The plans announced just over a year ago for a brand new St Vincent’s Hospital on Uralba Street opposite the Lismore Base Hospital have been put on hold; instead, the existing hospital has been getting a makeover.Alan Cooper, St Vincent’s Lismore Hospital’s CEO, talked to the Lismore App about the difficult decision and revealed more details about the plans being put into place.“At the present moment, the sale of the hospital is on hold. If we were to have a larger organisation of similar faith and intent, we would consider merging or becoming, partnering with that entity.”However, Mr Cooper does not see that happening in the short term.  Mr Cooper joined the team at St Vincent’s in October last year, where he moved to Lismore after spending 24 years as CEO of a private hospital in Bundaberg, with a prior background as a Director of Nursing in Beaudesert.  Among his tasks, he was to assess the viability of the plans for a new hospital, and he found they were not in the best interest at the present time. “I came here to look at issues and what we could do to transform the organisation. It was apparent that we needed to spend some money to at least make what we have into a viable option as a private hospital. So, over the past 12 months, my job has been to transform it both from a facility and looking at the aesthetic side.”Mr Cooper spoke of the challenges the private hospital sector is currently undergoing as presenting a real threat to any facility. Coupled with Lismore’s recent struggles, in particular COVID and floods, the timing for a big change does not seem advantageous.“Lismore has been hit badly by some serious situations, the flood being the biggest, and COVID was probably just as bad. The two major events have put pressure on Lismore. And that impacts a single standalone hospital owned by a Catholic Church - the only one in Australia owned by a diocese in its entirety.“The whole of the private health industry is in difficulty. There's a lot around at the present moment indicating that hospitals aren't viable. They're not functioning particularly well and some hospitals are even closed down because of that. The Lismore Diocese has really struggled with what the future holds.”Renovations are well underway at the hospital; Inside and out have been painted, and new carpets, furniture, and decor make the internals look modern and inviting. “We've started the public front. And then, at Christmas, we're starting to get into the bathrooms and the wards. Ward three and the high dependency unit are closed and will start renovations.”Mr Cooper believes it is important to have a private health facility in any region, and the expectation is that it will look after its patients in an outstanding manner. Mr Cooper has applied the revitalisation to “patient experience and patient comfort”, implementing new roles to assist with community care. “What we need to do is to build this place to be relevant for the community, bringing the great services that are needed and building those services to the best that we can. We have to make sure that what we build has a sustainable future - that it is a service that is needed and required by the community, but it's also able to be continued once we start.”One of the things St Vincent’s does not have is an emergency department where you can walk in off the street. However, they are introducing changes to make it simpler to be admitted.“We've been looking at how to improve accessibility. We are looking into all those areas of what we can do to enable people to have easier access into our hospital. Maybe they are not sick enough - they don't always have to go to an emergency department.”St Vincent’s now has a liaison person who speaks with doctors to understand patient needs, and if required, they can be admitted via that route.“One of our senior nurses is now the contact point for doctors to ring us and say, look, I've got Mrs Jones in my surgery, for example. She's not well, and she needs to be admitted. Instead of sending her to the emergency department, I'll send her directly to do some tests.” Mr Cooper is aware that some people are disappointed when they find they cannot access St Vincent's amenities. Private health insurance doesn’t necessarily guarantee you coverage in a private hospital. He explains there is a big difference between Bronze and Gold coverage, “Bronze cover is for a private patient in a public hospital.“If you don't have gold cover, then you need to know what you're not covered for. If a situation arises and you want to come to St Vincent’s, you may not be covered for that. It is a good idea to understand your level of cover well.”Please note that this may not be applicable to all health insurers. The Lismore App have been made aware that some health insurers have much more stringent regulations on where private patients can receive treatment. It is best that you investigate your level of cover andconditions thoroughly so you understand your risk.The information for the decision to renovate rather than rebuild has been held back for some time. Mr Cooper says, “Partly why we haven't made too much public yet is because we want to get ourselves established with a new look, a new feel and a new presentation, and a lot of it has been training of staff. “A significant part of what we're doing is turning the culture around and there's things that we need to be cleaned up for a consistent approach. That affects the way we're doing business and working together and really getting behind the scenes into our equipment and looking at what needs replacing. “If we're going down this path and not the new hospital, it's time to refresh and get these things back on deck again.”Along with the announcement of a new hospital was the conversion of the old hospital into an aged care facility. Mr Cooper is also the CEO of St Joseph's Nursing Home and Mary’s Grange. He considers that these two facilities are serving Lismore well, and can do even better with some TLC.“St Vincent’s and St Joseph's have consistently provided excellent care. They really have, even in an environment that may not have been aesthetically beautiful, and they've had very high commendations from accreditation reviewers.“The hospital had a spot accreditation of three assessors over three days of eight standards, 148 actions were checked. And they found nothing to update - they had no recommendations.“And the same thing with St Joseph's, they found it provides very good care. The number of stars that they get is really quite amazing.”St Joseph's has also been going through renovations.“There's been some things that were let go but we are cleaning it up, making sure that the residents are in an environment that’s improving. We're putting in new furniture, making sure that the maintenance is getting done, and I think there's further opportunity, but we haven't got there yet. “In the interim, the idea is to make it comfortable, make it presentable.”Mr Cooper speaks of his experience, “I come from hospitals in regional areas, and for me, Lismore Hospital in this regional area needs support from the community. It needs encouragement, and it needs to have a plan for the future, and that's what we're really on about. “We want to be able to do the best we possibly can for our region.”If you are interested in further announcements about the changes happening at St Vincent’s Hospital, they have regular updates on their Facebook page.Last year's story on a new hospital can be found here.

The Alstonville Markets will return this Saturday for its third market day, offering a diverse range of local products and a boost for the community. The market, which takes place on the third Saturday of each month, will be held from 8:30 am to 2 pm at the Alstonville Showground. This 100% community-driven event, with proceeds going back into the community, has quickly become a popular destination for local shoppers and vendors.Since its launch in October, the market has grown in popularity, attracting over 100 stallholders and a waiting list for vendors. Rod Bruem, Alstonville Chamber member, highlighted the market's success, stating, "It's been very popular since our first October market. We've been fully booked with a waiting list." The market provides a low-cost platform for budding entrepreneurs and local businesses, charging $50 for a stall site. "People love markets. I think markets have a strong following in this region. They're a big part of our economy. That's my observation since moving here," Rod added.​The Alstonville Markets aim to fill a void left by the closure of the Lismore Car Boot Market, offering a general market with a focus on arts, crafts, gifts, and locally produced goods. While the market does feature some local produce, such as fruits, vegetables, and meat, it primarily focuses on arts, crafts, gifts, and other locally produced items to complement existing farmers' markets in the region.The market's strategic location in the Alstonville village draws crowds from both the coast and inland, with visitors travelling from as far as Casino and the Richmond Valley. The organisers will decide whether to continue the market next year after reviewing feedback from stallholders and marketgoers about the Saturday time slot."We have a sort of joint committee between the chamber and the society," explained Rod. "We said that we would trial these three markets this year and then decide what we're going to do next year. But I think we're all fairly decided at this stage. We will continue next year, and, more than likely, we'll probably continue with the same Saturday format."The Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital is the charity partner for the December market. The Alstonville Markets will take a break in January and are expected to return in February.

