A popular Lismore sports team and an entrepreneur have been nominated as finalists in their respective categories.The Lismore Workers Swim Team has been shortlisted as a finalist for the prestigious NSW Swimming Club of the Year (Regional) award, as part of the inaugural Swimming NSW Awards.Swimming NSW launched these awards to celebrate the outstanding achievements of swimmers, coaches, clubs, officials, and volunteers from across the state. The awards aim to shine a spotlight on those who have made a significant impact on the sport, both in and out of the pool.Lismore Workers Swim Team say they are honoured to be recognised among the top regional clubs in New South Wales. This nomination reflects the club’s strong performance over the 2024/25 season, its dedication to fostering talent, and its unwavering commitment to community spirit and inclusion in the Northern Rivers region.“This is a fantastic acknowledgment of the hard work, passion, and resilience shown by our swimmers, coaches, families, and volunteers,” said Club President Gary Dardengo. “To be recognised at a state level is an incredible boost for our club and for swimming in regional communities like ours.”The winners of the Swimming NSW Awards will be announced at a special ceremony in Sydney on Saturday, 26 July 2025.Lismore dad Brad Ambridge, founder of inclusive soccer program Rainbow Roos, has been named as a finalist in The Fathering Project’s Australian Fathering Awards. Previous winners include another Lismore man, Craig Foster AM, Jimmy Barnes AO, Hamish Blake and Dick Smith AO.Brad is a father to an autistic child and understands more than most just how overwhelming the world is when it comes to sport. Not wanting his own child to miss out on opportunities, he started Rainbow Roos to provide fun, inclusive and adaptable soccer skills programs to children with additional needs (physical and neurological) in the Northern Rivers. In addition to soccer skills, Brad teaches empathy, understanding and kindness, encouraging each child to be themselves, showing them that it is cool to be unique. Brad runs 15 sessions each week, working with almost 300 children. He also runs school holiday programs and attends community events, helping to promote the importance of inclusive sport in regional Australia. He is described by his wife Jess as “passionate, determined, selfless, relentless and caring”. Brad has been named as a finalist in the “Australian Sports Father of the Year” category. The recipients will be announced on 4 September. To find out more visit: australianfatheringawards.org.au. Good luck to both our finalists.

As forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the rain has returned, ruining not only our brief dry spell for July but potentially some significant upcoming sporting events.Lismore's rainfall was only 8.2mm to 9 o'clock this morning, and a further 1.8mm since. Alstonville recorded 87mm to 9am, as did Ballina. You could argue that conditions could have been worse for Lismore.As we all know, the water table is high, so even a little rain can cause enough damage to sporting fields, race courses and golf courses to question upcoming events.The NSW Open Golf Qualifier will take place over two days, next Monday and Tuesday, with a Pro-Am on Sunday. The Lismore golf course has cancelled scheduled play for the next two days.The Lismore Turf Club is hosting its first race meeting in a number of months this Friday. Scott Jones and Daniel Kedraika will need the weather's help if the races are to go ahead on race day.The main concern is a strong cold front that is sweeping across the nation tomorrow. The majority of the impact will occur in the southeast of Australia; however, the impact could be felt on Wednesday when up to 7mm is expected before the sun returns on Thursday to dry the ground.Saturday is another day of concern, with 4 to 20mm expected as the winds turn northerly.The BoM has also released its long-range weather forecast, and it is looking normal to wet.The three months from August to October have a 67% chance of experiencing above-median rainfall (greater than 184.3mm) and a 22% chance of an unusually wet period (greater than 319.2mm). Unusually dry sits at 5%.If we focus on individual months, August has a 65% chance of above-median rainfall, 29% unusually wet, and 9% unusually dry.September sits at a 62% chance of above-median rainfall, 30% unusually wet and 7% unusually dry.If the BoM is correct, the ground may have trouble drying out before we start the storm season for 2025/2026.

