In a significant coup for the city of Lismore, Primex Field Days will be moving to Lismore in 2026.An email was sent to Primex exhibitors by Director Bruce Wright on Friday. The email read:We wish to inform you prior to our official announcement in the next week that Norco Primex Field Days is moving to Lismore.This is a strategic decision driven by investment and growth, innovation, and a bold commitment to regional advancement. After more than 40 years at Casino in the Richmond Valley and extended efforts to secure a sustainable future there, our focus is now firmly on building the next chapter in a region that shares our vision. With strong backing from Lismore City Council and the NSW Government, Norco Primex 2026 (May 21-23) will create greater outcomes for exhibitors, suppliers, and rural communities alike. Following a comprehensive strategic review, we’re inviting previous and new exhibitors to re-engage through favourable site investment options and targeted initiatives that boost trade, grower and community engagement. As the only coastal-based agricultural field day of its kind in Australia, Primex uniquely serves the specific needs of Northern NSW’s diverse primary industries — from agribusiness and machinery to paddock-to-plate, sustainable farming, and ag-tech innovation. This move is more than a relocation — it’s a transformation. It brings together business and community in a regional hub that’s ready to grow. With Lismore’s support, PRIMEX is set to be the premier event that delivers not just connections, but real outcomes. Lismore is backing Primex Field Days, and we’re backing the future of Australian agriculture and farming in Lismore and servicing throughout NNSW and SQLD. As for the venue, the Lismore App understands the Lismore Showgrounds will be the new home of Primex.Bruce Wright was contacted for further comment; he said that further details would be released later today.Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said, "This is the biggest announcement of the year for Lismore. Given our rich agricultural history and the fact that we want to grow our industry and attract more business to our area, Primex sits perfectly within our community, showcasing everything we have to offer."I would personally like to thank Bruce and everyone involved with Primex for trusting Lismore to not only continue Primex but allowing us to grow the brand and build on what is already a highly successful product."I would also like to recognise John Gibson and the team at the Showgrounds, who have worked behind the scenes to make this possible."Now we wait for the official announcement later this morning.Until then, we can reflect on what impact Primex Field Days will have on Lismore.It is a step in making Lismore the agri-business centre of the Northern Rivers.It will please Lismore's large contingent of Primex exhibitors, who now only have to move their products around the corner to North Lismore.It will mean a substantial revenue boost for local businesses through accommodation, eateries and, hopefully, our retail stores.It is a sign that the Lismore narrative is shifting from flood recovery to one of a city with future prosperity.

The background story of the man arrested by police under a house in East Lismore has been released by police. The intriguing story starts in Queensland and finishes in East Lismore.About 1.30pm yesterday (Saturday, 30 August 2025), Queensland Police notified NSW Police that a Toyota utility – allegedly stolen from Queensland – had entered NSW.A short time later officers attached to Tweed-Byron Police District located the ute driving North on the Pacific Highway at Yelgun.Police directed the driver to stop; however, when they allegedly failed to do so, a pursuit was initiated.The pursuit continued until the vehicle reached Clothiers Creek, where it was terminated due to safety concerns.About 3.10pm police located the utility driving on Goonengerry Road, Goonengerry.Police again directed the driver to stop; however, the driver allegedly failed to do so, and a second pursuit was initiated.The second pursuit continued until the stolen car reached Federal Drive, Federal, where the pursuit was again terminated due to safety concerns.About 3.40pm police located the utility in a golf club carpark on Barham Street, Lismore, before seizing it for forensic examination. Following inquiries, officers attached to Richmond Police District located the alleged driver – a 31-year-old man – hiding under a home on Garrard Street, East Lismore, about 5.15pm.The man was arrested and taken to Lismore Police Station where he was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly (two counts), drive motor vehicle during disqualification period (two counts), receive property stolen outside NSW more than $15,000 (two counts), class A motor vehicle exceed speed more than 45km/h, and enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse.He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court yesterday, where he was further refused bail to appear before Byron Bay Local Court on Monday, 8 September 2025.

