Current issue,  Podcasts,  NewslettersThe wild frontierby Mandy Sayer SocietyThe child gangs of Tweed Heads cycles home after another eight-hour night shift Seagulls arc and whirl above him and fishing trawlers cut through curtains of mist he suddenly squeezes the brakes and stops short: his car and front yard are strewn with rotting prawn shells This is not the first time he’s arrived home to see his property trashed For the past year a gang of local youths has relentlessly taunted and threatened him – pummelling him with rocks and eggs cutting off his power cables and accusing him publicly of paedophilia Martin’s many calls to local police so far have proved fruitless – they either don’t turn up to take a statement or don’t take his complaints seriously Martin climbs off his bike and walks through the piles of rubbish towards the verandah ruder stench: his front door and its handle are smeared with shit around the block and past a lagoon dotted with small yachts and boats He knows exactly where the culprits live – it’s only a short walk When he arrives at a white-cladding house on Riviera Avenue and spent years as his dying mother’s only carer yet nothing has tormented him as much as these local youths raises the gun to his head and pulls the trigger; the bullet is launched into the trees causing the myna birds to shriek and scatter He points the gun to his temple and squeezes the trigger hard From across the street the explosion sounds like a car backfiring A neighbour opens her front door to see a man lying face-up on a lawn I’m standing outside the now-empty suburban house of Martin Grove who died in hospital 24 hours after he shot himself last month It’s a 1970s white brick home with tinted windows the colour of beer and possibly the most run-down dwelling in the street shot from a .22-calibre rifle some time in 2009 “NSW Police Crime Scene – Under Surveillance” placed there by enraged neighbours after the police refused to declare the property a crime scene To date no legal action has been taken against any gang member linked with the harassment of and/or violent behaviour towards Grove and his many neighbours The area that is home to most of these gang members is neither a public housing ghetto nor an inner-city slum On a sunny Monday morning in Tweed Heads West currawongs chorus and an elderly woman is paddling in an inlet Backyards stretch down onto rivers and sandy beaches The only evidence of any gang activity is a nearby bus stop graffitied with tags and pornographic images was developed in the 1970s and ’80s and now houses a hybrid community: a combination of private homeowners – mostly retirees whose properties can fetch up to half-a-million dollars – and long-term welfare recipients many of whom are unemployed and living in public housing Having spent my teenage years growing up on a Melbourne Housing Commission estate poverty and society’s indifference can unite into a destructive force for working-class and welfare kids something that’s further exacerbated by a disillusioned peer group smashed the windows of parked cars and burned the neighbours’ washing hanging on the communal line; girls tattooed themselves using the spike of a broken bottle and a pot of blue ink got pregnant young then followed their single mothers into a pattern of fortnightly pension cheques and lifelong public housing It was depressing – to be sure – but it wasn’t dangerous; there were no violent attacks on innocent neighbours Its population of about 56,000 is divided in half falls under Queensland law (and is in a different time zone) The child gangs of Tweed Heads first caught my attention in November 2007 when I read about an 11-year-old boy who was part of a group that brutally battered an off-duty policeman The couple was walking along an east Coolangatta street late on a Friday night when they were surrounded by at least 20 children and youths One teenager smashed the unarmed policeman’s head so hard against a fence that its very foundations were almost uprooted His head was then stomped on and his wallet stolen Since that attack Tweed Heads has experienced a wave of crime committed by children and youths the local gang had harassed Martin to such an extent that he was preparing to sell his home and move the same youths who’d harassed Martin Grove intimidated and bashed another local resident who lives a block away from the site of Grove’s suicide Phil was riding his bicycle home in broad daylight when the gang of about 20 children and teenagers taunted him with accusations of being a paedophile pushed him off his bike and hit him over the head repeatedly with a cricket bat Later in the same week they turned up at his house with his terrified children and ex-wife Robin inside distorted by the bashing and the subsequent six stitches he received As the family waited for the police to arrive I meet Phil in the beer garden of the only pub left in Tweed Heads the “garden” is a fenced-off area by the car park with a fibreglass roof and two long wooden tables mostly filled with local men wearing shorts and thongs and holding glasses corseted in stubbie-coolers wiry man with his top two front teeth missing His hands tremble slightly as he re-lights his rollie still obviously affected by the bashings and threats “These kids are absolutely fearless,” he says. “I don’t know what they’re gonna do next.” He explains that in the past month he’s been harassed or assaulted on five occasions by the same gang “I know who they are and I know where they live a week after the incident with the cricket bat he called into the police station to check on the progress of the case and discovered that “the complaint hadn’t even been logged on the computer There was no record of the bashing.” The police brushed him off with the following statement: “We’ll charge them when Robin makes a statement and identifies the culprits.” Since the attack Robin has requested repeatedly for the police to do just that – to take her statement and allow her to identify the offenders – but the police don’t seem interested in pursuing the matter understaffed or just plain indifferent is hard to say but judging by the atmosphere in the Snake Pit on this Saturday afternoon the local residents are at their wits’ end an ex-nurse whose son developed schizophrenia due to cannabis abuse during his teenage years drags on her cigarette and leans across the table “I’ve seen groups of kids ambush a cop car and pelt it with beer bottles Currently there are about seven recognised youth gangs in the Tweed area – the Palmy Army Dark Neo Soldiers and Coomicub – all of whom is responsible for a string of attacks in and around the southern Gold Coast area for the past three years its members have “C” tattoos emblazoned on their bodies Local police suspect that many members of the Coomicub gang eventually grow up to join the Lone Wolf bikies who allegedly recently cut off a man’s earlobes Last November a 15-year-old boy was arrested for being part of a gang that caused more than $5000 worth of damage to the Tweed Heads indoor pool abducted a 16-year-old boy from his Tweed Heads South home bashed him in remote bushland and left him for dead (Fortunately he ended up in hospital and recovered.) That same month Murwillumbah High School was broken into and all of the 18 chickens and roosters that were part of an agricultural program were slaughtered Kingscliff High School was the site of 13 break-ins and thefts elderly resident Roberta Cross heard a series of explosions: all of her windows had been shattered by shots from air rifles wielded by teenagers who then ran off laughing was left fearing for her life last year when a group of kids tied a piece of string close to the ground between two posts at the front of her driveway She tripped over it and fell face-first onto the concrete Like many residents fearful of violent reprisals Yet another local had faeces smeared on her car her fence kicked down and eggs thrown at her house It would seem the local police force is overwhelmed overworked and perhaps simply over the multiple dysfunctions of Tweed Heads Here in the Snake Pit it’s so hot a woman standing in the doorway pours the dregs of her Bundy and Coke down her cleavage to cool herself has just been denied another beer for the second time by the barmaid He glumly sips iced water while Phil and I continue to chat join our table and conversation; two of the three are already drunk complains that her teenage son’s best friend has been missing for four days She says her son refuses to tell her where his friend is staying adding that the only way she can get her son to go to school every day is to stop at McDonald’s for breakfast along the way “he just stays for one period then changes out of his school uniform and pisses off for the day.” a blue-eyed Aboriginal woman in her late thirties runs around with a gang of boys she suspects has been involved in a series of burglaries “When he comes home in the morning he could be riding a new bicycle or carrying a new plasma screen If I ask him where he got them he just says he found them or that someone gave ’em to him.” Fiona shrugs as if the situation is beyond her control and confesses that she herself was a child gang member during the ’80s after escalating problems with her own mother drove her onto the streets “I had fun.” But she’s quick to add that the gangs of the ’80s weren’t interested in violence “We just used to get pissed and do speed and sleep on the beach at night.” Until recently was part of local gang the South Side Soldiers the female members of which are referred to as the South Side Sluts a dark-skinned giant who reminds me of Chief Bromden in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest leans across the table and begins telling me about his challenges in raising a teenage boy His wife was an alcoholic who gave birth to a son with foetal alcohol syndrome and abandoned the baby several days later (His only daughter died of a brain tumour when she was 11.) relocated from Sydney to Tweed Heads to seek a better slower environment for his “special needs kid” Once Locky began attending the local high school He began associating with a local gang who convinced him to stop taking his medication (lest he become “a junkie”) Locky would disappear for days at a time with his new friends; when he did return home Tom would find him asleep on his bed and see the words “Tweed Breed” inked on his arm Often in the corner of the room there would be a new television or an iPod still in its original packaging “Lock ’em up?” He gives up trying to roll a joint he’s been working on for some time and pockets his bundle of pot that is exactly what he has done with his son he took the radical step of removing Locky from school – and Tweed Heads He now lives permanently with professional carers on a rural property outside the NSW town of Casino The publican taps Booney on the shoulder and announces Ya better go home.” Booney rolls his eyes and groans The publican laughs and begins picking up empty glasses “It’s better to beg for forgiveness,” he says I realise the publican’s advice could well be the official saying of this unruly place a border town that has been planned so badly the local council should prostrate itself before the local ratepayers downtown Tweed was flanked by a wide river a man in his fifties who has lived here all his life it was around this time that the council reclaimed the public land and riverbank The charming weatherboards and fibro fishing shacks