Families will have more low-cost entertainment options in their local communities as the NSW Government brings main streets to life for free festivals, markets, food and cultural events.After the success of last year’s 135 events, attended by over one million people, the NSW Government is extending the Open Streets program to support free-entry street events across three years from 2025 to 2028.Lismore City Council has created two significant street events in the last ten years that have attracted large crowds to the CBD.The first Eat The Street food festival was in 2015, and the Music From The Heart flood anniversary concert had four stages on each of the CBD block streets in 2023. Events like these will now have longer-term funding certainty, allowing the event organisers to build momentum with audiences and find cost and planning efficiencies.(Music From The Heart on Molesworth Street March 2023)The new $14.65 million Open Streets round will offer successful councils up to $350,000 in funding over three years to deliver at least one free street-based event each year.The expansion of the program comes after an evaluation of the 2024 events showed significant economic and cultural benefits for local communities. The evaluation found an estimated:1200 local businesses extended their trading hoursOver one million people attended the free street eventsLocal businesses reported an average 70 per cent increase in sales during the eventsOver 240 streets were temporarily pedestrianised, transforming over 750,000m2 of roads into community spaceMore than 12,000 workers were engaged, including over 5,000 from the creative sector.The Open Streets program is part of the Government’s wider agenda to deal with the cost of living and build better, more vibrant communities across NSW.Applications for the competitive grants open on 7 February and close 14 March 2025.Click here for more information on Open Streets. Chris Minns, Premier of NSW, said, “We want New South Wales to be an exciting, vibrant place that attracts people to live, work and play. “We know families across the state are doing it tough, but that shouldn’t mean people can’t go out into their communities and enjoy themselves.“I’ve seen these events in action in my own community with the Hurstville Lunar New Year celebrations attracting over 50,000 people each year and injecting a huge amount of colour and fun into the main street. “Not only do these events bring people together for some low-cost fun, they also boost hundreds of local businesses, stimulating local economics and supporting jobs.”Jenny Aitchison, Acting Minister for Roads, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads said, “Our main streets are about so much more than transport, they are vital public spaces for business, connection communities and fun. Open Streets is about encouraging the full activation of these important public spaces. “It's important for our communities to come together and feel united right across NSW. We’re proud to support and continue to invest in vibrant and welcoming streets that foster safety, inclusivity, connection, culture and joy.“Great streets can improve mental and physical wellbeing, foster public life and equity, support local jobs and small businesses, showcase local content and local supply chains, and allow us to connect with others and our environment.”

UPDATE 2:20pmNimbin Road openLive Traffic and the Nimbin Hook Ups Facebook page are showing an accident on Nimbin Road, near Bishops Creek turn-off, north of Coffee Camp.According to Live Traffic, the accident has closed both lanes at this stage.More to come.(Photo: Charlotte Watterson)

The Lismore Theatre Company (LTC) has announced the development of an innovative theatre project that merges text, movement and storytelling to captivate and inspire creative locals to perform on stage.Highly qualified and internationally experienced choreographer, director and teacher, Deborah Mills (MAHons in Dance-Theatre) is teaming up with the LTC to offer this exciting and innovative project. Ms. Mills is calling all interested creative people wanting to learn new skills and have the opportunity to perform on stage. This is the first time LTC (local, not-for-profit, community theatre) is investing in the creation and development of an original theatre work from the ground up: from script-writing to stage. This ground-breaking project consists of 12 months of workshops culminating in an original production in February 2026 at Rochdale Theatre. Sharon Brodie, President of LTC, says “This adventure into the realm of dance-theatre is new and risk-taking for us since movement is the primary focus.”  Ms. Mills calls this process Embodied Theatre. When asked to explain her term, she says, “My process places the human body at the heart of the narrative. I train the performers to use their bodies to express their emotions, so the spoken text is fully embodied. My hope is that participants will take to the stage this time next year!”.Adults of all levels of experience with an interest in improvisation, movement exploration, experimentation with props, script development and performance, are most welcome to join the workshops and share in the fun of theatre-making. Workshops will be held at Rochdale Theatre, Goonellabah on Tuesdays 6-9pm (starting 18th February) and every third Sunday of the month 10am - 4pm (starting 16th February). Cost: $75 per semester ($50 for LTC members).

