One of the Northern Rivers' most well-known brands is celebrating its 130th birthday today by making old-school milk deliveries to primary schools throughout the region.Norco is Australia’s oldest 100% Australian farmer-owned dairy co-operative, and the last operating dairy co-operative in Australia. It was formed when a group of 40 farmers gathered under a tree in Clunes in 1895 to discuss how they could come together to secure a better future for the farmers of the region. This morning, CEO Michael Hampson and the Norco Culture Cow visited primary schools, including Wyrallah Road Primary School in East Lismore, bringing back the famed 'school milk program'.Kindergarten students lined up to get their bottle of Norco milk to drink before receiving high fives and hugs from Culture Cow and Norco hats or milk trucks as gifts to celebrate the milestone, as Norco paid tribute to its heritage and the region where it all began back in 1895. (Students from Wyrallah Road Public School enjoy their Norco milk this morning)"We all remember the School Milk Program," said Mr Hampson, "Maybe some of us are a little bit older than others. It is just a fantastic way to bring back some nostalgia, a blast from the past, to say, here we are giving out milk, showing people what it was like back in the day, when we were able to get milk at school for free."The kids were amazing. Plenty of fantastic manners, which was excellent. Some people saying it was the best day ever. So it was good to see them engage and have some high-quality milk. Have fun with our Norco Culture Cow, and really help us celebrate what is a fantastic occasion for Norco, its farmers and its communities."Angie Wilson works as part of the administrative staff at Wyrallah Road Public School; she remembers the days when milk was a daily experience at primary school."When the phone call came through for the milk program, I was very excited, because it's something I remember very well. My experience through primary school is we would break mid-morning and we would go out and find crates of this beautiful, glistening milk in bottles like this, in glass bottles with the little tin foil lids. And we would be so excited.(Angie Wilson with one of the original milk bottles that were delivered to primary schools up until the end of the 1970s)"I think it is a wonderful idea, because I think it would connect our students to the rich heritage of our iconic Norco and other milk farmers as well. Also, it helps us to educate them in the nutritional benefits of drinking fresh, great tasting milk, as well as, importantly, acknowledging our hard-working farmers who make this all possible.Angie grew up on a vineyard, so she knows the hardship of farming, but also has friends who are dairy farmers."I want to support them wholeheartedly, our small businesses and our farmers, all of them, in every way that we possibly can. So, if bringing this in is in any way going to help support them, then yes, please do so."Michael Hampson stated that Norco has 45 dairy farms that supply milk to the coop and 190 farmers across their footprint, which includes South East Queensland.Dairy farming has not been easy in the last three years, and this last run of bad weather has increased the pressure on farmers in the region. The weather event in 2022 cost Norco over $100 million, along with staff who lost their homes and farmers who suffered devastating losses and heartbreak."It's been a tough road for recovery, for everyone in this region, not just Norco, but we are proud to say that we are continuing what we can do best to support the region by providing significant economic activity jobs and supporting our farmers."For the farmers in the Taree and Port Macquarie area, they've just experienced something similar that our region experienced in 2022, and for some absolutely, it's no different, or even worse. The event that's just occurred, don't forget they had two, they had Cyclone Alfred, then the east coast low, but they also had four months of incessant, persistent wet weather."Farming in the wet is 100 times harder than farming in a drought. Farming in a drought is about price over feed conversion ratio. In a wet, there's animal health, there is a whole lot of harder work that goes on for dairy farmers. And you know, certainly my heart, and I think the heart of everyone, goes out to the farmers that are impacted in that area."It's been a very difficult time for the farmers, particularly around Kempsey and Taree. There's been a lot of widespread devastation and destruction of farms down there, and it will be a long time before those farms recover. Yes, the milk intake from that region will be down. However, we will be looking to source additional milk to be able to make sure that we're providing fantastic, high-quality milk for our customers.Mr Hampson said that while farmers' damage bills are still being fully assessed, he believes each of the farms will have losses over a million dollars."Certainly, some farms that I've talked to have a one to one and a half million dollar impact from that one event alone, notwithstanding the impacts of the four months of wet weather leading into it, and, of course, Cyclone Alfred."We are obviously in a wet cycle. Some of the pundits say that that's going to be ending shortly, or, if not, in September. But we do look to the future. Farmers are resilient people, but they do need our help. They need the help of government, also in terms of these critical, devastating times, which, at the moment, the consumer can't pay for all of that impact."We are still in the cost-of-living crisis. We're still in an environment of very high interest rates. One 25 basis point interest rate doesn't change too much on someone's mortgage. As we've just seen over the last couple of days, we are technically in a recession with negative GDP per capita growth. So we don't have the business confidence, the consumer confidence, to drive significant increases in prices. Otherwise, we would not be able to sell the amount of milk that we do.""We need to be supporting Australian businesses. We need to keep our money right here in this country and also right here in our regional communities, where it's needed the most. The regional communities, when it comes to natural disasters, bear the brunt of the vast majority of those, particularly our farmers, because that's where we have to farm. We have to farm in areas that are fertile and lush, which are generally in valleys, river plains, etc, etc. So, they're the people that really need support, and the best way to support farmers and to help them through this is to buy their product."With farmers having such a tough run over the last three years, and during the last three months of wet weather, how is their mental health?"As we know from the farmer wellbeing report that we commissioned in 2023, 70% of farmers don't feel that the Australian public values what they do. Now that's terrible. Imagine everyone here today thinking that no one values what we do, and the average cost to a farmer of these natural disasters is over a million dollars."It will have significant impacts across many, many, many farms, particularly seeing animals that they truly love and care for and have done since they were born, and indeed participated in the delivery of those animals, have unfortunately passed away or had to be put down over this period. It will be very, very difficult."There'll be long-lasting memories out of this for our farmers; we have our own farmer wellbeing officer, who we've been getting in contact with farmers to help them and providing them other outreach services, including counselling, just to help them through this initial time. But, there will need to be ongoing help through this. It's not just a one-day, one-week, one-month issue; this is something that's going to be in the minds of many farmers and people in our regional communities for many years, just like 2022 was for Lismore.Being a cooperative, you can help farmers by buying Norco milk in the supermarkets. Farmers like fourth-generation Andrew Wilson, who has been supplying Norco for almost three decades.“Being a Norco dairy farmer is more than just producing great dairy. It means being part of a 100% farmer-owned co-operative that backs its farmers and supports its local communities.  “It’s a great source of pride for not only me, but my whole family, and we truly appreciate anytime someone chooses to buy Norco, because when they do, every cent goes back to support farming families like ours, and for that we are genuinely grateful,” Wilson said.  

