Natural Disaster Area Status Declared for Byron Shire
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THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] [email protected] http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #07 TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2005 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only CEREBRAL INUNDATION BY THE BUCKETFUL Natural disaster area status Hot bidding at FEHVA auction declared for Byron Shire Much of Byron Shire came and 15 to the Mullum RSL had been cut to much of fl ood water was three foot to a standstill on Thursday where they were registered Byron Shire’s north, parts of above the concrete slab as the area returned to its by the police and then bil- Ewingsdale, Federal, Binna under the [raised] house.’ former life as a wetland. leted in motels or in homes Burra, Tyagarah and Mul- With nowhere to move Creeks rose, lakes appeared for the night,’ said Noel lumbimby; the Pacifi c High- cars to Eve and her neigh- from nowhere and low lying McIveney from the Mullum way was blocked by flood bour watched as water fl owed areas became waterways as SES. waters in several places; into their vehicles, at the over a foot of rain fell in 24 Flood waters were so high Mullumbimby was virtually peak reaching the bottom of hours. in some areas that the SES cut off and Byron Bay was the steering wheel. ‘My rub- Residents in the shire’s called in the Rural Fire Serv- closed to through traffic; bish bin fl oated away and I north took to their boats as ice and Fire Brigade engines Coolangatta Airport was found it two doors down in a roads and cars disappeared to reach evacuees and parts closed and Virgin had can- neighbours backyard, unfor- under several feet of water of New Brighton could only celled flights into Ballina; tunately all the rubbish had forcing the evacuation of be accessed with the local many business were closed gone. The washing machine, nearly 100 people from the surf club’s infl atable boat. as staff were cut off by fl ood- which was under the house, Ocean Shores, New Brighton Among the many volun- waters and Telstra was inun- was fl oating around in the and South Golden Beach teers were Cathryn and dated with over 500 calls laundry and I had to lock the area and 15 from Mul- Bruce Will from the Advent- about telephone faults. door to stop it washing lumbimby. ist Development and Relief New Brighton resident away.’ Volunteers from the vari- Agency who carried a blind Eve Jeffery’s Pacific Street Simon Haslam couldn’t ous emergency services resident of Mullumbimby’s house was isolated by rising resist the fl ooded streets of manned phones, vehicles New City Road through the fl ood waters on Thursday. South Golden Beach and FEHVA volunteer David Arrowsmith, above, scans the crowd at and boats to rescue people in fl ood waters to emergency ‘We noticed the river levels took to his canoe on Thurs- Saturday’s art auction for possible bidders, watched over by Camilla the worst affected areas and accommodation and found a were starting to be out of the day afternoon. Leaving his Connolly’s The Prodigal Son. The painting was awarded second place provide information for peo- place to stay for an expectant ordinary about 5pm on Philip Street home he made in the People’s Choice competition. FEHVA organiser, Dee Tipping ple in distress. mother whose baby is due Wednesday afternoon and a watery tour around the paid tribute to the clan of volunteers who helped make FEHVA a ‘We took 94 people up to on Monday. by 7am Thursday morning area passing many similarly success and thanked patrons for their generosity in making the the Ocean Shores Country At the storm’s peak on we thought we could be in inspired residents in tinnies auction a fundraising success. Photo Jeff ‘Pick Me’ Dawson Club for something to eat Thursday morning, power trouble. By about 11am the and kayaks. ‘It was like paddling through the Amazon rainfor- Reconciliation at NAIDOC est because the water stretched on through the The Arakwal people are Jonson Street and up to the trees back into lots of differ- inviting the community to Peace Pole adjacent to Byron ent channels. The golf course take part in the reconcilia- Bay Surf Club. Bring your was particularly spectacular tion process by joining the families and wear the colours forming a lake from Balemo NAIDOC celebrations this of the Aboriginal flag. We Drive to the New Brighton Wednesday. will be marching in solidarity Store,’ Mr Haslam said. An Aboriginal Awareness with our community and Rainfall records were