Cafe Beats the COVID-19 Obstacles

NAIDOC 2021: HEAL COUNTRY! The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 36 #04 • July 7, 2021 • www.echo.net.au Holiday accom booms while Cafe beats the COVID-19 obstacles tour operators feel the pinch Paul Bibby brought about by the current lockdowns and restrictions have been a COVID-19 has aff ected the diff erent cruel blow. sectors within the Shire’s vital ‘It’s devastating – we’ve had tourism and hospitality industry in close to 100 per cent cancellations vastly diff erent ways over the past for the school holiday period’, the year, with traditional accommoda- owner of Cape Byron Kayaks, Alice tion providers seeing major growth, Livingston, said. while many tour operators have ‘It was actually looking decent, watched bookings dwindle. but the loss of all the Sydney As school holiday visitor num- people and from Queensland has bers plummet following the imposi- been big’. tion of restrictions and lockdowns Ms Livingston said that full across the country, The Echo has hotels did not mean full tours. found a varied picture of winners ‘We’re mostly internationals’, and losers within the Shire’s big- she said. gest employing industry since the ‘Our domestic market is confer- pandemic began. ence groups, weddings and school David Jones, the Vice President groups. A lot of those haven’t really of Destination Byron and the come back yet’. sales-and-marketing manager of Elements resort, said most local Local support encouraged hotels and resorts had seen signifi- She encouraged locals to come A Dutch family with a dream to run a Byron Bay cafe was put to the ultimate test by COVID-19, aft er they cant increases over the past eight out and support the operators by were forced to manage the business remotely from Holland for a year. Wilco and Vanja say that they took to 12 months. having a go at activities they may possession in March 2020, ‘Just as COVID-19 took over the world’. The couple say, ‘The start was rocky to say ‘We’ve had a record year [at Ele- never have tried before. the least, but now the cafe looks amazing. Kids love to play in the kids’ area, while parents enjoy reading a ments] and I think almost everyone ‘This is a great time to get out on book or playing boardgames’. The cafe is located on Brigantine Street in the Arts & Industry Estate. Pictured in this part of the industry has too’, the water – the whales are coming are Wilco, Vanja, Jesse and Roana. Photo Jeff ‘Sipping Lattes Since 1986’ Dawson Mr Jones said. out. It’s perfect.’ ‘Since late September last year Another group that will feel till March this year, the overnight the pinch of the school holiday Court settles long running Bruns park issue visitor economy in Byron has been lockdowns are the hundreds of experiencing record growth. workers who keep the tourism and Hans Lovejoy Plan of Management (PoM) in the www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au for NSW ‘Coming here is a great holiday hospitality industry running, such southern section of the camping Crown Holiday Parks Land Manager for Australians at a time when as cleaners, maintenance workers, Aft er years of dispute around camp- ground. trading as Reflections Holiday Parks other options for people are really and those working in cafes, bars ing close to an endangered tree Community members, along wth Terrace Reserve v Byron Shire Coun- limited’. and restaurants. community at the Terrace Holiday Council, have consistently raised cil (No 2) [2021] NSWLEC 51. But it’s been a very diff erent Many of these staff have seen Park in Brunswick Heads, a settle- concerns over poor management Foreshore Protection Group story for many of those running their casual hours drop away sig- ment has been reached in the Land by Reflections of a Coastal Cypress convenor, Michele Grant, says the activity-based businesses, such nificantly over the past 10 days. & Environment Court. Pine Forest (CCPF) community, result is a ‘win-win’. as kayaking, snorkelling and surf ‘In the last week, we have had The NSW Government-run holi- located within the park. They are She says, ‘7,500m2 was saved lessons. 80 per cent cancellations with all of day parks corporation, Reflections, considered an endangered eco- for rehabilitation and replanting, These operators typically rely on our holiday letting cleans, owing to instigated proceedings against logical community (EEC), and are and Reflections gets to keep 26 international travellers, with domes- COVID-19’, the owner of In the Bay Byron Shire Council, accusing them aff orded protection under the NSW camp sites, instead of the pro- tic tourists making up a relatively Services, Cristina Arcila said. of a ‘deemed refusal’ to operate Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. posed 45 sites’. small proportion of the business. ‘Next week is completely cleared their commercial activity via a The judgment is available