This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page has excelled in the pool at the recent National Age Swimming Championships The distance specialist claimed two gold medals in Brisbane marking her most successful campaign to date The NSW Government is funding vital road and safety improvements along the Bruxner Highway between Ballina and Lismore including an upgrade to the Ballina Road intersection at Alstonville Transport for NSW engaged in early consultation with the Alstonville and Ballina communities in 2021 a Consultation Summary Report outlining the community feedback was available.  The REF is to determine the potential environmental and social impacts and proposed mitigation measures for the construction of the Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road intersection improvements The REF will be on display for comment until Sunday 27 April 2025 so come any time between 12pm and 2pm or 4pm to 6pm Hard copies are available to view at the Alstonville Library Alstonville during library opening hours.  Transport for NSW has published the consultation summary report in response to the display of the preferred option for the upgrade of the Ballina Road and Bruxner Highway intersection at Alstonville.  The preferred option was displayed in October and November 2021 to address an existing issue associated with the right turn out of Ballina Road Selection of the preferred route considered social environmental and economic factors as well as community and stakeholder feedback.  Transport has confirmed that the preferred option will proceed and will progress the concept design and environmental assessment for the project The community will have the opportunity to provide further feedback later this year Transport for NSW thanks the community for its input and contribution to the planning work to date The Bruxner Highway is a key movement corridor for motorists pedestrians and cyclists and plays a vital role in facilitating movement through Lismore while connecting the city to the Ballina/Byron coastal area and west to Casino Transport for NSW has been planning improvements along the full length of the Bruxner Highway and has developed a comprehensive Bruxner Highway corridor strategy This includes investigating viable options to improve safety for all road users and reduce congestion between Ballina and Lismore the $90 million Alstonville bypass was completed replacing the old highway which ran through the main street of Alstonville At the eastern end (Sneaths Road) and western end (Ballina Road) of the project at-grade connections were built to connect back into Alstonville The project provided significant benefits - including faster travel times reduced traffic congestion and better pedestrian access and safety within Alstonville and Wollongbar eight crashes were reported at the Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road intersection at Alstonville with the right turn out of Ballina Road associated with the most severe crashes at the site minor improvements were made to the intersection including lengthening the eastbound merge lane building a separated left turn lane and placing a temporary ban on right turns from Ballina Road onto the highway between 3-6pm due to glare from the sun the NSW Government committed to further improve safety at the intersection The proposed design improves safety at the Ballina Road intersection Around 20,000 motorists use this section of the Bruxner Highway daily Transport carried out extensive traffic modelling and investigations to exploring potential options to improve safety at the intersection Traffic modelling was completed at the Ballina Road intersection that indicated: These investigations found major upgrades to Ballina Road intersection were not required at this time The best safety outcome for this intersection would be to remove the main conflict point the right-hand-turn from Ballina Road onto the highway and utilise the existing overbridge at Wardell Road and look at including an on-ramp for westbound traffic using the Bruxner Highway heading towards Lismore Traffic modelling was also carried out to determine the viability of the proposal This includes changes to vehicle movements through the Alstonville local road network following removal of the right-hand turn from Ballina Road to use the proposed westbound on ramp when travelling towards Lismore Traffic modelling showed an additional 54 vehicles in the morning peak and 24 trips in the afternoon peak that would be redirected through Alstonville from the Ballina Road intersection only a small proportion of about 15 trips in the morning and 13 in the afternoon would travel through Alstonville’s main street There would be negligible impacts from this minor diversion of local traffic through the Alstonville network ImageCollapse the ImageAlstonville Access Ramps infographicImage controls: Transport has considered the feedback from the community and determined the preferred option will proceed We are continuing to plan for the delivery of the project and are progressing the design and environmental assessment for the intersection upgrade The environmental assessment will include more detailed information about the design features The community will have the opportunity to provide further feedback on the proposal later this year Timing for construction has not been confirmed and is subject to project approval We will keep the community updated as the project progresses Some documents on this page may not comply with accessibility requirements (WCAG) If you are having trouble accessing information in these documents, please contact us Preferred option at Ballina Road interchange For further information about this project Email:region.north@transport.nsw.gov.au Transport for NSW recognise and celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal peoples and their ongoing cultures and care of Country We pay respect to traditional custodians and Elders past and present Wollongbar-Alstonville is looking strong after a convincing win over the Byron Shire Rebels The Pioneers coach admitting improvements could have been made to the squad’s forward pack… but he’s determined to keep up their winning ways and library services since its construction in the early 1980s the Centre has not undergone any major renovations or modernisation—until now In 2021, Ballina Shire Council endorsed a concept design to refurbish the Centre, including a new two-storey library annex. The concept was open for the community's feedback via yoursayballina.com.au. The development application was approved in 2024 and Council is now focusing on the tender process for construction Council will update the community once a construction start date is confirmed.  