If you will be travelling along the Bruxner Highway between Lismore and Ballina after 6pm over the next two days, plan for some delays as road works take place.Transport for NSW has advised they will carry out road surface repairs between Lindendale and Sneaths roads on the Bruxner Highway at Wollongbar.To reduce the impact on motorists, work starting on Sunday, 2 February, will be carried out over two nights from 6pm to 5am, and is expected to be complete by 5am on Tuesday, 4 February, weather permitting.Single lane, alternating traffic flow arrangements and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h will be in place during work hours for the safety of motorists and workers.Motorists are advised to allow up to ten minutes extra travel time, drive to traffic conditions, and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience during this time.For the latest traffic updates, download the Live Traffic NSW App, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.

Offices from the Richmond Police District, the Police Rescue vehicle and a fire truck attended an incident on Keen Street around 11:30 this morning.Lismore App reader Francis said Keen Street was closed between Bernstein and Junction streets during the incident.Social Media was rife with the usual rumours as the cause of the incident, such as a raid on a drug lab.Police have said the incident is related to mental health.Keen Street has reopened to traffic.

Farmers are questioning why fruit and vegetable prices haven’t come down in line with new inflation figures. On Wednesday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that while inflation had dropped to a three-year low, fruit and vegetable prices went up by 6.3 per cent in 2024 alone.   NSW Farmers’ Horticulture Committee Chair Jo Brighenti-Barnard said the big supermarkets have been quick to blame inflation for rising costs over the last couple of years, but slow to bring prices down now that inflation has dropped to its lowest point in years. “The data shows that consumers are still paying through the nose to put food on the table, while most farmers aren’t receiving any greater returns for what they’re growing,” Ms Brighenti-Barnard said.  “Without price transparency, the major supermarkets are still likely to use their profit push practices, and we remain concerned they’re taking advantage of their market power – as well as other factors like shortages and seasonality of products – to extract huge profits from farmers and families alike." As the nation’s consumer watchdog prepares to hand down the results of its inquiry into the major supermarkets next month, Ms Brighenti-Barnard warned comprehensive reform of the nation’s competition landscape remained vital for households across the country.  “Cost-of-living has been the catchcry of many politicians, but we need to see real change if we want to ease the pressure on farmers and families that just want to put food on the table,” Ms Brighenti-Barnard said.  “This change must include solutions to increase price transparency and give us clear visibility of prices at the farmgate and the checkout, so we can see when profits are being sucked unfairly out of the middle. “Expanded powers and funding for our consumer watchdog are also much-needed, alongside an economy-wide prohibition on unfair trading practices and new divestiture powers to bust apart duopolies if and when necessary, so farmers and families can get a fair go.” 

Pregnancy vaccination coverage in New South Wales (NSW) has declined since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study led by National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) experts has confirmed. The research found a decrease of nearly 10 percentage points in pregnancy vaccination coverage for influenza (from 58.8% in 2020 to 49.1% in 2022), and 1.4 percentage points for pertussis (from 79.0% in 2020 to 77.6% in 2022) reported to the NSW Perinatal Data Collection (PDC). This study represents the first post-pandemic assessment of pregnancy vaccination coverage using Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and NSW PDC linked data sources.Professor Bette Liu, Associate Director, Population Health at NCIRS, emphasised that the ‘stalling pregnancy vaccine uptake that has been seen not just in NSW but also in other jurisdictions is a clear call to action’.  ‘Every year influenza, pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus [RSV] cause a significant number of hospitalisations and occasionally death among infants. ‘Vaccination against these diseases during pregnancy is strongly recommended to protect infants in their first months of life, when they are most vulnerable.’ A new National Immunisation Program (NIP)-funded RSV pregnancy vaccination program was recently announced, meaning three vaccines (influenza, pertussis and RSV) will now be routinely available for pregnant women. In this retrospective, population-based cohort study, 555,553 pregnancies were assessed for vaccination coverage between 2017 and 2022. ‘Linkage of AIR and NSW PDC data sources gives us a unique and more complete picture of pregnancy vaccination practice in NSW – including the vaccination date, pregnancy stage, provider type and the specific vaccines administered,’ said Nicole Sonneveld, Senior Research Officer at NCIRS. ‘We’d like to see these kinds of linkages become routine and conducted nationally.’ The study also identified significant under-reporting of pregnancy vaccinations to the AIR compared with the perinatal dataset – despite the Australian Government mandate to report all NIP-funded vaccines that started on 1 July 2021. ‘Ensuring we maximise the impact of the RSV pregnancy vaccination program in Australia also relies on accurate reporting to the AIR,’ noted Professor Liu. ‘There’s never been a more important time to ensure our national and jurisdictional data systems are able to collect, link and enable analysis of vaccination coverage data – as this is critical to effectively evaluate and improve our immunisation strategies, particularly for pregnant women and their infants,’ Sonneveld concluded. 

