkies’, with Claudie Frock, will colour the Quad paths with the public, and people can decorate a flag which will be joined together with all of the other flags to make a community bunting.”Food vans from Lismore City Lions and The Salvation Army will offer low-cost meals, and there will be free fruit available for families thanks to Social Futures.  “We are very grateful for the support of our major sponsors Southern Cross University and NORCO, who are helping us to deliver the event, and we are also grateful for sponsorship from Social Futures and from Cleanaway. Our sponsors are really helping us to make this event happen, and it’s just another way they each continue to support the community more broadly,” said Ms. Bird. “If it does feel right for you to come and spend some time with others on March the 1st, we would love to see you there.For any enquiries, please contact Emma on events@resilientlismore.org.au or 0411 967 690.  To RSVP to the event, please go to: https://resilientlismore.org.au/event/stronger-together/. 

Due to easing conditions and recent rainfall, the RFS is declaring an early end to the Bush Fire Danger Period (BFDP) in a number of Local Government Areas (LGA), including the Northern Rivers.Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Steve Yorke said the statutory BFDP ends on 31 March 2025, but a decision had been made, in consultation with local authorities and stakeholders, to end the season one month early in some LGAs due to favourable conditions.Fire agencies and land managers will now turn their attention towards conducting hazard reduction works, including planned burning.Chief Superintendent Yorke said landholders still had a number of requirements to be meet prior to conducting burns on private property.“From 18 February 2025 (today), fire permits will no longer be required for the Ballina, Byron, Tweed, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Kyogle, Clarence Valley, and Bellingen LGAs,” Chief Superintendent Yorke said.“Even though a fire permit is no longer required, residents must still notify their neighbours and the local fire authority 24 hours before burning.”Chief Superintendent Yorke said the local community should not become complacent to the danger of bush and grass fires, even with mild local conditions.“While the bush fire season is over, the risk of fire remains, with high fuel loads still present across the state,” Chief Superintendent Yorke said.“Despite these milder conditions, there is always the potential for fires to threaten life, property and the environment, if they are not managed correctly.“Before lighting up, people should check whether they need a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate and have sufficient equipment on hand to control and contain the fire to their property.“For guidance on safe hazard reduction and preparing for the next bush fire season, contact your local Fire Control Centre or fire station.“The first step should always be to review and discuss your Bush Fire Survival Plan with your household.”To arrange a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate or a free environmental assessment, contact your local Fire Control Centre.More information is also available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/BFDP.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is revisiting Lismore this week to meet with businesses, government, and community to hear how the region is recovering and rebuilding three years after the devastating 2022 floods.Mitigation and affordability were the two hot topics of discussion at yesterday's roundtable meeting, with others, such as Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin and Mayor Steve Krieg, joining online.The catastrophic event that impacted the Northern Rivers region and South-East Queensland in February and March of 2022 remains the costliest insured event in Australia's history.To emphasise this, Andrew Hall, CEO of the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), said the ICA went from having, on average, 30,000 claims in the insurance system across Australia in any given week to 240,000 claims. The 2022 flood event cost $6.4 billion."More than 99 per cent of these claims are closed, with insurers continuing to receive a small number of new claims each month from this event," Mr Hall said."There are still some claims that are outstanding that is due to individual circumstances where people may want a different outcome, and they're working through those processes. There is the finance ombudsman that is working through complaints, and invariably, particularly when there's been very large events, we do get a tale of complaints to take a long time to resolve. Insurers are very aware of these. There was scrutiny of this last year through the federal parliamentary inquiry."The roundtable included a discussion of a range of mitigation measures put in place by local businesses to improve their resilience against future extreme weather events, including raising or relocating homes in high-risk locations and businesses that have been built back better.As part of its collaborative approach to work with government to help build more resilient communities, the ICA met representatives of all three levels of government during its visit to Lismore to discuss progress in the region and community mitigation options.Mr Hall. mentioned that there are 24 dangerous catchments on the east coast of Australia, and in New South Wales alone, there are around 170,000 homes that sit in either a 2% or 5% risk of flooding every year. He said that unlike storms and cyclones, which are unpredictable, floods are predictable."They are high-risk homes. We have one of the largest proportion of flood-vulnerable homes in this country compared to other nations. It is incredibly important that we double down on the infrastructure spend in this country, complete the levies, follow the science, listen to the work that is being done, and work to make sure that important community centres like Lismore are better protected into the future."I want to thank particularly the state government. Lismore City Council, the business community and others that have worked so closely with the insurance Council over the last three years. Our work here is nowhere near complete. Work continues on doing the studies to make Lismore a resilient community."The word resilient gets thrown around a lot, but in the case of flood, it's critically important. And I think this isn't just about a question of affordable insurance. This is about making sure that people's homes and businesses are no longer located in areas that can face water heights of up to 14 meters. We need to make sure that moving forward, Lismore is one of the best examples in Australia of a flood-proof community, one where we can normalise insurance premiums and people can invest with confidence into the future."Apart from Lismore businesses rebuilt in a more resilient way, Mr Hall also noted the importance of the CSIRO report before June 30 this year and the pending scenario results 12 months later."Once that study is completed, we will be looking to governments to put hard cash behind the work that needs to be done. Without hard infrastructure to physically protect communities like Lismore into the future, there will remain upward pressure on insurance premiums across Australia."Mr Hall did acknowledge that long-term flood mitigation measures that involve major infrastructure commitments will take 10 to 20 years to deliver."We've had a change of thinking in this country when it comes to our national road and rail infrastructure. We take very long term views to the investment there. The same long-term thinking needs to be applied now to flood mitigation, particularly on the east coast of Australia."In the short term, there are measures that we can take to deal with insurance affordability, and insurers are currently working with the government on a range of possible options, and we will talk about that in due course, when we can land some agreements around all of that."The most immediate thing we could be doing, though, here in New South Wales, is removing the emergency services levy off insurance premiums. And across Australia, abolishing stamp duty."Up to 30% of your insurance premium is currently taxed. That tax could be removed. People could get immediate relief at the moment, through cost of living. I think state governments have become addicted to the revenue off insurance premiums. People don't notice that they're paying them, and we have not seen anywhere near the level of investment returned from the revenue that's collected across Australia from insurance premiums."A lot of investment has gone on in Lismore, a billion dollars at least, I think, in the last couple of years. That just shows you how expensive this problem will be to fix. So, if we're not going to reform the taxes that are on insurance policies in this country, we should be demanding when studies like the CSIRO are completed, the governments come straight to the to the table with a significant commitment of hard infrastructure funding to follow up whatever the findings are that come out of those reports."Mr Hall reiterated a line of thinking often spruiked by Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, that we spend too much money on rebuilding our community after a disaster and not enough on prevention."One of the worst things we do in this country is, when we have a bad event, we focus quickly on the recovery, but not enough on the lessons. We focus on the rebuild, which we should do, but we don't talk about prevention for future events."I think that's changed here in Lismore. I think we need to learn the lessons for how programs have worked, and we have made some good, good strides forward here in Lismore. We've also made, some decisions that have not been popular in the community, and insurers understand that, and I think governments understand that, but these are all providing lessons for us, for not just Lismore, but for communities across Australia that face a similar sort of flood threat."Jane Laverty, Regional Director of Business NSW, was excited to share with Mr Hall how local businesses have built back better since February 28 2022."We've had a great relationship with ICA, and this is a great opportunity to share with Andrew the hard work and the resilience of businesses here, how they've been building back better and thinking about their business continuity, that's what's really critical."We know that some of the solutions will be long-term solutions, and an event could happen at any time. So we do need to ensure that our businesses are ready and able to get out and get back in as quickly as possible and continue operating their businesses."In terms of investment, we agree wholeheartedly that we do need to be investing in mitigation. We think the Northern Rivers is worth investment from all levels of government, and particularly our businesses and community are worth that investment, and we'd like to see the results of the CSIRO report so that we can keep moving forward and actually make it happen."As a community, Lismore understands it has to wait for meaningful flood mitigation solutions. What is more difficult to understand is why the short-term solutions, such as removing the emergency services levy and stamp duty from insurance premiums, are not implemented quickly. When your home or business insurance premium has risen 300% in the last three years, a 30% saving will help with the cost of living.

