The Northern Rivers Echo Main News

Silent night to aid Con

Showing off some of the items that will be up for grabs at the silent auction this Saturday night are Conservatorium director Gabrielle O'Shannessy (front), fundraising helper and parent of Con student Jenni Goodwin and student administrator Janene Brooks.

With the partial demolition of the Northern Rivers Conservatorium almost complete and the fight to save the building well and truly over, staff are now putting their energy into raising money for relocation costs.

Conservatorium director Gabrielle O'Shannessy says the cost of renting new premises and moving equipment will now run into the several thousands.

To help ease some of the burden, the Conservatorium is holding a silent auction this Saturday, February 26, at the Lismore Golf Club from 7.30pm. Various items donated by local businesses will up for grabs to the highest bidder and all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

"It's the Conservatorium's hour of need and if people want to show their support for this valuable community asset, now is the time," said Gabrielle. "There will be some really interesting items up for auction - and we have to thank all the businesses and individuals who have donated - while our many talented staff and students will provide fine entertainment throughout the evening. Every little bit helps, so come and enjoy the auction and have some fun."

Items to be auctioned include a beautiful Afghan rug, musical instruments, a camera, gardening equipment, original paintings, an antique rocking chair, vouchers and gift baskets. People can book a table on 6621 2266 or simply turn up on the night.

It's a boy!

Echo editor Simon Thomsen, who's away on six months paternity leave, has finally proven to staff he's not in fact off on a Mediterranean holiday after ushering in this beautiful little bubba.

Archie Boyd Thomsen (the staff have already dubbed him "Jughead" - more in reference to his father's genes than any relation to the comic book) was born at 11.59pm last Thursday, February 17, weighing 3.67kg (8lb 1oz in the old money) and measuring 56.5cm.

We wish Simon and his beautiful partner Sally Webb, a journalist with Vogue Entertaining and Travel, all the very best in life, love and parenthood.

We just hope Archie is smart enough to grow up and choose a decent profession.

Tea, anyone?

The Echo and Madura Tea Estates at Clothiers Creek near Murwillumbah have teamed up to offer readers the chance to win a Madura Tea Estates wooden box set, valued at $90. The beautiful, handcrafted wooden tea boxes (pictured) contain 150 tea bags of Madura's finest brew, which will tempt the taste buds of any true tea connoisseur.

Madura Tea Estates is a 100 per cent family-owned Australian business, and the Murwillumbah headquarters allows the owners to oversee the operation from the very first tea seedlings right through to the final packaging.

"We are the market leaders for green tea in Australia and in total we have nine different types of tea, from favourites like English and Irish breakfast to peppermint, chamomile and green tea with paw paw leaf," said Ray Fien from Madura Tea Estates. "If you want a tea of true excellence that's also local, has no tannic acid and is low in caffeine, then Madura tea is the drop for you."

Madura tea is available in all major supermarkets, most general stores and health food shops.

• Freebie: The Echo has two of these beautiful box sets to giveaway. To go in the draw to win phone 6622 2888 between 10.30 & 10.45am next Monday, February 28, and tell us what type of tea is traditionally drunk in China.

Local firefighter farewelled

Colin 'Col' Jackson pictured in 1998 after he was awarded his Rural Fire Service national medal for 15 years service. Colin died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack.

As a committed member of the Caniaba Rural Fire Service for almost 25 years, Colin 'Col' Jackson died doing what he loved most - helping others.

Col was heading to a motor vehicle accident at McKees Hill on Sunday when he suffered a heart attack behind the wheel of his beloved fire truck.

He had left a special thanksgiving service for emergency service personnel in Lismore just minutes before to attend the crash, and was travelling with his wife Barbara, also a Rural Fire Service volunteer.

Sadly, the 56-year-old only made it to Ballina Road, where he crashed into a power pole after suffering the fatal heart attack.

Col's best mate of 23 years, James Chamberlain, said he was well known to locals through his involvement with many community organisations.

"On top of his association with the RFS, Col was also actively engaged with the Lismore Show Society and the Rural Youth movement as well as being on a number of committees," said James. "Col loved the RFS and will be sadly missed by all his mates."