The adrenaline is pumping, the sweat is flying, and the muscles are contracting with residents across Northern NSW each completing 3,214 push-ups over 23 days this June as part of The Push-Up Challenge. Now in its ninth year, the Challenge brings together Aussies of all ages, abilities and walks of life to get fit, have fun and do something positive for their mental health. Individuals, workplaces, schools and clubs around the country are taking on the 3,214 push-ups, which are representative of the 3,214 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2023, with many participants choosing to raise funds for Lifeline Northern NSW. Lifeline Direct CEO Luke Lindsay said, “The Push-Up Challenge is a great opportunity for Australians to talk about their mental health, learn how to best support each other and recognise when they might need to put their own hand up for help. It’s a massive undertaking, but Northern NSW locals are pulling up their sleeves, getting down and getting it done for the good of their own mental health, and the mental health of our community.”   “More people than ever before are reaching out to Lifeline for help and support, and the money raised through The Push-Up Challenge will help us continue to support the mental health and wellbeing of people in Northern NSW,” commented Mr Lindsay.  Founder of The Push-Up Challenge, Nick Hudson, said Australia’s commitment to learning about, and supporting mental health, never failed to defy expectations: “Taking on The Push-Up Challenge is no easy feat. But year after year, Australia shows up for us. The Challenge is about so much more than getting mentally and physically fit: our participants are sparking thousands of conversations about mental health every single day, helping us improve Australia’s mental health literacy while also breaking down the stigma attached to mental illness. We’re letting people who are struggling know that they can reach out and receive the support they need without judgement.” Each day, participants complete their push-ups while learning about mental health, with the number of push-ups changing day to day to reflect a vital mental health fact. And if completing 3,214 push-ups feels out of reach, participants can set their own push-up goal, or choose exercise alternatives such as sit-ups, squats or tailored exercises, with progress tracked through a dedicated app. To register for The Push-Up Challenge or to support this year’s participants by making a donation, visit www.thepushupchallenge.com.au

The Federal and NSW Governments have finally announced small business and primary producer grants for those impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred and the more recent floods around Taree. For Lismore business owners and those in the Northern Rivers (Ballina, Byron, Richmond Valley, Kyogle and Tweed), the announcement is welcome, but it is also three months after the event. And there is still uncertainty.The support has been made available under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), with the new funding to provide immediate and longer-term assistance for individuals, families and communities affected by flooding. The support includes: Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees) and non-profit organisations to help clean up and restore their business.Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible primary producers directly impacted by flooding to help with clean-up and getting their operations back on track.Grants of up to $10,000 for eligible rural landholders to assist with clean-up, repairs and recovery work, including fixing damaged fences, infrastructure or equipment affected by East Coast severe weather and flooding.A $5 million program to clear drainage on private land following Tropical Cyclone Alfred.A $180 hardship payment for individuals, capped at $900 for households of five or more, to help cover essential items like food, clothing and medicine following the recent flood event.What isn't certain is that the criteria will include loss of revenue when local businesses were asked to evacuate certain parts of Lismore, like the CBD, South and North Lismore. The wording on the NSW Government's website says, "Small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees) and non-profit organisations may also be eligible for recovery grants of up to $25,000 to help clean up and restore their businesses. Applications and more information, including eligibility criteria, will be available soon via the Service NSW website."Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg told the Lismore App, "This is something that I've certainly been strongly advocating for with Janelle (Saffin), who's been very acutely aware of the issue with their small businesses. "I don't really want to make too much comment until we see the criteria. But as I said, I know the premier was here for four or five days. He was very acutely aware of the trauma that cyclone Alfred caused our community through the packing up and then the re-establishment of those businesses over the course of, I think it was, about seven or eight days that people were out of business for. And we have to remember we were ordered to evacuate out of the CBD. "They have to put boundaries and criteria around these grants, and that's understandable. But we'll just wait and see. I'm certainly anxiously awaiting the criteria to see the scope." Information on how to apply will be made available over the coming days at www.nsw.gov.au/floodrecoveryupdates. 

Hotel Metropole, or The Met, as locals know it, is under new management after the well-known pub was finally sold recently for an undisclosed amount. The building itself remains under the ownership of Nick and Kerrilee Lake.Nick and Kerrilee purchased the property in 2021 and began renovating the derelict building, which had been closed since 2016.The Met was Nick's first foray into pubs, and he said he found it "pretty challenging" when he put the For Sale sign up in August 2023 with a $3 million price tag. 18 months later, having sold the business, Nick can spend more time with his teenage kids and his other local energy business.The new owners, Bikash Dhungana and Upendra Lamsal, are Nepalese and come with an experienced background in pubs and restaurants from Sydney to Nambucca, such as Lake Cathie (near Port Macquarie), Singleton and Rutherford (near Newcastle)."We've been doing this for a long time," Bik told the Lismore App. Bikash and Upendra have been business partners since 2014, when they purchased The Duke Hotel in Newton.So, why Lismore?"I just wanted to travel up the coast. I'm just sick of doing one thing at the same time, so I just need a change. So, this is sort of like a change for me, and a challenge as well. I can't just stay in one place doing the same thing."Bikash is looking for a sea change after the birth of his first baby in August and moving to Nambucca Heads, leaving a shorter commute to The Met to keep an eye on his investment.In the short term, Bik is not looking to make any drastic changes."I'm just trying to keep it as a local pub. It's going to be a proper, solid, modern bistro in the dining room here. We'll provide modern Australian food, like schnitzel and palmy, but we'll be doing it a different way. We just add a twist to it all the time. So whenever you walk in here, you'll see something different."Any renovations Bik wants to do will happen slowly over time, so the pub won't have to close down for any length of time. He also said that poker machines were not in The Met's future."I'm not going to go for a pokey license or anything like that, I just want to keep it a as local pub with a drink and a good meal.""In a couple of weeks' time, we'll probably do a new wine list, new spirits and everything. And we still want to keep doing the music kind of thing, but not the way that it was before. It was not well organised. There were good bands playing here, but there was no one to listen to them. So I'm trying to create the audience for them as well at the same time."That's why I stopped the music at the moment. But it doesn't mean that we're not going to have music in here. We'll have music, but just not for the time being."The Met is also hiring right now. Bikash is looking for bar staff, so if you or someone you know is looking for bar work, Keetah is the person you need to see at Hotel Metropole on Keen Street, Lismore CBD.Keetah was managing The Met for Nick Lake and will continue as manager for Bikash as well.

