Byron CZMP: “I’m Not Dead Yet”

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Belongil at low tide on June 29, the day of the Council meeting. Photo: Stephen Booth

BYRON SHIRE’s Coastal Management Plan (CZMP) has still not been finalised. At the Byron Shire Council meeting of June 29, the motion to adopt the CZMP was passed 5-4.

But in an extraordinary turn of events late in the meeting, the motion was recommitted for further debate.

Councillors Cubis and Ibrahim left the still open meeting early, before it had closed.

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Stronger Protections Urged for Broken Head Tea Tree Lake

Delta Kay, Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Nationals MLC Ben Franklin. Photo Jeff Dawson
Delta Kay, Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Nationals MLC Ben Franklin. Photo Jeff Dawson

A push to introduce stronger protections for the Tea Tree Lake north of Broken Head is being headed by Byron Bay-based Nationals MLC Ben Franklin along with local Arakwal leader Delta Kay.

They met on Tuesday with NSW planning minister Rob Stokes at the lake to ask it be placed on a list of the state’s most sensitive lakes.

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Shanina Shaik Shot for Seafolly in Byron Bay

Shanina Shaik models a swimsuit for the Spring/Summer 16/17 Seafolly campaign, shot on location in Byron Bay.

SEAFOLLY has brought back Aussie supermodel Shanina Shaik for its latest swimwear campaign, conducting a fashion shoot in Byron Bay.

The recent shoot features the Victoria’s Secret runway star in various new season styles.

“It was lots of fun,” Shaik said of the shoot. “Byron Bay has some of the most amazing beaches that I have ever seen.”

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Byron Council Votes Rocks for Belongil

BALLAD OF THE BYRON WALL: Members of the Community Alliance for Byron Shire Choir including past Byron Shire Mayor Jan Barham rehearse out side Byron Shire Council Chambers.
BALLAD OF THE BYRON WALL: Members of the Community Alliance for Byron Shire Choir including past Byron Shire Mayor Jan Barham rehearse outside Byron Shire Council Chambers. Photo: Christian Morrow

DESPITE a singing protest in the Council Chambers and vociferous opposition during a marathon public access session, Byron Shire Council voted on Wednesday to send the controversial Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) – Byron Bay Embayment through to the State Minister for certification and final approval.

Members of the Community Alliance for Byron Shire (CABS) packed out the chamber and serenaded the councillors with their song ‘Wise Men Don’t Build Houses on Sand’ after the vote was taken with Councillors Cubis, Ibrahim, Woods, Hunter and Wanchap voting in favour of the plan.

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Video Guide to Simple Worm Farming Techniques

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Feature Image: Happy Tiger Worms (Courtesy of Timothy Musson)

Even novice gardeners are aware of worms as a driving force in the garden, and this is especially so for those no-till beds so popular in permaculture plots. For most of us, it’s no great revelation that soil thick with worms is also likely to be thick with plant growth.

The reasons are many, but in the most basic terms, earthworms are great for aerating soils and transforming organic material into fertile, microbially rich (and hygienically safe) castings.

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Tourism Minister to Attend Tourism Symposium at Elements

David_Jones_by_the_lagoon_at_Elements_of_Byron
David Jones by the lagoon at Elements of Byron

An upcoming tourism symposium in August at Elements of Byron with the tourism minister will focus on the state of play in tourism, with the minister announcing a new tourism funding model.

The north coast (Newcastle to Tweed) is Australia’s third most popular tourist region after Sydney and Melbourne, with Byron Bay being the region upmost in visitors’ minds.* While overall north coast visitors only grew five per cent last year, CEO of QLD Airports Chris Mills, who is also attending, is expanding the Gold Coast airport and indications are that numbers will increase.

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Gold Medal for Byron High Band

ON STAGE: Byron Bay High School’s new band in action.
ON STAGE: Byron Bay High School’s new band in action.

BYRON High School’s band came out top of the class at last week’s Murwillumbah Festival of the Performing Arts winning a gold medal in the Under-14’s rock/pop ensembles category.

The band rocked the judges with Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and their instrumental version of Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water.

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