The NSW Government has marked the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Ride, which included Lismore, with the announcement of funding to complete a community pavilion in Walgett and a new program to commemorate significant steps along the Freedom Ride route.Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris are in Walgett today to announce the grant for the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service to complete the Freedom Ride Pavilion in Freedom Ride Memorial Park in Walgett.The Ministers also unveiled a blue plaque in the town, to formally recognise the Freedom Ride. It’s one of several blue plaques to be installed in key locations along the Freedom Ride route. NSW Blue Plaques are a popular heritage program recognising the events, groups and people who contributed to the rich history of NSW.The 1965 Freedom Ride was instrumental in raising awareness of racial injustice and building momentum for reconciliation action in Australia.Inspired by a set of bus trips by the civil rights movement in the US, a group of 30 University of Sydney students hired a bus, hung a banner across the front and set off on a two-week journey through regional NSW.Led by Indigenous rights activist Charles Perkins, the group rode through Wellington, Gulargambone and Walgett, before passing Moree, Boggabilla, Tenterfield, Lismore, Grafton, Bowraville and Kempsey.Their efforts were not well-received by locals, who pelted them with fruit and stones, and even chased the bus in a convoy of cars. In one town, police officers had to escort the students to safety.The Freedom Ride Blue Plaque Trail will capture the stories and events that took place at the key stops on the Freedom Ride journey. In Walgett, they protested a ban on Indigenous ex-servicemen entering the Returned Services League (RSL) Club. In Moree and Kempsey, they called out local laws barring Indigenous children from swimming pools. In Bowraville, they attempted to ‘gatecrash’ the cinema to protest the inequity in ticketing for Indigenous people.The widely publicised Freedom Ride contributed significantly to changes in Australians’ attitudes towards Aboriginal rights. Subsequently, in 1967, more than 90% of Australians voted ‘Yes’ in a landmark referendum that gave Indigenous Australians full rights as citizens.The Minns Labor Government is committed to reconciliation and working together with Aboriginal communities and organisations to improve the lives of and opportunities for Aboriginal people living in NSW.For more information on the Freedom Ride blue plaque, visit https://blueplaques.nsw.gov.au/blue-plaques/locations/1965-freedom-ride. The community will be consulted on the locations of future plaques.Minister for Heritage, Penny Sharpe said, “NSW has profoundly changed as a result of Charles Perkins and the students who drew attention to racial injustice in our state.“It is fitting that the Blue Plaques program will join up from Sydney to Walgett to mark the journey and tell the stories of the Freedom Ride and the changes that happened as a result of it.“In Walgett, the Freedom Ride will also be recognised through the addition of a Freedom Ride Pavillion in the Freedom Ride Memorial Park in Walgett, drawing visitors to the town.”Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, David Harris said, “It is crucial we celebrate the courage, resilience and strength of the original Freedom Riders and of all Aboriginal people who, now and in the past, have led the way for racial equality in Australia.  “The NSW Government is committed to reconciliation and working together with Aboriginal communities and organisations to close the gap and improve the lives and opportunities for Aboriginal people living in NSW. “By listening to Aboriginal voices, supporting Aboriginal-led initiatives, and committing to real action, we can follow in the footsteps of the Freedom Riders to build a more just and equal Australia.”

The Price family, Lyndell, Rosie and Katie, are looking for your help this Saturday (February 22) to raise funds to buy school books for a primary school in Arusha, Tanzania, whilst having fun at the same time.Most readers would remember the popular Karate Kid movie from 1984 when Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles from New Jersey and is bullied at school. He learns karate from Mr Miyagi and ends up fighting his chief bully in a karate tournament."Wax on, wax off" is still a much-quoted line today.The fundraising project is being driven by Rosie and Katie, who are homeschooled by Lyndell, a former teacher.Rosie and Katie have known about the Heda School in Arusha through Lyndell's friend, Sasha, also a teacher, who visited the school for four weeks last year and raised funds for more crucial services, such as a well."They didn't even have water or a toilet," Katie said, "They don't have much."For those who have climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, the tallest hike in the world, you spend a day at Arusha and stay at Moshi before the climb begins after landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport.Once Katie and Rosie learned of the struggles of the students and teachers at Heda, they began to ask what basic items they could provide that would improve the education and life.(Inside a Heda school)Lyndell explained that Arusha has two Heda schools, one in Arusha called Divine and one just outside of town in a Maasai village in Laroi."It was the cost of land and buildings in Arusha, they couldn't get another enough area, so that's why they went out of town. In Arusha, it started as a daycare, and then it just sort of became a school."It's preschool to class 6, which is about 15 years old, and then out at Laroi, it's four years old, so a preschool to 16 years so that's class 7, that's their final year of school."They have 185 pupils in Divine and 148 pupils in Laroi, and the class 7 live out at Leroy, so they can make sure that nothing interrupts their education, and they get that a proper education.As far as the educational material teachers used to educate the students, there were a few ripped posters on the wall. The main way to learn is through singing."Coming from a very technology-based system, where we have all these resources, having to teach with no textbooks and where you can't photocopy things is heartbreaking."This isn't the first time that Rosie and Katie have raised money for the Heda schools."The girls did a Christmas photo booth at the Tilera Markets. That was just a gold coin donation, and people could use a photo booth. We sent the money to Bobo (teacher) from that, it was only $150, and they bought a bunch of textbooks."They sent us pictures back of them with the textbooks and the video of the class saying 'thank you'. It takes about 48 hours from us sending the money to them, before Bobo goes and buys the books because they had no textbooks.Lyndell explained that the textbooks are government endorsed."Bobo sent me a thing saying the Education Minister over there has come out and said that they're going to start doing testing for literacy and numeracy. The school gets inspected, and one of the things that the inspection kept on saying was their lack of textbooks."We did send another 190 (textbooks) because a couple of people can't come to our movie night, so a few people just gave me cash, and I just send it to her straight away. She said she's buying it for the Year 2 class this time because that's the year that they get tested.The Price's have learned that the best way to contribute to the textbooks is by sending money. Lyndell's friend Sasha had sent some science posters, which cost $75 in postage and took three months to get to Arusha.The goal for Saturday's Karate Kid movie night at the Star Court Theatre is about $3,500."The Tanzanian dollars gone up, so it's about $4,000 now. Maybe it'll go back down. But whatever we make is good. $3,500 would be absolutely amazing.If the $3,500 target were reached, Bobo would buy a teacher textbook, and the students would have one textbook per three kids as that is how the classroom is set up.Karate Kid was selected because Rosie enjoys karate at Miyagi Kan Goju Ryu Karate Dojo in South Lismore."We thought it was a nice movie because I like karate, and when I watched it, it was a good movie, so I thought that would be a nice one," Rosie said.Karate Kid will be playing at the Star Court Theatre this Saturday (February 22) at 2pm. The cost is $12 per ticket.Raffle tickets will be available to raise further funds. There are prizes from Miyagi Kan, Bonsai Bliss, ADP Electrical and more.You can book tickets through the Star Court Theatre website.If you are still only thinking about seeing a classic old movie, maybe Rosie can convince you. She gave her reasons as to why her and Katie are fundraising."Because some people are less fortunate than us, and we can do something about it. It's nice that we're making a change."