Police are appealing for assistance to locate a teenage girl last seen in the Lismore area.Jalarna Buchanan, aged 16, was last seen at a shopping centre on Diadem Street, Lismore, about 11am last Wednesday (16 July 2025). When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Tweed/Byron Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.Police hold concerns for Jalarna’s’s welfare due to her age.Jalarna is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 160cm to 170cm tall, medium build with dyed red shoulder length hair and brown eyes.She was last seen wearing black track pants and black hoodie with hood on covering her head.She is known to frequent the Kingscliff, Coraki, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Inverell, Gosford, and Sydney CBD area. Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Lismore Police, Tweed/Byron Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Phase one of the Lismore community’s long-term vision for a transformed Wade Park has been realised, with Lismore Councillor Gianpiero Battista and State Member for Lismore The Hon Janelle Saffin MP on hand to officially open the park’s new accessible amenities block.Wade Park is located on the corner of Military Road and Ann Street in East Lismore, and has long been a drawcard for young families, pet owners and nearby residents. Creation of this much-needed public asset was jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments, under the Public Amenities Resilience Upgrades program, at a cost of $520,000.Bookended by two sheltered picnic areas, the elevated amenities block comprises ten unisex toilets, including ambulant and wheelchair accessible cubicles, and is now better located for access to the playground facilities.The new space is a key element of the wider Wade Park Masterplan, which has been developed through extensive community consultation. The Masterplan was approved by Lismore City Councillors at the March 2024 monthly meeting.The features for the Wade Park Master plan include:Improved Park Resilience through Environmental designImproved stormwater drainage system throughout the park.The creation of a new playful park infrastructure (small bridges/stepping stones etc) to be used as crossing points during periods of inundation. Ensuring all water management initiatives allow for water to flow/move and return to the existing creek and prevent long term pooling and potential stagnation.Improved and Inclusive PlayThere will be a centrally located transport-themed accessible play structure with climbing and sliding elements. Diverse swinging with accessible seats and wheelchair-accessible carousel. A nature play area with in-ground (accessible) trampolines and accessible loop path to play pods. Explore native sensory planting, a water pump and swale feature, picnic settings, shade structures.Included is a ‘Welcome’ entry structure and a 1200mm high secure fence.High-quality amenities and Recreation SpacesMulti-use sports court with diverse line marking for sports and informal games.A table tennis table, accessible picnic settings, bins and drinking fountains. Trees and groundcover will be native species and buffer planting will be included.Accessible Toilet/Amenities will be joined with new connecting pathways.The entry to the car park will be upgraded with new car parking and an open passive area - the design is arranged to minimise impact to existing trees.Improved Cycling (Learn to Ride)New signage, bitumen surface and linemarking, a planted out roundabout, bicycle parking with a pedestrian crossing. Spaces for dogsA dedicated small dog area (1350m2) as well as a big dog area (2625m2) with fenced separation. Dog agility equipment and drinking station for the dogs and seating, signage for the dogs best friends with a planted buffer between fence and path. Central Social HubAccessible picnic settings, accessible BBQs with a shelter, feature planting including trees, shrubs and groundcover planting will make this an enjoyable space for all.Flexible Open SpaceSeating, a senior exercise space and outdoor gym equipment around an open space loop path. Adventure PlayA tall climbing structure with a slide and an embankment/slope. Inclined ropes will go with the existing viewing hut.To complete the Wade Park Masterplan, council must secure more grant funding from the federal or state governments. This is being worked on.Councillor Battista said: "It’s great to see this first piece of the Wade Park Masterplan completed. I know it’s something the community has been wanting for a long time and look forward to helping see it to fruition”.Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin echoes the sentiment, describing the new amenities block as a significant upgrade designed with families and parkgoers in mind.“It is so important to have toilet facilities near the play areas, so parents or grandparents don’t have to trek to the end of the park with all their children when just one wants to go to the toilet,” Ms Saffin said.“With the new facilities this all-weather space is destined to be a popular meeting point for birthday parties, play dates and other social gatherings. I’m proud to open this for the community, on behalf of the NSW Government.”The completed amenity is part of Lismore City Council’s broader effort to maintain and improve public amenities. Twenty-three public toilet upgrades are planned across the LGA, which are currently underway, ensuring access to clean and comfortable public amenities at local parks and rest stops for our residents and visitors.

