Nambucca Valley News Of The Area 1 March 2024

Ratepayers continue to wear cost of illegal dumping

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The cost is ultimately absorbed by ratepayers, taking resources away from local roads and other Council projects.

“It is very frustrating for the Council that people dump rubbish illegally and it is on the increase across the valley,” Nambucca Valley Council’s Mr Ben Fuller told News Of The Area.

Council showed News Of The Area where tonnes of bamboo waste has been illegally dumped at a Council roadside stockpile area along Rodeo Road, Tewinga, near Kookaburra Lane.

In this case an investigation is underway and Council has information that is likely to result in identifying who is responsible.

Council is able to impose fines of up to $1,100 and issue clean-up notices, both enforceable.

Council is increasingly signposting potential illegal dumping locations, having Rangers conduct passive patrols of these areas and even employing trail cameras in an effort to curb this illegal activity.

“With the Council's kerb-side collection coming up we are concerned as we tend to see

a spike in illegal dumping at these times,” Mr Fuller added.

“There are allocated locations for these kerbside collections and Council

roadside stockpile locations are not to be used for the dumping of items intended for collection.”

With increased surveillance and enforceable

$1,100 fines in place Council is hopeful that the trend of using forest areas, roadsides and Council stockpile areas for illegal dumping will decrease.

Search for missing swimmer short-lived

A SHORT-LIVED search for a missing swimmer was wrapped up on Tuesday afternoon, with CCTV footage later showing the swimmer alive and well onshore.

About 1.10pm on Tuesday 27 February 2024, emergency services were called to the Nambucca River, near Nelson Street, following reports a swimmer was seen in

the water before failing to resurface.

Officers attached to Mid North Coast Police District arrived and immediately commenced a search for the man.

The swimmer was

described as wearing either a white or red swimming cap, and was last seen swimming in the direction of the ocean.

Rescue NSW.

The search involved local police as well as Surf Life Saving NSW and Marine

Following inquiries, police viewed CCTV footage which showed the swimmer - who remains unidentified - returning safely to shore a short time after the initial report.

disabilities in the Nambucca

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has taken delivery of a purpose-built mobile change table that enables a new level of freedom and dignity for those with complex disabilities.

The Director and Principal Physiotherapist at Diverging Pathways, Bec Dalzell, approached Dave Banks of Nambucca Valley Rotary about assistance in acquiring the table, costing over $3,000, to be permanently based at the Aquatic Centre.

“At our first meeting this year we (Nambucca Valley Rotary) approached the Nambucca Heads Lions Club about sharing the cost of purchasing this table,” Mr Banks told News Of The Area.

“Lions said yes and, with a contribution from Complete Staff Solutions at Coffs

Harbour and transport costs being met by Council, we have been able to purchase this wonderful asset for the community.”

The mobile change table is on wheels and is able to be hydraulically raised and lowered so that the disabled person can be hoisted out of the pool and onto the table, which can be wheeled into the change room for carers to assist changing the person into dry clothes.

Prior to the arrival of this table at the Macksville Aquatic and Fitness Centre users were required to travel home, often over considerable distances, in the discomfort of wet clothing.

“This level of collaboration between Lions and Rotary is not unusual when it comes

to doing something for the community and we all get on very well with each other,” Graheme Beatton of the Nambucca Heads Lions Club added.

Rotary and Lions then approached Nambucca Valley Council for further support.

“When Rotary and Lions came to us for support it was a no-brainer for Council as what they were proposing was such a great idea and to see how free and relaxing that time in the pool was for young Cody impressed on us what a privilege it is for Council to be able to play a part in this,” Nambucca Valley Council General Manager Mr Bede Spannagle said.

Physiotherapist Bec Dalzell told News Of The Area, “This table has transformed an amazing facility into a fully accessible one making this pool at Macksville the only

people

q Physiotherapist Bec Dalzell and Cody Langham at the Macksville Aquatic and Fitness Centre where the new mobile change table now provides a new level of accessibility to those with complex disabilities.

one in the region that can be accessed by those with complex disabilities.

“Up until this point many

of my clients and others in the community have not been able to access this facility and this opens up a new world to

them by being able to access the pool without safety issues and other challenges.”

RFS and Surf Life Savers collaborate for safer coastlines

NSW Emergency services are working together to help keep the state’s northern coastline safer, with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) teaming up to introduce aerial patrols of busy local beaches using the RFS Bell helicopter.

Volunteer lifesavers will soon have a bird’s-eyeview of rips and dangerous surf conditions, isolated swimmers, and other threats such as sharks on busy days

along a 100-kilometre stretch of coastline from Red Rock to South West Rocks.

Information gathered through aerial surveillance can be relayed to the SLSNSW State Operations Centre and individual beach patrols, giving ground crews advance warning of threats, and helping them respond to emergencies more effectively.

Aerial patrols can also be used for search operations,

directing water-based rescue personnel to a specific location, or even to undertake a rescue if necessary.

The Bell helicopter is equipped with a sophisticated video and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera operated by RFS aircrew to provide live stream video, capture still images and map the location of any identified hazards.

The use of the Bell helicopter by SLSNSW volunteers will be dependent on weather and RFS

operational needs, with the chopper to be controlled by professional aviation crew.

Aerial patrols are set to start from 24 February and will run two times a day from Coffs Harbour on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays during the warmer months.

“The aerial patrols will provide a new and unparalleled vantage point, allowing us to swiftly identify

and address potential dangers and respond effectively to coastal emergencies,” Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said.

"With the recent number of drownings in NSW, it’s more important than ever to utilise every available means to enhance beach safety and we are thrilled to collaborate with the RFS in this way.”

Rural Fire Service (RFS)

Commissioner Rob Rogers said the collaboration allows the organisations to leverage resources “for the greater good”.

“From fires to floods and now beach safety, the RFS aviation fleet and crew are trained and positioned to assist and protect the people of NSW wherever and whenever possible.”

Seed savers gather for farm tour

ON the humid Saturday morning of 24 February, the owners of Blue Marble Farm, located just off the Stuarts Point Road, generously hosted a fee-free farm tour, with the aim of sharing their seed saving knowledge and techniques.

With the recent weather conditions providing a lush backdrop, owner Julie Humphris outlined the history of the family and the establishment of their farm.

“We bought this property, comprising 400 acres, six years ago, and we were determined to create a holistically managed, no-dig

garden,” Julie said.

The attentive gathering of 20 or so attendees consisted of two dedicated seed saving groups, one from Bellingen and one from the Macleay Valley, who were keen to expand and share their knowledge and strategies.

Julie’s family homestead operates on dedicated, diverse and inclusive permaculture principles; utilising practical experience, home grown produce and the ethics of keeping old skills alive.

Over time the farm has expanded to encompass biodynamic practices, with well-established vegetable patches and fruit production orchards, as well as the inclusion of dairy cattle and goats for milking.

All techniques are aimed at

Antenno

www.nambucca.nsw.gov.au

Have you downloaded the Council mobile app Antenno?

What is Antenno?

Antenno is a free mobile app that is very simple and easy to use where you will receive real time notifications and alerts on any number of Council related issues. With the reporting feature you can notify us of issues such as graffiti, road damage, roaming animals, and much more.

How

do I get Antenno?

Simply download Antenno from the App Store or Google Play.

For more information please see Council’s Website: https://www.nambucca.nsw.gov.au/Residents/Antenno-Mobile-App/Antenno

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:

Bede Spannagle GENERAL MANAGER

achieving a large degree of selfsufficiency.

Jeff Alcott, a visiting seed saver from the Bellingen group, said seed networks had an active local membership.

“Though we have a small contingent of members from Bellingen here today, we have a

mailing list of about 700 people, as well as meeting monthly for events,” he said.

“We are also involved with the regular Bello Plant Fair.”

For more information on seed saver networks, visit https:// seedsavers.net/local-seednetworks/.

www.nambucca.nsw.gov.au

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2024

The Nambucca Valley Community has continued to participate actively in Clean up Australia Day which is a great way to motivate Australians about the importance of cleaning up our country.

Volunteers and community groups wanting to participate in the clean up and be part of the Clean Up Australia team MUST REGISTER DIRECT WITH CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA by contacting 1800 282 329 or visit www.cleanup.org.au prior to the day.

www.newsofthearea.com.au

Oyster growers seeking sewage solution

THIS week in a closed session of the ordinary council meeting (Thursday 29 February), Nambucca Valley Council was set to discuss tender options for two sewage wastewater tanks to be installed in Macksville.

As a result of action by the NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and a small group of oyster farmers in the Nambucca Valley, Council has committed to installing two sewage overflow tanks to mitigate the risk of flood events overrunning the Valley’s Councilmanaged sewerage system.

Last year the EPA issued two official caution letters to Nambucca Valley Council in response to three instances they had investigated wherein sewage wastewater had overflowed into the Nambucca River.

“EPA notes that the three overflows that occurred on 8 October 2022, 25 March 2023, 23 April 2023 respectively, in accordance with (the) Food Authority NSW Shellfish Program, automatically incurred a 21-day non-harvest period for all oyster growers within the Nambucca River,” stated the EPA in their first show-cause letter to Council on 13 June 2023.

The EPA found Council to be in breach of its obligations to “bund and containment” of any discharge from its system.

In July 2023 Council received two official caution notifications, each carrying a penalty of $15,000.

According to these letters, “Instead of receiving a financial penalty, Council proposed to allocate the same dollar amount to developing and implementing strategies to enable the containment and clean-up measures for dry weather overflows.”

Two of the three overflows investigated occurred in wet weather and one (23 April 2023) occurred in dry weather as the result of a blockage.

Council claims this blockage was caused by ‘wet wipes’ and rags in the pipes and resolved to educate the public about the need to dispose of such items in the garbage rather than through the sewerage system.

According to the EPA, Council reported that “containment of a sewage overflow is a secondary consideration and would be utilised only once it has been determined that the cause of the overflow cannot be readily cleared or bypassed”.

Although frustrated with the situation, local oyster-growers are taking hope from the fact no further overflows have occurred since these breaches.

“But it has been a dry period,”

local oyster grower James Ford told News Of The Area.

“Recently we had about 60 mm and luckily, it held.

“We would love the opportunity to grow our industry here in Nambucca but how can we do that when we have to shut down for seven months of the year?” he said.

“First we had blackwater from the fires, then flooding and these issues with sewerage.

“It’s no wonder there is 15-20 percent attrition from our industry.

“The small guys quit and all you get left are the big companies,” he said.

Nambucca Valley Council

General Manager Mr Bede Spannagle said, “These (two) tanks (to be discussed at meeting) were only made possible as a result of the Council receiving an Infrastructure Betterment Fund grant of $1.35 million dollars from the State Government."

The tanks will each hold 100,000 L and will be installed underground at pumps three and seven of the Council’s system.

“They represent works over and above what was required by the EPA,” he said.

According to Mr Spannagle, Council has been working on fixing many of the issues which led to the

overflows into the river.

“We are attacking the problem on a number of different fronts,” he told NOTA.

While the installation of the tanks is hoped will prevent most overflows, Mr Spannagle couldn’t rule out an extreme weather event in the future causing more issues.

Local oyster growers never received any financial compensation for closures as a result of the failings of the Council-run sewerage system.

“It cost us a fair bit just to engage a lawyer,” Mr Ford explained.

“For now we are just hoping they are getting on top of things so we can get on with business.”

Residents sought to inform health services

RESIDENTS with lived experience of mental illness or dependence on alcohol or other drugs have an opportunity to co-design services with the local health district.

Nambucca Valley community members are invited to join a Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Consumer Advisory Group run by the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD).

“Meetings are held concurrently at Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie, utilising the Microsoft Teams platform to link the members at both sites,” a MNCLHD spokesperson told News Of The Area.

“This also caters for members to attend the meetings virtually if they cannot attend in person.”

