Open from June 5 to August 4 to all primary aged children in NSW and the ACT.
Fifty finalists’ works will hang in a two week exhibition in September, with winners announced on September 7, Threatened Species Day.
Wild About Pottsville – Sunday 25 June
Celebration of our local wildlife! 9am – Noon , Pottsville Marketplace, Philip Street.
Enquiries to Kim Stephen, Council’s Threatened Species Officer on 66702419. Program of activities
EDO workshop 8 June Murwillumbah
Biochar Conference August 10-12 Murwillumbah
WED Festival Program
EDO workshop on biodiversity law reforms
Cultivating Murder Saturday 3 June Regent Cinema Mbah
On the 29th July 2014 Glen Turner a compliance officer with the Office of Environment and Heritage was shot four times by a farmer and died on the side of an isolated public road in NSW, 40 kms from Moree.
Cultivating Murder tells the story of what happened and follows the murder trial to discover why it happened. It is an unusual murder case. The mystery is not “Who did it?” but “Why did he do it”? The accused is a wealthy New South Wales farmer. The circumstances of the shooting are shocking and perplexing. Glen Turner’s family friends and colleagues want to see the full weight of the law applied.
As the murder trial gets underway, the government have released the draft for new environment laws that will undo a quarter of century of conservation and protection and unleash a new wave of broad-scale clearing of land, (it is already underway) and destruction to fragile eco systems. It has implications for all land use in Australian.
Boomerang Bags Sewing Bee Sunday 28 May
With 8 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans annually, affecting our food chain, killing off ecosystems, marine mammals, fish and seabirds, as well as clogging up our landfill, Let’s Waste Less believes we can’t ‘waste’ time waiting for the NSW government to act. We want Murwillumbah to get on the plastic bag ‘ban’ wagon.
As part of our ‘breaking bag habits’ campaign we are introducing the Boomerang Bags ‘borrow and bring back’ model to Murwillumbah. These free bags provide a safe and sustainable alternative to plastic bags and are made by the community using reusable, environmentally friendly recycled materials.
Together we can sew our way into a more sustainable solution with Boomerang Bags, which are:
Threatened Species Recovery Fund
Applications close for this National Landcare Programme funding on 15 June 2017. Funding is for projects between $20,000 and $250,000. Visit: http://www.nrm.gov.au/national/threatened-species-recovery-fund
How does Aboriginal culture relate to bush regeneration? Tues 23 May
This free workshop is suitable for those who do bush regeneration either professionally or as a volunteer.
How does Aboriginal culture relate to bush regeneration? Good question! It’s not just about what to look out for but what protocols need to be followed.
Come along to a free workshop to find out why Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes are not only important to Aboriginal people but also the wider community and what role the bush regenerator can play.
When: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Tuesday 23 May 2017
Where: South Golden Beach Community Hall at the beach end of Helen Street
The workshop will be run by Shane Ivey of Madhima Gulgan Community Association with support from NPWS.
Afternoon tea will be provided.
Farming the Sun solar and battery bulk buy
Suncrowd bulk buy for solar and batteries
The fungi photography of Steve Axford
Nimbin Bush Theatre – Sunday 21st May – 11am
Entry by donation – Hosted by Nimbin Bushwalkers Club
For this special event Steve Axford gives a presentation on his time lapse photography of fungi and mushrooms sourced from our local rainbow region rainforests and used in the acclaimed David Attenborough BBC documentary film – Planet Earth 2.
Axford, from Lismore, is known around the world for his unique interest in nature and in particular, Fungi. Living in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, he considers his photography as an avenue into the natural world. His work has taken him around the world from Moscow to China and he has been published in global publications such as NatGeo and New Scientist. More recently he has developed a keen interest in Fungi time-lapse.
Keep speaking out against Adani
A message from GetUp..
Since we last spoke, we’ve had two huge wins against Adani. The momentum is palpable.
First, after almost 8,000 of you chipped in to run a huge marginal seats campaign, another Coalition MP has publicly defied Turnbull over the $1 billion dollar Adani loan.
The campaign is now in full swing, with newspaper ads, billboards and rallies saturating key marginal electorates. If we can get more MPs to speak out, this could become a full backbench revolt.
Then, on Friday, Westpac refused to finance Adani!