The biennial Lismore Workers Masters Games is returning to our city in 2025. The 13th edition will bring three action-packed days of sport, friendship, and community spirit to Lismore from Friday, September 26, to Sunday, September 28.The iconic event has been on Lismore’s sporting calendar since 1999, and this year it features nine exciting sports: Netball, Softball, Lawn Bowls, Oztag, Football (11-a-side), Cricket, Baseball, Golf and Hockey for those aged 30 and over.The date coincides with another iconic Lismore sporting event on the social calendar, the 2025 Lismore Cup. Coincidentally, the Lismore Workers Club is also the naming sponsor of the Lismore Cup.The Lismore Cup race day will occur on the afternoon of Friday, September 26."The people doing the organising are not fixturing any events on that Friday afternoon, so all the participants from all around New South Wales and South East Queensland can come down, play a bit of sport, and get out to the Lismore cup as well, if that's their thing," said Mayor Steve Krieg at today's launch."This will make it a really big community weekend where we all come together and have a good time, that's just what Lismore needs at the moment."You don't have to be an elite athlete to participate in the Masters Games; you just need some friends and a willing attitude."It's just about getting your groups of mates together and having fun. Registrations only open today, so take four or five weeks, put your teams together, and register early. You'll save a bit of money," Mayor Krieg added.Not only is the three-day sporting event loads of fun, it also generates a lot of revenue for Lismore at a time when our retail shops, cafe's and restaurants all need customers. The estimate from previous Masters Games is that $400,000 comes into our economy from 1,200 participants, 40% of whom are from outside the region.Those numbers were from 2023, when Lismore was operating at about 50% capacity as we recovered from the 2022 big flood. 2025 should be a bigger result."If you look back to 2023, I think at that time we were speaking about it, there were about half of our accommodation beds available. Since then, the Bounty is up and running to full capacity, and The Gateway has reopened. All of our accommodation facilities are pretty much back up and running."One of the things that people did mention in 2023 is, staying in Casino or Ballina or Byron, because that's where the accommodation was. Now we're able to provide those facilities for those visitors, which is really, really good. You just have to walk around the CBD, and we do a CBD audit quite regularly, and see the businesses, both pre-flood and new businesses post-flood, coming into Lismore. It's only going to add more foot traffic for them as well. So it's really exciting."It is not just local businesses that benefit, but our local sporting clubs too.Lismore softball legend Dianne McGowen said, "The Masters Games makes a big difference to us. We don't have many tournaments, so when we have this, we run the canteen out at Albert Park, and it generates a hell of a lot of funds for us that we normally wouldn't have, which helps us to buy equipment and pay Council fees, and, to help any rep teams that go away, particularly our juniors. So, yes, financially, we need it..Gary Rossington, cricket's ambassador for the Masters Games, agreed with Dianne that the extra funds would help out junior cricket. "We can help with development, with skills, and keep the game growing that the community loves playing," Gary said.The Lismore Workers Club has once again proudly signed on as the major sponsor, with the Club also hosting the event headquarters, including the registration centre and social activities. The club’s long-standing support has been instrumental in shaping the Games into what they are today.Lismore Workers Club President Ian Harmon said the Club is proud to continue its partnership with the Masters Games."We are proud to once again be part of this beloved event. The Lismore Workers Masters Games brings together the best of sport, community and mateship, and we’re honoured to be involved in something that brings so many people to Lismore.”Early bird registrations are now open and will close on Monday, 14 July. Standard registrations will remain open until late August.For more information and to register, visit www.lismoremastersgames.com.au.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is appealing to anyone with O-type blood to book a donation as the organisation’s levels of both O positive and O negative drop to their lowest point since 2023. An extra 9,500 donations of O positive and O negative blood donors are needed in the next seven days to ensure Lifeblood can continue to meet the needs of patients across the country. 3,000 are needed in NSW.“Right now, we’re seeing the highest rates of people rescheduling or cancelling their appointments since June last year, and our O-type blood supplies are at their lowest level since October 2023,” Lifeblood Executive Director, Stuart Chesneau, said.“Every day, we issue close to 10,000 blood transfusions and medications to hospitals around the country to meet patient demand, and we can’t do it without people donating,” Stuart said.He said O positive and O negative are the blood types most frequently ordered by hospitals and can both be used in emergency situations.“O negative is considered a ‘universal blood type’ and is often stocked in ambulances and rescue helicopters so it can be used to treat patients when their blood type is unknown, such as in times of trauma when large quantities of blood are needed in a short amount of time,” Stuart explained.Fewer than seven per cent of the Australian population is O negative, making it one of the rarer blood types. However, its versatility means it makes up 16 per cent of the blood ordered by hospitals. He said that donations of O positive were equally as important. “What many people don’t know is that O positive is as safe as O negative for the majority of emergency transfusions. Some 40 per cent of people in Australia have O positive blood, meaning they too can help save lives in emergency situations,” he added.“We’re asking people of all blood types who are feeling healthy and well, especially those with O-type blood, to make an appointment.“If you’ve never donated before and don’t know your blood type, coming in to donate is a great way to find out, and you get the chance to save a life.”The Lismore Blood Donor Centre on Bounty Street has the following appointments available over the next two weeks:Thurs 5th – 15 WB freeFriday 6th – 6 WB freeSaturday 7th – 10 WB freeMon 9th – 8 WB freeTues – Plasma onlyWed 11th – 13 WB freeThurs 12th – 10 WB freeFriday 13th – 1 WB freeSaturday 14th – 8 WB freeThat is 71 appointments that the people of Lismore can do their part in donating O positive and O negative blood.A blood donation appointment takes about an hour, with the donation itself only lasting up to 10 minutes.“An hour of your time might give someone the rest of their life. Plus, you’ll give Lifeblood’s blood supplies a much-needed boost as we head into the winter months,” Stuart said.To make a donation, call 13 14 95 or book online at lifeblood.com.au or download the DonateBlood App. 

Now that June has arrived and we are nearing the winter solstice, the countdown to this year's Lismore Lantern Parade has begun.In 2025, the 31st Lismore Lantern Parade and the winter solstice occur on the same day, Saturday, June 21.This year also sees a return to Oakes Oval for the fiery finale, which means a reversal of the parade. It now starts at Victoria Street, walks its way down Molesworth Street before turning right on Magellan Street, left on Dawson Street (passed Oakes Oval) and into the northern gates of Oakes Oval.There is priority seating in the new grandstands at Oakes Oval with tickets on sale now through the Lantern Parade website. The costs start from a reasonable $11.25 for one adult and one child:1 x Adult and 1 x Child = $11.251 x Adult and 2 x Children = $11.252 x Adults and 2 x Children + $21.45.1 x Adult = $11.251 x Child = $6.151 x Wheelchair/Mobility Aid/Ambulant Space = $11.251 x Companion Card Holder = FreeCEO and Artistic Director Jyllie Jackson said that once your tickets are purchased, you will be able to swap them for wrist bands at various businesses in the CBD, Nimbin and Council, but not until Monday, June 16."This is for quick and easy entry into Oakes Oval," Jyllie told the Lismore App. "We don't want a big gap between the parade arriving and people getting settled for the finale."The list of participating businesses will be announced shortly.For those who cannot afford the ticketed seating, there are about 1000 free spots on the grass in front of the stands. Entry for ticketholders and the grass area will be via the Magellan Street gates."We do our best to accommodate everybody," Jyllie said, "We really, really try and be kind."Another way to watch the fiery finale is to volunteer for the Lantern Parade. About 2,000 people carry lanterns and torches on the parade route. They will sit on the grass in front of the Lyn Larsen stand. To inquire about volunteering, click here.Always one to keep her cards close to her chest, Jyllie did reveal that there will be one big firework as part of the fiery finale that will have people in awe."It's not a big bang, it's just a very big firework. But it is spectacular. I'm working very closely with our fireworks contractor, who represented Australia in the big fireworks competition on the Gold Coast last weekend. They came third. They were robbed, of course."The 2025 theme is the 'Return of the Sun', which links to the winter solstice and the beginning of longer days."And it's also acknowledging the Chinese Year of the Snake. There will be a little bit of a firecracker at the beginning with the Chinese snake to chase away all the bad spirits."The 2024 message was 'Compassion & Connect'. What will the 2025 message be?"Oh, that's a secret. That's a big surprise. It's become such a tradition. And it's a tradition that we pass that message on in English and in Bundjalung to acknowledge Widjabul Wia-bal people of this area."If you have any questions about this year's Lismore Lantern parade, Jyllie is encouraging everyone to look at the Frequently Asked Questions on the website."I've thought of all the questions that I might have, and if anybody has any other questions that I haven't answered, I'd be happy to add them to the list."The 31st Lismore Lantern Parade is on Saturday, June 21, in the Lismore CBD with activities starting at 12 noon, and the parade kicking off at 5:30pm.