Established in 2016, the group includes consumers, carers and community members who play a part in the development, planning and evaluation of mental health, alcohol and

Have

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other drugs services.

“The group provides input into service planning, policies and procedures and plays a very important role in increasing the involvement of consumers and carers in local mental health, alcohol and other drugs services,” said Consumer Partnership Coordinator Nicholas Kosseris.

“Members of the Consumer Advisory Group have the opportunity to be involved in the decisionmaking processes of these services for the Mid North Coast Local Health District and to provide feedback directly to management.”

The group meets bimonthly (six meetings per year) and applications are encouraged from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities and from all age groups, especially young people within the community.

Group member Sonia Thompson encouraged others to join the important advisory group.

“I have valued my six years working with the Consumer Advisory Group alongside other consumers and carers and the opportunities it has brought to be involved in the development of policies

and working with key stakeholders in the provision of mental health services for consumers,” she said.

“A highlight for me was attending a statewide meeting in Sydney for the ‘Your Experience of Service’ survey where I was able to represent consumers and carers of the Mid North Coast to bring about action and change to meet the needs of consumers accessing

mental health services.”

Anyone interested in being a member of the Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Consumer Advisory Group is encouraged to apply by Monday 4 March 2024.

For more information or to request an application form, contact Nicholas Kosseris at Nicholas.Kosseris@health. nsw.gov.au or phone (02) 6589 2585.

The role of corporate giants in the regional retail landscape

IN recent days, Australians have been asking questions about the effect of large retailers like Woolworths and Coles on regional communities.

Last week, ABC’s Four Corners program aired an episode entitled ‘Super Power’ in which the tactics of these two corporate giants were discussed.

Among the issues raised was the effect on the profitability of farming.

One Nambucca Valley blueberry grower, who wished to remain anonymous, told News Of The Area that large supermarkets determine the price of his produce, which drives down profits for individual farmers.

“We send our berries to Driscolls and they take ten percent, then the supermarkets, you know Woolies and Coles, decide how much we get and they make their profits too,” he

said.

“Soon all that will be left (in the blueberry industry) are the big corporationowned farms,” he explained of the phenomenon which squeezes the returns of small farming businesses until they cannot afford to stay in the industry.

According to the National Farmers Federation, recent findings by AUSVEG suggest 34 percent of farmers surveyed nationally were considering exiting the industry within twelve months.

Long time dairy farmer Dave McKay thinks that many in his industry did it tough when Woolworths and Coles brought in their “dollar-alitre” milk policy in 2011.

“They kept this price on their branded milk for a decade,” he said.

“The effect was to reduce the value of branded milk products.

“There is no doubt they lowered the price of milk,” Mr

McKay maintained.

Despite this both Mr McKay and Alan Noble, a dairy farmer from South Arm, told NOTA that “things are pretty good now” and that Norco, which acts as an intermediary between retailers and farmers, is doing a good job stabilising milk prices for the few remaining dairy farmers in the Valley.

“Back in the 60s I reckon there were about 360 dairy farms on the Nambucca,” Mr McKay told NOTA, “but there are about six or seven operating here now.”

One other major issue affecting regional areas when large players enter the retail sector is that local small businesses selling similar products are unable to compete on price or convenience.

It is tempting for shoppers to do all their weekly shopping in one place and the large supermarkets are quick to bring in products that locals need.

According to one pharmacy worker in a small Macksville store, “We try to think of new things that they (Woolworths) don’t stock but then the next week, they sell it in Woolworths.

“They don’t seem to be able to think for themselves so they copy off us,” she told News Of The Area.

Currently there are still a few small supermarkets operating outside the Woolworths chain in the Nambucca Valley.

In Nambucca Heads and Bowraville, IGA has stores while in Macksville’s Wallace Street, the Nambucca River Co-op, with roots in the community going back over a century, runs a FoodWorks.

Amanda Murphy is one loyal customer of the FoodWorks in Macksville.

“I do all my shopping here.

“I don’t set foot in Woolworths unless I have to,” she emphatically told NOTA.

“The produce is fresh and I know that Matt (the manager) always supports local farmers,” she explained.

“Besides, three of my

children used to work here.”

Other customers exiting the store told NOTA various reasons for shopping there,

mainly centred around the store’s location or that it stocked products which were not carried by Woolworths.

Have your say on Kempsey rate rise application

KEMPSEY Shire Council has applied to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a special variation to increase their income from rates above the rate peg, with residents invited to have their say on the proposal.

IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly said the Tribunal is now seeking community feedback on the application, which is for a permanent 42.7 percent increase over three years.

“The Tribunal will assess each application against the criteria established by the Office of Local Government,

which require councils to demonstrate the need for the additional revenue, provide evidence of community consultation and detail the impact on affected ratepayers,” Ms Donnelly said.

“Community feedback is an important part of the Tribunal’s assessment of special variation applications and we encourage affected ratepayers and community members to fill out the survey on the IPART website or lodge a submission in relation to any of the applications we’ve received."

IPART sets a rate peg annually for every council

in NSW which caps the amount by which councils can increase the revenue they collect from rates.

For 2024-25, the core rate pegs range from 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent across NSW.

Councils seeking to increase their rates revenue by more than the rate peg must apply to IPART for a special variation.

Ms Donnelly said in general the councils that have applied this year have indicated they are applying for a special variation to improve financial sustainability and to maintain their current service levels.

“IPART recently highlighted ongoing stakeholder concern with the financial sustainability of councils and with the affordability of rising rates, and the NSW Government has recently accepted our recommendation for an independent inquiry into the current financial model of councils,” Ms Donnelly said.

Kempsey Shire Mayor Leo Hauville invited all community members to provide feedback to IPART on the application.

“We encourage everyone in the community to engage with IPART and make submissions,” said Cr Hauville.

“The community is a key part of this independent review of Council’s

application.

“Community involvement in our decision-making process is something that we value and are constantly trying to improve on.”

Council will not make a final decision on the rates for the coming year until June and see this independent review as an opportunity to gain an additional perspective.

Submissions are open until Monday 18 March.

Community members can read the full application and make a submission between now and 18 March on www.ipart.nsw. gov.au/Home/Industries/ Local-Government/ Reviews/Special-VariationsMinimum-Rates/SpecialVariations-and-MinimumRates-2024-25.

Nats and Labor debate impact of National Vehicle Efficiency Standard

NATIONAL Party MPs have warned that the price of popular SUVs, utes and four-wheel drives will be forced up by thousands of dollars under the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), a suggestion rejected by the Department of Transport.

A NVES is a regulatory obligation on car makers to supply vehicles that on average meet a certain CO2 g/km emissions target.

Australia is currently one of the only advanced economies globally without a NVES.

The Standard only applies to new, light vehicles (i.e. cars, SUVs, four-wheel drives and utes).

Two targets are set, one for passenger vehicles and SUVs, and a higher target for most utes and vans.

The Government has been consulting on what standard to put in place, releasing a consultation paper in April 2023 setting out the different factors to be considered.

An Impact Analysis has since been released which lays out three options forward, which is currently open for feedback.

The Federal Government says the NVES will push car makers to give Australian motorists more choices of

new cars, utes and vans that use less fuel and that have until now only been available to buyers in overseas markets.

As new vehicles use less fuel per kilometre, the Government argues an average new vehicle purchaser in 2028 would save $5,710 over five years under the NVES.

Over the life of a vehicle, the Government says its policy will provide around $17,000 in savings per new vehicle.

“Because of a lack of action on an Efficiency Standard, Australian families are paying around $1000 a year more than they need to be for their annual fuel bill –the Albanese Government is delivering long-term cost-ofliving relief to fix that for new vehicles and put money back in people’s pockets,” said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen.

“We’re giving Australians more choice to spend less on petrol, by catching up with the US - this will save Australian motorists $100 billion in fuel costs by 2050.

“This is about ensuring Australian families and businesses can choose the latest and most efficient cars and utes, whether they’re petrol and diesel engines, or hybrid, or electric.”

National Party MPs have raised concerns about the impact of the NVES, particularly in regional and rural communities, with Senator Bridget McKenzie claiming Labor’s proposed policy will put many cars currently favoured by Australian families out of reach.

“During a cost-of-living crisis, the last thing people want to hear is that the price of a new family car or a new ute for a tradie is going to be forced up to make EVs cheaper,” Senator McKenzie said.

“If you're a tradie and you're buying vehicles such as a BT-50 or a D-Max or a HiLux or a Ranger, the Albanese Government's family car tax is going to drive up the cost of purchasing that vehicle.”

Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan said increasing the purchase price of popular family vehicles only makes life harder for people in the regions, particularly the more rural settings in his electorate.

“In New Zealand, we saw a similar tax drive up the cost of a car by about NZ $7,000.

“A punitive tax is not an appropriate way to push people towards EVs that are still not affordable or practical for many rural and remote settings,” Mr Conaghan said.

The Federal Government says there is no evidence

to suggest that a NVES will increase vehicle prices.

Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) CEO Matt Hobbs said the automotive industry was in agreement that a NVES was necessary.

“Nobody disagrees Australia needs to join the rest of the developed world with a standard to ensure we get our fair share of new technology and choice of electric vehicles,” said Mr Hobbs.

“The whole industry knows putting in place a fuel efficiency standard is the right way to go.

“The argument is just about the fine details.”

The new car market has continued its strong

performance into 2024 with record January sales of 89,782 new vehicles, 5.8 percent more than January 2023 and breaking the previous January record of 88,551 set in 2018.

The record January result was underpinned by continued customer preference for SUVs and light commercial vehicles.

SUVs accounted for 55.5 percent of sales while light commercials were 22.9 percent.

Passenger vehicles made up 18.3 percent of sales.

Low emission vehicles remained popular, with hybrids, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles making up 17.4 percent of

sales, while battery electric vehicles represented 5.4 percent.

“The continuing preference for SUVs and utes demonstrates the challenges the Commonwealth Government is facing as it works to introduce a New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES),” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber said.

“Industry wants an emissions standard that is ambitious without limiting the choice and increasing the cost of the vehicles Australians need and want.

“Even with the current incentives offered by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments, sales of battery electric vehicles appear to have plateaued during recent months.”

State begins to plan for future disasters

LAST week the State Government released the nation’s first State Disaster Mitigation Plan (SDMP), developed by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

The plan reveals the cost of building and infrastructure damage from natural disasters could hit $9.1 billion per year by 2060 if mitigation steps are not taken, as more frequent and severe events take an increased toll on homes, businesses and government infrastructure.

This is up from an estimated average annual cost of damage at $3.1 billion per year in NSW.

The Plan outlines how the rising costs of disasters can

be addressed by refocusing government policy towards risk-reducing actions, and details how government agencies can work together to help communities prepare for worsening bushfires, heatwaves, floods, storms and coastal erosion.

Since 2019, NSW residents have endured over 65 declared disasters, costing taxpayers more than $6 billion, with more than 20,000 homes damaged in 2022 alone.

Research for the plan shows the top 20 local government areas in NSW currently most at risk from multiple hazards are the Central Coast, Tweed,

Clarence Valley, Ballina, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Hawkesbury, Sydney, Lake Macquarie, Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Sutherland Shire, Newcastle, Bayside, Liverpool, Wollongong, Parramatta, Lismore, Shoalhaven and the Inner West.

While not on this list, in 2023 Nambucca was listed as one of the top three LGAS with the ‘highest storm risk in the social environment’.

This refers to risks of injury or death of people and animals; disruption to educational, sporting, cultural and religious activities; displacement from homes and communities due to building collapse or structural damage; mental health stress, isolation of communities

due to flooding; disruption to essential services such as food, water, energy, communications and supply chains; and crimes such as theft or looting of impacted communities and domestic and family violence due to psychological stress.

Further north, the Coffs Harbour LGA is highlighted in the report as being at particular risk of coastal erosion.

Coffs Harbour was also listed as one of the LGAs with the highest risk to the built environment from cyclone activity.

