The cost and availability of insurance have been in the Top 5 talking points for home and business owners since the 2022 big flood.The Business Beyond Disasters program discusses all aspects of insurance, as well as participants learning how to prepare for disaster, trade during tough times, and gain strategies for recovering quicker when disaster strikes. It’s free to all businesses and not-for-profits in Lismore and the Northern Rivers until December 2025. Launched in March by the NSW Reconstruction Authority, the Building Beyond Disasters program was developed and delivered by credited social enterprise Resilient Ready, which specialises in business and community risk reduction and resilience. Ten online learning modules help your business plan effectively for disasters, build essential business continuity capabilities and work together to overcome future challenges. Topics covered include operating through disasters, financial viability, understanding insurance, evacuation triggers and how disasters can bring opportunities. You can choose one of five specific programs that best align with your business, including: Retail, professional services and educationAgribusiness and aqua businessTourismHealth and social servicesConstruction, trade and manufacturing  Participants can share experiences in online weekly catch-ups and learn the resilience initiatives adopted by other businesspeople across the region. Resilient Ready CEO Renae Hanvin says the “understand insurance choices” module was specially created given the challenges in the Northern Rivers. “In fact, the whole Business Beyond Disasters program has local people just like you to help as they share their experience.”Business Beyond Disasters is a Disaster Ready Fund project funded by the Australian Government and NSW Government. Ms Hanvin said, “We know from examples around the world, including Australia, that businesses and not-for-profits that are prepared for disaster have a better chance of surviving disaster and thriving afterwards.” Each module in the Building Beyond Disasters takes about five minutes, and you can do it at your convenience.“It’s not a boring online program – it’s one that has videos to watch, worksheets to print out and talk with your team or business friends next door and online check-ins to ask your questions to experts. “The best bit is, it’s free – but the lessons you learn and the small actions you take now are priceless for the survival of your business.”  Go to https://resilientready.org/project/business-beyond-disasters-northern-rivers/ to register.

One of Lismore's long-established businesses, Bolt Barn, has been the subject of confusion since the for-sale sign went up at the building at 183 Union Street.A number of people, including tradespeople, mistakenly thought that the Bolt Barn business was closing along with the sale of the property.This is definitely NOT the case. Bolt Barn has been a constant sight in South Lismore for many years and will be for many more years to come, according to new manager Ash Waring.Ash Waring's surname is familiar to everyone who has done business with Bolt Barn since 1991, as he is the son of former owners Chris and Linda Waring.(From left: Peter Wooldridge, Ash Waring, Michael Eyles, Joseph Valentine)“I’m looking forward to meeting our loyal customers and hoping to see some new ones," Ash said."The Bolt Barn is a great business with great people working in it. We’re looking forward to continuing to offer our service and selling quality Bolts, of course, as well as specialty fasteners, tools and general associated gear you may need.”"If you haven’t shopped with us at all, or not for a while, I encourage you to come and see us and the range we offer. We’re backed by the Construction Supply Specialists buying group, which gives us access to almost anything available in the industry at competitive prices."If we don’t stock it at our Lismore or Grafton branches, we can get it for you."When the building does sell, Bolt Barn is committed to Lismore and will continue to service the community and its businesses as normal.Bolt Barn is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm.

The coastal low-pressure system over the southern part of NSW brought strong winds to Lismore and the Northern Rivers today, causing some tree damage and temperatures to feel like 8 to 10 degrees.The strong winds will continue into Thursday morning as a secondary lobe of the complex low will bring renewed rain and wind to southern NSW before tracking north and moving off the coast.The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for damaging south to southwesterly winds averaging 55-65 km/h with peak gusts to 100 km/h to the Northern Tablelands, around Tenterfield and Drake.Kristine McDonald, Acting Chief Superintendent, NSW SES Northeastern Zone, told the Lismore App that while we had very strong winds, they were not the destructive winds that were originally predicted."What we're looking at is these winds continuing through Thursday, and then hopefully that system will start to reduce as it moves offshore.Kristine said there were roughly 10 jobs in the Lismore area and 77 in the entire northeastern zone."They have mostly been trees down from that storm impact, so that wind has been bringing down trees and causing tree damage and dropping branches. There has been some minor damage to some houses through lifting roof tiles, but there has been no extensive damage so far."With further strong winds to come, the advice is to secure loose items if you haven't already."What you want to do is make sure that nothing becomes a projectile. If you have a trampoline, make sure it is secured. If you're working around or under trees, be very mindful that trees are being damaged, and if you find a tree down, please be very careful. We don't want anyone to be injured from any down powerlines or anything like that, so be very conscious of where you are and your surroundings."Essential Energy said there were 1,960 homes still without power at 4pm on the North Coast and hinterland due to trees falling on powerlines. 7,000 homes and businesses suffered loss of power today across NSW."Customers are reminded to keep at least 8 metres away from fallen powerlines and to always assume that these powerlines are live and very dangerous. If you see fallen powerlines, please report the location to Essential Energy on 13 20 80," an Essential Energy spokesperson said.