A "shower or two" and "showers" is the word on the weather from the Bureau of Meteorology for the last weekend of the school holidays.There is a 70% chance of rain on Saturday with a 0 - 7mm range, while Sunday increases to 80% with a 0 - 9mm range. The winds will become quite strong (15-20 or 25km/h) on both days.The first weekend of February and the last of summer is very quiet, with the Lismore Farmers Markets the only event on the schedule.From 7:30am to 11:30am, the Farmers Markets is a good place for a cuppa, breakfast or brunch, fresh homegrown grown fruit and veg and live music from Tapestry Road.There are plenty of options to amuse the kids before they go back to school for 2025, such as the Rail Trail, Walks, Heritage Park and Rollerworld.Live music over the weekend includes Katie Brooke at the Northern Rivers Hotel tonight (Friday) from 7pm and Chris Fisher Duo for the Sunday Session between 3 and 6pm.It is not long until the entertainment for 2025 kicks off at the Lismore Workers Club. Forever Olivia - A Tribute to Olivia Newton-John hits the stage on Saturday, February 15, Reputation - the Ultimate Taylor Swift Tribute Show on Friday, February 21 and the Fab Four - The Ultimate Beatles Tribute Show on Friday, March 7.Check out all the live music in 2025 at the Lismore Workers Club website.February will be a busy month for events with:Legends of Cricket on Saturday, February 15 at Oakes Oval. To find out more information about the weekend and to book tickets, click here.Country Championships at the Lismore Turf Club featuring Lismore's richest race on Saturday, February 22.Samson Fitness Challenge starts on Friday, February 28, at Hepburn Park in Goonellabah.Here are the cheapest fuel options in each town:E10 is 178.9 at the 7-Eleven in South Lismore, 175.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street and The United on Johnston Street in Casino, with The Metro and the Mobil on River Street in Ballina cheapest at 170.5.Unleaded 91 is 179.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, Lismore, 177.9 at the NightOwl Puma, and 172.5 at the Metro and the new Mobil in Ballina.U95 is 188.5 at Bakers Corner, Terania Street, North Lismore, 193.9 at the EG Ampol on Canterbury Street in Casino and 185.5 at the Metro and Mobil on River Street, Ballina.U98 is 196.9 at the Liberty Foodmart on Ballina Road and the Liberty at 113 Union Street, South Lismore, 198.9 at the two Liberty's on Hare Street and Centre Street in Casino and The United on Johnston Street, and 193.5 at the Metro and Mobil in Ballina.Diesel is 189.9 at the Astron on Ballina Road, the Coles Express on Dawson Street and the Caltex on Leycester Street, Lismore, 192.9 at The United on Johnston Street in Casino and 192.5 at The Mobil and Metro in Ballina.Have a great weekend!Here are the Friday Funnies.....

Have you seen the following men?They are wanted by police on outstanding arrest warrants.Treece McLennan, aged 21. He is known to frequent the Goonellabah area.Wesley Dickson, aged 19. He is also known to frequent the Goonellabah area.Mitchell Carter, aged 43. He is known to frequent the Casino area.Steven Neilson, aged 49. He is known to frequent the Woodenbong area.Anyone with information about the whereabouts of any of the above is urged to contact Lismore Police Station, 000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 33 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.All information is treated in strict confidence.

