It was great catching up with my old class. I met them at the Belongil foreshore as part of their geography unit on coastal processes and government responses to issues. 
Reunion with the old class of CBRSS legends
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Part 2
At least there was some positive footage, though footage of violence seems to be mandatory.
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Meeting and chatting with Holly- Earth Guardian!
An enjoyable interview with a young change maker!
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News coverage of Byron’s night challenges
Channel Ten cover how Byron is responding to alcohol fuelled violence. Part 2 tomorrow.
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Capture the spirit of Byron Shire and win $1,000
We’re spoilt living in Byron Shire. The amazing landscape, the laid back lifestyle and diverse range of people.
Byron Shire Council is looking for images that showcase the spirit of the Shire in its newly launched photographic competition www.byron.nsw.gov.au/photocomp.
If you live in Byron Shire and have a passion for capturing the very best of what the region features, here’s your chance to win $1,000 in cash or other sensational prizes.
Mayor Simon Richardson said, “we’re a vibrant, opinionated, beautiful, but never dull community and Council is looking for photographers to capture why you love living here.
“The winning photos will be used to show the world who we truly are and feature in promotional and education campaigns,” he said.
In 2012, Council’s Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) developed an identity and destination brand for Byron Shire.
Mayor Richardson said the photography competition is an opportunity for residents to creatively express their interpretation of the new brand and have a say in how we attract visitors to the Shire that love this place as much as the locals do.
“Byron Bay and its surrounding towns and villages are iconic destinations. However, they have been missing an overarching brand and images to provide an identity for the Shire.
“As a result we now have a strong key message of ‘Don’t Spoil Us, We’ll Spoil You’ that will feature images that will reflect the Shire and encourages respect for our region.
“With our boundless creative talent and spectacular skylines, mesmerising sunsets, crystal clear water and happy faces, this is our time to shine. And I can’t wait to see the entries,” Mayor Richardson enthused.
There are seven competition categories including the spirit/people of the Shire, events and markets, landscapes,towns and villages, at work in the Shire and overall winner. The competition also incorporates the successful Brunswick Heads Chamber of Commerce Brunswick Heads. Simple Pleasures photography competition.
“A special category on the laidback coastal village of Brunswick Heads has been included and when considering previous entries from the Brunswick Heads. Simple Pleasures competition, this category will be captivating,” Mayor Richardson said.
There are some fantastic prizes to be won including the $1000 major cash prize courtesy of Byron Shire Council, $500 gift voucher from the Crystal Castle, Fujifilm Finepix X100 Digital Camera valued at $1,000 courtesy of Byron Photo Magic, an accommodation and breakfast package from the Byron at Byron Resort and Spa, $300 in cash courtesy of Splendour in the Grass, two nights accommodation at Hotel Brunswick including a dinner and drinks voucher and $300 cash courtesy of Lilianas Cafe.
Dowload a copy of the entry form and competitions terms and conditions at www.byron.nsw.gov.au/photocomp or pick up a copy at the Byron Farmers Markets on Thursday 30 May, Mullumbimby Famers Markets on Friday 7 June and New Brighton Farmers Markets on Tuesday 11 June.
Photographers must live within Byron Shire. Images must be a minimum file size of 500Kb up to 10MB and a minimum resolution of 300dpi.
Entries close at 5pm on Friday, 12 July 2013 and can be emailed to photocomp@byron.nsw.gov.au or posted to Byron Shire Council, PO Box 219, Mullumbimby NSW 2482.
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Grant Writing Workshop Register NOW! June 4 + 5 + 7
Register now for Grant Writing Workshops coming up next month
Got an idea for an art project and want to find out how to get it off the ground? Register now for Grant Writing workshops and one-to-one clinics, coming up next month in Murwillumbah, Grafton and Byron Bay.
Arts Northern Rivers is excited to present a series of one-day workshops examining some of the key strategies in writing successful grant applications, including a close up look at best practice examples.
This is a great opportunity to build your skills in this area by learning about the common mistakes that can be avoided, and identifying your strengths in making your application stand out.
It’s also very timely, with a call for applications for the Regional Arts Fund and Country Arts Support Project about to be announced.
Following the workshop, there will be an additional opportunity for a small number of participants to get expert feedback on any grant application/s they have already completed in a one-to-one clinic with Arts Northern Rivers’ CEO Peter Wood.
There are three workshops available, each running from 10am to 2pm, with clinics to follow, at: Tuesday June 4; Grafton Regional Gallery, Wednesday June 5; Byron Library Exhibition Space, Thursday June 6; Murwillumbah Community Centre, Murwillumbah.
Places are limited so we recommend you book early to secure a place.
Participation in the workshop costs $30 + booking fee, and includes a light lunch.
The Clinics are free however these are only available to workshop participants.
Book now for Grafton
Book now for Byron
Book now for Murwillumbah
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NYE
What sort of New Year’s Eve do you want?
Summer fun that is safe and reflects the cultural creativity of Byron Shire will be rolled out for New Year’s Eve 2013 and beyond.
To be part of the planning, Byron Shire Council needs community members for its Community Summer Safety and Cultural Activities Committee.
Mayor Simon Richardson said the purpose of the committee was to help with a ‘safety’ focused New Year’s Eve strategy and summer holiday period.