Police are appealing for assistance to locate a man who is being investigated by Richmond Police District.Mitchell McDuff, aged 22, last spoke with family members by phone at 5.30am on Sunday, 23 June 2025.When he failed to make further contact, he was reported missing to officers from the Richmond Police District who commenced inquiries into his whereabouts. Police and family hold concerns for Mitchell’s welfare as his disappearance is considered out of character.Mitchell is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 180cm tall, thin build, short brown hair and fair complexion.It is not known what he may be wearing.He is known to frequent the Lismore, Casino, Scone, Goulburn, Sydney metropolitan area and the NSW Central Coast. Mitchell may have interstate links to Melbourne, the NSW/Victoria boarder and to southeast Queensland.Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Lismore Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis.The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

The NSW Government has introduced a scheme to provide thousands of new, energy and water-efficient washing machines at a significantly discounted price for pensioners, veterans and social housing tenants. Up to 8,000 eligible households can get their hands on a brand-new front-loader washing machine for $250, thanks to a program to help low-income households with cost-of-living pressures, including water and energy bills. Eligible applicants can trade in their old, water- and energy-inefficient top loader machine for $250 and receive a brand-new, high-end Westinghouse 8kg front loader.  To be eligible for the program, you must:be a resident of NSWbe more than 18 years oldhold a valid Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card (a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card is not sufficient for this offer) or Low Income Card from Centrelink or Department of Veteran Affairshave an existing top-loading washing machine to exchange.The NSW Government has teamed up with The Good Guys to provide the heavily discounted machines, with the fee covering delivery, installation and a two-year warranty as well as removal and recycling of their old appliance. Applications are now open online for all Centrelink or Department of Veterans Affairs-issued concession card holders in NSW.  The government encourages households to act quickly to snap up their machine, but advises applicants to check first if their laundry space can house the Westinghouse model, which is 850mm high, 600mm wide and 660mm deep. To apply and check if you are eligible, please visit: Washing Machine Exchange Program. Minister for Water Rose Jackson said, “This could not come at a better time, we know people are struggling with cost-of-living pressures and high water and energy bills are a huge part of that. “We’re not just talking about cost-of-living relief, we’re delivering it. This program will lower power bills, cut water use, and make life a little bit easier for thousands of people.“These new washing machines are not only good news to help people save, they’re better for the environment too, saving an estimated 20,000 litres of water each year.” Minister for Veterans David Harris said, “This is a fantastic initiative allowing veterans, pensioners and social housing tenants to get their hands on a great appliance valued at more than $650 for just $250, including installation and removal. “Veterans served in defence of this great land, so the least we can do to assist in lowering their energy bills.“This is just one of the ways the NSW Government is helping people every day with cost-of-living pressures.” Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said, “I encourage pensioners to apply for one of these new washing machines. At a highly discounted rate, this service will take your older machine away and replace it with a new and improved model.  “Not only will you end up with a brand-new washing machine at less than half price, it could potentially lower your utility bills, too.” Biag Capasso, Managing Director, The Good Guys said, “We’re delighted to be teaming up with the NSW Government to roll out these subsidised washing machines across the state to people who need them most. It’s one of many ways The Good Guys help families with their day-to-day needs.  “This program will be in high demand, which is why we have plenty of stock, and our delivery team is ready to help customers, in both regional and metro areas, by removing old top loaders and install the new Westinghouse machines.” 

Coles is recalling Coles Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Coles Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg, sold between 01/05/2025 and 30/06/2025 at Coles supermarkets and Coles Online nationally, with a Best Before date of 05/02/2027, due to aflatoxin contamination. The product is:Coles Smooth Peanut Butter 1kg and Coles Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kgBest Before date: 05/02/2027Dates sold: Between 01/05/2025 and 30/06/2025. Food products containing aflatoxin may cause illness if consumed. Any customers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. Customers can return the product to any Coles supermarket for a full refund. Coles Online customers can receive a full refund or credit by contacting Coles Online Customer Care on 1800 455 400. Coles apologised to its customers for any inconvenience. Customers seeking further information can contact Coles Customer Care on 1800 061 562.

People with Parkinson’s disease living in Northern NSW will continue to have access to specialist support, with Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD), with the support of Parkinson’s NSW, renewing funding for the region’s Parkinson’s nurses.Since 2020, the nurses have played a key role in meeting the needs of people living with Parkinson’s disease by liaising between patients and specialists, providing education in aged care facilities and for health care professionals, including pharmacists, as well as providing expert nursing care and support to patients and their familiesThe specialist nurses also offer weekly clinics across the Northern Rivers at a number of centres including Lismore, Grafton, Casino, Yamba, Ballina and Murwillumbah.The Parkinson’s nurses also form part of NNSWLHD’s Movement Disorder Neurology Service (MDNS), established in early 2024 to bring high-quality ambulatory care to people living with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.This service is provided in partnership with Western Sydney Local Health District’s Movement Disorder Unit, Parkinson’s NSW and the Rural Doctors Network. It offers access to a specialist neurologist who travels from Sydney’s Westmead Hospital to Ballina District Hospital for monthly in-person clinics, in addition to weekly virtual clinics, to maximise access and outcomes for patients.Parkinson’s is a progressive, degenerative condition of the central nervous system. Nerve cell damage in the brain causes dopamine levels to drop, leading to the symptoms of Parkinson's, including tremors, slow movement, stiffness and loss of balance. Also, fatigue, apathy, depression, disturbed sleep, loss of sense of smell, and issues with speech and swallowing. Symptoms can be managed with medication, exercise and other forms of therapy and support. Globally, disability and death from Parkinson’s is rising faster than any other neurological disorder. However, as yet, there is no cure. Parkinson’s nurses also provide support during hospital stays and help with referrals to complementary therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology.For further information on the Parkinson's Disease Nursing Service visit: https://nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/services/movement-disorders/parkinsons-disease-nursing-service.Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park said, “I want to thank Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin for her tireless advocacy in securing ongoing support for the Parkinson’s nurses in the Northern Rivers.“Janelle understands just how critical these roles are to the health and wellbeing of her community, and her leadership has helped ensure that people living with Parkinson’s disease can continue to access expert, compassionate care close to home.“The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease is higher in rural and remote areas, where access to specialist neurological support can be limited.“This service means Northern Rivers residents have access to the same specialist support available in city areas, improving their quality of life by allowing them to remain closer to home, independent, active and in the care of friends and family for longer.”Minister for North Coast and Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin said, “This is a cause that is very close to my heart as I lobbied hard to get these Parkinson’s nurses for our region a few years ago, to meet the growing demand from Parkinson’s support group members and those newly diagnosed with the disease”Parkinson’s nurses play a pivotal role in holistic care, improving access to services and reducing patient risk, morbidity and hospital admissions.“Their expertise supports people with Parkinson’s across all disease stages, promoting self-management and helping to prevent complications.”Northern NSW Local Health District Chief Executive Tracey Maisey said, “Northern NSW Local Health District has become a regional leader in movement disorder care since establishing the Parkinson’s Disease Nursing Service in 2020.“This is particularly important in Northern NSW, where the number of people living with Parkinson’s is expected to double to 3,000 by 2030 as a result of our rapidly ageing population, where nearly one in three residents will be aged over 65 years by that time.” Parkinson’s NSW Chief Executive Officer Mary Kay Walker said, "We are delighted to learn that funding has been renewed for Parkinson's nurses in the Northern NSW Local Health District. Parkinson's NSW has been involved in co-funding this innovative care program since 2020."Parkinson's nurses are the glue which holds together the multidisciplinary care team required for Parkinson's patients. In this way they play a vital role in facilitating Parkinson's care in regional communities — including through telemedicine consultations." 