Lismore City Council held an extraordinary meeting yesterday to finish the May agenda before next week's ordinary June meeting takes place on the 10th.Long-suffering drivers who use Dunoon Road may see some action after a motion proposed by Cr Jeri Hall easily passed a vote to upgrade Dunoon Road, including the Dunoon Road/Alexandria Parade intersection/roundabout in the 2025/26 budget.As Cr Hall said, "I don't actually think that I need to speak to this, because you'd have to live in a cave or a jungle not to realise how terrible this section of our road is. And it is quite heavily utilised by basically everyone in the northern end of our LGA, the Modanville's, Dunoon's, Dorroughby's, Rose Bank's, and The Channon."I think a lot of people don't realise that even in a minor to moderate flood, when Bangalow Road gets cut off, Woodlawn Road gets cut off, that is the only road into town from anyone living in the Clunes', the Dunoon's, the Modanville's, the Dorroughby's. So, it is quite heavily utilised."The condition of it is so poor. The intersection is so poor. There's no line marking. The potholes are atrocious. As I said, I don't feel like I needed to speak to this, because you'd have to be living under a rock to not actually notice the state of this road in our LGA. And I'm hoping that we all support this unanimously."Cr Harper Dalton-Earls highlighted that other regional roads in the LGA also need repairing, such as Nimbin Road and Corndale Road. "Where does it end?" he said. "I just think that it is important that we make sure that the staff are doing regular maintenance budgets, regular reviews of the conditions of the roads, and that we look to fix these particular regional roads."Cr Big Rob made the point that Dunoon Road is on the SES list as one of the last roads out when a flood hits Lismore.Cr Adam Guise asked for a briefing by council staff about the roads budget and its priorities, as there are a lot of damaged roads. "I can appreciate the sentiments for this one, because we all have our favourite roads that we'd like to see restored to a safe or better condition," he said. Cr Guise was the only person to vote against the motion.(An image of the work to be done on Dunoon Road in council papers)Josh Smith, Council's Executive Leader, Strategic Manager & Project Director, then clarified that a workshop has been scheduled for councillors in the first week of July, and that the 20225/26 budget has already been through council's prioritisation matrix.Cr Hall denied Cr Guise's claim about people putting forward their favourite road in her right of reply."I also think that there's a massive difference between this portion of road, given that we've got the showgrounds, sale yards, Richmond Rivers going up there, this is going to be quite a key piece of road infrastructure that we need to ensure is done properly."Another Councillor motion saw Gianpiero Battista propose Council apply a 100% discount to Sections 64 and 711 so that people who have large blocks of land with one house that has a sewage service can add a second dwelling without paying the $16,000 contribution fund to council. The motion included not-for-profit community groups in the Lismore LGA.The policy would end on 30 June 2027, then be reviewed. Councillors would receive a report every six months to see the number of applicants and the costs.Cr Battista said he came back to council to see Lismore grow. "And I'm trying to do my best to work out policy and action to make sure that people are incentivised to do something about their houses or their blocks with the sole purpose to get Lismore growing again."The purpose of the motion was to take an old large block of land with a house at the front of the block, and incentivise owners to put a second dwelling on the back of the block that could be lived in by a family member, like grandparents or children, or it could be rented by a student or emergency worker, thus increasing the rental stock in Lismore.Cr Battista said it would be affordable because generally the second dwelling will be one bedroom, maybe two, to keep building costs down, and smaller buildings have a lower rent."People can't afford it anymore, but maybe something like this could generate interest in people building in the backyard for something. Maybe a reasonable price, $250 or $300 a week."The motion received support from Cr Dalton-Earls, "We need to encourage more housing. And as Councillor Batista has reasonably pointed out, these may represent more affordable rentals. They're not going to be huge unit blocks or anything like that, and even if they were, units are typically more affordable. So I think this is exactly the type of small area that council has where we can encourage housing. And as everybody knows, with the supply and demand, the more supply we have, the less rents will ultimately be."Cr Andrew Gordon addressed the cost issue of building another dwelling and the savings they would make."Any consideration when you go to do a project, I guess the major consideration is always cost. Can I afford to do it? This is a massive incentive for those who may have thought about it. I was only speaking to someone last week that said that the cost for their application was around $15,000 odd, so if we were able to relieve them of that burden, then perhaps the incentive is to just do it."During the flood in 2022, as an agent, we lost 140 homes out of the rent roll, and we're one of several agents in town now. Those homes aren't being replaced. No one's building rental stock. They're just not. This is a massive leap forward in providing relief for that market."Cr Knight-Smith was concerned about the fact that this doesn't help people trying to get into the housing market; however, she supported it in principle.Cr Guise said it was a private market-oriented way of dealing with affordable housing, and ultimately was the only councillor who voted against the motion (with Cr Virginia Waters absent).In his right of reply, Cr Battista then made a direct remark about Cr Guise and The Greens."That's what The Greens are all about, negating every possible idea that can bring hope for growth in Lismore. That's what they want to do. They want to shut this city down completely and don't offer any solution. And they're talking about affordable housing all the time, and that's crap, because they don't want affordable housing. They want their type of affordable housing, which is multiple occupancy, where people pay one rate for every property instead of five or six. That's their idea. And then it comes back and says, Oh, we're going to miss out on money to build our roads. What about all the multiple occupancy? They only pay one rate, one rate."The motion was easily passed again.The next Lismore City Council meeting will be 10am next Tuesday, June 10, with public access starting at 9am.