That leaves Adani with no financial backers. Not one. Australian banks won’t touch it. International banks won’t touch it. Adani’s mine is so politically toxic that 17 banks across the world have refused to fund it. The only person left who thinks it’s a good idea is Malcolm Turnbull.
World Environment Day Festival – Sunday 4 June
Paddle for the Planet – Saturday 3 June
World Environment Day Festival 2017
The Caldera Environment Centre’s annual World Environment Day Festival will be held on Sunday 4 June at Knox Park, Murwillumbah from 10am-3pm.
Be entertained by the Pitts Family Circus, Hoopla Kids Circus, children’s activity space and music by Taraf Tambal – Balkan Gypsy Band, Monkey and The Fish and Broadfoot, who put a smile on everybody’s face.
Listen to speakers – the CEO of ENOVA, the Tyalgum Energy Project and Greg Reid from Tweed CAN and hear the latest news about renewable energy and how you can be part of the change to this clean technology.
Learn practical ways we can help the environment at stalls by local community groups, sustainable businesses and Council workshops. Learn about nature – plants, animals and birds, saving water, renewable energy, farming and food production, health care, reducing waste, community gardening and much more. Enjoy healthy, delicious vegetarian food sourced from local growers and producers.
Tree Planting at Cudgen Nature Reserve 14 May
Community meeting re PFAS contamination at Gold Coast Airport
Northern Rivers solar & batteries community bulk buy
Love clean renewable energy as much as we do? Here’s an opportunity to be a part of the uptake of renewables right here in the Northern Rivers.
This April, the Northern Rivers will have it’s very own community bulk buy for solar and batteries – making the process easy and accessible, at lower prices.
Find out more, and RSVP to attend your free local event here: https://www.suncrowd.com.au/bulk-buy/northern-rivers-2017?aff=calderaenvironmentcentre
‘A Plastic Ocean’ screening in M’bah 29 April
Don’t miss this award-winning film that Sir David Attenborough calls ‘The most important film of our time’, which focuses on the impact of plastic in our oceans, marine life and our own health.
To reserve your tickets, please visit the Demand Film Event Page here: https://tickets.demand.film/event/1601. Unlike a traditional movie showing, my Demand Film screening requires that 50 more tickets be reserved in the next 39 days for the screening to go ahead.
We have a full evening of entertainment in store, including ocean-inspired art installations, music and luscious locally made morsels courtesy of JuJus and New Leaf. Drinks, including Stone & Wood ales, will also be available for purchase and we have some amazing sponsor-donated prizes to win.
New report into biodiversity offsetting
A message from the Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Dear Members,
As you may have seen in the news, at the Nature Conservation Council we’ve just released a new report into biodiversity offsetting schemes in NSW. The report, titled ‘Paradise Lost: The weakening and widening of NSW Biodiversity offsetting schemes, 2005-2016’ is a thorough analysis of existing offsetting schemes and an assessment of how they do (and usually don’t) meet best practice standards, putting nature at risk.
We got a powerful story in the Sydney Morning Herald as you may have seen, and on NBN TV news.
The report makes a list of useful recommendations and a range of case studies from across NSW. We hope that it will be of use to you in your campaigns and work to protect nature.
Understanding North Coast Soils Workshop 8 April postponed
A one day workshop in Murwillumbah. Postponed due to flooding. Management factors to enhance soil health will be covered in addition to elements of importance for soil biological function and microbiol activity.
To register and for more information on program and venue contact Judi Earl on 0409 151 969 or email judi@aimsag.com.au
NSW Planning Law Changes 2017
The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Bill 2017 is on public exhibition until Friday 31 March 2017.
EDO Briefing Note – Six big changes to the Planning Act in 2017 (and three missed opportunities).
Northern Rivers Railway Action Group – Film Screening Night 13 March
Proposed NSW Koala Strategy
Concert for Koalas 11 March at Pottsville Beach
Ambrose Brown Park at the mouth of Mooball Creek. 10am-1pm.