James said Col loved life on his small farm at Caniaba and reckons his only regret would be crashing the fire truck he had always kept in immaculate condition.

"It's ironic in a way because I can see Col up there now in heaven saying something like, 'I'm glad that I made it to my final resting place, but I've scratched the truck to get here'," James said.

Mr Jackson's funeral will be held next Monday, February 28, at St Carthage's Cathedral, where he will be farewelled by a volunteer guard of honour made up of RFS members.

Mr Jackson is survived by his wife Barbara, eight children and three step-children.

Home is where the hemp is

North Coast Mop Crop project leader Dr Keith Bolton from Southern Cross University begins harvesting 2.5 million hemp plants that will be used to build houses.

In what is believed to be an Australian first, around 2.5 million hemp plants are being harvested from a secret North Coast location over the next fortnight to build two hemp houses.

The hemp houses are part of the North Coast Mop Crop Project, a collaboration between Southern Cross University, Morrowby Futures, Ecotechnology Australia and an unnamed North Coast council.

Project leader Dr Keith Bolton, from Southern Cross University, said hemp was being used successfully to construct houses in France and other parts of Europe, but this was understood to be the first time hemp houses will be built in Australia.

"There are two important things that make hemp a superior material for building - it's lightweight, which means there is less stress on foundations, and the thermal properties are far superior to conventional building materials," Dr Bolton said. "We will be using the entire crop for the building material and we will be building at least two houses."

Dr Bolton said the 1.3-hectare crop was being grown at a North Coast sewerage plant and used as a means of "mopping" up the effluent. It is the fifth and largest hemp crop to be produced through the North Coast Mop Crop Project.

"We are aiming to demonstrate that there can be a commercial outcome from hemp cultivation," Dr Bolton said. "The State Government has indicated that they will not allow commercial licenses for growing hemp until they are confident there is a market."

Dr Bolton said once economies of scale were in place the cost of the hemp building material should be similar to conventional bricks.

He said it was possible that in future people would be able to grow their own crop and then have their house built on site out of the processed hemp.

"I can definitely say the insulation properties are far superior," Dr Bolton said. "We also think we may be eligible for carbon credits, because the material will be locking up a significant amount of carbon."

The harvest began on Monday and the hemp will be dried and chipped on site, before being transported off site to be turned into building materials.

The courage to change the world

Righteous Among the Nations, Adrianus Van As, will open the Courage to Care exhibition at Lismore Regional Gallery tonight. Inset: Adrian as a young man in 1942.

For many of the Jews who survived the holocaust of WWII, it was only the kindness and compassion of non-Jews that enabled them to live through one of history's darkest hours.

Today, these non-Jews are called 'Righteous Among the Nations' and their stories are both touching and powerful, as they recall how they risked their own lives to save those being persecuted by the Nazis.

These heroic stories, along with those of holocaust survivors, are the basis of a new exhibition called Courage to Care, which opens tonight (February 24) at the Lismore Regional Gallery.

The travelling exhibition aims to highlight the devastating effects discrimination can have if left unchecked, and remind people that even the smallest act of kindness can change the world.

"This exhibition has a profound effect on people and highlights that heroes are often ordinary people who choose to stand up and make a difference," said Courage to Care chairman Andrew Havas. "After one student visited the exhibition in Newcastle he wrote 'We should have the courage to not just be another link in the chain of wrong but to dare to speak out and break the chain', which encapsulates what this anti-racism exhibition is all about. The action of one person alone is enough to make a difference."

As well as profiling Righteous Among the Nations (24 of whom live in Australia) and holocaust survivors, the exhibition also has a local flavour, with Lismore resident Stuart Thompson featured as a 'local hero' after he saved a young boy from drowning in 2001. Courage to Care will be opened tonight at 6pm by Righteous Among the Nations Adrianus Van As, and anyone is welcome to attend.

The exhibition will be on show until March 20.