In developing the SDMP, detailed analysis was undertaken to determine the biggest threats to NSW.

The results showed that storms and floods present the highest risk to homes, businesses and infrastructure,

while heatwaves and bushfires present the greatest risk to life.

The authority will deliver the next State Disaster Mitigation Plan (SDMP) in 2026, which will identify projects for the longer term.

“We’re shifting the dial in how we address disasters as well as making sure we do not inadvertently put people in harm’s way through bad planning decisions,” said Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib.

“For the first time, NSW finally has a plan to begin turning that around with information on how we can invest in reducing risks before disasters occur to better protect communities.

“Successive years of unprecedented natural disasters have highlighted the need for NSW to meet

the challenges of the future by working to reduce both the actual and social costs of natural hazards to our communities.

“There is no easy or simple solution to these challenges.

“The focus of the State Disaster Mitigation Plan is to provide a framework and clear actions for reducing risk where we can, and adapting where we can’t, through improved warning systems and a focus on resilient infrastructure.

“The increasing risk of natural disasters also increases pressure on our emergency services staff and volunteers, who put themselves on the line keeping communities safe.

“This plan will help to manage that risk by reducing the impact of disasters before they occur.”

Women’s group seek action on short term rentals

BPW Coffs Coast is preparing a submission to a NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure discussion paper on short and long term rental accommodation.

The Government’s discussion paper explores the effectiveness of the current planning and regulatory framework for short-term rental accommodation in NSW, while exploring potential policy options to encourage property investors to make homes available for long-term rental accommodation.

The discussion paper also provides the opportunity for

community members and groups to provide feedback.

BPW Coffs Coast has been working to “support, encourage and empower women” in the region for more than 50 years.

Research from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute indicates that women, particularly older women, are being disproportionately impacted by Australia’s

growing housing crisis.

“Tourist areas such as the Coffs Coast are particularly vulnerable to rental stress owing to the attraction for users and home owners alike to short term rental accommodation,” BPW Coffs Coast President Deborah Petlueng said.

The short-term rental market has become a megaindustry in recent years, with some investors and developers using short term rental accommodation (STRA) platforms to significantly increase their profits, in many cases to the detriment of long-term rentals.

Short-term letting sites like Airbnb were originally designed to offer rooms in people’s homes to tourists and travellers, however their listings have evolved to include tens of thousands of entire houses and apartments, many of which were previously available for long-term rental.

“The growth of the STRA market in the Coffs Coast area is significant and is affecting the availability of long term rentals to women and families,” Deborah said.

“We are very concerned at the move to full-time letting of whole houses/apartments that were previously on the long term rental market and not traditionally suitable for

holiday-lets.”

The BPW Coffs Coast submission to the discussion paper will suggest:

• Ensuring hosts adhere to local regulations, in particular with regards to the number of room nights.

• Limiting the practice of listing dwellings all year round which are only generally utilised during holiday periods and vacant the rest of the year.

• Cracking down on ‘mega-hosts' managing dozens of STRA properties.

• Council adopting a system of approving properties for the short-term rental market. Under this system, smaller and older one and two bedroom flats that are affordable homes for women wouldn’t be approved as short-term rentals.

“We have previously sent a submission to the Senate’s rental enquiry and to the City of Coffs Harbour in regard to its long term housing strategy,” Deborah said.

Locals show love for music and the environment

OVER 120 locals demonstrated that their love for the environment was equal to their love for original acoustic music when they converged on the Alofa Sands Surf Club Cafe Nambucca Heads last week for a fundraising event in support of the Wildlife Information Rescue Service Mid North Coast (WIRES MNC).

The concept was conceived by Scotts Headbased singer/songwriter

Georgia Cortes Rayner, who was then joined by fellow performing artists Julie Kovendy, Snez, Stewart Peters and Deebee Bishop in the fundraising endeavour.

All artists, who gave their time and musical talent for free, are residents of the Nambucca Valley, with the local audience openly appreciative of the polished delivery of the homegrown acoustic music.

WIRES MNC have informed News Of The Area that over $4300 was raised.

“It was an honour and an absolute pleasure to be a part of this event and we are so pleased that it was so successful for the volunteers from WIRES MNC,” Georgia Cortes Rayner told News Of The Area on behalf of all of the artists involved.

“We were overwhelmed by the support and turnout, it exceeded our expectations and we hope the additional resources may make the hard work the WIRES carers do a little less worrisome.”

Concert-goers purchased

raffle tickets in a bid to win a broad range of prizes donated by local businesses, while the crowd kept the bar and kitchen staff of the Alofa Sands Surf Club Cafe busy throughout the evening.

“The money raised, thanks to these wonderful local artists and generous local businesses, will go a long way to help WIRES volunteers have the necessities required to look after wildlife in their care,” WIRES MNC carer Fiona Nielsen told News Of The Area.

Snez

Drag Bingo returns for ShoreTrack fundraiser

BIRTLES

LAST year the Nambucca Valley received a royal visit from renowned drag queen Abril LaTrene, who delivered an evening of Drag Bingo and musical fun that was a sell out and raised much needed funds for WIRES Mid North Coast.

q Drag Queen Abril LaTrene will be returning to the Nambucca Valley for a night of colour, music and bingo with a difference. Photo: supplied.

On Friday 8 March Abril LaTrene will be making a triumphant return to the Golden Sands Tavern with her much-loved Drag Bingo.

For the first time ever, after the bingo Abril will lead the way in a Jammin Jukebox Dance Party.

Once again the event will be raising money for a great cause and this time it will be ShoreTrack who will benefit from this epic evening.

“I am super excited to be coming back to the

Nambucca Valley as we had so much fun last year but especially because the amazing ShoreTrack organisation, who do so so much for young people, will benefit from it,” Abril LaTrene told News Of The Area.

Formerly based in Melbourne, since her last visit Abril has relocated to Brisbane and has just returned from a trip to Thailand.

The audience can expect to see some of the

new and spectacular outfits she purchased while there.

“It is not a night for those who are easily offended and I suggest that you leave your political correctness at the door,” added Abril.

The new format still provides the hilarious version of bingo that only Abril LaTrene can deliver but with more dancealongs, singalongs and definitely more laughs.

“Come along for something a little different and have an ‘Abrilutely’ great time while raising money for a great cause.”

For more information visit the Golden Sands Tavern on Facebook.

Australia’s first not-for-profit

NORTH Coast social enterprise The Community Transport Company has acquired Bellingen Shire Taxis, creating Australia’s first not-for-profit taxi service.

The former proprietors of the business, Greg and Susan McLeod, are transitioning the new owners into the business as they thank the community for its support and patronage since founding the local taxi service eight years ago.

Chair of the Board at The Community Transport Company, Greg Walcot, told News Of The Area, “We are a registered charity and social enterprise, working to have the greatest positive impact we can on the world we live in.

"Our primary goal has always been to ensure that transport barriers do not hinder individuals' access to essential services and opportunities.

“The integration of Bellingen Shire Taxis into our operations aligns perfectly with this vision."

The Community Transport Company has been providing transport assistance for 35-plus years, particularly in regions with limited public transit options.

The organisation now boasts a team of 250 volunteers and staff, and 80 vehicles.

By incorporating Bellingen Shire Taxis into its network, the company can now extend its reach even further, catering to a broader

spectrum of transportation needs.

The acquisition is expected to bring about several tangible benefits for residents of Bellingen and surrounding areas.

“With an expanded fleet of vehicles and a larger team of experienced drivers, The Community Transport Company will be better equipped to meet the growing demand for services.

“As a social enterprise, any surplus made from the taxi service will be directed back into the community transport programs under the business charity to provide access and inclusion to people who are transport disadvantaged,” said Walcot.

Under the leadership of Greg and Susan McLeod,

Bellingen Shire Taxis earned a reputation for reliability, efficiency, and exceptional customer service.

“The McLeods’ dedication to serving the community has been unwavering throughout their tenure.

“Their decision to transition ownership to The Community Transport Company reflects their commitment to ensuring the continued provision of highquality transport services to the residents of Bellingen and Urunga.

"We are deeply grateful to Greg and Susan McLeod for their years of dedicated service and for entrusting us with the legacy they have built," added Walcot.

“The close-knit team of drivers epitomise

service

q Greg Walcot, Chair of the Board at The Community Transport Company, which recently acquired Bellingen Shire Taxis.

professionalism, courtesy, and reliability, ensuring every passenger journey is safe, comfortable, and efficient.

“We’re delighted that with the exception of Greg and

Susan who are moving on, all of the driving team will be staying with Bellingen Shire Taxis to continue to support the community with great transport,” Walcot said.

ShoreTrack programs make real difference for youth

SINCE ShoreTrack commenced operations four

years ago, the Nambucca Valley-based organisation has gone from strength to strength in making a difference in the

lives of young people in the community.

ShoreTrack currently works with more than 70 young people who have disengaged from school, and potentially the community, through skills-based training that better prepares them for the workplace or a return to school.

Recently ShoreTrack, with the support of schools, conducted an impact measurement study.

Results showed that young people who have worked with ShoreTrack have had rates of reengagement with school between 40 and 100 percent, measured by attendance.

There has also been a 30 percent increase in young people staying in school to complete year 12.

Now ShoreTrack is looking

to achieve similar success in their new Traineeship Program, which currently employs eight young trainees.

Philanthropic funding has made the traineeships possible and co-founder of ShoreTrack, Jill Ashley, told News Of The Area, “The traineeships are potentially one of the most exciting things we have done so far.

“We are now able to provide for Cert 2 training and also employ a number of young people so they can gain great exposure to what it was like to be in the workforce.

“At the end of the year our aim is that these eight young people will be as prepared as they can be to enter the workforce.”

The trainees are working 15-20 hours each week in ShoreTrack’s social enterprise, known as Steps,

delivering services in mowing, fencing, metal fabrication and agricultural skills.

Most of the eight trainees disengaged from school last year.

They will now be employed by ShoreTrack for twelve months.

The aspiration of the ShoreTrack team is that the trainees will be attractive to industry as they have developed skills and an understanding of workplace expectations.

“It is costly and time consuming for employees to ensure they employ the right young person for the job,” Jill said.

“We are working on building relationships with employers where they feel they can come to us and almost handpick someone to work for them.”

ShoreTrack is working on holding an industry day where they will invite employers in to see what facilities are available.

Employers will also provide ShoreTrack with guidance on the specific skills they are looking for in their workplace.

ShoreTrack Trainee Jasper Goldthorpe told News Of The Area, “By next year I will have learnt a range of skills and have obtained a Certificate 2 in Agricultural Operations.

“The Traineeship is the opposite of school in many ways but we are still learning all the time, just in a more practical and hands-on way.”

Under the traineeship, participants are also able to attend short courses at the Hunter Valley’s prestigious Tocal Agricultural College.

New rules to protect the Blue Groper

NEW rules mean it is now prohibited to fish a Blue Groper by any method in New South Wales, except Aboriginal cultural fishing.

Blue Gropers were made the state fish of New South Wales in 1998 and can be found in shallow coastal waters.

The Blue Groper has been protected from spearfishing since 1969 and commercial fishing since 1980.

The new changes will protect it from other forms of fishing including line fishing.

These changes will initially be implemented for a twelve-month trial period, during which time the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) will consult with stakeholders and the broader community on longer term changes to Blue Groper fishing rules.

Given the cultural significance of the species to many Aboriginal people the new changes will not apply to Aboriginal cultural fishing.

These changes follow recent spearfishing incidents involving Blue Gropers in Sydney and Jervis Bay.

“We have heard the community's concerns, and these new rules will make it clear to all water users that these fish should be admired

but not targeted,” Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said last Wednesday.

“With their bright blue colour, alongside their placid and curious nature, there is little wonder why these beautiful big fish are so well loved by our coastal communities.

“While most fishers complied with the previous rules for targeting Blue Groper, prohibiting line fishing will improve compliance by creating the same rules for all recreational fishers and enhance the protection of this iconic fish.”