This week's weather is more of the same, with a possible shower all week and a range of 0-4mm at best.It would be nice for the rain to stay away on Saturday for Lismore's richest horse race, the NSW Country Championships at the Lismore Turf Club. Just as id did for the Legends of Cricket Tewnty20 on Saturday.The Bureau of Meteorology has issued its March to May forecast....As most locals know, traditionally, our wettest months of the year are February and March. February has a mean rainfall of 183.6mm, while March's is 188.4mm.So far in February, 112mm of rain has fallen at the Lismore Airport, with 96mm falling last Thursday morning. So, barring any major weather event, we could end up near the February 2024 total of 115.8mm.For the three months, March to May, the forecast is for it to be hotter and wetter than usual.The median rainfall for the three-month period is 471.6mm, and the likelihood of above median rainfall is 57%, with unusually wet (greater than 814mm) only 22%.We recorded 181.8mm in March 2024.When talking about maximum temperatures, the chance of a warmer March to May is a lot stronger.The chance of above median temperatures, that is greater than 25.2 degrees is 98%, while the chance of n unusually warm median (25.7 degrees) is 37%.In summary, if the weather pans out like the Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting, we will have a comfortable three months with no extremes.

Lismore cricket fans enjoyed a warm but rain-free day at Oakes Oval yesterday as the Legends of Cricket Twenty20 put on an entertaining display in front of an estimated 3,500-strong crowd.Two years ago, the first Legends match was about a group of cricketing legends showing Lismore some love and lifting spirits after the toughest twelve months in our city's history.This year, the second Legends of Cricket Twenty20 match was still showing support to the community, but this time, it is at a different stage of the recovery. Players certainly noticed a more positive feeling and more smiles as they signed autographs on the boundary.After a Welcome to Country by Uncle Mick Roberts, the teams lined up for the formal photographs before former Australian Cricketer Trevor Chappell tossed the bat. Adam Gilchrist won the toss and said to Mayor Steve Krieg, "You can have bat....after we do."With Mayor Krieg positioned at first slip, although he did ride the boundary later in the innings, when Andy Bichel bowled the first ball to Adam Gilchrist.Gilly hit a quick 34, entertaining the crowd with his usual power hitting before his good rock mate Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger) ran him out.(Adam Gilchrist in full flight)"I think his plan was for himself to get run out, but they threw it to my end. I'm too old, too slow, the hamstrings were barking, and I was caught short," Gilly explained."I got a couple away, and it was nice to feel the ball out of the middle of the bat, to rekindle a few old memories. But, what a beautiful place to play cricket, what a spectacular day. Just the mood of everyone around, signing autographs for the kids and going and chatting with a few adult friends over there."It's remarkable how the transition has been made from what looked like almost a war zone, wasn't it the whole town, compared to this now and to see the development of the skate park and now another new pavilion that utilises the other sports field. What an awesome precinct."The mood and vibes (from the town) is good. I sensed that last night, even playing golf and then in the town last night socially. So it's really positive signs, we have to just keep building on it, and hopefully, we can get some big events here."Gillay's opening partner, Bernard Fanning said he was coerced to open the innings."Mate, that's the only reason. He put me on every bloody national broadcast saying that I was going to do it. I haven't played cricket for ten years. It's the only reason I agreed to do it."It was pretty fun. I gotta say, Andy Bichel has really ruined the day for a lot of people when he ran out his old teammate. It wasn't anything do with me. There was a run in it. To which Gilly replied, "Maybe ten years ago."Bernard wanted the bragging rights over his good mate, Pat Davern from Grinspoon."If Pat Davern's batting, I'm bowling. I'll try and put a straight one through him. It would be the ultimate actually, to have hit him for four and take his wicket. It will be all over social media."Being a musician, and one the younger fans may not have heard about, they still wanted an autograph."There's lots of kids here. The kids are loving it. I don't think the kids have any idea who I am. They just keep calling me Fanning. Hey, Fanning. Can I have your hat? Can I have your gloves? They probably do actually think I'm Mick Fanning."(Nathan Hauritz and Michael Kasprowicz signing autographs with a good crowd watching on)As we were chatting, Pat Davern dropped a catch."He's (Pat) killing it actually, he's been fielding pretty well, but that was a sitter. He should have caught that."Pat summarised his cricketing efforts after his stint in the field."I was on the field for first time with some cricketing heroes, which was good. I fulfilled my obligations. I dropped a catch, I bowled a head high full toss to Gilly, two no balls in one over, and entertained the crowd. Lots of laughs whenever I went near the ball, to be honest with you, but I'm an entertainer, so what are you going to do?One of the young WBBL stars that came to Lismore was Claire Moore, who at 21, was facing some quick deliveries and spoke highly of the wicket."It was good fun, I absolutely loved it. It's great out there, absolutely Delta. It's coming through nice onto the bat with some good pace. Bichel's coming in, running and bowling at my hips, same as Dan Christian, can't complain.As the innings was coming to an end, Claire said the total didn't matter, but anything above 140 was a good total to defend on the Lismore wicket."Let's be real, we've got Adam Gilchrist on our team. There are big boundaries, so I think we're in a good position here."The kids out here are loving it. I absolutely love it, because I know when I was a kid, I would love getting the signatures, so I try to give back as many as I can. They're all asking for the gear, but gear is expensive, isn't it, so it's hard to give it out. It's good to see all the locals out here having a ball, just to see how tight this community is. I love it."Young local 15-year-old superstar Cooper Williams hit an impressive 31 in the Gilly 11 total of 143. Cooper looked comfortable against anyone who bowled to him."It was good out there and playing the game I love with ex-pros....unbelievable. There is a bit of chat out there on the field, a bit of banter, and loads of sledging.