from an earlier era are almost extinct having been replaced by generic orange brick houses from the ’70s and ’80s instead of waterside parks lining one side of the main street it is dominated by chainstores such as Liquorland “Fifty years ago there were three times as many people around on the streets,” says Manny this is a city built around the motor vehicle rather than the pedestrian Scores of car dealerships line the main street yet there are only two restaurants “The council doesn’t like young people around here,” adds Mark gesturing at the sprawl of cars outside the local bowling club pensioners shuffle around playing pokies; Keno results are announced over a PA; and a man on crutches sells raffle tickets for a meat tray It comes as no surprise when I learn that the Tweed Shire has the second-highest population of over-65s in NSW just behind the retirement haven of beachside Port Macquarie it’s obvious that the council has prioritised the needs and predilections of the retirees and tourists moving here from other regions over the local families and children It feels like a place where people come to die most of the youth gang members live in the southern and western suburbs of Tweed The only recreational amenity in the area for children and teenagers is a concrete skate park that was built recently next to the local high school It has since become a common meeting place for the gangs at night who lives with his elderly mother and his brother [But] this is a new generation of shit.” Two years ago Manny was attacked by a group of six kids aged around 14 and 15 He had to rip a branch off a tree to defend himself and scare them off Along the route he takes from the pub to his home he’s even sequestered weapons in particular places as a precaution watching TV and playing computer games,” he continues they start texting one another and meeting up to cause trouble Why should anyone have to lock themselves in their own house?” the area is beset with intense drug and alcohol abuse “The Tweed Shire has the third-highest percentage of arrests for the production and/or distribution of illegal substances in the state It’s the major manufacturing port supplying drugs for south-west Queensland.” Provest explains that 53 kilograms of illicit drugs were confiscated in the Tweed–Byron Local Area Command in 2009 “yet the Tweed–Byron Local Area Command does not even have a dedicated drug squad the Tweed Shire also has the highest incidence of drink driving per capita in the country.” Provest adds that Tweed Heads is the fastest growing regional area in the state – it’s actually becoming an outer suburb of Brisbane – yet there’s very little reliable public transport All juvenile parole officers are based in Lismore and it takes an hour by bus to get there Novice drivers are only allowed one passenger after 11 pm these kids would be getting a lift home,” he says In the past 12 months in the Tweed Shire there were 2200 reports of child neglect and/or abuse with about 80 kids removed from their homes by DoCS “The parents know that if their kids are going to be removed they’ll lose most of their welfare benefits,” says Provest “So what they do is move the family over the border into Queensland for six months – look it could be only a few blocks away from their residence in NSW – but because it’s a different state their files don’t follow them and they start all over again with Queensland welfare.” And apparently if Queensland’s Department of Communities does begin a separate investigation the same family simply disappears over the border Provest tells me he often goes out on police patrols at night so he stays in touch with the multiple problems facing the community “often pick up kids as young as 10 and 11 wandering around the streets in the early hours of the morning with nowhere to go When the police drop them off at their houses the parents aren’t even home.” He adds: “These gangs are committing some terrible crimes but at least a gang will care about these kids and look after them.” It’s clear to me that the dysfunction in the town extends way beyond uncontrollable kids and an uncomprehending It seems as if there’s an entire generation that has gone missing – the one that should be between the children and retirees Most of the mothers and fathers I’ve met thus far are single parents who live on welfare All but three of the 30-odd I have spoken to admit to regularly imbibing alcohol and drugs Hardly any work full-time and most have no plans to do so No wonder Provest is currently raising funds for a youth refuge in Tweed Heads; I find myself thinking that he should consider opening a second refuge for many of the parents Phil Gadsby has invited me to Riviera Avenue to meet a few other people who have been terrorised by the local kids Frustrated by the lack of police protection his neighbours have heard I’m in town and are both anxious to talk to me about their problems and relieved that someone is finally paying attention All except Phil insist on anonymity; they refuse to be photographed and are too scared to walk down the street with me past the houses where the gang members live Even the local journalist who has reported on child gang activities in the Tweed Daily News for the past two years confesses that he publishes those articles without a by-line because his kids go to the same school as the gang members and he fears for their safety Phil’s neighbour – we’ll call him Steve – tells his story rapidly as if he’s being timed and is trying to beat the clock Steve’s six-year-old son was riding his scooter out the front of their house and made a passing remark to one of the gang members who took offence and began swearing at and threatening the boy Steve confronted the teenager and tried to get rid of him and his mates which resulted in him being attacked by six gang members in his front yard Steve rang the police to report the incident; they turned up to take his statement two hours later In an echo of Phil’s dealings with the police when Steve went to check on the progress of the complaint there was no record of it “They hadn’t even logged it in the computer … They only took down notes at my place and that was the end of it.” Steve sighs heavily and shrugs his shoulders “Almost everyone around here has been attacked They’ve all had their houses pummelled with rocks These kids just think the cops and the law are a joke.” Phil and Steve have contacted the police more than eight times over separate incidents of gang harassment and violence with little attention or co-operation in return one policeman advised Steve to defend himself a cricket bat and a fishing rod beside the front door.” only allowing himself to fall asleep when the sun comes up he has a contingency plan for his kids if the gang strikes again: they will either hop over the back fence and run to a neighbour’s house Steve has installed a removable doorknob on the same door for further protection “I’ve had about a dozen people willing to back me up,” adds Phil Phil tells me that after he reported his fourth assault to the police he made an off-the-cuff remark to the attending officer: “We should get together our own gang and deal with this ourselves we can’t do anything ’til we catch them in the act But if you can deal with it yourselves we’ll turn a blind eye.” “I’ve already warned the cops that I’ll be looking after myself now folding his leg to rest one foot on his other knee The rate of absenteeism in the Tweed–Byron police force is unusually high Tweed Head’s NSW Police Association representative Troy Hamilton admitted about 26% of their officers were unavailable for full-time work “The command as at the end of November 2009 had 13 officers on long-term sick leave 13 officers on restricted duties and 16 officers classified as part-time,” Mr Hamilton said went on sudden and indefinite sick leave on 30 December 2009 A number of the police stations in the area are manned only during office hours rather than 24 hours a day a situation that led to the near-fatal bashing of the Indian student Sachin Surendran last June on the steps of the Coolangatta Police Station “There is no point in having a police station if it’s not always open,” Surendran said late last year before fleeing the country and returning to India permanently took the extraordinary step of urging parents to dob in their kids to the law But of course it’s difficult for parents to report their children if they don’t know where they are the NSW government approved legislation to fine parents up to $2500 for a first offence of failing to ensure their children attend school as Clarence Nationals MP Steven Cansdell notes “Magistrates can fine parents all they want but they are not going to pay the fine because they have not got the money to start with.” Curious to speak with the local constabulary “Have you spoken to the police media yet?” he demands he tells me that I have to request permission from a liaison office in Sydney first I remind him that in the past few months he’s been quoted frequently in the local newspaper “So you’re telling me that I’m not allowed to speak to any policeman or policewoman in Tweed Heads while I’m here?” He gives me a Sydney number to call and when I do the answering officer gives me an email address telling me to send through an outline of my subject matter and a request to interview Sergeant Carey I do this immediately and also include my full contact details and the direct number of Sergeant Carey then three days pass and I still haven’t received a reply from the Sydney liaison officer or indeed any representative of the Tweed Heads police I can’t seem to shake a niggling suspicion that they are collectively indifferent “The cops aren’t interested in catching these kids,” says Les the owner of a burger bar on Kennedy Drive in Tweed Heads West “just sit on their arses all day in their cars down at the intersection either fining people for making an illegal right-hand turn or breathalysing them.” On his mobile phone he shows me photos of two male friends: their eyes are black and swollen shut and their faces are ravaged with cuts and bruises as if they’re victims of a serious car accident they were walking home after a night shift at the resort Twin Towns when they were attacked by a group of youths who beat them badly “Just for something to do.” Even though the men can identify the kids this particular gang still remains at large “It’s like a teenager trying to get out of the washing-up every night,” complains Phil Gadsby’s twin sister Kerry referring to the inaction of the local police and as she speaks her hands dart around in the air “And parents need to stop playing the victim,” she adds “A lot of single mothers and fathers up here spend their money on drugs I gave up alcohol years ago and I still go to AA “Phil’s rung me up a couple of times in the past week,” says Kerry He’s ready to jump off a bridge.” She tells me that Phil had already been juggling problems before the bashings began last month: finances but to be attacked and harassed on top of it …” her voice trails off and she glances at the passing traffic “Now his kids are too scared to leave the house.” Kerry has rallied the local community to reject vigilante action and instead lobby for tough new curfew laws their parents should be fined.” It sounds reasonable in theory but I wonder how effective the proposed curfews will be considering that the parents themselves are often not at home “My concern is for the next generation,” Kerry