In February 2024, the NSW Government announced funding of $11 million to build a new Blakebrook Primary School. The reopening date was forecast to be Term 2 2025, and true to its word, the school will reopen to students and teachers tomorrow (Tuesday).The damage caused by the February 28 2022, flood was significant at the 417 Rosehill Road site. Most of the structures were no longer habitable, which is why the NSW Department of Education proposed demolishing the existing buildings and constructing a new elevated school.It will be an exciting and nervous time tomorrow morning for students and staff when they walk through the new Blakebrook Primary School front gates. Nervous because of the memories of 2022, and excited to return to the school that has provided education to locals since 1907.The Blakebrook P&C Facebook page said, "The first day back, Tuesday 22 July, will be an exciting day for our students, families and staff. We want to make it a special day, whilst remembering there will be some nerves. "To make it a special morning, alongside our P and C, the school has organised a light breakfast for students and families. This will include fresh fruit, a croissant and juice. Tea and coffee will be on offer for parents and caregivers. Parents and caregivers will then have an opportunity to walk through our school to see the wonderful new facilities. This will be occurring between 8:30am - 9:15am. "Please note that this event is for parents and caregivers and current Blakebrook PS students only. Our wider school community will have the opportunity to visit during our official opening and 'Back to Blakebrook' celebrations."Meanwhile, the bulldozer is at work demolishing the South Lismore Primary School (PS).Nearly a year ago (4 August, 2024), the NSW Department of Education revealed the new plans for the new South Lismore PS. There was a sense of excitement about how the new school will look when it is complete. That is expected to be in 2027.(An artist's impression of the new South Lismore Public School)

The Northern Rivers Resilience and Initiative (NRRI) first community visit, run by NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) and the CSIRO, is only ten days away. Casino is the first cab off the rank on Thursday, 31 July at 10am. Lismore is next on Monday, 4 August, followed by Ballina (5 August), Woodburn (6 August) and Kyogle (8 August).Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan launched a petition to ask the CSIRO for a model that will take 1 - 2 metres off a flood across the Richmond River Catchment on July 7.In the past two weeks, thousands of people have already signed the petition online and in local businesses across the region, calling on the Federal and State Governments to model real solutions that can reduce future flood heights.Click here to sign the petition: https://www.kevinhogan.com.au/flood-petition/.The encouraging results have been welcomed by Mr Hogan, “This groundswell of support shows just how important this is to our community,” Mr Hogan said.“People want action to keep us safe, protect our homes, our businesses, and our families. Reducing flood risk improves mental health, protects us financially, helps with insurance, and gives our region a future.”The petition calls on the Government to use the newly developed CSIRO hydrodynamic tool to model a catchment-wide scenario where a flood is 1–2 metres lower than it would otherwise be. This includes options to hold back, slow down, and divert floodwaters across the entire Richmond River catchment.Mr Hogan is also encouraging residents to take part in CSIRO’s upcoming in-person consultation sessions to ensure community voices are heard loud and clear.“These meetings are a chance for locals to tell CSIRO directly what they want modelled. We can’t miss this opportunity.”In-person sessions are being held in Casino, Lismore, Woodburn, Kyogle and Ballina. More information here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/national-emergency-managment-agency-91910409563.