The redevelopment will transform the Alstonville Cultural Centre into an accessible meeting the needs of the growing Alstonville and Wollongbar communities The Alstonville Library is set to become a modern accessible hub for learning and community engagement The expanded two-storey library will feature: The library’s design aligns with the NSW Public Library Building Guidelines ensuring it meets the needs of our growing community while maintaining high-quality standards More Contact Information We Want Your Feedback Report an Issue events and project updates straight to your inbox Subscribe to eNews Ballina Shire Council acknowledges that we are here on the land of the Bundjalung people The Bundjalung are the traditional owners of this land and are part of the oldest surviving continuous culture in the world Round two of the Australian Pickleball Masters Championships got underway today at Alstonville which is usually held at the Goonellabah re-located due to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred Educators have gathered to celebrate the official launch of the North Coast Pathway The specialised program will be based in Alstonville and has been developed to help Year 9 and 10 students find their path to success The Tuckombil Quarry is located at 540 Gap Road, Alstonville and was approved under DA 1995/276 for the extraction of hard rock a modification was approved which extended the life of the quarry beyond the ten years specified in the original approval The latest modification - DA 1995/276.3 was approved on the 13 August 2013 for the continued operation of hard rock quarrying and associated crushing plant with extraction rates of 100,000 tonnes per annum expected incremental increases in extraction rates of 3%-5% reaching a maximum extraction rate of 150,000 tonnes per annum The latest approval was implemented to update the blasting methodologies and practices utilised at the quarry to conform to contemporary practices and to minimise impacts from the blasting on residential receivers Council also applied for an approval to operate the quarry as a temporary emergency transfer station with approval being granted on 6 March 2022 in response to extensive local flooding which occurred in that year Tuckombil quarry has not had materials extracted from the site since 2016 The Rehabilitation Program (constituting Appendix 3) within the Flora and Fauna Assessment undertaken by J Warren and contained in Appendix B of the Environmental Impact Statement outlines the objectives of the rehabilitation program The report identified that revegetation works on the site should concentrate trees that should be endemic rainforest species which will provide food sources and habitat for native fauna The report also identifies that revegetation efforts should concentrate around the existing Creek line; however all unmined areas and mounds are identified for revegetation with native and endemic rainforest species under the original plan Several options and rehabilitation plans are currently being considered by Council for the end use of the site Approval: Hard Rock extraction DA 1995/276.3 Environmental Protection Licence: EPL 3856 Plans have been lodged with Ballina Shire Council for a multi-million dollar tourist park at Alstonville could lead to overdevelopment and traffic issues Our bin system is an easy and convenient way to sort recyclables reduce what we send to landfill and turn our 'waste' into valuable resources Find everything you need to know about bin collection services for urban and rural residents as well as businesses and events  Report a missed or damaged bin here Enter your address to search online for your next bin day or download a waste calendar below - print in portrait mode on A4 paper, or collect a copy from Council's Customer Service Centre If the truck is unable to collect your bin for any of these reasons, you will need to make other arrangements to transport your materials to the Resource Recovery Centre or wait to the next collection day If this occurs and your bin has not been emptied please leave it out and your waste will be collected as soon as possible.  Each week over 20,000 bins are emptied across Ballina Shire. Please follow our Bin Collection Guidelines so we can collect your kerbside bins Report a Missed Bin Collection online Council supplies and maintains all waste bins and they are assigned to set addresses so these must remain on the property if moving Stickers for the top of your kerbside bins and other educational material like magnets can be collected for free at: You can apply for this service if you meet the following conditions: Apply here for supported household bin collection(PDF, 117KB) Most waste materials that do not fit or cannot be placed in your existing bin system can be taken to Ballina's Resource Recovery Centre. View the Resource Recovery Centre Fees and Charges Download the Waste Services Fees and Charges factsheet (PDF, 3MB) Council offers recycling, organics and landfill event bins, with or without event bin lids, with clear signage for attendees on what goes in each bin. Bins are available to hire for event organisers. Charges apply for the transportation of bins to and from the event and waste disposal. Please contact the Resource Recovery Centre on 6686 1287 for more information Click here for more information on Waste Wise Events Ask a waste expert She’s the North Coast pocket rocket making BIG waves in the pool just a week ago – Alstonville’s Eve Drew delivered her best performance yet at the New South Wales Country Championships Alstonville Swimming clubs iron lady Abbie Yourell has capped off another successful Open Water season The 18-year-old has returned home from the Australian Open Water Championships Western Australia…acheiving her best results to date Alstonville Swimming Club members are ramping up training ahead of the National Age Championships this Thursday 10 swimmers will represent the local club in Queensland… its strongest showing yet The countdown to the Far North Coast Rugby Union season is on…and there are some worrying signs for the rest of the competition Defending premiers Wollongbar/Alstonville has retained the majority of their 2024 squad and is confident of going back to back this year Alstonville Swimming Club members are putting in their final training laps ahead of the Country Championships this Friday 21 swimmers will represent the region in Sydney Transport for NSW is planning to upgrade the Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road intersection to further improve safety at this intersection Additional features of the proposal include: Transport for NSW is seeking community feedback on the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the proposed Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road intersection improvement The REF has been prepared outlining the features of the proposed design and assesses a range of potential environmental impacts expected during construction and operation You can provide your feedback by Sunday 27 April 2025 by completing the survey below or attending one of our community information sessions The community information sessions are informal sessions where you can drop in any time You will have the opportunity to meet the project team ask questions and learn more about the proposed project This consultation is open for contributions until 27 April 2025 A consultation report responding to submissions will be prepared and shared with the community Email: region.north@transport.nsw.gov.au Members of the project team will