(Cooper Williams hitting the mayor for four on his way to 31)Cooper is waiting to see if he is selected for trials for the Under 17's National Country squad. He played in the Under 16's Bradman Cup in Albury earlier this year and expects to hear from selectors later this month.NSW Minister for Planning Paul Scully flew to Lismore to be part of Gilly's 11. He was batting at number 11, so the last man in. Minister Scully didn't mind acknowledging he was nervous."I'm not going to deny that there's a bit of nerves running around. I think Question Time is a bit easier than facing up to this attack, but it's been going well. Young Cooper Williams, what a star. What a star.When asked who he did not want to bowl to him, "All of them, to be honest with you," he answered, "I mean, the mayor's been talking a big game, so maybe he'll come on if I get out there. We'll see, see how that goes, see if he can put his money where his mouth is.In the end, Gilly substituted for good friend Lennard Blok, so the crowd got to enjoy more boundaries and sixes from their hero. When the last wicket fell, it was on the last ball, so Minister Scully received a batting reprieve. He did go out and field in the outer for the Krieg 11 innings, making some boundary saves."It's a great day. There are lots of people out here, and I think it is fantastic that we've had some absolute legends of the game be able to give up their time to come up to Lismore and show their support for the town and the ongoing recovery effort. It's a good thing."Mayor Krieg declared yesterday that he would open the batting and wanted to face Jason "Dizzy" Gillespie."If he does open, he'll definitely be copying some pace," Gilly declared.The mayor did not walk away from his word; he opened the innings with Dan Christian and faced the first ball, which put him flat on the wicket after losing his balance to a bouncer.(Mayor Krieg on the ground after the first ball)Top score for the day was by local Lismore girl and WBBL star Sammy-Jo Johnson with 44, who it must be said, was hitting the ball to all parts of Oakes Oval."It's home. It's nice to come back out and just have a bit of fun with the guys. I think it was a great day, and a good turnout. And to play alongside some of these people, like I grew up idolising these guys, so to get the chance to run on the park with them, I'll take it any day of the week. I'd be just as excited if I was sitting up there watching this because it was a great spectacle."I've got lots of friends and family that came down to watch, so to see them and people I haven't seen in a couple of years, it means a lot. This place means so much to me, so it's great to be back."(Sammy-Jo Johnson hits a four on her to the top score of the day, 44.)At the end of the Legends match, the kids streamed onto the field as the teams were saying their congratulations and shaking hands. It was not something you see on any sporting field now, but it was perfect for this community event.As the players were signing autographs, Mayor Krieg had a lineup of bats and caps to sign, he said, "When I was growing up, kids were allowed to run on the ground at the end of the game. I grew up in Perth, and running onto the WACA pitch was a lifelong memory that 54 years old this year, I still remember doing it as kids these age. Hopefully, they will remember running onto Oakes Oval with Jason Gillespie, Adam Gilchrist, Andy Bichel, Steve O'Keefe, Dan Christian, absolute legends and icons of our game. And they can say that I was at Oaks Oval 2025 for the Legends of Cricket game, and we're on the oval.When asked about the talk of a deciding third Legends of Cricket match, the mayor said go and talk to Gilly."There's rumours, but I'm certainly not going to put any pressure. I really am grateful for these guys to take the time. I've spoken to them a little bit about whether they've enjoyed it, and every one of them has loved the weekend. But, trying to manage these guys' calendars is a challenge, but if Gillies up for it, we would love to make this an annual event."It's really up to the people of Lismore, to be honest with you. If they want to see these events, they've actually got to get out and support them. This was really good. We reckon we had about 3,500 to 4,000 people here, which is good, but if we're going to do it again, it'd be good to get a few more and really make the occasion something special."Whether we do it again is totally up to the great man himself, and maybe up to a local journalist to ask the question, no pressure.When this local journalist approached Gilly, he was surrounded by eager autograph and selfie hunters; it was more important for them to capture their moment with one of Lismore's, Australia's and the world's greatest wicketkeeper batsmen.The possibility of Legends of Cricket Twenty20 III will have to wait for another day.For the record, the Mayor's 11 reached the Gilly 11 total of 144 comfortably, making the score one-all after two Legends of Cricket matches.A huge congratulations to all Lismore City Council Event Staff who made yesterday possible. They worked extremely hard for months to pull an event like that together and deserve our thanks.

Today's Legends of Cricket Twenty20 at Oakes Oval will cause a change to normal traffic conditions from 1pm.Dawson Street will be closed from 1pm to 6pm between Rural and Magellan Streets with local detours in place via Diadem and Uralba Streets.Motorists should exercise caution and follow the direction of traffic controllers and signage.Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and expect delays in the area throughout the day.Lismore City Council says Harold Fredricks Carpark is accessible via Magellan Street.Rural Street entry off Dawson Street is closed, but you can exit Rural Street and turn left onto Dawson Street for drop-offs.There is accessible parking available on Magellan Street.There will be two entries to the venue:One on the corner of Dawson Street and Magellan StreetOne on Dawson StreetFull conditions of entry can be found at: https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/.../Cricket-other-event...

