ACT NOW WHILE SUPPLIES LAST The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 35 #19 • Wednesday, October 21, 2020 • www.echo.net.au 5G protests in Byron, while Best market councillors sit on fence Paul Bibby Ndiaye, reads, ‘Council… recognises recognised that the low impact facility complies ‘When one leg’s on one side of the with the current Australian govern- fence and the other leg is on the ment regulations in relation to emis- other side, you end up sitting on it.’ sion of electromagnetic energy’. This comment from Byron Council also requested a Councillor Michael Lyon aptly ‘commitment by a state or federal summarised the Council’s response government body to do a compre- to Telstra’s plans for a 5G upgrade hensive review of the cumulative close to two daycare centres in the impacts of the 5G technology’ and Arts and Industry Estate. asked who held responsibility for The proposed upgrade to the monitoring any such impacts. tower at 8 Acacia Street has drawn Finally, the Council indicated its strong objections from many locals ‘preference’ for fibre optic cable as living and working nearby, as well a ‘more equitable’ and less intrusive as 5G opponents across the Shire. technology for internet provision. But Byron Council’s feedback to Though the eight councillors Telstra on the issue was more about present at the meeting voted for fence-sitting than fighting for a cause. the motion, it did not appear to There were stark divisions align with the stated positions of among councillors during a lengthy any of them. debate at last week’s Council planning meeting, and in the end Mayor supports 5G they unanimously avoided taking Earlier, Labor councillor Paul Congrats to the Mullum Farmers Market, who have won the Delicious Magazine national award for Australia’s a position on whether or not the Spooner unsuccessfully moved Best Farmers Market. Pictured is North Byron Farmers Market manager, Allie Godfrey, with Mullum Farmers upgrade should go ahead. a motion off ering unqualified Market president, and owner of Summit Organics, Rod Bruin (left ), and Jumping Red Ant stall holder, John A motion, put by Cr Michael Lyon, support for the 5G upgrade. Atkins. The Mullum Farmers Market are held every Friday morning at the Showgrounds on Main Arm Road. and seconded by Greens Cr Sarah ▶ Continued on page 3 Photo Jeff ‘On And Off The Market Since 1986’ Dawson Unauthorised dwelling policy extended Rail trails for parts of Northern Rivers become law Public exhibition of a contentious policy that seeks to formalise the Railway tracks between Casino and advocates as a boost to local jobs commercial leases – if indeed they Shire’s unauthorised dwellings has been extended by one week, says Bentley, and Crabbes Creek and and tourism, elected local MP can even break those leases, and Council’s media spokesperson. Condong, will soon be removed for Member for Ballina Tamara Smith there is nothing in law that says they Available at Council’s website, the policy has attracted concern from rail trails aft er the Transport Admin- told The Echo, ‘As it stands, there is have a right to rip up the Rail Trail Main Arm residents, aft er they were sent roboletters, demanding they reply istration Amendment (Closures of nothing in this law to prevent Tweed infrastructure to make way for a train. by October 5 to unsubstantiated claims of unapproved development. Railway Lines in Northern Rivers) Bill