If you thought property rental and purchase in the region was already scarce and expensive, a new advertising campaign could make it an even bigger challenge. Called Move to More, the national awareness campaign will urge capital city dwellers to move to regional areas. It’s due to hit city TV, radio, digital advertising and billboards on major arterial roads later in May.Developed by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) and supported by the Federal Government, the campaign is heralded as a way to encourage “new energy, new people, new businesses and new investment to regional Australia”.It challenges the people of regional Australia to not see themselves as the "victims" of change, but instead help improve the quality of life for all Australians.RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie said the campaign was developed to solve the challenges facing Australia after the pandemic – and based on consultation with regional decision makers across the country. Are we ready?The Lismore App asked the question 'are we ready?' to a range of local stakeholders - from real estate agents, to social housing providers and regional development chiefs - and found the campaign has sparked a division of opinions about how we support and sustain growth in our area.Rental vacancy ratesThe Northern Rivers region currently has the lowest rental vacancy rates in NSW.According to a survey by Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW), the month of March showed that residential vacancy rates across much of regional NSW dropped, while Sydney’s residential rental vacancy rate rose.In the Northern Rivers region, rental vacancy rates in March were reported to be at 0.3% – while in April 2020, it was 2.7%.So, are we ready for an influx of more people to the area?Social housingNorth Coast Community Housing chief executive John McKenna says “no”.“We’ve already seen an influx of people moving to the area because of Covid, even before this campaign gets off and running - and we already have tightest rental market in the State,” Mr McKenna said. Rental prices increasing“It will even further tighten the rental and purchasing market. Rental prices have increased across the region by greater than 30% - and purchase prices have gone up even more. “Byron is the highest, with rental prices up by 66%.“For the social housing properties in our current leasehold program, we are facing an increase in rents from $50 to $150 a week."No clause evictions“With all the people coming from the cities, many locals can’t get a rental because new people are putting 12 months rent on the table up front," Mr McKenna said. “It’s pushing up rents and current tenant are being served with no cause evictions – it’s something we need to change in government." Real estate developmentLismore real estate agent Andrew Gordon said although the idea of decentralising metropolitan areas is a “wonderful’ idea, he questions where people will live.“We manage over 600 homes and I would say the vacancy rate on the ground is far worse than 0.3% in Lismore,” he said.“Lismore has more pressure on it than other surrounding areas - I would wage it’s zero.“We have a waiting list for properties and recently, 148 people turned up to an inspection of a two bedroom unit in flood zone.”Housing crisis dilemma“Who doesn’t want to raise their kids in a country environment,” he said. “The dilemma is where will you put them.“We have a housing crisis.“How can we offer anyone an opportunity here when local government hamstrings development and seems to have a moratorium on growth. Until we change that, nothing is going to happen.“We need growth here. We have a declining rate of growth here and all I see is Kevin Hogan handing out Federal funding everywhere except here.”Wholistic viewRegional Development Australia (RDA) Northern Rivers director Tim Williamson took a wholistic view and said the Northern Rivers region has different needs.“Some areas need population growth and some might not,” he said.“Towns like Kyogle could need people with younger families to keep the vibrancy of the local community going,” he said. “They can feed into areas where there are labour shortages.“But we need to take a wholistic view and make sure the infrastructure is in place to accept the growth is required.“These people will need services.”"Change victims"The RAI website states that its work focus is to “target the issues that matter to both policy makers and our regions and outline options for change”.It further states that “Regional Australia can increase its contribution to national innovation and growth and provide improved quality of life for its 8.8 million residents. “But we must stop seeing our regions as victims of change and we must stop misunderstanding this part of our economy", the website states.“Regional success is built on a balance of local ingenuity and proactivity, and informed, consultative state and federal leadership. "We need to lift expectations; about what our economy can do what government can do and what regional people can and are already doing. It’s time for a period of change on our own terms".“Renaissance”RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie said “regional Australia is on the cusp of an incredible renaissance”. “In 2019, our report Regional Population Growth – Are we ready? recognised the need for an intervention in our existing population trajectory, and in turn, an opportunity to create a more balanced population settlement for the good of our nation," she said.“But while a lot of Australians living in our capital cities feel a positive connection to regional Australia, there is a big difference between liking the place and packing up and moving there.“So, we set out to understand the attitudes and behaviours of those living in our capital cities when it to contemplating a move to regional Australia.Research“We started off by undertaking extensive qualitative and quantitative research and found that one out of every five people living in our capital cities is considering a move to regional Australia.”Ms Ritchie said the research also identified that while the ‘push’ factors motivating people to leave the cities are strong, the ‘pull’ factors – essentially the appeal of regional Australia — are the more powerful motivators.“These insights led to the development of our brand platform – Move to More. It positions regional Australia as offering new residents more space, more career opportunities, improved quality of life and more bang for their buck when it comes to real estate.“The Move to More campaign features extensive advertising across the country that creates a new brand for regional Australia – a brand that is offering Australians a chance to shape their best life.Ms Ritchie said a website would be released at the same time as the advertising campaign and would allow people to “unearth and discover Regional Australia in a way that suits their life stage, interests and career aspirations”. “It invites users to take a short quiz and then filters functional aspects (housing, employment, transport, schools, health and entertainment) to arrive at a selection of towns that meets their desires,” she said.Skills and jobsWith the new Federal budget about to be released after a year of pandemic recovery, Ms Ritchie said the significance of skills and job vacancies “continue to be front and centre across rural and regional Australia”.“Our most recent Regional Job Vacancy report revealed a record 66,200 jobs were advertised in March,” she said.“This new record again confirms what regional leaders and employers have been telling us – regions need more people."

