Issue 742
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Main NewsAnother Lismore Show successFine weather saw thousands turn out for the North Coast National Show last week, where amidst the fun of the fair, others had a more serious intent, competing in events ranging from showjumping to baking and cattle breeding. The Echo's Rudi Maxwell went along to have fun and take these images.
Space out with AlieNation
When 18-year-old Casino resident Becky O'Connell saw the opportunity to be involved in NORPA's new extravanganza, alieNation, she jumped at the chance. The production, at Lismore skate park this weekend, features a host of local young people including skaters, breakdancers, actors, musicians and dancers. And while working with other young people was half the appeal, Becky also saw the production as a great way to promote youth activities, like skating, in a positive light. 'In Casino we have nothing like this for young people. We're only now just getting a skate park and it's been a big battle,' Becky said. 'A production like this is great publicity for young people and for skate parks in general, because it takes away some of the stigma often attached to them. 'Everything about this production is positive - the skaters and break dancers are so talented, the lighting is amazing and the music is really fantastic! 'On a personal level it's enabled me to meet other young people, get out of my comfort zone a bit and experience something new.' Written and directed by renowned playwright Janis Balodis, alieNation is about a group of aliens from the planet Andromeda 6 who land in a skate park in Australia. The aliens' plan is to abduct a 'typical Australian' to take back to their planet, but they soon discover finding a typical Australian in a multicultural society is not as easy as they thought. A cleverly-written and humorous production, alieNation is a entertaining insight into some of the issues facing youth and Australia today. The lighting is by John Rayment, the man behind the lighting for the Sydney Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. alieNation opened last night and runs until Saturday, October 27 at the Lismore skate park. The performance begins at 8pm each night. Tickets are $25/18 conc./13 kids or $60 for a family of four. Phone Northern Rivers Ticket Centre on 6621 5600 to book, or you can get tickets at the gate. Story & photo: Terra Sword
A Long Day's Journey
More than 600 people will spend the weekend walking in Casino in an effort to raise funds for the NSW Cancer Council. They walkers will be taking part in a 24-hour Relay for Life at Queen Elizabeth Park and will walk from 10 am Saturday until 10am Sunday. The walk has already attracted 570 entries and the organising committee's chairman, Cr Charlie Cox, expects there to be well over 600 by the time the walk begins. 'We are not asking people to walk for the entire 24 hours, although there are sure to be some diehards willing to have a go,' Cr Cox said. 'We want people to participate in the event at whatever level they are able. They can walk a section of the course or get together with friends and take turns in a relay. 'They can even participate by sitting back and sponsoring a friend.' Commonwealth and Olympic athlete Kerry Saxby-Junna will be the guest of honour on the day and will be demonstrating her medal winning walking style. A group of Cancer survivors will walk the first lap of the course with Saxby-Junna and will be joined by Cancer carers for the second lap. Catering will be provided by the Casino Lions and Rotary clubs and, when not walking, participants will be able to camp in the middle of the oval. Other events during the relay include a Candlelight Ceremony of Hope at 8pm on Saturday, a tug-of-war, family-fun activities and live entertainment. COW-FM will broadcast from the event on both days. Cr Cox said the organisers were already hailing the event as a success. 'Each walker has paid an $11 entry fee and local businesses have also come to the party,' Cr Cox said. 'Workers from the Northern Co-operative Meatworks have donated $500 and management has matched that figure. Several other Casino businesses have also made generous contributions.' 'Based on the interest shown so far, we believe more than $7,000 could be raised for cancer research,' Cr Cox said. It's not too late to join the walk. Registrations will be accepted up to and during the walk. All you have to do is put your best foot forward. Dave Fawkner
A Dog Day Afternoon