Anglers across Lismore and the Northern Rivers are looking forward to the start of this year’s Australian Bass and Estuary Perch season with the annual three-month zero-bag limit on these popular sporting fish ending, and the season opening tomorrow (Monday, 1 September).As part of the NSW Government’s plan to protect the state's waterways and to maintain stocks of these iconic fish, a zero-bag limit is put in place each year in estuaries and rivers below impoundments between 1 June and 31 August.This three-month no-take season protects the fish during breeding season, safeguarding them into the future and allowing them to successfully reproduce and maintain healthy populations.To enhance fishing opportunities, the Government is stocking up to 260,000 Australian Bass into impoundments, where the fish can’t naturally reproduce, across the State from this October.This stocking boosts fishing opportunities as well as employment and economic benefits for our recreational fishing industry which contributes more than $3.4 billion to the State’s economy and generates more than 14,000 full-time jobs.  From the start of September recreational fishers are encouraged to explore the State’s beautiful coastal rivers and streams to experience the thrill of targeting two of our most prized native sportfish.(A young angler with an Australian Bass)Australian Bass are found in coastal rivers and lakes from the Tweed River in northern NSW to remote streams on the Far South Coast.Estuary Perch are commonly found south of the Hawkesbury River but can also be caught further up north around the Richmond River.With a varied diet of prawns, worms and smaller fish, Australian Bass and Estuary Perch are opportunistic hunters and the ideal target for recreational fishers using either bait or lures.$62,000 has also been awarded by the NSW Government to community groups to release the Australian Bass into rivers and dams across NSW as part of the native fish stocking grants program.The government will be releasing Australian bass across the state into Toonumbar Dam, Clarrie Hall Dam, Glenbawn Dam, Lake St Clair, Tallowa Dam, Lake Lyell and Lake Wallace.Fishers are reminded that a strict bag limit of two and possession limit of four applies to Australian Bass and Estuary Perch, either for a single species or a combination of both species. Only one fish is permitted to be over 35cm in length when fishing in rivers. Information about freshwater fishing rules: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-rules-and-regs/freshwater-bag-and-size-limits.Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said, “Spring not only marks that warmer weather is on the way, but also the start of the Australian Bass and Estuary Perch fishing season in our coastal rivers and creeks.“Recreational fishers heading into regional NSW for a fishing adventure will not be disappointed by the memorable fishing experience on offer from Australian Bass and Estuary Perch, that are renowned for putting up a solid fight. “The Minns Government’s fish stocking program and investment in the community native fish stocking program are another example of our commitment to boosting recreational fishing opportunities across NSW.“Stocking of Australian Bass into impoundments in Northern NSW and the Hunter region, down to southeast of NSW, provides just another reason for fishers to travel into regional NSW to wet a line.”Kyogle Fishing Club President, Mr Barry Reeves said, “Kyogle Fishing Club has been involved in the Community Native Fish Stocking grants program for about 20 years, allowing us to stock around 200,000 Australian Bass into Toonumbar Dam."Bass are fantastic native sportfish, putting up a great show, especially when targeted on surface lures. They're definitely a huge fishing drawcard for fisheries like Toonumbar.""This popular impoundment offers excellent recreational fishing opportunities to the Kyogle community and travelling recreational anglers."

With the football and rugby finals upon us for another year, QUT researchers have created a powerful new tool that could predict when an athlete is at risk of suffering another injury when returning to play from a previous injury.It uses data from wearable sensors capturing how the athlete moves in training or gameplay, along with data about the preceding injury and contextual information to quantify the risk.The system was developed by Associate Professor Paul Wu, Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen and Yu Yi Yu from the QUT School of Mathematical Sciences and Centre for Data Science, alongside an interdisciplinary team comprising performance health researchers from the Australian Institute of Sport, statisticians from UNSW and informed potential users.Their hope is that it could help coaches, medical staff and athletes spot danger signs early, avoid costly injuries and keep players performing at their peak.Approximately 40 to 60 per cent of athletes sustain at least one injury in a given season, with 15 to 40 per cent sustaining a second.From a community perspective, Australians suffered some 3.47 million sports injuries in 2023 with 66,500 needing hospitalisation.“With the rapid rise of wearable and other sensing technologies, the time is ripe for building next-generation models to make sense of complex data and patterns, and support anticipative management and prevention of subsequent injuries,” Professor Wu said.“The idea is to integrate training and competition performance data with injury data to link changes in performance to early warning signs for elevated injury risk.”The team developed an approach to infer the internal state of the athlete, which was characterised as more or less susceptible to injury.This was linked to injury risk via variables, or features, obtained from wearable sensor, medical (injury) and contextual data.Importantly, Professor Wu said, the approach was able to capture changing injury dynamics and susceptibility over the course of a season.Using data from an AFL club across one season, the model explained injury occurrences correctly 77 per cent of the time with 90 per cent specificity.“Age emerged as the strongest factor influencing how an athlete might transition from a more susceptible to less susceptible state or vice versa, followed by context (for example, games carry higher risk than training), and the severity of the last injury,” Professor Wu said.“Self-rated exertion and running speed also proved to be key indicators of injury risk.”Professor Wu said the model could be particularly valuable in Return-To-Play situations, where a player is recovering from an injury and wants to minimise the chance of another.“We can run ‘what-if’ scenarios, such as adjusting training or match loads to see the potential impact on injury risk or estimate an athlete’s susceptibility right after a game or training session,” he said.“Our vision is to give athletes, coaches and support staff, whether in elite sport or the community, tools that help them make sense of complex data, to allow them to train and compete at their best while managing the risk of subsequent injury.”Read the full study, Next Generation Models for Subsequent Sports Injuries, published in Applied Stochastic Models in Business and Industry online.