In the build-up to today's Legends of Cricket Twenty20 match at Oakes Oval, local businesses and Australia's elite cricketers, current and former, had some fun in a four-person ambrose at the Lismore Golf Club.Newton Denny Chapelle, Bennett Construction, Alder, SEE Civil, TNR, NSW PGA and others forked out some cash to support the Legends of Cricket Twenty20 and get a chance to play a round of golf with their heroes.Former Australian spin bowler Steve O'Keefe, Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg and Lismore Deputy Mayor Jeri Hall were charged with keeping the players hydrated on a warm, humid day on the Lismore golf course, which held up well after the nearly 100mm that fell earlier in the week.After nearly three hours of golf, who needs the most hydration?"That's a tricky question," Steve O'Keefe said, "Barring the man sitting on your left, who will remain nameless, let's call him S Krieg for argument's sake, I'd say Hauro's (Nathan Hauritz) has been quite thirsty. Dan Christian's group is eating the most bags of chips, and Henry (Geoff Lawson) and Newton Denny Chapelle have gone through our most non-alcoholic drinks."As for who was the most confident to win the Ambrose event?"Dan Christian is probably the most confident, given the fact that he's off +1. So I think he might be right. However, I tell you, Henry's a very good golfer, but Nathan Hauritz is saying that he's off 18. Watching him hit a ball, he looks like he's in single digits. So, there might be a bit of fluffing around with the handicap. I think that might be the difference in the end.""I'm not sure about these professional cricketers these days. It does look like they spend too much time on the golf course, so that'll be my word back to the men's coach of the Blues. They are here to do a good thing, but you're giving them far too much time to hit balls on the driving range and out on the golf courses."As for tomorrow's Legends of Cricket Twenty20, is Steve O'Keefe ready to go?"The arm hasn't been rolled over since this time last year, where we were defeated by the Brisbane Heat. Just haven't been game enough to bring the arm back over."I've got three pairs of whites. I haven't put them on for 12 months, and I might need adjusting potentially, and Mum's not here to pull the seams up, but that won't be the issue. There's not too many people on my side, is there Mr. Mayor, in regards to legs that are short, fat and stumpy," Steve said, ribbing Mayor Krieg."I've got my old cricket kit. I'm ready to go. Batting will obviously be the problem, but that's always been the problem for the last 10 years.""I think for Big Bash Cricket, we need to bring the boundaries in twenty or thirty metres, get people onto the field and let's see some sixes and some mingling with the crowd.Mayor Steve Krieg did say he will be opening the batting for his 11 tomorrow, wanting to take on Jason Gillespie."I'm going to take Gillespie on. I'm going to charge him first ball," he claimed boldly.Steve O'Keefe quickly added, "Okay, well, I do have a helmet. I don't have a chest guard. You'll be walking out like the Michelin Man. I like that it doesn't scare you. I do want that put out there before the first ball, though."Andy Bichel, former Australian fast bowler, was the first chat of the day."I'm hitting them not too bad. It could be a little better, but I haven't played as much golf as I used to when I played. I do a bit more fishing these days, but I'm enjoying getting to dust off the clubs and getting out again.Does hitting the golf ball well correlate to hitting the cricket ball well in tomorrow's match?"When I was playing, yeah, if I shot well on on the course. We were playing Wentworth, one of the best courses in the world, which we used to get onto. If you played well, you went out the next day and played pretty well too."I'm looking forward to being on the Mayor's side tomorrow. His captaincy last year was pretty intense, so hopefully, we can get him relaxed this year, and he can just go and play with freedom. I think last time I got in trouble for signing autographs and not looking at the game, maybe he'll be calm this time."Former Australian quick Geoff Lawson had the swing of a professional golfer. His team said his golfing handicap was 4, which is good going for someone who is 67 years old.The debate on the course was if Geoff Lawson could call himself a cricketing allrounder. His batting average was 16, and when asked what a cricketer's batting average should read to be classified as an all-rounder, he said, "About 16, I reckon," to a chorus of laughter. "I would say I was a useful lower-order player. I think I made six test 50's."The longest drives of the day went to Women's Big Bash Sydney Thunder teammates Claire Moore and Lismore-born Sammy-Jo Johnson.When we arrived on the 17th, Claire Moore, a first timer on the Lismore Golf Curse, had just hit a rocket off the tee."250 straight down the middle if you ask me," she smiled. "She is going to be talking about this all the time," her teammates ribbed. "Yeah, this definitely is the shot of the day."Sammy-Jo Johnson hit an even longer drive on the 1st, travelling about 260 metres. She confessed to not having a handicap and only picks up the clubs once a year.Samy-Jo is a local. She grew up in Goonellabah and went to Kadina High, the same as Adam Gilchrist."There's a nice trophy there named after Gilly," Sammy-Jo said, "The Adam Gilchrist Cricket Award. I think my name is on it once, which is pretty cool."Sammy-Jo usually comes home for Christmas every 12 months, depending on cricket commitments. So, how does she see Lismore's progress?"To start with, it was heartbreaking. I've got family that lost everything; I think a lot of people have been through the same thing. It just takes so long; that's been the hardest part. Days like this can raise a bit more awareness and try and get people more onboard. I mean Lismore's still here, that's the biggest thing, and we want to try and get it back to where it was."Tomorrow is about trying to get as many people out as possible. Trying to put smiles on people's faces, that's what we want. It's been a tough couple of years, so just some enjoyment.""I'm not in there for a long time, I'm there for a good time. That's how I approach my T20 cricket, so I'll try and send a few over the rope."Former Australian spin bowler Nathan Hauritz said his team was 1 under with a few holes to play when we caught up with them, and he gave his thoughts on today's match."I can promise people a lot of sixes....from my bowling. No, look, I just think this is going to be a great day. It's a great cause. I think everybody around Australia followed everything that happened here three years ago, so to be part of it will be a great experience."I'm just going to go there, have fun and, fingers crossed, the body holds together.The man of the moment Adam Gilchrist said his golf was "steady at best"."But what a good team. That's what life's about: teamwork."We're traveling along okay. We're under the card, which is where you need to be on these days. And the course is in immaculate condition, it's a real picture, and the greens are phenomenal. It's just a real treat to be around here; it looks bloody brilliant."Gilly said that yesterday's golf was just a warm-up for a great day's entertainment today."I did a bit of press earlier in the day, and the message went out that Bernard Fanning is going to open the batting and open the bowling. I've received a text message from him saying there's no way he's opening the batting. I said, no worries, you are, I'll be at the non-strikers end, and I'll ease him through it.Mayor Steve Krieg had stated earlier that he was going to pad up first for his eleven, so it may be Bernard Fanning to the Mayor first ball."That's what the locals want to see," Gilly said, "The rock star versus the mayor. What can go wrong?"The final word went to Mayor Steve Krieg with a scoop for Lismore."This is something that our council events team have been working quietly behind the scenes on, and probably can't officially announce it yet, but we've got a PGA Qualifier coming to Lismore, which is really exciting."They were at Teven golf course last year. We probably haven't pushed as hard as we should for some major events. And I think the more sporting events that we can get into our city, the better, and so it's really exciting for me, and we're just speaking to PGA New South Wales about the format and who's potentially coming. So, when the dates are announced, I'm sure more information will flow."These are the sorts of things that we need to attract to put Lismore back on the map for all the right reasons. We know Lismore has been in the news for the flooding and the like, but this is what puts Lismore into that Regional City status. It's about bringing people,the professional sports people, to Lismore and showcasing what we offer."There's a few doomsayers out there, and everyone's entitled to have their opinion, but for me, it's all about optimism. What we can be, what we should be, as a regional center and attracting things like a PGA Qualifier is another step in the right direction for Lismore to showcase everything that not only Lismore as a city, but the whole shire and the whole region can offer."I know I've said it before, call me stupid, call me whatever you want, but I really see a bright, positive and optimistic future for where Lismore can be over the next five to 10 years.The Legends of Cricket Twenty20 first ball will be at 3pm at Oakes Oval today, with gates opening at 1pm.