Pub Rock Project and Human Dinosaur Machine are two of five bands playing at the Rock to the Rescue fundraiser gig this Saturday, May 8. After a temporary move to the Lismore City Bowling Club, the annual event has now found a home at the South Lismore Bowlo and starts at 7pm.Rock to the Rescue is the annual fundraiser for the Lismore based Rescue Helicopter Service and is the brainchild of the Service’s admin and fundraising coordinator John Bancroft.“I cooked up the idea and now it’s the sixth year we’ve held it,” John said.“We have all local bands who volunteered to play for free. We charge a donation of $5 at the door and sell tshirts and do raffles. It’s always a good night”John said the event raises over $2,000 for the rescue helicopter service each year and is one of the vital events that raise money to keep the free, life-saving service going.“We transported our ten thousandth patient not so long ago - and they got the service free of charge,” he said.“It’s all about keeping the helicopter going, maintaining it, putting fuel in it and making sure its available 24/7.“The service resonates with people. A lot of people know someone who has needed has a flight –and almost everyone knows someone whose lives have been affected by the service.“We hope to see lots of people come along and support the gig.BandsOther bands playing at the gig are The Claymores, Strangers Inc, Pub Rock Project, and Doc Rock Each band will play a 50 minute set - and the inaugural South Lismore Corn Hole Championship will be contested.“You’ll have to come along to find out just what this enigmatic title refers to,” John laughed. “We’d like to thank the bands for offering their talent and support and would like to particularly mention Jason Hughes, Andy Lee, Brad Redden, Cameron Bracken, Matt Lee, Tony Edwards, Dave Slade, Darrell Crockford and Ned Cain for assisting with the music side of the event over many years,” he said. It begins at 7pm and entry is a $5 donation (or more if you feel willing). Under 18s much be accompanied by an adult.For more information, visit the Facebook site.

Widjabul/Wiabul woman and arts powerhouse Rhoda Roberts OAM gave a keynote address yesterday at the first day of national First Nations Media Australia conference – CONVERGE.In a coup for Lismore, this year NORPA’s Lismore City Hall venue was chosen to host the three-day conference.Ms Roberts is former head of Indigenous programming at the Sydney Opera House and has recently taken up a role as NORPA’s Creative Director First Nations.Ms Roberts has worked in journalism,TV, radio and performing arts over her career and said it was “wonderful” to have the conference held at NORPA this year.“In my keynote speech, I talked about my career and the history of the Lismore-based Koori Mail newspaper,” Ms Roberts said.“My father Frank Roberts Jr was instrumental in getting the Koori Mail started 30 years ago, in 1991.“He formed the Bundjalung Tribal Society and wanted to see a national Indigenous newspaper established. He was the first chairman of the Koori Mail board, along with all of the other uncles."Ms Roberts said while she has been working in Sydney and overseas, building her colourful career as an actress, writer and creative director, she always comes home regularly to Bundjalung country.“As an Aboriginal woman, it was hard to get job in this town,” she said. “Everyone now thinks I’ve moved back to the region, but I’ve been commuting for a long time.”Ms Roberts said conference delegates this year had a welcome dinner, followed by three days of plenary sessions, breakout workshops and discussions, and a stroll through four Trade Hall exhibitors.With 200 delegates, 2021 is the largest conference gathering of First Nations media to date.They will also hear 102 speakers across the conference program, and six member showcase presentations and live broadcast and networking opportunities.CONVERGE will conclude with the First Nations Media Australia AGM on Friday afternoon.Blak Cinema in the Quad tonightTonight, Thursday, May 6, there will be a Blak Cinema event in Lismore's Quad, hosted by First Nations media and the Koori Mail. From 6 to 9pm, there will be open air BlakCinema showing films, shorts and animations - and food trucks will also be there.

With a cold temperature of 17 degrees and the first signs of rain, you know that something is happening weather-wise for Lismore & surrounds.The Bureau of Meteorology says to expect 25-30mm this afternoon and tonight with as much as 50mm if we get a thunderstorm.The reason is a slow-moving upper atmosphere front that is coming in from the west and moving very slowly in a circular pattern so it appears as if we are getting the rain from the north. Picture circular cyclonic winds and you get the picture.There is a thunderstorm warning around Moree at this time and Helen Reid from the BOM says we may get some thunderstorm activity and potential hail as this front moves east.Thursday will see an improving trend with only 10-15mm as the front slowly moves out to sea.The good news is that Friday sees the return to sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-twenties and the weekend is looking good.You can watch the storm activity on the radar through the Lismore App Weather Radar.

The 29th annual Nimbin MardiGrass cannabis law reform protest and gathering may have had smaller numbers than usual this year, but according to Nimbin HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone, it was “terrific”.With an estimated two thousand visitors on the Saturday, Michael said even more people came on Sunday to participate in the cannabis law reform protest rally and march.Michael Balderstone.Max Pike greets one of the kombi vans arriving in the kombi convoy on Saturday.Highlights“The MardiGrass talks in the town hall were the best ever and we were at Covid-maximum capacity throughout,” Michael said.“The pharmaceutical path of cannabis was big subject and there was debate about the difference between whole plant extracts and isolates.“Julian Assange’s father was a touching speaker – he began his speaking tour in Nimbin – it’s where Julian went to school years ago.“The highlight was the rally and the comedy was a huge too. there was also lots of music, theatre and performance.”Aggressive drug testingMichael said the police were “chilled” in town and there were no big dramas, except for two people being arrested for possession of one gram each, without being given a caution.But the police roadside testing was more aggressive than he had ever seen before.It’s one of the reasons numbers at MardiGrass have fallen, as people are anxious about being drug tested - and so not driving to Nimbin.The kombi convoy arrives from Byron.Road blocksWhile the police traditionally camp out on Nimbin Road at Goolmangar and pull drivers over for the drug swab test (testing for cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine), this year, they were also stationed on all the small roads leading into the village of Nimbin.“They even had a road block at the bush factory at the edge of town,” Michael said. “I heard stories of people being aggressively chased. A builder friend with a Kombi was chased by police on his way to Byron, so they could drug test him.“He doesn’t smoke but he has dreadlocks - they are hunting people and there’s nothing random about it.War“Their motivation is money. It’s a war with military tactics, where they lock down the town and cruise around.“Their testing regime has nothing to do with impairment – it’s just for the presence of THC, which is uniquely fat soluble.“If people don’t think there’s a war on drugs, come see for yourself.”AnxietyMichael said many volunteers who were medical cannabis users even stopped taking their medication a few days before MardiGrass, because they were afraid of losing their licences“If you test positive, then it’s an automatic loss of your drivers’ licence,” he said. “That happened because so many people were going through the courts because of the tests. It’s a big case of injustice.“Anxiety is huge because of it,” he said. “It’s not fair. The police pick on the hippies and pot smokers, but now they are picking on medical cannabis users,” he said.While there’s a theory that eating Fisherman’s Friends can change the test results, Michael said “it’s random” when it comes to knowing if it works.“The police can also do a second and third drug test on you,” he said. “In the past, 98% of people who had the third test came had positive results. Even if it’s only five parts THC per billion – there’s no guarantees.”Speaker and ex-magistrate David Heilpern.The following photos of speakers, talks and performances were contributed by Marie Cameron:

It feels like a festival, but it’s actually a political protest rally calling for law reform and the legalisation of cannabis. The 29th annual Nimbin MardiGrass is already underway and the program for this weekend is full of music, events, talks and activities.Nimbin HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone said the kombi convoy will be coming from Byron on Saturday and there will be lots of talks.You can also look forward to the usual activities such as the HEMP Olympix, which kicks off at 11am today (Saturday), featuring the famous bong throwing competition.Saturday highlightsFrom 10am until 4pm, the Hemposium Conference features talks, workshops, demos and forums on cannabis law reform, medicine, culture, and history.Speakers include solicitor Steve Bolt, Greens MP Cate Faehrmann and Mullaways medical cannabis maker Tony Bower.Michael said he was excited that the newly elected Legalise Cannabis WA Party candidates Brian Walker and Sophia Moermond are coming from Western Australia to speak during the weekend. “They are our first elected pollies whose platform is to legalise cannabis – Sophia is a naturopath and they will talk about what they hope to achieve,” he said.4 pm Kombi Konvoy & 420 Smoke-In5 pm HEMP Olympix  Joint Rolling First Heats6 pm Safer Roads or Bigger Brother? Roadside Drug Testing Q&A with ex-magistrate David Heilpern7.55 pm : Ganja Faeries Burlesque Performance8 pm : Saturday Night Comedy Live10 pm : Harvest Ball featuring dub reggae band Kurilpa ReachSunday highlights The Pot Poet’s Breakfast kicks off at 10 am, flowed by another heat of the Hemp Olympix at 11am.The annual Cannabis Law Reform and protest will march down the main street at 2.30pm– and yes the big joint will be there.“Wearing green is good for the event and don’t forget it’s a protest,” Michael said. “Think about and bringing a protest banner.”The industrial hemp expo will be happening all weekend, as will the healers tent and chai tent.For full details of the program and events, visit https://nimbinmardigrass.com/Read more: Nimbin 'buzzing' as annual MardiGrass kicks off today

A 60 year old East Lismore woman who died last August as a result of Domestic Violence (DV), is one of 12 who will be honoured at a DV Candelight Vigil to be held next Wednesday, May 5.Organised by the Lismore Women’s Health Centre, the Vigil is part of national Domestic Violence Prevention month – and remembers women and children who have lost their lives to domestic and family violence.Lismore Women’s Health Centre intake information referral worker Krsna Mayshack-Mendero said the ‘Counting Dead Women Australia’ Facebook site reported that nationally, 12 women have died as a result of DV in 2021 and 40 women have died since May 2020.“The names of the 12 women and one baby will be read out at the Vigil and candles will be placed in their honour,” Krsna said.“We will also have a song and a one minute silence.”Krsna invites members of the community to come and bring a candle or flowers to honour someone if they want to.“People at home can also take a picture of a candle and post it on social media as part of a remembering and honouring women who have died in the context of DV.”The DV Candlelight Vigil will be held at Lismore Transit Centre, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday, May 5.Lismore Women's Health Centre staff invite you to bring a candle to the vigil.DV and CovidSince the Covid-19 pandemic began, Google reported a 75% increase in internet searches relating to support for domestic violence. Women's Safety NSW chief executive Hayley Foster said 2020 will be remembered as the worst year for domestic violence that any of us who are in the sector now have ever experienced. “There have been just so many more strangulation cases, so many threats to kill, so many more serious head injuries and sexual assaults have been going through the roof,” she said.“The coronavirus restrictions combined with unemployment and financial stress linked to the pandemic have caused domestic violence cases to spike across the country with states and territories reporting increases in the number and severity of DV cases.”Statistics23.9% of Australian women have been domestic violence victims in their lifetimes. During the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been a 11% increase in calls to 1800 RESPECT - a national domestic violence helpline. A survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed almost 10% of Australian women in a relationship had experienced domestic violence during the corona crisis. 50% of women said the abuse had become more frequent or severe since the start of the pandemic. According to a survey conducted by Monash University, over 50% of DV workers have reported an increase in reports and severity of DV since the start of the pandemic.A 7% increase of sexual assault and harrassment was reported compared with the previous year according to the state crime statistics.Other StatesIn Queensland, 81% of DV services reported an escalation of controlling behaviour and manipulation and 49% reported an escalation of perpetrators using Covid-19 as a reason for abuse.In South Australia police reported a 12% increase in domestic and family related assaults, sexual assaults compared with the same time last year.Over in Western Australia, domestic violence related assault jumped 10.6% while DV related threatening behaviour spiked by 15.3%. Illawarra Women’s Health Centre also faced unprecedented demand for support from women in DV situations with a 189% increase from January to August 2020, compared to the previous year and phone calls spiked 55% in the same period.Read more news: Alleged domestic violence sees Lismore woman arrested

Nimbin village is buzzing with a festival atmosphere, ready for the annual Nimbin MardiGrass Law Reform Gathering weekend to kick off this afternoon.As usual, the program kicks off at 3pm today (Friday, May 1) with a symbolic street protest at Nimbin Police Station.Nimbin HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone said it’s a “polite protest”“We walk from the hospital to the police station and offer an olive branch of peace to the police – and they will tell us the latest corona rules,” Michael said.“That’s followed by the suppositorium – and that’s a good event. A lot of people don’t know you can get cannabis into your body via your bum.“There will be a live demonstration on the street at 4.20pm.“Then Vanessa Ekins, the new mayor, opens the event at Peace Park at 5pm, then there’s the fashion show and the cabaret show.”Michael Balderstone on the campaign trail.TicketsThe good news is that tickets are not sold out early as usual, so you can still come to the events – and there is a limit of 300 people in the Nimbin Town Hall.“It’s because we don’t have the usual backpackers in Nimbin this year and the corona fear people aren’t here either,” Michael said.People can also look forward to the usual activities such as the HEMP Olympix, a bong throwing competition, the annual law reform parade and protest – and lots of talks.Drug testingMichael said people should be aware that the police will be putting up their usual drug testing “road blocks” on the road to Nimbin and will probably be there each day.“Be aware of it but don’t be put off by it,” Michael said. “Hitchhike, get a lift with a sober driver and suck on your Fisherman’s Friends – but still come,” he said.“Roadside drug testing is unfair. It should be about impairment and not just the presence of THC. It is a big issue that will be discussed at Mardi Grass.“This is the 29th we have protested to legalise the plant which is the best and safest medicine around and never killed anyone.“We are all upset when they made cannabis legal, but imported it and made it so expensive and has to be gotten through a doctor – why can’t we grow our own."For full details of the program and events, visit https://nimbinmardigrass.com/