Medicate rebate a real life saver

Celebrating the Federal Government's announcement it will provide Medicare rebates for MRI scans in Lismore is North Coast Radiology MRI unit manager Rhys Wallace (front) with (l-r) Page MP Ian Causley, North Coast Radiology practice manager Jim Pryce and radiologist Dr Ian Cappe.

Northern Rivers residents will now be able to access life-saving Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans without travelling to the Gold Coast or being left out of pocket.

On Monday the Federal Government announced Medicare rebates are now available for MRIs offered by North Coast Radiology at St Vincent's Hospital in Lismore.

North Coast Radiology has been campaigning for the rebate since it purchased the MRI unit in 2001. The St Vincent's Hospital service is one of 21 additional MRI units around Australia that will now be able to offer Medicare-supported services.

"Up until now people unable to afford the full cost of an MRI scan have had to travel to the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour or Brisbane to get it done under the Medicare rebate scheme," said North Coast Radiology practice manager Jim Pryce. "I believe all Australians should have reasonable access to MRIs, as it's the best diagnostic tool for a number of illnesses, I'm pleased our community now has the same access to this equipment as people who live in the cities."

Mr Pryce said an added benefit of securing the Medicare rebate was that it made it easier to attract specialist medical professionals to the area.

The Medicare rebate for MRI scans only applies to people who have received referral from a specialist medical practitioner.

An evening with Barbara Holborow

Former Sydney Children's Court magistrate and long-time advocate for children's rights, Barbara Holborow (pictured), will be giving a talk at the Lismore Workers Club this Saturday, February 26.

Barbara spent the bulk of her working career as a solicitor and magistrate in children's courts and was instrumental in establishing special jails for young people too vulnerable to be incarcerated with adults.

Since her retirement in 1994 Barbara has travelled around Australia holding seminars and giving parents the benefit of her experience working with children from every walk of life. She has written two best-selling books, Those Tracks on My Face and Kids: Loving for Life, and was recently a guest speaker at the Step to the Future youth forum in Lismore, where students described her as an "inspiration".

On Saturday night Barbara will talk about children's health, drug use and parental responsibility, with time for questions to follow her address. She encourages parents to come along with their children.

The talk will begin at 7pm and tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information phone Betty on 6624 7456.

Hope for better future

Celebrating the arrival of the 2005 Freedom Ride in Lismore on Monday were (l-r) 2005 participant Liberty Riverine, original 1965 Freedom Rider Beth Hansen, Tess Brill from Lismore (who billeted the 1965 freedom riders), Bundjalung Elders Agnes Roberts and Bertha Kapeen and 2005 Freedom Ride project coordinator Samia Hossain.

When Beth Hansen attended university in Sydney in 1965, it was the first year Aboriginal people had ever enrolled at university. One of those people was Aboriginal activist Charlie Perkins, who led a group of students around NSW in the first Australian Freedom Ride, raising awareness about Aboriginal issues in regional communities.

On Monday, four decades later, Beth celebrated the 40th anniversary of that journey and was on hand in Lismore's Heritage Park to welcome participants of the 2005 Freedom Ride. The 2005 ride follows the same route of the original Freedom Ride in the hope that the re-enactment will put Aboriginal issues back in the spotlight.

The experience brought back a lot of memories for Beth, who said it was inspiring to see young people continuing the fight for Indigenous rights 40 years on.

"We modelled the first ride on an American Freedom Ride advocating rights for African Americans and were all inspired by the writings of Martin Luther King," Beth said. "There was a real sense of excitement that we could create positive change for Aboriginal people. Seeing another generation take on that same journey makes me optimistic that the issues haven't been forgotten. There is still a long way to go but to see the number of people in Heritage Park today, both black and white, gives me hope."

Around 200 people attended the celebrations in Heritage Park. The 2005 Freedom Ride will conclude in Sydney this Friday.

Green thumbs graduate

Attending the Green Corps graduation ceremony in Lismore on Tuesday was Page MP Ian Causley (far right) with Green Corps graduates (rear l-r) Cherrie Wilson, Karly Stokes, Terry Partridge and Jazz Simpson, and (front l-r) Amy Wylie, Jeri Cooper, Inika Dekker and Green Corps team leader Virginia Seymour.