THE Northern Rivers region's Community Leaders Forum has welcomed the eagerly awaited state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model report from the CSIRO for the Richmond River catchment.While this is a very technical process, now it’s time for the community, particularly local councils, to be involved in charting a course towards better flood mitigation and adaptation for our region.The model implementation report from the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative (NRRI) was released publicly through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) website yesterday (30 June 2025). It can be found here: https://www.nema.gov.au/our-work/resilience/northern-rivers-resilience-initiative.The Community Leader’s Forum has acknowledged that hydrodynamic modelling is the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of flood modelling, and that the release of this report now lays the foundation for the model to be used in flood mitigation scenario analysis and testing possible flood mitigation strategies across the region to better protect communities and infrastructure.The model (2D hydrodynamic model - MIKE21 FM) examines physical processes and creates a picture of the way water is moving in the river system. It uses data about rainfall, evaporation, soil and vegetation characteristics, LiDAR and Bathymetry datasets collected as part of NRRI project, and details of the landscape including the topography, streams, levees, and flow control structures such as bridges, culverts, and pipes.The model was then validated by comparing model-simulated flood inundation water levels against recorded data sets from five events in 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022. This process reported a high degree of accuracy and seeks to demonstrate that the model is capable of reproducing flooding scenarios across the entire catchment.The model should now be used to investigate a variety of possible future scenarios, including the changes in flooding associated with a changing climate. This will help us to look at how we can better protect our communities and infrastructure from future flooding events, including testing structural and non-structural infrastructure options designed to mitigate flooding.In the coming months, CSIRO has committed to work with NEMA to undertake NRRI stakeholder consultations to develop these Richmond River catchment scale flood mitigation scenarios, and then scenario analysis.The Community Leaders Forum is looking forward to engaging in this process.The Forum includes Janelle Saffin MP (Lismore), Tamara Smith MP (Ballina), Geoff Provest MP (Tweed), and Richie Williamson MP (Clarence); Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, Federal Member for Richmond, Justine Elliot; Mayors Cr Steve Krieg (Lismore City), Cr Chris Cherry (Tweed Shire), Cr Danielle Mulholland (Kyogle), Cr Sarah Ndiaye (Byron Shire), Cr Sharon Cadwallader (Ballina Shire), Cr Robert Mustow (Richmond Valley) and Cr Ray Smith (Clarence Valley); NSW Aboriginal Land Council North Coast representative, Diane Randall, Business NSW Northern Rivers Regional Director, Jane Laverty, and Rous County Council CEO, Philip Rudd.

In a big win for NSW motorists, the NSW Government’s reforms to the parking fine system came into effect yesterday.It ends years of an unfair system, where hundreds of thousands of fines were issued to motorists as long as two weeks after they were booked by a parking officer.The previous state government implemented ticketless parking fines in 2020, even as advocacy groups and the community warned they were unfair and lacked transparency.The NSW Government’s series of reforms includes requirements for councils and other issuing agencies to:Attach a parking fine or notification to the vehicle (except in limited circumstances, for example where it is unsafe for the parking officer) Send to Revenue NSW images of the parking offence and the fine or notification, and make them available to the driver on requestIssue a parking fine no later than seven days after the offence, if a notification was not attachedCollate data on their use of parking fines and make it publicly available.Following passing of the legislation, Revenue NSW worked with councils, the NRMA, the United Services Union and advocacy groups to ensure issuing agencies had the technical capability to enable the reforms as soon as practicable. For many of NSW’s 128 councils this would have included purchasing new equipment, including handheld printing devices and cameras, as well as re-training officers and staff to understand the new requirements. Revenue NSW has established an internal taskforce to monitor implementation of the reforms, ensure compliance by councils, and invalidate fines which do not meet the new legislative requirements.The taskforce will also monitor exemptions to the requirement to provide an on-the-spot notification to ensure they are not used as an excuse to continue issuing unfair ticketless fines.Since the government placed a spotlight on the issue, the number of ticketless parking fines has decreased, with many councils already taking their own action.From 1 January to 30 June 2024, councils issued 435,363 ticketless fines. From 1 January to 20 June 2025, councils issued only 371,565 ticketless fines, a drop of around 15%.Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos said, “Today marks the end of the previous government’s unfair ticketless parking fine system.“People shouldn’t be caught by a surprise parking ticket weeks later. Our commonsense changes bring fairness and transparency back to the system.“Motorists will once again benefit from on-the-spot notifications. New requirements that motorists are provided with photos of the offence will assist them if they wish to object to a fine.“Our new data requirements will ensure we can keep a close eye on the progress of these reforms.“I want to thank councils for their work over the last few months to take action on this legislation. I know for many of them it required a significant uplift in their processes to meet the new standards.”NRMA Spokesperson Peter Khoury said, “The NRMA welcomes the end to ticketless parking fines in NSW and commends the NSW Government for listening to motorists and making this commonsense reform.“Transparency matters. People deserve to know when and why they’re being fined—and to have a fair chance to challenge it if needed.“The Government has worked through the issues, consulted widely, and come to an appropriate solution. Today is a great day for NSW motorists.”