explains “I don’t want to see any more people get hurt.” A few minutes later she introduces me to someone from this “next generation” an Aboriginal teenager who has been friends with local gang members since primary school Sienna sports bleached blonde hair and nose rings though she’s nervy and tense and slumps in her plastic chair Sienna tells me she has made a list of names of the lead members of the gang that intimidated Martin Grove and attacked Phil Gadsby (and many others in the area) but says the police weren’t interested in pursuing the matter Sienna insists that once a kid becomes a member of a particular gang it can be difficult As a consequence of the 2007 bashing of Rawson Armitage and his girlfriend was sent to juvenile detention for three weeks After his release he tried to reform himself but was soon drawn back into the group through persistent peer pressure were arrested for attempted robbery – this time Roland almost went to jail With the help and encouragement of his girlfriend Roland again tried to “go straight” and leave The other members responded by threatening to kill his grandmother The poor woman was too scared of the gang to report the assault to the police or even attend the local hospital when the bashing of the grandmother failed to return Roland to the fold the gang turned up at his door with a gun and threatened to shoot him “The girlfriend was the one who changed Roland and got him out But now the gang wants to kill them both.” delivered with an odd mixture of resignation and bravado I’m shocked by how hopeless life seems for these kids even for the ones who attempt to forge a more prosperous future When I ask her what it’s like to grow up here Everywhere you walk there’s someone trying to bash you.” She admits that when she was in primary school she was expelled for throwing a chair at another Indigenous student who called her “a wigger” (“white nigger”) and after more than 800 reports of bad behaviour on her high school record that Sienna made a concerted effort to change “I realised that if I didn’t get my shit together I was gonna end up just like them I’m just trying not to hang out with wankers.” Sienna completed her High School Certificate and is now studying children’s services at TAFE In her final year of school she studied Aboriginal painting and found that she has a talent for it She’s planning to teach painting to local kids Kerry and Les and hail a taxi to take me down Riviera Avenue We approach the home of members of the gang that locals believe is responsible for the bashings of Phil Gadsby and others I see a manicured front lawn lined with saplings the same lawn on which Martin Grove shot himself dead only a few weeks earlier Lying on the grass are two bicycles and an upturned skateboard It all looks so impossibly suburban and innocuous it’s hard to imagine the home is also the unofficial headquarters of a violent gang I am quietly amazed to see a perfectly neat living room with a polished coffee table and rows of figurines; in the background a television murmurs an ad for KFC For a moment I think I’ve arrived at the wrong house I knock on the door and a short thin woman in her late forties appears on the other side of the screen her face so drawn and haunted she looks more like an apparition than a human being her hand flies to her throat and she begins to tremble I feel a rush of empathy for her – for this frightened twig of a woman whose husband works all night and who is clearly struggling to raise three wild teenage boys she tells me her two older sons are not at home but she’d be prepared to speak with me “under the right circumstances” I ask her what the right circumstances might be “Once I get permission from my husband.” When I hear her say this As she unlocks the screen door to take my card and phone number appears by her side and peers at me with a mixture of curiosity and interest His eyes are bright; he has a shock of blond hair and his tanned face is beginning to peel just like thousands of other average Australian kids The neatness of the house combined with the boy’s ordinariness and good health unsettle me further as if all the information and accounts I’ve gathered so far might not be true after all But my confusion quickly dissipates when I climb back into the cab and we begin to drive down the block A boy is standing in the middle of the road as if deliberately trying to block our way but his sun-tanned back is tattooed with a galaxy of blue stars that glint in the sunlight the sweat pearling down his neck – a blond-haired Adonis who wouldn’t look out of place on a New York catwalk or in an Armani catalogue Suddenly his chiselled features retract into a scowl and he spits on the hood of the taxi The Monthly is a magazine published by Schwartz Media For subscription enquiries, call 1800 077 514 or email [email protected] For editorial enquiries, email [email protected] The median house price has shot up a startling 63.4 per cent in the past five years – and 8.1 per cent in the last year alone – to $1.005 million, just eclipsing that magical $1 million mark, according to the latest Domain House Price Report. “It is pretty amazing, but prices have gone up so much on the Gold Coast that people have been thinking, ‘Why not go five minutes down the road on the other side of the border and buy a house 20 per cent cheaper?’” said agent David Stringer of DJ Stringer in Coolangatta. “So we’ve had a lot of young families and first-home buyers going to the Tweed instead. So there’s a shift in the demographic now too, from those retirees to younger people coming in with a rise in the number of cafes and shops. “Prices in Tweed – and it is a big area – are proving very very strong now, but the Gold Coast has just been crazy. Even though houses in Tweed are more affordable than on the Gold Coast, which has a $1,125,500 median, its prices are rising so fast, many people are now being priced out of the market. Many are now opting for townhouses or apartments, particularly in duplexes, Stringer said. Also snapped up fast was the three-bedroom townhouse at 2/32 Honeymyrtle Drive, Banora Point, which sold in the first week for just under $900,000 Australians are making a median of $326,000 from selling their houses, new data finds What do you get with a $140 million record-breaking penthouse? The six suburbs where it’s cheaper to buy a house today than it was five years ago 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Apartment prices are rising steeply too. Domain data shows their median price rose 7.3 per cent in the past 12 months to $805,000 – above the Gold Coast’s median of $750,000. Tweed Shire mayor Chris Cherry said she saw it as a worrying trend. She said many locals were now unable to afford housing, and younger people were moving out of the area to buy where they could. “It’s a double-edged sword,” she said. “So many people discovered us during COVID, and while it’s good that we’re now so popular, it’s made it hard for local people and also local businesses to service the population when it’s so difficult to find affordable housing for key workers. “We also have a problem with land-banking and while we have a lot of land planned for new residential towns, some of the developers aren’t releasing it to the market. That creates massive supply issues.  2 Baths1 ParkingView listing “We also have about 1400 entire homes that are listed permanently on short-term holiday platforms like Airbnb. Even if half of those came back to the long-term residential market, that would make a huge impact.” Among the new developments planned are a rezoning in Terranora, 17 residential precincts with around 5500 dwellings in Cobaki, and a new master-planned community in Kings Forest, with about 4500 homes. In the meantime, the rapid home price growth is startling many in the area.  Grant Dale of Sotheby’s International Realty sells mostly in Byron Bay, which sits 65 kilometres north and has a median house price of $2.28 million and a unit median of $1.39 million, but he also sells in the Tweed.  He has a three-bed apartment on the market at 4/18 Hill Street, Tweed Heads, with a price guide of $2.7 million. 3 Baths3 ParkingView listing “Tweed Heads’ price growth really is quite remarkable but it’s so close to the Gold Coast and all the facilities it offers,” he said.  “It’s a very different market to Byron, though, with probably 61 per cent still retirees, while Byron is quite a young demographic.” The Tweed Shire population currently stands at 98,967, having grown 1.02 per cent over 2023, higher than the regional NSW average of 1.01 per cent.  It’s expected to grow to about 120,000 by 2031, on Tweed Shire Council forecasts, which will create a demand for around 16,000 houses and 10,000 units, depending on household size. Correspondingly, there are many new, and refurbished, amenities on the drawing board, with the Tweed Mall shopping centre having more development nearby tentatively approved and other shopping centres going through a rejuvenation. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing “More people are discovering it all the time, and they’re coming down from the Gold Coast or Brisbane, and up from Sydney, to buy homes here,” said Joel Leach of McGrath Coolangatta/Tweed Heads/Tweed Coast, who’s selling the three-bedroom unit at 187/1 Mariners Drive West, Tweed Heads, with a guide of $1.225 million. “We’ve got so much more new infrastructure coming in and people are cashing in from other areas and coming to live here instead. “It’s close to beaches and waterways, the airport and shops and schools. And there are new residential developments coming too.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate The Shire wide residential clean up will commence on Monday 17 March Photo 1: Residential clean upCaption: The Shire wide residential clean-up will commence on Monday 17 March Connection to Council’s Community Strategic Plan: Call 02 6670 2136 or email for all media or interview requests View all contact details View all our social media channels We wish to acknowledge the Ngandowal and Minyungbal speaking people of the Bundjalung Country Tul-gi-gin and Moorung – Moobah clans as being the traditional owners and custodians of the land and waters within the Tweed Shire boundaries We also acknowledge and respect the Tweed Aboriginal community’s right to speak for its Country and to care for its traditional Country in accordance with its lore In a year dominated by interest rate speculation and varied price growth here are the suburbs that returned big results for sellers in 2024 Data from CoreLogic’s Best of the Best report showed that regional Western Australia and Queensland led the nation in value growth for both houses and units Beachlands in Western Australia experienced a 38.4 per cent increase in house values and Dolphin Heads in Queensland saw its unit prices grow by 52 per cent claiming all 10 spots for the strongest house value growth Every suburb experienced increases of 30 per cent or above while Brisbane took the lion’s share of the unit market If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later The weakest capital city house markets were mainly in Melbourne although Millner in Darwin topped the list of declines most of the worst-performing unit markets were in Melbourne Venus Bay in Victoria saw the largest drop in house values nationwide while Sunshine in Greater Melbourne had the biggest fall in unit values But which were the best suburbs for investors in 