Dairy farmers have warned new farmgate prices for milk will fail to cover the cost of production for many NSW dairies. NSW processors have now announced opening milk prices for the 2025-26 season, with prices ranging from $12.30/kg MS (94c) in the north of the state to $9/kg MS in southern NSW for the year ahead. While these prices would have delivered reasonable returns in seasons past, NSW Farmers Dairy Committee Chair Mal Holm said record floods and skyrocketing input costs meant prices would ultimately fail to keep many farmers in business this year.“These latest floods might just be the last straw for many farmers who were under enormous strain thanks to the huge cost of production,” Mr Holm said.“The cost of producing milk is only going up, while milk prices remain down, and proper disaster assistance is still nowhere in sight to get farmers back on their feet after a string of horrific floods. “It’s forcing family farmers out the door after generations in the game, and it’s time we stood up and said we need stronger prices for a stronger industry.” As farmers looked to the season ahead, Mr Holm warned the future of the industry hinged on stronger prices for its farmers. “Australian dairy farmers have delivered families milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt and ice cream for decades, it’s a proud tradition and an important part of our food supply,” Mr Holm said. “Dairying is a tough job – now, more so than ever – and while the supermarkets are pushing their profits up, they’re not interested in delivering returns to the farmers that work so hard to produce this great product.“Milk prices must provide reasonable returns to dairy farmers, so we don’t lose our local milk production to cheap imports. Aussie families deserve Aussie dairy, and nothing less than that.”

Dog breeders across NSW can now apply for exemptions to new puppy farming regulations to ensure they satisfy changes coming into effect on 1 December 2025. Under the NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Puppy Farming) Act 2024, breeders can have no more than 20 female adult dogs, which are not desexed and older than six months, on any premise. Only dog breeders who had more than 20 female adult dogs when the maximum cap became law on 21 November 2024 can apply for a 10-year exemption from this limit until 1 December 2035. Breeders who had more than 50 female adult dogs (and who are granted an exemption) are required to bring the number down to 50 or below by 1 December 2026. If a breeder is refused a 10-year exemption, they must comply with the maximum cap of 20 female adult dogs from 1 December 2025. Applications for an exemption can be made to the Office of Local Government (OLG) for a $550 fee, giving dog breeders time to manage and appropriately scale down their businesses to comply with the Puppy Farming Act. This will avoid potential adverse animal welfare outcomes and negative impacts on pounds and rehoming organisations. Exemption applications will be open until Sunday, 13 July 2025, on the OLG website. https://www.petregistry.olg.nsw.gov.au/temporary-exemption-application.   The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is working with the OLG to ensure breeders, potential breeders, occupiers of dog premises and the community understand the new requirements.    DPIRD Executive Director Strategy and Regulatory Policy, Peter Goth, said the robust changes ensure animal welfare standards are upheld.  “This legislation ensures transparency, accountability and appropriate animal welfare standards in all dog breeding operations across NSW. “These changes will fortify and support animal welfare within the industry and allow people to choose puppies from ethical breeders who promote responsible dog breeding. “The majority of the changes come into effect from 1 December 2025, allowing time for breeders, dog owners and those considering acquiring a puppy to review what is required.”   Changes to address key risks to animal health and welfare related to dog breeding practices that commence from 1 December 2025 include: All dog breeders must obtain a mandatory Breeder Identification Number through the NSW Pet Registry and include this number along with the microchip number of the dogs they are advertising for sale or giving away, to improve transparency and ensure people purchasing a new puppy know where their dog is coming from. New lifetime breeding limits for female dogs with a maximum of five litters in total or up to three caesarean litters with veterinarian approval, whichever occurs first. One staff carer for every 20 adult dogs, to ensure dogs receive a minimum standard of care. A maximum penalty for individuals of $110,000, two years imprisonment or both, and $550,000 for organisations for breaches of these requirements. For further information on the reforms, including factsheets, visit the DPIRD website.

The Lismore CBD has one iconic business, including the building and an iconic building up for sale: La Barracca and Brand's Pharmacy.Mayor Steve Krieg and his wife Julie purchased the old Rous Hotel in July 2023, and quickly changed its name to La Baracca, the cafe they had been operating 100 metres down the road on Keen Street since 2008.Following a full renovation downstairs by well-known local builder Joel Jensen, the venue has been serving customers for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a few drinks in the bar next door.Steve Krieg told the Lismore App, "There's clearly a lot of social media speculation. Some of it, a small percentage, is accurate; a large percentage is by people who have no idea. They don't know me or my family, or don't even come into my business. They take great delight in trying to guess what's going on."We do have our business on the market. We've been in the hospitality industry for nearly two decades. Since the flood, my wife enrolled in a course that she is very passionate about, and our children are growing up fast, and are close to finishing school."For us, the time is right to focus on other aspects of our life. For example, my wife has her medical degree, and I have my local government role. It's as simple as that; there's no hidden ulterior motives or hidden agendas. It's nearly 2 decades in hospitality. It's time for a change."La Bracca is for sale through an expression of interest, which closes on Wednesday, June 18. Contact the agent for the price.The other iconic building up for sale is Brand's Pharmacy on Molesworth Street.Brand's has been part of the Lismore CBD since 1915, when it was established by brothers Les and Bert Brand. In January this year, Kyle Wood, Managing Partner of Southside Chempro in South Lismore, purchased the business when Greg Brand (son of Les) retired, and his daughter, Helen, took a break to focus on her family.Kyle Wood told the Lismore App that he has been assessing the business's future since purchasing Brand's."The building and the floor space are too small for how we want to grow," Kyle said. "I can't reveal what those plans are yet, but they are exciting and will definitely benefit the people of Lismore. Watch this space."The Brand's building is for sale for $300,000 +gst. Click here for agent details.While on Molesworth Street, three more buildings are for sale. Two have massive floor spaces, 871 m2 and 1073 m2, that would suit a showroom or a large format retail. One of the buildings used to house the Mega Choice discount shop.There is speculation that these buildings need a multinational client, which may not be easy to attract to the CBD, given it floods regularly.Both properties are for sale through an expression of interest. Click here for more.The third building has a smaller floor space of 234 m2. Many Lismore Library visitors would be familiar with the building as it was the site of the pop-up store at 146-148 Molesworth Street.The sale price is $365,000 +gst or you can lease the building for $900 per week. Click here for more information.The Lismore CBD is a tale of two sides, with Keen Street near full capacity and regarded as 'The' street on the CBD block and Molesworth Street for sale and ready for a rebuild.

This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW Government is urging eligible people to take the bowel screening test, with only two out of every five people in NSW who receive the kit taking the test.The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program’s test is quick and easy, with those who have done it before almost three times more likely than first-time invitees to take it again.The test is available to those aged between 45 and 74 years and is the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer, Australia’s second-deadliest cancer. If caught early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated in more than 90 per cent of cases. The risk of bowel cancer increases significantly with age, but people of all ages can get the disease. Anyone experiencing changes in bowel habits, bleeding, fatigue, anaemia, or unexplained weight loss should see their GP.People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active; and by doing the at-home screening test every two years from age 45.People aged 50 to 74 receive free bowel screening tests at the address they have registered with Medicare. People aged 45 to 49 years need to request their first test kit, and will automatically receive subsequent kits. Rachel Rizk, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, said, “It was a big shock when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing my doctor for erratic bowel movements.“I had several unused tests sitting in my cupboard when I was diagnosed, and I felt so silly, so now I tell everyone to do the test.“The test is not disgusting, it’s actually very easy, and it’s the best way to get an accurate result. Once I finally did it, I wasn’t sure why I didn’t do it sooner. I felt quite ridiculous letting it go so long.”The Cancer Institute NSW recently went live with the Bowel Cancer Screening “Do the test” Advertising Campaign to motivate eligible people in NSW to participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.  The campaign is among several Cancer Institute NSW-led initiatives to increase bowel cancer screening rates and to support people on their clinical pathway following a positive test result.Find out more about bowel cancer screening in NSW here: Free Bowel Cancer Screening Test Kit - Cancer Institute NSWHealth Minister Ryan Park said, “Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world, and it’s the second biggest cancer killer in NSW, with more than 1,700 people expected to lose their lives to bowel cancer this year.“We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part.“This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, I encourage everyone eligible to not delay and do the test, for yourself and your family.”NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM said, “If caught early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated and we know that people who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage, when it’s most treatable.“Bowel cancer is not just an old person’s disease. With more and more young people being diagnosed with bowel cancer, I encourage everyone, no matter what age, to be vigilant for symptoms and see your doctor if there’s any concerns.“I urge everyone eligible for the screening test not to put it off, it is quick and easy and could save your life.”

