Lower Clarence Valley as seen from space orbit

 

NASA, Gateway toAstronaut Photography of Earth, retrieved 27 October 2023:

WOOLOWEYAH LAGOON, CLARENCE RIVER, SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN, YAMBA, SHOAL BAY

Australia, New South Wales

Click on image to enlarge and for additional clarity

International Space Station ISS

Crew Earth Observations

Spacecraft nadir point (location): 29.3° S, 151.6° E

Photo center point: 29.5° S, 153.3° E

Spacecraft Altitude: 224 nautical miles (415km)

Camera: Nikon D5 Electronic Still Camera

2019:04:06 at 22:50:27 GMT

CATALOGED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

A sad little advertisement with so much unspoken environmental loss attached

 

Logging & sawmilling contractors established 2021
Dundurrabin, Trenayr, Armidale NSW
Clarence Valley Independent
4 October 2023

National Referendum polling places open on Saturday 14 October 2023 in the Clarence Valley Local Government Area

 

Polling place locations for referendum voting on Saturday, 14 October 2023 open at 8am and close dead on 6pm.

If you are unsure of the nearest polling place where you can vote tomorrow please check Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) look up tool at:

https://www.aec.gov.au/referendums/voting.htm#start.

City, Town & Village Polling Place Locations in Clarence Valley - alphabetical order

Chatsworth Island Hall

17 Chatsworth Road, Chatsworth Island.

Copmanhurst & District War Memorial Hall

61 Grafton Street, Copmanhurst.

Coutts Crossing Coronation Hall

7 Armidale Road, Coutts Crossing.

Cowper Public School

74 Clarence Street, Cowper.

Glenreagh School of Arts Hall

62 Coramba Street, Glenreagh.

Grafton High School

97 Mary Street, Grafton.

Joan Muir Community Centre

194 Turf Street, Grafton.

Grafton TAFE (Library)

Entry Via Pound St, Grafton

Gulmarrad Public School

466 Brooms Head Road, Gulmarrad.

Harwood Island Public School

Morpeth Street, Harwood Island.

Iluka Community Hall

54 Spencer Street, Iluka.

Junction Hill Play Group

32 Pine Street, Junction Hill.

Lawrence Public School

64-70 High Street, Lawrence.

Maclean Public School

25 Woodford Street, Maclean.

Palmers Island Public School

9 School Road, Palmers Island.

South Grafton Public School

24 Vere Street, South Grafton.

South Grafton Presbyterian Connect Church

69 Wharf St, South Grafton.

St Joseph’s Primary School South Grafton

Hyde St, South Grafton.

Tucabia Community Hall

28 Clarence Street, Tucabia.

Ulmarra Public School

2476 Big River Way, Ulmarra.

Wooli Hall

92 Main Street, Wooli.

Woombah Bush Fire Brigade building

40 Middle Street-Iluka Road, Woombah.

Yamba Public School

39 Angourie Road, Yamba.

St. James Catholic Primary School

1 Carrs Drive Yamba.

Yamba TAFE Connected Learning Centre

6 Roberts Close, off Treelands Drive, Yamba.

NOTE:

Baryulgil and Dundurrabin voters appear to have no polling booths in their immediate areas on Saturday and need to use AEC look up tool to find nearest polling place.

Tweet of the Week

 

Faaark yes pic.twitter.com/SFZlg4d4iW

— just me 🏳️‍🌈🌈 AJ (@WakeWtfu) October 1, 2023

 

"The Voice" Referendum State of Play 2023: Lower Clarence Valley

 

In 2023 there have only been a handful of letters to the "Clarence Valley Independent" editor published online to date concerning the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Voice to Parliament.

Here are the two most recent......

Clarence Valley Independent online:

The quiet voice

September 27, 2023 -

Ed,

In the lead up to the referendum, we’re hearing a lot of controversy. The quieter voices get less airplay. Yet these are the important voices.

Boots on the ground Larrakia Elder Aunty Bilawara Lee is one such quiet voice. She says:

“The Voice gives us a platform and a way forward. This referendum isn’t about politics or constitutions or governments or legislation – it came from us, not from them.

It’s about how do we keep our kids at school? How do we fight the scourge of domestic violence, suicide, and poor mental health?

How do we stop repeating this same terrible cycle, decade after decade?

We’re not asking for money; we’re not asking for your backyards. We want recognition and acknowledgment; we want to be included.