In the Year of the Volunteer even dogs are helping out. Keen Street Veterinary Clinic is conducting a Paws for a Cause dog walk and family fun day this Sunday, October 28, to raise money for the Animal Rights and Rescue group. Organiser Robyn Marshall-Jung is encouraging as many people as possible to come to the Keen Street Vet Clinic with their dogs and make their way to the Lismore Rugby Ground. 'We're doing this to acknowledge the tireless work done by the Animal Rights and Rescue Group for abandoned and unwanted animals in this area. We're also hoping to raise funds for a much-needed shelter for the Rescue Group - if they can't get a shelter then they will have to close down,' Robyn said. Members of the public not walking their dogs may enter the rugby grounds with a gold coin donation. There will be a sausage sizzle, competitions (including a pet/owner look-a-like and a waggiest tail/happiest dog comp), hydrobathing for hot puppies, information stands, a chance to test your canine's skills on an obstacle course and heaps more fun activities for the whole family (obviously including the four-legged members). The Dog Walk costs $5 per dog and you can register at the Keen Street Vet Clinic (38 Keen St, Lismore - opposite St Andrews) from 9.30am on Sunday, October 28. Walkers depart at 10am and travel 4km to the Lismore Rugby Grounds for the Family Fun day. Story & photo: Rudi Maxwell Tea Tree Festival Brings Coraki Alive
The town where the rivers meet, Coraki, celebrates local industry this weekend with the 10th Coraki Tea Tree Festival. While the festivities get underway tonight with the opening of the Art Prize and a disco for the kids, the main events happen on Saturday, including the Grand Parade at noon. You can enjoy an early start at 'Breakfast with the butcher, baker and grocer' from 7am to 9am. There'll be plenty of entertainment for all ages, from a cow-milking contest to horse & buggy rides, a jumping castle, face painting and sponge throwing, plus a miniature train and rides in the SES boat. Organiser Diane Mackie said this year's festival has a lot of new events. 'It's our 10th year and we're really putting all stops out to make it the best,' she said. 'The inaugural garden competition, which is judged on Friday, has had more than 50 entries, and 'Miss Tea Tree (girls aged 15-18), and Tea tree Princess (aged 12-14) have attracted 10 lovely young girls.' Also new this year is the pet show. Bring your pet along to compete in the four categories - best dressed, most unusual, most amusing, and pet most like its owner. Then of course there are the real crowd favourites like the home-brew beer competition. Bring your concoction along to the bottom pub at 4pm on Saturday to enter. If you're not a home-brewer, you don't have to miss out, because there's a people's choice judging around 6pm. For only 20 cents glass hire, you can have a taste and vote. Anyone feeling more active can enter the tea tree mulch bag tossing competition, running all day down by the riverbank. Throw in bands, market stalls, dancing, puppet shows, a fun run and wildlife displays and you have a great day out. There's also a special event celebrating the Year of Volunteer. 'One of the exciting changes in Coraki is our new pathway from the amenities block towards the Healing Stones sculpture on the riverbank,' Mrs Mackie said. 'It will be decorated with hand-made ceramic tiles created by volunteers. We're inviting all Coraki volunteers, past and present, to make a tile. Look out for the Volunteer tent and come and make your mark in Coraki!' On Sunday, it's the festival regatta, with rowers battling it out stroke for stroke on the river.
Anthrax Scare Closes Casino Mail ExchangeStaff at the Northern Rivers mail exchange in Casino were evacuated from the building on Tuesday night following the discovery of an envelope which contained traces of white powder. Police say the envelope, addressed to a place in Victoria, was discovered around 9.40pm. The employee who found it, along with three other employees, were isolated and later went to Casino Hospital for treatment. The HazMat (Hazardous Materials) team secured the scene and the envelope, the carried out a decontamination of the site before allowing 26 remaining employees who had not come into contact with the envelope back in to the building. The envelope was sent to Sydney for analysis. This latest incident follows a series of anthrax-related scares around the region. On Sunday the fire brigade team were called to the automatic teller machine outside the Commonwealth Bank in Woodlark Street, Lismore, after a customer noticed a suspicious white powder on the machine. So far all reports appear to have been false alarms. Meanwhile NSW Premier Bob Carr has announced rewards of up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest of people making hoax/ threatening calls or sending hoax/threatening packages. Already 118 alleged powder threats have been reported in NSW. Hoaxes should be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The NSW Health Dept said it had 60 samples for testing by last Friday. Health officials said the risk of infection was very low. However, anyone who finds a suspicious package should double-seal it in two plastic bags, wash their hands, keeping them away from their eyes, nose and mouth, then call 000 for the fire brigade and police.