Climate Emergency Declaration Petition
Calling on the Australian Parliament to declare a climate emergency and to mobilise resources to restore a safe climate. http://climateemergencydeclaration.org/petition2/
Steve Posselt is a Northern Rivers man kayaking to Canberra where he will deliver the signatures on Feb 26. More about Steve’s trip at http://districtbulletin.com.au/steve-posselt-climate-change-kayak/Sky Scout – Drones Against Deforestation
A Wilderness Society crowdfunding campaign. https://pozible.com/project/sky-scout
Australia is in the grips of a deforestation crisis. In Qld alone, an area the size of the MCG is cleared every three minutes. Not so long ago, we had stronger state laws against devastating mass deforestation. But those laws recently came undone. Deforestation typically takes place in remote locations and in secret. If Australians could see the extent of it, they wouldn’t stand for it.
Mass deforestation isn’t limited to the developing world. It doesn’t only happen in the Amazon. In fact, Australia has one of the most severe deforestation fronts on the planet.
- Queensland clears nearly 300,000Ha of native bush every year.
- Recent law changes in NSW have put a further 8,000,000Ha at risk.
- Land clearing is a leading driver of biodiversity loss in Australia.
- Cleared trees are wasted, left to rot or burned – a considerable source of carbon emissions.
- Deforestation weakens our landscape’s resilience to climate change.
Our solution: Sky Scout – Drones Against Deforestation.
Review of State Environmental Planning Policy 44 – Koala Habitat Protection
NSW Department of Planning and Environment proposes to amend this SEPP.
Key changes in the proposed amended SEPP relate to the:
- definitions of koala habitat;
- list of tree species;
- list of councils; and
- development assessment process.
Submissions can be made until 3 March 2017:
- using the online submission form; and
- by mail to:
Director, Planning Frameworks
NSW Department of Planning and Environment
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001
More information:
Conservation of Beach-nesting Birds: Volunteer Monitoring Workshop
24th January. 1.15pm – 3pm. Field trip 3pm – 4.30pm.
Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre.
Improving the conservation outlook for beach-nesting birds is incredibly challenging. Volunteers make an amazing difference to the future of these species by monitoring breeding beaches, reporting and protecting nests, and educationg other beachusers.
This workshop will focus on the methods used to safely monitor beach-nesting birds and you’ll learn how to interpret the quirky behaviours of the birds by going on the beach walk.
Bring along a water bottle and appropriate clothing for the field trip to the beach – walking shoes sun hat or rain coat and binoculars if you have them.
Have your say – Draft Coastal Management SEPP and Coastal Maps
There is still time to have you say on protections for our sensitive coastal environments – the submission deadline has been extended until Friday 20 January 2017.
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DOPE) is undertaking public consultation on a Draft Coastal Management State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) and Draft Coastal Mapping. The Coastal Management SEPP and maps will underpin the new Coastal Management Act 2016 that was passed earlier this year (but is yet to commence operation).
The new Coastal Management SEPP will replace existing SEPP 14 – Coastal Wetlands, SEPP 26 – Littoral Rainforests and SEPP 71 – Coastal Protection.
The new coastal management laws divide the coastal zone into four new coastal management areas, and it is important that mapping of these new areas is correct and that sensitive areas are protected from the impacts of urban expansion, biodiversity loss and climate change.
North Coast Energy Forum 2016 – It’s a wrap!
Welcome to the final NCEF newsletter for 2016, and for a while thereafter.
First of all, a huge thank you to everyone involved in this year’s forum – the sponsors, speakers, organising committee, and of course all of you who attended. As with previous years we had over 100 people there, despite a paucity of local media interest (thanks especially to the local World Rally Championship the weekend prior). And a special thanks too to the battery suppliers, some of whom came a long way to showcase the technology that is already transforming the energy sector (and it can’t come quick enough!).
Everything ran pretty smoothly on the day (considering Adam Marshall was delayed), and the evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, although we note the feedback from some that we tried to pack too much in (which to others was a virtue). However, we are always happy to take on advice about how to do things better, should be decide we are up for this task again in another year or two somewhere else in the region.
Defend Democracy Press: Letter on the need for urgent measures to avert a nuclear war
Baird’s ‘koala extermination program’ condemned
Echonetdaily 21 November 2016
‘Stand up for koalas or they won’t survive in the wild’ is the warning call from the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA).
‘The NSW Government is carrying out a koala extermination program. It really can’t be seen as anything else. It is gutting protections for koalas in all the relevant legislation’ said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.