2024 the south-west regions have seen the most growth in the past 12 months grabbing seven out of 10 spots for the top-performing house suburbs with Bonnyrigg taking the lead with a 19 per cent growth rate House price growth in Sydney’s metropolitan area ranged from 15.5 per cent to 19 per cent with median values ranging from above $1.3 million to $770,793 the best suburbs were located across the board from the Inner South West to the Blue Mountains and Central Coast showing a price growth ranging from 10.3 per cent to 18.3 per cent in Monterey The highest price growth suburbs in Sydney in 2024 were: Bonnyrigg – growth: 19.0 per cent – median price: $1,079,267 Wiley Park – growth: 18.5 per cent – median price: $1,352,924 Emerton – growth: 17.9 per cent – median price: $807,690 Bonnyrigg Heights – growth: 17.4 per cent – median price: $1,172,390 Mount Pritchard – growth: 16.8 per cent – median price: $1,089,466 Lansvale – growth: 16.2 per cent – median price: $1,139,382 Tregear – growth: 15.7 per cent – median price: $770,793 St Johns Park – growth: 15.7 per cent – median price: $1,224,412 Wetherill Park – growth: 15.5 per cent – median price: $1,216,157 Edensor Park – growth: 15.5 per cent – median price: $1,322,438 Monterey – growth: 18.3 per cent – median price: $886,980 Strathfield – growth: 15.3 per cent – median price: $765,699 Bass Hill – growth: 13.5 per cent – median price: $902,636 South Windsor – growth: 13.0 per cent – median price: $742,057 Camperdown – growth: 11.8 per cent – median price: $986,178 Kingswood – growth: 11.6 per cent – median price: $573,685 Queenscliff – growth: 10.7 per cent – median price: $1,375,911 Summer Hill – growth: 10.5 per cent – median price: $1,023,018 Wyoming – growth: 10.3 per cent – median price: $644,556 Brighton-Le-Sands – growth: 10.3 per cent – median price: $854,407 the Richmond-Tweed area scored nine suburbs out of 10 in the top-performing suburbs for houses with an annual growth rate of at least 15.2 per cent and a maximum of 26.1 per cent the Richmond-Tweed area’s suburbs were among the top-performing for units but shared the spotlight with Newcastle The highest price growth suburbs in regional NSW in 2024 were: Coraki – growth: 26.1 per cent – median price: $447,343 South Lismore – growth: 23.9 per cent – median price: $382,972 Lismore – growth: 22.4 per cent – median price: $445,817 Lismore Heights – growth: 22.0 per cent – median price: $479,319 Terranora – growth: 20.8 per cent – median price: $1,360,010 Girards Hill – growth: 19.8 per cent – median price: $456,128 North Lismore – growth: 19.3 per cent – median price: $385,044 Bermagui – growth: 17.6 per cent – median price: $1,006,591 Woodburn – growth: 15.5 per cent – median price: $542,785 East Lismore – growth: 15.2 per cent – median price: $496,053 Figtree – growth: 19.4 per cent – median price: $786,588 West Albury – growth: 17.6 per cent – median price: $415,449 Banora Point – growth: 16.4 per cent – median price: $765,220 Tweed Heads West – growth: 16.2 per cent – median price: $616,630 Raymond Terrace – growth: 14.5 per cent – median price: $463,098 Tweed Heads South – growth: 13.6 per cent – median price: $769,333 Thornton – growth: 11.3 per cent – median price: $524,555 Evans Head – growth: 11.0 per cent – median price: $663,119 Pottsville – growth: 10.8 per cent – median price: $957,791 Lavington – growth: 10.5 per cent – median price: $332,095 While Queensland made the headlines throughout 2024 for overtaking Victoria in second place in the investors’ market Ipswich areas saw their house values grow between 20.4 per cent and nearly 25 per cent while Brisbane’s inner city areas took the lion’s share of the top-performing suburbs for units seeing a value growth of 30 per cent or above The highest price growth suburbs in Brisbane in 2024 were: Leichhardt – growth: 24.8 per cent – median price: $579,323 Brisbane City – growth: 23.7 per cent – median price: $629,007 One Mile – growth: 23.6 per cent – median price: $564,986 Tivoli – growth: 23.5 per cent – median price: $619,982 Fernvale – growth: 23.4 per cent – median price: $736,096 Churchill – growth: 22.2 per cent – median price: $601,690 Kingston – growth: 21.4 per cent – median price: $650,100 North Ipswich – growth: 21.0 per cent – median price: $627,576 Lowood – growth: 20.6 per cent – median price: $596,825 Gailes – growth: 20.4 per cent – median price: $634,514 Loganlea – growth: 43.4 per cent – median price: $556,086 Bethania – growth: 43.1 per cent – median price: $517,609 Waterford West – growth: 42.4 per cent – median price: $438,011 North Booval – growth: 39.5 per cent – median price: $529,927 Shailer Park – growth: 38.3 per cent – median price: $564,365 Waterford – growth: 36.0 per cent – median price: $541,487 Logan Central – growth: 32.8 per cent – median price: $390,063 Kingston – growth: 32.6 per cent – median price: $502,130 Goodna – growth: 32.3 per cent – median price: $380,532 Redbank – growth: 30.5 per cent – median price: $514,168 Townsville took eight out of the 10 spots for best-performing suburbs for houses With a median price ranging from $383,567 to $627,400 and more than 32 per cent value growth it has become an interesting hub for investors Townsville asserted its position in the unit suburb ranking while the rest of the ranking were suburbs located in the Mackay area The highest price growth suburbs in regional Queensland in 2024 were: Rasmussen – growth: 35.9 per cent – median price: $456,080 Toolooa – growth: 35.6 per cent – median price: $425,800 Barney Point – growth: 34.6 per cent – median price: $383,567 Cosgrove – growth: 34.4 per cent – median price: $627,400 Vincent – growth: 33.8 per cent – median price: $443,312 Wulguru – growth: 33.6 per cent – median price: $470,934 Condon – growth: 33.0 per cent – median price: $465,332 Currajong – growth: 32.9 per cent – median price: $457,912 Balgal Beach – growth: 32.8 per cent – median price: $499,321 Deeragun – growth: 32.5 per cent – median price: $528,135 Dolphin Heads – growth: 52.8 per cent – median price: $224,429 East Mackay – growth: 49.6 per cent – median price: $350,448 West End – growth: 42.0 per cent – median price: $348,306 Railway Estate – growth: 41.9 per cent – median price: $372,882 South Mackay – growth: 36.6 per cent – median price: $344,447 Blacks Beach – growth: 35.1 per cent – median price: $413,973 Aitkenvale – growth: 35.0 per cent – median price: $362,095 Rosslea – growth: 32.1 per cent – median price: $319,524 Mackay – growth: 31.6 per cent – median price: $394,206 Pimlico – growth: 31.4 per cent – median price: $311,890 While the Perth market performed all year round in 2024 the Perth north-east areas showed the most growth and taking nine spots out of 10 on the top 10 performing suburbs for houses The city’s north-eastern areas asserted their growth in the unit market ranking four suburbs on the top-performing list Annual growth varied from 33.7 per cent to 45.6 per cent The highest price growth suburbs in Perth in 2024 were: Bellevue – growth: 36.9 per cent – median price: $674,768 Balga – growth: 35.0 per cent – median price: $619,885 Stratton – growth: 34.1 per cent – median price: $662,263 Armadale – growth: 33.0 per cent – median price: $579,011 Yangebup – growth: 32.8 per cent – median price: $850,317 Koondoola – growth: 32.2 per cent – median price: $639,655 Midvale – growth: 31.2 per cent – median price: $636,361 Midland – growth: 31.1 per cent – median price: $602,639 Lockridge – growth: 31.0 per cent – median price: $668,101 Beechboro – growth: 30.7 per cent – median price: $723,147 Armadale – growth: 45.6 per cent – median price: $484,906 Dudley Park – growth: 43.5 per cent – median price: $426,790 Balga – growth: 37.6 per cent – median price: $592,495 Kelmscott – growth: 36.5 per cent – median price: $437,577 Halls Head – growth: 35.1 per cent – median price: $566,248 Noranda – growth: 34.4 per cent – median price: $497,820 Waikiki – growth: 34.4 per cent – median price: $493,101 Osborne Park – growth: 34.2 per cent – median price: $476,845 Coolbellup – growth: 33.8 per cent – median price: $529,454 Lockridge – growth: 33.7 per cent – median price: $458,021 The Western Australian outback saw the most growth in house prices across the region with an increase of at least 31.6 per cent with a median value ranging between $303,487 and $526,860 The top 10 performing suburbs for units in regional Western Australia were split evenly with the outback and Bunbury areas each grabbing five spots The highest price growth suburbs in regional Western Australia in 2024 were: Beachlands – growth: 38.4 per cent – median price: $391,659 Beverley – growth: 35.6 per cent – median price: $397,288 Wonthella – growth: 34.2 per cent – median price: $391,658 Karloo – growth: 33.5 per cent – median price: $306,675 Rangeway – growth: 32.7 per cent – median price: $303,487 Sunset Beach – growth: 32.6 per cent – median price: $526,860 Nulsen – growth: 32.5 per cent – median price: $378,437 Kellerberrin – growth: 32.1 per cent – median price: $207,768 Withers – growth: 31.7 per cent – median price: $479,490 Geraldton – growth: 31.6 per cent – median price: $398,287 South Bunbury – growth: 34.4 per cent – median price: $509,168 Geraldton – growth: 32.4 per cent – median price: $315,706 Carey Park – growth: 29.6 per cent – median price: $462,830 West Busselton – growth: 28.3 per cent – median price: $583,838 Somerville – growth: 24.5 per cent – median price: $315,133 Bunbury – growth: 20.1 per cent – median price: $492,471 Kalgoorlie – growth: 19.8 per cent – median price: $280,580 South Kalgoorlie – growth: 19.7 per cent – median price: $306,937 Dunsborough – growth: 19.1 per cent – median price: $638,827 Kalbarri – growth: 17.5 per cent – median price: $270,168 Whether in Greater Melbourne or regional areas Victoria saw lower dwelling growth compared to NSW with Tatura in regional Victoria showing the biggest house growth at 11 per cent Melbourne houses saw a maximum growth of 5.2 per cent in Balaclava while units in Parkville grew by a maximum of 10.2 per cent 2024 revealed a massive drop in value across all dwellings with Melbourne having six out of the 10 spots for worst-performing suburbs Chelsea in Greater Melbourne saw a -10.2 per cent drop in house values Sunshine recorded the biggest fall in unit values The highest price growth suburbs in regional Melbourne in 2024 were: Balaclava – growth: 5.2 per cent – median price: $1,463,856 Beaconsfield – growth: 4.5 per cent – median price: $1,048,334 Pearcedale – growth: 4.3 per cent – median price: $982,976 Narre Warren North – growth: 3.8 per cent – median price: $1,550,520 Jacana – growth: 3.7 per cent – median price: $578,626 Gembrook – growth: 3.6 per cent – median price: $998,163 Coolaroo – growth: 3.5 per cent – median price: $539,203 Noble Park – growth: 3.4 per cent – median price: $790,862 Coburg North – growth: 2.9 per cent – median price: $1,052,591 Middle Park – growth: 2.7 per cent – median price: $2,678,327 Parkville – growth: 10.2 per cent – median price: $569,333 Carlton – growth: 7.7 per cent – median price: $364,298 Sydenham – growth: 6.7 per cent – median price: $504,983 Eumemmerring – growth: 6.0 per cent – median price: $529,802 Kew – growth: 4.9 per cent – median price: $874,055 Whittlesea – growth: 4.7 per cent – median price: $461,121 Sunbury – growth: 4.3 per cent – median price: $489,726 Clarinda – growth: 3.8 per cent – median price: $755,891 Travancore – growth: 3.8 per cent – median price: $399,348 Thomastown – growth: 3.5 per cent – median price: $503,066 The Shepparton area in regional Victoria took both spots in houses and units of top-performing suburbs showing the biggest growth across the board the Bendigo area also ranked across Victoria’s top-performing suburbs for both houses and units Venus Bay experienced the largest decline in house values nationwide The highest price growth suburbs in regional Victoria in 2024 were: Rochester – growth: 12.5 per cent – median price: $334,574 Red Cliffs – growth: 11.3 per cent – median price: $358,034 Tatura – growth: 11.0 per cent – median price: $499,265 Merbein – growth: 9.5 per cent – median price: $337,673 Kialla – growth: 8.0 per cent – median price: $706,777 Rutherglen – growth: 7.5 per cent – median price: $517,057 Irymple – growth: 6.9 per cent – median price: $621,414 Mooroopna – growth: 6.5 per cent – median price: $394,792 Marong – growth: 5.9 per cent – median price: $685,292 Bandiana – growth: 5.6 per cent – median price: $642,992 Shepparton – growth: 8.0 per cent – median price: $351,123 Mooroopna – growth: 7.1 per cent – median price: $325,629 Mildura – growth: 5.9 per cent – median price: $306,226 Echuca – growth: 5.5 per cent – median price: $419,160 Wodonga – growth: 4.0 per cent – median price: $352,542 Drouin – growth: 3.9 per cent – median price: $417,029 Drysdale – growth: 3.7 per cent – median price: $508,064 Moe – growth: 3.5 per cent – median price: $277,591 Benalla – growth: 3.1 per cent – median price: $312,730 Golden Square – growth: 3.0 per cent – median price: $389,030 Copyright © 2007-2025 Smart Property Investment 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 TWEED HEADS South and Tweed Heads West residents are being ordered by the SES to evacuate their homes due to continued and further predicted heavy rain and resultant flash flooding This follows an evacuation order released earlier this afternoon for South Murwillumbah Condong and Tumbulgum and a flood evacuation warning for low lying areas of Chinderah The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is directing residents within the nominated areas to evacuate immediately where safe transit exists and it they are able to do so An evacuation centre has been set up at Kingscliff TAFE They are advising those that are unable to do so The SES is urging residents not to delay their evacuation Conditions can change quickly and roads will be congested or closed Remaining in flooded areas is dangerous and may place your life at risk people should go and stay with family or friends For emergency help in floods and storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500 NSW SES website:  http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au © 2021 tagDiv. All Rights Reserved. Made with Newspaper Theme. work will be carried out from 7pm to 4am on Tuesday and is expected to be complete by 4am on Thursday The M1 Pacific Motorway will be closed to northbound traffic from Kennedy Drive to Gold Coast Highway with detours suitable for all vehicles in place via Kennedy Drive (Tweed Heads Exit) onto Sugarwood Drive and rejoining the Gold Coast Highway on-ramp to the M1 Motorway A reduced speed limit of 60km/h will be in place during work hours Truckies are advised to allow up to five minutes additional travel time for the diversions drive to the conditions and follow the direction of signs and traffic control Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a5245a9b48ad971be30b9a1247c23310" );document.getElementById("g3bfc1e4af").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment A luxurious three bedroom house in Tweed Heads West went to auction on February 2 Situated at 28 Wyuna Road, the home was unsuccessful at auction and is now listed for $3.2 million.  This home's many features include a Bose sound system, boat shed, poolside deck, aquarium, outdoor shower, and its unobstructed view.  Vendor Jade Golar knocked down the original residence to make way for his dream house. He said he had a clear vision from the start but conceded the house turned out better than expected. “I wanted a cross between a beach home and a Hamptons home and wanted elements of those two styles tied together,” he said. “The house is designed around entertaining, cooking, pool days, boating, wakeboarding and fishing.  The residence features traditional Hamptons styling including crisp white paint, weatherboard cladding, plantation shutters and natural light. The two-level home offers plenty of different living areas – the ground floor, including a bar and wine cellar, opens via bi-fold doors to the sparkling pool and Terranora Creek while the second level, including a saltwater aquarium and open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, opens to a deck overlooking the pool.  We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia. We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home! If you need to travel to the Gold Coast this week at night take note of changed traffic conditions from later tonight when crews carry out essential maintenance work on the Pacific Motorway at the Tugun Bypass Tunnel work will be carried out at night from 7pm to 5am from Sunday The tunnel will be closed to all traffic from 7pm to 5am northbound traffic will be diverted at the Gold Coast Highway (Tugun exit) onto Tugun Currumbin Road re-joining the Pacific Motorway at Currumbin.  Southbound traffic will be diverted at Tugun Currumbin Road (exit 95) onto Gold Coast Highway re-joining the Pacific Motorway at Tweed Heads West (Gold Coast Highway on-ramp) northbound traffic will detour via Kennedy Drive (Tweed Heads exit) Sugarwood Drive/Gold Coast Highway and Tugun Currumbin Road re-joining the Pacific Motorway at Currumbin Southbound traffic will be diverted via Tugun Currumbin Road (exit 95) re-joining the Pacific Motorway at Tweed Heads West (Kennedy Drive on-ramp) The traffic diversions are suitable for all vehicle types. Motorists are advised to allow up to 10 minutes additional travel time Essential asphalt maintenance work is also being carried out every night until the end of May on the Pacific Highway between Kennedy Drive and the NSW/QLD border on the southbound carriageway.  Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience while essential maintenance work is carried out For the latest traffic updates download the Live Traffic NSW app, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Council will also develop master plans for Amaroo Park in Banora Point Burringbar Memorial Reserve and Masterson Park and a masterplan for Pottsville’s key public open spaces in the town centre Photo 1: RubyRose and Cosimo at Clarrie Englert Park. Caption: Rubyrose and Cosimo from Tweed Heads West enjoying the new playground at Clarrie Englert Park Photo 2: Banora Point Community Centre Park Caption: The new parks at Gollan Drive and Banora Point Community Centre (pictured) both feature a premium soft fall material that does not splinter This material also allows rain to drain instead of washing the material away like with conventional bark soft fall material Aboriginal Acknowledgement Dog beaches Information Sheet Prohibited zones Off leash parks Providing beaches for families to run and play with their dogs is very important to our community Look for signs showing off-leash areas on the beach and learn where you can safely take your dog in the Tweed The following rules apply while in a designated off-leash area (these areas are patrolled and penalties apply for non-compliance): Visit our interactive mapping site  The following areas are approved dog off-leash exercise areas on Tweed coast beaches: Access from Murphys Road Kingscliff to a point 0.5km south of the beach access point at the Fingal Head Quarry From the boundary of Salt residential area north to the rockwall of Cudgen Creek 200m south of Norries Headland to a point one kilometre north of Cudgera Creek 200m south of the main bathing area at Pottsville Beach to 200m north of Black Rocks Two areas have recently been declared 'Dog Prohibited' zones under the Companion Animals Act 1998 See the fact sheet What should I know before taking my dog to an ‘off-leash’ area?(PDF, 479KB) The following areas are approved dog off-leash exercise areas in Tweed Shire parks and reserves: Design showcasing some elements of the new playground that will be built at the facility.  The Piggabeen Sports Complex site is currently fenced off while construction works are underway Photo 1: Design for new playgroundCaption: Design showcasing some elements of the new playground that will be built at the facility.  Photo 2: Piggabeen Sports Complex (inset picture)Caption: Piggabeen Sports Complex is a Council-owned facility situated in Tweed Heads West and is mainly used as a rugby league ground It is the home ground of the Tweed’s Queensland Cup rugby league team For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders Welcome to White on Wyuna – a luxurious three-bedroom Hamptons-style home on the waterfront in Tweed Heads West Vendor Jade Golar knocked down the original residence to make way for his dream house He said he had a clear vision from the start but conceded the house turned out better than expected “I wanted a cross between a beach home and a Hamptons home and wanted elements of those two styles tied together,” he said “The house is designed around entertaining The residence features traditional Hamptons styling including crisp white paint The two-level home offers plenty of different living areas – the ground floor opens via bi-fold doors to the sparkling pool and Terranora Creek while the second level including a saltwater aquarium and open-plan kitchen third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Find out when your household rubbish bins are collected by entering your address and viewing your personal calendar below Enter your address above to find out when your household rubbish bins are collected Have your green organics bin at the kerb on collection day Your yellow recycling bin will be collected fortnightly Your red landfill bin will be collected fortnightly in the alternate week to your yellow bin Call us on 02 6670 2400 or email resourcerecovery@tweed.nsw.gov.au You can also search our interactive map to find out what services are available at your property A 25-year-old tenant allegedly murdered his landlord before running to a pharmacy with blood and cuts on his hands and called an ambulance from a payphone Emergency services were called to a home on Lakes Drive in Tweed Heads West, on the border of NSW and Queensland at about 5.50pm on Wednesday because neighbours were concerned for the owner's welfare Police found the body of 63-year-old Donna Baraket inside She could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene Connor Bulluss was then charged with her murder Neighbours told Daily Mail Australia the property was a known drug house and Ms Baraket was a user who had been in and out of rehab for years said Mr Bulluss had been renting from Ms Baraket for about two weeks before she kicked him out on Monday and tossed his possessions onto the front lawn Hannah's husband Luke was the pharmacist on duty when the alleged killer ran into his shop 'He came in with his hands all cut up and my husband thinks it could have been self-defence,' she said 'It looked like he'd grabbed a blade or something.' She said Mr Bulluss quickly left the pharmacy and called an ambulance from a payphone The pharmacist called police and asked them to carry out a welfare check on the home they found Mr Bulluss in the gutter with serious hand injuries Hannah said there were often people loitering around the house and she would hear fights break out at the address 'I usually hear people screaming "f**k you" and things like that,' she said 'But I was home with my seven-month-old yesterday and I saw her around the house about an hour beforehand She didn't know what triggered the altercation on Wednesday but said: 'I think it was maybe that she kicked him out and both of them could have been on something [drugs] and it got out of hand.' She described Mr Bulluss as 'quiet' and was surprised he was arrested and charged with murder Mr Bulluss was taken to Tweed Heads Hospital under police guard He was then taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and charged with murder and had been scheduled to appear in Tweed Heads Local Court on Thursday However the court heard he was unable to appear because he was having surgery on his hands Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:.. Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six.. We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our.. Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami.. How Meghan's biggest cheerleader brokered Harry's disastrous BBC interview - three months after.. 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The first Tweed Seagulls BMD ladies’ game against the Burleigh Bears this season was played under lights at the newly upgraded Piggabeen Sports Complex with player Tarryn Aiken (Senior Ladies) making a break BELOW: Tweed Seagulls player Harry Crocker (Open Males) playing in the Hostplus Cup under the new lights Tweed Heads West locals and the rugby league community are ‘playing the field’ – the new field that is – of the Piggabeen Sports Complex marking completion of the first stage of upgrades at the popular sports hub The partnership project between Tweed Shire Council and Tweed Seagulls Rugby League Football Club (RLFC) features upgrades to field surfaces including drainage stormwater management and a new children’s playground Council’s Manager Parks and Active Communities Murray Smith said the extensive renovations and enhancements of Stage 1 had transformed the complex into a premier sporting hub “The completion of Stage 1 works marks a significant milestone in the development of this state-of-the-art sporting facility The newly upgraded fields provide a much smoother and professional surface for the players supporting them to further lift their game,” Mr Smith said “Work has also included upgrading the sports field lighting to energy-efficient LEDs of up to 200 lux for the main field and 150 lux for the other fields “The Tweed is a growing area with a big focus on sport and it’s hoped the enhancements will provide excellent opportunities to play and train on a professional grade field while we know the new kids’ playground will be warmly welcomed by many families in the area.” Tweed Seagulls RLFC Chief Executive Officer Brendon Lindsay said anticipation from the community had been building in the lead up to the first game recently played on the new fields “We hosted our first rivalry round games against the Burleigh Bears on Saturday 23 March and the fields held up really well,” Mr Lindsay said “Our club thanks Tweed Shire Council the NSW Government and our contractors for their support in delivering this upgrade our community welcomes the positive impact this world-class facility will have on the local sporting community and beyond.” Council received $600,000 from the NSW Department of Planning through its Regional Housing Fund to deliver elements of Stage 1 of the Piggabeen Sports Complex Masterplan Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the NSW Government was investing in high-quality recreational and open space for Tweed Heads’ growing community “This $2.28 million project will provide an excellent opportunity for the community to connect be social and come together,” Mr Scully said “The project has been vital for the sporting community in Tweed Heads lighting and even a new playground for kids “This complex will be utilised by the Tweed community particularly the Tweed Seagulls Rugby League Club who will benefit for years to come.” An additional $1.68 million granted to Tweed Seagulls RLFC through the NSW Government’s Office of Sport Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund will be used to complete additional elements of the masterplan Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said projects like these showed the NSW Government’s commitment to delivering sporting infrastructure the whole community can enjoy “Local sport infrastructure plays a critical role in keeping communities healthy active and connected,” Mr Kamper said “Multi-use facilities like these at Piggabeen Sports Complex provide opportunities for everyone to take part in sport and recreation whether they’re playing at an elite level or looking to enjoy a day at the park.” Environmental considerations were a priority in the construction process with the incorporation of sustainable features such as energy-efficient LED lighting which will use approximately 40% less energy to run was also chosen for its wearability and drought tolerance and is a first for the Tweed showcasing Council’s commitment to a greener future Piggabeen Sports Complex is a Council-owned facility in Tweed Heads West primarily used as a rugby league ground It is the home ground of the Tweed’s only Queensland Cup rugby league team The ground is also used by the club's junior rugby league teams and local residents for recreation Work on Stage 2 of the Piggabeen Sports Complex Masterplan will be prioritised in Council’s future planning as funding becomes available The community was invited to comment on the Draft Piggabeen Sports Complex Masterplan in 2021 – a 10-year plan for the Tweed’s favourite rugby league sporting facility This project forms part of Council’s Open Space Strategy 2019–29 the overarching framework and strategic direction for public open space planning in the Tweed for the next decade Delivering projects like these is one way Council is committing to supporting our community to be active and healthy Find out more about this project at yoursaytweed.com.au/piggabeensportscomplex The new playground at Piggabeen Sports Complex is a hit with local families this media release (originally published Friday 26 April) has been reissued to incorporate additional comments from the NSW Government One of the myths of residential real estate is that regional markets generally follow the lead of their capital cities but Regional New South Wales provides evidence that it isn’t so Sydney is one of Australia’s most buoyant property markets but Regional NSW remains decidedly lukewarm It has an overall ranking of ninth among the 14 market jurisdictions analysed in this report; with below average results in four of the five metrics in the analysis There were signs of property market recovery in some NSW regions in 2023 and the state economy overall is in good shape Byron Bay was one of the nation’s most spectacular growth markets during the Covid boom but it has declined sharply more recently and is not yet showing signs of recovery The Central Coast has shown hints of revival Markets that have regenerated in the past six months or so include Wollongong NSW is being out-performed by other regional jurisdictions Charlestown is the largest town in the Lake Macquarie region including Charlestown Square (the largest shopping centre in the Hunter region) Lake Macquarie Private Hospital and major nature reserves It’s a popular location for property buyers with around 250 home sales in the past12 months and houses selling typically in four weeks Wollongong has been the strongest market in Regional NSW in the past year and Dapto is one of the suburbs continuing to attract rising buyer demand Dapto has good access to both the Princes Motorway (M1) and the Princes Highway that link to central Wollongong This popular city on the north coast of NSW continues to attract lifestyle buyers and investors with over 500 dwelling sales in the past 12 months Coffs Harbour is very much about lifestyle; with renowned beaches the Solitary Islands Marine Park and the Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve among its attractions Its ongoing popularity is demonstrated by the long-term growth averages of 9% per year for houses and slightly less for apartments The Central Coast market has thrived recently with Sydney residents escaping the big city congestion and expenses and heading to the key hub of Gosford is attracting buyers; with homes selling quickly and vacancies low at 0.5% Frontage to water is a key part of the appeal as well as the infrastructure of the Gosford region The Hunter Region provides a series of solid property markets underpinned by a strong and diverse economy Heddon Greta is part of the Cessnock Local Government Authority (LGA) It provides an affordable alternative to the increasingly expensive Newcastle property market Houses are selling quickly here and the 10% per year capital growth rate is testimony to the area’s ongoing popularity This popular and increasingly expensive suburb is about 6 km from theNewcastle CBD a regional sports centre and proximity to major green spaces. but apartments are more affordable in the $600,000s This town of over 20,000 is the key commercial centre of the Shoalhaven region it is surrounded by farming communities and state forests It’s also increasingly sought-after as a retirement and leisure area for residents of Canberra and Sydney The naval air station HMAS Albatross is also located here The local housing market offers affordability and a solid capital growth record Tweed Heads is part of Regional NSW but also an extension of the Gold Coast Tweed Heads West has lots of water frontages and provides a more affordable alternative to Tweed Heads itself Both houses and apartments have rates around 10% per year This beachside suburb in the north of Wollongong serviced by the South Coast train line and the Princes Highway has a capital growth average of 9% per year Houses are expensive (median price above $1.3 million) and apartments are becoming increasingly popular (median price $765,000) Up to $4,000 when you take out a IMB home loan Minimum loan amounts and LVR restrictions apply The results do not include all providers and may not compare all the features available to you Home Loan products displayed above that are not “Sponsored or Promoted” are sorted as referenced in the introductory text followed by Star Rating Canstar may receive a fee for referral of leads from these products Based on a selection of suburbs’ median prices growth and rent figures provided by Hotspotting by Ryder Initial outlay figures include the deposit mortgage registration and transfer fees; and lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI) premium for the 10% deposit scenarios Stamp duty calculated based on an owner occupier purchase of an established dwelling LMI premium based on Helia LMI Premium Calculator for an owner occupier borrower and a loan term of 30 years Monthly repayments calculated based on the average variable interest rates of 6.5% (20% deposit) and 6.8% (10% deposit) and a loan term of 30 years Interest rates based on the average owner occupier principal and interest variable rate for a loan of $600,000 over the past year Percentage of income based on the average total income by Greater Capital City Statistical Area (ABS Personal Income adjusted by the ABS Wage Price Index (Sep-2023) for each state Cover image source: Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock.com Canstar does not compare every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you Any rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products Canstar is a comparison website, not a credit provider, so it’s important to check any product information directly with the provider. 