Some people say to me “You’re an elder, why don’t you fix this problem.”

Well, we need to have a seat at the table. Let me have a say and bring our suggested solutions to these major issues.”

How to support the quiet voices? By voting Yes.

Shakti Burke, Maclean

Understanding the Voice

September 20, 2023 -

Ed,

I was unaware of how a Voice to Parliament would be implemented and have read as much as I can find on the question of the referendum and now have a better understanding.

The terms of reference, size, mode of election for the Voice will be determined by the parliament not by the prime minister. This does make it fairly clear why as yet we have not been given details of how it would be implemented.

Since the Albanese government does not have a majority in both houses of parliament, the composition and function of the Voice will require negotiation and compromise, in which Mr Dutton and members who are advocating a ‘No’ vote will be able play a constructive role in the make up, size, mode of election and terms of reference for the Voice to Parliament. This includes our Federal Member Kevin Hogan who recently claimed he is concerned about who is on the Voice and how they are chosen to be on the Voice etc.

Hopefully as the next few weeks go by, we will gain more of any understanding of this process and less vitriol and negativity on such an important question.

Annie Dorrian, Iluka

There are also events like this one on Sunday, 1 October 2023, at Pilot Hill, Yamba.....

Photo: Maiara Skarheim, Look Right Productions

Photographer not identified

Video by Frankie Belle Parker

Cartoon of the Week

 

First Dog On The Moon via @cecenviro

 

Uniting calls for new tenders on incomplete independent living apartments in Yamba and now hopes to have construction completed in late 2024

Clarence Valley Independent, 6 September 2023:

Uniting has called for tenders to complete its 50 apartment Yamba Road development after the contracted builder GCB Constructions was placed into administration. Image: Fran Dowsett

Uniting has called for tenders to complete their 50-apartment development on Yamba Road after the builder initially contracted to complete the work, GCB Constructions was placed into administration.

When GCB began work on the site in 2022 it was hoped that the development would be complete, and tenants would have moved into the apartments by Christmas 2023.

But due to the problems incurred by GCB Constructions, tradespeople have only set foot on the Yamba site this year to retrieve any tools and equipment, before the site was secured after GCB was placed into administration on July 26, 2023.

The CV Independent has been contacted by local tradespeople working on the site who say collectively they are owed more than $1 million by GCB Constructions.

The company, which was founded in Lismore, formed a Gold Coast branch, with the Gold Coast division engaged by Uniting on the Yamba project.

When the CV Independent contacted GCB Constructions Lismore office they advised they were not associated with the embattled GCB Constructions on the Gold Coast which is in administration….

A Uniting NSW ACT spokesperson told the CV Independent, Uniting had invited tenders to complete the project.

“Uniting has now terminated the contract with GCB Constructions,” the spokesperson said.

“The administrators will still be working closely with creditors (including sub-contractors and Uniting) who have been impacted by these developments.

“Uniting has invited tenders from a select group of contractors to complete the works – this tender has not yet closed.”….

“Uniting hopes to have appointed the new builder and commenced work by the end of the year, with the aim of completing the apartments by late 2024.”

BACKGROUND

To avoid confusion being sown in the minds of readers….

GCB Construction Pty Ltd website lists its three offices as being:

14E/421 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia;

Level 3/21 Lakes [or Lake] Street

Varsity Lakes QLD 4227, Australia; and

32 Barnes Avenue, East Lismore NSW 2480, Australia.

Greg Clark Building Pty Ltd website lists its two offices as being:

32 Barnes Avenue, East Lismore NSW 2480, Australia; and

Level 3, 21 Lakes Street, Varsity Lakes QLD 4227.

The websites of both companies displayed a completed Uniting Caroona Hostel 12 Bed Extension as one of their own projects here and here. However, the incomplete Yamba independent living units contract with Uniting is only listed on the GCB Construction website in the Aged Care Capability Statement.

Weeping figures commemorate 2022 flooding in the Clarence Valley

 

 

PICTURED: Nationally recognised local artist Al Stark painted four sentinels overlooking the Clarence River on the pylons under the new Harwood Bridge adjacent to Yamba Road. 

Photos by Clarence Valley Council, August 2023

Ray White Yamba is to be congratulated for deciding to not use the Ailo app in its rental business model

 

Ailo app 1.0 was released in or about April 2020 and has had nine iterations up to 25 July 2023.