Mr Pugh was speaking out after the state government’s contentious Biodiversity Conservation bill passed parliament last week.
‘On Thursday Premier Baird opened up an estimated 2.2 million hectares of identified koala habitat on private land for clearing under his new ‘equity codes’. Although there is clearly no ‘equity’ for koalas.
Solar citizens – Northern Rivers 100% Renewables Forum
Tuesday 29th November, 6:30-8:30 pm (doors open at 6pm). Lismore City Hall, 1 Bounty St, Lismore, NSW. RSVP here.
This event is part of our 100% Renewables Roadshow, with forums in towns and cities across the country. It will feature a presentation of the Homegrown Power Plan — a comprehensive policy road map designed by some of the brightest minds in the business which shows how we can upgrade Australia to 100% renewable power by 2030 — as well as other incredible guest speakers. List of speakers.
The forum will be an opportunity to discuss what’s needed for the orderly transition of the local region and Australia to renewable electricity. You’ll get the chance to hear where local politicians stand — and hold them to account!
Laws passed – Baird condemns wildlife to bulldozers
Premier Baird just gutted the land-clearing laws that have been saving the lives of thousands of native animals like koalas, pygmy possums and squirrel gliders every year.
After several fiery hours of debate, it took just a few minutes for the final vote to seal the fate for our endangered wildlife. It’s a decision that will weigh heavily in the hearts of everyone who values our incredible wildlife, bushland and sustainable farming.
Chip in to help us hold Mike Baird to account for the destruction his laws will cause.
Your efforts haven’t been in vain. I know the laws would have been so much worse if you hadn’t taken a stand. I know that because together we have:
- Put Premier Baird on notice that his attacks on the things we value will be catapulted into the media spotlight and will damage his government’s reputation;
- Impacted the laws by securing important improvements such as excluding some areas like high conservation value grasslands, and critically endangered ecological communities; and ensuring that the Office of Environment and Heritage will be responsible for enforcing the law – not the Department of Primary Industries;
- Encouraged the Labor Party to commit to scrapping Mike Baird’s disastrous laws when they are next in government and replace them with strong protections for bushland and wildlife; and
- Supported thousands of people like you to stand up for what we believe in, growing the number of wildlife defenders who will continue to be a voice for nature.
– The plan –
With Mike Baird’s new laws due to take effect from July, our work is far from over. Over the coming months we will be:
Community Tree Planting Day 4 December
Catalyst – The Anthropocene: a new age of humans
Human impacts on the way our planet functions have now become so extreme many scientists are claiming the Earth has shifted out of the Holocene state and into a new geological epoch.
They’re calling it ‘The Anthropocene’, the new age of humans, because millions of years after we are gone, the scar of our existence will be visible in the rocks of tomorrow.
In this episode we look at how the last 60 years of socio economic growth has transformed the human race into a geological force to rival nature.
The Bentley Effect – Regent Cinema – 18 November
When the coal seam gas industry staked aclaim on the Northern Rivers region of Australia, alarm bells rang out. A critical mass of people from all walks of life – activists, farmers, landowners, mums, dads, scientists, etc – organised themselves to rally against the unconventional gas invasion. Despite the enormous public opposition, the gas industry and the State Government were determined to see their gas plan through. A series of dramatic blockades ensued, before the final battle lines were drawn in the peaceful farming valley of Bentley. Thousands of people flocked to the site to stare down the threat of 850 riot police, ordered in to break up the protest.
Filmed over five years, The Bentley Effect documents the highs and lows of the battle to keep a unique part of Australia free gas-field free. This timely story of a community’s heroic stand shows how strategic direct action and peaceful protest from a committed community can overcome industrial might and political short-sightedness. It celebrates the non-violent ‘Eureka Stockade’ of our time and chronicles one of the fastest growing social movements of our time.
NSW Crown Land corruption to be referred to ICAC – I just signed this petition — will you?
sign the petition
To: Premier Mike Baird & Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian
1. Bring about the immediate referral to the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the serious and systemic mismanagement of Crown land in NSW, including the cases of King Edward Park (Newcastle), Talus (Willoughby), Yasmar (Haberfield), Stuart Park (Wollongong) and Paddington Bowling Club.