Lismore City Council has given households a Christmas in July gift with the announcement of two annual waste vouchers per year.For the last five years, households could apply for one of 5,000 waste vouchers, which had to be used within 30 days, although you could reapply if it wasn't used in that time. This was from approximately 18,500 households in the LGA. The benefit was $74.40. The new tip voucher system will be split into six-month intervals, and will be valued at $148.80 of free waste disposal at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre or the Nimbin Transfer Station per customer per financial year.Mayor Steve Krieg said the initiative was a first step in Council responding to the priorities listed in the recent Community Scorecard, which have now been reflected in the Lismore Community Strategic Plan.“The community told us we should focus on reducing illegal dumping by reviewing our bulk waste services. Doubling the number of waste vouchers available for each household annually demonstrates Council is listening and taking action,” he said.Individual waste vouchers will remain at $74.40 in value. Any unused funds from the first ‘Primary’ voucher (above $2.00) will automatically be transferred to the second ‘Secondary’ voucher. Any funds remaining on the second voucher will not be available after expiry.Both vouchers must be used within 30 days of issue. If the first voucher expires before use, residents will be eligible to reapply.Consistent with current practice, commercial customers and businesses are not entitled to apply. Applications for a waste voucher can be made on Council’s website. People who do not have access to a computer or email are welcome to apply in person at Council’s Customer Service Centre at 43 Oliver Avenue or by calling Council’s friendly call centre team on 02 6625 0500. Rates assessment numbers (property owners) or proof of tenancy (tenants) will be required.