Although today is a pupil-free day for students around NSW, motorists need to slow down and be aware that school zones return to operation today, Monday, 21 July.School zones will be active from 8am to 9:30am and 2:30pm to 4pm on school days. The NSW Government has released new data revealing that more than 183,000 school zone speeding offences were recorded in NSW during the last financial year.Alarmingly, nearly 70 per cent (125,000+) of incidents occurred during active school zone hours – that's more than 340 drivers every day choosing to speed past schools and young children.Since 2019, 106 pedestrians aged 5 to 16 years have been hit by vehicles in active school zones. Two children have been killed and 38 seriously injured.The NSW Government has also released data that shows seatbelt non-compliance is working, with a 60 per cent drop in offences since camera enforcement and fines were introduced 12 months ago.In that time, 140 million vehicles have been checked, with over 99 per cent of drivers and passengers doing the right thing.However, camera images collected since its introduction have also revealed that some 88 per cent of fines related to incorrect seatbelt use, with nearly two-thirds of these fines issued to drivers whose passengers were not buckled up properly. Wearing a seatbelt correctly doubles the chances of surviving a crash and reduces the risk of serious injury, and the state government is calling on NSW drivers to follow the law and wear their seatbelts properly. In 2024, 34 people died on NSW roads while not wearing a seatbelt. So far this year, it’s another 11 lives. Over five years, 163 people have died not wearing a seatbelt, with 85 per cent of those deaths in regional NSW. While progress is being made, more than 200 fatalities have been recorded on NSW roads this year – that’s one person a day dying on NSW roads.Motorists are reminded that proper seatbelt use means wearing the lap belt low and firm across the hips, with the sash crossing the chest and mid-shoulder, never under the arm.Each offence attracts a $423 fine and three demerit points, or six during double demerit periods. Every dollar raised through seatbelt cameras is reinvested directly into road safety improvements.These fines are completely avoidable if drivers and their passengers are doing the right thing.Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said, “The Minns Labor Government introduced seatbelt enforcement cameras in July 2024 to encourage all road users to buckle up correctly every time they get in a vehicle, and as Minister I am pleased to see such significant improvement in such a short timeframe. Over 140 million vehicles have been monitored since this program launched, with well over 99% of motorists demonstrating compliance.“Some of the images collected are truly shocking, including multiple people in the same seatbelt or no seatbelt at all. “While the improvement in non-compliance is encouraging, we're witnessing far too many offences involving passengers wearing seatbelts incorrectly, with approximately 75,000 recorded offences over the past year."Whenever you enter a vehicle, correctly securing your seatbelt should be instinctive, whether you're driving or a passenger. Just like when you’re on an aeroplane, you need to have your seatbelt low and tight in the lap section. In the car, the sash should go from the top of your shoulder to your hip.“Everyone needs to wear a seatbelt and if you have a genuine medical reason not to, you need a letter from your doctor.“Seatbelts save lives and not wearing one is a gamble, not just for your own life but for every road user. It's essential that you not only wear your seatbelt but wear it correctly.”

Lismore local Brad Lancaster has a warning for the men of the Northern Rivers: get a simple PSA blood test to avoid more major physical and emotional decisions later.Cancer Australia says that there were an estimated 26,368 new cases of prostate cancer in 2024. It is also estimated that a male has a 1 in 6, or 18%, chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.Brad Lancaster is now one of those statistics.Brad was doing the right thing, getting regular blood tests to check his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level, which was always around the 4 mark. In November last year, he received the news that his PSA had doubled to 8 within 12 months.Brad's doctor requested a second blood test in January 2025, in case there was a false reading due to a urinary tract infection or another variable. That test returned an 8.5 reading.The next step was a referral to a urologist, which was only a 2-3 week wait. An MRI scan was ordered to check for the presence of cancer cells. Another positive result led to a biopsy."They go in and take little samples, about the size of cotton threads. They take core samples. And she ended up doing 36 samples on it. Of those 36 samples, 14 were cancerous."Brad explained that from those results, you get a Gleeson score between 5 and 10 that indicates how quickly the cancer will grow. 5 is on the lower level, and 10 is on the aggressive side."I ended up with a five plus a four, which gives you a nine. The first one is the worst one. So, a five has been the aggressive one, and the next lot was a four, so it was nearly as aggressive."With a 9 Gleeson score, Brad's medical treatment was fast-tracked with a PSMA PET scan, a new type of scan used to detect and stage prostate cancer, a CAT scan and x-rays to get a complete overview of the cancer in the prostate and to see if it had spread to other parts of his body."The next day, I got a phone call from the Lismore Cancer Clinic. I had the option of either radiation or the robotic removal of the prostate."After a two-hour consultation with a radiologist in Lismore, Brad learned about the effects of radiation on his body."The option was to have 20 doses of radiation over a month. So, you do Monday to Friday, and it's only a quick process, about 10 to 15 minutes. You have to be sort of consistent, so your bladder has