The Federal Government has delivered $1 billion in new funding for low-interest loans used by farmers to manage through drought conditions across Australia.On Friday, the Albanese Government announced the funding would be delivered to the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) to enable loans to be written beyond June 2026, following calls from NSW Farmers to deliver long-term funding and certainty for the tool.NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said it was plain and clear the RIC must continue to operate as drought continued to persist across south and west NSW.“Thousands of farmers have used this tool to prepare, manage and recover through past droughts, so it’s good to see more investment in a service that we know works,” Mr Martin said. “It was positive to see funding to drive drought resilience delivered earlier this week, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle when we’ve got farmers in severe drought across NSW, and in other states, right now.“Farmers are the experts in dealing with all the risks our climate throws their way – and these low interest loans enable them to do what they need to do to manage through these tough times and beyond.” While additional funding for the service was welcome, NSW Farmers urged the Federal Government to respond to the independent review of the RIC as soon as possible.“We need to see real assurance that this service will be available in the long term, and real consultation with industry if there’s going to be a broader scope to these loans,” Mr Martin said. “There’s a difficult road ahead for farm businesses, and listening to what farmers had to say in the review of the RIC will be key to ensuring it remains a reliable tool to deal with risks now and into the future.” 

Better protection of Australia’s cultural heritage in the resources sector is at the heart of a new training centre based at Flinders University, with two Southern Cross University (SCU) scientists set to play a leading role.SCU Professors Renaud Joannes-Boyau and Anja Scheffers have been named Chief Investigators in the newly established ARC Training Centre for Advancing Archaeology in the Resources Sector, a groundbreaking initiative to protect Indigenous cultural heritage in Australia’s resources sector.Recently awarded $5 million from the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformation Research Program, the Centre is a collaboration between Flinders University, The University of Queensland and Southern Cross University.It brings together Traditional Owners, major resource companies, archaeologists, and cultural heritage experts, as well as the peak body for mining professionals, AusIMM.Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau said the Centre would train a new generation of professionals who could operate in the complex intersection of mining and heritage protection.“This Centre represents an important opportunity to strengthen partnerships between Traditional Owners, archaeologists, and the resources sector. By training professionals who can navigate both cultural and industry perspectives, we can ensure future projects deliver positive outcomes for communities, heritage, and the industry alike,” he said.Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau is internationally known for his work in geoarchaeology and dating techniques, while Professor Anja Scheffers is an expert in coastal geomorphology and paleoclimatology. Both are based at Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus.The Centre’s three Traditional Owner partners – the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation, Palyku-Jartayi Aboriginal Corporation and Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Land Owners – have been engaging with the resources industry for several decades and will be contributing extensive knowledge and guidance to the Centre’s activities, as well as the time of their Rangers, Elders and infrastructure in research projects.  The Centre will also develop flexible training opportunities, including short courses and standalone units, designed to equip both cultural heritage professionals and those in the resources sector with the skills to work collaboratively and sustainably.Southern Cross University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Mary Spongberg said it was both heartening and inspiring to see the Centre funded.“It gives me genuine hope for the preservation of Australia’s cultural heritage and this acknowledgement of our deep history.  “Southern Cross University is so proud to be part of this collaboration, actively setting new benchmarks for research, preservation, and engagement with our shared heritage. We look forward to working together with such an amazing collection of partners,” she said.

Free virtual health care is now available to every person in NSW for urgent conditions, following the completion of the rollout of NSW Health’s virtual urgent care service.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin says this means people across the Lismore electorate can access urgent clinical care for injuries and illnesses from home, without needing to visit a hospital or GP.“Often people’s first thought for urgent conditions is to go to straight to the Emergency Department, because they can’t find a GP at the time. Our EDs are attended by many people without life-threatening conditions.“Now you can make a phone call to Healthdirect first to have your condition assessed.“A registered nurse will assess your condition over the phone and, if virtual care is appropriate, arrange a video-call appointment with a clinician, whether that’s a doctor, nurse or allied health professional.“You’ll receive expert advice on treatment options, prescriptions if needed, and referrals to follow-up care,” Ms Saffin said.Virtual care is available 7 days a week between 8am and 10pm by calling Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.NSW virtual urgent care services are equipped to manage a wide range of health concerns, including coughs, colds, fevers and flu; treatment for vomiting, diarrhoea or mild infections, rashes and skin irritations; or minor injuries such as sprains and small cuts.This service builds on the NSW Government’s budget emergency department relief package, which includes:$100 million to back in our urgent care services to provide a pathway to care outside of our hospitals;$70 million to expand emergency department short-stay units$15.1 million for an Ambulance Matrix that provides real-time hospital data to enable paramedics to transport patients to emergency departments with greater capacity and reducing wait times;