The Albanese Government is going to invest $180.5 million to support local news and community broadcasting, today launching the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) and announcing additional funding for community broadcasting.In a statement, the Government said it recognises local media and community broadcasting as critical to the health of our democracy, social cohesion and informing communities. Federal Funding in the past has not made its way to independent digital newspapers like the Lismore App and Indynr, that services Casino and Kyogle. This involves both the Liberal/National Party and Labor in the last seven years..Their focus has been on supporting the ailing print industry and funding their transition to digital, mainly the big names in the industry, such as Murdoch and ACM. Lismore has seen the Northern Star stop printing at the end of June 2020, and then Lismore City News (that replaced it) closed its doors at the end of July 2024.So, the question remains: will News MAP support all local public interest journalism? Or will it be more of the same?The DetailsThe Government will invest $153.5 million over four years to implement the News MAP, which has been informed by extensive public and industry consultation, with the following measures: Release of the News MAP policy framework to guide government intervention to support public interest journalism in Australia, with clear objectives and the best available evidenceEstablishment of a new expert advisory panel to provide advice on the design and targeting of mechanisms to support sustainability and capacity building, including attracting philanthropy $33 million over three years to support the Australian Associated Press newswire service – recognising its important role in supporting media diversity and providing high quality news $116.7 million over four years from 2024-25 (and $1.7 million in 2028-29) to support and build the sustainability and capacity of news organisations so they can deliver public interest journalism and local news vital to Australian communities, including $17.6 million for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to support program delivery $3.8 million over three years from 2025-26 for the development of Australia’s first National Media Literacy Strategy, co-designed in partnership with the media literacy research sector, education sector and communities, to better equip Australians to critically engage with news and media. The Government will also mandate a minimum commitment of $3.0 million per year for two years from 2025-26 for regional newspaper advertising across the total Commonwealth media advertising spend.This is in addition to the $15.0 million in 2024–25 already announced for the News Media Relief Program to provide urgent support for eligible regional, independent suburban, multicultural and First Nations news publishers, and the $10.5 million already announced for the Australian Communications and Media Authority to implement the Media Diversity Measurement Framework. The Government will also invest an additional $27 million to back Australia’s vital community broadcasting sector, with:$15 million through the Community Broadcasting Program (CBP) to support the community broadcasting sector, including $3.0 million to support community television$12 million through the Indigenous Broadcasting and Media Program (IBMP) to support the First Nations broadcasting and media sector.This new funding recognises and supports the services of over 450 community broadcasters who connect communities and amplify diverse voices, while the Government continues work with the sector on the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review.For more information on News MAP, visit: News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the ArtsFor more information on the Community Broadcasting Program and the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review, visit: Community Broadcasting Program | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the ArtsMinister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP said, “Informed by extensive public and industry-wide consultation, the News MAP builds on the Albanese Government’s support for a strong, diverse and independent media sector with a new policy framework and range of new measures to support news and public interest journalism.“Local news and community broadcasting is at the heart of local communities, and makes a vital contribution to national identity and media diversity in Australia.“Community broadcasters provide millions of Australians with localised news, information and entertainment and the Government is providing additional funding as it works with the sector on the Community Broadcasting Sector Sustainability Review”. Minister for Indigenous Australians. Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said, “First Nations journalists, broadcasters and media are a vital part of Australia’s media landscape.“They help connect, represent and tell the stories of our communities across the country. “The Albanese Government’s $12 million investment through the Indigenous Broadcasting and Media Program recognises and supports their important work.”Full disclosure: the Lismore App has received a Meta Fund to hire a journalist part-time for 12 months. This ends next week. It was provided through the Walkley Foundation.

All four flood-affected houses have now been relocated from East Lismore to Mt Pleasant Estate in Goonellabah.The rooves are on, and all are elevated, with some having concrete driveways already built as part of the early stages of the home renovation.The NSWRA (Reconstruction Authority) has stated previously that the renovations will be completed to a high standard to fit in with the aesthetics of the area and should be finished by mid-2025.Back in March this year, the NSWRA's Susie George said they had received over 100 expressions of interest to relocate to the Mt Pleasant Estate. So, there is no shortage of interested flood-affected parties ready to explore their options.The million-dollar question is around affordability.At this stage of the process, it is purely speculation, but it is worth getting a professional opinion from a local real estate agent. Andrew Gordon from R Gordon & Son has been in the real estate game for 34 years but has never experienced anything like the Resilient Homes Program.Andrew Gordon said it is difficult to estimate pricing at this stage as you can only refer to what has been said by the RA."Yes, we've heard that it's going to be an extensive renovation, and I hope it's on a Bangalow-type scale. You drive through some of those estates where you've had exactly the same thing happen: older homes moved to a location and done up, and they sell for a million plus or two million. Well, I'm not expecting that sort of level in Lismore, but I'm certainly expecting over the $600,000 mark. I can't see it being any less than that."If you look at the average price up there, the mean would be well above $800,000. I'm just not sure these will get to that point. I don't think that's the point of the exercise."Andrew raises a good point: what is the point of the exercise?Is it buying the land at Mt Pleasant Estate through the Resilient Lands Program, then moving four homes, renovating them and selling them to flood-affected people going at market price or a reduced price to make them affordable to those people who were at high risk in the floodplain?If we make the assumption that the average Lismore buyback house was around $500,000, and the removal costs were $120,000, plus another $150,000 to renovate the house, including landscaping, the total cost of the exercise would be $770,000. That is before adding the value of the land.Just Street currently has a 670sqm steep block for sale at $295,000. However, the average flat block is around the $350,000 mark.The total cost of purchasing and establishing the house in Mt Pleasant would be around the $1.12 million mark. Of course, if the house was purchased for a market rate of approximately $130,000 (3brm 1 bth), then the total cost would be around the $750,000 price range.A timber home on Just Street, which could be similar to what is being renovated at Mt Pleasant, sold in October this year for $780,000. It had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on a 880sqm block of land.Would a resident who received a buyback for $500,000 to $550,000 be able to afford a property out of flood for $700,000 to $750,000?"I don't know how the RA is going to structure that," Andrew explained, "I would have thought there'd be an affordable component to it. To which there's a formula that will dictate a finishing price. But I think regardless, people are going to get a very good home. I'm sure the effort will be made to ensure that it's a very good home. As an example of exactly what you can do, and provide you with a variety of homes."You've gotta be careful about pricing. You don't want to devalue your neighbour's homes, and I'm sure the RA is very, very aware of that because that will have shortcomings straight away.""You would have to believe that even a timber home with a modest renovation up there would have to be worth $700,000. But if they're trying to sell it under the banner of affordable, then I'm not sure what that formula will be."Eventually, we will know the purchase price of houses in Mt Pleasant Estate and the four relocated homes."It comes through the land titles office, and that information becomes public knowledge. So, we'll always be able to tell at some stage. And I'd imagine they'd be on the open market for which there will be a price levied."As mentioned at the start of this story, this is speculation; however, the reality can not be far off.Andrew concluded by saying, "I honestly don't know, but I'm very interested to see how it works".As is the rest of the community.