Under the new rules, a person found taking Blue Groper in NSW by any method may face a $500 penalty infringement notice and/or a maximum courtimposed fines of $22,000 or imprisonment for six months (or both) for a first offence.

For a second or subsequent offence a perpetrator may receive a $44,000 fine or imprisonment for twelve months (or both).

To support the changes, DPI Fisheries will undertake education activities, including social media reminders, to increase awareness of responsible fishing practices.

Having campaigned for increased protection of

the species since January, Opposition leader Mark Speakman said while welcome, the newly announced measures are “incomplete”.

“Banning line fishing will do nothing to stop the main problem - spearfishers illegally targeting gropers and being slapped with pathetic fines," he said.

“While the Government has announced increased maximum penalties, it has failed to explain why it has not reviewed the inadequate $800 fine imposed on the illegal spearfisher who killed Gus the Groper in Cronulla, to explain what education activities it will carry out, or to commit to improved signage especially around known spearfishing spots.”

Shadow Minister for Environment Kellie Sloane said there have been numerous Blue Gropers killed across the NSW coastline in the past few months.

“While most fishers do the right thing, there needs to be better measures in place to protect these wonderful animals,” said Ms Sloane.

“The Minns Labor Government needs to explain what its proposed education campaign will involve and ensure improved signage so

people are properly informed about these iconic fish and the new protections they enjoy.”

Not all anglers are pleased with the new measures either.

Tyndale fisherman Mathew Dyer says the ban on Blue Groper fishing lacks clear justification, urging the restriction be reconsidered.

Mathew, who has launched a change.org petition challenging the ban, argues that Blue Groper fish stocks are considered stable by marine biologists and fears this ban could set a precedent for future arbitrary restrictions.

“Despite evidence suggesting that groper fish stocks are in healthy numbers, this ban has been imposed without clear justification,” he said.

“This is not just about a single species - it's about our rights as anglers and citizens.

“If we let this happen without opposition, it could set a precedent for future bans that may not be based on sound scientific data or fair practices.

q Blue Gropers were made the state fish of New South Wales in 1998 and can be found in shallow coastal waters.

“Blue Gropers are not currently listed as an endangered species and their population is considered stable by marine biologists.

“Yet, the ban has been implemented under the guise of conservation efforts.

“We respect and support genuine measures to protect our marine life but believe in fair and transparent decisionmaking processes.”

The petition calls on relevant authorities to provide “concrete evidence” supporting the ban’s necessity.

NOTA fishing columnist John ‘Stinker’ Clarke said the Government’s move to protect the “iconic” species made sense, but suggested

implementing size-limit related regulations instead of a complete ban.

“I can understand rock fishers who catch groper being annoyed by the ruling as the stocks of the fish are healthy.

“If the main aim is to protect the Blue Groper then maybe we could consider an upper size limit to be determined in much the same way that any dusky flathead over 70cm must be released.

“The law would then protect the big blues and permit recreational fishers a bag limit of two groper, which is the current allowable catch.”

Environment groups seek support to protect native forests

DESPITE being disappointed by recent court rulings and

Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulation changes, Coffs Coast residents attempting to

protect state forests from forestry operations are stepping up their awareness campaigns to encourage more community members to support them.

Current and planned logging operations in several areas have dismayed conservationists who are concerned about endangered species, water pollution, weed growth and possible

increased bushfire risks.

These claims are disputed by Forestry Corporation NSW, which says its contractors always operate within its legal obligations.

The Bellingen Environment Centre (BEC) is calling on all local conservation groups to band together to provide a united front to protect forests.

The BEC is particularly concerned with protecting Pine Creek State Forest and Tuckers Nob State Forest, which conservationists say are vital to the viability of the planned Great Koala National Park.

To raise awareness, a

gathering will be held in Bellingen as part of a national ‘March in March for Forests’ campaign organised by the Bob Brown Foundation.

Groups will call on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government to protect native forests in perpetuity.

The event will feature a range of speakers discussing forest conservation.

Live music and food and coffee will also be offered.

Bellingen organiser Kaz Selbie said 5,000 people rallied on the streets for native forests in 2023.

Ms Selbie said several environmental groups are

teaming up to amplify the message.

“We are hoping that we can get more supporters for our local groups to protect our forests, land and water.”

On a smaller scale, the Friends of Tuckers Nob have a ‘koala picnic’ and a bush dance planned in coming weeks.

The picnic will be held at Maam Gaduying Park in Bellingen at 3pm on Sunday March 3.

Attendees are urged to come in koala-themed attire and take part in a march, with a band, across Lavenders Bridge to hear some short talks.

Lucy gets last laugh?

BILL and Matilda recently purchased a ‘renovator’s delight’.

Lucy, a young builder, was hired by Bill and Matilda to assist with the renovation.

The three formed quite the team and enjoyed long working days and the notso-occasional knock-off drinks.

Their friendship grew strong.

One day, Lucy informed her friends that her rental accommodation was coming to an end, and that she was struggling to find housing, as she owns dogs.

The three decided that Lucy could purchase the property from Bill and Matilda.

As bank finance was not yet an option for Lucy, Bill and Matilda suggested vendor finance.

Mortgage documents were drawn-up.

Bill and Matilda valued the property at $650,000 and Lucy agreed, not knowing that only six months prior Bill and Matilda paid just $400,000.

Under the loan, Lucy would pay $500 principal and interest per week for two years, then pay the balance of $625,000 to settle the loan.

Noting that Lucy thought in two years she could obtain bank finance.

At the end of the two years, Lucy was unable to obtain finance as lenders valued the property at $475,000.

Bill and Matilda pursued legal action to recover the loan.

The Court considered many factors including whether the plaintiffs had acted unconscionably when negotiating the loan with Lucy.

However, as the facts did not concern exploiting a vulnerable borrower due to her lack of education, unfamiliarity with English, or disability, it instead looked at whether the loan contract was just and reasonable.

The Court determined that the contract price was unjust and amended the loan principal to $450,000.

The Court calculated that the outstanding balance was $415,000.

This ruling shines a spotlight on the Court's power to ensure equity in contractual agreements. In this instance, the Court has ignored the convention of ‘let the buyer beware’.

Thank you to Anthony Fogarty for his assistance with this column.

Email Manny Wood, principal solicitor at TB Law at manny@tblaw.net.au or call him on (02) 66 487 487.

This column is only accurate at today’s date and cannot be relied upon as legal advice.

ADVERTISING

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Dorin’s Draws

Bellingen Environment Centre calls for unity

DEAR News Of The Area,

SINCE time immemorial, the Gumbaynggirr Nation has cared for country and we know that the Dunggirr is sacred to the First Nations peoples of Bellingen Shire.

For over three decades, The Bellingen Environment Centre Inc. (BEC) has actively fought for the protection of our precious and endangered koalas at Pine Creek state Forest and Tuckers Nob State Forest.

Any plan to slow down or stop the extinction of the koala in the wild, must include the precious habitat contained within Pine Creek State Forest and Tuckers Nob Forest.

This is imperative as koalas cannot read signs or distinguish boundaries between native forests, state forest plantations or your backyard.

Ecologists have long identified Bongil Bongil and Bindarri National Parks as the nursery to our colony of koalas described as the most significant colony of koalas in the wild, across the nation.

Over decades locals and tourists have come to know about the Gleniffer koalas, through registered sightings

and expert evidence.

Yet the koala’s feed trees keep falling, even though Forestry Corporation of NSW (FC NSW) has no social licence.

The knowledge of the ongoing demise of our local koalas is deeply and collectively traumatic to individuals and the community as a whole and exacerbates climate change anxiety.

After operating within our Shire for over three decades, FC NSW have deliberately withdrawn any connection with the community and take no responsibility for the cumulative damage that the corporation has inflicted on our community’s waterways, roads and bridges.

The ALP continues to allow both Federal and NSW environmental protection laws to fail miserably.

Australia is a world leader in species extinction and declines.

If we are to stop another marsupial extinction we must find unity locally.

This means we need to rethink the age-old argument between plantations versus habitat.

On theCouch

Email Jasminda: media@newsofthearea.com.au

DEAR Jasminda,

What is the etiquette around disembarking from a plane?

I always seem to be the last passenger sitting while everyone is fussing around, grabbing their overhead luggage and filling up the aisle.

Is there a system?

Tanya L.

forming trip hazards with their limbs, someone trying to find a stray shoe in the overhead compartment, and various other tests of one's patience.

As a nervous flyer, I'm not in any rush once the plane has reached its destination.

I'm usually still muttering my undying gratitude to the aeronautical gods for landing safely.

The etiquette, though, seems relatively straightforward.

Alight row by row in an orderly fashion.

Dear Tanya,

I'm assuming from your query that you travel in cattle class (me too).

If there is a more overt display of sheer bloodymindedness and selfentitlement (apart from the Great Covid Toilet Paper Race of 2020) I'd like to see it. Disembarking from a plane, particularly after a long-haul flight, is akin to The Hunger Games.

It's like some sort of hellscape – screaming toddlers, people wrangling neck pillows, lanky teens

This requires courage because we all need to have these conversations regarding the remnants in plantations and the wildlife therein.

The Black Summer fires changed everything.

The BEC is calling for unity amongst all those people who are working to preserve and protect our forests and care

Don’t put all your conservation eggs in one National Park basket

DEAR News Of The Area,

THE author’s assertion of providing “a factual foundation” (‘What is sustainability in forestry?’, Nambucca Valley and Coffs Coast NOTA, 16/2/2024) ends after his reasonably good definition of sustainable, after which the usual ideological rhetoric takes over.

His claims that the sustainable removal of timber from just twelve percent of our public forests is “an absolute basket case”, “with hundreds of millions of our tax dollars lost logging native forests in recent decades” is a deliberate misinterpretation of the facts and a classic ideologue’s description of Community Service Obligations (CSOs).

CSOs are the delivery of services including road construction and maintenance for community purposes, firefighting and prevention for community purposes, recreation and tourism activities, community and government engagement, research and development and management of the parts of State forest not available for timber production (Annual Report 2022-23, Forestry Corporation of NSW, p26).

Each year, the NSW Government funds a percentage of the cost of Forestry Corporation of NSW

(FCNSW) to compensate for the delivery of services that a similar commercial business would not provide.

FCNSW annually receives a meagre $8.50/hectare to manage their 1.8 million hectares of multiple-use native forest and 34,000 hectares of hardwood plantations for the public good.

On the other hand, the National Parks and Wildlife Service receives on average $121/hectare to manage their 7.6 million hectares (before the costs were hidden within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water after 2019).

Of the $15 million “loss” referred to, only $2 million was associated with timber harvesting of native forests and was due to extended wet weather, inflationary pressures, particularly a spike in fuel prices and investment in compliance assurance.

The balance related to the cost of delivering community services across the State.

Rather than losing money as claimed, FCNSW paid a dividend of $13.5 million (FY22: $0.4 million) to NSW Treasury for the 2022-23 financial year and their balance sheet shows their cash position remains robust at $128 million (FY22: $101 million).

Using emotive terminology such as “antiquated and barbaric”, “industrial”, “landscape-scale” and “extinction logging” fails to recognise that native

timber harvesting on public forest in NSW (and Australia) is the most highly regulated in the world, is regulated by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority and is certified as sustainable to international standards through the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the largest international independent third-party certification scheme.

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recognises that managing forests for sustainable timber production plays a vital role in mitigating climate change.

Native forest harvesting in NSW occurs on a very tiny scale, as in any one year about 0.2 percent of the 22 millionplus hectares is harvested for timber and then every harvested tree is regenerated (regrown) under NSW law.

Claims that sustainably managed native timber harvesting is a prime driver of the extinction crisis are blatantly false.

Forestry in Australia has never been responsible for

Unfortunately, this common sense has missed its mark on some thick-asmince passengers. They'll stumble and fumble and cause chaos, just so they can get to the baggage carousel before everyone else, and then wait again.