'To honour the police officers who have served the people of Lismore and in memory of those officers who have lost their lives in the course of their duty'.Those words are written on the Lismore Police Memorial on Molesworth Street. Yesterday, the Rotary Club of Summerland Sunrise, representatives from Janelle Saffin and Kevin Hogan's office and Sergeant Ed Howarth from the Lismore Police Station laid flowers at the base of the memorial to pay respect to the two police officers who were killed in the line of duty in Porepunkah, Victoria.59-year-old Detective Neal Thompson and 35-year-old Senior Constable Vadim De Waart had travelled to the rural property, north-east of Melbourne, alongside eight colleagues to execute a search warrant. Another officer remains in hospital after being shot in the lower body.Police say the suspect, local man Desmond Freeman, 56, is heavily armed and still at large.Richmond Police District Commander, Superintendent David Roptell said, “Earlier today, officers attached to Richmond Police District attended a memorial in Lismore to pay respect to the officers in Victoria who lost their lives in the line of duty. Our thoughts are with their families, friends, policing colleagues and the wider community as they navigate this difficult time.”Rotary's Ken Arnett encouraged the rest of the community to lay flowers at the memorial in tribute to the two dead officers.POLICE MEMORIAL HISTORYThe Lismore Police Memorial was officially unveiled on 23 July 2003 by the Honourable John Watkins MP, NSW Minister for Police.Ken Arnett had noticed there was a memorial for the many soldiers who fought and died in all Australian wars, but nothing for our police officers who died in the line of duty."On the 29th of September in about 1998 or 1999, there was a bunch of coppers over here in the Memorial Gardens all standing around a Padre. I thought, what is going on over there? So I went over and had a listen, and found out that the 29th of September is their Memorial Day. And I looked around that park over there and saw a monument for the Boer War, World War Two, World War One, Vietnam, a whole lot more, but nothing for the coppers."It struck my mind that we should do something about this. So, the Reverend Graham Davis was working in council in those days, and I came up with this site to put up a memorial, and it took us two or three years to get it done."The memorial was paid for by the people of Lismore (half) and the state and federal governments.

Finker Bubble owner Wen Chua was relieved to finally open her bubble tea shop on Keen Street a week ago. Wen arrived in Lismore about a year ago – and this It was her second attempt at trying to open the shop.In February, she was only three days away from opening - when Lismore’s biggest flood arrived and destroyed the new business.But, Wen knew she was not going to give up. Now, after months of renovations, she is now finally serving bubble tea to the Lismore community.“I always knew I would try and open again, I put a lot of money into the shop – and I had friends who helped me,” Wen said.“I love bubble tea – I know many people here haven’t had it before, and I want everyone to try it.”So, what is bubble tea?Bubble tea is a sweet drink, based on mixing milk with tea and adding toppings like coconut jelly, and popping balls – as well as fruit flavours such as strawberry, lychee and mango.Bubble tea is often referred to as a ‘chunky’ drink – because of the chewy pearls of tapioca that sit in the bottom of the cup – and you suck them into your mouth through a thick straw.It’s a drink that’s been popular with kids and adults all over Asia – and it’s a drink that Wen has grown up with.“As a child in Malaysia, nearly every day after school I would gather with my friends to drink bubble tea,” Wen said.“We would stand around in school uniform at the bubble tea stall on the street and drink bubble tea.”Wen said her favourite bubble tea is the one made with matcha tea, but the most popular one that’s sold in the shop is the brown sugar with fresh milk, cheese foam and boba (bubbles, or pearls of tapioca).“When you drink the cheese foam, you taste it first, then sip the tea, then combine it and the balance should be perfect,” Wen said.Finker Bubble will be open six days a week, Monday to Saturday from 11am to 8.30pm.This photo of the shop was taken by Wen just days before the flood arrived to destroy the shop.