The typical summer weather patterns will continue over the weekend with the hit and miss predictability of storm season.An example of that is today's 50% chance of rain with up to 4mm forecast with nothing recorded to 5pm at the Lismore airport.Saturday's range has reduced from 0-20mm to 0-15mm with an 80% chance of rain. The rainfall is dependent on location and luck or lack of luck depending on your view.Sunday's rainfall potential is less, 0-1mm, with the winds turning south to southeasterly. Temperatures will remain in the high 20's and early 30's with warm nights.The weekend is all about Lismore's second Legends of Cricket Twenty20 match tomorrow (Saturday) at Oakes Oval.Some of Australia's greatest cricketers will join young local talent, two well-known musicians and NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully for a bit of fun at Oakes Oval from 3pm and to support Lismore's flood recovery.The team line-ups are:Gilly’s XI•   Adam Gilchrist•   Claire Moore•   Nathan Hauritz•   Michael Kasprowicz•   Jason Gillespie•   Jodie Fields•   Tim Buckett•   Lenard Blok•   Cooper Williams•   Bernard Fanning•   Tim Cohen•   Paul Scully (Minister for Planning and Open Spaces)Mayor’s XI•   Steve Krieg•   Dan Christian•   Steve O’Keefe•   Andy Bichel•   Sammy-Jo Johnson•   Georgie Redmayne•   Joe Parsons•   Pat Davern•   Peter Thomas•   Luke Shay•   Ebony HoskinGates open at 1pm, with the game starting at 3pm. Tickets are available via www.oztix.com.au.It will be the first time the Adam Gilchrist Pavilion will be in use, as it was still under construction in 2023.Grandstand seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fans are encouraged to arrive early. Ticket Prices:•   Adult: $22.45•   Concession: $12.25•   Family: $54.10•   Children 11 and under: FreeThe Lismore Farmers Markets are on again tomorrow from 7:30am at the Lismore Showgrounds.The CWA Lismore Evening Branch van is back with a host of handmade items, as well as the usual fresh fruit and veg, breakfast, coffee/tea and more.The Lismore Free Market will be on Sunday between 9am and 11am at the Lismore Community Gardens (50 Brewster Street).Nothing is for sale; all items are to be given away. The one stipulation is that if you can't find someone to take your goods, you take them home with you.For those looking for live music, Heio Ray Duo are playing at the Northern Rivers Hotel tonight for Valentine's Day from 7pm until 10pm.Saturday night has Billy Gudgeon hit the stage from 7:30pm, and the Sunday Session this weekend is Ghostown from 3pm to 6pm.The Lismore Workers Club has Forever Olivia - A Tribute to Olivia Newton-John Saturday night from 8pm. Tickets are available by clicking here.Coming up at the Workers Club is Reputation - the Ultimate Taylor Swift Tribute Show on Friday 21 February and The Fab Four - the Ultimate Tribute to The Beatles on Friday 7 March.Next Saturday (February 22), the Country Championships - Northern Rivers Heat, Lismore's richest horse race, will be run at the Lismore Turf Club, and the Samson Fitness Challenge starts on Friday, February 28, at Hepburn Park in Goonellabah.Here are the cheapest fuel options in each town:E10 is 178.9 across the board in Lismore, 175.7 at the NightOwl Puma on Johnston Street (37) in Casino, with The Metro and the Mobil on River Street in Ballina cheapest at 170.5.Unleaded 91 is 179.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 177.9 across most service stations in Casino, and 172.5 at the Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U95 is 188.5 at Bakers Corner, Terania Street, North Lismore, 193.7 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino and 183.9 at the Shell on River Street (273), Ballina.U98 is 196.9 at the Liberty Foodmart on Ballina Road and the Liberty at 113 Union Street, South Lismore, 197.9 at the two Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and The United on Johnston Street, and 191.9 at the Shell on River Street (273).Diesel is 188.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, 189.9 at two Liberty's in Casino and 185.5 at The Mobil (485 River Street) in Ballina.Have a great weekend!Have a laugh with the Friday Funnies.....

Adam 'Gilly' Gilchrist flew into Lismore for the second Legends of Cricket Twenty20 match at Okes Oval tomorrow.Gilly's first function of the weekend was to officially open the Adam Gilchrist Pavilion, which is the key component to a $12.4 million stadium upgrade for Oakes Oval and Crozier Field.Mayor Steve Krieg said this is the third part in a trilogy of stand and pavilion openings for Oakes Oval over the last six weeks."Over the last six weeks, we've officially named the Lyn Larson grandstand in November and the John McMahon in December. It's really exciting to recognise probably Lismore's greatest sporting export in Adam Gilchrist. To get him home is a challenge, but we've got him for the weekend, and we're very grateful for him to give up his time. We've also got his in-laws here, Carol and Warren (Sharpe), which is really great as well; it really is a family event.(Adam Gilchrist with his in-laws Carol and Warren Sharpe in front of the Adam Gilchrist Pavilion)"When you name a stand or a pavilion after a person, it's not just about the individual, it's about the collective. And I know Mel, Adam's wife has been a rock solid supporter, along with Warren and Carol and Stan and June (Gilchrist) as well, who couldn't be here today, unfortunately. But it really is about the collective to get someone to the elite level, and it really is an honor to stand here today and officially announce the opening at the Adam Gilchrist pavilion.Like Lyn Larson, Adam Gilchrist is a humble man who has achieved extraordinary feats since moving to Lismore with the family in 1984 and attending Kadina High School.Gilly has won three consecutive World Cups (1999, 2003 and 2007). He was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2022 and has been inducted into the International Cricketing Hall of Fame.Gilly changed the benchmark for wicketkeeper/batsmen with 416 dismissals and a test batting average of 47.60. He is regarded as the world's best ever wicketkeeper/batsmen, regularly named as the wicketkeeper in the best ever cricketing eleven."Thank you very much. It goes without saying what an extraordinary honour this is."I grew up in this town. I first saw Oakes oval, and I dreamt one day, maybe playing on there. Seeing the senior cricketers go about their business. My father and older brothers were part of that cricketing fraternity."In playing, I aspired to play one game on here and ended up playing some first-grade cricket here and scoring some runs. And, you know, the whole journey later, to find a pavilion that surrounds this ground with my name on it is quite an extraordinary feeling. It's very humbling."You mentioned rightly about family and support. There's no doubt I had the best support you could ever want to have from my family, mum and dad and my siblings, and then extending that into my wife, Mel and her family, Warren and Carol here today, is really important. So much goes into elevating individuals to certain heights, but so too is the community so vitally important to that and this Lismore community, Goonellabh, where I grew up, where I went to school at Kadina, and the friends and people around that. It's all part of the journey, and it's all part of that village that raises a youngster."So to be back here and to see my name up there is quite surreal. But I'm really appreciative of that, and it's nice to know that the Gilchrist family name, and I guess legacy, will be indelibly marked here now in a community that has been so important to my life's journey. So thank you for having me, and it's a real honour to be here."