It's Show Time in AlstonvilleFresh from the success of its first market day two weeks ago the Alstonville Show Society is ready to go with its annual show this Friday and Saturday. Show society secretary Dot Smith said tomorrow's events would begin with cattle dog trials at 7.30am, pavilion entry judging at 9am, Arab horses at 10.30am and a campdraft from 3pm. 'On Friday between 6.30pm and 9pm there will be a family fun night featuring a country and western band and demonstrations of Rock 'n' Roll and Line dancing,' Dot said. The cost is $5 a head and $10 a family. Saturday's events include various classes of led and ridden horses at 8am, beef cattle judging and a championship dog show at 9am, and the arrival of Prime Possum for the children at noon. Other attractions will include BJ the Magician, the Unreal Reptiles display, Shane Randell and his trick pony and a jumping dog competition, an antique engine display and a motor-building competition sponsored by Waggots. There will also be a range of sideshows and rides, and Saturday's activities will culminate with a fireworks display from 7.30pm. In keeping with the International Year of the Volunteer the society has asked foster mother extraordinaire Leonnie Parmenter to open the show prior to the Grand Parade on Saturday at 2pm. Dot said the show society was confident of a successful show and looking forward to even better ones in years to come. 'The success of our first market, which attracted 48 stallholders, has given the society a new lease of life and means that we now have our own monthly fundraising event,' she said. Show entry prices are adults $7.50, pensioners $5, children $3 and families $20.
New HSC is Surprisingly Democratic
For Richmond River High School students Cherry Johnston and Melissa Mazzorana, this week marks the beginning of a two week slog filled with HSC exams for 60,000 students across NSW. The first exam in under the new syllabus - a 150 minute English exam - was held on Monday. Young students of politics would have been bemused to find a question about Democrats lead Natasha Stott Despoja's maiden speech in the Senate. Under the new English syllabus, the questions ranged from discussions about the films Star Wars and Blade Runner, and the ever reliable Bard in films like 10 Things I Hate About You (an American teen comedy based on Taming of the Shrew). For Cherry and Melissa the exams mean very different things - Melissa wants to go to University to study teaching, so her future rests on her marks. Cherry wants to be an apprentice chef. 'Because the job I want is not focused on HSC marks it's not as stressful for me. But I still want to do well.' Cherry said. Melissa is really feeling the pressure. 'I've already enrolled in University and I don't have anything else planned, so I'm feeling pretty stressed out because everything's resting on my marks,' Melissa said. 'All I can do is try my best.' One thing the girls do agree on is their method of study - cram, cram, cram. 'Instead of stressing out two weeks before the exam you cram it into two days, and then it's still fresh in your mind come exam time,' Cherry said. And while the end of six years of study is 'exciting', it's a double-edged sword for the two friends. 'We're both keen to finish exams, but leaving school is kind of sad,' Cherry said. 'It's scary... like starting a whole new life.' The HSC Advice Line is now open for students. For the cost of a local call students can get an answer on any HSC question (but don't try asking what's in tomorrow's exam). The Advice Line daily until Tuesday, November 13, from 4-10pm Monday-Friday, from 10am-6pm on Saturday and from 10am-10pm on Sundays. The best times to call are between 6-7pm each day and Friday evenings as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings. Phone 13 11 12. Story & photo: Terra Sword
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Preparing for the premiere of alieNation are cast members (clockwise from front left) Becky O'Connell, Dean Johnson, Erika Gelzinnis, Jonathan Baldwan, Suzannah Arnot, Sarah Baldwan and Jesse Matthews-Cooke.
Casino Relay for Life committee members Sandra Humphrys, Brian Watkins Toni Saunders, Chery Hughes, Col Albans, Narelle Albans, Debbie Low and Charlie Cox in training for this weekend's big walk.
Organisers of the Paws for a Cause fun day Renne Sampson and Robyn Marshall-Jung with Bobby, Sophie and Gus.
Coraki Tea Tree Festival organiser Kate Welch with local artists Christine Smart and Sharon Walker - hugging Scottish by Dennis Monks - prepare for the Tea Tree Festival Art Prize. The exhibition, featuring $6,500 in prizes, is open this Saturday (10am-5pm) and Sunday (10am-4pm) at the Coraki Community Hall.
Richmond River High School students (l-r) Melissa Mazzorana, Cherry Johnston and Yasmin Salmon relax after completing their first HSC exam on Monday.