Lismore’s laneways will be transformed into a celebration of music, art, food and creativity on Saturday, 23 August, for the inaugural LOLA: Laneways of Lismore Arts Festival. LOLA is a free, all-ages arts and music event showcasing both local and national talent.Running from 1pm to 9pm, LOLA will transform Carrington Street and its laneways into a vibrant festival precinct, featuring a dynamic mix of live music, visual art, lighting installations, vintage, art and vinyl markets, a dedicated children’s zone, food trucks and licensed bars.Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said Lismore laneways are one of our most under-utilised assets."If you walk around the streets of Lismore and you walk down our laneways, in my opinion, they they they remind me so much of Flinders Lane in Melbourne and all these quirky little laneways in capital cities. To be able to get some funding to activate these laneways, even if it is for a day, it's a start of where Lismore is heading. Lismore is on the upw, we are growing, we are thriving, we're coming back bigger and better than ever.Mayor Krieg thanked Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, for giving $30,000 towards the LOLA Festival."I'm quite excited about this event," said Mr Hogan, "We've all travelled through a lot of regional centres throughout New South Wales and other states throughout Australia, but I think one of the really unique things Lismore have are these laneways and alleyways in the centre of the block. It's quite unique, and it gives the place, and always has, a lot of character."Anything that brings activity to this town and indeed, our region, I'm very supportive of. I'm sure this will be a wonderful day, a wonderful festival and a wonderful celebration. Any community day is about getting together to hang out with each other, which is a positive thing, but as part of that, to celebrate something, to acknowledge something that is quite unique about Lismore."Marty Baptist is one of the local visual artists, along with Paul McNeil, were invited to perform at the LOLA Festival."What we're basically doing is getting five plywood panels, so it'll be dismountable as well, but on the day, we'll be painting live. This one will be my sort of loose figurative work with a lot of text. And Paul McNeil is one of the old original Mambo artists, so he'll be doing his work, and then we'll be doing a collaboration together. The LOLA Festival will provide another boost for local businesses around the block as it attracts people into the CBD.Chloe Bolliger is the manager of 187 Cantina. She said the festival will be incredible, with the restaurant is looking to expand its licensing area."There'll be a pop-up bar on the outside, so it'll be able to feel a lot more inviting. We will incorporate the music, you can have takeaway drinks, you can wander around, see things, and then also help the businesses around Lismore that might go unnoticed, for their little beauties, if not for events like this. So we're really excited to be able to be involved in that. LOLA is a welcome addition to Lismore’s proud tradition of unique and much-loved events. Last week the state government announced funding for Lismore's iconic Eat The Street Festival for three years.“Lismore has always been known for its vibrant, creative community and its ability to deliver standout events that celebrate who we are,” Mayor Krieg said.“This event will activate our city centre and showcase Lismore as a vibrant destination. I’m really looking forward to seeing LOLA grow into a staple of Lismore’s annual event calendar.”"We're also talking with some other companies that do festivals and sporting events, and it's all about promoting Lismore as a destination now, and how we do that. "We've revitalised our sporting facilities. So let's get some baseball tournaments at Albert Park. Let's really activate our Oakes and Crozier Ovals, and get sporting events here, and especially in the lead up to the 2032 Olympics. Our new skating facility that we haven't yet opened, but won't be far away, is Olympic standard, so let's get Olympic teams from around the globe to use Lismore as a training hub. "It's very much integrated to making Lismore that destination again, that we sort of lost along the way. But with the music, the arts and the culture that we've got, the NORPA development, it's such an exciting prospect as well, Lismore is well on track to becoming that central hub again."Festival-goers can look forward to an exciting music line-up including acclaimed musician Mitch Tambo, high-energy sets from FLO DJs, and Melbourne indie favourites Cool Sounds and Eggy, presented by Jet Black Cat Music, alongside a vibrant showcase of local talent.Visual highlights include bold, immersive works from celebrated Australian artists Paul McNeil (Mambo, Deus ex Machina) and Marty Baptist, who will bring Lismore’s iconic laneways to life with colour and creativity.LOLA is proudly funded by Lismore City Council and the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund.For more information, visit www.visitlismore.com.au/lola.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has welcomed a total of over $1.27 million in funding for three new programs under the NSW Government’s Primary Prevention Multi-Year Partnerships Grant Program.Locally, the recipients are:$750,000 for the Men & Family Centre Lismore’s Accountable, Respectful, Connected Gender Relations Program, addressing the underlying causes of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and promotes more accountable, respectful and connected gender relations in our local communities.$305,592 for Prosper (Project Australia) Incorporated’s Strong Safe Fabulous Program (in partnership with Rainbow Families), delivering in-person and online training, resources, behaviour change campaigns and individual/family/sector capacity building in Lismore, Sydney, Penrith/Blue Mountains and Wollongong.$265,907 for People With Disability Australia’s Healthy Relationships Program, updating and expanding training and resources about building and sustaining healthy relationships for people with disability, their families, and support networks in Tweed Shire, Sydney, Wollongong, Central West, Hunter, and Wagga Wagga.  Ms Saffin said the NSW Government was investing nearly $5.2 million in 11 new programs statewide in a whole-of-government, whole-of-community effort to change attitudes and behaviours that tolerate or condone violence against women.Programs will focus on men and boys, children and young people, multicultural and refugee communities, LGBTIQ+ communities, and those working with First Nations communities.The grant program is delivered under Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024–2028, the state’s first dedicated strategy for primary prevention.Primary prevention is part of a wider NSW Government effort to address domestic violence, which includes supporting victim-survivors, holding perpetrators to account and earlier intervention. 

Social Futures is proud to announce the return of its unique trauma-informed program, Strong Minds in the Early Years, thanks to new funding from the Waratah Education Foundation Ltd.Aimed at preschools impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales, the program will commence 1 July 2025.It will also support early learning settings where trauma triggers have been heightened by more recent weather events.At the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference on the Gold Coast in March, Social Futures General Manager, Children Youth and Families, Melissa Gordon; Resilient Kids Counsellor Lisa Wilson; and program favourite Jack the Puppet presented findings from the original program.“Supporting young children to understand and manage big emotions after a traumatic event is essential — and we’re thrilled to continue this work,” Ms Gordon said.Strong Minds in the Early Years was initially designed in response to the Northern Rivers 2022 flood disaster and provided young children with practical strategies to understand and manage trauma.The program’s use of Jack the Puppet gave children a playful, safe and supported way to speak about their worries, nightmares and fears, in addition to their positive experiences.“Jack offers a comforting presence — for many children, he's a gentle way to share big feelings when they can’t quite find the words,” Ms Gordon said.“The program uses best-practice therapies such as play-based interventions, storytelling and engaging activities to help children aged zero to five build their natural coping skills.“We’re also equipping caregivers and early educators with insights into how trauma may be shaping a child’s behaviour — whether at home or in the classroom,” she explained.Children responded to Jack in meaningful ways, including comments like:“I love Jack, and I can talk to him about my feelings." "My brain feels calmer now." "I can take a deep breath when my feelings are mixed up." Strong Minds in the Early Years has been designed by qualified and skilled practitioners from diverse backgrounds including social work, early childhood education and parenting.Social Futures has been providing support services in the Northern Rivers for 49 years and understands the toll severe weather events can take on families with young children.“We understand that trauma from severe weather events can deeply affect children, unsettling their sense of security and disrupting healthy development,” said Ms Gordon.“We’re here to help families strengthen their children's natural coping skills and reduce the likelihood of lasting trauma.”Strong Minds in the Early Years is supported by the Waratah Education Foundation Ltd.Preschools and early learning centres interested in the program can contact Social Futures on 1800 719 625 or visit www.socialfutures.org.au/strong-minds-in-the-early-years/ for more information.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is encouraging local sporting organisations to apply for their share of $50,000 in funding under the NSW Government’s 2025 Local Sport Grant Program.Ms Saffin said grants of between $2,000 and $20,000 were available for facility upgrades, new equipment and programs that support and encourage participation in sport and active recreation.“Like any sporting contest, this small grants program is highly competitive, but you’ve got to be in it to win it,” Ms Saffin said.“Sporting clubs often struggle to raise funds to cover everything that they would like to offer their membership, so these grants can fill those gaps.”Last year, the Local Sport Grant Program injected $4.4 million into community sport across New South Wales through funding for a total of 579 projects. This year, $4.65 million has been set aside for the program.Applications close 1pm, Monday, 18 August with further information, including program guidelines available at: www.sport.nsw.gov.au/local-sport-grant-program.NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said: “The Minns Labor Government is backing grassroots clubs to grow participation across all ages and abilities.“The Local Sport Grant Program delivers where it matters – better gear, safer facilities, and more opportunities for people to get active and love their sport.“If your club needs new equipment or has a great program idea but hasn’t had the resources to make it happen – now’s the time to apply. Let’s get more people moving, playing and enjoying sport right across NSW.”