(Mayor Steve Krieg shows Gilly through the change rooms at the new Adam Gilchrist Pavilion)In reflecting his time batting in the middle at Oakes Oval, Gilly recalled his first first-grade hundred."I think I'm right in saying my first first-grade hundred in Lismore Grade Cricket was here on this ground and felt a bit surreal. A bit of a step up to another level in your own mind and by way of gaining confidence and belief in your ability. So, there are landmarks along the way, when you reflect on it, that were really pivotal moments in your career. And I reckon that was one of them as a sort of 14-year-old or 15-year-old, I guess, playing at Oakes."When asked, as a 15-year-old, if he felt he would ever achieve the levels he has, Gilly replied, "I hoped. I hoped I could go to the highest level. That's all I ever really wanted to do in life, right from a very early age, was to play cricket at the highest level."I'd look on the TV and see guys who I thought were superhuman, that you aspired to get there. Fortunately, I was in a region and in a community that allowed the pathway to be opened up. I had two older siblings who played a lot of cricket, and I did. My sister, my oldest sibling, also played cricket, but the three of them forged and pioneered for our family pathways that opened up for me as a youngster. So I was inspired by them and inspired by the superstars on TV and dreamt of it, so it's been amazing to fulfill that.Gilly took time to talk about Lyn Larson and John McMahon, who helped shape his cricketing life and inspired him."John was, I think, Director of Cricket, certainly Director of Coaching for junior cricket in this region when we first moved up here. And I know he and dad worked really closely. Particularly, my memories early when I was a youngster was they were both in coordinating so much of the particularly Junior cricket activity and junior coaching clinics and camps. So you know, the opportunity afforded to so many youngsters by John and dad and so many other people around was extraordinary. And that's the beauty of regional Australia, regional, New South Wales, you don't want for anything. You've got all the facilities. You've got all the opportunity there. And it's wonderful to see young talent taking and making the most of those opportunities."She (Lyn) was a lady that inspired me as well. I've said it before about Lyn, that people say you can't be what you can't see. But as far as I was concerned, I could see an Australian cricketer, test cricketer, who was a local, and that inspired me. I was completely enthralled by her journey and the fact that she was playing for Australia. So, I took a lot from that. It's amazing what relatively small inspirations to some people might not even be obvious, but for others, they get a hold of it, and that can lead you in a life's journey.Mayor Steve Krieg spoke about the next young hot local cricketing talent coming out of Lismore, such as Cooper Williams and Joey Parsons, and how much they will learn and be inspired by playing cricket alongside their heroes as well as getting advice on what cricketing pathways are open to build on their cricketing careers.Why is Lismore such a hotbed for talent?"I think that the lifestyle that we lead, we're fortunate to lead in these regional areas," Gilly answered. "There's something wonderful about being out in country New South Wales, and not in the metropolitan area, where kids can probably roam a little bit more freely and and you've got all the facilities at your disposal to just be outside and play the natural environment. And the whole entire landscape, when you look at it, is conducive to being outdoors, being active and having fun. So that was very much what my recollection of childhood here was"The Legends of Cricket Twenty20, Gilly's 11 versus the Mayor's 11, will be on tomorrow at Oakes Oval from 3pm. Gates will open at 1pm.You can click here to buy your tickets.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) has released a clarifying statement following Wednesday's attempt to disconnect water to Pine Street properties as they look to move illegal squatters on so they can perform assessments on the buyback houses for relocation.As reported by the Lismore App, they were successful at a Little Keen Street buyback house, also occupied by illegal squatters.An NSWRA spokesperson said:NSW Police, Homes NSW and Social Futures have made extensive efforts to engage with the illegal occupants, offering alternative accommodation and access to support services. Most offers have been rejected.In January 2025, notices to vacate were issued to 40 individuals illegally occupying homes in Lismore.The illegal occupants were given seven days to vacate the premises, but more than three weeks after the notices were served, numerous properties remain occupied.After exhausting all available options, the RA has now taken the step to permanently disconnect water services, which had been reconnected by these illegal occupants.This decision has not been made lightly. The Resilient Homes Program was designed to support those genuinely affected by flooding, not to bear the cost of removing illegal occupants from homes that are part of the buyback program.On Wednesday, 12 February 2025, a contractor acting on behalf of the RA commenced the permanent disconnection of water services to Resilient Homes Program properties in Lismore.Later today, staff from the NSWRA and Richmond Police District will meet with spokespeople for the illegal squatters to try and negotiate a date for the group to vacate the houses permanently. Negotiations in the past have proven fruitless.The NSWRA has purchased over 525 high at-risk houses in the Lismore LGA as part of the Resilient Homes Program (RHP), an initiative that offers buybacks for homes severely impacted by the catastrophic February 2022 flood and which now pose an ongoing threat to human life in future flooding events.The homes currently illegally occupied are situated in an area that was devastated by the floods, making their buyback essential to mitigate further risk to life and to protect the community.As part of the buyback process, services, including power and water, were disconnected, and fencing was erected at each premises to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the houses and to ensure public safety. ,In some instances, illegal occupants have reconnected services, including water.Notices to vacate the properties were issued to approximately 40 individuals on January 21 – disconnection of water services was included in the letter to occupants and advised verbally as the next step.