or Richmond Valley Council off er- ‘I am a huge fan of cycle tourism, The policy, at just five pages, outlines three brief pathways to compli- 2020 was passed in the NSW upper ing 99 year leases to commercial and I’m passionate about deliver- ance. It does not address historical developments built prior to Council’s house last week. tourism operators to lease sections ing meaningful public transport in records and planning instruments, such as the LEP 1988. Instead, the The controversial decision, of the rail corridor for anything the Northern Rivers – but it’s never policy threatens ‘Orders to demolish/restore to previously approved use tabled by locally based Nationals recreational or tourist focused’. been an either or scenario’. as appropriate. Orders may be subject to appeal in the Land and Environ- MLC Ben Franklin, was supported ‘What that means in reality is ‘It’s extremely disappointing that ment Court’. The Echo asked Council staff why a longer extension was by NSW Labor, who took the trains that if either community wants to the Greens amendments that would refused, given the public concern about the lack of details and planning off the tracks in 2004. return rail to the corridor they face have prevented long leases and clarity, but there was no reply by deadline. ▶ See related stories on page 8 While touted by rail trail paying legal compensation to break ▶ Continued on page 3 Byron High Year 12 A secret meeting and BUILDING DREAMS students speak of learning that $78m funding – a guide for first home buyers in the in COVID-19 times ▶ p4–5 application ▶ p10 Northern Rivers ▶ lift out centre pages dŚĞĞƐƚdĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJŝŶ^ŽůĂƌWŽǁĞƌ͕ ^ŽůĂƌWŽǁĞƌĞĚĂƌ Ϯ&ZWĂŶĞůƐͲKĐƚŽďĞƌKŶůLJ͊ KĨĨ'ƌŝĚ͕ZĞƐŝĚĞŶƚŝĂůΘƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ EŽ&ƵĞůͲ>ŽǁDĂŝŶƚĞŶĂŶĐĞ /LF1R& >ŝǀĞĂŶĂĨĨŽƌĚĂďůĞnjĞƌŽĐĂƌďŽŶ ϲ͘ϲŬtͲϭϴƉĂŶĞůƐĨŽƌƚŚĞƉƌŝĐĞŽĨϭϲ͊ ϴϴϴ ůŝĨĞƐƚLJůĞŶŽǁǁŝƚŚĂůŽǁŬŵEŝƐƐĂŶ>ĞĂĨ ^ĞƌĂƉŚŝŵůĂĚĞϯϳϬt^ƉůŝƚĞůůWĂŶĞůƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĞĚĨƌŽŵ:ĂƉĂŶǁŝƚŚLJŽƵƌŶĞǁ ,ŝŐŚĞƌzŝĞůĚƵĞƚŽĞƚƚĞƌ ,ŽŵĞ^ŽůĂƌŚĂƌŐŝŶŐ^ƚĂƚŝŽŶ dĞƐƚƌŝǀĞdŽĚĂLJ ^ŚĂĚŝŶŐZĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ ϴϴϴ^ŽůĂƌdĞŬŚĂƐĂĐŽŶƚŝŶƵŽƵƐƐƵƉƉůLJŽĨŶĞĂƌŶĞǁ͕ dŚĞEŝƐƐĂŶ>ĞĂĨŝƐƚŚĞůĞĂĚŝŶŐ :ĂƉĂŶĞƐĞďƵŝůƚEŝƐƐĂŶ>ĞĂĨƐĂƚŽƵƌ^ŽůĂƌWŽǁĞƌĞĚŽĨĨŝĐĞ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐĐĂƌŝŶƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂĂŶĚ ϯϳϬt͊ ŝŶ&ĞĚĞƌĂů͕ƐŽďŽŽŬĂƚĞƐƚĚƌŝǀĞƚŽĚĂLJ͘tĞĂůƐŽƐƵƉƉůLJ ǁĞŚĂǀĞĂŐƌĞĂƚƐƵƉƉůLJŽĨůĂƚĞ DŽƌĞWŽǁĞƌ ŝŶůĞƐƐƐƉĂĐĞ Ăůů ŽĨĨŐƌŝĚŽƌŽŶŐƌŝĚƐŽůĂƌĐŚĂƌŐŝŶŐƐŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐƐŽLJŽƵŶĞǀĞƌ ŵŽĚĞůEŝƐƐĂŶ>ĞĂĨ͛ƐŝŶŐƌĞĂƚ ^ƵŶŐƌŽǁ'ĞŶϯƌLJƐƚĂů ŚĂǀĞƚŽƵƐĞĨŽƐƐŝůĨƵĞůƐĂŐĂŝŶ͘ ĐŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶĂĞƐƚŚĞƚŝĐĂůůLJĂŶĚ н sŝŶĐĞŶƚ^ĞůůĞĐŬ ϱŬtWƌĞŵŝƵŵ/ŶǀĞƌƚĞƌ DŽƐƚƉĞŽƉůĞǁŝůůƐƉĞŶĚĂďŽƵƚΨϱϬϬϬƉĞƌLJĞĂƌŽŶƉĞƚƌŽů ŵĞĐŚĂŶŝĐĂůůLJĨƌŽŵΨϮϭ͕ϴϴϴ͘ ĨŽƌĂ&ƌĞĞ ĂŶĚŵĂŝŶƚĞŶĂŶĐĞ͕ƐŽŐŽŝŶŐĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐĐĂŶďĞĂŐƌĞĂƚ tĞĂůƐŽ^ƵƉƉůLJĂŶĚ&ŝƚƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵůƚĂƚŝŽŶ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ͘dŚĞĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐĞŶŐŝŶĞŽĨƚŚĞ>ĞĂĨŚĂƐĂ ůĂƚĞƐƚsĐŚĂƌŐŝŶŐdĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ KŶůLJΨϰ͕ϲϴϴΎ ŝŶĐƌĞĚŝďůĞƚŽƌƋƵĞĂŶĚĞƌŽŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƐ͘tŚLJƉĂLJĂ ĨƌŽŵ^ŽůĂƌĚŐĞĂŶĚ ĨŽƌƚƵŶĞĨŽƌĂŐĂƐŐƵnjnjůĞƌǁŚĞŶLJŽƵĐĂŶŚĂǀĞĨƌĞĞ 3ULFHIRUVLQJOHVWRU\WLQURRIDQGGRHVQRW