They are part of the same species as motorists who won't allow you to merge.

Use the time to fill out your declaration form, do a few calming stretches in your seat, and know that soon you'll be out of the confines of the plane and into the madness of peak hour traffic.

Carpe diem, Jasminda

about our future. We are in a climate emergency. It's time to wake up.

Regards, Cath EAGLESHAM, Chairperson, Bellingen Environment Centre.

any species extinctions, and it is ridiculous to suggest that such a proportionally tiny amount of renewable forest use could pose an existential threat to any species of flora or fauna.

If the author believes that “forest dependent fauna populations are in free-fall” towards extinction, perhaps he should ask himself what has changed for these species over the last 20-plus years.

All old growth forests in NSW have been protected with more than 90% of the old growth forests in National Parks.

Old growth forests are strongholds of large hollowdependent species, like Greater Gliders, Yellowbellied Gliders and large forest owls.

The prevalence of hollows also favours Glossy Black Cockatoos.

The area and amount of native forest timber harvesting has been halved, whilst the regulatory compliance requirements have increased exponentially.

So what has changed?

The most significant change that has occurred over the last 20 years or so has been the halving of the State forest estate and

CONTINUED Page 15

Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club

ONE week we are suffering from drought, the next tropical downpours. Our fabulous Bent greens are suffering in places from the current extreme climatic conditions-while not aesthetically nice, the greens are still quite playable, and several programs have been actioned to repair plant and soil health. Highlight of the week was hosting the Golf NSW Mid North Coast Men’s Championship on Sunday –Congratulations to the 2024 Champion Billy Flanagan (+3) from Coffs Harbour with a fabulous round of 66 in the really wet conditions. Our week’s featured sponsor was

Nambucca Plaza Butchery –thank you!

Tuesday’s Medley Stableford was won by Christine Crowley (26) with 36 points from Linne Street (16) 35 on c/b from Andrew Johnston. The Ball Rundown to 33 points on c/b. NTP’s to Dennius Ashton 8, Gary Rumble got the “Pizza This” voucher on 13 and Scott Burley won the Pro Pin Jackpot on 18 with 198cms.

The women played a single stableford on Wednesday. In Division 1 (0 to 25), Jennifer Johnston (24) won with 41 points from Kerrie Eichorn (11) 37 points. Division 2 (26 to 32) winner was Thea Kimber (27)

with 36 points from Susan Barnett (26) with 34. Shayne Scott (41) scored 30 points to win Diviusion 3 (33 to 45) from Fiona Chaffey (35) 28 points. The Ball Rundown to 29 points. NTP’s to Denise Paluch & Deborah Wassell on 5, Glenys Thompson won the “Pizza This” voucher on 13 and Shayne Scott won the Pro Pin Jackpot on 18. Something different on Thursday with a Pinehurst (American) Foursomes. Glen Crowe & Phillip Frost won the event with 63.37 from Philip Mander & Henny Oldenhove 66.37 and Graham Watson & Anthony Smith 66.75. The Ball rundown to 70.62. Raymond Beazley got the

Longest Putt on 2, other NTP’s to Glen Crow on 5, Anthony Smith on 7, Chris Thorndike on 8, Graham Watson won the Pizza This” voucher on 13, Bryce McCarroll won Stu’s ball on 15, and Phillip Frost got the Pro Pin Jackpot on 18.

Saturday’s Medley Par was also a qualifying round for those nominated for the Skins Knockout. David Rosser (19) won Division 1 (0 to 20) with a great round scoring +6 from John Nebauer (17) +3. In Division 2 (21 to 45) Don Wills (27) scored +5 to win from Gary Laing (24) with +3. The Ball Rundown to “square” on c/b. Peter Bush won the “Ecomist” loaded Stubby Holder for the longest

putt on 2, other NTP’s to Colin Dunne on 5, Edward Penrose on 7, Trevor Peter on 8, Geoff McCann won the Pizza This” voucher on 13, Ben Honeybrook got Stu’s ball on 15, and Trevor Hopkins won the Pro Pin Jackpot on 18. The Golf NSW Mid North Coast Men’s Championship on Sunday had a record field of over 150 booked, however, Mother Nature chose to unleash rain overnight and into the morning and many chose not to play –101 players did tee off, and around 20 gave up due to the weather and soft conditions underfoot. Congratulations to Billy Flanagan – the 2024 MNC Mens Champion. Nambucca members who did well include Craig Haworth

Urunga Raiders set sail for Viking Challenge

URUNGA FC is deep into their pre-season training regimen as they gear up for the upcoming Viking Challenge football tournament in Forster.

The Raiders are fielding two women’s squads in the annual six-a-side event and have diligently honed their skills since early January in preparation.

Coach Trevor Martin expressed his enthusiasm for

the tournament, stating, “We think it’s a perfect pre-season event.

“It’s still summer so it can be hot, but the shorter, smallsided games are suited to this time of year and also provide players with lots of touches on the ball while offering a chance to work on one-onones and combination play.

“The Raiders are looking to start the season on the front foot and having this early tournament as motivation, the momentum is already building.”

As the Raiders head to Forster, coach Martin is already preparing for their

next pre-season tournament.

“The Nambucca Challenge Cup is only a few weeks away too and as an elevena-side full field contest it will provide that next step towards building towards the full 90 minute games lying ahead.

“We haven’t been to the Viking Challenge before, so don’t know what to expect, but the girls will definitely be competitive and hopes are high for a strong performance from both teams.”

The community football season kicks off Saturday 6 April.

U3A Fishing for Fun group

FEBRUARY each year means

that the U3A Fishing for Fun group gets together.

We usually have a few new members as well to train up.

The best way to kick off the

year is to start fishing at Valla Beach.

The Lions Park provides good facilities like shelters, barbecues and toilets plus access to Deep Creek and the beach.

The bridge is to be replaced

soon with the new one taking some three months to build.

So, we need to make the most of it.

February has been hot, humid and oppressive this year and fishing day was no different.

(Div 3 Gross winner), Ashton Herbert (Div 3 Net winner), Jeramy Ashman (Div 3 Net R/up), Luke Laverty (Div 4 Net r/up), Christopher Lucas (Div 5 Gross winner), Baker Houston (Div 5 Net Winner), Ray Guiana (Div 5 Gross R/ up), Gregory Lucas (Div 5 Net R/up) & Phillip Frost (Senior Net winner). The full results are available on the Club and Golf NSW websites, and members’ Portal.

Bookings are now open for the Easter Bowl, 36 Hole Stableford for Men & Women on Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st March – book early through member’s Portal or at Pro Shop, as a big field is expected.

See you on the Island.

Bowraville Golf Results

N/P 6th Roslyn Hooper 9th T Edwards, L/ Putt: T Edwards. Ball Comp: 1. M Spear, 2.Kade Spear 3. P Fairburn 4. G Nugent . Next week Monthly Medal Stoke Event.

After acclimatising it became very pleasant fishing from the bridge with a gentle sea breeze drifting across.

Why am I telling you this?

Well the fish felt the same way.

Initially they were sluggish swimming about and not their usual hungry selves, preferring the shade of the bridge rather than seeking out our bait.

The good anglers still catch fish under any circumstances.

First up Daniel, a new member, landed a bream of good size.

Veronica caught almost an identical bream.

Kathy, also a new member, landed two bream in quick succession.

The rest of us just made up the numbers.

Despite good bites no other fish were

Don’t put all your conservation eggs in one National Park basket

FROM Page 14

transferring vast areas of the most ecologically significant forests to National Parks.

These areas were used to active and adaptive management, as Australia’s native forests, and the flora and fauna they support, have evolved in response to active management over the last 60,000 years.

Many of the major Black Summer fires originated from lightning strikes in remote areas of National Parks and conservation areas,

where they were allowed to continue to burn for weeks and months in relatively benign conditions, until they emerged on a blow-up day on multiple fronts.

Ironically, rather than focus attention on the failed lock-it-up-and-leave-it or wilderness strategy employed by conservation managers or the landscape-scale adoption of cool burning, similar to Indigenous practitioners over the past 60,000 years, there has been an increasing call to lock up more multiple use, proactively managed,

production forests and condemn these forests and their inhabitants, particularly the koala, to a similar fate.

With 88 percent of NSW’s public forests already managed for conservation, it seems counterintuitive to me that you would put all your “conservation and extinction avoidance” eggs in the one National Park basket, if you are seeking to ensure the survival of any species.

Particularly, as no one knows how species are faring in the current National Park estate, as no one is willing to

look (just in case it’s NOT working).

When someone does look, the results are not very flattering.

The decline in species like the Southern Brown Bandicoot (44 percent in NSW and 100 percent (local extinction) in Victoria and South Australia), Hastings River Mouse, Eucalyptus imlayensis, Prasophyllum correctum (orchid), Eastern Brown Treecreeper, Superb Parrot, Broad-headed Snake and many other species is a direct result of the creation of new national parks and the exclusion of fire and/or grazing.

Kind regards, Steve DOBBYNS, Timber NSW, Forest and Wood Communities Australia, Jamax Forest Solutions

www.newsofthearea.com.au

caught.

We have become a bit of a gourmet fishing group with delicious morning teas and lunches being normal for us each meeting.

There may be members of U3A that overlooked enrolling in the course but all is not lost.

You can contact Greg Artlett on 0427686400.

Greg is the Course Coordinator and an experienced local fisherman.

He assists Fisheries in a voluntary position and enjoys fly fishing as well as lures and bait.

It was agreed that the March outing will be at Gumma Reserve.

Big round of Coffs junior cricket heading towards finals

WITH the finals series fast approaching, the latest round of Coffs Harbour District Cricket Association’s junior seasons was decided last week.

The latest round of the Under 16s season was played last Friday afternoon.

Ladder leaders Bello/ Dorrigo had a seven wicket win against the Macksville Bulls at Dorrigo.

The Bulls opened the batting and scored 5/83 from their 20 overs.

Daniel Crease top scored on 26 not out, with Alexander Dyson taking 2-8 from 3 overs for Bello/Dorrigo.

Bello/Dorrigo reached the target in the 15th over, led home by Evan Ryan who finished not out with 52 off 31 balls.

Coffs Colts had a seven wicket win against the Sawtell Sloggers at Toormina Oval.

Sawtell opened the batting and finished at 7/96 from 20 overs.

Toby Couper top scored for Sawtell with 30, and Anabelle Matthews took 2-8 from 2 overs for the Colts.

The Colts chased down the total in the 18th over, led home by Heath Ball who finished on 48 not out.

Nana Glen Lizards had a 133-run win against Bellingen Green at Bellingen, in the latest round of the Under 14s season.

The Lizards opened the batting and posted a mammoth total of 3/198 from their 20 overs.

Zane Guthrie blasted 60 off 15 balls finishing not out, with Thomas Craig smashing 53 off 25 balls in finishing not out.

Manat Singh scored 36 off

24 balls.

Bellingen Green replied with 5/65 from 20 overs.

Diggers Cricket Club had a nine wicket win against the Coffs Colts at Reg Ryan Oval.

Colts opened the batting and finished at 6/71 from 20 overs.

Josh Graham top scored for the Colts on 32 not out.

Diggers reached the target in the 17th over, Lachlan Richardson scoring 27 not out.

Northern Districts Rebels Blues had an eight wicket win against Bellingen Blue at Bellingen.

Bellingen opened the batting and scored 4/71 from 20 overs.

The Rebels chased down the total in the 17th over, with Sahibjit Singh top scoring with 21.

Sawtell Storm beat the Macksville Bulls by 24 runs at

Macksville Country Club Golf

SATURDAY’S Stableford event sponsored by Macksville Auto Electrics was won by Tanah Bradshaw who beat his handicap by five shots.

Runner up was Adam Ross who beat Mike Simpson on a countback.

Best of the ladies was Carla Ross.