be available to discuss the REF at the following day and times: Call 131450 for the free interpreter service Arabic: بالرقم 131450 لاستخدام خدمة الترجمة المجانية اتصل Vietnamese: Gọi 13 14 50 để sử dụng dịch vụ thông dịch miễn phí Greek: Καλέστε το 13 14 50 για τη δωρεάν υπηρεσία διερμηνέα Italian: Chiama il 13 14 50 per il servizio di interprete gratuito Tagalog: Tumawag sa 13 14 50 para sa libreng serbisyo ng interpreter Hindi: नि: शुल्क दुभाषिया सेवा के लिए 131450 फोन करें Privacy collection notice for Bruxner Highway Ballina Road intersection improvements Have your say consultations are run by the NSW Department of Customer Service (McKell Building We are interested in hearing from the community and will use the information we collect from you to help develop the programs and services that NSW Government provides in particular <description of programs and services that will be developed from this consultation> We may collect basic personal information like your name and contact details You may provide some personal information <<and health information>in response to questions that we ask you we may ask you about your experiences or opinions about a particular topic Having your say is voluntary and you are not legally required to provide any personal information to us In this consultation your name and contact details are being collected for this consultation We may provide your personal information to other areas of the Department of Customer Service (for example the Data Analytics Centre and Customer Insights) so that we can conduct analysis across all consultations and refine our engagement methodology The personal information will be stored on the DAC’s secure platform which is hosted in a secure commercial cloud data centre in Australia Where we conduct a consultation with or on behalf of a partner agency we would usually share the information that we collect with that agency For privacy information about your use of the NSW Government website generally, please see the NSW Government’s website privacy statement. Sign in to the Have Your Say community to stay informed. If you haven't signed up yet, Register here NSW Government Cabinet Office We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture Identifying information collected is recorded in line with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIP Act) and the Department's Privacy Management Plan (PMP). The Department will only collect personal information for a lawful purpose which directly relates to our primary function as a NSW Government agency and for obtaining feedback about NSW Government services For further information please refer to the Privacy collection notice on the specific Have your say consultation This privacy information applies only to the information you are providing in the Have your say consultation If you unsubscribe, your information may not be permanently deleted from the service provider system and instead, stored on a suppression list that prevents future emails from being sent to your email address. To have your data permanently removed from the suppression list database, please send a request to: YourSay@customerservice.nsw.gov.au You may also contact privacy@customerservice.nsw.gov.au if you have any questions about this privacy information Need an account? Sign up today We will send you instructions to reset your password Back to Log in Creating an account helps us better understand your needs and the needs of the community. Completing the questions below helps us better understand the diverse range of people who contribute their ideas. The questions are optional. Would you like to follow this project to receive email updates? The Alstonville Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Alstonville Show Society, with support from Ballina Shire Council, to host the first market at the showgrounds in October. Photo: JACOPO MAIARELLI A NEW community market will open in Alstonville next month, bringing fresh opportunities for local vendors and residents after years without a market. The Alstonville Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Alstonville Show Society, with support from Ballina Shire Council, to host the first market at the showgrounds in October. Alstonville Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce member and Trident Fish & Grill owner Christian Photiou said the markets are designed to bring the community together following the disruptions caused by the pandemic and floods, while also supporting local businesses. “It’s all supporting local people and farmers,” Mr Photiou said. “A lot of markets have closed – like Lennox and Lismore. “We’d like to build it up to bring the community together and make Alstonville a destination for the markets.” He said it had been “a long time coming”, with markets last held in Alstonville eight years ago. So far, the response from vendors has been overwhelming. “We’ve had a massive response. We’re getting emails every single day.” He said the calls were coming from vendors from other markets, and word of mouth was sharing the message around. The market was originally slated to start on a Sunday in September, but a hiccup in what was allowed under the showground’s development approval meant it had to be pushed back until October and will be held on a Saturday. In the future, Mr Photiou said they hoped the council would amend the DA to allow the market to run on a Sunday. The first market will be held on Saturday, October 19 from 8.30am – 2pm at Alstonville Showgrounds. Markets are also planned for Saturday, November 16 and a special Christmas market on Saturday, December 21. Alstonville Swimming Club is busy preparing for the State Age Championships this weekend. A six strong team will represent the region, with several young athletes determined to claim a podium finish. The Alstonville Markets will return this Saturday for its third market day offering a diverse range of local products and a boost for the community which takes place on the third Saturday of each month will be held from 8:30 am to 2 pm at the Alstonville Showground with proceeds going back into the community has quickly become a popular destination for local shoppers and vendors attracting over 100 stallholders and a waiting list for vendors "It's been very popular since our first October market We've been fully booked with a waiting list." The market provides a low-cost platform for budding entrepreneurs and local businesses I think markets have a strong following in this region That's my observation since moving here," Rod added ​The Alstonville Markets aim to fill a void left by the closure of the Lismore Car Boot Market offering a general market with a focus on arts While the market does feature some local produce and other locally produced items to complement existing farmers' markets in the region The market's strategic location in the Alstonville village draws crowds from both the coast and inland with visitors travelling from as far as Casino and the Richmond Valley The organisers will decide whether to continue the market next year after reviewing feedback from stallholders and marketgoers about the Saturday time