For aromatherapist and holistic bodywork practitioner Anne Walker, finding a new space to open in since the floods has been tricky. But now, Anne’s business, Le Petit Aromatique Apothecary, has found a new home in Lismore’s Club Lane.In her new second floor premises, Anne has set up her massage clinic. But unlike her pre-flood shop location in the Star Court Arcade, she doesn’t yet have a shop front to sell her essential oils from. It’s something she hopes will change over time. For now, she’s just glad to be open again. ‘The little aromatic pharmacy’Anne first opened ‘the little aromatic pharmacy’ in 2019 after she visited the South of France and loved it.“Aromatherapy is very affiliated with French culture and I’d always dreamed of having an apothecary,” Anne said.“Usually an apothecary (pharmacy) is associated with herbal medicine but I wanted to open one dedicated to aromatherapy.“So, when I came back, I moved my massage clinic from Nimbin to Lismore and opened a shop front dedicated to selling over-the-counter aromatic medicine.“People would drop in and I would mix oils, creams or lotions on the spot. I would also do massages using essential oils.”The shop lasted three years, until the February flood destroyed her business.Like many other business owners, she had moved her stock up high, but it wasn’t enough.“I saved a few things that I’d put in the Star Court Theatre, but not much,” Anne said.“It was the second time I’d lost a business to flood – it happened to my previous business in 2017 as well.“Reopening this time took a while because I wasn’t emotionally ready for a long time. I needed to be in a good space to look after other people.“Then I found the Club Lane place when I was visiting the naturopath next door.“It’s a nice room with lots of light and a good affordable starting point for me.“I’m taking massage bookings and will have some apothecary items for sale and some flood stock is also available.“People can book in for consultations – I’ve been practicing remedial massage and reflexology for 20 years and bio-dynamic craniosacral therapy for ten years .“I also do aromatherapy massage and facials or feet treats.”Anne said she loves the essential oil single vetiver for grounding - but also likes to use rose, for grief and loss.The new Le Petit Aromatique Apothecary is located at Level 1, Suite 4 Club Lane, 71 Molesworth Street. If you would like to book in for an appointment, you can phone 0408 490 385, or visit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lepetitaromatiqueapothecary   

When Serpentine Community Gallery volunteers were cleaning up after the February flood, they lamented the lost artworks of Lismore. Not just for the art that was lost from the gallery’s walls – but for all the artworks lost in local houses and businesses.That’s when the idea to put on a free art exhibition was borne - to gift ‘free’ art to Lismore’s empty walls and damaged homes.Now, in a show of good will from Lismore’s art community, an exhibition of free art will be held at Two Mates Brewery on October 8, and the community is invited to get some free artworks – or swap over ones they already have.Exhibition coordinator Cassie Can is now calling local artists to donate some artworks to go into the exhibition. Art is not a luxury“As we rebuild in Lismore, art can be seen as a bit of a luxury, but it’s important to bring beauty back to our homes and businesses too,” Cassie said.“So, we want to make art free to everybody in Lismore – because as a town, we all lost something.“So if you have any artworks you don’t want anymore, you can donate them to this free art exhibition - and give them new life on someone’s walls.“Kids can donate art too – and people can also swap any works they already have for new ones.“You can just show up on the day with art, or donate artworks prior to the event. Then, people can take home the art they like on the day.Uplift spirits“It will be a beautiful gesture of generosity and a part of the vision to uplift the spirits of the people in Lismore.”Cassie said some of the Lismore Art Club members were keen to donate artworks.“They are passionate about holding this event in a region where we have so many artists and art appreciators,” she said.Cassie said the local brewery was donating the exhibition space out of goodwill to help rebuild the local community.Local face painter Rachel Creamer will be at the free day, painting faces.Family friendly day“We can all mingle and it will be a family friendly event with activities too,” Cassie said ““There’s a lovely grassy space out the back with a kids playground and gazebo.“Rachel, a local face painter will be there and we’ll have a needle felting workshop run by Nimbin Textiles – but there are limited spaces in this workshop and you need to prebook for it.“Kyogle gelato cart and Sam’s burgers will be there providing food – and we are also looking for donations of cake for morning tea.”There will also be live music performances from 11am to 4pm, followed by more music until 8pm.On the day, people can also donate money toward helping Serpentine Gallery rebuild the local community gallery space.Serpentine Gallery president, Susan, said the rebuild of the gallery is slowly happening - and it is expected to be open for 'Ink and Mud' - an exhibition by local printmakers in December.Cassie said it’s hoped this networking event can be the beginning of local artists connecting again after the flood.“We can put this community back together and start working and inspiring each other again,” Cassie said.If you would like to get involved, donate art or cakes, contact Susan on 0409 056 976.The exhibition will be held from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, October 8 at Two Mates Brewery at 8 Engine Street, South Lismore.  