Nearest the pins were Mike Simpson (A) and Adam Ross in C grade with no B grader able to hit the green.

Steve Ellis maintained his form to win the Mid Week Competition with Graham Everett runner up.

Geoff O'Grady finished up ahead of the field in the Chook Run with Tony Adams runner up.

There were seven matches played in the round robin Furniture One Championships.

Getting the points on the day were Greg Hogan, Jordan Welsh, Tanah Bradshaw, Matt Baker and Mike Simpson with two games drawn.

Toormina Oval.

Sawtell opened the batting and posted 3/96 from 20 overs, as Henry Jarman top scored with 22 not out.

Sawtell restricted Macksville to 6/72 from 20 overs, with Fletcher Bridgeman taking 2-5 from 2 overs.

Northern Districts Rebels Blues went to the top of the Under 12s ladder with a nine wicket win against the Sawtell Sixers at Sawtell Oval.

Sawtell opened the batting and was bowled out for 36 in the 19th over.

Alexander Greenwood and Nicholas McKeon had super spells, with Greenwood taking 3-1 off 1.3 overs, and McKeon taking 3-3 from 2 overs.

Defending champions Bello Green maintained their spot in the top four with a 42run win against the Nana Glen

Lizards at Bellingen. Bellingen opened the batting and finished at 4/113 from their 20 overs.

Xavier Hartley had a great knock finishing on 46 not out, with Lennox Crawford taking 2-7 from 2 overs for the Lizards.

The Lizards were restricted to 5/71 from 20 overs, with Kai Hartley the pick of the Bellingen bowlers taking 2-11 from 3 overs.

Coffs Colts maintained their spot in the top four with a nine wicket win against Macksville Bulls White at Forsyth Park.

The Bulls opened the batting and finished at 6/54 in the 16th over, with Arjan Atwal taking 3-4 from his 3 overs for the Colts. The home side chased down the target in the 12th over.

Diggers Cricket Club Red had a 30-run win against the Macksville Bulls Blue at Jetty Oval.

Diggers opened the batting and finished at 5/114 from their 20 overs.

Daniel Martin top scored with 42 not out, and James Wong took 2-19 from 3 overs for the Bulls.

The Bulls were restricted to 5/84 from their 20 overs, with Ark Gillett finishing on 32 not out and Darcy Franks taking 2-16 from 3 overs for Diggers.

Diggers Cricket Club Blue were also winners in Round 4, having an eight wicket win against Bello/Dorrigo at Reg Ryan Oval.

Bello/Dorrigo opened the batting and finished at 1/76 from 20 overs.

Diggers chased down the total in the 20th over.

q Jim Wilkes, Dane Luffman, Mike Simpson and Tony Grebert finishing their game, all four having had good rounds.

Nambucca Valley Bridge Club News

RESULTS for week ending:

Saturday 24th February 2024.

The Club’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 21st March.

Monday 19th. A six table Share/Relay won at North/South by Susie Keur & Paul Coe with 64 percent. Runners-up, Glen

Hallett & Phil Booth. East /West winners with 62.5 percent Linda & Mike Siford. Runners-up, Daphne Priestley & Carol McKee.

Tuesday 20th. Three and a half tables for round two of the Summer Shield. Winners tonight with 58 percent Rob Marshall & Greg Wood. In Second place Amber Fox & Carol McKee. Coming in third Jane Wood & Pete

Rundle. Percentages will be all important in the third and final Round on Tuesday 27th.

Wednesday 21st. 18 players attended Richard's Improve your bridge session. Before playing 28 challenging boards which were accompanied by lots of positive discussion as to what bids should be made and what cards should be

played, Richard gave an example of how different bids can be made on the same hand but with varying degrees of expertise. The group played the hand and then discussed their bidding and card play. Every declarer made 13 tricks but the bids varied from game to small slam to grand slam. Congratulations to Jo who called and made the grand

slam!

Thursday 22nd. Twenty players for a five round Mitchell today. North/South winners with 65 percent Colin Tolley & Mike Siford. Runnersup, Katharina Goya & Charles Aspden. East/West winners with 56 percent Merita Pailthorpe & Barry Butler. Runners-up, Janet Dyson & Maureen Cowan.

Saturday 24th. Five and a half tables for a bye -relay won at North/South with 60.9 percent by Rob Marshall

& Phil Booth. Runners-up, Maureen Cowan & Barbara Maranik. East/West winners Molly Bence & Robert Baker with 57.5 percent. Runners-up, Amber Fox & Carol McKee.

Urunga. 21st. Twenty-six players competed in today’s event, won at North/South by Glen Hallett & Phil Booth with 62 percent. Runnersup Nerellyn Mitchell & Peter Jonutz. East/West winners with 57 percent Peter PlunkettCole & Scott Parker. Runnersup, Janet Dyson Rob Marshall.

Coffs cricket finals series to get underway this weekend

CRUNCH time has arrived for the region’s cricketers with the finals series of Coffs Harbour District Cricket Association’s 2023/24 season getting underway this weekend.

Hosting rights for this season’s first grade grand final will be on the line,

when minor premiers Valleys Cricket Club host second placed Sawtell in the Qualifying Final at Phillip Hughes Oval.

Valleys Cricket Club beat Sawtell by 128 runs in their only meeting this season in December.

Coffs Colts and the Northern Districts Rebels will try to keep their season

alive when they meet in the Elimination Final at Fitzroy Oval.

The Colts beat the Rebels in both their meetings this season, a one wicket win in Round 3, and a 33-run win in Round 8.

Both first grade finals this weekend are two-day matches.

The winner of the Colts

vs Rebels Elimination Final moves on to play the loser of Valleys Cricket Club vs Sawtell in next weekend's Preliminary Final, where a grand final spot will be up for grabs.

Coffs Harbour District Cricket Association’s second grade finals series also begins this weekend.

Minor premiers Northern

Districts Rebels host Sawtell in the Qualifying Final at Woolgoolga.

Bellingen/Dorrigo host Coffs Colts in the Elimination Final at Dorrigo.

Third grade minor premiers Nana Glen Lizards host Sawtell in their Qualifying Final, with Bellingen/Dorrigo hosting Diggers Cricket Club in

the Elimination Final at Bellingen.

The fourth grade finals series sees minor premiers Coffs Colts hosting the Nana Glen Lizards in the Qualifying Final at Jetty Oval, while the Northern Districts Rebels and Sawtell play off in the Elimination Final at Woolgoolga.

Funeral Notice

Public Notices

To

For Sale

Stadium Drive, Coffs Harbour

CREMATORIUM FUNERAL SERVICES & MEMORIAL GARDENS For GenuineSavings 6652 2822

Dear Aboriginal Owner,

DOC23/151790

DOC23/151790

Dear Aboriginal Owner,

The Gaagal Wanggaan National Park Board of Management will complete its third term of office on the 19th of October 2024. To ensure the ongoing operations of the Board of Management, the Board will host an Aboriginal Owner nominations meeting on the 9th of March 2024 to call for nominations for Aboriginal Owner Board Members for the 2024 to 2028 term .

Dear Aboriginal Owner,

The Gaagal Wanggaan National Park Board of Management commenced its third term of office on the 20th of October 2020. To ensure the ongoing operations of the Board of Management, the Board hosted an Aboriginal Owner nomination meeting on the 2nd of November 2019 to call for nominations for Aboriginal Owner Board members for the 2020 to 2024 term.

The Gaagal Wanggaan National Park Board of Management commenced its third term of office on the 20th of October 2020. To ensure the ongoing operations of the Board of Management, the Board hosted an Aboriginal Owner nomination meeting on the 2nd of November 2019 to call for nominations for Aboriginal Owner Board members for the 2020 to 2024 term.

A second Aboriginal Owner nomination meeting is now being held to seek nominations for the Ballangarry Family Deputy and the Marshall/Edwards Deputy.

A second Aboriginal Owner nomination meeting is now being held to seek nominations for the Ballangarry Family Deputy and the Marshall/Edwards Deputy.

I am inviting all Aboriginal Owners to attend the nominations meeting which will be held at the Macksville Ex-Services Club on the 9th of March commencing at 10:00am. Consistent with the previous Aboriginal Owner nominations meetings, to be nominated as a Board Member or Deputy you must be present at the nominations meeting.

I am inviting all Aboriginal Owners that have an association with the Ballangarry family and the Marshall/Edwards family to attend a nomination meeting on the 18th of April 2023 commencing at 5pm, at the Macksville Ex-Services Club. Consistent with established nominations processes, to be nominated as a Board Member or Deputy you must be present at the nominations meeting.

Music Tuition

CARGO Barrier to suit early Nissan X-Trail Milford brand. $50. Ph 0421 750 592

KCARE Premium seat walker, exc cond. Little use. $50. 0401 573 040

The nominations meeting will be independently facilitated , and a representative of the Office of the Registrar Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 will also be present to discuss matters that the Minister considers in appointing Board members.

I am inviting all Aboriginal Owners that have an association with the Ballangarry family and the Marshall/Edwards family to attend a nomination meeting on the 18th of April 2023 commencing at 5pm, at the Macksville Ex-Services Club. Consistent with established nominations processes, to be nominated as a Board Member or Deputy you must be present at the nominations meeting.

It is vital that we have a Member and Deputy for each Aboriginal Owner family for a functioning Board and to ensure all Aboriginal Owner family groups have equal representation on the Board so your attendance at this meeting is strongly recommended.

It is vital that we have a Member and Deputy for each Aboriginal Owner family for a functioning Board and to ensure all Aboriginal Owner family groups have equal representation on the Board so your attendance at this meeting is strongly recommended.

If any Aboriginal Owner positions are unable to be filled on the 9th of March 2024, subsequent meetings will be scheduled for the 13th of March from 5pm and 16th March from 10am (if required). Please contact the Macksville Ex-Services Club to ensure these meetings are proceeding.

All enquiries about Aboriginal Owner nominations should be directed to our Joint Management Coordinator, David Kennedy. David can be contacted on 0408 473 904 or david.kennedy@environment.nsw.gov.au

I look forward to seeing you at the nominations meeting on the 18 th of April.

Zac Zirkler Pro: guitar, uke, bass banjo, harmonica mandolin, keyboard vocals. Macksville Ph: 0422 056 671

House for Sale

PRICE REDUCED!

All enquiries regarding Aboriginal Owner nominations should be directed to me. I can be contacted on 0419 895 170.

All enquiries about Aboriginal Owner nominations should be directed to our Joint Management Coordinator, David Kennedy. David can be contacted on 0408 473 904 or david.kennedy@environment.nsw.gov.au

Sincerely

I look forward to seeing you at the nominations meeting on the 18 th of April.

I look forward to seeing you at the Aboriginal Owners’ nominations meeting on the 9th of March 2024.

Sincerely

Yours sincerely,

2 br manufactured home in o55's village. Located in Bonville. $350,000 ono. 0431 267 653 Re230224

Motors

2008 VW Golf hatch auto, 244,307km, 6 mth rego. $6,000. Ph 0477 990 446

Items for Sale

Jennie Rosser

Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park Board of Management

Crafty Recyclers

Jennie Rosser Chair

Jennifer Rosser Chair

2nd hand goods

Large qty of items

Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park Board of Management

Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park Board of Management

ABN

387 271

ABN 30 841 387 271

PO Box 4200, Coffs Harbour Jetty NSW 2450 Tel (02) 6652 0900 Fax (02) 6651 9525 npws.coffscoast@environment.nsw.gov.au

In shed now $2 each

Mon to Friday 9.30am – 2pm

7 Newcastle Drive Toormina

Pets

MALTESE Shih Tzu puppies. 1 boy, 1 girl. Available from 26/2. Located in Port Stephens

BIN# B000616552

Call or text 0474 378 452

For Sale

6 year old bangalow palms from $25, also cycads. 6564 2114

ABROCKET

Boats

10FT Cartop Tinny $150

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TIMBER 14ft putt putt boat. 1934 provenance Chapman Pup 3HP motor. Quality reg trailer $7,500 ono. 0402 054 207 leave msg.