“After last New Year’s Eve which saw our residents disheartened with the lack of respect for Byron Bay, we need to change the celebration back to a relaxed and family friendly night.”
“We are a creative community with a very strong social consciousness and Council is aiming to bring the experience and ‘will’ of our residents to the table and help put together a solution,” he said.
To help with the festivities, Council last month reallocated just under $10,000 from the Schoolies budget to assist with New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The summer holiday period strategy will be based on community inclusive cultural activities and events in the Byron Shire and in line with Council’s recently adopted Safer Communities Compact.
Mayor Richardson said Council’s involvement with the successful Schoolies Safety Response Strategy will also see the lessons learnt from that event, applied across the peak holiday period.
Committee members will have established ties to the Byron Shire community, interest and/or professional experience in community safety and/or cultural activities or events, and previous experience on other committees or boards.
Meetings will be held bi-monthly. The term of appointment for committee members is twelve months and appointments are in a voluntary capacity.
The constitution and nomination form for the Committee is available on Council’s website at onhttp://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/expressions-of-interest. For further information contact Joanne McMurtry, Community Policy Officer on 6626 7316
Submissions should be in writing and addressed to the General Manager, Byron Shire Council, PO Box 219 Mullumbimby 2482 or sent by email to council@byron.nsw.gov.au.
Expressions of interest close: Friday 17 May 2013, 4.30pm
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CCTV
CCTV privacy ruling ‘a worry’
Dominic Feain
A decision the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal that CCTV cameras breach privacy could have significant ramifications for northern rivers councils.
The tribunal upheld a complaint by a Nowra resident that it was not the responsibility of local councils to collect evidence for prosecutions and that experts had demonstrated that crime could increase after the installation of cameras.
Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell told Echonetdaily that she had asked senior staff this morning to look into the implications of the tribunal’s decision, though added that CCTV cameras had been a ‘great success’ in Lismore and Nimbin over several years and had led to many arrests for criminal acts through the identification of offenders.
‘CCTV is a very valuable tool for us as a deterrent for antisocial behaviour in the Lismore CBD,’ she said.
‘Of course we are very interested in the issue and it will be of concern to councils throughout the state – I sent an email off to staff this morning to ask where we stand on it.
‘We are highly supportive of the use of CCTV in public spaces and we hope the state government looks at the issue so we can continue to use them.’
Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson believes Byron Shire residents oppose CCTV cameras and told the ABC that they should be operated by police.
He said he considered other safety options like better transport and better lighting more appropriate for Byron Bay.
‘There’re plenty of things that we can do that have a wider value to our residents than simply spending one hundred or two hundred thousand dollars a year on cameras,’ he said.
‘Our position is if others wish to, we’ll begrudgingly accept it as part of a suite of safety measures, but we certainly don’t want to be involved with it ourselves.’
Shoalhaven City Council has now turned off its CCTV cameras following the tribunal’s decision, but councils across NSW are awaiting word from the attorney-general about the legality of the cameras after premier Barry O’Farrell ordered an urgent review.
The tribunal was not satisfied that council signage adequately informed people about the privacy implications, ruling that the council had not demonstrated that filming people in public was reasonably necessary to prevent crime.
NSW Police Association spokesman Pat Gooley told the ABC that areas without CCTV were at a disadvantage as police relied on the footage to track offenders.
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NYE Ideas and People Wanted.
What sort of New Year’s Eve do you want?
Summer fun that is safe and reflects the cultural creativity of Byron Shire will be rolled out for New Year’s Eve 2013 and beyond.
To be part of the planning, Byron Shire Council needs community members for its Community Summer Safety and Cultural Activities Committee.
Mayor Simon Richardson said the purpose of the committee is to help with a ‘safety’ focused New Year’s Eve strategy and summer holiday period.
“After last New Year’s Eve which saw our residents disheartened with the lack of respect for Byron Bay, we need to change the celebration back to a relaxed and family friendly night.”
“We are a creative community with a very strong social consciousness and Council is aiming to bring the experience and ‘will’ of our residents to the table and help put together a solution,” he said.
To help with the festivities, Council last month reallocated just under $10,000 from the Schoolies budget to assist with New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The summer holiday period strategy will be based on community inclusive cultural activities and events in the Byron Shire and in line with Council’s recently adopted Safer Communities Compact.
Mayor Richardson said Council’s involvement with the successful Schoolies Safety Response Strategy will also see the lessons learnt from that event, applied across the peak holiday period.
Committee members will have established ties to the Byron Shire community, interest and/or professional experience in community safety and/or cultural activities or events, and previous experience on other committees or boards.
Meetings will be held bi-monthly. The term of appointment for committee members is twelve months and appointments are in a voluntary capacity only.
The constitution and nomination form for the Committee is available on Council’s website at onhttp://www.byron.nsw.gov.au/expressions-of-interest. For further information contact Joanne McMurtry, Community Policy Officer, on 6626 7316
Nominations should be in writing and addressed to the General Manager, Byron Shire Council, PO Box 219 Mullumbimby 2482 or sent by email to council@byron.nsw.gov.au.
Expressions of interest close: Friday 17 May 2013 4.30pm
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Mayor Simon Richardson 