at ▶ Continued on page 2 The additional cancellations – that’s about 20 properties’. Is Country here for Tweed Council What’s next for land Cows to the rescue! How good’s us, or are we here reject water mining surrounding the Their stomachs can digest the Good Life for it? – ▶ p4 expansion DA ▶ p6 bypass? ▶ p8 some plastics ▶ p12 ▶ p18 ^ŵĂůůŝŶ^ŝǌĞ͕ŝŐŽŶWŽǁĞƌ͊ dŚĞĞƐƚdĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇŝŶ^ŽůĂƌWŽǁĞƌ͕ 62/$5 KĨĨ'ƌŝĚ͕ZĞƐŝĚĞŶƚŝĂůΘƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ dĞƐƚƌŝǀĞĂEŝƐƐĂŶ>ĞĂĨs͊ )5(('20 tĞŚĂǀĞϮϰ͕ϯϬΘϰϬŬtŚ ĐĂƌƐĂƚŚĂůĨƚŚĞŶĞǁƉƌŝĐĞ͘ DŽƌĞWŽǁĞƌ ϰϬϬt͊ ŝŶůĞƐƐƐƉĂĐĞ ϲ͘ϰŬtsĞƌƚĞǆ^ĂŶĚ^ƵŶŐƌŽǁ ϴϴϴ /LF1R& ŵĂǌŝŶŐ^ŽůĂƌ^ĂůĞ͊ ϲ͘ϰŬtͲϭϲǆdƌŝŶĂsĞƌƚĞǆ^ϰϬϬt &ƌĞĞWŽǁĞƌĨŽƌƚŚĞŐŽŽĚƚŚŝŶŐƐŝŶ>ŝĨĞ ^ƵŶŐƌŽǁϱŬtWƌĞŵŝƵŵ/ŶǀĞƌƚĞƌ zŽƵĐĂŶŐĞƚĂůůƚŚĞĨƌĞĞĞŶĞƌŐǇǇŽƵŶĞĞĚĨŽƌůŝĨĞ͛ƐĞƐƐĞŶƚŝĂůƐͲ Ăůů WŽŽůĂŶĚWŽŽů,ĞĂƚŝŶŐ͕ŝƌŽŶĚŝƚŝŽŶŝŶŐ͕ůĞĐƚƌŝĐsĞŚŝĐůĞƐ͕ KŶůǇΨϰ͕ϮϴϴΎ sŝŶĐĞŶƚ^ĞůůĞĐŬ 3ULFHIRUVLQJOHVWRU\WLQURRIDQGGRHVQRW ,ŽƚtĂƚĞƌĂŶĚŵŽƌĞ͘͘͘dĂŬĞĂĚǀĂŶƚĂŐĞŽĨƚŚĞĂůůͲƚŝŵĞůŽǁĞƐƚ LQFOXGHH[SRUWFRQWURORUVLWHFRVWV/LPLWHG WŚϬϮϲϲϴϴϰϰϴϬ ĨŽƌĂ&ƌĞĞ ĐŽƐƚĨŽƌƐŽůĂƌŶŽǁ͊DŽƌĞ^ŽůĂƌͲDŽƌĞ'ŽŽĚ͊ RIIHUWLOVW-XO\6XEMHFWWRVLWHLQVSHFWLRQ ǁǁǁ͘ϴϴϴƐŽůĂƌƚĞŬ͘ĐŽŵ͘ĂƵ ŽŶƐƵůƚĂƚŝŽŶ Local News North Coast news online HOLISTIC CLINICAL PSYCHOTHERAPY Court settles long running Bruns park issue Opening special until August 31st, 2021 ▶ Continued from page 1 is contained within in its Plan Based in Anthroposophy (the work of Despite the optimism, of Management (PoM). While Rudolf Steiner) and utilising EMDR and Ms Grant says, ‘Reflections that VMP is now over ten years Brainspotting therapies for excellent results. refused to release the old, Justice Pain accepted a I specialise in all forms of trauma, and site layout plan and the ‘substantially refined’ VMP, family guidance and mentoring. vegetation management which was proposed ‘in the Zoom / phone sessions only. Call Anne on 0466 599 837. plan (VMP) for public access. course of the hearing’. E [email protected] ‘No-one outside the court Justice Nicola Pain writes SPECIAL RATES: $100 hr / $140 11/2 hrs “experts” has yet seen the in her judgment, ‘I consider documents!’ that the VMP… with further She adds, ‘Reflections was modification as set out not disqualified or penalised Residents have long opposed camping around vulnerable below, if implemented, can for past poor performance, and protected trees in Brunswick Heads. Photo supplied achieve substantial improve- but can no longer claim ment of the CCPF EEC with exemptions, and must The Echo asked Council to comply with the court’s the aim being to restore all FURNITURE components of the EEC in comply with the new rules’. staff why ecologist Rob timetable’. Meanwhile, resident Sean Kooyman was not contacted, ‘It was an important the southern precinct’. O’Meara accused Council and whether his report was consideration for Council and Justice Pain writes this staff of making other conces- used as evidence. its legal team that the ecolo- includes: ‘Exclusion of areas DONATIONS sions behind closed doors, Council’s legal counsel gist was not seen as having to be planted or allowed to also homewares and which have ‘undermined 15 Ralph James replied his previously been involved regenerate from human activ- PLEASE electrical, manchester, years of discussions’. report was included as with any party (including any ity by fencing, no mowing in and clothing. Similar concerns were evidence, and attempts to community group) other than the areas to be restored and raised by resident Patricia contact Mr Kooyman ‘were Council in relation to the site protection of root zones are GLOBAL RIPPLE OP SHOP Warren, who asked ‘How unsuccessful’. and the approval application’. achievable measures’. 17 Grevillea Street, Byron Arts and Industrial. did setbacks even get into This is despite Mr Kooy- Mr James added, ‘The ‘Active involvement of an ecologist, which has been Phone 0457 192 225 the hearing, when the man’s contact being clearly expert engaged, Damian community members and McCann, who is relatively lacking in on-the-ground For furniture pick-up please TEXT your name, address marked on his report to documents to the Court were local, knew the area and had management decisions and photos of your donations. Your donations make Council. Mr Kooyman told expressly and directly, on experience in the relevant made by the applicant to our charity projects possible. Thank you! The Echo he was not con- advice from Council, focus- tacted by Council regarding matters, was determined as date, is incorporated in ing on the environmental this court case. the most suitable…’ the VMP K2. Records of the ‘If you’d like to come around to my factors?’ Mr James said, ‘We were survival rate of trees planted Additionally, she says on a timetable allocated Behind closed doors will be kept, an improve- ĲşƖƆĕƐşƐëōŊëćşƖƐŔƷĈëſćşŕĪşşƐżſĶŕƐǽ ‘Legislation requires a 10m by the court and our

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