to be so full and your bowels have to be empty."Brad has also had two hip replacements, which could have affected his radiation treatment, given the location of the prostate. Deflection of the pinpoint radiation was a concern because it needed to target all parts of the prostate, rather than a specific location."Then, on top of that, it would have been six weeks of hormone therapy before the radiation starts, and then 18 months to two years of hormone therapy afterwards," Brad recalled."With the hormone therapy, it basically kills the testosterone in your body. The side effects of the ADT or the hormone therapy are that it basically kills your manhood in a way."Testosterone is primarily produced in the testicles. The prostate gland relies on testosterone for its function and development. Hormone therapy blocks the testosterone levels to slow down or stop the cancer cell growth.Brad had two choices. Radiation treatment and hormone therapy, or the complete removal of the prostate.Brad chose the removal of the prostate. This was to be done at the Nepean Hospital in Sydney as part of the public health system.This is where Brad potentially encountered another complication: he is a little person."I'm the first little person in Australia to get the operation done with a robot. They were questioning if they could do it or not. They rang doctors in the UK and America to see if they'd performed the procedure. In the end, I sort of made the decision to just go with the removal of it. And, the doctor said he wanted it all out within 30 days because of the Gleeson score of nine."Part of the pre-operation procedure is performing pelvic floor exercises to minimise the incontinence post-surgery."There is a lot of support. I had Jessica from the public health system at the Base Hospital, she's a prostate support nurse, give me a whole lot of information. She was ringing every two weeks before the surgery to check up on me because it is an emotional roller coaster. In the meantime, I saw David Hughes, he's a private prostate support nurse, who has some valuable YouTube videos that explain a lot. Everyone is different. It could be good for me or bad for me; it all depends on your age and if you're active and fit, which I'm neither.Brad has had to change his eating habits to lose weight before the surgery due to body fat and to aid his recovery. He is now drinking green tea and eating a healthy, balanced diet.It has been nine weeks since Brad's prostate removal. His latest blood test revealed a PSA of 0.008, which he said is the lowest that Sullivan Nicolaides can go in their testing."So, the way they describe it, I've got no detectable cancer," Brad smiled. "I'm not cancer-free at this stage, but I've got no detectable cancer. Every three months now, I'll do another PSA test to make sure it stays there. And if it goes above, if it does creep up, which it could creep up with some microcells still floating around the system, a PET scan will only pick up a clump of cells when they've actually attached to something. So there could be microscopic cells floating around.There are two health issues that Bradnow needs to consider: incontinence and erectile dysfunction."The incontinence is more with the removal side of it, because when they cut the prostate out, they've got to join your urethra back to the bottom of your bladder, so you lose one of your main muscles that controls your urinary stop, start and all that, your memory one, but there is another muscle below it that you manually have to try and use and train. I'm back to about 98% I'd say now. I'm getting better and better all the time."This does affect a lot of relationships where partners break up because the other side effect is the ED, erectile dysfunction. All the nerves are wrapped around the prostate, so a lot of times they can spare the nerves, but it can take up to a year or so for all the actions to come back. And they may be half as good, or for others, they can't save the nerves at all. But there are operations that they can put in a sling, and then there is medication or injections to get you through that drama."But the main thing is you're alive, you're on the top side of the grass, instead of on the other side. I took the risk with the operation, and now, hopefully, I'll get 15 years or more, or maybe longer."Brad has found that support groups have helped him during his prostate cancer journey."I'm part of support groups on Facebook. There's a very good Prostate Australia Facebook group. It's a private group, so it's not out there in the public, and guys discuss what goes on. I'm pretty open about what it is, I'd rather talk about it than hide it, but it's not a walk in the park."Brad wanted to tell his story to warn the men of Lismore and the Northern Rivers that prostate cancer affects more and more males each year, and it is not a pleasant disease."Everyone said, Oh, it's an old man's disease. But it's getting younger and younger. There's a lot of guys in their 50s, and even some in the 40s. And there's another group that I joined the other day in South Australia, that had guys who are in their 40s that have got prostate cancer. And that's the thing, because no one sort of caters for them. They're still active and fit and working, and it messes with your life, the emotional rollercoaster, as I said before, you're up and down all the time.Brad's advice is to get your blood tested once a year."It's only a tick on the box when you're getting a blood test. So, if you're going for a yearly checkup, they do a blood test, and men should say, Well, check my PSA too. In one year, I went from a PSA of four to eight, and I had no symptoms. If I didn't check it, or I didn't say, I'll wait two years to get it done, it could have metastasised. It could have been through my body then, and we would be having a different conversation right now.""But the signs are good, it's been a great outcome, and it's been a great recovery. It's just another hurdle in life. I didn't want this, but you've just got to adapt and go with it."