From the beginning this app appears to have had stability issues – eg., app crashing, failure to load (Loading Error, Server Timeout Error, Connection Reset Error, Connection Failed Error) – and raised some general concerns about security of personal information due to potential third-party data sharing, possibly including photographs of occupied rental interiors.

This post in a Reddit thread appears to encapsulates renter unhappiness:

I've had nothing but problems since being forced to use this god awful app. Incorrect due dates for rent, incorrect amounts being charged for rent, receiving repeated emails stating my rent is $5 overdue ( this one lasted for months). Not to mention the annoyance of trying to pay rent without being charged a fee.

While a Whirpool forum show tenants are fighting back:

I successfully complained to the Dept of Fair Trading NSW and Ailo have now offered a 'fee-waiver form' as a way to stop fees being charged for direct debit rent payments.

It does sound like you only avoid paying fees if you know about the fee-waver form.

In my view the wording of the current legislation is too open to abuse, which is what Ailo have done (see Residential Tenancies Act 2010, Sect 35.) Fair Trading and others are putting pressure on Ailo and it seems to be working; make your voice heard if this is affecting you.

Fair Trading recommended contacting policy @customerservice.nsw.gov.au, who review legislation reforms, and Tenants Advice or Advocacy Services (TAAS) at www.tenants.org.au

Hope this helps.

So Ray White Yamba is to be congratulated for deciding to not use the Ailo app in its rental business model.

Clarence Valley Independent, 16 August 2020

Increasing cost-of-living pressures have led Ray White Yamba to elect not to use the Ailo mobile app, introduced by the company across its network of agents as a property management system, for tenants to pay and landlords to collect rental payments.

Recently, some Ray White agents, along with other real estate brands, across Australia emailed tenants and landlords inviting them to use Ailo, a third-party property management app to pay their rent, which was founded by former Ray White Director Ben White.

Ray White Yamba Managing Director, Daniel Kelly said after piloting and testing the Ailo property management system they decided against implementing it for their clients.

“The Ailo technology is not exclusive to Ray White, there’s other brands around the country that are using it as well,” he said.

“Based on our experience in using it, we feel as though it is not the right fit for us.”

The Ailo app charges 0.25 per-cent for an automated direct debit from a bank account, 0.95 per-cent for debit card payments and 1.5 per-cent for credit card payments, while also offering a fee-free method of payment as required.

In NSW, a law was passed in 2011 that every real estate agent must offer a fee free means of paying rent.

Mr Kelly said convenience and increasing cost-of-living pressures were reasons why Ray White Yamba chose not to use the Ailo app.

“Predominantly one reason was convenience for our clients, tenants in particular, because it’s a system that largely would have been accepted, I believe by landlords, but, from a tenancy perspective the feedback that we have had is that it removed a level of convenience for them in paying the rent,” he said.

“The decision we came to was, obviously cost-of-living is a big issue at the moment, and we don’t want to be inflicting further pain on people, so it wasn’t the right fit for us.”

Coastal Emu numbers continue to dwindle in the Clarence Valley due vehicle strike and human population pressures

 

Coastal Emu attempting to cross Brooms Head roads in the Lower Clarence Valley, NSW. IMAGES: The Daily Telegraph, archival photographs

Clarence Valley Independent, 19 July 2023:

Residents of the Clarence Valley and visitors to the region are being asked to keep an eye out for critically endangered Coastal Emu’s on local roads following the recent death of an animal on Brooms Head Road.

Coastal Emus live between Evans Head and Corindi along the Northern NSW coast, with the population, believed to be less than 40 locally, stretching inland to the Bungawalbin wetlands.

Yuraygir National Park and Bungawalbin National Park remain the strongholds for the remaining Coastal Emu population in the region.

Due to this incident in late June, the Saving our Species program is reminding people travelling on Clarence Valley roads to remain vigilant and report any emu sightings, after 60 emus were killed by vehicles in the last 10 years.

“The latest casualty…followed a suspected chick vehicle strike death in May.”

Despite this tragic incident, efforts have been made to prevent it happening again through the implementation of signage and reduced speed limits.

Ms Giese said Clarence Valley Council, Transport for NSW, Department of Planning and Environment and local community groups have worked together to reduce speed limits on Brooms Head Road, and clear signage is in place.

“The speed reduction zone is located at an emu crossing corridor and road strike hotspot and is the same location where the emu was killed last week,” Ms Giese said.