The Gilchrist Foundation is a new charity supporting educational and sporting scholarships for students of all backgrounds and disadvantage.The Foundation has been established by the Gilchrist Family, with the mission of identifying eligible students and young sportsmen and women and assist them to further their education or skills through financial assistance together with active engagement and mentoring.The inaugural Gilchrist Foundation Dinner is set to be an entertaining and educational experience and will be held at the Ballina RSL on Friday 7 October.The dinner will give guests an opportunity to learn about the Foundation, meet current students being supported and hear from former Australian Soldier Anthony “Harry” Moffitt and his story of Eleven Bats….combat, cricket and the SAS. More information can be found about Harry Moffitt at https://www.elevenbats.com.au/ The night will include a unique raffle where attendees can purchase a personally signed Adam Gilchrist cricket ball as a raffle ticket and be in the draw for some fantastic accommodation and experience prizes.There are also a large number of unique prizes on offer in the online Gala Auction. Bidders do not need to be present on the night for the auction as all prizes are online and can be bid on at anytime in the countdown to the night.Prizes include a range of interesting items including a vintage-style bespoke cricket bat replica as used by Adam Gilchrist during his stellar career, the opportunity to brew your own beer and holiday packages. Bidding is open at https://app.galabid.com/gilchrist/itemsGo to the Gilchrist Foundation web site https://gilchrist.foundation/ for all dinner and ticket details or phone Julie on 0431 764 776.

U-buds and Doobers (not Ubers) were on duty last weekend, driving hundreds of people to and from Nimbin’s annual MardiGrass drug reform rally and festival.Nimbin HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone said having the drug free drivers was great – allowing people to enjoy the pro-cannabis drug reform celebration without having to worry about the usual police roadside drug testing.“Thousands of people were in Nimbin over the weekend and they came from all over Australia,” Michael said.“There was lots of passion for the roadside drug testing laws to change. Cannabis users are frustrated about not being heard and the lack of reason that goes with police saliva testing.“It has nothing to do with being impaired, it’s just about the presence of weed.”“The police told me they got more people this year with saliva testing than last year,” he said. “But we will have to wait for the official figures to come out.“Were any of those drivers actually impaired? It’s a huge impact on country drivers if they lose their licences – they need to be able to drive around.”“The frustration is also about not being allowed to grow our own cannabis – and then have to pay high prices for the legally prescribed stuff – and then still not be allowed to drive while using it.”Despite the police drug testing van being present on the side of the road on the way into Nimbin, Michael said there were not many arrests this year.“But I’m still waiting for the official numbers from police – we’ll know by next week,” he said.The annual MardiGrass is normally held in May, but was postponed due to flooding earlier this year. Michael said crowd numbers were still good, despite the change of dates. “People seemed to have a good time,” he said. “They enjoyed the weather and it wasn’t too crowded.”“Next year, I’d like to hold it in May again. That coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Aquarius Festival – a week after MardiGrass, so we might do something together.”One of the highlights of the festival were live DJs in Mingle park from 5pm each day – and the spectacle that is the law reform rally parade (complete with the big joint) on Sunday afternoon.“This year, Ponyland made a fantastic float for the parade – it was best rally we’ve had in years,” Michael said.“At the HEMP symposium, speakers included West Australian HEMP party politician Dr Brian Walker who spoke about drug law reform.“The Kombie convoy on Saturday was great, so was the 420 and the HEMP Olympix.“This year was the first time we had the MardiGrass marijuana music awards – and the winner was a Gold Coast reggae group.“Gary the bullet proof monk won the pot art competition with his banner ‘The law is the crime’ that hangs outside the embassy.”

For the local Year 9 and 10 students who attended a problem solving workshop this week – it wasn’t just about finding solutions to real world problems.According to workshop organiser Karen Ramsay, from the Rivers Academy of STEM Excellence (RASE) – it’s all about creating a resilient generation of problem solvers, who are changing things little by little.Read more news: Air quality monitoring program opens to local schoolsThe RASE schools program has recently been recognised for its amazing results – and has won the NSW Government Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative.Karen said the program has been running in 12 local schools since 2020 and works with students and teachers in Kindergarten to Year 12. Participating schools include Kadina, Richmond River, Albert Park, Bexhill, Dunoon, Goonellabah, Lismore Heights, Lismore South and Wilson Park.Dunoon Public School students at a STEM Design Thinking Process workshop.“The Rivers Academy of STEM excellence focusses on using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) design thinking practices across the curriculum – in literacy and creative arts too,” Karen said.“It’s not a new way of thinking - businesses use it too.“We get our kids to think creatively and critically, rather than work out of textbooks.“We are getting them ready to face the world.“Today at a workshop, we have Lismore High School and three campuses of kids at a STEM process workshop.“We have Year 10 girls working on a problem about how to engage more year 10 girls in choosing STEM subjects.“This is their third day working on the problem and they brainstorm and identify why it’s a problem and what’s caused it. Then they work on their solution.“The idea is we keep things as authentic as possible, with real world problems - and they come up with amazing ideas.“The Year 9 boys chose any problem they wanted - and they chose to look at how there’s not much mental health help available here for young people Their solution is a mental health app.”Karen said the STEM thinking process they learn now are processes that will stay with the students as they move on from school.“The kids are also becoming more resilient - instead of thinking why the solution didn’t work, they ask why and what can I do about it,” she said.Karen and Zane - another RASE program staff member - attended an awards ceremony in Sydney last week, after successfully submitting the RASE program application into the Public Education Foundation, which manages the awards.They accepted a certificate on behalf of all the principlals in the academy. It was presented to them by Georgina Harrison, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education.

