THE TWEED SHIRE Volume 2 #15 Thursday, December 10, 2009 Advertising and news enquiries: Phone: (02) 6672 2280 Our new Fax: (02) 6672 4933 property guide [email protected] starts on page 19 [email protected] www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Water-saving ideas Restored biplane gets the thumbs up rejected at meeting Luis Feliu years has resulted in new or modified developments having rainwater tanks Water-saving options for Tweed resi- to a maximum of 3,000 litres but re- dents such as rainwater tanks, recy- stricted to three uses: washing, toilet cling, composting toilets as well as flushing and external use. Rainwater population caps were suggested and tanks were not permitted in urban rejected at a public meeting on Mon- areas to be used for drinking water day night which looked at Tweed Some residents interjected, saying Shire Council’s plan to increase the that was ‘absurd’ and asked ‘why not?’ shire’s water supply. while others said 3,000 litres was too Around 80 people attended the small. meeting at Uki Hall, called by the Mr Burnham said council’s water Caldera Environment Centre and af- demand management strategy had fected residents from Byrrill Creek identified that 5,000-litre rainwater concerned about the proposal to dam tanks produced a significant decrease their creek, one of four options under in overall demand but council had no discussion to increase the shire’s water power to enforce their use. supply. The other options are rais- Reuse not explored Nick Challinor, left, and Steve Searle guide the Tiger Moth piloted by Australian aerobatic champion Paul Bennet ing Clarrie Hall Dam’s wall to dou- into its hangar at Murwillumbah Airfield last Friday.Photo Luis Feliu ble its storage capacity and building Another resident, Reverend Dr pipelines to connect with southeast John Tyman, who said he was ‘raised Luis Feliu Mr Searle, in Murwillumbah to plane, an Australian-made Wirraway Queensland or Lismore Shire water on recycled waste-water’ asked why oversee the restoration, told The Echo which will be the centrepiece of his supplies, as well as sourcing ground- options of reuse were not explored, Current Australian aerobatic cham- the biplane would be the latest addi- Wirraway Aviation Museum. water supplies. but Mr Burnham said council was pion Paul Bennet described it as the tion to go on display at the World War ‘These two planes were the RAAF’s The augmentation project’s manag- bound by state government policy best Tiger Moth he’d ever flown after II-themed museum he is establishing pilot trainer aircraft and trained all er, Tim Mackney, seconded from the and unable to pursue the recycled test-flying the historic restored bi- on his property at Beaudesert with the Aussie pilots during World War II,’ state Department of Public Works, waste-water option for drinking. plane in the skies over Murwillumbah help of the local RSL. Mr Searle said. explained the options and the process One local said ‘it sounds very stu- last Friday. ‘It’s the first time it’s been flown ‘We’re currently setting the mu- to achieve them, saying population pid to hook up to Gold Coast water The bright-yellow former World since 1965, it’s the best Tiger Moth seum up. We have a B25, two Hud- growth was the reason to increase the because they’ll run out quicker than War II trainer, complete with war in- on the planet, everything is original, son bombers, three Avengers, an L5 supply because by 2017 the projected we do’. Another asked why the popu- signia, is owned by Beaudesert busi- to the book and done in its original Stinson, and we also have a Douglas number of residents would exceed the lation could not be capped from 2015 nessman and historic-aircraft collector fabric,’ Mr Searle said. A20 flown by the late US billionaire shire’s water supply capacity. at sustainable levels ‘so we don’t have Steve Searle and was fully restored by Mr Searle and Sydney-based Mr Howard Hughes,. ‘The objective is to ensure our water to cause such devastating damage to Nick Challinor of Mothcair Aviation Bennet flew to Murwillumbah from ‘We hope to open to the public next supply for the next 30 years,’ he said. the landscape’. Services at Murwillumbah Airfield. Queensland in another historic war- April.’ But when the meeting was opened Mr Burnham said the shire’s cur- up to questions, many locals suggest- rent population of around 85,000 tanks for toilet flushing and washing working group for the project while ‘Next time you drive to town, glance ed other ways to reduce water use and was expected to grow significantly in down pavements. He said if the dam others had two, but Mr Burnham to your right when in Bray Park and increase the shire’s supply. the next decade with existing zoned wall was raised, food-producing land said the CWG was not meant to be a you’ll see that massive development Uki resident Natalie Hollingsworth land already committed to cater for would be inundated. ‘straight show of hands on every issue’ on the hill which is our new $100 mil- was applauded after she asked why that growth, but the existing water Mr Burnham said rainwater tanks but a collaborative approach. lion water treatment plant. Who do there was no building rules to force supply could not meet the expected for industrial use were being consid- Former council water unit officer, you think is going to pay for that? This new developments to have rainwa- demand. ered in the shire’s demand manage- Paul Taylor, of Uki, said the com- council does not want you surviving ter tanks. ‘We don’t want to dam our Doon Doon farmer Ron Duck- ment strategy being finalised. munity consultation was ‘a sham and on tank water alone, it’s not in their beautiful valley,’ she said. worth, who would be affected if Mr Duckworth also asked why smokescreen’, as the process ‘was al- interest. Neither is water conserva- Tweed Shire Council’s water man- the dam wall was raised, asked why affected landowners at Clarrie Hall ready well under way’ and the four tion,’ he said. ager Anthony Burnham said that state large developments such a shopping Dam and Byrrill Creek only had one options available ‘already alienate ‘Those little things in everyone’s government policy in the past three centres did not have large rainwater representative on the community many in the community’. continued on page 2 Enjoy the benefits of Investing in Your Community Competitive rates and high returns Flexible accounts and easy access www.sccu.com.au Safe and secure Friendly, personal service 1300 360 744 Full range of financial products & services Products issued by Southern Cross Credit Union Ltd AFSL 241000. ABN 82 087 650 682 Funds invested back into the community ncaa sccu846 Tweed City UÊCentro Tweed U Murwillumbah U Cabarita Beach U Mullumbimby UÊByron Bay UÊLennox Head U Ballina U Lismore U Casino <echowebsection=Local News> Local News $1200 FREE Cudgen bush fires force evacuation A bushfire which has burnt home insulation package over 350 hectares of Cudg- This includes owners, occupiers, rentals and investors en Nature Reserve and the Take advantage of the $1200 free insulation Kings Forest area northwest before it is discontinued altogether. of Bogangar, forced residents Call Chelsea at from the Tanglewood estate SKYLINE INTERIORS P/L nearby to evacuate their homes on 0401 414 681 earlier his week. Helicopters water-bombed or 6680 2231 the fire which was threatening We are your local insulation company, please support us. homes at the estate and coastal ARTIST TRAIL 1ST BIRTHDAY village on Tuesday, while po- Firefighters ignite a backburn at Camp Wollumbin in the OPENING NIGHT lice blocked Clothiers Creek Cudgen Nature Reserve on Monday to control the fire which Friday 4th Dec Road adjacent to the estate has been burning there since Saturday night. Photo Luis Feliu 5.30 - 9pm and reserve due to the smoke hazard. covering most of the Tweed Ranges National Park near Residents from Tanglewood and Byron coastline most of the Pinnacle west of Tyalgum 15% OFF evacuated voluntarily on Mon- the week as a result. The cause while another bush fire broke FOR THIS NIGHT ONLY day afternoon but no homes of the fire is said to have been out near Kunghur on Mon- Clothes, Sandals were destroyed and they were a lightning strike on Saturday day afternoon but was quickly allowed back in yesterday as night. contained. and Gift Vouchers. the threat eased. It is the second fire to hit Rural Fire Service units Beautiful new jewellery The blaze was still burn- the same area in the past fort- from Alstonville and Wardell and gift items in stock now. ing yesterday with a plume of night. Another bushifire con- relieved local firefighters on smoke fanned by strong winds tinued to burn in the Border Monday. 6680 8323 1-2/29 Brigantine St Arts & Industry Park, Byron Bay Water group appointed Water-saving ideas Come and do your Xmas shopping myeecarlyle.com.au rejected (from page 1) with a glass of bubbly or a beer. The Community Working environmental, business and Mon – Fri 10am-5pm Sat 10am-4pm Group (CWG) for the Tweed catchment user groups were district water supply augmen- selected from a large number front yards, they’re not water tation project met for the first of nominees by an impartial meters they are cash registers. time last week. The community panel at Southern Cross Uni- Manage this dam properly be- members are Rob Learmonth versity, according to predeter- fore entertaining the thought of (representing Tweed Coast), mined selection criteria.