Almost 1.1 million drivers are on track to have a demerit point scrubbed from their licence as the NSW Government urges a safe Christmas and New Year on the state’s roads.The second year of the demerit point return scheme will end on 16 January 2025, giving motorists that little extra incentive to remain offence-free at a time when people travel longer distances to reunite with family or go on holiday.About 1.5 million drivers were eligible this year, with about 70 per cent still on course to benefit. It comes at a critical time for road safety, with 323 deaths so far on NSW roads this year – three more than at the same point in 2023.The demerit point scheme will continue in 2025 after Transport for NSW noted a positive reception among drivers to have the incentive to drive safely as a counterbalance to fines, enforcement and double demerits.Results from the first 12-month period showed it was drivers in some of the most car-reliant parts of NSW, including western Sydney and the Central Coast, who benefited most.The demerit point scheme is open to eligible unrestricted and professional licence holders with active demerit points. To qualify for the reduction, they must maintain an offence-free record for 12 months.Demerit point return is part of a suite of measures introduced by the Minns Labor Government to encourage safe driving, including:Seatbelt enforcement by the existing mobile phone camera detection networkRemoving a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within six monthsDoubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with the addition of 2,700 new locations where a camera can be deployed. Enforcement hours will remain the sameA trial of average speed cameras for light vehiclesHosting the state’s first Road Safety Forum of international and local expertsSigning the National Road Safety Data Agreement with the CommonwealthMinister for Roads John Graham said, “More than a million drivers have the chance to get a precious demerit point scrubbed from their licence, which in some cases can mean the difference between remaining on the road.“If you drive for a living, then the reward for safe driving could be the difference between ongoing employment and losing your livelihood.“These are very personal incentives to drive safely, but the broader effect is that safety on our roads is enhanced overall when people are making the right decisions to remain within the speed limit and within the law,“People are used to the stick of enforcement and double demerits but this is the carrot of reward for good behaviour. At a time when fatalities have been on the rise on our roads, we can all do something to make sure no more families are left grieving rather than celebrating Christmas and New Year.Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “As we head into the busy summer period, I am urging all motorists to drive so others survive. For those drivers who may have demerit points from previous years, but who have managed to keep their driving record clean this year, there will be a demerit reward if they can maintain their improved driving behaviours.“Most importantly, by improving our driving behaviour, we are all helping to save lives and reduce trauma on our roads.“It’s really simple to save lives on our road this Christmas and holiday period: stick to the speed limit, don’t drink and drive or use other drugs, put your mobile phone out of reach to avoid distraction, manage your fatigue and always, always wear a seatbelt.“Regional deaths on our roads make up over two thirds of all deaths on our roads, despite only a third of our population living in the regions. Deaths and road trauma hit tight knit regional and rural communities extra hard as everyone knows everyone and the grief, hurt and trauma impact even more widely.“The NSW Government is working every avenue to drive deaths and road trauma towards zero across the state, including by rewarding those drivers who have improved their driving behaviour in the last year. My message to those people is to continue that good driving behaviour and stay on track for a demerit reward.”

Tucki Creek, a vital waterway in Goonellabah, will soon undergo further significant transformation thanks to a $312,000 federal government grant secured by the Gonellabah Tucki Creek Landcare team. After a competitive application process, Secretary Shaen Springall and his team were successful in obtaining the grant, which will fund the regeneration of a 10-hectare area along the creekline. Stretching from behind Kookaburra Terrace to almost Taylor Road, this project aims to improve water quality, create a thriving ecosystem, and provide a welcoming community space.Shaen, a passionate advocate for the environment, has been working tirelessly to secure funding and support for this project. With the grant in place, he and his team are now ready to embark on this ambitious undertaking. The regeneration efforts will involve planting 25,000 native trees and shrubs, carefully selected to thrive in the local environment. These plants will not only help to improve water quality but also provide vital habitat for local wildlife.The project area encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, including open grasslands, remnant rainforest, and areas dominated by invasive camphor laurel. Shaen explained, "It's basically a mixed bag of areas. Some of the areas are sort of open grass in amongst old poison camphor and whatever. Another area is a remnant, which most people don't know exists here in Goonellabah. It's about a 0.7-hectare big scrub remnant. What we're doing is protecting the edges of that big scrub because it's actually getting encroached on by camphor laurel and other weeds. So we're going to be planting all around that to try and protect that remnant of big scrub. (Big scrub remnant off Kookaburra Tce approx 0.7 Ha. Planting will be done into open areas surrounding remnant)"And then further along towards Taylor Road, it's 100% camphor Laurel with an understory of privet and ochna and every other weed you could imagine. It's a really nice bit of Creek, but it's just totally surrounded by camphor laurel."To ensure the success of the project, Shaen and his team have developed a comprehensive plan. The initial phase will involve clearing the invasive camphor laurel and other weeds through targeted poisoning and weed control. This will create space for the planting of native trees and shrubs, which will begin in May. "We have a team of contractors ready to go. They're just going to get in there and blitz through all the primary work. So, poisoning all the camphor and all the weed control. And then, in May, we intend on trying to plant as many of those 25,000 plants as we can. Then the rest of the grant will be taken up with maintenance."The team has carefully selected a range of species that are well-suited to the local conditions and will provide a diverse habitat for wildlife.(A 4-year-old planting that used to be Camphor laurel)Shaen emphasised that the project will involve a period of transformation as the camphor laurel is cleared and the native plants begin to establish themselves. "Visually, you're just going to have that period of transformation from camphor to rainforest. So for a while, you will see a lot of dead, and then it just takes time," he explained.To monitor the impact of the regeneration efforts on water quality, Ecoteam Lismore will conduct water testing over a three-year period. This data will provide valuable insights into the health of Tucki Creek and help to assess the effectiveness of the project.The project has received strong support from Lismore City Council, which has committed funding and in-kind contributions. Council will also oversee the ongoing maintenance of the site after the initial three-year grant period. Shaen expressed his gratitude for council's support, stating, "Council have been very supportive, and they've been very supportive with funds as well. They've committed in-kind financial contributions for the whole grant as well. And they've also committed in-kind contributions, as in they'll do some reporting for us and stuff like that to show that we're meeting our milestones. And, they committed to the ongoing maintenance costs of it after the three-year period is up as well, which is really good."Shaen and his team are excited to begin this transformative project and are confident that it will have a positive impact on the local environment and community. "It's a really, really nice site. It's a really nice bit of creek. It's just so degraded all around it. And we're just trying to improve it for the community and for the wildlife," he said.The regeneration of Tucki Creek represents a significant step towards improving the health of this vital waterway and creating a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem for future generations.