If you thought the taco love had left Lismore after the February flood, think again.Taco Love Bros owner Dylan Morris said it’s been a slow journey to get back to Lismore – but that he will reopen the Conway Street restaurant later this year.But first, he’s bringing all of his popular menu items from Taco Love Bros back to Lismore, at The Met, every Sunday.“Our home was innundated in the flood and we were forced to move to Casino - and we opened a business there on Barker Street,” Dylan said.“We are still displaced and living in Casino and not yet ready to open two businesses.“Before we open Taco Love Bros again, we want to be back living in Lismore again, but it’s going to take a while.“We will offer a better service to community when we are back home.”When the February flood hit Dylan’s Lismore business in February, he said it was fortunate he managed to save most of the shop gear.The building also fared well compared to other Lismore buildings that were completely submerged in the flood. Read about the shop beginnings: New taco business jumps another hurdle Still keen to be a part of the Lismore community, Dylan said he recently went to the Met for a beer one day and talked to Simon who is running the restaurant there.“Simon mentioned it would be nice to do a food collaboration,” Dylan said.“It would be a good way to be visible again and we could let the people of Lismore know we are coming back to our original location, while still having access to our food locally.“I loved the idea – it was a bigger venue and gave us a chance to offer our taste back to Lismore.”Taco Love Bros will be offering a taste of what they used to sell on their menu every Sunday at the Met on Keen Street from 1pm to 7.30pm. The menu includes tacos, nachos and quesidillas. Read more about Dylan: SUNDAY PROFILE: Taco Love Bros' Dylan Morris

Bread rolls, pies and Vietnamese food will be back this week when Millers Bakery opens its doors again.Six months after the flood, Millers Bakery owner Trent is happy to see work on the Woodlark Street bakery almost complete and hopes to be open this Wednesday or Thursday.“We are nearly ready to open – it just depends on the electrical work being finished,” he said.“It’s been a big job to get open again, but we have a good landlord who has fixed the floor and electricity to get the shop ready.“It’s lucky I have a big family here to help clean and repair things - without them, maybe we never would have come back."Trent said he and his family had taken on running the bakery only nine months before the February flood came - where he lost his bakery equipment to the water. “We have a big family business and have shops in East Lismore and Central too,” he said.The new Millers bakery will sell salad rolls, bacon and egg rolls and coffee – as well as pies, bread and a selection of Vietnamese favourites.“We’ll have pork belly roll and vermicelli rice dishes and beef soup,” Trent said.Millers Bakery will be open Monday to Friday, 5.30am to 4pm; Saturday 7am to 4pm and Sunday 7am to 2pm.

With our history of alternative lifestyles, it may not be surprising that microdosing psychedelics such as LSD or psilocybin is gaining popularity in the Northern Rivers region. So, Psychology student and Honours researcher Rebecca Bushby has decided it’s time to explore just what effects microdosing is really having on those who try it.Rebecca lives locally, but studies at Edith Cowan University – and she’s calling out for people to get involved with a confidential research study she’s doing for her Honours thesis.  “Lots of people are choosing to take psychedelics for depression, anxiety and ADHD,” she said. “But there’s not a lot of current research and we are still picking up from what was done in the 1980s.“There are considerable anecdotal reports of microdosing and a big interest in the topic of psychedelics in the Northern Rivers region, so I was hoping people could get in touch with me.“My study explores emotional competence and wellbeing in people who microdose psychedelics compared to those who have never consumed psychedelics.“The survey is confidential – we don’t take details from the person we are talking, particularly because we are talking about illicit substances.“We just want to understand why they are taking it and how.“Are they taking regulated doses and what are the effects? How does that correspond to their wellbeing.“We would like to see the practice decriminalized so people don’t have to do it unregulated.“With big pharma, we have to be careful how we approach it and bring some science behind it.“There have been clinical trials for psilocybin coming out and with mushrooms, we are able to extract at a certain growth size and calculate the correct amount to use.“Microdosers not have hallucinations or visual effects, but the underlying benefits combating suicide and depression are powerful.”Rebecca would like to hear from people in the next couple of weeks and is compiling an email list for people who want to find out the study results later. “This study will help contribute to the expansion of psychedelic research and education, and is an important extension to the growing field of psychedelic science,” she said.The study involves completing a one off anonymous online survey expected to take approximately 20-30 minutes.The study has been reviewed and approved by Edith Cowan University Human Research Ethics Committee. To take part, visit https://eaecu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5ckZRrQe0ndyapgIf you have any questions or need more information please contact, you can contact Rebecca Bushby on rbushby@our.ecu.edu.au.