The first lot of relocatable homes that are being sold to the public through an expression of interest moves into the second week of property viewings on Monday.PRD Northern Rivers Principal and Licensee Rob Horder said the first week of viewings saw quite a few people at each location, depending on the condition of the house."Frank Street was popular. We had 18 people through there. Most of the properties, we've had four to six," Rob explained."The Murwillumbah properties were popular as well. We had probably 8 to 10, with 12 the biggest group through there. Other than that, they were sort of five and six as well.As for who is turning up at the Open Homes, Rob said there are a few people who turned up at every inspection, looking for the right house to purchase, and then there are those who have viewed the houses on the PRD website, who are very specific about what they want."Some are looking for a fully renovated house, of which there are some, while others are looking for a smaller house."Rob explained that a smaller house doesn't mean cheaper moving costs."The biggest cost is the truck. So you've got to split them. Most of them have got to be split in two. So, whether it's a three-bedroom with a sleep-out or two-bedroom, you're going to need two trucks anyway."Of course, the bigger the house, the more stumps, so there is variation. People need to do that research with the house removal companies to get quotes and, basically, look at the access to remove them and the access to where they're taking them to."We have a client that I previously sold a block of land to. They've got a young family, and they're looking to move a house to the block they're purchasing. We've had a lot of people looking to move to rural or rural/residential blocks, so I guess the availability is there if people have those blocks already, and you can move one of these homes onto those blocks."A lot of blocks in the new residential estates have covenants, so you can't move a second-hand home onto them. There are some developments where I believe they're starting to relax those covenants."Rob said he hasn't spoken to any flood-affected people looking to purchase a house and relocate, but that did not mean they weren't part of the viewing groups."There may be some that have gone through that I haven't had the opportunity to talk to in more detail with. But mostly, I'm seeing local buyers looking to move houses locally, which is a good thing.""There are a few investors who I have spoken to looking to move the home onto a block and then rent them out, but mostly, I think they're looking at more owner-occupiers at this point."One gentleman at the Magellan Street house was looking to relocate a house to his piece of land in Nimbin. Something made possible through Lismore City Council's new planning laws around relocatable homes.All 31 listed relocatable homes will be open for inspection next week. You can check out the state of the homes via the PRD website.The Open Home schedule is listed below:

School zones will be back in force across most of NSW from today (Friday, 31 January) as students prepare to start Term 1 after the summer holidays.  Transport for NSW Executive Director Transport Safety Chadi Chalhoub, said although some schools have School Development Days between Friday, 31 January and Wednesday, 5 February (inclusive), other schools do not and will have children returning during that time, so it’s important that motorists are aware school zones will be in place.“After six weeks of school holidays, school zones are back tomorrow to ensure students attending school in those four days are safe and to prepare drivers for when all students are back to school across most of the state on Thursday, 6 February.“For students in the Western Division of the state, the school term will start a week later – and school zones will be in place from Friday 7 February. “Children are some of our most vulnerable road users and can be unpredictable on the road, so please look out for them when they are crossing, waiting to cross or as they get on or off buses or in and out of vehicles,” Mr Chalhoub said. Mr Chalhoub said, sadly, two school-aged pedestrians were seriously injured in an active school zone in the first half of 2024. “Speeding, even just a couple of kilometres over the limit, could be the difference between being able to stop in time or not at all and in a school zone; this could mean hurting a child.“I urge parents, guardians and all drivers to be patient and slow down around schools to ensure children remain safe on their journeys to and from school. “The start of the new term is also a good opportunity for parents and guardians to start teaching children early about road safety and remind them to Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time before they cross the road,” Mr Chalhoub said. Transport for NSW Executive Director Active Transport, Anna Bradley, said, “Families are also encouraged to walk, ride or scoot to school when possible, as it provides a great opportunity for exercise, quality time, independence and mental health benefits while reducing traffic congestion during peak periods and improving environmental outcomes. “The NSW Government remains committed to making these journeys safer and more accessible across NSW through the Get Kids Active Program,” Ms Bradley said. School zones generally apply from 8 to 9.30am and from 2.30 to 4pm on school days, and motorists who don’t obey the rules face heavy fines and demerits. Some schools have non-standard school zone times in NSW. You can identify these by the red or orange school zone signs, which have the school zone times on them.   For more information, please visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/community/schools/school-zones.