Page MP Kevin Hogan didn’t make an appearance this morning when 22 Knitting Nannas Against Gas (KNAG) and their friends knitted a protest outside his Molesworth Street office.Spokesnanna Louise Somerville said while the nannas knitted a brighter future for the planet – without a gas-led recovery - a camera person from ABC’s Compass program filmed them.“When we went inside to put the heat on Mr Hogan and present him with a letter, his staff wouldn’t let the camera man come in - so it couldn’t be filmed,” she said.“Lots of people honked horns as they drove past. If anyone made negative comments, we told them renewables is the way to go fort he future, not gas.”The protest was part of a week long ‘Fund Our Future Not Gas’ action of knitting nannas up and down the coast.“It’s about keeping the issue of tackling climate change and renewables future in the limelight,” Nanna Louise said.“We don’t want our kids and grandkids to be left in climate upheaval and the economic global cost it brings.“We object to the Federal government plans for a gas led recovery which keeps us all on a fossil fuel trajectory.“We also want to remind Mr Hogan that the national regulator, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), does not support a gas-led recovery.“A whopping $12 billion in taxes is given every year to the fossil fuel sector in subsidies, approximately $468 for every Australian.“We want the Morrison Government to address the threat that climate change poses to the people of Australia, and the planet.”Nanna Louise said Australia's annual average temperature has already increased by 1.44 degrees Celsius since 1910.“Rising temperatures spell disaster for people and wildlife in coastal and bushfire prone areas and threatens our food and water security,” she said.“Throughout the pandemic the Commonwealth Government responded to science and cooperated with other tiers of government to act in the best interests of the Australian people.“For that the Nannas thank them. Nannas now urge the government to again be led by science, innovation and education and to urgently develop a plan to transition away from fossil fuels.“Climate scientists have recorded rising global temperatures, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events.“These occurrences are set to become more frequent and more extreme.“Burning fossil fuels leads to increased greenhouse gases. Renewables have proven to be the cheapest way to reduce emissions."We demand a targeted commitment to attain Net Zero Emissions by 2030 and a detailed road map to get there.“We need a positive and bright future for our children and grandchildren. “Scott Morrison and his ministers have a responsibility to protect the Australian people from Climate Change which includes not spending the kiddies’ inheritance on gas.” 

When Cyclone Debbie flooded Lismore in 2017, Chris Regan was stuck out of town, working at Blues Fest. He couldn’t get back in for three days and was shocked when saw his flooded house in South Lismore.“Everything was brown – all the furniture, everything,” he said. “The flood picked up heavy cedar sofa beds and threw them around and my water tank was in the neighbour’s yard.“I was devastated. But friends helped me clean up and I started again - living with an esky and a gas cooker for the next three months.”Read more local news: Fundies Wholefood Market to close for renovationsRaincoatChris’ story is one of ten from the 2017 floods which devastated Lismore. It’s part of a new Flood Stories project, based out of a shipping container now installed in Lismore’s Quad – and the community is invited to come and experience the stories in a most unusual way.To experience the stories, you put on a yellow raincoat and a pair of gumboots. Then, with your MP3 player, headphones and map in hand, you are guided to take a walk to a part of Lismore that the story takes place in.Jyllie Jackson, Jeanti St Clair and Chris Regan.GoosebumpsThe stories have been recorded by SCU lecturer and audio story-teller Jeanti St Clair.Jeanti said even now, she still gets goosebumps when she listens to them.“Telling intimate stories is a great way to get a bigger view of what happened with a major event,” Jeanti said.“So often history is documented by numbers and we don’t know the stories and flood stories gives us 10 of them.“The stories range from 10 minutes to 32 minutes and I have frequent listener cards, where if you visit six times, you get a free coffee at Slate Café.“We hoped to launch the project last year, but we were delayed by Covid.“It’s three years on now since Cyclone Debbie did Lismore and we’ve had minor and moderate floods and flash floods since then.“I think we’ve had enough time and emotional space that we can listen to these stories without being impacted too emotionally by them.Therapeutic “We are hoping it will be a healing process for the community.“We hope we can learn what we need to learn as a community being a flood town.“There’s reflection about how we can become more resilient – we’ve even had bushfires and Covid disasters since 2017 too.“When you listen to the stories, you feel that your story of the flood is valid too. – and it’s been therapeutic for the story tellers too.Healing“Part of the process of bringing the stories to the public was making sure story tellers were happy with the final version of the story.“I had so many of them come back to me and say the story captured their experience and they cried – a therapeutic crying, there’s a real love there. We’re all grateful the project has given us space to be able to do that.”Jyllie JacksonFor Jyllie Jackson, organiser of the Lismore lantern Parade, telling her story to Jeanti for the Flood Stories project and hearing it back finally allowed her to finally have a cry.Jyllie had unsuccessfully tried to save the lanterns in the lantern workshop from being flooded and knew she had to “keep it together”.“The process was very helpful to me,” Jyllie said.“I didn’t cry at all when it happened. I was stoic. As the boss lady, I couldn’t cry – that was my leadership role.”Read more about Jyllie’s flood story on the Lismore App, as she reveals her plans to bring business back into the Lismore CBD, despite Covid enforced changes to this year’s Lantern parade event: CBD traders set to benefit from Lantern Parade's surprise offshoot eventFlood stories will be in the Quad until May 6 and more information can be found on the Quad website.Flood Stories operating times:Thursday April 29 11am-2pm, and 4-6pm Friday April 30 11am-2pm, and 4-6pm Saturday May 1 11am-2pmSunday May 2 12pm-2pmMonday May 3 closedTuesday May 4 11am-2pmWednesday May 5 11am-2pmThursday May 6 11am-2pm, and 4-6pm 