Casino Beef Week Saturday was expected to attract around 10,000 people, and despite overcast skies, the numbers felt like it was at least that.Saturday afternoon was buzzing with a huge crowd enjoying many events, like the wood chop, mechanical bull and the much-loved street parade. At the end of a long, very successful day, two Beef Week icons talked about what it means to be heavily involved and what the future holds.Brenda Armfield has been an Australian entertainer since the age of four. She has embraced Beef Week from its early years and has made an incredible contribution to the event, earning a deep respect from the community and many honours.Brenda has led the Saturday Street Parade for as long as people can remember in her green Mini Moke - almost half of her life. The Moke is always bedecked with colourful balloons, and this year was no exception. The Saturday Parade, which was usually named for a big sponsor, was renamed for Brenda in 2023 and still retains her name.Energy and vibrancy still leap from her, and people smile when they see the bright green Moke come past, Brenda waving excitedly to the crowd. “It’s been fantastic, a wonderful roll up, especially in weather like this.”As Brenda pulled up after the parade, I asked her how it felt to have the Parade continue to use her name. With a waiver in her voice, she said, “I feel very, very proud. It's hard to explain what it means to me. I can’t put it into words.”Also very pleased with the event and its success, Brody Lisha, who has been on the Beef Week board for 8 years, serving as President for three years. He spoke of the highlights this year.“It's been a fantastic week. All our events have sold out. Wednesday night, we had a record auction in which a champion LED steer got $50 a kilo, which, in theory, is a $20,000 steer. So that was absolutely fantastic, and it blew all records.”The success of the show is attracting funds for future events.“The announcement on Monday by the Deputy Ag Minister of $1 million for the next three years was fantastic, and that's only going to boost our event.”There are other beef centres in Australia claiming to be the biggest and best, but Mr Lisha thinks that is about to change.(In the show ring with some of the big boys of Beef Week)“We've worked really hard as a committee and as a board to get Beef Week where it is now, and over the next three years, we'll continue to build on that to rubber stamp ourselves as the Beef Capital of Australia.“The last three years, we've upped our sponsorship by close to 150%, we've locked in big-name sponsors.”The Food Co-op has announced a three-year deal as the naming sponsor. Jack Link’s and Super Foods have also signed major deals, securing funds to contribute to Beef Week's success.What does that mean for the direction of Beef Week? “We've got a few things in the works. I'm not going to elaborate on them too much, but each individual on the board brings different things to the table. “One thing we do well is work hard as a team, and you'll see the results. You've seen results over the last three years, and the future's bright for Casino Beef Week.”Speaking of bright futures, the glitz and glamour coming from the Beef Week Queen entrants dazzled the crowds as they came past on the Queen's float. (The 2025 Casino Beef Week Queens)The young ladies from Casino were all thrilled to be a part of Beef Week - when asked if this was something they looked forward to growing up, arms flew up and the chorus came back, “YES!”Charlie Murray was crowned 2025 Beef Week and was all smiles, “Best Beef Week ever!” Her royal highness comes from a Brangus Stud and represented the breed, leading a bull in the ring.  (2025 Casino Beef Week Queen Carlie Murray with her bull)“I just love the Brangus breed. They always look beautiful, as you've seen in the ring. They're also good heat-tolerant cattle for around here.”Beef Week and the Queen's duties are over for another year, but the memories will last a lifetime.(Memories also for Cowgirls Larah and Hallie as they made their way to the rides)(And memories for Cowboys Max and Henry, who won two swords)“Just the experience! I have met lots of new people,” and with a laugh she added, “And just to be the centre of Casino!”The end of Beef Week 2025 completes May's trilogy of events (Primex, Gemfest and Beef Week) as we roll into June and the 2025 Lismore Lantern Parade on Saturday, June 21.