While NSW Forestry Corporation invites us to celebrate National Forestry Day today, conservationists are calling it a “day of shame for Australia”.At the heart of the issue is the logging of Australia’s native forests.Behind Forestry Corporation’s promise to plant 14.7 million seedlings to grow timber this year, is a long history of logging that doesn’t use plantation forests as the source.North East Forest Alliance spokesperson Sean O’Shannessey said the native forest logging industry “hides its appalling record of environmental vandalism behind the achievements of the sustainable plantation timber industry”.“There is no such thing as sustainable industrial logging in native forests,” Sean said.“Houses are not built out of native forest timber, they are built of softwood plantation timber.“Most of what they rip out of our threatened species homes is used for low value disposable products.“The most valuable products of our forests are water, carbon, biodiversity and tourism.“These are about 10 times the value of the trees taken by loggers, and are destroyed by driving bulldozers and chainsaws through them.“Courageous community volunteers are standing up for our forests all over NSW and will keep doing so until they are safe from forestry loggers."Forestry Corporation Forestry Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Anshul Chaudhary said “wood is the ultimate renewable resource, and the forestry cycle means organisations like Forestry Corporation can keep supplying the community with essential materials for generations to come”.“Native forestry is essential for sustainably supplying wood products for wharves, bridges, telegraph poles and our homes,” Mr Chaudhary said. “NSW’s two million hectare State forest estate and the renewable wood products it supplies actively sequester and store carbon.  “National Forestry Day also highlights the positive impacts of the state’s native forestry industry and the stringent environment it operates in. “NSW’s strict environmental regulations mean timber from native State forests is amongst the most sustainable in the world with the forests careful managed to provide timber while also supporting wildlife populations in concert with surround national parks and other forested land,” Mr Chaudhary said. “Timber harvesting operations take place in around 0.1 per cent of NSW forested land and all harvested areas are completely regenerated.” “In NSW State forests have been harvested for timber and regrown for over 100 years.“Today these forests are open to the public for free camping, mountain biking, four wheel driving and so much more. “

Lismore’s longest running vegetarian restaurant and ashram, 20,000 Cows, is about to be reborn in a new format - as the Wolf and Lamb Cafe.Since the North Lismore venue was destroyed in the February flood, owner Marijonas Vilkelis (Mari) has been trying to find a way to reopen, including running a GoFundMe fundraiser to reconstruct the building.But now, thanks to his inspired collaborators Jodie and Manny, Mari has found a new home for his signature dishes, in Nimbin.Mari, cooking inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue.“Jodie was inspired to create a vegan restaurant for Nimbin,” Mari said. “So now we are working together to bring a vegan menu to the new cafe.“Manny makes Maltese vegan food at the markets and will do part of the menu.“Some of the 20,000 Cows menu faves like potato croquettes, mellawah and middle eastern dishes and curries will be too.”Damage inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue after the flood.Opening dayWhile the new cafe is not ready to open yet, Mari said the three of them (and a handful of volunteers) have been working hard to get it finished. He hopes to be open before Mardi Grass on September 16.“We keep hitting snag after snag,” Mari said. “We said we’d be open two weeks ago, about a month ago and we are still not there. “So we aren’t taking bookings - we’ll just open doors when we are ready.”The cafe will be open days and evenings, from Wednesday to Saturday and is located on Cullen Street, next to Tribal Magic.The new cafe’s name Wolf and Lamb, refers back to Mari’s famous cookbook of his recipes. Maris said he chose the name because in the bible, the Prophet Isaiah wrote a prophesy about "a day will come when wolf and lamb ... will be at peace”.“It seemed like a worthwhile thing to work toward,” he said. “Most people say a wolf won’t be vegan, but the way nature is now, is consequential and we don’t know what it was at the begin of existence – it’s become that from something else.“Humans aren’t the same as back then. I like to think that if we stop creating death and suffering, then the load on the planet will lessen.”His vision of a safe haven inspired the concept of calling the restaurant an ashram – an ancient Sanscrit word for sanctuary.Damage inside the 20,000 Cows North Lismore venue after the flood.History and futureMari first opened 20,000 Cows in Bridge Street, North Lismore in 1996. It was his sixth restaurant.Mari said his love of making food started in 1979 in Melbourne after he did his first 41 day fast.“I had a vision to create a restaurant and so I went on to do that,” he said.“Opening again in Nimbin gives me a chance to finish off the tracks that I started.“Now, the new restaurant is hopefully stepping a stone to heaven.“I have a theme I like to work with – that the definition of professionalism is a procedure toward self redundancy“So I’ll be teaching other people to make the food.“It will be a relief to have income again, as I’ve been living off my savings all year."