2. Defer the commencement date of the Crown Land Management Act 2016 until after ICAC has investigated and reported on the matters.
Why is this important?
The Crown Land Management Bill – rushed through Parliament by the NSW Government on 9 November – was the Government’s response to years of allegations of systemic mismanagement and cronyism in its Crown Land Department (“Crown Lands”) and by local councils.
Those allegations (by various community groups) were effectively accepted as accurate and substantiated, first, by Mark Paterson as head of Crown Lands on 22 June 2015 and, second, by the NSW Auditor General on presenting her scathing report to Parliament on 8 September 2016.
Liberal politician breaks ranks over land clearing
This morning the unimaginable has happened. A Liberal politician has broken ranks with his own party to raise serious concerns about Premier Baird’s new land clearing laws.
Bruce Notley-Smith, Member of Parliament for Coogee said:
“I am very concerned that these reforms could lead to further irreversible land degradation and endangerment of native wildlife habitat.”
Bruce is right and we need more MPs to stand up for nature. Will you take a minute to thank Bruce Notley-Smith for taking a stand by emailing him on coogee@parliament.nsw.gov.au or leaving a message on his facebook page here.
Premier Baird’s plans to scrap our land clearing laws are disastrous for wildlife and they’re beginning to unravel.
National Parks Association of NSW – Iconic status won’t be enough to save koalas unless Baird changes tack
What does it mean to be an icon in NSW? Not much apparently. Unless the Baird government has a complete rethink of its environment policy the iconic koala faces a bleak future says the National Parks Association of NSW.
Koalas are one of just six of the 1000-odd threatened species put on an ‘iconic’ pedestal in the NSW government’s Saving our Species (SOS) programme. According to the government, “iconic species are important socially, culturally and economically, and the community expects them to be effectively managed and protected”. 1
Yet between opening up land clearing and the ever-increasing intensity of native forest logging, the Baird government’s current environment policies couldn’t be designed to be less effective in managing and protecting koalas—as an article in The Guardian reported today. 2
Survey about Tweed River Estuary Coastal Management Program
Give your feedback on the management of the Tweed River by completing the community online survey.
NSW Climate Change Policy Framework released
The policy sets two aspirational objectives:
- Achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
- NSW being more resilient to a changing climate.
The NSW government has also announced a $500 million funding package and released two draft climate change and energy savings documents for public consultation:
Scientist Hugh Possingham quits over Baird government’s land-clearing plan
Sydney Morning Herald article
Conservation of Beach-nesting Birds Workshop
Hear from BirdLife Australia’s Beach-nesting Birds staff on the threats faced by resident beach-nesting shorebirds on Australia’s coasts; efforts to improve their breeding success and ways to engage schools and the broader community in conservation.
2016 North Coast Energy Forum
Theme: “The local energy revolution: Solar plus batteries plus us”.
Friday, 25 November, 2016
The North Coast Energy Forum was established in 2010 to drive the shift to a sustainable energy system for the NSW North Coast. Every year over 100 representatives of industry, government and the community come together to plan how to make this shift happen, strengthen the regional economy; and increase our regional energy security as well as lowering greenhouse emissions.
For the fifth time since the first Forum in Bellingen in 2010, we will bring together decision-makers from government, business and the community to work on creating a sustainable energy system for our region.
This year the theme is “The local energy revolution: Solar plus batteries plus us”. Our focus is on how solar and batteries are revolutionising the energy system from a centralised to a localised model in which power returns to the people. The key questions are: How can we, in the mid North Coast, play an active part in this shift? What are the opportunities for my local community, business or organisation?
Magic for Mens Shed is the only one
Tweed Shire Council has approved the granting of a licence for the Men’s Shed at Black Rocks Sports fields.
The granting of the licence is currently open for public comment, closing 20th October.
The Lot 3 Centennial Drive location is a far more suitable location due to close proximity to the village centre and adjacent to the Rural Fire Services, SES and pre-school facilities.
Please take a few minutes to write to Council tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au requesting a deferral of the granting of a licence to the Pottsville and District Men’s Shed at Black Rocks sports field site until the newly elected council makes a decision on the use of part of the Lot 3 Centennial Drive site or adjacent sites as a permanent location for the Men’s Shed.