The new batch of 20 buyback houses going up for auction were on display through open homes last week in Lismore, Woodburn, Murwillumbah and Kyogle as the NSWRA (Reconstruction Authority) looks to sell and relocate as many homes as possible.The auction process is a different process from the expression of interest process used in the first round, when 31 houses were on offer. Potentially, anyone could buy a buyback house for $1 if there were no other bidders. The NSWRA has said there is No Reserve price.Robert Horder, Principal and Licensee of PRD Northern Rivers, the real estate agent used in the buyback sale process, told the Lismore App that the number of people who went through Lismore was good; however, they were lighter at Woodburn, Kyogle, and Murwillumbah.For those looking to purchase a buyback home, it is worth inspecting the 20 houses on the PRD website because the condition of each varies greatly. Click here to view.The next open home dates will be June 11 and 12 next week. Here's the schedule:WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 MURWILLUMBAH & KYOGLE9-9:30am: 8 River Street, South Murwillumbah9:30-10am: 11 Greville Street, South Murwillumbah10-10:15am: 117 River Street, South Murwillumbah10:15-10:30am: 119 River Street, South Murwillumbah11:00am-11:30: 30 Kyogle Road, Bray Park(117 River Street, South Murwillumbah)2-2:15pm: 8 Norton Street, Kyogle2:15-2:30pm: 13 Norton Street, Kyogle2:30-2:45pm: 17 Norton Street, Kyogle2:45-3pm: 22 Norton Street, Kyogle3-3:15pm: 24 Norton Street, Kyogle(22 Norton Street, Kyogle)THURSDAY, JUNE 12 LISMORE & WOODBURN9-9:30am: 172 Union Street, South Lismore9:30-10am: 15 Rhodes Street, South Lismore10-10:30am: 13 Frank Street, South Lismore10:30-10:45am: 5 Coleman Street, Lismore10:45-11am: 2 Molesworth Street, Lismore11am-11:15am: 19 Coleman Street, Lismore11:15-11:30am: 23 Coleman Street, Lismore11:30am-12pm: 14 Cathcart Street, Lismore1-1:30pm: 97-99 Richmond Street, Woodburn1:30-2pm: 119 Richmond Street, Woodburn(5 Coleman Street, Lismore)Enclosed footwear must be worn to inspect the properties.The aspect that will most appeal to potential buyers during this auction process is the 'No Reserve' policy.That's right, each of the twenty houses has no reserve, so if you are lucky enough, you could purchase a house for $1. It may be the house in the worst condition, but it may make relocating that house affordable.As a guide, Rob Horder said prices achieved during the round 1 expression of interest sale ranged from $1,000 to $30,000."That depended on size, features, condition, and whether they've been renovated or partly renovated. Some have been stripped out after the floods.""We expect the bidding to be in a similar price range. I guess the thing with an auction is if you've got two, three or four people really wanting the one property, then the price could go higher than that, but we are expecting bids in that price range. Rob said that most people are doing their research on how much it will cost to relocate the house to a block of land and then work backwards as to the price they are willing to pay. That research includes the cost of the block of land (if not a second dwelling on a rural property), the cost to reconnect to services like water and electricity and renovation costs to make it liveable.Anyone who purchases a buyback house has 12 months to move that house to a suitable block of land. The NSWRA has said there is flexibility around the timing because of the lack of Resilient Land Program house blocks for sale.New estates have a building covenant that states the type of dwelling that can be built on any block of land. These covenants are usually for newly built homes, not for relocated homes. Think of the Eastwood Estate in the western part of Goonellabah.As we know, the Resilient Lands Program has been an unmitigated failure since the February 2022 big flood. Many housing opportunities, such as the 400 blocks on Crawford Road, East Lismore, or the 80 on the North Lismore Plateau, are still on the drawing board. The only block ready for housing is the Mt Pleasant Estate in Goonellabah. It has four houses that were relocated in December 2024, which should be on the market by the end of 2025. The other 35 houses will not be relocated houses but a mix of single dwellings on different block sizes, a couple of townhouses and one area with a shared common area. The timing here is the end of 2026.This explains why the NSWRA needs to be flexible around the 12-month agreement to relocate a house. What if a person purchases a house for $1,000, but still has no suitable land to relocate a house to in that time frame?A NSWRA spokesperson told the Lismore App that any buyback house purchased will get extra time until a suitable Resilient Lands Program block is available in the Lismore LGA. At this stage, that is forecast to be the end of 2026. So, a buyback house purchased now will need an extra six months on the agreement to relocate the house, provided current timing remains on track.Another situation a buyer may experience concerns the holding deposit, which is set at $1,000. If they purchase a house for $100, they still need to pay the holding deposit. The $900 difference will be refunded later. The auction process for the next twenty houses and the flexibility around suitable blocks of land will determine the community's appetite for relocating flood-affected old timber houses.A reminder that you can view the available houses by clicking here.

Households are urged to check their smoke alarms as the NSW Government launches Fire and Rescue NSW’s annual ‘Winter Fire Safety’ campaign today.As winter begins and temperatures drop, Fire and Rescue crews typically see a 13 per cent increase in house fires compared with the rest of the year.From 1 June to 30 August 2024, more than 1000 fires broke out in NSW homes, killing 12 people and injuring more than 100 others.In 44 per cent of winter home fires, there was no working smoke alarm, or the alarm failed to alert when the fire broke out. 42 per cent of winter fires in 2024 broke out in household kitchens.Throughout 2024, there were 3,674 home fires, killing 25 people across NSW. In 45 per cent of these homes, there was no working smoke alarm.Fire and Rescue NSW continues to urge the community to remain vigilant around the use of lithium-ion batteries this winter.There have been 115 lithium-ion battery incidents in NSW so far this year, with 42 related to e-bikes and e-scooters.Devices with lithium-ion batteries should be handled with care. Always follow safe charging, storage, and disposal practices to prevent fires, explosions and other possible hazards.A working smoke alarm provides the earliest and most effective warning of a fire, giving residents the chance to get out and call triple zero (000).Today, firefighters will be doorknocking, offering free inspections and potentially life-saving advice on everything from fire risks during winter to unsafe charging behaviour for lithium-ion batteries.Crews will also install new smoke alarms for free in homes that need one.Members of the public can book a free fire safety visit and have a new smoke alarm installed all year round by visiting www.fire.nsw.gov.au/visits.Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said, “This winter, the NSW Government wants to ensure households have a working smoke alarm installed. They can give residents the crucial seconds needed to get everyone out safely.“In my own community of Bankstown, dozens of fires broke out in homes last winter, and more than half of those homes didn’t have a working smoke alarm installed.“If you need help, our firefighters are here for you. To test a smoke alarm, please book a safety visit through the Fire and Rescue NSW website or by calling your local fire station.”Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said, “The risk of fires in our homes increases during the colder months as we try to stay warm and cook more hot meals.“Keep looking when cooking – never leave cooking unattended and don’t throw water onto a fat fire as it will intensify the flames – use a fire blanket or extinguisher instead.”

The first day of June, the first day of winter, and the first day of Pride month.Project Pride Lismore celebrates the second and third week, packed with events, culminating in the Lantern Parade on the 21st that features the rainbow lanterns symbolising hope, pride, unity and diversity.Project Pride Lismore is an initiative of a grass-roots group of community members, illuminating the community and celebrating diversity. In this, its third year, Project Pride Lismore has events planned for two weeks from the 7th of June to the 21st of June. From an art exhibition, workshops and parties, the events are as colourful and diverse as the community.“Project Pride Lismore is a community-driven organisation dedicated to promoting creativity, inclusivity, and cultural expression. Through workshops, events, and collaborative projects, Project Pride Lismore aims to illuminate the community and celebrate diversity”, said Alex Jackson, the founding member of Project Pride Lismore.“It’s so great to be back again this year with more events and participation from the Lismore community. There’s something to suit everyone’s tastes”.You can find more information about Project Pride Lismore at their website: www.projectpridelismore.com.au.