slot "We have a sort of joint committee between the chamber and the society," explained Rod "We said that we would trial these three markets this year and then decide what we're going to do next year But I think we're all fairly decided at this stage we'll probably continue with the same Saturday format." The Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital is the charity partner for the December market The Alstonville Markets will take a break in January and are expected to return in February The Alstonville under-12s have claimed a podium finish at the recent Banana Bowl waterpolo tournament at Coffs Harbour the squad re-gathered themselves to finish the job There aren’t any fireworks planned for Richmond Valley or Kyogle LGAs on New Year’s Eve If you want to see fireworks head to Lismore Showgrounds at the Tropical Fruits NYE Festival at midnight There is also a fireworks display at the Alstonville Showgrounds Family Fun Night at 8pm It is illegal in NSW to use unauthorised fireworks and can result in fines or a imprisonment Richmond Valley and Kyogle newsEmail: indynr.com@gmail.com FROM bull riding to monster trucks – old and new will come together at the annual Alstonville Show from October 25 to 27 The event at Alstonville Showground will also include dog trials Monster truck Scruffy will wow the crowd on Saturday night with the event culminating in a fireworks show around 8.15pm Alstonville Agricultural Society secretary Faye Wilson said the monster truck was returning this year after missing last year “We like to mix things up a bit so last year we had motorbikes,” she said “There’s always a lot of interest in the pavilion entries and a lot of interest in the school exhibitions “We also have a LEGO exhibition for both children and adults.” Ms Wilson said the first show was held in 1890 with many families passing down traditions from generation to generation “We love to put on a show for the community,” she said “It’s the only agricultural show in the Ballina Shire “I think it’s important for the community to be able to come to an affordable family event and that’s what the committee strives for “We make sure there’s lots of affordable entertainment for small children like the Wildlife Twins and a jumping castle and rides for little children as well as bigger ones “A lot of people take pride in the produce they have grown during the year; that’s on display in the pavilion.” Entry is free on Friday to make it accessible for families with tickets costing $15 for Saturday and $8 for children aged 10 to 16 For more information, visit alstonvilleshow.com The giant inflatable obstacle course which will operate at the Alstonville Showground in the school holidays A GIANT inflatable obstacle course will take over the Alstonville Showground this weekend as part of a new school holiday attraction created by a local amusement busines Northern Rivers Jumping Castles owner Jesse Flanagan has created the Airheads Alstonville Inflatable Park “We started with one jumping castle and now we’re the largest amusement company from Gold Coast to Newcastle,” Mr Flanagan said “This obstacle course is a big set up it takes four days to put it altogether and runs off two generators “People have asked to hire it out for birthdays but you can only run it with a proper team at a suitable venue “I have a good relationship with the committee at the show society and I thought Alstonville was a good central location for the school holidays.” Ticket price include entry to the obstacle course There will also be side show games and food trucks The obstacle course can take up to 250 kids in one day and is also suitable for adults There are no lineups with additional jumping castles and equipment used on busier days Mr Flanagan said the current set up is unique to the Northern Rivers and will likely become a regular event during school holiday periods “We’ve done other New Years Eve shows at Alstonville and we’ve set up the giant inflatable at Lismore showground “We rely on local support and the plan will eventually be to expand in to Ballina” Tickets can be purchased at airheads.net.au. Alstonville Waterpolo players are finalising their preparations, ahead of the Junior Country Championships this weekend. The local club will send off its biggest contingent to the event, ready to do battle with their Queensland counterparts. A week ago, the Lismore App published the story of an unknown Alstonville person who had won $200,000 in Lucky Lotteries. The search was on to find them. Not only did the man come forward to collect his $200,000 prize, but he confessed it was his third win since 2021! “The other day I walked past the newsagent and noticed they had a sign up looking for an unregistered Lucky Lotteries winner. In that moment, I thought to myself, ‘I hope the prize goes to someone good and deserving’, the man explained. “Later that day when I woke up from a nap, the thought crossed my mind to check my tickets.  “I was completely shocked when I saw I had won again! I couldn’t believe it! “I’ve already won Lucky Lotteries twice now, so a third time just seemed crazy! “After a little bit, I couldn’t help but laugh. “The craziest part of this story is that my winning ticket was a free bonus ticket from a previous draw. The Alstonville man held the 1st Prize winning entry in Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot draw 1686, drawn Thursday 29 August 2024, and looks forward to a total prize of $200,000. He first scored $100,000 in Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw 10460, drawn 13 May 2021, followed by a $200,000 win in Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot draw 1586, drawn Tuesday 16 August 2022. With $200,000 soon to boost his bank account, the hard-working man shared he wanted to lend a helping hand to his friends doing it tough at the moment. “I’m not really an extravagant person. I’ve got everything I need,” he shared. “I always try to help others as much as possible, and this time around I want to help a friend doing it tough. “As for myself, I wouldn’t mind taking some time off work and going on a holiday.” The man’s winning ticket was a free bonus entry he received from another ticket purchased at Alstonville Newsagency, Shop 2 79-83 Main Street, Alstonville. Alstonville Newsagency owners Ray and Maree Smith shared they were very excited to hear they’d sold a 1st Prize winning ticket worth $200,000. “Only three weeks ago, we sold a division one winning ticket in Saturday Lotto, so I guess you could say we’re on a winning streak!” he said. “Our customers are very excited to hear our small community is getting some big wins. “A massive congratulations to our special winner on behalf of the entire Alstonville Newsagency team." This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Two Lismore mates and a Wollongbar woman are celebrating million-dollar wins in Saturday Lotto. Each won $2.1 million, as Lismore continued its lucky streak after the weekend's Lotto draw followed the $1.3 million winner on December 28 2024. The two entries were among the 14 division one winning entries in Saturday Lotto draw 4535 on Saturday, 4 January 2025. Each division one winning entry pocketed $2,142,857.15. “Jesus Christ! You ripper!” one of the Lismore friends exclaimed when the enormity of his win was revealed by an official from The Lott. “I’m here with my mate. We go halves in a Lotto ticket. “Bring on retirement, I say! This will set us both up for retirement. “We’re sitting here just having coffee and looking at each other in shock. We’re trying to get coffee in our gobs without spilling it. “It should be a good year for us! It will be great!” Their winning System 8 QuickPick entry was purchased at Lismore Square News, Shop 78, Lismore Shopping Square, 95 Diadem Street, Lismore.  