THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO "YRON"AY 7R Advertising & news enquiries: ITE RS & Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 E ST Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 IV A L Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] [email protected] http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #11 S TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2005 EE C EN 22,300 copies every week TR LABOURING UNDER A HARSH SENTENCE EP $1 at newsagents only AGES Byron Writers Festival Frank’s still fi ring on all cylinders continues to thrive Rivalling Melbourne’s Writ- sport and celebrities the One of the most popular ers Festival in terms of size audience is not just a little parts of the program has been the Byron Bay event, on this elite group. Our audience the humour session on Satur- week, has grown from an from outside the Byron Shire day night with John Clarke, elite gathering of a few hun- is also growing. People are John Safran, Wendy Harmer dred people in 1997 to seeing this as a perfect exam- and Guy Rundle which was around 8,000 today. ple of cultural tourism, to booked out three days after Writers Festival Director Jill enjoy food for the mind.’ the tickets went on sale. Eddington started her six year An impressive line-up of Government funding has association with the Byron writers and commentators been at the core of festival Bay festival in 1999 when turn up each year. Jill says funding from the early days, she signed on as a volunteer. that her personal highlight is but has been decreasing as a ‘The biggest change in the appearance of author percentage of the budget as that time is seeing the incred- Kate Grenville this year. the festival has become more ible growth from a small, ‘I was personally thrilled successful at attracting spon- niche and quite elite pro- that Kate Grenville is com- sorship and ticket sales have gram to a very broad ranging ing this year, she is one of my increased. and inclusive program. It has most favourite writers. Since ‘Ticket sales have become gone from something mainly the day I started this job I much more predictable and Jeff Dawson At 107 years of age, Frank Scarrabelotti takes a ride in the sidecar for locals to something which have been inviting her and this allows us to fund a more Climbing into the sidecar of of a slightly younger Paul McCarthy’s motorbike while wife Nell has become nationally sig- this is the fi rst time since I exciting program,’ explained Paul McCarthy’s vintage Tri- hangs on the back. Photo Jeff Dawson nifi cant and of which I am have been here that she has Jill. umph Frank Scarrabelotti very proud,’ she says. been able to make it. She has An army of around 120 looked a little less nimble than sharp-as-a-tack mind. almost daily pottering in ‘It used to be purely about her wonderful new book volunteers make the wheels usual still he was eager for a Recently I’ve seen Frank their beautifully manicured books and literary writers, [The Secret River] and will go around during the festival spin around town, ‘It’s been and Nell at the Bangalow garden. but has become a festival of be delivering the Thea Astley weekend, a task the fi ve paid eight years since I’ve been for Music festival then again a Born in Coraki, Frank ideas and a forum for people lecture on Friday evening.’ staff could not handle alone. a ride with Paul’. That was on couple of months ago at the moved to Newrybar in 1906 to come along and engage in ‘To have people like John ‘It would be unthinkable his 100th birthday. billycart derby. He’s opened where he attended the local debate and discussion.’ Clarke, Peter Beattie and to run the festival with a paid Now on the eve of his 108th the Bangalow Show, taken school. ‘The audience now John Safran coming is amaz- workforce. It’s just an incred- birthday Frank reckons, the kickoff for the reformed A natural man of the land includes a very broad sweep ing. We are also honoured to ible thing that we get volun- though he doesn’t have any Bangalow Royals League Frank raised Illawarra dairy of the community. By bring- have senior aboriginal elder teers coming back year in aches or ailments, he’s start- team. cows at his Nashua farm ing a lot of different things Hazel Brown coming from year out. ing to feel a bit older. It’s The Scarrabelottis are at most of his life, then retired into the program such as Perth.’ ‘We have a waiting list for remarkable enough that Aus- St Kevin’s Catholic church back to Bangalow in 1979. people who would love to tralia’s oldest man still lives for mass every Sunday. When I asked the inevita- volunteer for us. We have with his wife of 52 years, Nell, Frank was on the committee ble, ‘what’s the secret to your developed an incredible core at their home in Bangalow. which in 1935 commissioned long life?’ Frank replied, of people who love being Far more amazing is his good the building. ‘That’s the wrong question. involved in the event, so each health, his good spirit, love of Nell drives Frank down to To me the question should year they put their hand up life and wonderful sense of Byron Bay for a shopping be, how to enjoy a long life? again.’ humour not to mention his trip each week and Frank is continued on page 2 The extent to which local people are interested in writ- ing is being ‘mapped’ this year. Development possible for sensitive Lennox site Southern Cross University’s School of Arts and the North- Alex McAuley under state government The owner of the land ern Rivers Writers Centre A 55 hectare property oppo- SEPP26 policy as it contains says he is aware of the enor- will begin mapping at the site the Lennox Headland is a large remnant of Littoral mous sensitivity of the site festival in conjunction with currently being investigated rainforest, a wetland area and has described any the regular visitor survey. for its development poten- and a number of threatened potential development as The Writers Map will pro- tial. Hugging the western plant species. It also contains ‘limited and sensitive’. He Some of the Byron Bay Writers Festival event team, left to right, vide local writers, students, side of the coast road prominent ridges and hill has employed the services of Rebecca Park, Jill Eddington, Susie Warrick and Claire Dunigan, academics, educators, indus- between Lennox and Sken- slopes that comprise an Rob Kooyman of Earth pointing out some of the highlights of this year’s program. Photo try professionals and com- ners Heads, much of the important part of the charac- Process Ecological Proc- Jeff ‘Write Off’ Dawson continued on page 2 land in question is protected ter of Lennox Headland. continued on page 2 2 August 2, 2005 Byron Shire Echo www.echo.net.au Local News Writers Festival thrives New post for Joanne continued from page 1 gion.scu.edu.au/index.html. munity groups with access At the festival, writers and to the most comprehensive individuals can visit the database of writing related Southern Cross University services, cultural activities tent and complete a registra- and educational resources tion form to be included in in the region. the map. The information will be For more information available through an online contact Wanda Coates at directory covering from Southern Cross University, Taree to the Tweed. [email protected] or Once data collection and Rebecca Coyle on 6620 "2!$3"%34&2)$'%&),,%23 collation has started, the 3905. developing map can be ■ See feature centre pages of 8*/&40'5)&.0/5) viewed at http://rainbowre- Seven &WBOT5BUF Development for Lennox continued from page 1 cies,’ said Ms Faught. ‘This (OBOHBSB esses to assess the environ- facility could become a mul- mental impact any develop- tipurpose use facility for the SBOHF 8" ment would have on the community without detract- land in question. ing from the current village ‘The proposed develop- focus and atmosphere. &WBOT5BUF ment is very much in its con- ‘The land is not zoned for ceptual stage at the moment, urban development and 4BMJTCVSZ and I hope to be able to there are no plans to apply 7*$ infl uence the planning proc- for re-zoning. At this early SBOHF ess and set a precedence in stage, I would prefer to con- sensitivity in development,’ sult with the community said Mr Kooyman. before making any public ‘We are dealing with the statements about what may constraints of a very sensitive or may not be developed on $)*/*."%/&44 area; I have identifi ed several this site. We are working from endangered eco systems as the bottom up by consulting well as endangered species the community at this con- '3*%": on the site which need pro- ceptual stage rather than tection. In addition there is presenting the community 41&$*"-4 the question of SEPP71 with a master plan.’ planning policy and the vis- Ms Faught has organised ual impact any development an initial meeting with mem- David Wallace and Carol David Wallace of the Suffolk Park #BDBSEJ $PSPOB would have on the local bers of the Lennox Head Pickering are leaving the post Post Office gives the stamp of #SFF[FS area.’ Access Group along with office they established in approval to Jo O’Connor, who FB According to Mr Kooy- invited representatives from Suffolk Park after 12 years took over operations on Monday.