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Consider whether this advice is right for you. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination before making a purchase decision and in giving you information about credit products Canstar is not making any suggestion or recommendation to you about a particular credit product Research provided by Canstar Research AFSL and Australian Credit Licence No or publish information on this website without prior written permission from Canstar Tweed Shire Council has unveiled two new inclusive playgrounds now open in the municipality.The new play spaces are at Clarrie Englert Park at Tweed Heads West and the upgraded Banora Point Community Centre Park at Banora Point.The new playground at Clarrie Englert Park features inclusive play equipment vibrant rubber soft-fall and mulch surfaces accessible paths and partial fencing.The upgraded playground at Banora Point Community Centre features new inclusive play equipment more shade trees and partial fencing.Council’s Acting Manager Parks and Active Communities Murray Smith said the team working on the projects was thrilled to finally see them ready to be enjoyed.“It’s wonderful to be able to provide new spaces for our community to relax play and enjoy,” Mr Smith said.“The community provided significant input into the new playground designs for both parks with more than 300 residents offering suggestions comments and feedback when it was open for public comment in 2021.“We hope the parks are a hit with kids and families and will be loved for years to come.”The two park upgrades were identified as high priorities during the development of the Open Space Strategy (2019–2029) Council’s Parks and Active Communities team has upgraded 13 parks in the Tweed.The park upgrades were funded by two $50,000 grants from the NSW Government’s Everyone Can Play Program while Council contributed an additional $100,000 towards each park.Additional park upgrades are planned for the first half of 2022 in the following locations across the Tweed: Council says it will also develop master plans for Amaroo Park in Banora Point Burringbar Memorial Reserve and Masterson Park and a masterplan for Pottsville’s key public open spaces in the town centre Information and Events for Local Councils throughout Australia Contact us: newsdesk@insidelocalgovernment.com.au Property prices have surged as much as 30% in some suburbs over the past year as buyers flocked to affordable locations New data from PropTrack has revealed the top performing suburbs of 2023’s surprising property market recovery and the hotspots in high demand that could be next to boom Housing markets bounced back from the rate rise-triggered downturn of 2022 quicker and stronger than expected amid surging population growth driven by record immigration and a subdued listings environment The data measured performance against several metrics buyer demand and how quickly a listed property takes to sell The types of suburbs where values surged the most differ depending on the situation in each state and city as do the areas where properties sold quickest and where buyer demand has been most concentrated In cities where property prices are cheapest, affordable outer suburbs have experienced the strongest price growth, which PropTrack senior economist Angus Moore said could be explained by worsening affordability across the country as both property prices and interest rates rose “When housing affordability is at its worst in at least 30 years buyers are going to be trying to find ways to look for more affordable homes,” he said “More affordable suburbs did hold up better in 2022 as interest rates were rising and that tailwind from strained affordability is still supporting some affordable parts of our cities.” The suburb where house prices grew fastest in 2023 was Greenfields in the Mandurah region on Perth’s southern fringe where the median value jumped 29.6% to $427,000 Affordable suburbs in Perth’s south east also surged in value, including Kelmscott (up 27.3%) and Maddington (up 26.8%) This four-bedroom Greenfields house sold for $423,000 in September around the suburb's median house value All of the best-performing suburbs in 2023 for both houses and units were in Western Australia continuing the strength of property markets in these states seen last year “Perth and Adelaide have been really strong performing cities,” Mr Moore said “Part of the story is their relative affordability They've not seen as much of a handbrake on prices from declining affordability but they're also seeing demand from other states as people look for more affordable areas.” House values in Woodridge in southern Brisbane jumped 25.4% over 2023. This four-bedroom renovated Woodridge house is on the market now Adelaide’s strongest performers were concentrated in the north, including Elizabeth North (up 28.2%), Davoren Park (up 26%) and Smithfield Plains (up 24.9%) all of the top 20 suburbs for house price growth still have a median house value below $550,000 putting them on the radar of both first-home buyers and investors with restricted budgets pricier suburbs have led the market higher “In 2023 we did see some rebound in more expensive suburbs,” Mr Moore said “Parts of Sydney prices rebounded quite quickly as prices started coming back up.” “The general trend we see in price cycles is when prices are falling when prices are rising more expensive areas tend to see a larger upswing.” A 19.3% jump in house values over 2023 pushed the median house price in ultra-exclusive Vaucluse to $9.68 million. That kind of budget would have afforded this four-bedroom mansion with harbour views that sold for $9 million in September “That has been more or less the case in the recovery in Sydney in 2023 the northern beaches and the north shore have seen reasonably good growth.” In Vaucluse, Sydney’s most expensive suburb with a median house value of $9.68 million That means the value of a typical Vaucluse home increased by almost $1.6 million — more than a typical Sydney home is worth —  in just a year The only NSW suburb that outpaced that growth rate was Kariong on the Central Coast, where prices jumped 22.9% to $934,000 – well below Sydney’s median house value of $1.368 million It was also the only suburb outside Western Australia South Australia or Queensland to record price growth above 20% The strongest performers in Melbourne were in the city’s east, with values rising by 7.4% in Balwyn, 6.7% in Wheelers Hill and 6.4% in Vermont South Balwyn, in Melbourne's east, is one of the city's priciest suburbs and also one of its best performers in 2023, with house values rising 7.4%. This three-bedroom Balwyn house sold for $2,105,000 in December In Canberra, the strongest growth was in some of the most expensive suburbs, including Yaralumla (up 9.2%), Campbell (up 5.2%) and Red Hill (up 4.1%) While the growth rates in the best performing suburbs of Melbourne and Canberra were more modest than in other capitals these suburbs outperformed their wider cities “Melbourne hasn't regained that pre-rate rise level yet,” Mr Moore said “We just haven't seen as strong a rebound as we have in Sydney and Brisbane.” While many pricey suburbs experienced strong growth it’s not just suburbs at the absolute top of the market that boomed last year Many well-located suburbs with large homes suited to upgrading families, such as Ashbury in Sydney's inner west, jumped in value in 2023. This five-bedroom Ashbury property sold for $2.38m in November "People buying in Ashbury are coming from areas like Marrickville "They like the feel of those suburbs but they're not getting the space." "The buyers coming in from that pocket are looking for larger land sizes quality streets and they don't want to be around development." With limited homes coming onto the market in Ashbury demand was spilling over into neighbouring suburbs "Ashbury is expensive so the next best suburb is Canterbury," he said "Strathfield has become very expensive – a luxury home there will cost $7 to 10 million whereas you can get a luxury home in Belfield for $2.5 million." Relative affordability has helped drive price growth even for multi-million dollar homes. This Belfield property recently sold for $2.425 million Price growth in the inner and middle-ring city suburbs may have been fuelled by renewed interest in areas with large family homes and relatively short commutes to the CBD didn’t see as much of a run-up in prices as places like the Central Coast or Northern Beaches," he said "That might make them a bit more attractive perhaps today than was the case two years ago." Many upgrading homeowners have capitalised on gains made during the pandemic which has contributed to the resilience of housing markets despite significant interest rate rises "We saw enormous price growth across the pandemic so there’s a lot of people sitting on a lot of equity," he said "We have seen an increase in the share of buyers that are borrowing with low loan-to-value ratios." "Credit constraints have become a lot tighter but if there are a whole lot of buyers for whom credit constraints are not binding inner suburbs were some of the most in-demand across 2023 Measuring the number of times properties are saved by property seekers on realestate.com.au reveals that properties in some inner suburbs are saved up to three times as much as the average Australian property Mr Moore said this reflects the fact that these were very popular markets with a lot of people searching for properties relative to the number of homes available "Even though they are quite liquid markets because you also often have a lot of homes available in dense inner city areas there’s probably just a lot of people looking," he said "That drives a lot of demand in these areas which is why we see these are quite actively looked at and saved areas." When it comes to units, suburbs in Melbourne’s south and east were among the most in-demand in Australia, including Brighton East, Heidelberg West and Bentleigh East Units in Brighton East, like this two-bedroom townhouse are saved by property seekers three times more than the national average suburbs with the most property saves for houses are largely found outside the capitals with the Gold Coast dominating the list of in-demand suburbs Houses in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast are saved 3.5 times as much as the national average. This newly-built four-bedroom Palm Beach house is listed for sale for offers over $2,999,000 Homes on the southern stretch of the Gold Coast have been in high demand with both locals and interstate buyers seeking a coastal escape, according to real estate agent Tracy Tomars of LJ Hooker Property Hub "The southern end of the Gold Coast is the most sought after," she told realestate.com.au "We get a lot of locals that are downsizing from big properties but there’s still a lot of Melbourne and Brisbane buyers We’re actually seeing a lot of New Zealand buyers relocate from over there