Ten local Green Corps volunteers graduated on Tuesday after a six-month program building picnic furniture, clearing weeds, planting trees and establishing a rockery at the Lismore Rainforest Botanical Gardens.

The team also learned about environmental restoration and liberated local rainforest remnants at the gardens, which are located adjacent to the Wyrallah Road Waste Facility.

Green Corps team leader Virginia Seymour said the 25-week accredited training program was a huge success.

"The team has worked hard on developing their own skills to further their chances of gaining full time employment," she said. "These young people have really come out of their shells and since we have finished two graduates have found jobs and another two have enrolled in tertiary education courses."

Since the Green Corps program began in 1997 volunteers have planted more than 13 million trees, erected over 7000km of fencing and have removed more than 37,000 hectares of weeds throughout Australia.

Lifeline's looking good

The new manager of Lifeline's South Lismore shop, Sam Mayfield (right), with stores coordinator Ann Clout and volunteer Nelly Brown, who has been working at the South Lismore shop for 16 years.

Lifeline's South Lismore op shop has appointed a new manager and revamped its look to attract new customers and raise much-needed funds for Lifeline's community services.

Unlike Victoria and Queensland where Lifeline enjoys government support, Lifeline in NSW has no funding agreement with the State Government and as a result is struggling to maintain its life saving programs, such as the free 24-hour telephone counselling service.

The expansion at Lifeline's South Lismore op shop is one of many small ways in which the organisation is trying to lift its profile and increase revenue.

"We have appointed a new manager, Sam Mayfield, who has breathed new life into the shop and included more modern fashions to appeal to a younger crowd," said Lifeline's stores coordinator, Ann Clout.

"We've also expanded the shop to include small furniture items, while still offering clothes, toys and hundreds of second-hand books. Now we just need people to come and shop here!"

To encourage new customers to come and have a look a free sausage sizzle is being held next Saturday, March 5, from 9am at the shop (18 Casino Street, South Lismore).

The shop is open Monday to Friday from 9am-4pm and Saturdays from 9am-12pm.

Ride 'em cowboy

This Saturday night the annual Alstonville Rodeo features a full card of events with some of the most talented riders in Australia.

Adrenalin will be on tap in Alstonville this Saturday, February 26, when some of the best cowboys and cowgirls in Australia meet for the annual Alstonville Rodeo.

This year's rodeo will feature a full card of events including open bull riding, bareback and saddle horse events, as well as barrel racing and steer wrestling.

Alstonville Rodeo Club member Craig Fowler said this year's rodeo has big name riders as well as up and coming youngsters keen to make a name for themselves.

"We have Saras Ramsay who was the 2004 open bull riding champion and David Kennedy from Ettrick, who also won major prizes on the Australian rodeo circuit last year," he said. "We also have poddy riding for the kids with some young local cowboys competing including Max and Sam Elliott, Josh Lock and the Ramsay kids."

Gates open at the Alstonville Showground at 3pm and there will be full bar and catering facilities available. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for pensioners and children under 12 or $28 for a family. For more information phone Shane on 0414 731 361 or Karen on 0413 884 852.

Workers take pride of place

Lismore mayor King and Rotary Club of Lismore Central's president Rick Niland (centre) with Pride of Workmanship Awards recipients (l-r) Ken Davis, Marilyn Fuller and Lesley (surname witheld).

Instead of blowing their own trumpet to celebrate Rotary International's 100th anniversary, the Rotary Club of Lismore Central instead chose to honour local people who they believe take pride in their work.

Four people were presented with Pride of Workmanship Awards last night as part of a special celebration to mark Rotary International's 100-year milestone.

They were: Marilyn Fuller for almost 14 years work as a personal care assistant at Ozanam Villa; Ken Davis, a carpenter/builder who has done many hours volunteer work for St Andrew's Anglican Church; Lesley (last named withheld), a nurse at Richmond Clinic in Lismore for 24 years; and Terra Sword, editor of The Northern Rivers Echo, for excellence in reporting and photography.