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan is making sure that 34 young Northern Rivers Sporting Champions are given every opportunity to follow their dreams.At a Local Sporting Champions Award event yesterday, Mr Hogan presented the local teenagers with a certificate in recognition of their achievements and confirmed their grants from the Local Sporting Champions program.“Those who received the Awards have excelled themselves representing the Northern Rivers on the national and state stage,” Mr Hogan said.“The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance to young people aged between 12 and 18 years to compete, coach or umpire in their chosen sport.”“The Northern Rivers has produced some outstanding sportspeople in the past, and it is important that we support the next crop of our local sporting talent.” “Unfortunately succeeding in sport doesn’t just take talent and determination – parents also often have to put their hands in their pockets to get their children to competitions. I’m very pleased to be able to help these families with financial support through these grants.”“Sport is important in the development of young people: it teaches them life-long skills like teamwork, keeps them fit and healthy, and allows them to excel in something they love and enjoy.”“I encourage any budding champions out there who have the opportunity of competing at a state, national or international event to apply for a grant by contacting my office or checking out the website ausport.gov.au.”Our latest Northern Rivers Sporting Champions are:Lachlan Barnes from Alstonville, CricketAmber Bryant from Blakebrook, AthleticsJames McCullagh from Bonalbo, AthleticsConnor McCarthy from Caniaba, BaseballCrystal Gill from Casino, AthleticsBryce Byrne from Casino, Touch FootballAllora Gould from Casino, NetballMatilda Austin from Chilcotts Grass, NetballSkye Skillen from Corndale, AthleticsPadraig Heffernan from Dunoon, Cross CountryMacy Field from East Lismore, Rugby UnionElla Morgan-Spooner from East Lismore, NetballXavier Dann from Eltham, AthleticsWillow Dann from Eltham, AthleticsTyler Packham from Goonellabah, AthleticsSophie Powell from Goonellabah, NetballMaya Mcnamara from Goonellabah, NetballMax Venables from Goonellabah, HockeyMax Alcorn from Goonellabah, FutsalJack Elphick from Goonellabah, Touch FootballCaitlyn Halliday from Goonellabah, HockeyMatilda Green from Green Pigeon, NetballTalis Walker from Jiggi, AthleticsTennille Owen from Kyogle, AthleticsPippa Kennedy from Kyogle, AthleticsMorgan Selesele from Kyogle, AthleticsJed Mulcahy from Kyogle, CricketIsabella McPherson from Lismore, AthleticsZoe Silver from Lynwood, Water PoloHadley Dowton from McLeans Ridges, AthleticsAmity Dzendolet from Modanville, AthleticsShakyia Gambrill from North Woodburn, AthleticsIsabelle Slater from Wollongbar, Touch FootballJada Kliewer from Geneva, Athletics