The number of people in NSW who smoke cigarettes has fallen to its lowest level on record, according to new data published by NSW Health this World No Tobacco Day.The 2024 Population Health Survey showed around only one in 10 adults (11 per cent) smoked daily or occasionally, a decline from 14 per cent in 2015. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and the second highest contributor to the burden of disease in Australia. This World No Tobacco Day, NSW Health is encouraging people to quit smoking and vaping to improve their health and quality of life.Data from Cancer Institute NSW released today shows people in NSW are seeking support to quit smoking and vaping, with more than 27,000 calls supported by telephone information and counselling service Quitline in the past 12 months. More than 15,000 of these calls related to smoking, and 5,000 calls were about vaping.While smoking rates have declined, rates of vaping remain high, with people aged 16-24 years having the highest rate of vaping of any age group (20 per cent). Although there was a rapid increase in rates among this age group from 2018 to 2023, vaping rates have now started to stabilise.All people who vape are exposed to chemicals and toxins that have the potential to cause harm to their health. Some of these chemicals have been shown to cause cancer, heart disease and lung damage. Vaping may cause throat irritation, cough, breathlessness, dizziness, headaches and nausea.In young people, regular use of nicotine vapes can cause changes to brain development, worsen stress and increase symptoms of depression and anxiety. There is also recent evidence that young people aged 12-17 who vape are almost five times as likely to go on to smoke.The NSW Government is undertaking a comprehensive program of work to reduce rates of vaping, including cracking down on the supply and availability of vapes, educational campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of vaping, and supports to help people kick the habit.In February this year, NSW launched the Pave app to support people on their quit journey. The app, which has been downloaded by 5000 users to date, provides users with helpful tips, motivation, tracking tools, distractions for when cravings hit, as well as activities and information to navigate common barriers to quitting vaping.If you need support to quit smoking or vaping, talk to your GP or call the NSW Quitline on 13 7848. Quitline is a free and confidential telephone counselling service that provides customised assistance to help you quit. Aboriginal counsellors are available, providing culturally sensitive and customised support.The iCanQuit website also provides information about smoking and vaping, and resources and support to quit.Minister for Health, Ryan Park said, “No matter how long you have been smoking, quitting is one of the most effective things you can do to live a longer, happier and healthier life.“While it is pleasing to see more people taking the step towards being smoke-free, I remain concerned that rates of vaping are still high.“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to the stem the tide of this public health challenge. We don’t want to see the years of strong progress in tobacco control and smoking reduction undone.NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said, “I’d like to congratulate people who have taken the step towards a healthier life by quitting smoking.“I acknowledge it’s not always easy, but I encourage people who smoke to think about quitting both for themselves and for their loved ones this World No Tobacco Day.“While the data released today shows a concerning number of young people vaping, we are cautiously optimistic that we are seeing a stabilisation of the rates.NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O’Brien AM said, “Smoking is a leading cause of disease and premature death in NSW, and while we’ve seen positive change with a decrease in tobacco smoking, we cannot become complacent about the harms of smoking and now vaping.”“Smoking and vaping are among the worst things you can do for your health. It’s important that people avoid taking up these habits or seek help to quit.”“While quitting can be hard, with support like the app and telephone service, taking that first step can be life-changing.”

Lismore art lovers are in for a treat in early July when the 2024 Archibald Prize goes on display at the Lismore Regional Gallery.The Archibald is eagerly anticipated by artists and audiences alike across Australia. It is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW and awarded annually to a notable portrait painting. Entries to the Archibald Prize must be painted in the preceding year from at least one live sitting. Since 1921, it has highlighted figures from all walks of life, from famous faces to local heroes, reflecting the personal and intimate stories of our times.This will be only the second time in the Archibald's history that it has made its way to the Lismore Regional Gallery. Locals and visitors from as far as Brisbane can view the 57 finalist works from the 2024 iteration across the three main galleries.The Archibald Prize 2024 features works by Northern NSW artists Matt Adnate (winner of the Packing Room Prize), Angus McDonald and Ben Smith.(Archibald Prize 2024 finalist and Packing Room Prize 2024 winner, Matt Adnate, 'Rhythms of heritage' © the artist)Lismore Art Gallery Director Ashleigh Ralph is really excited about bringing the Archibald Prize to Lismore."It reinforces for us at Lismore Regional Gallery that partnerships with major institutions like the Art Gallery of New South Wales continue to have trust in bringing touring exhibitions to Lismore after everything that's happened. It really demonstrates the importance of bringing these state institution shows to regional areas as well." Art lovers will know that the 2025 Archibald Prize was announced in early May. The 2025 exhibition will be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW until August 17, when it begins its statewide tour. For the 2024 exhibition, Lismore is the final leg.If you miss such a prestigious art exhibition this time, and think you will wait and view the 2025 collection, think again."With the Archibald Prize, it is shared across the state with regional galleries, so each year they send the prize on tour to several venues. We were the last venue for the 2024 prize, so this year the 2025 prize will go on tour to several venues, but because there's so many regional and public galleries in New South Wales, we probably won't see the Archibald again for another seven years. It's a big wait list." The impact on Lismore as a city and the art gallery itself promises to be substantial."We would say it's more than triple what we would normally get, so we're gearing up for lots of visitors. Lots of visitors from beyond the region as well, even travelling from Brisbane, because they don't get the Archbald in Brisbane and it's only a couple of hours away. So we are expecting lots of art lovers and interested visitors, as well as school groups. For example, the Art Express touring exhibition we had a couple of months ago, we probably brought through around 700 students. So, we expect a similar response, if not more, for the Archibald." "People will come, and they won't just come and look at the exhibition, they'll explore Lismore. I imagine they will go and get lunch or go to a coffee shop; I think it will be really beneficial," Ashleigh said.The 2024 Archibald Prize will be on display at the Lismore Regional Gallery (11 Rural Street, Lismore) from 5 July to 31 August 2025. It is anticipated to be a very busy period, so you are encouraged to plan your visit and book tickets early to avoid disappointment.General entry is $15.00, Concession $10.00 and Children free (under 16 years old)The following session times are available for ticket purchase, Wednesday to Sunday:10.00am - 12.00pm12.00pm - 2.00pm 2.00.pm - 4.00pmTo book your tickets, click here.

It has been an overcast morning to start this year's Australian Food Super Saturday Street Festival at Casino Co-op Beef Week. Still, no one here is worried about the weather as tens of thousands are enjoying the many events on offer.The crowds are loving the entertainment, streets with cows, not cars, rides and some great rural festivities and daredevil events.The Riverina Stud Cattle Show has some stars walking the ring, with these two cow and calf Speckled Park cattle with beautiful markings, a crowd favourite.(Ashly with Belva about to enter the judging ring)Everyone is getting into the atmosphere, with people in their rural best. Busking, Jillaroos and Jackaroos, petting zoos, bush poets - there's something for everyone of all ages.In the Junior Pie-eating competition, Max, Connor and Mac battled it out. Max, a late entry, came out the winner, though all three had big, meaty grins at the end! This was followed by the senior pie-eating competition.(Max, Connor and Mac in the junior pie-eating contest)The pie-eating contestants are flanked by Beef Week Queens. Ella, representing Tursa, said it has been so busy, she is looking forward to the excellence of the rodeo. Mackenzie is representing the Bradford breed - a cross between Brahman and Hereford. "They are tick-resistant and don't get pink eye or eye cancer, making them an ideal choice in this region," said Mackenzie.Jacinda from Olive Design in Casino has a great selection of cookies and cakes, some made up ready to eat and some rest to make and decorate. Jacinda says, "You can eat something now, or make an afternoon of it and decorate them up."Laura from McDonald's Travelling Farm got some help from Landon to feed Sammy the goat some well-needed breakfast. Sammy looked like he was enjoying all the attention! The motorbike show has just revved into action, and this afternoon, there is whip cracking, wood chopping and the popular rodeo to come as well as the Mr Beef competition and the Brenda Armfield Street Parade, named after Beef Week's biggest advocate - spruiking for Beef Week for nearly 40 years!There is plenty to see, so come on down, or keep an eye out for more photos to come, and an interview with Brody Lisha about some incredible record-breaking highs and the plans for Beef Week to come…(Bex the Busker, loving the atmosphere, the outfits, and the smiles)