DLJĞŶĞƌŐŝ͘ ZĞůĂdžǁŝƚŚϴϴϴ^ŽůĂƌdĞŬ͛ƐϭϬzĞĂƌ LQFOXGHH[SRUWFRQWURORUVLWHFRVWV/LPLWHG WŚϬϮϲϲϴϴϰϰϴϬ ĞŶĞƌŐLJĂŶĚƚŚĞůŽǁĞƐƚƌƵŶŶŝŶŐĐŽƐƚƐĞǀĞƌ͘ tŚŽůĞŽĨ^LJƐƚĞŵtĂƌƌĂŶƚLJ RIIHUWLOVW2FW6XEMHFWWRVLWHLQVSHFWLRQ ǁǁǁ͘ϴϴϴƐŽůĂƌƚĞŬ͘ĐŽŵ͘ĂƵ Local News For North Coast news online visit ſƐşĪǤǝƆëŕĎǥǝƆĈƖōƐƖſĕĈëżƐƖſĕĎşŕǕōŔ In the 1970s and 80s, the area Sharon to interview these around Mullumbimby and early settlers, now turned the Byron Shire hosted the eccentric elders, and the birth of a multitude of alter- result was the wildly success- native practices and ideals. ful Mullumbimby’s Madness Many of these practices – the Legacy of the Hippies. are mainstream today, but arrived with a phenomenal Ground-breaking convergence of alternative- creatives seeking new settlers who had descended on the Enthused by the com- Rainbow Region. munity’s interest, the Award–winning filmmaker Mullumbimby’s Magic – the Sharon Shostak’s final film on the local hippy movement will PROFESSIONAL FITTING SERVICE AVAILABLE Sharon Shostak’s mother was Culture of the 70s–80s series launch early next month. Photo supplied one of them. The Brunswick 6686 2353 | 151 River St, Ballina was embarked upon, and the Valley Historical Society had final film focusses on those artists, the first filmmakers mullummagic3-outdoor. www.lingerieno5.com.au | Mon–Fri 9–5, Sat 9–3 the vision to commission ground-breaking creatives. and photographers, and the 2. Thursday November 5 at It will be launched in early first music club/craft centre. the Byron Community Centre Novemeber. It was a time when theatre from 7pm. Tickets via www. Part three –The Arts, groups proliferated, such as byroncentre.com.au looks at the evolution of the the Non-Specific Players and 3. Friday November 6 first music venues: the Arts the Federal Theatre Co. at the Mullumbimby Civic Factory, the Music Farm, Amazing stories are told Hall from 7pm. Tickets via FURNITURE Fowlers Lane and the famous by those who were the www.ticketebo.com.au/ Moondances; the first out- talented technicians, actors mullummagic3_civichall door concert in Byron; the and gender blenders, all with 4. From Saturday Novem- popularity and pitfalls of the a backdrop of rare archival ber 7 – streaming online at small country halls; and the images and footage. www.byroncentre.com.au. DONATIONS first World Music promoter. There are five ways to see 5. Wednesday November also homewares and electrical, The film also includes The this final film: 18 at the Brunswick Picture manchester, and clothing. Bush Telegraph newspaper 1. Friday October 30 at House: tickets www.brun- PLEASE that predates The Echo, and an outdoor screening at the swickpicturehouse.com. the incredible story of how the back of the Mullum Museum. Tickets are limited owing GLOBAL RIPPLE OP SHOP community hand-built their Bring a rug/chairs and picnic to COVID-19 restrictions, are 17 Grevillia Street, Byron Arts and Industrial. Phone 0457 192 225 ‘hippy hall’. Mullum’s Chin- tea. Film starts at 7.45pm. only available online, and Be sure to leave a message for us to call you back, and leave photos of cogan Fiesta is also featured, (or Saturday November 7, are for ages 13 and over. large donations – we can also pick up for you. Thank you. along with how the first arts if rained out). Tickets only Masks for indoor events gallery evolved; with the first via www.ticketebo.com.au/ are recommended. Need a hand understanding aged care?