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BEST ON THE BOX

FRIDAY

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

SEVEN, 8.30pm

Author Delia Owens’ hit novel comes to life with atmospheric cinematography. NormalPeople Edgar Jones is “marsh girl” Kya. Abused then abandoned in swampland, Kya grows up alone and ostracised by her small North Carolina town, only to end up as a murder suspect after she emerges from her solitary existence to find some human connection. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, it’s a choppy adaptation that’s perhaps too slick to do the haunting tale justice. For those who haven’t devoured the book and don’t have sky-high expectations, it’s a gripping 1960s-set, moody mystery thriller with many plot twists.

FRIDAY, March 1

5.10 Grand Designs. (R)

11.05

WEDNESDAY AUSTRALIA’S SLEEP REVOLUTION

SBS, 7.30pm

He’s the British health guru millions of Aussies look to for wellbeing advice. After revolutionising how we eat –there’s surely no one who hasn’t dabbled in, or at least heard of, the 5:2 diet– and altering the way we perceive type 2 diabetes, passionate wellness investigator Dr Michael Mosley turns his eagle-eyed focus to slumber. He dons strapping striped pyjamas in his good sport manner, but delves further than mere sleepwear fashion by participating in a cutting-edge Australian sleep program. “Our 24/7 society is in a sleep crisis,” he declares. Don’t fret – with insomniac Mosley on a mission, light-bulb moments and those elusive forty winks are on the horizon.

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Make Me A Dealer. (R) 9.50 Hugh’s Wild West. (PGa, R) 11.00 Food Markets: In The Belly Of The City. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Mastermind Aust. (R) 3.00 NITV News: Nula. 3.35 Dirty Bird. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (PG, R) 4.15 Secrets Of The Tower Of London. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00

10.15 SBS World News Late.

10.45 Departure. (Madl)

11.30 Miniseries: The Unusual Suspects. (Mls, R)

3.20 Going Places. (PG, R)

4.20 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning.

5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG)

11.30 Seven Morning News.

12.00 MOVIE: Patsy And Loretta. (2019, Masv)

2.00 House Of Wellness. (PGa)

3.00 The Chase.

4.00 Seven News At 4.

5.00 The Chase Australia.

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Better Homes And Gardens.

8.30 MOVIE: Where The Crawdads Sing. (2022, Masv) A girl who raised herself in dangerous marshlands finds herself the prime suspect in a murder. Daisy EdgarJones, Taylor John Smith, David Strathairn.

11.10 First Dates UK. (Mal, R) Couples meet for the first time in a restaurant.

12.10 Get On Extra. A look at the weekend’s best racing.

12.40 12 Monkeys. (MA15+av, R) Cole must complete his cycle.

2.00 Home Shopping.

4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)

5.00 NBC Today.

THURSDAY STANLEY TUCCI: SEARCHING FOR ITALY

SBS, 8.40pm

A return trip to Italy accompanied by the breezy charms of Stanley Tucci? It’d be rude, if not a little outrageous, to say no to this gleaming rendezvous. In season two of the award-winning actor’s journey to his ancestral homeland, The Lovely Bones star adds a little extra dough to proceedings with eight episodes (two more than last time). It includes a rather personal trip to his paternal grandfather’s town of Calabria, with Piedmont and Umbria also on the upcoming itinerary. This big-budget pilgrimage begins in the “floating city” Venice. Featuring a morning at wine bar serving cicchetti (aka tapas) and a gondola ride to an 1000-year-old fish market, it’s all handsomely easy to digest.

6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG)

11.30 9News Morning.

12.00 MOVIE: Love Amongst The Stars. (2022, PGa, R)

6.00 NBN News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

7.30 David Attenborough’s Dynasties II. (PGa)

8.40 MOVIE: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed And Fabulous. (2005, Mv, R)

11.00 MOVIE: Monster-InLaw. (2005, Ms, R)

12.50 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

1.40 Pointless. (PG, R)

2.35 Great Australian Detour. (R)

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 Postcards. (PG, R)

6.00 Deal Or No Deal.

Hosted by Grant Denyer.

6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news.

7.30 The Graham Norton Show. Graham Norton chats with Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Dua Lipa.

9.30 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. (PG, R) It is a busy week for British dog trainer Graeme Hall as he meets a labrador, a bulldog and a terrier.

10.30 Fire Country. (Mav, R)

11.30 The Project. (R) A look at the day’s news.

12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R)

Grumpy’s Grumble: Nambucca Bowls Club

By

ANOTHER championship finished, the last for the year.

On Sunday Marg Duffus, Nerida Blackford, Mark Blackford and Danny ‘the Machine’ Curran beat Elaine Fleming, Sharon Coxon,

Mitch Mcgilland and Ty Webber 24 -9.

Play was due to start early but due to wet weather both teams agreed to come back and play if the rain had finished by 1:00pm and they got through without any breaks.

Pennants are in full swing and your Club is doing quite well after 3 rounds.

No.3's have beaten Sawtell away and Park Beach Blues at home.

Today they are at Park Beach playing their Red side.

No5's have had two wins also and are at home tomorrow.

6's are on one win and one loss and are away and the 7's are one win, two losses.

Go Nambucca.

On Tuesday we travelled to Urunga to do battle for the Gnome,

will let you know next week. Keep the Gnome at home.

Travelling Bowls has started again and there is a list on the board.

List is up for Easter Saturday Shootout, it will likely fill quickly so get your names down now.

6.00

SATURDAY, March 2

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.05 Love Your Garden. (R) 10.00 Vintage Voltage. (Premiere) 11.00 Britain’s Great Outdoors. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Gymnastics. Artistic Apparatus World Cup. H’lights. 3.00 Motorcycle Racing. Australian Superbike C’ship. Round 1. H’lights. 4.00

Secrets Of A Celtic Grave. (PGav, R) 5.30 Merrill’s

Marauders: Burma WWII.

6.30 SBS World News.

6.30 Back Roads: Eugowra Recovery, NSW. (PG, R) Heather Ewart returns to Eugowra, one of the first towns she visited when the pandemic hit in 2020.

7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at the top stories of the day, including coverage of developing stories and events.

7.30 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras 2024. (Malns) Coverage of Australia’s largest celebration of diverse LGBTQIA+ communities from Sydney.

10.50 Rage Mardi Gras Special. (MA15+adhlnsv) Music videos that keep the festivities going long after the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade has finished.

5.00 Rage. (PG)

7.30 Cotswolds And Beyond With Pam Ayres. (PGa)

8.25 Scotland’s Scenic Railways. (PG)

9.20 The Wonders Of Europe. (PG, R)

11.05

3.00

France 24 Feature.

5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise.

10.00

The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG)

12.00 Horse Racing. Verry Elleegant Stakes Day and Australian Guineas Day.

5.00 Seven News At 5.

5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R)

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R) Border Force executes a warrant.

7.30 MOVIE: RED. (2010, Mlv, R) A retired CIA agent is attacked by a hit squad.

Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker.

9.50 MOVIE: Con Air. (1997, MA15+lv, R) A parolee is caught up in a hijacking. Nicolas Cage.

12.10 The Arrangement. (Mav, R) Megan and Kyle struggle to reconnect.

1.10 Travel Oz. (PG, R)

2.00 Home Shopping.

4.00 Get Clever. (R)

5.00 House Of Wellness. (PGa, R)

6.00 Hello SA. (PG, R) 6.30 ACA. (R) 7.00

Weekend Today. 10.00 Today Extra: Saturday.

(PG) 12.00 Great Australian Detour. (R) 12.30

My Way. (R) 1.00 The Pet Rescuers. (PG, R)

1.30 MOVIE: Rocky IV. (1985, PGv, R) 3.30

Renovate Or Rebuild. (Return) 4.30 Garden

Gurus. (Return) 5.00 9News First At Five.

5.30 Getaway. (PG)

6.00 NBN News.

7.00 A Current Affair.

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 11.00 Everyday Gourmet. (R) 11.30

Australian Survivor. (PGl, R) 12.30 Silvia’s Italian Masterclass. 1.00 All 4 Adventure. (PGl, R) 2.00 Wildlife Rescue. (PGm, R) 3.00 What’s Up Down Under. 3.30 GCBC. (R) 4.00 My Market Kitchen. 4.30 Taste Of Aust. (R) 5.00 News.

6.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R)

Hosted by Grant Denyer.

6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R)

Kelly meets a fluff ball named Jinglebells.

7.30 The Dog House. (Return)

A family looks for a pet.

8.30 Ambulance Australia. (Ma, R)

A woman becomes stranded on a remote walking track, unable to make her way out.

9.45 Ambulance UK. (Ma, R)

A crew attends to a woman who has contracted COVID-19 while pregnant.

11.00 So Help Me Todd. (PGlv, R)

12.00 FBI: International. (Mav, R)

1.00 Home Shopping. (R)

5.00 Hour Of Power.

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am December

Boys. (2007, PG) 8.00 Young Girls Of Rochefort. (1967, PG, French) 10.20 J.T. LeRoy. (2018, M) 12.20pm The Producers. (2005, M) 2.50 Peggy Sue Got Married. (1986, PG) 4.45 Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982. (2019, PG, Korean) 6.55 All At Sea. (2010, PG) 8.30 American Hustle. (2013, M) 11.00 Concussion. (2013, MA15+) 12.50am The Salesman. (2016, M, Persian) 3.05 Late Programs.

SUNDAY, March 3

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.20 Love Your Garden. (R) 10.10 Vintage Voltage. (PGl) 11.00 Ireland’s

Secrets From Above. (PG) 12.00 WorldWatch.

(R) 3.00 Nigella Bites. (R)

Cook And The Chef. (R) 3.50 Grand Designs NZ. (R) 4.40 Extraordinary Escapes. (PG, R) 5.30 The ABC Of... (PG, R)

6.00 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (PG, R)

6.30 Compass. (Return, PG)

7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.

7.30 Death In Paradise. (PGa)

8.30 House Of Gods. (PGl) Isa struggles to meet his financial commitment.

9.30 Silent Witness. (Ma, R) Jack heads to Belfast.

10.30 Midsomer Murders. (Mav, R)

12.00 Harrow. (Mav, R)

12.55 Significant Others. (Mals, R)

1.50 Sanditon. (PG, R)

2.40 Rage Vault. (MA15+adhlnsv)

4.00 Catalyst. (PG, R)

5.00 Insiders. (R)

12.30 PBS Washington Week With The Atlantic. 12.55 Powerchair Football. (R) 1.00 Speedweek. 3.00 Surf Life Saving. Super Surf Teams League. H’lights. 4.50 Where Are You Really From? (PG, R) 5.25 Her War, Her Story: WWII. (PGa)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 The Lost Scrolls Of Vesuvius With Alice Roberts. (PG)

8.30 Netanyahu, America And The Road To War In Gaza. (MA15+av)

10.05 Military Strongholds: Megastructures Of Genius. (PG, R)

11.05 Rodman: For Better Or Worse. (Mal, R)

1.05 Dirty Bird. (R)

1.10 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Paris-Nice Race. Stage 1.

3.10 Going Places. (PG, R) 4.10 Bamay. (R)

4.45 Destination Flavour. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature.

5.30 Al Jazeera.

7MATE (64)

9GO! (83)

NITV (34)

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 House Of Wellness. (PGa, R) 1.00 Jabba’s Movies. (PGav, R)

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Australian Idol. (PGl) Hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie.

8.00 King Con: Life And Crimes Of Hamish McLaren. (Mal) Chronicles the crimes of con man Hamish McLaren.

10.00 Soham: Catching A Killer. (Mav) Part 2 of 3.

11.00 Autopsy USA: Andy Gibb. (Mad)

12.00 MOVIE: Jesse Stone: Night Passage. (2006, Masv, R)

2.00 Home Shopping.

3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Seven Early News.

