THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] [email protected] The endless search Available early Tuesday at: for the perfect http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 22 #01 TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2007 Page 21 22,300 copies every week THE INMATES ARE IN CHARGE Taking a walk on the wild side
Michael McDonald A sewage treatment plant is hardly the place you would expect to fi nd international vistors but thousands fl y into one such plant each year, slipping unnoticed by Customs and Immigration, on the outskirts of Byron Bay. I learnt this last Sunday at Byron Shire Council’s celebration of World Environment Day, usually held on June 5, Greens MLC Ian Cohen’s birthday. We were out at the sewage plant which fi lters water into artifi cial wetlands to take the bird tour expertly guided by Council’s bio- diversity extension offi cer Wendy Neilan and keen amateur bird- watcher Rex Fisher. Perfect weather, a pleasant easy walk, and lots of interesting birds darting, fl ying and fl oating – duck, the Jesus bird (jacana), stilts, spoonbill, wrens, swamp hens, a Principals of the North Byron Shire Parklands proposal Brandon Saul and Splendour’s Jessica de Crou, centre foreground, surrounded by residents busily making goshawk in search of a meal, the points from the public gallery and vocal opponent Cr John Lazarus, left in white t-shirt. island nest where the black swans might have been. Apparently around 200 species have been sighted all up. More heat than light at Parklands forum As well as being impressed by Story & photo Lou Beaumont unnecessarily infl amed the situa- presented their plans for the site that he believes that the develop- the birdlife, even an amateur eye such as mine could see the impres- The open forum on the North tion and people’s concerns rather that has Indigenous, wildlife and ment of the site is purely for the sive plantings by humans. Thou- Byron Shire Parklands Festival Site than allowing an opportunity for rural significance. Murmurings proponents’ private profi t. When sands of melaleucas had been at Wooyung held at council cham- people to air their concerns so they from the public gallery had begun Brandon Saul responded by saying planted out and it was a pleasant bers on Monday June 4 was pre- could be raised by Council and well before the proponents had that he felt money has squeezed a dictably heated, with interjections heard by the applicants and there- completed outlining their proposal lot of what is special out of Byron dream to imagine wetlands either throughout the meeting. fore addressed and any misinfor- and public question time was and how he is inspired by the side of Ewingsdale Road all the What was perhaps not so pre- mation dispelled. opened with an agitated Yelgun Woodford festival model, the resi- way into town – we could change dictable was that the majority of ‘When you have a councillor resident, Chris, who wanted to dent responded, ‘That still doesn’t the name to Byron Bayou. the outbursts came from Cr John actually obstructing that free fl ow know, from Council and the Splen- alter the fact that it’s going to be a The whole day was a great exam- Lazarus, seated in the public gal- of information that obviously peo- dour team, the proponent’s motives disaster. Just how gullible and naïve ple of cooperation between Coun- lery. A request for mutual respect ple need to hear then that’s really in buying the site. do you think we are?’ cil offi cers and volunteers to high- between proponent and the public disappointing. Especially when I Resident Chris asked Council to Many questions from the public light and explain the beauty of by Mayor Jan Barham at the open- think everyone else was doing it enlighten the public with regard to gallery addressed the fate of the Mother Nature, the dangers assail- ing of the meeting fell on deaf ears, with goodwill, which only encour- discussions with the proponents wildlife corridor which runs through ing her thanks to homo sapiens, and with Cr Lazarus repeatedly ignor- aged an open and transparent prior to the purchase of the land. the site. While the proponents were what we can do to help her out. ing pleas from the Mayor through- process.’ He said, ‘What inspired them to at pains to describe plans to main- A Friends of the Wetlands group out the meeting to sit and be heard The proponent team, including spend over $6 million on land that tain and expand the corridor via is being formed so more people in the formal manner. co-owners Brandon Saul and wasn’t yet zoned for this purpose? land swaps with NPWS and tree can take a walk on the wild side. It Mayor Barham later said of the Splendour’s Jessica de Crou and They’re taking a mighty big risk!’ planting, the public applauded a will be a good reminder of why we meeting, ‘I think he [Lazarus] their ecologist Mark Fitzgerald, The same resident pointed out continued on page 7 live here.
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