The Northern Rivers Echo Main News

Tinkerbell shopping centre gets green light

Story & photo: Julian Ryan

Developer Chris Condon (second from left) is congratulated outside Ballina Council Chambers by Big W representative Robert Hain (left) and Action supermarket representatives Bryan Fitzgerald and Iain Thomson after Ballina Council gave the green light for a new shopping centre on the former Tinkerbell caravan park site.

After a three year battle, Ballina Shire Council has approved plans by Lennox Head-based developer Chris Condon to build a shopping centre on the former Tinkerbell caravan park site in Ballina.

The $35 million development will include a Big W store, an Action supermarket, Hungry Jack's fast food outlet and a number of specialty stores.

Mr Condon said the project will turn over around $600 million per year and create 750 jobs once operational, plus 300 to 500 jobs during the construction period.

The development will provide 615 on-site car parking spots and access to the centre will be from Kerr Street and Bangalow Road.

Speaking outside the Council Chambers after the development application was approved, an emotional Mr Condon said he was glad the complicated approval process was finally over.

"I would like to thank the Council staff for their efforts in handling such a complex application and to the councillors, current and former, who have seen the wisdom of the Tinkerbell development and given it the support it needed to get off the ground," he said.

"It has been a long hard road to reach this point and it has come with significant cost to my family, but now Ballina residents can look forward to better shopping in the very near future."

Construction of the long-awaited shopping centre is expected to take 11 months and begin in November this year.

We love you daddy

Story & photo: Julian Ryan

Serving breakfast to their loving fathers are (l-r) Gretta O'Sullivan, Benjamin Andrews and Sam Britt at the special Father's Day breakfast bash at Lismore Parish Centre Pre-School yesterday.

The children at Lismore Parish Centre Pre-School decided to treat their dads and grandfathers to a special Father's Day breakfast yesterday.

The appreciative parents were treated to cereal, bacon and egg rolls and orange juice, plus tea and coffee, lovingly served by the children.

For Noel Parker, who travelled from interstate to attend, his decision to show up was not entirely his own.

"I got an invitation bordering on an order," he chuckled. "I came down from Jimboomba to be here with my grandson and this is the best service that I have had all year."

Director of the pre-school, Pam Briggs, said the Mother's Day Café concept has started a trend and has also taught the students some vaulable skills that they may use later in life if employed in the hospitality industry.

"The children are always facinated and thrilled to be taken out to restaurants themselves and after the success of the Mother's Day Café, the children have mastered the art of walking whilst holding plates and cups," she said.

"The original idea came from the children, which is something we encourage as part of our overall child focused program."

Green light for riverbank walk

Bundjalung elder Roy Gordon, NSW assistant planning minister Dianne Beamer and Wilsons River riverbank redevelopment chairman Brian Henry discuss the indigenous heritage of the area.

The history of life on the Lismore riverbank for Aboriginal people and early settlers will be told in a heritage walk planned as part of the riverbank redevelopment.

NSW assistant planning minister Dianne Beamer visited the city last Friday to announce a $30,000 Heritage Office grant for the project, which will feature six pagodas explaining local history.

"The Wilsons River has played a key role in the history of Lismore," she said. "The river was named after the town's early settlers, William and Jane Wilson, but its heritage value was largely ignored until recently."

Wilsons River project coordinator Lois Kelly said Lismore Council had engaged historic, recreational and indigenous groups to develop ideas for the walk.

"This grant will help us come up with the best design - something with the 'wow' factor to create attention and interest," Ms Kelly said

The riverbank project is set to receive another major boost today with Page MP Ian Causley announcing a $100,000 grant for a 'café and culture' trail linking the riverbank with the CBD.

Mayor Merv King said Council will add $250,000 to the project to encourage visitors to visit the business district to try the food and coffee.

The grant will be spent on a signposted walk, a pictorial guide, DVD and a children's education pack that will be used in local primary schools as part of the history curriculum.

How green is your uni?

SCU vice-chancellor Professor Paul Clark and Professor Robert Henry, director of the Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics at the opening of the centre's new hi-tech glasshouse this week.