The Wollongbar woman is looking at overseas travel following her win. “Bugger me! Is this right?” the woman questioned when her prize was confirmed. “I checked my ticket on my iPad and thought, ‘this can’t be right’. “You know, a thousand things go through your head. “It’s like most things. I’ve been playing for years, but you don’t expect to ever win! “There’s lots of things I want to do, including helping my family. But I’d also like to go on an overseas holiday and trust me; I’ll be flying at the pointy end of the plane!” Her winning entry was purchased at Alstonville Newsagency, Shop 2, 79-83 Main Street, Alstonville. Alstonville Newsagency owners Ray and Maree Smith said they were thrilled to sell another division one winning entry. “We’ve been sharing the news with all our customers and they’re delighted to hear Alstonville is once again in the winner’s circle,” Ray said. “We don’t like to skite, but Alstonville Newsagency has been extremely lucky over the past 10 years. We’ve now sold four Division One prizes as well as six Lucky Lotteries 1st Prizes. This division one win is our biggest to date. “This is going to be life-changing for our lucky winner and a fantastic way to start 2025.” The winning numbers in Saturday Lotto draw 4535 on 4 January 2025 were 33, 19, 8, 23, 10 and 31, while the supplementary numbers were 42 and 13. About 3.15pm on Sunday 15 September 2024, emergency services were called to the Bruxner Highway near Alstonville, following reports of a two-vehicle crash. Officers attached to Richmond Police District were told a Kia Rio sedan and a Lexus sedan had collided head-on. Three people were trapped in the wreckage of both vehicles, and they were treated at the scene by Ambulance Paramedics and first responders. Three people – two males and a female with age yet to be formally identified - were taken to Lismore Base hospital for further treatment. Bruxner Highway was closed to traffic in both directions while emergency services remained at the scene. A crime scene was established and an investigation into the circumstances of the crash will be conducted by the Crash Investigation Unit. As inquiries continue, anyone with information or dash cam footage about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. This afternoon, a two-car crash on the Bruxner Highway near Gap Road at Towalbyn closed the Bruxner in both directions for two and a half hours between Lismore and Ballina. NSW Police said a bronze Kia Rio and black Lexus collided around 3:30 this afternoon, leaving three people trapped for some time. Emergency services, Transport for NSW and a Crash Investigation Unit were in attendance. Diversions were in place for light vehicles via Teven Rd and Ballina Road in both directions, with heavy vehicles using Big River Way and Summerland Way between Grafton and Casino. This was due to a 5 tonne load limit on the Tatham Bridge on the Casino Coraki Rd. The rescue operation was completed by 6pm, so the Bruxner Highway is open again. The three people are in a critical condition. The Bruxner Highway from Lismore to Ballina has seen regular accidents each year such as the Alphadale intersection or entries and exits going in and out of Wollongbar and Alstonville Transport for NSW is planning to upgrade the section of the Bruxner Highway around Alstonville to improve safety at this intersection further Transport for NSW is seeking community feedback on the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the proposed Bruxner Highway and Ballina Road intersection improvement You can provide your feedback by Sunday, 27 April 2025, by completing the online survey or attending one of our community information sessions The community information sessions are informal sessions where you can drop in at any time Bellingen and Alstonville High Schools are both bringing home some new silverware winning today’s North Coast Futsal grand finals The Bello girls on a high…now looking forward to next month’s Australasian Champion of Champions tournament The 2024/25 Far North Coast Water Polo season has begun THE Northern Rivers water polo season has kicked off with record participation with more players than ever taking to the pool Alstonville Junior Water Polo Club has around 120 juniors registered this year The club has also fielded two women’s and four men’s teams Club secretary Veronica Silver said it’s not too late to sign up and urged those interested not to be deterred by the sport’s reputation “People see it at the Olympics and think it is a difficult sport But if you are a strong swimmer and enjoy team sports it can be surprisingly fun,” Ms Silver said The success of Australia’s women’s water polo team at the Olympics has boosted local interest the local competition had just two women’s teams—this year The Australian team’s visit to the Alstonville pool in 2021 to train left a lasting impact on the club “Everybody is pretty proud of the Australian Women’s team,” Ms Silver said The club welcomes players of all ages and abilities mixing teams to help newcomers gain confidence the club also offers opportunities for elite competition a team made up of the club’s top players will compete with several members having played in the National League About six junior players from the club are also striving for elite-level competition travelling to Brisbane every weekend to compete “A lot of our junior players become QLD representative players It’s just easier to get there than Sydney,” Ms Silver said The club plays in the Far North Coast Water Polo competition under-12 teams will head to Coffs Harbour for the Banana Bowl in two weeks players will compete at the QLD Country Titles on the Gold Coast while seniors take to the pool on Monday nights Ms Silver encouraged locals to “get out of your comfort zone and come and try a new sport.” For more information, visit www.fncwaterpolo.org.au. The countdown is on for Alstonville swimming talent Sophie Mayes – as she readies herself for her Australian Swimming Trials debut in Brisbane. The stakes are high for the 19-year-old – with selectors to eye off their Dolphins team for Paris. Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from Alstonville was last seen in Alstonville about 8pm on Thursday (14 November 2024) When she could not be located or contacted officers attached to Richmond Police District were notified yesterday (Friday 15 November 2024) and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts Police and family hold serious concerns for Susan’s welfare Susan is described as being of Caucasian appearance short dark brown hair with red streaks in fringe She was last seen wearing a floral top and three-quarter white pants Susan is known to frequent the Alstonville Inquiries have established that Susan maybe driving a red coloured Mazda 3 bearing NSW registration SC564 Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Ballina Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is treated in strict confidence The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages It is a significant milestone for the Pioneers considering five-eighth Ben Damen second-rower Matt Scott and winger James Vidler were part of that team and are still playing today Wollongbar-Alstonville five-eighth Ben Damen has been one of the key players for the Pioneers in Far North Coast rugby union. Picture by Vicki Kerry.It was also a turning point for the club with the grand final win breaking an 18-year premiership drought. they have gone on to win another seven titles but they have managed to keep most of the playing group intact Hooker Bill Johnston and lock Hamish Mould have played in most of them Captain Ben Damen has only missed one year with injury while his brothers Daniel and Josh have also been part of the success The club won its first premiership in 1996 and had several lean years before a talented crop of juniors moved into first grade "We never thought we'd have the success," Ben said "We just wanted to emulate the 1996 team and win a premiership but once you win one it becomes easier to repeat it and we just got on a run "2014 was special because it was all new for everyone "All the premierships are special in their own way so it's tough to pinpoint one but it's probably the grand final I remember most Players who have come in over the years have all bought in." A closer look at the competition shows how dominant the Pioneers have been over the last decade Its win in 2014 came after making the two previous grand finals They won six straight before being dethroned by Lennox Head in a shortened season in 2020 A chance to reclaim the title was spoiled in 2021 when the finals were abandoned due to COVID-19 They won in 2022 and 2023 over Bangalow and the Byron Shire Rebels The Rebels are a joint venture between Bangalow and Byron Bay "The best thing about the run is being able to share some of the special moments with close friends," Damen said Matt Scott has been the real leader of the side "Fred (Vidler) is probably the best outside back we're had in the club's history The Wollongbar-Alstonville team who won the grand final last year Picture by Vicki Kerry.The production line of players has continued at Wollongbar-Alstonville with winger Bodi Smith one of its emerging talents He was picked in the NSW Country team this year alongside Damen The pair will juggle representative commitments while attempting to bring more silverware to the plateau Smith scored a hat-trick in a 51-26 win over Ballina last weekend The Pioneers piled on 22 unanswered points after leading 29-26 at halftime "Winning a ninth premiership would be a wonderful feet but I think when you get a bit older you realise it's more enjoying the journey than the destination," Damen said The anniversary game will played at Lyle Park with kick-off at 3.15pm Lismore is looking for back-to-back wins when it takes on Richmond Range at Mallanganee City is coming off a hard-fought 27-24 win over Casino and has enough strike power to challenge Range Ballina will look to get back on track when it hosts Evans River at Quays Reserve where a win could see them back on top of the ladder Casino is at home against the Southern Cross University Gold Rats at Albert Park while Lennox Head travels to take on an improving Casuarina Beach For story ideas and news tips contact me on mitchell.craig@austcommunitymedia.com.au or phone 0419 044 714 Australian Community Media journalist with over 15 years' experience in providing quality news and sport stories Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. There is a large unplanned power outage in a wide area surrounding Lismore It is estimated that 11,440 households are affected Their hotline currently has a recorded message and it reports the outage extending from Dyraaba to Alstonville Essential Energy are currently looking for the cause of the fault of the power outage and will have it rectified as soon as possible You can keep an eye on progress via Essential Energies outage page or their Facebook page for updates keep the fridge closed (to keep the cold in) and don't scroll too much to preserve battery power as much as possible Breanna and Asha are keen to take on the Game Changer Challenge in Sydney in November STUDENTS from Alstonville Public School are among the finalists in a challenge that seeks to solve important issues impacting people around the world will pitch an idea to help ease the cost of living crisis at the Department of Education’s Game Changer Challenge in Parramatta from November 5–7 have created the Go Food Education curriculum “We went around local communities and the cost of living was the biggest problem for them in 2024 Asha said the program aimed to address the issue by teaching students in primary and secondary school how to grow sustainable food in their area Sophia said their project aimed to ensure everyone had a reliable food source that they could grow themselves It was something Claire thought would bring the community together While the team was very excited to go to Sydney to compete in the challenge they are also pretty keen to explore Sydney and have a few tours and shopping trips planned once the competition has ended It’s not the first time Alstonville Public School has made the Game Changer Challenge grand final and last year it won the Impact and Awareness Award Bangalow Public School will also join the Alstonville team in the finals The team will look at ways to incentivise green bin use reusing the waste to create pasture to produce chicken and duck eggs The project aims to reduce the amount of waste going into landfill Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar said the challenge encourages students to come up with a unique idea develop it into a workable concept and deliver a compelling sales pitch to industry experts “The competition showcases the creativity and passion of our incredibly talented public school students across the state as they tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today,” Mr Dizdar said UNICEF Australia delivered the 2024 problem inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 to build resilient infrastructure promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation Visit the Game Changer Challenge website at education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/schooling-initiatives/game-changer-challenge. The Far North Coast Rugby Union Grand Finals are set after Saturday's Preliminary Finals were played in Ballina. Lismore Rugby Club will be well represented, with both the Colts and Women's 10's team winning through to the Premiership decider. The Women's match was a tough tussle in the first half, with both sides conceding just one try