Yesterday, the CSIRO released the Richmond River Catchment hydrodynamic model that will show, in twelve months' time, how engineering solutions can lower future flood levels in our community.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said a scenario that should be modelled is how we can take 2 metres off future floods through engineering solutions.“Options like building dry retention basins to temporarily hold back water, and letting floodwater get away quicker, should all be part of the solution,” Mr Hogan said.“After the 2022 floods, I secured the funding to get this hydrodynamic model done. This will now move us from talking about flood mitigation to making it a reality.”“It covers the entire catchment – from Bungawalbin Creek through Coraki, Eden Creek through Kyogle, and Terania, Leycester and Wilsons through Lismore onto Ballina.”“We can’t keep spending billions cleaning up disasters after they happen. We need to invest in solutions that will actually make us safer before the next flood comes,” he said.“Back-of-the-envelope estimates show that we need up to $2 billion to deliver works that would take 2 metres off a flood. The 2022 disaster alone was a $15 billion event. Spending money on prevention saves taxpayer money on the recovery.”Mr Hogan called on the State and Federal Governments to commit to this type of investment.“Our community deserves certainty and real protection. The CSIRO has done the work, now it’s time for governments to step up.”“Decision makers will now determine whether the next major flooding event in this region kills people, destroys people’s lives financially, or the region has been made safer.”

The CSIRO Implementation Model was released yesterday at 9am by lead scientist Jai Vaze. It was another milestone in the $11.2 million Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative. It is Part 2 of a program that will determine what combinations of flood mitigation options will reduce the height of future flooding across the Richmond River Catchment. Mayor Steve Krieg said this marks a pivotal moment for Lismore and the Northern Rivers. "This is the most detailed and scientifically robust flood mapping our region has ever seen, setting a critical foundation for informed government action. "Built on local data, remote sensing, and advanced hydrodynamic modelling, the report offers an unprecedented understanding of how floodwaters move through our catchment. It not only sheds light on the catastrophic 2022 floods but gives governments the technical confidence to invest in meaningful resilience measures. "Lismore City Council welcomes this report as a vital tool in shaping our recovery and future. We thank the CSIRO team, led by Jai Vaze, for their integrity and transparency in delivering this complex work. With peer review by three independent international experts, the model sets a new global standard. "But this is not the end, it’s the beginning. The modelling is done. The need is urgent. Now we call on the Australian Government to fund the implementation of CSIRO’s forthcoming mitigation recommendations.  "What’s required is leadership and investment to turn science into action in order to protect lives, homes, jobs, infrastructure and economies.  "The cost of the 2022 flooding disaster in this region alone has reached an estimated $16 billion and is expected to rise further, not to mention the human impact. For a region that has experienced 129 floods in 150 years, investment in resilience is a no-brainer. "We also renew our call for a national insurance pool. Lismore residents and businesses have shown extraordinary resilience, but they continue to face crippling premiums. That’s not fair, and it’s not sustainable. "Lismore is a regional linchpin, a hub for health, education, industry, and essential services. Investing in our resilience is investing in the future of the Northern Rivers. "As a Council, we’re ready to lead differently, to back the science, partner with government, and deliver long-term resilience for sustainable growth." 

It is that time of the year for the team at local charity, Our House. They are once again taking on the Dry July challenge, pledging to go alcohol-free for the month to raise funds for local cancer patients and their families.Since 2010, Our House has proudly participated in the national Dry July campaign, becoming the first regional project to be supported by the Dry July Foundation. Each year, the team gives up alcohol for 31 days, joining thousands of Australians who are committed to making a difference for people affected by cancer.This year, Dr Chris Ingall, Rebekka Battista, and Tanya Harris-Bateman are leading the charge on behalf of Our House, raising funds to replace the original air conditioning units in every guest room.“Over 1,000 guests stay at Our House each year while receiving or supporting a loved one through medical treatment,” said Rebekka Battista, Director of Our House. “Many are undergoing cancer treatment, which can make them especially sensitive to changes in temperature. Replacing our aging air conditioners will dramatically improve comfort, energy efficiency, and the overall healing environment.”The fundraising effort is part of the ‘Help Keep Our House Beautiful’ program, which ensures the facilities remain welcoming, comfortable, and well-maintained for all guests.Funds raised from past Dry July campaigns have helped repaint rooms, replace bathroom floors, beds and sofa beds, upgrade TVs, and rejuvenate the therapy gardens.Dry July began with a small group of friends — one of whom was undergoing cancer treatment — challenging each other to go alcohol-free for a month. Since then, the movement has inspired hundreds of thousands across the country and has raised millions of dollars to support people affected by cancer. Our House remains one of more than 80 cancer-related organisations supported through the campaign.“We are calling on the community to get involved — go dry, donate, or share our story,” Ms Battista added. “Together, we can keep Our House beautiful and create a more comfortable environment for those going through some of life’s toughest moments.”Join or support the Our House team: https://www.dryjuly.com/teams/our-house-7.