bro- Day will be held around the Arakwal Elders to celebrate ken in Mullumbimby and peace pole adjacent to the Aboriginal culture. Byron Bay for the 24 hours Byron Bay Surf Club on ‘We are asking people to up to 9am on Thursday. Wednesday, July 6. meet at 10am at Railway 287mm fell on Mul- Aboriginal dancers will be Park so that we are ready to lumbimby and 192mm on performing throughout the march by 10.30 am. It is Byron Bay, the wettest June day and a series of informal important that everyone is day on record. Some areas workshops will include face ready to go by 10.30am as reported over 600mm of rain painting, aboriginal art, wool police will be blocking traffi c for the three day wet. With weaving, didgeridoo playing in Jonson Street for the the 382mm Tweed Heads was and fun kids activities. march,’ said Ms Kay. drenched with its wettest day NAIDOC day organiser ‘When we get to the peace for any month on record. and Arakwal spokesperson pole park adjacent to the Left Bank Road in Mullumbimby defeated this motorist last week as days of heavy rainfall flooded At one stage the Bruns- Delta Kay said, ‘The day will Byron Bay Surf club it will much of the Shire’s north. Photo Michael Rose. More flood photos on page 16. continued on page 2 begin with a march down continued on page 4 2 July 5, 2005 Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au Local News Natural disaster area Storm claims life of local continued from page 1 bilising works are completed wick River was threatening in Lighthouse Road, the to overflow at Federation roadway could be at risk Bridge in Mullumbimby, but during the next heavy rain the rain eased just in time. event. Noel McIveney from the Claims that sewage had SES recalls the 1987 fl oods fl owed into fl ood waters at when the river did break its Ocean Shores were denied by banks, but believes water lev- Council. Ms Westing said els in Billinudgel topped that while power had been those experienced in the cut to a couple of the pump- Mothers Day Flood of ing stations they were 1987. designed to cope with such )BIO1SFNJVN In Byron Bay the combi- disruptions. Council did nation of strong winds and bring in generators and pump -BHFS big seas were of most con- out trucks to cope with the in NM cern and SES crews door fl ow of stormwater later on in knocked houses at Belongil the week, and said that any Last week’s wild weather One elderly couple, unable earlier in the week to warn incidents of sewage entering wreaked havoc for many and to move their furniture out residents to batten down. the fl oodwaters would have tragically claimed the life of of the way of the rising While wave heights were been isolated. one man who drowned in waters, have lost many of recorded at 4.9 metres high Lismore was the region’s floodwaters on Thursday their possessions and like #SPUIFSTJO"SNT offshore the Cape, low tides worst hit area with more than night. many in the area are not cov- /P helped to avoid any serious 3,000 people evacuated from Robert Lihou, pictured ered by fl ood insurance. In NM problems. North and South Lismore. above, was cycling home one street alone in New Floodwaters inundated Concerns that the Wilson’s from his job at Oz Bakehouse Brighton, 14 cars have been Ewingsdale Road, the Sun- River would top the newly when he was swept from his written off because of water nybrand Chicken Plant, constructed levy bank didn’t bike by the fast fl owing water. damage. parts of the Becton resort, eventuate, the high reaching A resident of the Byron Bay Peter Clorley from the Lawson Street and parts of 10.2 metres on Thursday Van Village, Mr Lihou was New Brighton Trading Post Baywood Chase. night, 0.7 metres under the found by police near the estimates the storm may cost 5PPIFZT/FX Pamela Westing, Byron top of the levy. Short Stop garage on Friday them as much as $80,000. YNMDBOT Shire Council’s general man- Bob Carr visited Lismore morning as flood waters They were still serving peo- ager said last week’s weather on Friday to assess the dam- receded. The Echo believes ple on Thursday morning as conditions left a damage bill age and declared the region a the 56 year-old was held water flowed into the of at least $1.5 million. Asked Natural Disaster Area. under the fl oodwaters by his premises and only aban- if Council was expecting Local MP Justine Elliot heavy back pack which doned their post when the extreme weather events to congratulated emergency became entangled in a SES rescue boat nosed into become more frequent as a workers for their efforts dur- barbed wire fence.