Ready Fest, family and first responders day, which is being organised by The Office of Advocacy of Children and Young People, gets underway at 5pm this evening at Crozier Field.The event addresses childhood trauma from the February 2022 flood event and allows people to gather together in a positive way to reconnect children with all emergency services (in this area) in a fun and positive way.This event was hugely successful in the Eurobodalla area- ' Playdates with Emergency Services' addressing childhood trauma from the Black Summer Fires of 2019/2020, and the local children now have a more positive connection with our local emergency services teams. Jacklyn Roque is the Community Engagement Officer for Eurobodalla. She said that through their experiences with children from the black summer fires of 2019/2020, which is backed by a 'BiBs Study' conducted by the University of Western Sydney and the team from Australian Breast Feeding Association/Protection of Infants and Young Children project."We see that children are still traumatised by natural disasters, and we have seen through our own experiences that children are still having reactions to seeing the Emergency Services teams, lights/ sirens and changes in weather."What we have achieved in the Eurobodalla area is having all Emergency services including NSW SES, RFS, NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and Youth Services, Maring Rescue, VRA, Fire and Rescue, Australian Redcross, Salvation Army- emergency services and Children services from Eurobodalla Shire Council come together in a fun and informative event."The children learn through play experiences, have an opportunity to explore emergency service vehicles, dance with NSW SES 'Paddy the Platypus', parents and caregivers have an opportunity to speak to emergency services teams members (in a less stressful environment).Gates open at 4 this afternoon at Crozier Field, Magellan Street, Lismore CBD. The even runs from 5pm to 7pm.As well as an Emergency Services Vehicle display and staff on hand to talk to families, there will be live music, inflatable water slides, an obstacle course, face painting, sausage sizzle and snow cones.Everyone is welcome.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has congratulated eight local sporting organisations on sharing in $500,000 funding from the NSW Government for new potentially life-saving defibrillators.“With more people than ever participating in sport and active recreation in our Electorate of Lismore, it’s vital that our local facilities are equipped with these potentially life-saving devices,” Ms Saffin says.“I congratulate the recipients and commend them for prioritising the safety and well-being of their participants.”Lismore Electorate recipients include:Cawongla District Tennis and Recreation Club Incorporated – Cawongla Tennis Club & Community Defibrillator, $2,345.Dunoon United Football Club -- AED at Dunoon 2480, $2,999.Flourish Projects Incorporated, Lismore -- Defibrillator Installation for Community Safety, $3,000.Lismore GG’s Golden Rugby Club -- Saving Players’ Lives, $2,290.Murwillumbah Croquet Club – Murwillumbah Croquet Club AED, $2,450.Northern United Rugby League Football Club, Lismore -- Defibrillator on standby at Northern United RLFC Improving survival rates with a rapid response, $2,999.Rainbow Roos AU Incorporated, Lismore -- Fun & Inclusive Soccer For All, $2,499.Urbenville & District Bowling Club -- Urbenville Bowls Club Defibrillator Project, $2,999.Funding was awarded to 193 sport and recreation organisations under the NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program, which provides up to $3,000 for the purchase, installation and training in new automated external defibrillators.  Yesterday’s announcement brings the number of devices awarded since the program commenced to more than 2,500.

Northern Rivers residents are on their way to safer and more reliable drinking water with a total of $357,000 in funding secured to progress planning and design work that will significantly improve water quality for Nimbin and Casino.The NSW Government is investing $123,500 toward these initiatives, along with $165,000 from Lismore City Council and $68,500 from Richmond Valley Council to fund work that will deliver the best infrastructure solutions for treating water to a higher standard.In Nimbin, concept designs are moving ahead for a new filtration and treatment system that will produce better-quality water for the town’s 2,422 residents. A temporary plant was installed during the 2022 major floods in the Northern Rivers as part of the recovery response, but a more permanent solution is needed. Building a modern, fit-for-purpose plant will enable the town to treat raw water that flows from Mulgum Creek into the D.E Williams storage dam more effectively, eliminating boil water alerts for residential households in Nimbin.  At Casino, investigations are underway to explore the most viable options to upgrade the local water treatment plant, boosting water quality for the town’s 11,000 residents while making it easier and cheaper for council to maintain and operate.The 40-year-old plant has been declining in condition and struggling to treat river water when algae and organic matter is present, particularly after significant periods of drought, heavy rainfall or bushfire. The Nimbin and Casino projects are funded through the NSW Safe and Secure Water Program, and the concept design and options study are both expected to be finished by the end of the year.The program is supporting up to $1 billion worth of regional projects across the state, with more than 260 in various stages of delivery.State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said, “Water security is front of mind for the Northern Rivers region, so it’s great to see the NSW Government is looking to the future to ensure places like Nimbin and Casino get the water services they deserve.“These funds will get the ball rolling on boosting drinking water quality in both towns, which is excellent news for locals as well as the many visitors who flock to this region every year.   “Getting the planning and design processes right is extremely important because these are the essential stepping stones that can help us make sure we’re putting the right infrastructure in place that will serve local communities for decades to come.” Lismore City Council, Mayor Cr Steve Krieg said, “Joining forces with the NSW Government to complete the concept design for a new filtration system for Nimbin, kitted out with 21st-century technology, will treat water to a higher standard and help put an end to boil water alerts for those on the town water network.“We know raw water supply in Nimbin is often affected by weather conditions and organic matter in Mulgum Creek, which is why we are keen to move this project into the next gear and get it to tender ready stage to improve outcomes for the community.” Richmond Valley Council Mayor Cr Robert Mustow said, “Kickstarting investigations into the best options for upgrading the water treatment plant to help future proof water services for Casino is a big win for locals, businesses and visitors. “We know extreme weather events can significantly impact the quality of water in the Richmond River, so ensuring we have advanced infrastructure in place to produce high-quality drinking water is a necessity.”