Fundies Wholefood Market on Keen Street is closing for renovations at the end of this week - so if you have any shopping to do there, get in quick.Read more local news: Raincoats, gumboots and flood stories call you to the Quad Fundies store manager Rachel O’Connor said the store will be closed for about two weeks, before it reopens with more stock and a new look.“We will be closing at the end of business on Saturday,” Rachel said.“We have a sale on for the next three days with 15% off store wide, plus plus triple points on purchases for members.“It’s really exciting because the renovations will be extend the shop and increase our produce and fridge area – taking everything a whole new level up.”Fundies became a part of the Flannerys health food store chain about three years ago and the chain’s marketing manager Kate said the Lismore shop hasn’t been renovated for over 20 years.“It’s about time we gave it a freshening up,” she said. “The community have been supporting us for so long – and we are going to use all local tradespeople to do the work – carpenters, painters, electricians and plumbers."ExpandingKate said the walls will be moved and the shop area expanded to create a new naturopathy area with a private consult room.“It will give you privacy if you want to talk about whatever your health journey is with the naturopath. It will still be a free service,” she said.“We’ll also clean the floors and give them a good polish and freshen up the paint on the walls.New ranges“We’ve had so many suggestions and requests for products and we can’t fit them in.“There’s a plethora of people making and creating amazing food in the area and we want to support it, but only have one freezer.“So, we will be bringing in nine new fridge freezers and stocking more plant based foods, sauces and a variety of pre-made meals, pizzas, dumplings and an expanded ice-cream range.”“In the bulk foods section, we will mix it up with more variety - and in the produce section, stock more leafy greens and produce.“We can look forward to more types of bread and pestos too.”SaleKate said for the next three days, Fundies is having a 15% off store-wide sale (with triple points earned) to say thank you to customers - and clear the shelves.Anything left when they close will be given to the local food bank.“We’ve been taking everyone’s bread and milk orders to make sure they have what they need while we close,” Kate said.“We will well keep everyone updated about the opening date. We hope it’s going to be two weeks, fingers crossed.”Visit Fundies websiteRead more about Fundies: UPDATE: Fundies to stay open through administration process

Lismore and Murwillumbah cinemas have been selected as two of five new destinations for Sydney Film Festival’s Travelling Film Festival, which brings Australian and international feature films, short films and documentaries from across the globe to audiences around Australia.Read more about it: Film Festival travels to Lismore  Minister for the Arts Don Harwin and Local Nationals Member of the Legislative Council and Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts Ben Franklin made the announcement for the region. Mr Franklin said the film festival was a chance for the community to enjoy a great selection of cutting edge cinema that might otherwise not be screened in the Northern Rivers.  “It is great news that the NSW Government with Sydney Film Festival will bring the Travelling Film Festival, Australia’s longest running film festival to our region. “The Travelling Film Festival’s program will appeal to everyone including regular movie goers, cinema buffs, and anyone who is keen to enjoy movies from Australia and around the world. “I’m proud of the way our region embraces arts and culture and I think it is a testament to the local community that Lismore and Murwillumbah have been selected to host the Travelling Film Festival. “I would encourage everyone to go and see a film and support the arts industry – it’s also a great opportunity to use your Dine and Discover vouchers!” Minster for the Arts, Don Harwin said the Travelling Film Festival would provide a cultural and economic boost to the regions, bringing audiences back to their local theatres following a year of uncertainty. “Local cinemas are the beating heart of our regional communities, and after a tough year where many of us missed our friends, community and culture, people are keen to come back together to enjoy a night out experiencing storytelling at its best,” Mr Harwin said. “The NSW Government is proud to support the Travelling Film Festival as they provide local communities with the opportunity to experience film in a festival environment that encourages debate, community involvement and interaction.” Sydney Film Festival CEO Leigh Small said “Sydney Film Festival is committed to supporting local cinemas rebuild audience engagement in the wake of the impact of 2020 on the arts and entertainment sectors.” “Expanding the reach of the Travelling Film Festival through NSW will provide opportunities for regional audiences to reconnect with world class cinema in their own city, while also supporting the Australian film industry ecosystem.” Films will screen at the BCC Cinema Lismore and The Regent Cinema Murwillumbah from 4-6 June. The Travelling Film Festival is Australia’s longest running travelling film festival, showcasing Australian and international features across regional Australia. For film details, session times and further information, visit www.sff.org.au/TFF

