THE BYRON SHIRE ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Volume 28 #38 Tuesday, March 4, 2014 Phone 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 [email protected] Health & [email protected] www.echo.net.au Beauty 23,200 copies every week CAB p14–15 AUDIT A WOMAN’S PLACE IS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inside Why not G20 old school Rose Wanchap Butterfl y park Who’s Beaucoup Byron Shire this psychoanalyse economics defends the for Byron? the Boz? de sport Council Notices week Fast Buck$? – p9 – p10 rocks – p11 – p13 – p19 – p36–37 Page 35 BBFF 2014 lifts off Sportsfi elds for the north at last Luis Feliu price when it fi rst went on the mar- ket was almost $2 million. Th e long saga to fi nd a suitable site Ironically, Lot 5 Shara Boulevard for sportsfi elds in the north of Byron was sold by the widow of the late Shire is over: Byron Shire Council Queensland-based developer Chum announced last Wednesday that it Vidgen, who died in 2012 aged 73 had bought a parcel of land at Shara and was oft en at odds during the Boulevard in Ocean Shores. 1990s with Council and environ- The seven-hectare block, on mentalists over his developments. the corner of Shara Boulevard and Th e site had a longtime approval Brunswick Valley Way, was bought for a service station and another, by Council for $318,000 (excluding smaller, site of 1.7 hectares just GST) and Council says it has poten- across the road, also owned by the tial for two playing fi elds, an ameni- Vigdens and up for sale, has approv- ties block, car parking, community al for a motel and restaurant. play spaces and park furniture. Mr Vidgen developed the Ocean The purchase is considered a Shores Shopping Village as well as bargain given that the land’s asking continued on page 2 Festival director J’aimee Skippon-Volke and Armen Ra celebrate Friday’s sold- Q See the video of this story out red-carpet opening for the 2014 Byron Bay International Film Festival. at The ten-day program is available at www.bbff .com.au. Photo Jeff Dawson www.echo.net.au/?p=87145 Belongil landowners asked to chip in for rock walls Hans Lovejoy with Cr Rose Wanchap siding with beach frontage (as rock walls are Crs Diane Woods, Sol Ibrahim, known to erode beach frontage). A voluntary contribution from Be- Alan Hunter and Chris Cubis to While conceding it isn’t cheap, longil landowners aff ected by beach support funding the rock wall from Cr Ibrahim said, ‘there are other erosion is the latest plan by Byron an environmental levy. beachfront areas all over the world Council to help pay for the remaining But if the Belongil landowners with rock walls that have been engi- amount needed for a rock wall that come to the party, the estimated neered to also have beach frontage’. would cover the last stretch of private $155,000 from the levy may not be He also challenged the argument and public beachfront in the area. needed. that all Belongil landowners are re- From left, Rob Crossley (New Brighton Village Association), councillors Di Th e topic of ‘interim beach ac- Cr Ibrahim told The Echo that quired to have removable houses Woods and Basil Cameron, Kathy Norley (president of the South Golden cess stabilisation works’ again di- aft er meeting all the landowners re- in case of a severe storm, as per a Beach Community Association) and mayor Simon Richardson. Those two vided the Greens voting bloc at cently, they were open to negotiations 1980s agreement with Council. jumping for joy up the back are Shores United Football Club manager, Council’s meeting on Thursday, and are looking at ways to maintain continued on page 3 Kim Fearnside, and its president, Marc Patten. Photo Jeff Dawson OUR LOWEST RATES in 10 years Local News North Coast news daily: netdaily.net.au Northern sportsfi eld at last Bless me, I’m Buddhist continued from page 1 ing on land rezoning confi r- many housing projects in the mation from the state gov- shire. Eight years ago he sold ernment and plans to consult land he owned at Yelgun to with community groups over the consortium behind the the next few weeks to lockin Splendour in the Grass festi- design ideas. val-site development. And with all going to plan, Mayor Simon Richardson Council’s media spokesper- said, ‘With an initial asking son said construction could price on the land at $1.95 mil- start within a year on the fi rst lion, it was out of our reach. fi eld, car parking, amenities block and lighting. Centrally located Th ey added Council had ‘But as the market around $2 million in available changed, the block has come funding from Section 94 de- tropicalHOME trendsDESIGNS within Council’s budget and veloper contributions for the