"It's very flattering and humbling - I was pretty shocked when I received the letter and had to keep checking that it was really for me," laughed Lesley. "I enjoy going to work and I find it very rewarding and challenging. This award makes me feel like maybe I have made a difference."

A century after Paul Harris and three other businessmen formed the first Rotary club in Chicago, there are 32,000 clubs in more than 166 countries, who help their communities in countless ways.

Planting the seeds of hope

Southern Cross University lecturer Professor Peter Saenger, who is travelling to Sumatra to advise the Indonesian government on mangrove rehabilitation.

Coastal management expert and Southern Cross University lecturer Professor Peter Saenger will fly to Sumatra this week to advise the Indonesian government on rehabilitating mangroves in Banda Aceh.

As well as claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, the Boxing Day tsunami also destroyed vast tracts of mangroves and other vegetation along the coast, which the Indonesian government now wants to see replanted.

"The mangroves are seen as providing some degree of natural protection against storms, wave damage and erosion, so there is a real need to replant where it has been cleared," Professor Saenger said.

Professor Saenger, who lectures at SCU's School of Environmental Science and Management, has been recruited by the United Nations to make recommendations about replanting, as well as the establishment of new green belts along the northern coast of Sumatra. He will be away for six weeks.

• For those interested in mangroves and their different qualities, a screening of the film Amazing Mangroves is being held this Saturday, February 26, at the Goonellabah Community Centre in Oliver Avenue from 3pm. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Taxi Tuesday keeps seniors moving

Lismore Taxi's Graham Casey assists regular passenger Milly Granatelli from his cab after using the Taxi Tuesday reduced fare service, which is now available in Lismore and Casino.

Three local taxi companies are doing their bit for local seniors by providing affordable transport around town once a week.

In Lismore and Casio every Tuesday between 9.30am and 2pm seniors can travel at reduced rates and save up to 50 per cent off the normal fare.

Northern Rivers Community Transport president Colleen Thomas said the initiative is in response to increased demand for the organisation's services.

"We want to make it clear that Northern Rivers Community Transport is not closing down but at this stage we are not taking any more new clients." she said. "We provide subsidised transport to over 2500 clients each week and at this stage we simply can't accept any more people."

Seniors wishing to use Taxi Tuesday must make a booking and make it clear to the operator that they qualify for the reduced rate before the cab arrives.

In Kyogle seniors can travel at reduced rates every Thursday between 8.30am and 5pm.

Northern Rivers Community Transport is hopeful that Ballina Taxis will follow suit and soon offer seniors a similar service. For more information phone Lismore Taxis on 131 008, Casino Cabs on 6662 1484 or Kyogle Taxis on 6632 1555.

Emmanuel spreads its wings

Page MP Ian Causley (left) with Bishop Keith Slater (Anglican Bishop of Grafton) and Emmanuel Anglican College principal Ian Martineau at the opening of the college's new wing on Monday.

A new $3 million science and technology wing at Emmanuel Anglican College in Ballina was officially opened on Monday by Page MP Ian Causley.

The new wing includes eight classrooms, a 25-seat computer lab and two state-of-the-art science laboratories with preparation areas.

"We have been using the building since last year and it's been fantastic - the computer lab is getting almost 100 per cent usage and I think the students love the air conditioning," said principal Ian Martineau. "It's a nice bright learning environment for students and the new building gives us greater exposure to traffic on the Pacific Highway, which really lifts our profile."

The new wing is stage four of 10 planned stages. The school also hopes to build a library resource centre, food and technology wing, visual and performing arts building, manual arts building and a central administration wing as well as a sports hall and swimming pool.

Dance for tsunami survivors

Promoting the Dance-a-Thon to raise money for tsunami survivors in Thailand are local dance instructors (rear l-r) Kate McHugh, Renee Moehead, Cassie Warman and Sue Whiteman, with Roseanne Kinnane and Karen Watson (front).

When the Boxing Day tsunami hit southern Thailand, local dance teacher Sue Whiteman lost 32 members of a troupe she had been training and only narrowly escaped the floodwaters herself.