NORPA has launched a $600,000 fundraising campaign to secure a new home in Lismore’s CBD following the devastating 2022 floods. The new venue, to be known as ‘The Joinery’, will provide a resilient and creative space for the company to continue its work in the Northern Rivers region.The 2022 floods destroyed NORPA’s previous home at Lismore City Hall, causing extensive damage to the building. While City Hall is planned to be restored in the future, NORPA informed Lismore City Council that it will not continue to manage the premises and would be assessing options. NORPA has now seized the opportunity to create a new, purpose-built facility that will better serve the needs of the community in the old Hampton & Larsson joinery building on Hampton Street in the CBD. The Joinery is massive 3,000 square metres, which is large enough for NORPA to offer a range of facilities for hosting special events and productions, rehearsal and creation spaces for artists, and an incubator for creativity hosting artist-in-residencies. The venue will also serve as a training centre for local talent in acting, dance, stage design and technical production.(An artist's impression of The Joinery)“A fit-for-purpose space where artists can experiment, create, collaborate, and present their work locally," said Heather Fairbairn, NORPA’s Artistic Associate. "An arts precinct will help bridge the gap between the limited resources available to local talent and what is available to artists working nationally and internationally. – allowing our community to thrive.”NORPA aims to raise the $600,000 to purchase the building, which will catalyse the broader $9.1 million Joinery development. The new development is being designed by award-winning Australian architecture firm, Chrofi, and will be flood-resilient and climate-adaptive.The Joinery is expected to attract significant investment into the region and create over 160 jobs annually. NORPA currently engages with over 15,000 community and audience members annually and leverages over $1 million of arts funding annually.“This new home will enable NORPA to transcend its Lismore-centric roots and truly become a cultural anchor for the entire Northern Rivers region,” said NORPA. “With a larger, more versatile and professional making space, NORPA will be able to create and host productions that resonate with and draw artists and community from across the region and beyond.”NORPA is urging the community to support the campaign, emphasising that their contribution will determine the cultural and economic trajectory of the region for decades to come. We have a limited window to secure the property and begin this visionary project. Contribute now to join cultural heroes shaping the future of arts and community resilience in the Northern Rivers. Donations can be made through their giving page or by signing a petition to illustrate community support to funders.

Farmers have called for a border crackdown to stop the spread of highly invasive fire ants into NSW, following several biosecurity breaches that exposed the country to a $60 billion risk.  NSW Farmers Biosecurity Committee Chair Tony Hegarty said it was clear the NSW Government needed to take radical new action to protect communities and farmers from the potentially deadly pest. “From round-the-clock border checkpoints to detection dogs monitoring state lines, all options need to be on the table to stop fire ants from blazing across the NSW border,” Mr Hegarty said.“The Natural Resources Commission found that if fire ants were allowed to spread the costs could be $60 billion over 30 years to Australia – or $2.2 billion a year – meaning the cumulative combined damage would be half of that of the COVID shock in 2020-21. “It’s clear we need to implement a serious biosecurity regime if we want to remove this threat from our shores.” Red Imported Fire Ants were one of the worst invasive species to reach Australia’s shores, and despite being detected in Queensland more than two decades ago, had not been eradicated. Mr Hegarty said the NSW Government now had no choice but to get serious about stopping fire ants from crossing state lines. “People in the north of the state are pulling their hair out, this is a serious threat not just to farmers but to our very way of life,” Mr Hegarty said. “Farmers in NSW are fast losing faith in the biosecurity system they’re funding, and its ability to protect us."The NSW Government must protect our state properly, rather than simply dealing with incursions when they arise. ”

They came from all parts of the Northern Rivers this morning to the old Lismore Railway Station for the official opening of the Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, Mayor of Lismore Steve Krieg, Mayor of Ballina Sharon Cadwallader, Mayor of Richmond Valley Robert Musto, Councillors Andrew Bing, Electra Jensen, Andrew Gordon, Gianpiero Battista, Harper Dalton-Earls and Virginia Waters and the General Managers from Lismore, Rous County Council and Byron Shire Council. Plus people had cycled in from Casino to enjoy the festivities.The 16-kilometre Lismore to Bentley section was funded by the Commonwealth to the tune of $10.8 million, which brought the 29-kilometre Lismore to Casino total to around $17 million.Cameron Arnold OAM Vice President of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Association, said the journey to get to this point started in 2011/2012."All the things that Steve (Mayor Krieg) just talked about, we envisaged, back in the day, all the things about the businesses that can be created, the jobs that could be created, the community spirit that could be created. We're now witnessing here today," Cameron told the crowd.Earlier, Mayor Krieg referred to the impact that the Rail Trail will have on South Lismore businesses. He mentioned that Bowen's Pies and Southside Bakery both opened at 7am for today's opening and that Southside Chempro Chemist was open if anyone needed some dencorub after the long ride to Bentley or for those tackling the Casino return leg."These are all the things that have the flow-on effect," Mayor Krieg said, "People look at Council and go, why are you building that? Why are you wasting money here when we've got potholes in our road?"I'll tell you why we do it. It is to support the small businesses. It's to support the people that put our young people through jobs and apprenticeships and traineeships. It's to support the people that have actually taken a risk on Lismore, like Two Mates Brewery and Norco, which is just down the road here. All of these people commit their lives, their savings, their knowledge into rebuilding a regional centre, and it is our responsibility as a council to support them, and I couldn't be more proud to stand here today."Two Mates Brewing now has a side entrance from the Rail Trail and there were a lot of people enjoying a cold beer and a bit to eat after their ride.Co-owner Grant Smith was happy with the turnout."Absolutely. We've been preparing for this a long time: the rail trail and the expectation of that comes with the possibilities. I think with community engagement and tourism, it's a welcome thing for us here in our business."And I think that's the thing that keeps us all here. I think what keeps us going is the potential that sits there around reactivating this area specifically, but Lismore as a whole, as well. People get to see stuff, you know? We get to share this great place, and then the community get to share it as well. So, I mean, we've always promoted this place as a community hub. That's what it is, a space where people come to play and stay."Some of the community criticism has surrounded the ongoing maintenance costs. Cameron Arnold stated the three points that NR's Rail Trail wanted to deliver when they began the project."We've always stuck with those three key things. The first one, this will be significant when the whole thing is done. So we're not going to stop until the whole 132 kilometres is complete."The second thing was it had to stay in public hands. This asset had to remain in public hands for the community to make the most out of it. And we achieved that."And the third thing was that we didn't want it to be a burden on the community. We didn't want it to be a burden on ratepayers, it has to pay its own way. So, everything that we do has to actually contribute to the maintenance, to the development and to the sustainability of the trail. And we've always stuck with that, and we will until the whole thing's done."As for the future of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Mayor Krieg referred to not only the Lismore to Booyong section but the Booyong to Byron Bay section too."We've got plans in place. We've already got a funding deed at both levels of Parliament, I believe, with Byron Bay for $45 million to continue the rail line here and to start the Byron section."Perhaps the biggest news was about a bridge linking the rail trail to the CBD."I probably shouldn't mention this publicly, but we've already identified a site to create a bridge to link the CBD with the rail trail. We want to embrace the river. We want to spend a million dollars. We want to spend a million dollars for our river regeneration along that section. Let's make Lismore an iconic place to come and visit."Someone from the crowd yelled out, "Let's swim in the river.""That would be beautiful, wouldn't it? We'll bring the fences down, but they're all the things that we want to see happen in Lismore. I would love to see paddle boats that you can go and hire. You can paddle along there on the river and then jump on your bike and ride to Casino."Who knows what the future holds, but Lismore has got a broad picture through infrastructure and assets like this."Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan congratulated everyone involved in the creation of this new leg and said this was one of the proudest projects he has helped facilitate, along with a lot of other people."This will be a national tourism icon that will be world-famous when it is complete."Why do we think it will be world-famous? Because we all know people. You know people, I know people who will say, I'm going to Spain to do a walk, or they go into some country to do some experiential theme walk or ride. What we know that we have here is when we have finished this and completed this, we are a world-famous area anyway, but a rail trail from Casino to Murwillumbah will be a worldwide attraction."The modelling that has been done on this will bring a whole new tourist base to this region and a whole new source of economic activity to this region, which is really, really exciting."As for the Rail Trail itself, Mick, Terri and Debbie are regular cyclists, and they loved the new section."It's fabulous, and the gravel bike helps. I really like it, because you don't have to struggle with traffic and potholes."We went over to the new bridge near Bentley. The good thing is lots of side roads. You can go off with your gravel bike, and so you can do detours off it as far as you like."We have done the Bentley to Casino section, but I haven't done the whole way up as a social rider yet."Cycling Without Age was offering free trishaw rides to the elderly and disabled today.Cycling Without Age is a registered charity with chapters worldwide. They started in Europe and are operated by volunteers.The volunteers get together, organise a chapter, raise funds, and then around maybe three or four or more days a week on sections of a Rail Trail.Raymond Richards and Greg Malone said the charity would love to open a regular stall at the Lismore railway station but needs volunteers to do that."We offer free trishaw rides to people with disabilities and older Australians. Tracy McDonough has been the driving force behind the Burringbar chapter. If people want to volunteer for a Lismore chapter, they can get in touch with Tracy through the Cycling Without Age Facebook page.Generally, Cycling Without Age runs Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, which is a quieter time than weekends."As you probably know, the other rail trail is hugely popular, from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek. It's always busy, and weekends are very busy. So you don't really want tri-shaws on the track when it's super busy. It's very safety conscious. We run two trishaws, and there's a scout that goes in front, and we carry defibrillators and a first aid kit," Raymond explained."We're all trained in health and safety, so it's very carefully set up. The volunteers go through a training program ride."It was only day one for the Lismore to Casino section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, but if that is an indication of the activity that will occur across the Christmas/New Year and school holiday period, then there is a lot to be positive about.