“I would also like to acknowledge the huge community effort that went into finding the injured emu and getting it to veterinary attention.”

Locals can help save the Coastal Emu population by reporting sightings of emus in the Clarence Valley to council’s online sightings register https://www.clarenceconversations.com.au/coastalemus

If you own land where emus roam, installing emu friendly fencing can help save the species, and motorists are reminded to be on high alert for emus on local roads.

Coastal Emu family, Palmers Island Channel, Lower Clarence River, NSW. IMAGES: The Daily Telegraph & Daily Examiner, 2015, archival footage

Yaegl Elder, patriarch, anthropologist, historian, former university lecturer, Doctor of Letters honoris causa Ron Heron of Yamba passed away on Thursday 13 July 2023 and his funeral will be held on Monday 24 July. NOTE: This post includes the image of a person who is deceased

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 19 July 2023:

The Indigenous community and people across the Clarence Valley are mourning the death of Yaegl Elder Uncle Ron Heron, who passed away on Thursday, July 13. He is pictured here at the opening of the Yuraygir Coastal Walk in 2014. Image: Geoff Helisma.

Aboriginal communities across Australia and people from the Northern Rivers are in mourning following the sudden passing of renowned Yaegl patriarch Uncle Ron Heron.

Uncle Ron Heron was born at Lismore in 1947, schooled in the mission system and worked in the Clarence Valley as a cane cutter and picking peas until he decided to make his mark on the world in his early 30’s.

His niece Lesley King told the CV Independent Uncle Ron was a working as a cane cutter when he woke one day determined to make his mark on Aboriginal society and education.

“Prior to all the studies he did, he was just an ordinary cane cutter, he used to go and do cane cutting all around the Clarence River,” she said.

“Then he woke up one day thinking he had to do something else with his life, he said he just decided ‘this isn’t me’, so he started studying, it was his own wake up call.

“So, he started working with Community Health in the Clarence Valley as an Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol counsellor, and he did a bit of work in the Richmond Valley travelling all around to places like Baryulgil.”

Lesley said Uncle Ron decided to go to university, so he moved the Canberra to study and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Letters, by thesis (now Master of Letters) in prehistory and anthropology.

“After he got his degree, he came back to the Richmond River area and he worked at Southern Cross University at Lismore for 10 years lecturing in Indigenous Studies,” she said.

Once a year Macquarie University came to Maclean High School as part of the Rivers of Learning program and Uncle Ron was involved in a week of training and learning, Lesley said, then they would all celebrate together.

Contributions to extensive research at Macquarie University on bush medicines, in international scientific journals, lectures and storytelling led to Uncle Ron being awarded a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from Macquarie University in September 2014, an extremely proud moment for the family and the Yaegl people.

“The family were so proud of Uncle Ron, he worked hard all of his study life,” Lesley said.

“He was a very gentle man; he was very positive in everything he did.

“He was passionate about Aboriginal issues, mostly with archaeology, but also with National Parks and Wildlife, to help educate the other side of the world, the Europeans.

“Uncle Ron met tonnes of beautiful people in his work and in his training and left a positive mark with everyone he met.”

When a mural of Uncle Ron painted on a pump station at Maclean was graffitied in 2022, Lesley said he was ‘gutted’, but when artist Nitsua unveiled a repainted mural in June 2023, he was immensely proud…..

During NAIDOC Week celebrations early this month, Lesley said Uncle Ron had a great time at the elders’ lunch and at the South Grafton community day.

“He was great, he was laughing and out meeting mates and friends and other Elders,” she said.

“Then he got sick on the weekend, and we took him to Maclean Hospital and all his tests were good until he had a blood test and we found out he had a heart attack.”

After the shock of the news Uncle Ron had suffered a heart attack, Lesley said arrangements were made for him to have bypass surgery, but tragically he passed away before the operation…..

“He was the father of all of us Yaegl people after we lost our mum and for all the other’s that had lost their mum and dad.

“Right up until his passing he was teaching all of his grandchildren what he was trained to do.”

Uncle Ron Heron will be farewelled at the Maclean Anglican Church on Monday, July 24, at a time to be confirmed.

In which the persistence of a millionaire Qld property developer is countered by the commitment of a Lower Clarence community to protect the James Creek precinct from overdevelopment and other harms

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 12 July 2023:

The Northern Regional Planning Panel has published its reasons for refusing a 336-lot subdivision at James Creek, a proposal that encountered hurdles satisfying council, which ultimately led to it not being recommended for approval.