Since the 2022 floods, many people have struggled with mental health, financial pain and poor general wellbeing.If that is you or someone you know, the Quest for Life Foundation is hosting free, empowering, and practical one-day workshops for people in the Northern Rivers area who are living with the challenges of rural and regional life. These 'Your Life Matters' workshops will take place in Lismore, Mullumbimby and Grafton.Designed to support individuals who may be facing financial, mental or emotional depletion, this workshop offers an opportunity to learn valuable strategies and skills for building resilience and living well in difficult circumstances. Participants will discover how to strengthen their well-being with practical tools they can incorporate into daily life.“This workshop provides a much-needed opportunity for people in rural and regional communities to take time out and focus on their mental and emotional health,” said Petrea King, CEO and Founder of the Quest for Life Foundation. “We will be sharing proven techniques to help manage stress, build resilience, and promote self-care in everyday life.”The workshop will be facilitated by an expert in the wellbeing field, Quest for Life Facilitator Kate Szymanski. Quest Partnerships Manager, Candice Piper, will also be on hand to answer any questions and connect with other organisations attending on the day.  The dates of the workshops are:Tuesday, 12 August 2025, from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the Mullumbimby Golf Club, Mullumbimby.Wednesday, 13 August 2025, from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the Lismore Workers Club, Lismore.Thursday, 14 August 2025, from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM at the Grafton District Services Club, Grafton.WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARNEffective strategies for building resilience in challenging circumstances.How to prioritise self-care and incorporate it into daily routines.Simple relaxation techniques for everyday life.Ways to manage emotions and recognise signs of burnout.A light lunch and refreshments will be served during the day. There will also be the opportunity to visit the Women's Resilience Centre pop-up to browse pre-loved clothing and learn about their support services for women.To reserve a free spot at this workshop, please call Quest for Life on 1300 941 488 or register by visiting these links: Your Life Matters - MullumbimbyYour Life Matters - LismoreYour Life Matters - Grafton

The most topical conversation in our LGA, without a doubt, is water. It seems that we either have too much or not enough. And herein lies the challenge. How can we store enough water for long-term supply, and slow the inundation of water that Lismore suffers when we get too much rain?Let's start with water security.There's no doubt we all have to be smarter about how we use water. But we also need to think about the supply of water to our growing population.Rocky Creek Dam, built over seventy years ago as Lismore’s primary water source for a population of around fifteen thousand people, is quite simply too small. Now, under the control of Rous County Council, the dam services a population in excess of one hundred and twenty thousand regional residents.Its size of fourteen thousand mega litres categorises Rocky Creek as a small dam, and the only possible way it can service the number of people it does, is because of our high average yearly rainfall. If we had zero rainfall for nine months, our dam would be dry.Water security needs to be approached regionally, and funded by state and federal governments, but we in Lismore should be driving this forward. Previous terms of council have sold us out on water security by not fully exploring all options and pushing individual agendas.You will remember only a few years ago, when Councillors Ekins and Cook were our Rous Council representatives, they both voted to move the head office of Rous to Ballina, taking many jobs out of Lismore and down to the coast. Forget the fact that all of Rous’ main water assets are in the Lismore LGA!Councillor Ekins, who is currently standing to be the next mayor, is openly saying that she encourages business in the CBD and wants the CBD to thrive, yet voted to take forty jobs away from our CBD only three and a half years ago.Not only that, they also removed water storage options from the future water strategy. Many would think of this as being the Dunoon Dam, but all water storage options need to be scientifically considered, and the best outcome reached for the long term growth and benefit of the region.Top of Councillor Ekins's agenda is recycled water, which is basically filtering our wastewater treatment plant and putting it back through your taps to drink, wash and play in. We live in an area with the highest rainfall in the state. The Greens and Labor want to build an incredibly expensive filtration plant, made from mined products and powered by fossil fuel, to filter our wastewater. Why don’t we just capture what falls from the sky? I know what I would rather drink!And then there's flood mitigation. What do we do when there’s a flood?Again, a very complex issue, which has multiple layers to be a successful strategy. For the first time in our history, our catchment is being analysed by the CSIRO, in