The latest Living Lab Northern Rivers exhibition, Living Memory: Stories and Portraits, celebrating North Lismore, opened on June 19, and now the team involved are looking to build on the Living Memory project.The exhibition features voices, images and histories from North Lismore (Banyam/Baigham), a suburb where many properties are part of the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s Resilient Homes Program— Australia’s largest disaster adaptation program in response to a flood.Living Memory captures and preserves the place-based knowledge, cultural heritage and community ties that continue to resonate far beyond its boundaries.Developed in response to community calls to preserve North Lismore’s legacy, the project, funded by the NSW Reconstruction Authority with in-kind contributions from Southern Cross University and the University of Technology Sydney, is a collaborative effort shaped by the generous contributions of people connected to the area. Participants have shared their time, memories, photographs and personal objects — creating a rich and layered portrait of a unique and resilient community.The project has been brought to life by a small team including historian Adele Wessell, Jo Kijas and KateGahan, photographic artist Cherie Fahd and photographer Elise Derwin, in collaboration with Living Lab Northern Rivers. Their combined expertise spans oral history, portraiture, archival research and creative community engagement.“This is a celebration of place and community — of how communities’ deep connections to place and each other have shaped our region. It recognises that storytelling helps us adapt, fosters belonging and learning,” says historian and project contributor Adele Wessell.The exhibition reflects the area’s diversity — from Bundjalung Cultural Knowledge and dreaming stories to the histories of Chinese market gardeners, Italian and Lebanese families, artists, students and environmental protectors. It also highlights the practical ingenuity residents brought to living with the natural environment, including homes designed to adapt to flooding, and the strong social networks that supported neighbours through crisis.Community invitation for more North Lismore portrait and memorabilia sessionsAs part of the ongoing Living Memory project, members of the wider North Lismore community are invited to contribute to a growing archive of stories, images and objects that reflect the suburb’s rich history and deep sense of connection.For those who have lived, worked or hold strong ties to North Lismore, two upcoming portrait and memorabilia sessions at the Living Lab Northern Rivers shopfront offer an opportunity to sit for a portrait, share personal memories, and bring along items for scanning that speak to their connection to the place.Photographer Elise Derwin and historian Adele Wessell will be on-site to welcome participants, take portraits, and assist with the digitisation of memorabilia that will form part of the Living Memory digital archive.Session times:Thursday 31 July, 1–3pmSaturday 2 August, 10.30am – 12.30pmParticipants are encouraged to bring photographs, documents or other personal items for scanning, as well as a USB to keep digital copies. Individuals, families, and groups are all welcome to contribute to this important record of North Lismore’s people, history and community spirit.Living Memory is part of a broader effort to document community knowledge in the face of climate-driven change. A digital archive will make this material accessible into the future and inform how governments and communities across Australia respond to similar transitions.Exhibition DatesOn now until 7 August 2025Open Tuesday to Thursday, 1–4 pm at the Living Lab Northern Rivers, 11 Woodlark Street, LismoreRead more at llnr.com.au.