The holiday season is nearly upon us; it is only a week and a half until Christmas day, and many of us are thinking about packing up and heading to our favourite camp spot or pulling up to the relatives’ house to celebrate Christmas cheer.Before hitting the road, the usual checks and balances are ticked off – all kids and/or dogs in the car – check, luggage – check, the Christmas presents and supplies - check. But have you checked to see if an unwanted invasive cane toad has hopped into your load to hitch a ride?Don't laugh, each year, North Coast Local Land Services sees an increase in cane toad reports with the influx of campers and travellers moving from the established cane toad population areas into the Biosecurity cane toad-free zone of NSW. Cane toads typically get caught up in camping gear, trailers or vehicles.Check your camping gear thoroughly before folding and loading, and do a quick check around your trailer and vehicle to make sure you don’t have a stowaway.It is important to know what you are looking for and what you will do if you find a cane toad. Here are some tips on how to prepare:Use the Landcare Cane Toad Control Handbook to familiarise yourself with how to identify, how to safely collect and how to report a toad: https://www.coffsharbourlandcare.org.au/resources/publication/landcare-cane-toad-control-handbook/Watch the North Coast Local Land Services Cane Toad video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfqVOiK7QV8Download the Australian Museum’s Frog ID app and listen to the cane toad call. It is breeding season now and males will be calling out to find a mate: https://www.frogid.net.au/The Landcare Cane Toad Control Handbook provides information on how to euthanise a cane toad humanely. Several native frog species look like the invasive Cane Toad, so we recommend capturing the animal in a well-ventilated container, taking photos and reporting using the FeralScan app. A trained officer can then confirm the identity and advise on euthanasia, if required.How to reportIt takes 5 min to report. You can download the FeralScan app onto your phone or go directly to the website: https://www.feralscan.org.au/toadscan/. Simply upload your photos, include your contact details and location, and hit submit – it’s that easy!Facts about cane toads:a female cane toad can lay up to 35,000 eggs each breeding season cane toads have caused the local extinction of turtles, goannas, carnivorous mammals like quolls and birds in parts of Australiacane toads are poisonous at all life stages – eggs, tadpoles, juveniles and adultscane toads can kill pet dogs Have a hoppy Christmas and a toadally great New Year!

Electric cars are the hot ticket item in Lismore and the Northern Rivers when it comes to updating your mode of transport. You see so many more Teslas on the streets of Lismore than twelve months ago.You may have well heard about hydrogen technology and how one day it will rival electric cars. It feels more like a fairytale that is ten or twenty years away.At a recent Business Lismore After Hours event at Lismore Toyota, you could see and test drive the fairytale, proving that there will be another choice added to the list of clean energy cars to choose from in the future.Dealer Principal at Lismore Toyota Tom Rocks said your choice would depend on your driving habits.For shorter driving distances, electric cars could be your car of choice. However, if you want to travel longer distances, say over 400km, a hybrid or your reliable internal combustible engine will better suit some people, especially those worried about finding a charging station and taking the time for it to charge.Enter the Toyota Mirai. The first hydrogen fuel cell-powered car in Lismore.It boasts a range of 750 kilometres on a full tank of hydrogen and can be refuelled in five minutes. The only emissions produced by hydrogen cars is water vapour. A fuel cell uses the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity without harmful tailpipe emissions.Don't go looking to purchase a hydrogen car just yet.The big stumbling block for these cars to be imported into Australia en masse is the lack of refuelling options. According to the CSIRO, there are only 13 in Australia currently.The Toyota Mirai that I test-drove had 300km left before it needed to be trucked to Brisbane for refuelling.The NSW government has signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Victorian and Queensland governments to build an east coast hydrogen refuelling network and provided $10 million to support the project. There was no timeframe.The technology will be developed to help the heavy haulage transport industry first, so trains and trucks, before the car industry is activated.Back to the Mirai.It has the feel of an electric car, with no noticeable mechanical noise. The technology is impressive, and the power when you put your foot on the accelerator gives you confidence when overtaking.How hydrogen worksAt the core of the Mirai, hydrogen from the fuel tank and air entering from the intake grille meet in the Fuel Cell Stack. There, a chemical reaction involving the oxygen in the air and hydrogen creates electricity—powering the Mirai.(Under the hood of the Mirai)While hydrogen is more expensive than gasoline, hydrogen is 2.5 times more efficient.The Mirai can carry a load, drive uphill or face a strong headwind and not lose battery power unlike electric vehicles, where the driving range reduces noticeably.SafetyHydrogen has a wide range of flammable concentrations in air and lower ignition energy than gasoline or natural gas, which means it can ignite more easily.Toyota says the Mirai chassis is designed around the fuel cell system to protect components in a collision and is equipped with safety sensors to detect potential Hydrogen leaks. If a collision is detected, the hydrogen tank valves are shut off. The Mirai’s Hydrogen high-pressure tanks have a three-layer structure consisting of:Surface layer – fibreglass-reinforced polymerMiddle layer – carbon fibre-reinforced plasticInterior layer – plastic linerIf you are an early adopter, like having the latest iPhone of Samsung, get into Lismore Toyota and check out the Mirai. Ask the team for a test drive.