a report called the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative (NRRI).Previous councils have spent countless ratepayer funds getting small reports done to mitigate against small to moderate floods. Finally, we are getting a funded report by Australia’s eminent scientific body, to help our region combat major flooding.The report is due to be released in June of 2025, with practical solutions to potentially reduce the impacts of major flooding for Lismore and the region. I look forward to the findings of this report, as it gives council a measure of how to better protect our businesses and homes. Personally, I will be strongly advocating for every recommendation in the report to be implemented, to give our businesses and ratepayers the confidence and security in the future of Lismore.My team and I are backing the future of Lismore through sensible and affordable water security and best-practice flood mitigation to enable our city to grow and thrive for generations to come.Water Water Everywhere by Mayor Steve Krieg

Elections are very interesting. There are a lot of opinions, allegations and sometimes outright lies that are put on public record for the sake of gaining a few votes.As I have read on more than one occasion, voters in the upcoming local government election need to make informed choices based on the facts. So here are a few myths that need busting.WasteCouncillor Ekins has stated on record that in this current term of council, waste collection has been privatised and “effectively ripped a million dollars out of the local economy and gave it to a contractor from out of town and out of state.”This is simply not true.The fact is that this current term of council has inherited a waste operation costing ratepayers an average of $4.31 million per year since 2019; without intervention, this would have likely grown to $6.5 million at the end of FY25.What council has done is undertake the most in-depth review of waste services that has ever been done in Lismore to determine the best path forward to enable meeting environmental expectations, recycling obligations and general waste management.Councillor Ekins has proclaimed many times that LCC’s waste collection services “makes a million dollar profit every year.”This section of the business of waste is determined by a forward projection of costs. These projections aim to cover the cost at best, so that council will break even at the end of the financial year. There is definitely no profit!In fact, due to a complete disregard for adequate asset management over the past decade or more, the fleet of waste collection trucks are in such disrepair that out of the seven trucks owned by LCC, up to four of them can be in the council workshop for repair on any given day.We have also inherited a fleet with such old technology, that our drivers are following printed maps with highlighted routes! No GPS, no camera’s, an outdated and inefficient system has led to the most inefficient operation possible. This is absolutely no fault of staff. This is a total neglect by elected officials from previous terms of Council to maintain and improve assets.Why am I paying so much more for waste collection and receiving less service?The reality is that the oversight of our collection service has not kept up with the demand of our LGA.Previous terms of Council have not made these decisions for over a decade, which has placed us in this precarious position. A sobering statistic is that a truck has to pick up a bin every 17 seconds to cover the cost of having that truck on the road. That is possible in urban areas, but as the landscape moves into less densely populated areas, this becomes harder to achieve.The new fee structure aims to ensure fairness across the LGA, ensures compliance of Councils cost recovery policies, and brings greater equity to those who are using the waste collection service. Previous councils have been asleep at the wheel in managing fair and equitable distribution of fees, and this council has been tasked to rectify that.I would encourage everyone to have a good look at their rates notice, and talk with council officers to ensure your waste collection plan is what is best for your needs. Many people don’t actually know what service they are paying for. I spoke with a lady who was able to save a significant amount of money through a simple modification of her collection service.Changing habits is hard, but in our waste services, it is absolutely critical to ensure viability and sustainability. We are projecting that with current changes, we will be at a break-even point in the 24/25 financial year. That is a dramatic turnaround from a potential $6.5 million loss last in FY25. That's $6.5 million to go into areas that you care about, like road repair, parks and gardens, footpaths, and other infrastructure to make our LGA a great place to live.We have a plan for our LGA. Waste reform is one important step in strengthening the organisation of council to provide the services our ratepayers expect and deserve. Decisions made by this council may not always be the most popular, but I believe them to be the right decisions to undo decades of neglect in the critical core business of council operations.The Truth About Our Waste by Mayor Steve Krieg.

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.