it’s a signifi cant fi nancial pur- Ocean Shores/South Golden chase for our residents. Beach sportsfi elds programs. ‘Plus the site is well po- Th e site already has sewer live the dream sitioned centrally and will and water connections, road A blessing ceremony is planned this weekend at Crystal Call Richard Chapman 0416 215 594 for free design advice service a number of local infrastructure and much fi ll Castle, when relics of Sakyamuni Buddha will be gently email [email protected] townships including Ocean material available to help placed on the crown of the head as a personal blessing. with initial levelling works, They are part of a selection of sacred relics that are currently NEW HOMES, GRANNY FLATS, EXTENSIONS, Shores, Billinudgel, South Golden Beach, New Brighton which the spokesperson said touring the world, along with Buddhist masters. Entry is free DECKS, PERGOLAS, PAVILIONS and Brunswick Heads.’ amounted to savings in sig- on opening night Friday March 7 (6 – 8 pm), and March 8 and Council is currently wait- nifi cant construction costs. 9 (10am – 5pm). Photo from 2012 event by Jeff Dawson MIGRATION ASSISTANCE Body washes up on Bruns beach Byron Bay chamber forum Would you like to live or work Th e body of a middle-aged about 6am on Friday. Th e bypass and West Byron eral manager Ken Gainger in Australia? man washed up on Brun- Acting inspector Warwick were two topics covered in a outlined some impressive swick Heads beach near the Rhodes of Tweed-Byron local forum held last Tuesday by fi nancial outcomes for the 18 LINDSAY WOOTTEN surf club on Th ursday night area command told The Echo Byron Bay’s chamber of com- months of the new council’s Solicitor MARN 0213118 or early Friday morning. that police still haven’t identi- merce, Byron United. term. Many members com- Your local migration consultant for Police and NSW Ambu- fi ed the body. President Michael O’Grady mented that the tone of the assistance with all migration and visa matters. lance were advised of the He added it that was too said, ‘Mayor Simon Richard- talk was unprecedented, citing Phone 6684 7318 or 0427 210993 discovery, made by an early- early to tell if the man had died son spoke broadly of his vi- previous forums that bogged email: [email protected] morning beach walker, at of natural causes. sion for our future and gen- in politicised standoff s.’ ESSENCE OF Roundhouse auction stalled by OSCA Th e planned auction of four frastructure Renewal Reserve Ms Farrelly says the long- to keep the land for commu- WOMAN residential blocks at the to bring forward and achieve running saga goes back to 1988 nity in the last election cam- OPENING Roundhouse subdivision these priority works.’ with the then-council spend- paign. We don’t know what International Women’s Day in Ocean Shores was put on But OSCA spokesperson ing millions of dollars in went on behind closed doors; 6pm 8th March hold following legal action by Jane Farrelly said her group has court to back up its commu- the council agenda reports EXHIBITION DATES Ocean Shores Community As- demonstrated to Byron Shire nity zoning. ‘Th e switch came were only a few paragraphs. 7th -18th March sociation (OSCA) on Friday. Council that it has a strong le- in 1991 when Council had to ‘Th ere was no mention of In reply, mayor Simon gal case to support what it has acquire the site by order of other council property that Sun-Th urs 10am-5pm Fri-Sat 10am-7pm Richardson has requested been saying for years – that the the Land and Environment could be sold instead of our a meeting with OSCA ‘as council has no right to sell the Court. In eff ect the order to Roundhouse.’ Lone Goat Gallery • Byron Bay soon as possible’, and called Roundhouse land. acquire created a public trust Ms Farrelly says she un- on upon the group to ‘act in She says members re- in the land. It has to be held derstands the council’s fi nan- the community interest and solved to continue the fi ght in perpetuity for community cial position and its need to withdraw’ the challenge. for the Roundhouse land in purposes. Unfortunately there raise cash by selling off some He said, ‘As the proceeds an emergency meeting held is a history of unwise decisions of its assets. ‘OSCA hopes to from Roundhouse sales are on Th ursday night. made by the council regarding avoid further litigation on this intended to fund infrastruc- the Roundhouse. Th e Depart- matter and urges the council ture works in the north of the Eleven blocks ment of Local Government’s to enter into mediation so Shire, Council and the com- Special Investigation Report that issues raised can be fully munity could be faced with earmarked on the Roundhouse dated discussed.