each in a strong defensive effort. With the halftime score locked at 5-5 all, it was the Lismore side that came out the stronger, running in three tries in the second half to run out 22-10 victors. Shontall Williams was the star of the show scoring twice, with Madison Coppola and Laura Parsons also crossing for five pointers. The Women will now seek revenge against a strong Casino side in next weeks Grand Final. The U/18 Colts match was a similar story, with penalty goals the only scoring option in the first half. Casuarina had a slender lead at halftime 6-3, but the scoreboard began to tick over in the second half, with Hayden Sivewright, Harry Gillett and Hamish Soutar all scoring for the Greens. In a tense final few minutes, Lismore managed to hold on to their one try advantage to run out 23-18 winners and move on to face Lennox Head in next weeks decider at Crozier Field. In First Grade, Wollongbar Alstonville conceded the first try against Byron Shire in their Preliminary Final match before racing away with a 47-14 victory. The Pioneers will now face Casuarina in Saturday's Grand Final, with the same two clubs also featuring in the Second Grade match. PRELIMINARY FINAL RESULTS 21st SEPTEMBER 2024 Wollongbar Alstonville 47(Bodi Smith 2, Hamish Mould 2, Rory Collings 2, Louis Hollman tries, Bodi Smith 3 conversions, 2 penalty goals) d Byron Shire 14(Ben Mitchell, Valentin Tachaout tries, Will Hawkins 2 conversions) Casuarina Beach 22(Archie Dixon, Jesse Freier, Lachlan Stacey tries, Jacob Beck 2 conversions, penalty goal) d Ballina 7(Ben Robinson try, Nick Brydon conversion) Lismore 22(Shontali Williams 2, Madison Coppola, Laura Parsons tries, Madison Coppola conversions) d Casuarina Beach 10(Anna Anderson, Bonnie Robinson tries) Lismore 23(Hayden Sivewright, Harry Gillett, Hamish Soutar tries, Kody McQuilty conversion, 2 penalty goals) d Casuarina Beach 18(Kai Kingston, Will Sullivan tries, Izaak Harvey conversion, 2 penalty goals) Next Week’s Grand Finals, Saturday 28th September at Crozier Field, Lismore After hearing farmers' concerns about the macadamia industry's survival in the Northern Rivers the Lismore App has been investigating the industry over the last two months These concerns were raised off the record over twelve months ago No one was willing to go on the record to give their honest thoughts about the state of macadamia farming some brave farmers came forward to share their orchard practices and their thoughts on the Northern Rivers Macadamia Industry in 20 years what was once the heart of the macadamia industry on the East Coast won't be in 2044 In Part 1 Learning that certain macadamia trees are native to the Northern Rivers The first commercial planting was in the 1880s we were the heart of the Macadamia Industry as city people started buying land to plant macadamia trees in the 1970s There are a lot of macadamia farms for sale "the farm could be worked or the trees removed" In Part II we looked into the actual farming involved in producing a macadamia crop and the associated costs The last three years have been particularly difficult with the price paid to farmers falling to a low of $1.70 in 2023 wet weather reduced the harvest by 20 to 30 tonnes A double hit to any farm's profitability Revenue has increased thanks to a recovery in the price per kilo at 33% premium kernel recovery and 10% nut-in-shell moisture content Farmers who have more premium nuts could achieve a higher rate The breakeven point for most small macadamia farms There are many small macadamia farms in Lismore and the Northern Rivers "Will the Northern Rivers Macadamia Industry survive That question is being influenced by large-scale farms in Bundaberg The Bundaberg area is growing rapidly with farms of 10,000 trees+ so large-scale when compared to the Northern Rivers with countries like South Africa and China now producing their own macadamia nuts in large commercial quantities Peter purchased his 2,500-tree farm in the early 2000s and saw the writing on the wall quickly He sold it after a few years of operating it because the "Cost of processing had gone through the roof." you have to make a business decision as to whether you want to reinvest back in macas But then you've got the scalability of what's needed in the plants do I take a 10-year view that I'm going to reinvest in this you don't earn enough to make a living or to hire someone or people to run your macadamia farm plus you need to invest a lot of capital to get it to where it can produce strong tonnage each season growing conditions are out of the hands of farmers Am I going to take one part of the process or am I actually going to add two or three parts of the process to the point where I can actually sell my marketable product that has added value you'll go broke because you only make 10% of the value of the end product But if you've got four or five sections of it you virtually doubled the value of your outtake of the product "Maybe a lot of farmers need to get on top of the Co-op and start to seriously drive that as to what the added value is and they've got macadamia nuts for $100 a kilo bag All those people that are in the chain are making the money." Paul manages a 6000-tree macadamia farm in Alstonville for a Sydney family that has owned the farm since the late 1970s Paul sells his nut-in-shell to a local processing company which he thinks sells directly to Woolworths they have been running at a loss because costs have increased so much "I know people who were pulling them out," Paul said referencing trees being removed from some properties Large-scale farming is the consensus for future success this is difficult to achieve because of the natural topography Paul has seen some farms down on the flats that used to be sugar cane now planting macadamia trees "There's thousands of acres down there and there's a place in Lawrence (near Maclean) that planted 3000 acres Paul feels that a lifestyle farmer who has 1500 trees and works during the week can manage the macadamia farm on the weekends Free time might be the issue in the long term For anything larger than that and smaller than 6000-8000 profitability is a real concern because you need more time to run the farm and make a living "The middle man makes the money instead of the farmer It's been like that for 250 years in Australia with farming The farmer is always the one that gets the boot in the arse." "I know a bloke up here; he's got 800 trees on five acres so spoke to a real estate bloke about selling with the trees on there or without the trees And he reckons you'll have more chance of selling without the trees than with the trees "I've heard of people who were selling to a bloke on 20 acres out at Dunoon or Clunes and the people that wanted it didn't want the trees on it As for the future of the local macadamia industry Paul feels that most of the farms are owned by people whose farms are their second income the new people buying land in the Northern Rivers want a lifestyle not a farm "There's a lot of younger people coming out of Sydney and down south that are buying these 20-acre blocks and running horses or a couple of cows and sheep or something