The work being done by Plan C is being acknowledged and it has resulted in over a million dollars worth grants going towards its training packages.Youth, adults and the LGBTQI community training are the benefactors of the funds, and Lismore is among the target audiences that will see results.Plan C is about educating the community and building community resilience to prepare for natural disasters.Rena Frohman, the program director, is thrilled at the recognition that they have received, “We're really excited for 2025. We are so thankful to all of the funders who are supporting us, and we are so thankful to community members who just keep on giving to other community members.”There are three grants that contribute to their total funding pool, each for a different demographic of the community.  “The CEO, Jean Renouf, has been working hard over the last five years to raise awareness of disaster resilience and climate adaptation. He's trained so many volunteers across the Northern Rivers. It's his passion in this area. “Collectively, because of the bushfires, COVID and then the devastating floods, it's really picked up steam. The fact that he's focusing on helping community, community resilience and social capital in communities, it's taken off. Everybody recognises how important it is.”Mr Renouf has been spending time all over the country presenting the importance of the community in resilience and recovery.Over $300,000 has been received from Healthy North Coast for one and a half years worth of Community Carers and Responders (CCR) training. “This empowers local communities to respond confidently in times of need and build community in times of peace.“We have trained to date almost 300 community cares and responders across the Northern Rivers. We have a great group of CCRs from Lismore, and I want to add to that.”It’s a 5-day program, available across the even LGAs, on a rotational shift, and there are no barriers to place. If the Ballina dates suit a Lismorian better, then they are welcome to join the Ballina training group.“There’s three days of Disaster Resilience Training, a day of Psychological First Aid and a day of First Aid. Part of the course initiates people to go on to create projects in their own communities that build community cohesion and help prepare for the next disaster. “Out of those 270 who have completed all five days. We have 85 people who have embarked on or finished projects. And some of these projects are in place, like the Evans Area Resilience Network.   “These are not one-off projects; they're ongoing community initiatives. "We're really excited that we're able to repeat that offer to the Northern Rivers community starting in March.”Another grant of $800,000 from Multicultural NSW Compact, will support another 4 years of the young people NextGen Navigators Program to run. That will support 240 people to be trained. The benefactors will be from all seven LGAs in the Northern Rivers. Plan C is looking for schools or organisations to partner with in Lismore.“This program equips young people with essential skills to lead and support their communities in times of need. “Recognising the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation during disruptions, NextGen Navigators also focuses on building evidence-based critical thinking skills, empowering youth to assess credibility and reliability as they navigate the complex world of AI and social media.“We are incredibly thankful to multicultural New South Wales and their Compact program. “The $800,000 gives us a chance to do youth engagement processes and redesign and take the learnings from the last two pilots to really build an even more robust and engaging and fun program.”There is even talk of youth in schools acting as consultants to lend their voice to the redevelopment. The LGBTQI community have a year of the Preparing with Pride project with proceeds from the Northern Rivers Community Foundation. Plan C will be partnering with Queer Family to deliver the training.  “The program is designed for and delivered with LGBTIQ+ community members, who face unique challenges during crises. Through a series of trauma-informed, inclusive workshops, participants will gain practical skills in disaster preparedness, psychological first aid, and emergency planning. ‘The project aims to foster collaboration, reduce social isolation, and empower the community to respond effectively and support one another during disasters.”The training packages will be tailored to the community needs and will be delivered in a series of shorter courses that make up parts of the CCR training.Plan C will have even more good news for the community in the new year, so keep an eye on them to see what else is developing.Jump on the socials for Plan C to find out when the courses are coming to Lismore:FacebookInstagramWebsiteLinks to more information about the courses:CCR Training (community carers and responders)NextGen NavigatorsAnd the organisations that have made Plan C’s work possible:Healthy North CoastMulticultural NSWNorthern Rivers Community FoundationQueer family

There have been speculative discussions on social media about the likelihood of a flood in January with the prediction of a higher-than-average rainfall forecast. The ground has to be saturated, and rain needs to fall fast and long in specific catchment areas. At this stage, there is not enough evidence of that to raise concern.As we know, January, February and March are prime candidate months for flooding, but it isn’t a guarantee.According to the BOM, the outlook for the rest of December will be predominantly dry. Higher than usual minimum and maximum temperatures will see us feeling the heat over Christmas. Cold seafood platters are recommended!In January, there is higher than average rainfall expected, but it is not predicted to all fall at once. However, the ground is relatively wet, and the runoff will see swollen rivers. The conditions for potential flooding have not presented themselves at this stage.Predictions look at the chance of a “burst” event - 75mm plus rainfall within a three-day period. The outlook for that is 0 to 20% until January 6th. Beyond that, we will have to wait to see what the modelling predicts.However, the BOM is saying there is a 59% chance of above-median rainfall (greater than 125.1mm) in January and a 23% chance of an unusually wet month (greater than 257.8mm). For February, the above-median rainfall is similar at 60%, but the unusually wet percentage rises to 32.The higher minimum and maximum temperature forecast will last through January and into February and March.With the summer holidays almost here, the call of the wild sees many opting to camp. Due to the possibility of swollen streams and river banks, the SES are asking that you take particular care when selecting a camping site.  Scott McLennan advises, “Keep back from the edges of waterways, and don’t set your tent up under trees.“With the advent of Hip camping and other free camping adventurers, they are the people at risk, they don’t know the conditions for the area, and conditions have a tendency to change. They are the people we are called out to most often.“The other risk group at this time of year are people towing trailers and caravans. If water levels are high, bridges are under strain. There was an incident recently with a Rav 4 towing a trailer - they only just got over the bridge, and it collapsed.“Consider your circumstances and risk levels when you venture out this summer.”

The weekend weather looks good for Christmas shopping or putting up the last of the Christmas lights. There is a medium chance (40-50%) of showers over the weekend. A warm 29 degrees is expected on both days, with 18/19 degree minimums.As you would expect, it is Christmas, Christmas and Christmas this weekend.If you click on the Lismore App's Christmas 2024 button, you will find a list of Christmas light locations, Santa visits, Church Services and Christmas Markets.The Tullera Christmas Markets are on now until 8pm at the Tullera Hall on Dunoon Road.They have over 20 stalls, children's face painting, entertainment, free parking, a Vietnamese Food Cart and more.All of Lismore missed out on Carols in the Heart last Sunday when the storm ripped through the CBD in the early afternoon. There are more options to take the family to this Sunday.The Clunes Carols at the Common is on this Sunday (December 15) at 17 Walker Street from 5pm.Carols on the Lawn is happening at the Salvation Army Northern Rivers office at 30 Cambridge Drive, Goonellabah from 5:30pm.There will be loads of Christmas goodies at the Lismore Farmers Market tomorrow morning from 7:30 at the Lismore Showground.Hampers, plants, bonsai's, coffee/tea, breakfast and fresh fruit and veg will be on sale, as well as live music from Malcolm Gladstone.The Lismore Free Market is on Sunday at the Lismore Community Garden at 50 Brewster Street between 9am and 11am.This market really is FREE with items given away.The 2024 Christmas Cup is a good way to relax and get into the festive spirit this Sunday at the Lismore Turf Club.The Christmas Cup is the major fundraiser for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. The $10 entry fee will be donated to this life-saving charity.As well as the races, there will be live music, raffles, auctions and a BBQ. Gates open at 11am.A reminder the Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail officially opens tomorrow at 9am, just in time for Christmas at the old Lismore Railway Station.Families can take their pushbikes, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards or walk the 16.3km from Lismore to Bentley.If you want to relax and enjoy some live music, check out the Northern Rivers Hotel in North Lismore.Katie Brooke will entertain you tonight from 7pm, Outback Road from 7 tomorrow night and the Chris Fisher Duo for the Sunday Session between 4pm and 7pm.The Lismore Workers Club live music returns in February 2025 with Forever Olivia - A Tribute to Olivia Newton-John, Reputation - the Ultimate Taylor Swift Tribute Show and The Fab Four - the Ultimate Tribute to The Beatles.Click here to check out the rest of the live music on offer in 2025.No price movement again for fuel prices twelve days out from Christmas. Ballina is easily the cheapest place to fill your tank for everything apart from diesel, where Lismore is the cheapest option.Here are the cheapest fuel prices in each town:E10 is 178.9 across those that serve E10 in Lismore, 165.9 at the NightOwl Puma at 37 Jonston Street in Casino, with The Metro and the Mobil on River Street in Ballina cheapest at 161.9.Unleaded 91 is 175.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 168.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 163.9 at the Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U95 is 188.9 at the Independent on Wyrallah Road, East Lismore, Northside Liberty and Bakers Corner at North Lismore and the Liberty on Ballina Road, 184.9 at the Ampol on Dyraaba Street in Casino and 174.9 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.U98 is 195.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 188.9 at the two Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and 183.9 at The Metro and the Mobil on River Street, Ballina.Diesel is 172.9 at the Ampol Foodary at 237 Union Street, South Lismore and the Astron on Ballina Road, 179.5 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 182.5 at The Metro and the Mobil in Ballina.Have a great weekend!