Following Tuesday's marathon eight-hour February meeting, the first ordinary meeting of 2025, four rescission motions have been put forward by various councillors.Those motions are:10.2 Review the Code of Meeting Practice11.2 Creation of a subdivision on Booyong Road, Clunes12.2 The creation of a Lismore City Council Property Strategy12.7 Nuclear Free Peace Zone PolicyThe Draft Code of Meeting Practice review was placed on public exhibition for 42 days (20 December 2024 to 31 January 2025) after council resolved to make changes to the existing document to streamline monthly meetings making them more efficient.There were 11 public submissions received by council.The most relevant changes to the Code of Meeting Practice include:Moving Public Access from the start of council meetings at 10am to prior to council meetings at 9am. Public Access will be streamed live and recorded.Change the number of speakers to two for and two against (from four for and four against).There is a maximum of ten (10) speakers. This is necessary because of the one-hour time limit on public access. It allows for change over time of speakers, questions and responses to questions.Each speaker will be allowed three (3) minutes (reduced from four)Limit responses to councillor questions to one (1) minute (currently unlimited)A councillor may submit no more than three (3) notices of motions to be considered at each Ordinary council meeting.A councillor may submit no more than three (3) questions with notice for response at each Ordinary council meeting.The length of a council meeting will be no longer than 5 hours after it begins. It can be extended by 30 minutes by resolution.During Tuesday's meeting, councillors opposed to the changes had their say depending on its relevance. For example, Cr Rob objected to being restricted to three notices of motions and three questions with notice. Cr Guise objected to Public Access moving to 9am, the ten maximum speakers and the change to two speakers for and two against.The first vote to not adopt the changes was defeated. This was followed by three amended motions, which were all defeated before the original motion to adopt the Draft Code of Meeting Practice was passed 7/4.When the rescission motion is debated at the next council meeting, it is highly unlikely that it will be successful.11.2 Clunes SubdivisionCouncil staff recommended that the Clunes subdivision to create two (2) lots and the construction of a new dwelling on proposed Lot 2 and associated infrastructure at 7 Booyong Road, Clunes not be approved was carried 6/5, with Crs Hall, Gordon, Battista, Bing, Jensen and Krieg voting for and Crs Rob, Knight-Smith, Dalton-Earls, Guise and Waters against.Unusually, for a DA of this size, it was debated for over an hour with different amendment motions put forward.Council staff reasons were long and detailed:1. the proposed development does not provide for the orderly development of the site or good design and amenity of the built environment due to undersized lots and unacceptable sewage management arrangements (Section 1.3 of the EP&A Act 1979).2. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following clauses of Lismore Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Section 4.15(1)(a)(i) of the EP&A Act 1979):a. Clause 2.3 – Zone objectivesb. Clause 4.1 – Minimum subdivision lot sizec. Clause 4.6 – Exceptions to development standardsd. Clause 6.4 – Drinking water catchments Report Lismore City Council Meeting held 11 February 2025 - DA5.2023.301.1 - Subdivision to create two (2) lots and the construction of a new dwelling on proposed Lot 2 and associated infrastructure at 7 Booyong Road, Clunes 25e. Clause 6.9 – Essential services3. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following requirements of the Lismore Development Control Plan, Part A, Chapter 1 – Residential Development (Section 4.15(1)(a)(iii) EP&A Act 1979): a. Element 4.10 – On-Site Sewage and Waste Water Management.4. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following requirements of the Part A, Chapter 6 – Village Subdivision of the Lismore Development Control Plan (Section 4.15(1)(a)(iii) EP&A Act): a) Element 4.1 – Lot Size b) Element 4.9 – Sewer (non-reticulated areas)5. the site is not suitable for the proposed development (Section 4.15(c) of the EP&A Act 1979)6. the proposed development is not in the public interest (Section 4.15(e) of the EP&A Act 1979)12.2 The creation of a council Property StrategyAs reported previously, this motion turned into a Richmond River Historical Society and its supporting councillors versus creating a property strategy that will look at councils building assets and peppercorn leases to determine if there are better uses of the buildings, thus improving council's financial position.The fight will be ongoing for the RRHS team and its supporters to keep the Lismore Museum in its current building, the Lismore Municipal Building, until the rescission motion comes back to council, where the same debate will be had again.It should be noted that council resolved to find a suitable building to house the Lismore Museum as part of its Property Strategy.12.7 Nuclear Free Peace Zone PolicyThis motion was looking to repeal council's policy number 3.1.1, the Nuclear Free Peace Zone Policy.This was passed 6/4 with Cr Hall out of the chamber.Rescission Motions are standard practice for all local council's in NSW. Their purpose is simply to overturn the resolution of council that was passed during a council meeting.The likelihood of a council resolution being rescinded is at long odds. The rescission motion is more about politics. It's about councillors and the public restating their case that was unsuccessful in the first place. It is about garnering more public support to try and influence a councillor's previous vote—all within the Local Government Act 1993 - Section 372. As well as a low chance of success, it will add to a council meeting that was already over 8 hours long.

Mayor Steve Krieg mentioned the "award-winning Oakes Oval" at Monday's media event to promote tomorrow's Legends of Cricket Tenty20.Yesterday afternoon, Lismore City Council announced that Oakes Oval had won the Best Regional AFL ground in NSW.Lismore’s premier stadium is now in the running for the national Ken Gannon Community Football Facility Award (AFL) after securing the NSW title, highlighting its significance as a premier sporting venue. This prestigious award celebrates best practice in community football facility development across the country.Following a $12.4 million upgrade, the stadium has solidified its place as the premier AFL venue in regional NSW, making it ready to host AFL pre-season matches.Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said Oakes Oval is a community asset we can be proud of.“Local sports fans can now enjoy the best of the best playing right here in our hometown stadium,” he said. “Sport is a cornerstone of Lismore’s identity, and the award-winning upgrades now position Oakes Oval as a prime candidate for more high-profile games and events in the future, further cementing Lismore’s reputation as a regional sporting hub.”The redevelopment included upgrades to the grandstand with new seating, improved media and coaches’ boxes and a complete refurbishment of the Gordon Pavilion, which now features a function room, bar and kitchen. The change rooms, amenities and storage areas were also upgraded to meet modern standards, ensuring a top-quality experience for players and spectators alike. Oakes Oval has already hosted AFL pre-season matches, local Australian Rules Football, Rugby League and cricket games and various major community events, including Carols in the Heart. AFL Venue and Government Partnerships Manager for NSW Samuel Thomson, said the award will open Oakes Oval up to opportunities for Lismore.“Now one of the premier AFL venues in all of NSW, we look forward to Oakes Oval becoming the centrepiece of the continued growth of our game across Northern NSW,” he said.Lismore City Council Manager for Liveable & Active Communities, Tony Duffy, said winning this award recognises the remarkable design and planning undertaken in the facility's configuration.“We don’t just have a Regional Facility that can host Sports at all levels; we have a facility that now has become a multipurpose stadium for Lismore and Northern NSW,” he said.“We look forward to the AFL bringing further local to elite content over the coming years.”The refurbishment, delayed by the 2022 floods, was a collaborative effort between all levels of government, with funding contributions from the Australian Government ($6 million), the NSW Government ($4.9 million) and Lismore City Council ($1.5 million). 

Farmers have welcomed a fresh crackdown on biosecurity breaches as the state escalates its campaign against deadly Red Imported Fire Ants.Two businesses have been fined $60,000 respectively in the NSW Local Court for bringing soil, turf and compost into the state from Queensland’s fire ant infested area without certification.NSW Farmers’ Biosecurity Committee Chair Tony Hegarty said this latest breach of biosecurity laws had put NSW at great risk, with fire ants presenting a $60 billion dollar threat to the nation.“There are serious consequences for those found to be doing the wrong thing and breaching our biosecurity laws – and there is very good reason for this,” Mr Hegarty said. “NSW remains fire ant free for now, but if this pest finds its way into the state, our whole community will need to radically change their way of life to prevent being stung by these horrific pests.“The costs of controlling a widespread outbreak could sound a death knell for the economy, and don’t forget the impacts on agriculture. This is simply a threat we cannot afford to ignore, and eradication is the only safe solution for our communities.”Current biosecurity orders prohibit the movement of turf from Queensland fire-infested areas into NSW, with a number of other restrictions in place for other fire ant carriers including heavy vehicles.Mr Hegarty said the NSW Government’s latest clampdown on biosecurity orders had come as welcome news to many, with serious and sustained action critical to stopping the spread of fire ants into NSW.“NSW deserves a biosecurity system that is proactive and effective when it comes to eradicating extreme biosecurity threats – and that includes fire ants,” Mr Hegarty said.“A serious biosecurity regime is what the NSW Government has demonstrated, and we thank them for delivering this when it’s needed.”