Tag Archives: ballina

It was a riot of creative colour at Ballina’s RSL on Saturday, with local Lego artists showing off their building skills. And the fun had no age limit, capturing the imagination of children and their lego-loving parents.

Ballina’s Summer Cup had punters flowing through the gates – helped along by a 50 per cent increase in prize money. But it will take some time for the Jockey Club to get back on its feet, following the wash out of last year’s Ballina Cup.

There was a lucky escape for two men on the state’s far north coast today, after their boat overturned at the entrance to the Richmond River. The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was among a number of emergency services called to East Ballina, after reports a boat had rolled while crossing the Ballina bar. Both men were plucked from the water by a passing charter boat. Neither were injured.

Two people are recovering in hospital, after they were struck by a car while walking along an East Ballina street. A 65-year-old woman and a man in his 60s were walking along Suvla Street just after 8 o’clock on Friday morning, when they were hit by a Kia Carnival. The woman was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital suffering serious injuries, while the man was taken to a local hospital suffering minor injuries. The driver of the car, a 27-year-old woman was taken to Lismore Base Hospital for mandatory testing.

A mosquito expert has arrived in Ballina, to study the impact of the blood-sucking insects on people living and visiting the area. The information he gathers will assist Council with its mosquito management plan.

It seems everyone had the same idea when trying to cool down during the recent heat wave with incredible numbers passing through the gates of Ballina’s revamped Memorial Pool.  Thursday was record-breaking, with 1230 swimmers. “We’ve been getting around 900 most days through the holidays but another 300 on top of that makes it pretty busy let alone 350 on top of that.” Redeveloping the Ballina and Alstonville pools, cost Ballina Shire Council around $16-million.  (AUDIO IN PARTS)

The Far North Coast is still a top tourist destination despite a record 14 shark sightings since the start of the summer. Today, Ballina’s Shelly Beach was awash with holidaymakers.

Young players want you to know the future of the baggy green is safe. Hundreds of the sport’s rising stars have descended on the North Coast for the Ballina 13s Carnival.  

The safety of boaties and beachgoers was at the centre of a weekend police operation in the Northern Rivers. Operation Banshee cracked down on alcohol and drug-related crime, as well as anti-social behaviour along the region’s coastline. Samantha Poate reports. Almost 90 vessels were stopped as part of the multi-agency operation, which involved local police, Maritime NSW and the Department of Primary Industries. On the sand, officers from the Traffic & Highway Patrol command breath tested 60 motorists, including a 24-year-old woman on Airforce Beach at Evans Head who returned a reading of 0.018. She’s due in Ballina Local Court next month. A number of other infringement notices were issued for offences including unregistered vehicles and unrestrained children.

After last week’s pairs competition, many bowlers are hoping it’s a case of ‘second time lucky’ when playing in the Summerland Series’ singles event. Dave Ferguson is one such player, back to defend his 2018 title.