As the sun was setting last night, Goonellabah local Peter Budden and his son Sam were the last of 205 motorbike riders to arrive at Lismore’s Gateway Motel.Peter had doubled Sam on his 2003 Kawasaki the last leg of the journey from Urunga to Lismore, as Sam’s bike had died on a dirt track, 10km just south of Tabulam earlier that day.Sam’s bike was one on the casualties of the five day trip from the Hunter Valley to the Gold Coast.The father and son were among 205 riders taking part in the Moto Trekker 2021 Ridge Rider tour - on dirt tracks through forests in the border ranges, stopping at Tamworth, Port Macquarie, Urunga and Lismore on the way.That day alone, the riders had travelled through dust on 510km of dirt tracks, from Urunga to Lismore, spending at least nine hours in the saddle.They were greeted with cheers, as their friends awaited their arrival alongside food trucks from local vendors who were ready to sell food to the hungry mob.OrganisationMoto Trekker organisers Jay and Cherie McNabb said the fires, covid and floods stopped the annual event going ahead last year.So, when they could run it this year, they wanted to support as many small towns as possible and bring the riders in to spend money on food, fuel and accommodation.Jay said people from all States and Territory in Australia and all walks of life took part in the trip – from doctors, accountants, police, fire fighters and business owners.“Every town they go to, they are filling up the hotels,” he said. “There are 225 beds and in every town and they are eating and they are drinking there,” he said. “We want to give back to the country and support locals.”Logistics“The logistics of organising this are huge,” Jay said. “We needed to stop at towns that were big enough to accommodate the riders.“We have a good support crew and we cart all the participants luggage for them to the next town.”There are 20 support crew on hand to support the riders, including a team of mechanics, paramedics and a private 4WD ambulance that follows the riders on the dirt tracks on the trip.The support crew cook breakfast for the riders and give them a packed lunch each day.Shane and Bradley Hilaire from Nowra.Support crewPaul McGlynn and his son are part of the support crew – and drive a 4WD truck which sweeps behind the riders, making sure the last rider makes it out.They also pick up lost number plates or broken bikes and transport them to the next town. Yesterday, the truck brought three downed bikes into Lismore with them.Why do it?Goonellabah’s Peter Budden said "because it’s fun - and you can”.“Everyone looks after each other,” Peter said. “We all like riding bikes and we have a laugh with each other and it’s run really well.”“It’s fairly easy to do – you download the route map and leave when you want, but you do need to be into town by a certain time,” Sam said.“So you need to take the highway of you are running behind.“There are also more difficult off-shoot routes so you can tailor it depending on how you feel."Exhausted and happy riders eating and drinking from food trucks from the Winding Road Distillery, Jom Makan Mobile Eatery, Olive & Luca wood fired pizza and Seven Mile Brewery.Injuries“There’s a lot of injuries too,” Peter said. “There’s been a broken thumb, foot, leg – and one bloke broke his shoulder, his leg in two places, three ribs and punctured and collapsed his lung on the first day.“Today there was a broken collarbone and one woman, riding an Enfield, crashed and was taken by helicopter to Lismore base Hospital.”“There’s a lot of mechanical failures too,” Peter said.Endurance“It’s a good test of endurance, riding through the scrub,” Sam said.“The Gwydir Highway and the elevation was awesome to see and the back of Dorrigo was beautiful - we saw trees laying over creeks and weirs from the big floods.”Why do it?Organiser Jay McNabb said after being in lock down, getting out and having an adventure is a big part of it.It’s also about the adventure of riding and expecting the unexpected.Peter Gordon.Vietnam veteranParticipant Richard Gordon is 72 and a Vietnam veteran from Young – and he intends to be in Kyogle for Anzac Day.He said the ride from Bellingen through the Gibraltar National Park on twisting dirt roads with rocks, hills corners and more corners was “exciting stuff”.“There were potholes and damage from rain and I was awestruck seeing the rivers,” he said.“I allocated 12 days out of my life to do this,” he said. ”It means about 3,500 to 4,000 km on a bike - and a worn out tyre,” he laughed.“You have to be switched on every inch of the way.“It’s fun adventure - not easy but it’s great. I’m a thrill seeker and I’ve been riding farm bikes all my life.“I’m riding in a group of seven with a fired I was a school with – we left school in 1967.“We stop occasionally to drink and eat and catch up with mates and talk about how good the ride has been.“It’s every man for himself until someone gets stuck, then it’s team work.“The first day, we had 15 river crossings with rocks and we had to ride through.“I got wet and people helped and walked into the water and picked up the bike to get it out. Four bikes got drowned that day.”

After more than a year of Covid induced sleep, the Rainbow Chai Tent is officially coming back to the Channon Craft Market - but with a difference.So, pack your drums, musical instruments and get ready to take off your shoes and dance on May 9 (Mother’s Day), at the next Channon Market.Some locals call the Chai Tent the heart of the market and make a trip out to the Channon especially toward the end of the day to join in the fun and grab a chai or coffee and cake and lounge on the carpets at the tent.Market manager Robyn Kelly said it’s an extra special occasion this year, as it marks the 40th anniversary of the Rainbow Chai Tent.“It hasn’t been the same without it,” she said. “We are so excited to have it back.”ChangesThere will be a few unexpected changes though.“We will move the chai tent onto the oval near the car park where the Silky Oaks are, so there is more room and shade too,” Robyn said. “We will trial it and may move it there for every market after that.”HistoryRobyn said the Rainbow Chai tent was originally brought to the market 40 years ago from Victoria, by Michael Jack, Megan and her mum Liffy.The original tent material eventually wore out and was replaced – and the new tent even made an appearance at the Bentley CSG blockade a few years ago.RestrictionsRobyn said Covid social distancing restrictions still apply and she asks people to self distance, unless they are in an immediate family group.“People will have to sign in when they enter market with a QR code and there will be places around the market they can do it too,” she said.“We’d like people to only come to the market if they are well. If you are sick, please stay at home.Mothers’ Day“The day is set to be a beautiful Mother’s Day and we have a bus tour from Casino travel shop arriving and they will be doing a big luncheon for stall holders in the oval as well.“If people want to explore the village, they can also go to the Channon café for a drink and while the market is alcohol-free, they can visit the Channon Tavern for a beverage."The Channon Craft Market is on every second Sunday of the month - and people are asked to leave any pets at home.  To find out more, visit the Channon Craft Market website 

Former head of Lismore TAFE art department, Steve Giese, headlines a double art exhibition opening at North Lismore’s Serpentine Community Gallery tonight.Gallery director Corinne Batt-Rowden said she was excited and proud to have Steve exhibiting at the gallery, alongside another local, Shannon Bourne.'Prelude to the Great Wave' by Steve Giese (oil on canvas, 2020) was done during the lead up to the Covid experience we are still living with. It’s a metaphoric representation of Australia - a strange island full of predatory distractions.“He’s a significant person in our local art community who has helped so many people develop as artists on their journies, through his role at TAFE,” Rin said.“Steve won the Tasmanian Art Prize a couple of years ago and the winning painting will be on show for two weeks in the street-front display window at the gallery.”'Happy Hour' by Steve Giese (oil on canvas, 2021) is a painting that reflects the inebriated complacency that characterises Australia.Recently Steve has been making still life and landscape paintings as a change from the more politicised images. He believes that still life has something to say beyond the formal qualities of the image.Steve commented that his works in this exhibition respond to a range of painting genres, from still life and landscape to social commentary.His painting 'Happy Hour' was entered in the Blake Prize, because "alcohol unfortunately is where many Australians find an easily accessible spirituality"/“I have always found painting to be challenging, eternally mercurial, a medium capable of communicating a full range of human experience,” Steve said."During the Covid lockdown we spent an extra two billion dollars on booze. Writers such as Donald Horne wrote of the 'Lucky Country' in the hands of an unfocussed, hedonistic people."Dead Angel by Shannon Bourne (acrylic and oil pastels on canvas).Lismore local Shannon Bourne, will also exhibiting in her first solo exhibition and presenting her latest body of work 'Beneath the Naked Eye'.Rin said Shannon’s body of work is a “brave exhibition of raw expression”.“Shannon shows this through an in-depth personal enquiry to create a high intensity dynamic and thought provoking show,” she said.Both exhibitions open tonight, Friday April 23, from 6pm till 8pm - and will be on show until May 3. 'Still Life with Wedge Tailed Eagle Egg' by Steve Giese (oil on board, 2020) shows an the egg on the very edge of the table - symbolises how our ecology is on a very precarious edge.