As mentioned in our Friday news story about the $150 million NRRRP (Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program), the Lismore LGA has about $29.4 million to spend on seven projects, two of which have been completed.The two completed projects are the revitalisation of the South and East Lismore town drains, which allows for a clearer path for stormwater to reach the Wilsons River, and clearing community drains.That leaves five more projects for Lismore, into which we will gain detailed insight through Garon Clough, Lismore City Council's Project Director—Flood Resilience Program.Garon began by stating what the purpose of the NRRRP is for Lismore."It's addressing reliability and operational resilience to make sure that the infrastructure functions as best as it can during an event, and it brings the majority of the levy systems, all of its components, up to the same level of design, because some of the aspects of the levy system predated the 2002 installation and needed to be brought up to capacity."There were also some identified local catchments that weren't addressed from a stormwater management perspective in the initial design, and those deficiencies within the levee system are being addressed under this program.""One of the projects under the program is improving the control and the visibility of the sites. That's been done by connecting all the major sites with a fibre optic cable, which enables remote control, additional instrumentation, CCTV monitoring. Far more functionality than currently exists in the infrastructure.Previously, there was a manual component to some sites, and the visibility of each site was non-existent."When water starts to overtop a levee at that location, there's not that trigger immediately on the site we're relying on, I guess, gauges, which will improve the level of service after this. "Garon explained that each flood overtops the Lismore levee at different points because of varying hydraulic grades."There are different points of the levee system that could overtop in different events. There is an engineered spillway at Browns Creek, and that's the primary overtopping side for the levee or for the CBD side. There's another engineered overflow at Gas Works Creek, which is further downstream, but most floods would overtop at Browns Creek first on the CBD side. The South Lismore side is really flood-dependent. So it depends on whether it's a Lycester Creek dominated flow or a Wilson's River dominated flow.The total investment to upgrade Lismore's pumps and pump stations is $22.5 million. A significant sum of money because of age.BROWNS CREEK PUMP STATIONBrowns Creek Pump Station was constructed in the early 1970s, and the levee wall was constructed in 2005. Browns Creek Pump Station was not upgraded at that time."We've looked at the capacity of Browns Creek and the flow that we need to put through that pump station to install the infrastructure to enable that. It's not going to fit in the existing structure."So, at this point, the project will need to be a pump station constructed in parallel to that site. But there is still value in that building and the gate and some of that infrastructure, because it does house real estate above our design level, so it will be incorporated into the design, but the pumps won't be housed in that building anymore.For those worried about a potential flood while the new Browns Creek building is being constructed, Garon and his team have worked through the issue."The design approach is to maximise the amount of time that Browns Creek remains operational, including the flood and the pumps during construction, to make sure that Lismore isn't put at risk during the construction of that major project.""We currently have two pumps, and we're anticipating putting in a four-pump configuration. The multi-pump configuration gives a wider range of potential flow rates, so we can handle different local storm events. The order of magnitude is four to five times the current pumping capacity of that station."The pump's primary function is up until the levee overtopping. So they're managing stormwater behind the levee so that people can evacuate, and we're not getting premature flooding behind the levee prior to it overtopping. We're pumping from the Browns Creek catchment, so around the Square, areas where you'll first see that water starting to back up, we're pumping that into the river.Do the pumps help clear the water once the levee subsides?"They will help, but the volume of water that overtops the levee, the pumps make a marginal difference to the point of, it's not really measurable. The height behind the levee system after a flood will essentially be the same height in the river. So it's controlled by how quickly the river drops. So, having pumps running after an event doesn't really get people back to clean up afterwards.The pump's main objective is to keep evacuation routes open as long as possible and to limit stormwater damage during an event where all the floodgates are shut. It's not letting stormwater back up.As you would expect, the four pumps will be submersible and need to be ordered from overseas."In modern pumps, submersible is a better configuration, a more resilient configuration than the current axial drive pumps that are there. The pumps have been selected, and we're just going through market assessment at the moment. They haven't been ordered."Major construction for that project is 2026; it was always planned for that stage. There's been a lot of work to go into Browns Creek in understanding and trying to maximise the benefit from this upgrade. If we could have tried to stay within the bounds of the existing building, we wouldn't have got the benefits realisation. We've grown that project to get the most benefit from this pump upgrade.Garon explained the work that has happened and will happen at Browns Creek to assess the best outcome for the community."There's been a number of site works, geotechnical investigations, drilling, a 3D scan of the existing structure so that we can design the new structure in 3D. The pumps will be ordered, and they'll be in manufacture. Then there'll be early works, such as probably realignment of that levee to give us enough construction room and digging the well. Those are the activities that will happen first, before the pumps get installed.GAS WORKS, CBD AND SOUTH LISMORE PUMP STATIONSWhile Browns Creek is bespoke proprietary equipment, the other pump stations are on a much smaller scale, and manage a smaller catchment."Those pump stations, I guess, are not as large and can be delivered a little quicker. They're all moving into the construction phase. So, the investigation has been completed. We're just going through the procurement of pumps and contractors at the moment.The Gas Works pumps will be the same; they'll just be modified. They were sized correctly in the initial build because that pump station was constructed as part of the levee system. So they'll be maintained."Hollingsworth and CBD are a quarter of the size of a pump at Browns Creek. So, the type of pump is slightly different just due to the capacity."Construction will start on those in 2025 and continue throughout the rest of the year."Once Garon gets his contractors on board, he will be able to give a completion date for the smaller pump stations more accurately.During the 2022 March Flood, many people in the CBD would notice the tractor pump at work. That will be a thing of the past."That will be a new, modern pump station with submersible pumps and electric drive. So, that pump station will essentially be remote controlled like everything else. It won't need that operator intervention to be physically on site, running that pump station, which is safer for the operator.""The advantage of having a modern pump station is that you can adjust operation levels. You can change the flow rate during an event to manage it and reflect the stormwater that you're seeing."One issue that Garon and his team have is testing the pumps once they are installed. You have to have a lot of water to achieve this because they are designed to pump high volumes of water. That is something that is being discussed at the moment.The other challenge is stopping debris from entering the pumps or creating an impediment that will lower the flow of water."That's the design challenge with installing them. But Debris Management for these pump stations is really important. Pump stations that don't currently have screens will be getting screens at the pump stations themselves."The main trash racks are being designed in a way that's both operationally friendly but very conscious of not creating any localised storm water issues."It is a challenge to install that infrastructure in an area that has a ground level of six metres, and we need to protect all the infrastructure.WIDENING BROWNS CREEKAll the Lismore projects are around managing stormwater during an event where the levee system is within its design capacity. Lismore City Council will be managing stormwater by keeping roads open longer, making sure the pumps operate where they're not going to be impacted by debris, and if we do get a large event similar to 2022, the infrastructure is not going to be damaged like it was previously.In terms of widening Browns Creek along Brewster Street, we all know that it quickly inundates with stormwater during heavy, continuous rainfall, cutting off the road prematurely."We're going to try and increase the capacity and reduce the frequency of that occurring," Garon said.NOT MITIGATIONThe NRRRP has nothing to do with flood mitigation. It is all about making Lismore more flood resilient."It's protecting properties from stormwater inundation. So when the floodgates get shut and the river rises, the capacity of your stormwater is reduced because now it's got to be pumped uphill. It's no longer flowing under gravity. So we've got to manage stormwater as best we can in an event where the floodgates are closed."So, it's stopping property damage, keeping evacuation routes open, and then also doing it in a reliable way that it's going to stay operational for an extended duration of time."Flood mitigation for Lismore sits under the Flood Risk Management Plan, and they're always looking at mitigation options for Lismore. This program is targeted at bringing up the entirety of the levee system and fixing gaps within that, to bring it up to a functioning level system."If the levee is raised or something occurs into the future, all these upgrades would have had to be done anyway. So it is improving the function of the levee system. It's about providing resilience to the existing levee system where it operates."