The CBD has another new business, although it has been in the CBD before.Hanging Rock Flowers started a bricks-and-mortar life in the Star Court Arcade in 2020, just before COVID changed the way we live for two years."So, we'd been through COVID, and then my partner decided to have a heart attack and triple bypass a couple of months later," owner Linda Heilbron explained.Hanging Rock then moved to the heritage building on Woodlark Street (corner of Molesworth Street)."Woodlark Street was really pumping before the flood like we had The Golan and Miss Lizzies, the cafes and the retail shops. Woodlark Street and Molesworth Street were just pumping and the place to be."Then the big puddle hit and we all sort of tried to reopen and come back to where we were, but then the shops weren't opening. A lot of the retail shops had moved out. So, you didn't have foot traffic. We didn't have the foot traffic. We had the customer base, and we were keeping afloat; pardon the pun; it just wasn't working."The next move was to Wollongbar, inside the Edible Garden cafe."It was a great space, but it just didn't work for us. We didn't have that constant foot traffic going past. We still had people coming out there, but it wasn't a great place for our flowers."So, we decided really quickly after Christmas that we needed to be back in the CBD. And the welcome that we've had this week from customers has been amazing. They haven't bagged us out about our confusing moves, they've just welcomed us back with open arms. We've not had one negative comment, which is incredible."And the other business owners in Keen Street, I'm good friends with Becca Curious Craft and Felicity at Scoops and Candy, and we've got Robert and Christine next door at Adornments. They're fantastic. And then we've got for Farid's bakery here, so you get through traffic, not to mention the sourdough smells that come through.Linda was also excited to be in a building that has a lot of Lismore heritage.For the last 50 years, Summerland Travel occupied the building. However, it was a cafe first."It was the first cafe in Lismore to have an espresso machine and sell espresso coffee. There's a plaque on the footpath,"But our landlord, Nick Valpato, who is amazing, his dad, Floriano Volpato painted our back wall that. So, it's a painting of Portobello in Italy. He painted that from the back, so he painted it in reverse.The picture works for a travel agent, and Linda wasn't sure if it would work for flowers when she first moved in. She has now changed her mind, loving the backlit artwork."I'll probably hang some drapes and greenery over there eventually, just to make it look like a bit of a 3D effect. But it's great having that there. It's a talking point and it's part of Lismore's history.Quite a few business owners in Keen Street say it is the new Molesworth Street when that was the centre of shopping for the Lismore block."They put all the advertising and promotion into Keen Street, but I can see why. And if you can't beat them, join them. So, we're here to stay now."One aspect that hasn't changed for Hanging Rock Flowers is that the product is grown on their own farm."Over our break, we'd be doing a lot of wholesaling to the Brisbane flower markets. But we like to keep things local. If we can't, we try and support other local farmers. But it's 90% from our farm."Linda and her partner Paul have a farm at Wadeville, halfway between Nimbin and Kyogle."It's up in the foothills of the border ranges. It's beautiful. And that's where we grow everything. So, I bring the fresh flowers in every day, which is great."My partner works full time. He's the farmer and picker and grower. We've got a big, cool room at home that he picks for me during the day and puts it all in the cool room until I bring it in in the morning. "It's just 24/7 working on a farm. Any farmer can say that. But as a flower farmer, it's not just paddocks of beautiful flowers and foliage. It's the maintenance. It's the mowing, it's the weeding, it's keeping the weeds down. It's the replanting. It's constant, constant work.""I don't know if I could just work on the farm. I thought about just going back and working on the farm with Paul and doing what he does. I couldn't do it, even though I'm actually an introvert. But I love talking to people, and talking to people about what I love, which is the natives (flowers), and educating people about how to grow natives. "We eventually want to have things like farm tours and talks, and we'll be selling plants of what we grow from seedlings, so we can tell people, okay, it's no use growing this type of thing. It won't work. It's a Western Australian variety. Try growing something that's a little bit more endemic to the area, and will go a little bit better."That's another part of it, as well, the education side of things. Not just selling people a bunch of flowers, it's telling them how it's grown and how to grow it. People would say, oh, I've got a protea, and it's not doing so well. What can I do about it? And we can tell them that. We can say, maybe try a different variety or maybe try growing it here, and don't bother growing this one; you're better off growing these other ones. It's really rewarding."While part five of Linda and Paul's Hanging Rock Flowers is in the future, for now, get into the CBD, park on Keen Street, pop into 97 Keen Street (next to Camera House) and say g'day to Linda.