Don’t be surprised if you see lots of motorbikes in Lismore later today. This afternoon, 200 motorbike riders from across Australia will arrive in Lismore – and stay the night.Dirt roads and cameraderie bring hundreds of bikers to Lismore The group of riders are part of the Moto Trekkers group who are on tour from the Hunter valley to the Gold Coast as part of the Ridge Rider 2021 tour.Part of their a five day mission is to visit as many flood affected towns as they can on their way.The bikers will converge on Lismore Gateway Motel later in the day, where a celebration awaits them with food trucks awaits from the Winding Road Distillery, Jom Makan Mobile Eatery, Olive & Luca wood fired pizza and Seven Mile Brewery.The Lismore App intends to keep you updated later with photos and more on their journey and mission.

For the 40 Muslim families in Lismore, last week was the beginning of one of the most important periods in the Muslim religious calendar – Ramadan.For 30 days, Muslim people will fast between sunrise and sunset – eating no food and drinking no liquids.Mahmudur Rahman is a casual academic at Southern Cross University (SCU) and member of the SCU Muslim community.Each day of Ramadan, he and his family wake up early at 3.45am and eat a meal, followed by prayer. Then he might go back and have a nap before he goes to work.“During the day and night, we also try to increase our prayer and help those less fortunate than ourselves,” he said.“We try to ask our friends and family members about their well being and how they are doing.Why fast?“We fast because the Quran guidance was revealed to Muslims in this month and we commemorate it,” Mahmadur said“We also want to attain closeness to god and we work at abstaining from all vices, such as anger.“We also understand the pain and feelings of hungry people and we are encouraged to share food and do more charity.“We are encouraged to practice this throughout the year, but in Ramadan, we make an extra effort.“As we feel hungry, we get closer to god an get more reward from God.“Fasting also increases our strength of will. We build moral, mental and physical strength.”Muslim populationWhile Lismore has a relatively small Muslim population, the largest Muslim population in a country is in Indonesia. It's home to 12.7% of the world's Muslims, followed by Pakistan (11.0%), and India (10.9%). About 20% of Muslims live in the Arab world.What food do Muslims break fast with?After not eating for while, food takes on a special significance. There are special dishes cooked during the time of Ramadan, especially to break fast with each day.And despite what you might think, people don’t tend to eat lots to make up for a day of not eating.“I’m from Bangladesh and we have a light meal when we eat at the end of the day,” Mahmudur said. “If we have too much it causes too much discomfort."The food Bangladeshi Muslims eat each day of Ramadan is different to what other Muslims from other cultures and countries might eat.“Bangladeshi Muslims eat different meals to Indonesians – and Arabs do it in their way,” Mahmudur said.“In the morning, we eat our first meal, caller suhar - and in the evening we eat a meal called iftar. It’s often plain bread and sometimes rice, meat or curries.”Work and fastWhile the 30 days of fasting in happening, most Muslims are still going about their normal work duties.Mahmadur said because Muslims are introduced to fasting from a young age – and they know they will be fasting, their understanding of their body’s physiology means it doesn’t hamper their daily activities.“We also drink a bit more water at suhar, so our body can retain water through the day,” he said.Fasting benefits“From a scientific perspective, fasting is good,” Mahmudur said. “Scientists have found fasting beneficial for the body - our cells accumulate waste products and if we fast, they get removed from cells.“It makes our bodies stronger and cleaner.”ExemptionsNot everyone has to fast during Ramadan – exempt from fasting are elderly people, children, lactating or pregnant mothers or people who are sick.Call to prayerIf you have ever been to a Muslim country, you will be familiar with the call to prayer that sounds out from every mosque five times a day.During Ramadan, the mosques also call out prayer pre dawn to awaken Muslims to eat, and often for longer periods of prayer at night too.Mahmadur said his family members often pray together while at home and the members of the Muslim community offer their prayer at the Chapel during day time at the university. There there is a weekly communal prayer session for locals in town.Ramadan endThe end of the 30 days of fasting during Ramadan ends with a celebration called Eid Al-fitrIt’s like all the traditional holidays of Christmas and New Year all rolled into one. But unlike the capitalist system - there’s no Santa and it’s not about buying lots of expensive presents.“At Eid, we practice charity we give food and money to poor people,” Mahmadur said.“At the end of Ramadan, we have communal prayer and all the children come together to celebrate, share food and visit family members, neighbours and friends."We also ask forgiveness from the people if we think we have hurt them – it is something done by most of the Muslim cultures.”Sharing foodUntil Covid put a stop to it last year, the Lismore Muslim community invited the wider community for a meal in the SCU plaza at the end of Ramadan.“That’s when we all bring our best dishes,” Mahmudur said.“But unfortunately, we won’t be doing it this year.”Read more about Ramadan in Mahmadur’s blog: Mahmudur Rahman: The holy month of Ramadan and fasting