too." The close proximity of the Gold Coast airport plays a part "I sell to a lot of people from Melbourne who live here for six months of the year and it just makes it easier for them." Leafy suburbs on the fringes of capitals offering large homes on big blocks were also in high-demand, including Belgrave in Melbourne, Stirling in Adelaide and Darlington in Perth A look at the suburbs where houses sold fastest last year highlights the importance buyers placed on affordability in 2023 recorded the lowest median days on market in the country with half of all properties listed for sale selling within eight days This three-bedroom Hillman house sold for $538,000 in September Properties sell just as fast in Bow Bowing, in Sydney’s outer south west, and Rosny in Tasmania which occupies a prime position across the Derwent River from the Hobart CBD Mr Moore said days on market tends to be low where choice is limited and many buyers were competing for a limited number of properties "When we see properties sell that quickly it indicates pretty competitive market conditions," he said The very low days on market in suburbs of Perth reflected the city’s extremely tight market with homes still selling faster than during the pandemic amid record low stock levels All of Sydney’s 10 fastest-selling suburbs for houses are found in the west mostly in the Macarthur and Penrith regions where homes tend to be more affordable than the rest of the city The 10 fastest-selling Sydney suburbs for units are relatively affordable compared to the citywide median, and are more than 17km from the CBD, with the exception of pricey Queenscliff on the Northern Beaches It took just nine days to sell this leafy property in Tecoma Victoria's fastest selling suburb for houses in 2023 While days on market aren’t the only factor affecting price growth in a suburb the competitive conditions in affordable areas reflect intense competition to secure a home "It's certainly a good indicator for where the balance in market dynamics is playing out in terms of availability of homes to buy how many buyers are looking and therefore how quickly buyers are having to move to buy them," he said Credit: AAPAn alleged member of a notorious outlaw motorcycle gang has been arrested with an array of illicit substances and contraband in his car including a large bag of MDMA pills hidden under the driver’s seat Raptor squad officers charged an alleged member of the Mongols OMCG and seized multiple drugs following a vehicle stop near Tweed Heads on Thursday Officers attached to the state crime command’s raptor squad stopped a Ford utility travelling on Gollan Drive Get the first look at the digital newspaper curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.During the stop raptor squad officers allegedly located a package under the driver’s seat that contained a large amount of MDMA pills which were seized for forensic examination police located and seized over $6,500 cash The estimated street value of the drugs seized is estimated to be more than $15,000 a 37-year-old man – and alleged member of the Mongols OMCG – was arrested and taken to Tweed Heads police station The man was charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited drug two counts of possessing DECCD to commit serious criminal activity supplying a prohibited drug commercial quantity recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime greater than $5000 and custody of a knife in a public place The 37-year-old was refused bail and appeared before Tweed Heads local court yesterday where he was further refused bail to appear before the same court on Monday Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T Kingscliff and Fingal Head are being asked by the SES to prepare to evacuate prior to 7pm today Areas that will be affected by rising river levels and the king tide include low lying caravan parks in Chinderah Tweed Heads South and Kingscliff and low lying properties in Fingal Head and Bilambil Residents should monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate when instructed to do so A Flood Evacuation Order will be issued by the NSW SES if evacuation is required For people who need assistance an evacuation centre has been established at Kingscliff TAFE Cudgen Road Kingscliff and Banota Point High School Never drive ride or walk through floodwater For emergency assistance telephone the NSW SES on 132 500 Web site: http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au Paradise that’s perfect for family adventure The spectacular Tweed Coast and its beautiful hinterland in Northern NSW are fast becoming a travel destination on the tops of bucket lists the world over With crystal-clear coastlines and inlets to lush tropical rainforests the Tweed region is simply paradise We’ve shared some of our favourite things to do with kids in the Tweed below … We can confirm the newly opened Northern Rivers Rail Trail is worth the hype and is a fantastic experience for families. The newly built trail follows the old, disused North Coast railway line. Right now it runs from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek as it winds through Stokers Siding, Burringbar and Mooball and eventually it will go further, reaching 132km through some of the area’s most beautiful countryside 🍃 The completed Tweed section is 24km and includes 18 historic railway bridges, including five that are heritage listed and two two tunnels. The free and accessible trail is perfect for walkers, bikers and joggers alike. You can do the whole lot, or choose to do just a section, joining it or hopping off at any of the old railway stations. We recommend trying the section that has the Burringbar tunnel which runs for just over 500m and is home to glow worms and micro bats. Its does get dark in the very middle though, so bring some light! More than 500 fruits from all around the world are grown on this 200 acre family farm, and every season brings exotic, unusual and delicious fruit varieties for you to discover. On a Tropical Fruit World farm tour you’ll also: With an outdoor 50 metre slide, a kiddies leisure pool and 50 metre outdoor pool, the aquatic centre at Murwillumbah is a great way to spend a summer day. Beautiful Cudgen Creek is one of the jewels of the Tweed coast crown, and making the most of everything on offer in this beautiful waterway, is Tim and co. from The Watersports Guru. You’ll them set up by the bridge  at Cudgen Creek between 9 – 4 daily (depending on the weather). Families can give paddle boarding a go, jump in a kayak for a mind-clearing and scenic row down the creek, or get the kids smiling with their range of water-fun activities including snorkelling with turtles! Never tried these thing before? No worries, they also offer lessons to teach you all you need to know about having fun on the water so you can learn to surf with them, or become a paddle board pro! The multi-award-winning North Star Holiday Resort on the spectacular Tweed Coast in Northern NSW is a must-do family holiday spot and for good reason. Surrounded by National parkland, North Star spreads over 10 hectares of manicured, sub-tropical gardens with palms, pools and playgrounds, nestled between a pristine beach and crystal clear tidal estuary. Situated by the crystal clear waters of Hastings Point, this iconic family-friendly holiday park is equal parts peaceful and relaxing, and fun-filled and action-packed for the kids. Not only is the waterpark at North Star the stuff that lifetime memories are made of (for all ages!) there’s plenty to appeal to the grown ups too. While the kids are having the time of their lives, it’s time-out for mums and dads. Seascape retreat at North Star has a day spa, hairdresser, heated lap pool, gym, spa and sauna. Looking for some soft play fun? Head to Seagulls Club in Tweed Heads West and enter a world of fun at Tabatinga. Hosanna is a 100-acre campsite located in the Tweed Valley in a rustic rural setting that celebrates “good old fashioned fun.” Whether you’re just up for a day visit or want to stay a little longer, this gorgeous farm has you covered. Hosanna is country camping at its best, with plenty of campsites for campers, and huts and cabins for glampers. Enjoy the fresh air, explore in nature and celebrate life with family and friends … and a whole bunch of animals! Super creative and super fun, Katie Tucker has created a world of magic for kids on the Tweed Coast with her exciting classes and parties that allow kids to get messy in the best kind of ways. Katie’s created a beautiful space Just behind Kiosk and Lolilta’s at Casuarina, offering: Former avocado farm turned sunflower heaven, Farm & Co. at Kingscliff is is harvesting a variety of crops, and you’re invited to come visit. Enjoy a feed at the cafe, hang out with the friendly chooks and see what this organic farm is all about. Coconut Coffee House offers fabulous wholesome food and full bodied, quality coffee as well as fun super shakes for kids. Located in Terranora, the decor and cuisine are an Insta-worthy day out. Whether you are young or old, a local or a visitor to the Tweed, Tweed Tenpin offers the good old fashioned fun that only a bowling alley can! Located amongst the rolling hills of Murwillumbah, this modern, family friendly gallery is a beautiful way to spend a relaxing day with busy kids! © Copyright 2025 Are Media PTY Limited all rights reserved All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Are Media and its brands may have generated text partially using generative AI. Upon generating draft language, our editors review, edit, and revise it to their own liking. We take ultimate responsibility for the content of our publications. 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. A man has been charged with the murder of Hoani Shaune Love (pictured). (Supplied: New South Wales Police Force) Link copiedShareShare articleA man has appeared in court charged with murdering a homeless grandfather on the New South Wales far north coast. Brendon Troy Griffiths was arrested by detectives from Tweed/Byron Local Area Command's Strike Force Findo at a home in Tweed Heads West last night. He appeared in the Tweed Heads Local Court today, charged with the murder of 48-year-old Hoani Shaune Love. Griffiths did not apply for bail, but it was formally refused because of the violent nature of the crime. Police allege he assaulted Mr Love outside the Tweed Centro shopping centre on Saturday, September 27. Mr Love was taken to Tweed Heads Hospital with head injuries before being moved to Gold Coast University Hospital where he died three days later. Detective Inspector Brendan Cullen said significant resources and effort were put into the investigation. Mr Love's daughter, Toni, also issued a public appeal for information. "We had people come forward to us with information, the daughter of the deceased man made an appeal to the public," Detective Inspector Cullen said. "All in all it's been a very good effort by our police here, and we'd like to thank the members of the community who offered their support and and vital information." Griffiths has been remanded in custody to appear in the Lismore Local Court on December 2. You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream the highest revenue-earning locations in the state have been exposed CarExpert.com.au Managing Director Paul Maric revealed to Jim Wilson where Sydneysiders were getting pinged the most in 2020: Press PLAY below to hear the full list of most lucrative locations