A $100,000 automated greenhouse to hold quarantined plants material was opened at Southern Cross University yesterday.

The greenhouse is part of a $1 million upgrade to facilities at the Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics.

SCU's new vice-chancellor, Professor Paul Clark, said the high-security greenhouse will allow the University to import plants from overseas and also allow international collaborations in plant research.

Professor Robert Henry, director of the Centre of Plant Genetics said the recent outbreak of citrus canker in Queensland demonstrated a high level of quarantine needed to ensure the safety of Australia's agricultural industries and native plants.

"This new facility will enable the Centre to increase its capacity to conduct plant genetics research on materials imported from all countries, while ensuring complete protection against the possible introduction of new plant diseases or pests," he said.

The new greenhouse has two compartments which can be controlled to regulate light, temperature and humidity, enabling researchers to simulate a range of environmental conditions, so plants can be grown outside of their usual climatic environment.

MV Florrie saved

Ballina's historic boat, the 122-year-old MV Florrie, has a small chance of survival thanks to a $30,000 grant from the NSW Government.

Assistant planning minister Dianne Beamer announced last Friday that Ballina Council will receive the funds to build a protective cover and cradle for the boat, one of the oldest surviving timber boats in Australia. It will be relocated from where it's currently slowly rotting down by the waterfront, to the western end of Ballina's Naval and Maritime Museum. The funds are subject to Council providing a further $60,000 towards the project

The grant is timely if the Florrie is to survive. A heritage consultant predicted that unless she was put under cover, within five years, the superstructure would collapse and the hull would be beyond repair or restoration.

During her visit, Ms Beamer also announced that the 1879 St Barnabas Anglican Church in Wardell would receive a $32,500 grant from the NSW Government for conservation work.

Have your say on health

Local people will finally get the chance to have their say on recent changes to the NSW health system at a public consultation meeting next Wednesday, September 8, at Invercauld House, 161 Invercauld Road, Goonellabah, from 11am to 12.30pm,

Wendy McCarthy, chair of the Health Participation Council and former Nationals leader Ian Sinclair will chair the meeting.

NSW Health Minister, Morris Iemma, said local people should step forward and have their say on the future of local health facilities.

"An important part of that process is increasing the level of community and clinical input into health decision making," Mr Iemma said. "This consultation process is designed to create a clearer picture of community expectations, and desires for current and future health services."

As part of the reforms, a series of Health Advisory Councils will be established, comprised of clinicians, health consumers and community representatives.

"The Advisory Councils will be an essential forum for the community to have its say on how health services are delivered across NSW. The new Area Health Councils will strengthen the voices of communities in health planning by giving participants direct access to the Area Chief Executive," Mr Iemma said.

To get people to the public meeting a free bus has been arranged. The department times are Lismore Transit Centre at 10.15am and Goonellabah Shopping Centre at 10.35am. A return bus will also depart at 12.45pm.

Details on the reforms and consultation process are available online at www.health.nsw.gov.au.

Mr Iemma said people can also respond to the proposals for the Advisory Councils by writing to:

Area Health Advisory Councils, NSW Health, Locked Bag 961, North Sydney, NSW 2059, or email participation@doh.health.nsw.gov.au.

Rainforest survival a Chief concern

Datu Efren Mandipensa, a tribal chief from the island of Mindanao in the Philippines (pictured), returns to the Northern Rivers to perform a speaking, singing and cultural tour throughout September.

Chief Datu's mission is to create worldwide awareness of the plight of the rainforest and its importance to the survival of the human race. His island of Mindanao is home to the Philippine's last remaining virgin rainforest, which he says could face complete devastation from logging in the next 10 years.

Chief Datu will be performing on the following dates: Tuesday, September 7, at the Blue Tongue Café in North Lismore from 7pm; Wednesday, September 8, at Seed Savers, 13 Old Bangalow Road, from 4.30pm; Thursday, September 9, at The Channon Diversity Farm from 4.30pm; Saturday, September 11, at Nimbin's Djanbung Gardens from 4.30pm; and Monday, September 13, at Barkers Vale Permaforest Trust for a special breakfast tour from 9am.