Lismore’s long-awaited 10.2-kilometre rail trail is finally set to open to the public tomorrow (Saturday, December 14, 2024) The new trail, a significant addition to the region's tourism infrastructure, has been funded entirely by the federal government to the tune of $10.2 million.The Lismore to Bentley Rail Trail section of the proposed Murwillumbah to Casino Rail Trail, boasts world-class standards of construction, according to Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg. The Mayor praised the work of contractors Hazellbros, Willow and Sparrow and O'Briens Electrical and Plumbing for their roles in delivering the project under budget and ahead of schedule.“This is a really exciting opportunity for the whole Northern Rivers. This is the type of thing that brings our region together. These are the attractions that put the Northern Rivers as a whole on the map. Anything that can bring people into our region and into our city is got to be a good thing, and we're very appreciative of all the work that's been done behind the scenes, the years of lobbying to get the money, the work, the planning, and the effort it's taken."The reason these rail trails are so good is because the gradients are so small. Trains aren't designed to go up steep hills, and so these are literally fit for purpose for any ability, any age group or any demographic. Anyone can use a rail trail with the knowledge that it is safe and it is accessible to everyone,” said Mayor Krieg.For those concerned about rhe Rail Trail's longevity, the trail is designed to be weatherproof and flood resistant, with the ability to withstand being submerged for a period of time.“The work that Michael and his team did to make the rail trail weatherproof and flood resistant is fantastic. All the work can go underwater and sit underwater for a while, and when the flood water goes, the track is still there. It really is an amazing engineering feat led by a very capable design team. "Also, the wonderful work that Lisa (from O'Brien's Electrical and Plumbing) and her team through Joel Jensen (Constructions) did. If you drove past this train station two or three weeks ago, there was still plywood on the windows, and it was in a real state of disrepair. To get it to where it is now and ready for Saturday's opening is a true credit to our local companies and local businesses employing local people, providing opportunities for our local residents. So congratulations to all the team and on an outstanding effort,” added Mayor Krieg.The opening marks the culmination of years of planning and lobbying, with Mayor Krieg acknowledging the efforts of Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan in securing the initial funding. The project was initially conceived as part of a larger vision to create a continuous 120-kilometre rail trail from Murwillumbah to Richmond Valley.“Let's get the whole thing done”, said Mayor Krieg when referring to the unfinished section of the rail trail. “If you look from here to the south of us at how beautiful this section is, when we all know, if we look 100 meters north of where we're standing, I hate to say it, but how unkempt it is. Who wouldn't want this running through their city and beautifying and providing an opportunity for all of our residents, but tourists as well, to be able to come in and experience why we live. "We live here because we think it's the best place on Earth. We love the environment, we love the location, and let's get anyone and everyone from all around the world to come and experience it. What better way than sitting on a bike and riding up through the hills to the Murwillumbah hinterland. You can stop at the Eltham Pub for a counter meal. There are so many opportunities that this will present, and I would love to see that completed right the way through to Murwillumbah and all the way as it is now, through to Casino. It is going to be amazing,” he added.The Lismore to Bentley section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail will be officially open tomorrow morning at 9am.

The latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Healthcare Quarterly report (July – September 2024) once again paints a bleak picture for Lismore Base Hospital.It was also the first report to capture a full quarter of data from the new Tweed Valley Hospital, which commenced operations on May 14, 2024.The brighter news begins with planned procedures for the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD). From July to September 2024, 3,572 planned procedures were completed, with the vast majority (85.4 per cent) performed on time. This is an improvement of 8.2 percentage points compared with the same period in 2023 (77.2 per cent).At the end of the quarter, there were 232 patients waiting longer than clinically recommended for their planned surgery, a reduction of 67 per cent, or 477 patients fewer, compared with the end of September 2023.Median waiting times decreased for both the semi-urgent and non-urgent categories and remained stable for the urgent category.Any patient who feels their condition may have deteriorated while waiting for their surgery is encouraged to contact their treating doctor who can review their condition and place them in a higher urgency category, if appropriate.The inherent problem for Lismore Base Hospital lies in the emergency department.NNSWLHD Director Clinical Operations Lynne Weir said hospitals continued to see increasing numbers of patients presenting to emergency departments and arriving by ambulance, trends which are being reflected across NSW.“We had 56,041 emergency attendances in the quarter, an increase of 3.4 per cent, or 1,840 additional attendances when compared with the same quarter last year, and the highest July-September quarter ever recorded.Lismore Base Hospital bucked this trend with a 0.1% decrease in ED attendance to 10,046.“We also saw 9,775 arrivals by ambulance, an increase of 585 arrivals, or 6.4 per cent, compared with the same quarter in 2023, and the highest ever on record.Lismore Base was up 8% to 3,022.“It’s incredibly busy in our EDs, and I’d like to thank all our staff for their continued efforts in caring for our communities at their most vulnerable.”From July to September 2024, almost seven in 10 patients (69.5 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the NSW average (61.3 per cent).Lismore Base was ten percent lower than the state average with 51.3%, which was a 12.2% decrease for the same period in 2023.More than eight in 10 patients (80.7 per cent) were transferred from ambulance paramedics to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark time, which is better than the NSW average (77.5 per cent).Lismore Base also performed above the state average, with 66.6%, down 2.2%.The majority of patients (71.0 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving – which is also significantly better than the NSW average (54.7 per cent).Lismore Base performed well below the NNSWLHD average, with 50.6% of patients leaving the ED within four hours. This was down 4.6%.All patients are seen and triaged on arrival at the ED and the most seriously unwell patients are treated first. During busy times, those with less urgent conditions can experience longer wait times when there are large numbers of seriously unwell patients being prioritised for emergency care.“As a district, we are focussed on supporting patients to access timely care in a range of settings, depending on what’s most appropriate for their condition,” Ms Weir said.“In many cases, that may be through our emergency departments, but we are also implementing alternative avenues such as combining our Hospital in the Home and community nursing services across the District to improve the capacity in the community for out-of-hospital services.”For non-life threatening illness or injury such as a cough, nausea, sprain or minor cut, residents canphone HealthDirect on 1800 022 222 for free, expert health advice 24 hours a day.A registered nurse will answer your call, ask some questions and connect you to the right care, which could include connecting with a health expert by phone or video call, booking an appointment at an urgent care clinic or other local healthcare service, and also calling an ambulance or directing to the emergency department if the situation is life-threatening.The numbers, once again, prove that Lismore Base Hospital is in dire need of government intervention.In our September interview with CEO Tracey Maisey, she pointed to a lack of beds and a lack of aged care facilities from an increasing elderly population that stay in hospital longer as the main problems that Lismore Base Hospital underperforms in key categories.INDIVIDUAL HOSPITAL RESULTSBALLINA DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 4,635 ED attendances during the quarter, an increase of 6.7 per cent (290 attendances) compared with the same quarter in 2023. More than six in 10 patients (62.1 per cent) started their ED treatment on time. More than seven in 10 patients (74.0 per cent) left the ED within four hours. More than eight in 10 patients (87.1 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, an increase of 3.7 percentage points compared to the same quarter in 2023.BYRON CENTRAL HOSPITAL had 5,354 ED attendances for the quarter, up 1.8 per cent (95 attendances) on the same quarter in 2023. The vast majority of patients (85.0 per cent) started their ED treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.3 percent). Eight in 10 patients (81.5 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving. More than nine in 10 patients (93.4 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is in line with the average for hospitals of a similar size (93.3 per cent).CASINO & DISTRICT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL had 3,456 ED attendances in the quarter, an increase of 7.4 per cent (237 attendances) on the same quarter in 2023. More than five in 10 patients (59.8 percent) started treatment on time and more than eight in 10 patients (84.0per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving. More than nine in 10 patients (93.5 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.GRAFTON BASE HOSPITAL had 7,023 ED attendances during this quarter, a 4.4 per cent increase (293 attendances) on the same quarter in 2023. More than five in 10 started treatment on time (56.3 per cent). Almost seven in 10 patients (69.6 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (59.0 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (87.7 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark an increase of 4.7 percentage points compared to the same quarter in 2023.LISMORE BASE HOSPITAL had 10,046 ED attendances during the quarter. The District also saw 3,022 ambulance arrivals, an increase of 8 per cent (225 arrivals) on the same quarter in 2023. More than five in 10 patients (51.3 per cent) started their treatment on time, and 50.6 per cent of patients left the ED within four hours of arriving, which is slightly above the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (48.7 per cent). More than six in 10 patients (66.6 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.MACLEAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 4,073 ED attendances during the quarter, up 7.5 per cent (283 attendances) compared with the same quarter in 2023. More than seven in 10 patients (75.5 percent) started their treatment on time. More than eight in 10 patients (86.2 per cent) left the ED within four hours. Almost all patients (93.9 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.MURWILLUMBAH DISTRICT HOSPITAL had 5,089 ED attendances during the quarter, an increase of 5.7 per cent (275 attendances) compared with the same quarter in 2023. The vast majority of patients (80.7 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (65.4 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (85.1 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving, significantly better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (59.0 per cent). Almost nine in 10 patients (89.7 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark.TWEED VALLEY HOSPITAL had 14,138 ED attendances during the quarter. There were 2,944 ambulance arrivals, an increase of 10.8 per cent (or 288 arrivals) compared with the same quarter in 2023 (at The Tweed Hospital). More than seven in 10 patients (79.1 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is significantly better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (53.7 percent). More than six in 10 patients (66.1 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving, which is also better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (48.7 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (84.3 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, also better than the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (75.0 per cent).

The Alexandra Parade rail bridge was on Lismore City Council's agenda at Tuesday's council meeting, they are seeking the removal of it after the Union Street rail bridge is removed first.Transport for NSW wants to remind motorists that the 3.5-metre clearance single lane at Alexandra Parade, North Lismore, remains closed following damage caused to the rail-over-road bridge by a vehicle impact earlier in the year.From today (Friday, 13 December), Alexandra Parade will be open to a single-lane traffic flow for light vehicles under the 2.8-metre span, with a give-way for northbound traffic at the approach to the rail-over-road bridge. Over-height vehicles will continue to use the existing signposted detour via Terania Street.Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs.For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW app, visit livetraffic.com , or call 132 701.

The NSW Government has opened expressions of interest for community-led primary prevention initiatives as it continues to invest in meaningful action in an effort to prevent domestic and family violence.Up to $4.25 million in grant funding is on offer to local organisations statewide, including regional and rural, for proposals that address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence in our community.Proposals that align with the Pathways to Prevention strategy will be given priority consideration, including gender-based violence prevention programs that:Focus on high-impact settings such as schools, workplaces and sporting clubsEngage men and boys in prevention initiativesAlign with the ’Change the Story’[1] framework, including related frameworks ‘Changing the Picture’, ‘Changing the Landscape’ and ‘Pride in Prevention’Support LGBTQIA+ communities through inclusive programmingSupport migrant and refugee communitiesExplore innovative approaches, including the use of digital spaces such as social media.Successful projects will run over a three-year period.Following the EOI, eligible organisations will be invited to submit detailed proposals for funding consideration.The full grant application process for the Primary Prevention Multi-Year Partnership Grants Program will be run in early 2025.The NSW Government has committed $38 million over four years to roll out the state’s first dedicated primary prevention strategy to partner with local organisations on addressing the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.For more information and to apply, go to: https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/service-providers/grants/grants-open/nsw-primary-prevention-multi-year-partnerships-grant-program.htmlMinister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said, “Violence against women and girls can and must be prevented.“Our government’s first dedicated primary prevention strategy provides a roadmap of the work we need to do to address the drivers of violence against women and stop the violence before it starts. “We want to partner with local organisations and the community on programs that disrupt the drivers of gendered violence, promote healthy and respectful relationships, and change attitudes towards women. That will be the key to ending violence against women and girls.”Support:If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN on 13 92 76.

Lismore City Council has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Friends of Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens to support the volunteer organisation to continue their vital functions at the only volunteer-run botanic gardens in Australia. In addition to providing the community with a place to visit and relax as they learn about our native environment, the garden importantly partners with other Botanical Gardens and universities across the nation to undertake scientific studies. Council’s General Manager Jon Gibbons said Council has supported the Friends of the LRBG for more than 20 years. “In the last 10 years in particular, the Botanic Gardens has grown a great deal,” he said. “The plants are well established, and much infrastructure has been added, including a Visitor Centre, toilets, BBQ area, picnic tables, signage, decks, seating, bridges and plumbing fixtures. “It has become a destination for local, interstate and international visitors, and serves as a cultural and recreational venue, attracting theatre performances, as well as regular guided walks. “Alongside this growth is a need to balance the future development of the Botanic Gardens with maintaining and upgrading what we already have. “The MOU and Management Plan 2025 – 2029 focus on identifying the Botanic Gardens’ assets, the responsibility for those assets, processes for building new assets and applying for grant funding, as well as work, health and safety procedures on site.” The Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens opened in 2013, and last year, the group volunteered about 4,800 hours. Vice President of the Friends Tracey Whitby said the new MoU was an acknowledgement of the hard work of the volunteers. “The Gardens’ main goals are to engender and facilitate scientific research into rainforest species, to contribute to their conservation and to develop understanding about rainforest ecosystems,” she said.“They also provide the people of Lismore with many opportunities for reflective appreciation of rainforests.”