Northern Rivers News

While some kids won’t be excited to start school again in 2019, students in Ballina will be walking into one of the best schools in the state. 63 new classrooms and six learning spaces will be on offer when the doors open at Ballina Coast High School next week.  

With Australia Day just days away, holiday-makers and locals are being reminded NOT to swim in Lake Ainsworth. Last week, council issued a red alert, due to an outbreak of toxic blue-green algae. Testing on Monday revealed levels have increased… and Ballina Shire Council’s environmental health officers expect they’ll continue to rise in the coming days. People who have been swimming in the lake recently are advised to watch out for gastro symptoms and rashes. “In the morning when it is still conditions you will see it on the shore, it can look like a spilled green paint and it can look quite thick and just when you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there because it is still present it just mixes through the water column as the wind comes up over the day.” The popular lake is …

Work at the former Mullumbimby Hospital site came to a halt today, as activists chained themselves to an excavator. When workers arrived at 7am, they found filmmaker David Bradbury with a metal chain around his neck, tied to the giant excavator which was brought in to demolish the buildings. Bradbury says he’s making a ‘one-minute-to-midnight’ appeal to Byron Shire Council, to stop the hospital from being destroyed. “I can’t see any other way to draw attention to this issue before this monster behind me here starts knocking over this building that was built with love and energy and of previous generations.” Council bought the hospital site from the state government at the bargain of 1-dollar in August last year. (AUDIO IN PARTS)

The hidden gems and spectacular marine life of the North Coast just became a lot more accessible for the millions of tourists who flock to the area every year. A tour company is offering an ocean adventure between Ballina and Byron, an angle of the pristine shoreline that’s rarely seen.

Just days after the New South Wales Premier visited the Northern Rivers, opposition leader Michael Daley has come to town. Today, he promised 20 full-time positions at the Ballina Fire Station, as an election sweetener.

A man in his 60s was yesterday flown to hospital, following a single vehicle crash at Bentley west of Lismore. Emergency services were called to Bentley Road on Monday afternoon, following reports a car had left the road. The Lismore based Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was called in to transport the man, who’d suffered numerous lacerations as well as an injury to his ankle in the crash. He was flown to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

Ballina motorists are being warned, with this week’s king tides likely to cause localised flooding. Although large tides in summer are nothing new, they often lead to minor flooding on some local roads. The salt water can be damaging to vehicles with road users and pedestrians advised to avoid affected roadways where possible. Roads likely to be affected include: Tamar Street, Ballina Riverside Drive, West Ballina River Street, West Ballina Burns Point Ferry Road, West Ballina Southern Cross Drive, North Ballina Uralba Road, Uralba Old Bangalow Road, Tintenbar Tamarind Dr, Cumbalum North Creek Road, North Ballina For road information you can visit myroadinfo.com.au or call Ballina Shire Council on 1300 864 444.  

Attending court is never an easy task for victims and witnesses, but today some staunch companions have been unleashed at the Lismore Courthouse. The six little Labradors are working as therapy dogs, providing comfort and support.  

More than 190 NORCO farmers will see some much needed drought assistance as Coles begins to distribute its drought relief fund. Between September and December last year, customers paid an extra 30 cents for a bottle of Coles 3 litre milk – raising $3.9-million. Recognising members were being burdened with extra work due to the drought, NORCO help a large number of their members apply for a share of the money. “It’s still very very dry and farmers are still buying a lot of feed and even now buying water for all their stock so it’s a good outcome at the moment.” – Greg McNamara – NORCO Director All 639 eligible applicants across Australia will receive an equal share of the total amount raised – a little over $6000. (AUDIO IN PARTS)

The Berejiklian government is also promising to spend big in the Northern Rivers region, with little over two months to go before the state election. Today, the New South Wales Premier visited Ballina to announce funds for a local men’s shed.