Entry to all these events are by gold coin. For more information phone Ruth on 6621 3294.

Keeping kids safe

The kids at Lismore Outside School Hours Care Centre (pictured) are doing their bit for National Child Protection Week (September 5-11) by holding a fundraising 'Pyjama Disco Day' at Lismore Public School Hall next Thursday, September 9, from 3.45pm.

All proceeds from the disco will go to the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect to aid their fight against the rising incidents of child abuse in Australia.

Sadly, figures reveal that in 2003 40,000 children were abused and/or neglected - a 33 per cent increase in just 12 months. The theme for this year is 'Protecting Children is Everyone's Business' and you can do your bit by making a donation. Phone 9211 0224 or visit www.napcan.org.au.

A meal ticket for politicians

To celebrate National Meals on Wheels Day, Lismore mayor Merv King (second from right) and representatives from Thomas George's office, Julie Haines and Christine Marshall, joined Lismore Meals on Wheels president Hugh Bond (right) on his morning run delivering meals around Lismore.

Their first stop was to see 92-year-old Albert Wingfield of Goonellabah, who is one of 180 people in the Lismore, Alstonville and Nimbin areas that have a meal delivered each day by volunteers.

"In the last five years we've delivered 200,000 meals - there's really no other way these house bound people can get good, nutritious meals and we want to highlight to local politicians what an invaluable service this is," said Lismore Meals on Wheels president Hugh Bond.

"We ensure people can maintain a certain quality of life and we are always there - seven days a week, 365 days a year. Of course we always need more volunteers and it's a great way to give something back to the community."

To get involved with Meals on Wheels as a volunteer phone Cathie Eames on 6624 8215.

New VC takes the reins

Southern Cross University's new vice-chancellor, Professor Paul Clark (pictured), took over the chair of the regional university on Monday.

Previously deputy vice-chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Professor Clark, 59, has a background in experimental physics, and believes that SCU is set for another period of substantial growth.

"I believe the University is now entering another important growth phase, cementing its position as an institution that is regionally relevant and internationally significant," he said.

"I look forward to working with local industry, government and community groups to build on the benefits that our University provides at economic, social and cultural levels."

During his first week at SCU, Professor Clark addressed University staff and met with his executive. He also attended the opening of a new Greenhouse at the Centre for Plant Conservation Genetics.

St Vinnies staff remember golden years

Around 140 former nurses and hospital employees from St Vincent's Hospital gathered in Lismore on the weekend to celebrate their 50th annual reunion, with many coming from interstate to meet up with old friends and share their stories.

People came from as far away as South Australia and Melbourne to attend the event and reunion organiser Ann Thompson says that's about how far away you could have heard them with all the talking.

"Everyone just had the most wonderful time - some of them don't have any voice left at all I don't think," laughed Ann. "It was delightful to see so many old friendships rekindled - we all had such fun catching up and it was really interesting to see where people's lives have taken them. It was just a superb weekend all round."

Amongst the gathering were four Sisters of Charity, who helped manage the hospital until it became a private hospital in 1980.

Let's get loud

Showing off artworks that will be featured in 'Amplified' are Richmond River High students (l-r) Vanessa Ryan, Amanda Baker, Jen McKenzie, Vera Skorjenko, Storm Larsson, Melanie Maher, Harry Fisher and Hannah Mooney.

The creative talents of Richmond River High School students will be on show for one night only next Tuesday, September 7, in the school's annual HSC art showcase Amplified.

Amplified features HSC art and photography major works, as well as major HSC performances by music and drama students, in the Old Hall and staff common room.

"These are a wonderful group of students- I'm really, really proud of their works," said art teacher Kerry Tate. "The students have formed really strong friendships working with one another and the standard of work has gone from strength to strength because of that mutual support. They only have one day out of every year to show their work and we encourage everyone to come and see why Richmond River is known for its creativity."

Amplified kicks off at 7pm.

This week's features: Your Shopping Guide - Local Businesses