When a development application DA was lodged with Clarence Valley Council in November 2020 for a staged residential subdivision on James Creek Road at James Creek, it proposed 342 lots, with 336 residential lots, a single park, and a neighbourhood centre for small scale retail.

Soon after the DA was lodged, The James Creek Residents Action Group was soon formed, and on December 7, 2020, the development application was withdrawn on behalf of owner Kahuna No 1 Pty Ltd.

A revised DA was lodged with CVC on November 4, 2021, for a 336-lot subdivision at 104 James Creek Road featuring 329 residential lots, one commercial lot, 4 drainage reserves and associated public space areas.

After working with CVC on the subdivision for more than a year, when Council staff completed their final assessment report for the Northern Regional Planning Panel NRPP, they recommended the subdivision be refused.

On June 29, 2023, when the NRPP met via videoconference to decide on the DA, after hearing submissions from 16 concerned locals, the subdivision was unanimously refused.

The NRPP published their reasons for refusing the DA last week, stating the application was refused for the reasons attached to the Council’s assessment report.

“The Panel agrees with the council assessment that the proposed inward facing urban structure, density, and proposed lot design relates poorly to the existing topographical form and presents a stark change to surrounding rural and semi-rural setting and character,” the determination stated.

“The Panel considers there is inadequate social infrastructure and services to support the proposed development including bus services and given the distances to local shops and facilities.

“The Panel also concluded there was insufficient consideration of flood evacuation, but notes the verbal advice provided by Council staff of an offer by the applicant to upgrade Gardiners Road to enable evacuation in a 1:100 year flood event.

“The Panel agrees with Council’s view that additional information and design amendments which might result in a more integrated ‘village’ style settlement may resolve these and other issues addressed in Council’s assessment report.”

In coming to its decision, the panel considered written submissions made during public exhibition and heard from all those wishing to address the panel.

The panel noted issues of concern included the impact on services, the lack of flood free access from Townsend along Gardiners Road, access to Austons Lane, stormwater management and flooding, impacts on adjoining rural land users and lack of buffers, inconsistency of development with planning proposal and adopted council policies, urban design and local character, traffic, transport and access, lack of Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment and consideration, a bushfire hazard, lack of public consultation and biodiversity.

The owner of lot 104 James Creek Road, Kahuna No 1 Pty Ltd now has the option of working with council to redesign the subdivision and relodge a revised DA, which they did with this DA, or decide not to pursue a subdivision on this site.

Australian Rural & Regional News, 5 July 2023:

Cheers of celebration and relief from James Creek residents erupted when the Northern Regional Planning Panel refused approval for a controversial $33 million 336 lot subdivision on James Creek Road.

The panel met via teleconference on Thursday June 29, to decide whether to approve the development application DA by MPD Investments at 104 James Creek Road for 329 residential lots, one commercial lot, four drainage reserves and two open space areas on the 33-hectare site.

Clarence Valley Council’s assessment report for the ‘regionally significant development’, which required it to be decided by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP), recommended the DA be refused over concerns with sewage, stormwater discharge, traffic issues, land use conflict, the urban structure and sensitivity of the proposed design to the surrounds.

When the DA was put on public exhibition three times in 2022 and 2023, council received 100 submissions and a petition with 171 signatures against the subdivision.

Clarence Valley Council was represented by Cr’s Ian Tiley and Peter Johnstone on the five person NRPP, after Cr Greg Clancy declared a conflict of interest as he had been to a public meeting with complainants about the subdivision.

NRPP Chair Diane Leeson said there were 18 people registered to speak to the panel about the DA.

Speakers included James Creek resident of 30 plus years, Pat Bowen, and Lorri Brown who spoke on behalf of the James Creek Residents Action Group stating the development would double the population of the village, which went against council’s targeted growth figures for James Creek.

Carolyn Cameron, whose husband’s family settled in James Creek in 1863 said she feared ‘that our close-knit rural community is going to be lost’.

An emotional Sharon Farlow, who holds a routine movement stock permit to move her cattle along James Creek Road which her family has done for 100 years, feared with increased traffic her livelihood would be impacted.

Neighbour Keira Fahey urged the NRPP to follow council’s refusal recommendation as the buffer zone between the subdivision and other properties was not adequate…..

Read the full article here.