on it They don't want the maintenance or the work involved in running one of these bloody things." Runs a small-scale macadamia farm in Alstonville Andrew has good insight into the industry being a former Australian Macadamia Society Executive Officer and a farmer Andrew feels that anyone buying a small macadamia farm in the Northern Rivers would need to work the farm themselves and try to eke out a living Buying one as an investment is more about land value than the value of a macadamia farm where land values are rising because people want to come and live here are out of proportion now compared to more remote growing areas and Bundaberg," Andrew said Andrew sees the Northern Rivers macadamia industry moving in two ways so there will be some large-scale producers in the 10,000-plus range and some being sold off for lifestyle blocks to new residents moving to the area "I think on the smaller scale side of things there's some proficiency issues there too A large lifestyle farm is not particularly useful if they're inclined to work the farm and have a rural background that will also work in favour of the mix of lifestyle and environment with doing a bit of work like harvesting and working on the farm "But I think the trend overall is the big money will going into larger farms and amalgamation in those areas probably not in these areas because people want to live here." has 10 hectares and about 2000 macadamia trees Ross is a fifth-generation farmer who got in touch after reading our previous stories and wanted to touch on regenerative macadamia farming as he believes it is a way to lower costs and thus make a living out of a small macadamia farm as growers cannot control the price they receive Ross has been through dairy and beef farming before the land was agisted out for 40 years I worked at Southern Cross for a while and then planted my first macas about 20 years ago and I've been farming full-time for about the last 15." Ross says he is managing his tree size with canopy management and he grows ground cover through his orchard "I'm trying to get close to 100% and by then growing mixed species cover crops down the road I get a whole range of diversity of plants which then provide habitat and food for beneficial insects which also lowers the cost of soft spraying or less spraying It also has a huge impact on the soil with nutrient cycling with the soil biology I need to use less fertiliser or no fertiliser and a little bit of compost to keep my orchard running." Ross says his costs are about $3000 a hectare whereas conventional farms are running closer to $8-9000 a hectare which comes out at around $76,000 gross with a $30,000 cost Still not enough to live on as his primary income Ross claims he can hit 50 tonnes a hectare in the future Paul and Andrew when it comes to small macadamia farms in the next 20 years that they will become lifestyle properties "I think that is true for a number of farms But there are a whole lot of farms that wouldn't be lifestyle blocks There are some that are mountain goat country The erosion issues we have and the quality of the Richmond River there's a whole lot of farming practices that affect that there's a whole lot going down on the cane flats and I'm sceptical of how well that works I think some will survive because they're they're way bigger It's still to me mounted rows to get out of the water table They're all just mowed at the moment with a herbicide strip down it It's phenomenally expensive the way they do it biology does not exist in the macadamia industry We put out all that this organic matter and the fungi and the bacteria in that Ross has already seen the start of the 20-year future of the Northern Rivers macadamia industry "I've known people that have farmed and have moved out of macadamias They're certainly not looking at the macadamias as an income stream." "I think the cost now to pull out a big old farm and redevelop it again is probably not that viable Bundaberg and that area will keep growing." I think a lot of the land that's suitable for lifestyle blocks will certainly end up going that way It will be interesting to see what happens down on the coastal flats with farming there I think some that are really good at it will do okay Marquis Macadamias is one of the largest processors and growers in Australia According to its 2023 Annual Report it has 38% of the Australian macadamia crop Marquis agreed that the Northern Rivers predominantly features smaller orchards when compared to those in Bundaberg and they are typically owned by individual owners Bundaberg is owned by a combination of local farming families and international investors Marquis' CEO Ben Adams said the upside for the industry in Australia is strong "Macadamias currently make up less than 2% of the global tree nut market the global market for macadamia nuts was valued at US$1.53 billion and it's projected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% through 2032 This strong demand signals a promising future for growers and the industry as a whole." "We have been actively investing in the Indian market since trade barriers were lowered we secured a contract with one of India’s largest distributors and now our Australian macadamias are available on both wholesalers’ and retailers’ shelves "While nuts are already popular in India As one of the world’s largest suppliers of macadamias we aim to educate the Indian market about the health benefits and the premium quality of Australian macadamia nuts and establish a foothold in this growing category." Another advantage of Asian countries is the access to cheap labour for the processing of macadamia nuts Andrew Heap said it was cheaper to ship nut-in-shell macadamias to China to be cracked and then shipped back as kernels The price farmers get can vary greatly depending on the quality of the kernel The Northern Rivers Macadamia Industry is definitely changing Lismore Heights resident Peter Cloutier wrote a prospectus in 1971 called Invest in Macadamias It outlined the financial plans of investing in and planting an orchard in the days when macadamia trees took seven years to bear fruit (now 2-3 years) "The investment period for this industry is 9 years including initial land purchase and interest "This investment can be recovered from profits in about the fifteenth year." these were the very early days of the Northern Rivers macadamia industry which led to the golden years of the 1990s and 2000s The Sydney lawyers and doctors looking to purchase a 10-hectare orchard to make extra money and holiday on the far north coast are gone Ross Arnett and Marquis Macadamias could all be wrong More and more small 1000 to 6000 tree macadamia farms will be sold Lifestyle blocks will be the reason why people move to the hills of Lismore and the Northern Rivers That scenario leads to future development applications being lodged with Lismore City Council as land values increase and the population rises to accommodate the next wave of residents to our slice of heaven thrive as large-scale farms owned by long-standing generational farmers or private equity firms take over This is probably not the page you’re looking for