Don’t try to walk to the Quad, the Lismore Regional Art Gallery or the Slate Café for a coffee – because it’s off limits to locals.The filming crew for new Netflix comedy series 'God’s Favourite Idiot' has taken over the Quad and transformed Lismore library into St Joseph’s Hospital – and it will remain that way until Thursday.The good news for art lovers is that tomorrow (Wednesday, April 21) you can visit the art gallery – but you will need to approach from the rear of the gallery via the Rural Street entrance.The art gallery will be open as normal on Thursday, when filming finishes.As the Lismore App discovered, trying to approach via the Keen Street entrance will result in a Netflix production crew member asking you to leave the site.The new series, starring Hollywood’s Melissa McCarthy has been filmed in various locations in the Northern Rivers over the past few weeks. Last week saw the Lismore Showground used as one of the filming locations – and Spinks Park was used a few weeks ago.Read more: Photographers capture Hollywood stars shooting TV series in Spinks ParkMore films?Last year the NSW Government added $175 million to the Made in NSW fund to support high end international film and TV productions that shoot in the NSW on the east coast.This has provided a big incentive to movie makers, now that Covid has eased and Australia is seen as a safe haven for filming. It has been announced that a new ‘Mad Max’ movie will now be filmed place in NSW, along with Marvel’s 'Thor: Love and Thunder'.‘God’s Favourite Idiot’ is being filmed with a $10 million grant from the Federal Government’s Location Incentive program, as well as Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Fund. The production is expected to employ more than 300 Australian cast and crew.This could be just the beginning of more filming in our region – and potentially some employment for locals.EmploymentWhile most of the production crew on ‘God’s Favourite Idiot’ has been brought in from outside the Lismore area, there are some opportunities for employment for locals on set.One Lismore local has already been included as part of the extras cast, however, it includes a vow of secrecy about what is happening while filming is underway.The Lismore App will keep you informed with the behind the scenes stories once the secrecy period is over.It is expected that the series will air later in year, and we can look forward to seeing our familiar landmarks presented in a new light on screen.Location and crew registerTV and film industry developers, Screenworks, put out a call for local people to register on the Northern Rivers Crew database last year.They also offer a database of locations which are open for filming in the area – and you can still list your property as a potential filming location.Read more: Lismore's roads and park close as Netflix comedy filming begins tomorrow

When Sally Flannery announced on social media that she was considering running for local government elections this year, she didn’t expect a campaign of intimidation and fear to be waged against her by Lismore locals.When the intimidation was brought into her workplace and then to her home, as well as on social media, that’s when she knew she should not be afraid and speak out about it.In speaking up, Sally hopes are that other women and men who have been subjected to the same kind of intimidation will also speak up about what happened to them - and to not be scared off running for local election.The intimidation began when Sally’s employer was contacted by someone demanding Sally’s phone number.Sally’s employer told the Lismore App that the call came a couple of days after Sally announced she was considering running for Lismore City Council, but he refused to give out her number.“The person then asked me to pass Sally a message, saying Sally needed to run under this person on their election ticket," he said. "And if she didn’t, she should be prepared for six months of public humiliation and having her name dragged through the mud.“I said that’s not going to happen and I asked him why he was doing this and he said ‘just pass on message’.”The phone call was just the beginning.Shaken“I was shaken and angry,” Sally said. “Within the same week, my front door was smashed and the mailbox was ripped off the wall. I’ve seen the camera footage and police are investigating it.“I was worried and it made me wonder if I should run. So, I talked to other local women who were considering running for election and they had also been threatened in the same week and were also wondering if they should run.“I posted about what had happened on social media and then one of the people involved started targeting me and my employer with negative comments on social media.“I had dozens of women come forward and some men too, but the majority were women. I realised it was the same pattern of threats and intimidation to make people scared.Stalked“Some people told me they had been stalked and had installed security fences and alarms.“One woman said her employer had also been targeted by the same person and it put her under stress.“People who have children get targeted at their home address or their employment places. It’s psychological warfare, targeting people’s sense of security and safety and weaken them in their place of employment.Name and shame“I wanted to call attention to it - and I eventually named and shamed the people involved and that’s when the threats eased.“I did it because this needs to be called out and I hope more people come forward more publicly and are not too scared to say what has been happening to them - and not let the intimidation get to them.”InactionSally said she took her story to the NSW Electoral Commission (NSW EC) and the chief commissioner investigated it.“But they can only act on things that relate specifically to the misrepresentation of information regarding the casting of votes,” she said, “They said it was a police issue.“I also reported it to the local police who said my option was to sue for defamation or get a personal violence order. But if there is no proof, it’s hard to prosecute - if the threats are made in person or on the phone.”The election issueIn September this year, the people of Lismore will vote for a new cohort of local government councillors – and anyone intending on running has until July to formally put their intentions to stand for election to the NSW EC.While Sally has not formally submitted her intention to run, she is worried that other women who have been intending to run have been scared off running - and afraid to go public.“In NSW, female representation in local government is 31%, so we are not yet equal and I want to see more women run for council,” she said.“But everyone sees what happens when there is a vendetta against someone - when people threaten you, others see how hostile and relentless it is.“I can’t ignore this. I’m happy to share my experience now - and I know it makes me a target.“Because of that I decided to speak up loudly about it, especially considering what’s going on at a national level with bullying and sexual harassment in politics.Systemic bullying and politics“It’s a systemic problem – it’s not just in our area.“I posted about the issue in another group that I’m a member of and asked for their advice on how to proceed – especially considering the NSW EC and police couldn’t act on it.“If anyone makes a complaint, each incident is investigated individually and they can’t see a pattern in the system.Common experience“At least 15 Councillors from across Australia reached out to me and offered support and talked about how common their experiences are.“It’s not just a women’s issue. There are intimidation tactics such as threats, or being told your house would be burnt down. I thought Lismore was an extreme case but it does seem to be happening everywhere.“In a world of politics where women are already misrepresented, it’s already difficult - and then to have extreme intimidation as well – it’s too much for some people.Canberra“One of the female political staffers from federal politics that was recently in the news contacted me with words of support.“It made me realise how uncommon it is to speak up about these things. Many only wanted to talk privately and I could see there was a lot of fear around speaking up.“It’s important to have support and to feel you can speak up.”Keyboard warriors“You might think some of these bullies are just keyboard warriors, and try to ignore them, but it’s done to back up their intimidation done offline. It’s calculated intimidation.“Every person should have a right to participate in their own community without intimidation and we need community support to speak up when it happens.”Legislation changesSally said the legal system hasn’t caught up with this ‘systemic bullying’ and needs some serious changes made.“On a legislative scale, we need to address the policing of this behaviour," she said. "The NSW EC can’t act on it, but in other States, there are protections against this.“The system isn’t designed to identify patterns of behaviour and keep account of collective experience – especially if we want to see a more diverse representation of people on local councils.“The main age of councillors is in their 60s, but the main voter age is in their 30s.”Sally won’t be quiet about the issue and wants everyone to call bullying out – whether it is online and offline.When it comes to whether she will actually run for Council this year, she hasn’t made it official. But she intends to keep her passion strong for the Lismore community and tackle one hurdle at a time. “I also want to let people know that you don’t need to be aggressive to get things done – and you shouldn’t mistake kindness for weakness,” she said.Read more about Sally: Ros Irwin, Sally Flannery and Jex Lopez shine at IWD awards ceremony