Do you want to buy Lismore's BCC Cinema on Keen Street?EVT (Event Cinemas) today announced it will seek a new owner for BCC Lismore. Recognising the important role cinema plays in local communities, EVT is prioritising divesting the asset to a new cinema operator.   The Lismore Cinema has been closed since the 2022 flood caused significant damage to the building and equipment.Over the last nearly three years, the Lismore App has requested an update for the local community, who have had to travel to Ballina or Kygole to see a big-screen movie.The standard reply was, "We are still exploring our options for Event Cinemas Lismore, and hope to provide an update in the new year/later in the year." This went on every six months.In a statement, EVT said:The company would like to thank the many loyal customers who supported BCC Lismore over the years, as well as the dedicated staff who have operated the cinema. EVT is focused on facilitating the transition to a new owner who can revitalise the location. A sale process to identify a suitable new owner will begin imminently, with expressions of interest being sought. While the opening of the Lismore Cinema will be a while away, at least our community knows what is happening as the process begins.

LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin says applications open today (Tuesday, 28 January 2025) for the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership Program, with her electorate’s funding allocation boosted from $300,000 to $450,000.Ms Saffin says the enhanced program invests in local infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes while promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.“Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and local councils will be eligible to apply for grants of between $10,000 and $100,000,” Ms Saffin says.“For this 2025 round, grants must be for building, refurbishing or repairing community infrastructure or for buying freestanding equipment or vehicles.“The program invariably is over-subscribed and highly competitive but previous rounds have shown how transformative grant success can be for worthwhile projects which meet community need.”Since 2009, the Community Building Partnership Program has awarded more than $464 million to more than 20,900 projects across the state.Program Guidelines are available now at www.nsw.gov.au/cbp.Applications will be accepted online from Tuesday, 28 January 2025 and will close at 5pm AEDT, Friday, 21 February 2025.Successful organisations will be announced in August 2025.

Two people will face court today charged following a police pursuit in Lismore yesterday.About 5.30pm yesterday (Monday, 27 January 2025), officers attached to Richmond Police District observed a Ford Territory SUV on Terania Street, North Lismore, before stopping the vehicle on nearby Wilson Street.The occupants, a 32-year-old man, and a 24-year-old woman, are alleged to have swapped seats in the vehicle and refused to produce identification.Police attempted to arrest the man, who resisted before the pair drove off, and a pursuit was initiated.The pursuit was terminated shortly after before further police attended to assist, and the Ford was found abandoned at Bentley, near Lismore.A search was conducted with the assistance of a police dog, and the man and woman were arrested after being found hiding in a paddock with a six-year-old child and three dogs. During the arrest, one of the dogs was killed by police after attacking the police dog.The man and woman were taken to Lismore Police Station.She was charged with police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously, driver licence expired more than two years ago, unlawfully possess number plates, use motor vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, Drive with one passenger seatbelt/restraint not properly fastened and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen.He was charged with licence expired more than two years ago, drive with one passenger seatbelt/restraint not properly fastened, hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, use motor vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen. Two outstanding warrants were also executed.They have both been refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court today (Tuesday, 28 January 2025).Police are liaising with the Department of Family and Community Services, and the police dog is being monitored for injuries.