5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Wide World Of Sports. (Return, PG) 11.00 Building Icons.

12.00 David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet.

(PG, R) 1.00 Undisputed. (PGl) 3.00 NRL

Sunday Footy: Vegas Pre-Show. 3.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 1. Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos. 5.30 NRL Sunday Footy: Vegas Post-Show.

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Farm To Fork. (R) 10.30 Pooches At Play. (R) 11.00 Buy To Build. (R) 11.30 Healthy Homes. (R)

12.00 Australian Survivor. (PGl, R) 1.30 Cook With Luke. (R) 2.00 4x4 Adventures. 3.00 Roads Less Travelled. 3.30 Farm To Fork. (R) 4.00 My Market Kitchen. (R) 4.30 GCBC. (R) 5.00 News.

6.30 The Sunday Project. Joins panellists for a look at the day’s news, events and hot topics.

7.30 Australian Survivor. A group of Australian castaways battles it out on the beaches of Samoa as they vie to become the sole survivor.

9.00 NCIS: Hawai’i. (Mv, R) As Jane investigates her former mentor Maggie’s kidnapping, she is shocked when she learns a troubling truth and enlists her team and Whistler to prove her findings.

11.00 The Sunday Project. (R)

A look at the day’s news.

12.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.30 CBS Mornings.

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am Kim

Ji-Young, Born 1982. Continued. (2019, PG, Korean) 7.10 All At Sea. (2010, PG) 8.45 Riding Alone For Thousands Of Miles. (2005, PG, Japanese) 10.45

Swan Song. (2021, M) 12.45pm The Lady In The Van. (2015, M) 2.40 December Boys. (2007, PG) 4.40 Creation. (2009, PG) 6.40 The Defiant Ones. (1958) 8.30 Raging Bull. (1980, MA15+) 10.50 To The North. (2022, MA15+) 1.05am Late Programs.

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Bowraville Bowls Report

THE Tigers are three rounds into their pennants campaigns in grades 5 and 7. The 7s have started brilliantly with two home wins against Park Beach (9.5 –0.5) and Nambucca (10 – 0) and a narrow away loss to Woolgoolga

(2 – 8) in the second round. They sit equal first with Sawtell who they meet this Saturday up the road. The ladder looks this way – Sawtell 21.5, Bowraville 21.5, Park Beach 19.5, Urunga 10, Nambucca 9, Woolgoolga 8.5.

Following a first round bye, the 5s defeated Scotts Head at home (10 – 0) then ran into a Stuarts Point team that were keen to atone for a loss the previous week, going down 0 –10. They return to the Den this

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week to face a winless Kempsey Heights side so get on down to Royal Bowra and cheer on the lads. The grade 5 table sits this way – Sth West Rocks 27, Stuarts Pt 22, Bowraville 10, Scotts Head 1, Kempsey Heights 0. Big thanks to everyone who has chipped in to keep the grass at bay around the green, Janet

Poletti for taking on the umpire role once again, the respective managers and Gillo and Neen for feeding the bowlers post game.

Social bowls every Thursday, names in by 12.30 for a 1pm start and a chilled out arvo of bowls, raffles and nibbles.

R) 2.30 Back Roads. (R)

3.00 Cook And The Chef. (R) 3.30 Tenable. (R) 4.15 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 5.15 Grand Designs. (R)

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.10 Make Me A Dealer. (R) 10.00 Hugh’s Wild West. (R) 11.10 Food Markets: In The Belly Of The City. (PGaw, R) 12.10 WorldWatch. 2.20 Ramses The Great Empire Builder. (PGa, R) 3.10 Mastermind Aust. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 The Great Fire Of London. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

R) 4.45 Destination Flavour Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 11.30 News. 12.00 Australian Idol. (PGl, R)

1.10 Surveillance Oz. (PG, R) 1.30 Motorbike Cops. (PG, R)

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Home And Away. (PGa)

7.30 Australian Idol. (PGl) Hosted by Ricki-Lee

6.00 Deal Or No Deal.

Hosted by Grant Denyer.

6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news.

7.30 Australian Survivor.

Presented by Jonathan LaPaglia.

8.40 FBI: Most Wanted. (MA15+v, R) Missteps along the way lead to more death when the Fugitive Task Force investigates the murder of a professional basketball player’s wife, who was a famous supermodel-turned-lifestyle guru.

11.30 The Project. (R)

12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) Hosted by Stephen Colbert.

1.30 Home Shopping. (R)

4.30 CBS Mornings.

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am Roxane. Continued. (2019, PG, French) 6.40 Menashe. (2017, PG, Yiddish) 8.15 The Defiant Ones. (1958) 10.05 American Hustle. (2013, M) 12.35pm Look At Me. (2018, M, Arabic) 2.25 All At Sea. (2010, PG) 4.00 Riding Alone For Thousands Of Miles. (2005, PG, Japanese) 6.00 The Age Of Innocence. (1993, PG) 8.30 West Side Story. (1961, PG) 11.15 Late Programs.

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.10 Make Me A Dealer. (R) 10.00 Craig & Bruno’s Great British Road Trips. (PG, R) 11.00 Food Markets: In The Belly Of The City. (PGad, R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.10 The 2010s. (Ma, R) 3.00 Lucknow. (PG, R) 3.10 Mastermind Aust. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (PG, R) 4.10 The Great Fire Of London. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Who Do You Think

You Are? (PGa, R)

8.30 Insight. (Return)

9.30 Dateline. (Return)

10.00 SBS World News Late.

10.30 Railway Journeys UK. (R) 11.05

Blackout: Tomorrow Is Too Late. (Mlnv) 12.00 Miniseries: Bonnie And Clyde. (MA15+asv, R) 12.50 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Paris-Nice Race. Stage 3. 2.50 Exit. (MA15+ads, R)

3.45 Going Places. (PG, R) 4.45 Destination Flavour Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

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6.00 Deal Or No Deal. Contestants compete in a high-stakes game where they must beat The Banker to win a cash prize.

6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news.

7.30 Australian Survivor. Presented by Jonathan LaPaglia.

9.00 NCIS. (Mv, R) Gibbs and Parker go on a road trip to find a serial killer’s victim.

10.00 NCIS: Los Angeles. (Mav, R) A navy reservist is stabbed.

11.00 The Project. (R) A look at the day’s news.

12.00 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am The Age Of Innocence. Continued. (1993, PG) 8.10 West Side Story. (1961, PG) 10.55 Creation. (2009, PG) 12.55pm The City Of Lost Children. (1995, M, French) 3.00 Menashe. (2017, PG, Yiddish) 4.35 Roxane. (2019, PG, French) 6.15 The China Syndrome. (1979, PG) 8.30 The Last Emperor. (1987, M) 11.35 The Professor And The Madman. (2019, M) 2am Late Programs.

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6.00

WEDNESDAY, March

6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Destination Flavour. (R) 9.10 Make Me A Dealer. (R) 10.00

Craig & Bruno’s Great British Road Trips. (PG, R) 11.00

Food Markets: In The Belly Of The City. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.10 Dateline. (R) 2.40

Insight. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 The Great Fire Of London. (PG, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Australia’s Sleep Revolution. (Ml)

8.30 Pan Am: Rise And Fall Of An Aviation Icon.

9.35 Kin. (MA15+l)

10.30 SBS World News Late.

11.00 Blinded. (Madl)

11.50 The Wall: The Chateau Murder. (Return, Malv)

12.40 My Life In Clay. (R) 12.50 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Paris-Nice Race. Stage 4. 2.50

Exit. (MA15+ads, R) 3.45 Going Places. (PGa, R)

4.45 Destination Flavour Bitesize. (R) 5.00

NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

6.00 Seven News.

7.00 Home And Away. (PGad)

7.30 The 1% Club. (PGls) Hosted by Jim Jefferies.

8.30 The Front Bar. (Return, Ml) Hosts Mick Molloy, Sam Pang and Andy Maher take a lighter look at all things AFL.

9.30 Talking Footy. (Return) A look

6.00 Deal Or No Deal. Hosted by Grant Denyer.

6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news.

7.30 Ambulance Australia. (Ma) Paramedics deal with a diabetic coma.

8.30 FBI: International. (Mv) Raines goes undercover as a wheelman as the FBI fly team races through the streets of Budapest to foil a major art heist. The situation is complicated by Dandridge, who is monitoring their every move.

11.30 The Project. (R)

12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

(PG, R)

(PG, R)

1.00 Tenable. (R)

1.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

4.30 Catalyst. (PGa, R)

5.30 7.30. (R)

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am The Movie Show. 6.30 The China Syndrome. (1979, PG) 8.45 Cutthroat Island. (1995, PG) 11.00 The Last Emperor. (1987, M) 2.05pm The Age Of Innocence. (1993, PG) 4.35 Widows’ Peak. (1994, PG) 6.30 The King Of Comedy. (1983, PG) 8.30 Midnight Cowboy. (1969, M) 10.35 Once Upon A Time In America. (1984, MA15+) 2.45am Ip Man 2. (2010, M, Cantonese) 4.40 Cutthroat Island. (1995, PG)

March

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Craig & Bruno’s Great British Road Trips. (PGas, R) 11.00 Food Markets: In The Belly Of The City. (PGaw, R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.20 Secrets Of The Pyramids. (PGa, R) 3.10 Mastermind Aust. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Then

And Now: The River Thames. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 DNA Family Secrets. (Final, PG)

8.40 Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy. (Return, PGal)

9.30 The Vanishing Triangle. (Premiere, Mal)

10.20 SBS World News Late.

10.50 The Spectacular. (Malv) 11.50 Marion

Jones: Press Pause. (PGas, R) 12.50 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Paris-Nice Race. Stage 5. 2.50 Exit. (Mals, R) 3.45 Going Places. (R)

4.45 Destination Flavour Bitesize. (R) 4.55

Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

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6.00 Deal Or No Deal.

6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news.

7.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa) Narrated by Mark Coles Smith.

8.30 Gogglebox Australia. TV fanatics open up their living rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows.

9.30 Law & Order: SVU. (MA15+asv, R) Muncy believes Elias Olsen has struck again.

10.30 Blue Bloods. (Mv, R) Eddie helps a woman being stalked.

11.30 The Project. (R)

12.30 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am Cutthroat Island. Continued. (1995, PG) 6.55 Magnetic Fields. (2021, PG, Greek) 8.30 Alone In Space. (2018, PG, Swedish) 10.00 The Professor And The Madman. (2019, M) 12.25pm Midnight Cowboy. (1969, M) 2.30 The China Syndrome. (1979, PG) 4.45 RBG. (2018, PG) 6.40 The Big Steal. (1990, PG) 8.30 Fargo. (1996, MA15+) 10.20 I, Tonya. (2018, MA15+) 12.30am Late Programs.

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Joint Venture

NORTHERN Beaches and Nambucca Valley have formed a joint venture for the 2024 AFL North Coast season.

The Blues and the Lions will join together to field teams in all four senior grades this season.

This development, as well as Byron Bay returning to the Gold Coast to play, results in the AFL North Coast having five men’s, women's and reserves teams this season.

The two clubs started discussing the idea of a joint venture in December and this week the move was approved by the respective club committees.

Teams in all four grades will include players from both teams.

President of Nambucca Valley seniors, Dave Colvin, said the joint venture is another step forward for the Lions.

"It's been a long term goal of the club to be strong enough to field competitive senior mens and womens teams with a strong junior program feeding into it.

“Joining together with the Blues this year is another step towards reaching that goal," Colvin said.

Northern Beaches president Luke Doyle said entering into a joint venture is a tremendous fillip for the young players at the club looking to play senior football.

"We have some very talented boys and girls coming through the ranks at Woolgoolga.

“Agreeing to a joint venture with the Lions means our youngsters can both play senior football in a team that will be competitive and stay with the club while they do so," Doyle said.