On the day of the disaster Sue was travelling from Bangkok to Phuket, but her plane was unable to land and the aircraft was diverted back to Bangkok. Once back in the Thai capital, Sue watched television reports that confirmed her worst fears.

"It was just awful to think that all those people that I had known so well were dead and the scale of the overall devastation was so large," she said. "Having worked amongst these people as their dance teacher for the last 15 years they had become like family."

Sue immediately began organising dance concerts in Bangkok to raise money for the survivors and also promoted a successful blood donation campaign.

Now back in Alstonville, Sue has organised a three day Dance-a-Thon this weekend to raise money to build an orphanage and school for the survivors in southern Thailand.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 25-27, people can visit three different venues where experienced teachers will demonstrate dance styles including jazz, tap, hip hop, Celtic and modern contemporary, just to name a few.

Sponsorship forms are available at Alstonville Heath Food Shop, Alstonville Dance Studio and Brite Sparks Kidz Wear in Ballina, or simply turn up and make a donation.

Dance-a-Thon activities begin at 4pm this Friday at the Alstonville High School and the Alstonville Dance Studio. On Saturday there will be dancing at both Alstonville venues and at Total Image Dance Studio in Ballina from 10am, while on Sunday all three venues will be swinging from 9.30am.

Sue has also organised similar Dance-a-Thons in Thailand for this weekend.

For more information phone Sue Whiteman on 6686 2520.

NORPA launches new season

Gearing up to launch NORPA's 2005 season next Friday is Wendy Gava from Norpa (front centre) with sponsor representatives Russell Kelly (left) and John Chant from Lismore City Council, (middle l-r) Sharna Clark and Warren Elliott from Southern Cross Ten, Neelia Rixon from Travelscene/Summerland Real Estate, Heather Williams from The Echo, and (rear l-r) Maurice Gahan from Rex Airlines, John Welch from Optus World Lismore and David Hannaford from Nornet.

NORPA is having a party - and everyone's invited!

The NORPA 2005 Season Launch is being held next Friday, March 4, at the Star Court Theatre in Lismore to showcase their exciting program of theatre and music productions for the year.

NORPA's 2004 season was one of the most successful in the company's history and 2005 looks equally exciting with 12 productions, including two locally produced shows, international acts and youth productions.

"People often think the NORPA launch is an invite-only party, but it's actually a free event for the whole community and we'd love people to come and enjoy a sneak peek at the new season, find out about subscription offers, meet the staff, socialise and have some fun," said Wendy Gava from NORPA. "Even if you've never been to a NORPA show before, we'd love to have you."

The launch will kick off at 6pm next Friday, with complimentary drinks, a light supper and entertainment. For those unable to attend the launch, the new season brochure can be ordered by calling NORPA on 6622 0300 or by visiting the NORPA website after March 4 at www.norpa.org.au.

New preschool for Jiggi

The Jiggi School of Arts has received $48,121 in funding through the Federal Government's Regional Partnerships Programme for a new preschool.

"The construction of a permanent pre-school at Jiggi will greatly benefit the local community," said Page MP Ian Causley. "This new preschool centre will ensure greater learning opportunities for local rural children and provide a future student base for the local primary school."

Clean Up Australia Day

Clean Up Australia Day is just around the corner, with the community day being held on Sunday, March 6, as well as a day for businesses on Tuesday, March 1, and for schools on Friday, March 4.

Once again Lismore City Council is asking businesses, groups, schools and individuals to participate and help keep Lismore clean.

"This year's Clean Up Day theme 'put rubbish away for good' is a clear message to people that littering is unacceptable and rubbishing our beautiful environment will not be tolerated," said Council's coordinator Vicky Walker.

Lismore City Council encourages all groups, individuals, businesses and schools who plan to do a clean up to advise Council so arrangements can be made for the collection and disposal of rubbish.

Lismore Council is also offering CBD businesses free butt tins, which can be placed at rear entrances in lanes where shop and office staff may slip out for a smoke. The free butt tins can be collected from Council's CBD office in Magellan Street from next Tuesday, March 1. For more information phone Council on 6625 0500.

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