Dear TSC: 18.1.Hastings Point Wastewater Treatment Plant Performance Upgrade Options Peer Review

Birdlife Northern Rivers: “Dear Councillors,

Regarding Hastings Point Wastewater Treatment Plant Performance Upgrade Options Peer Review.

Birdwatchers frequent Tweed Shire Wastewater Treatment Plants (Hastings, Banora, Chinderah and Murwillumbah).

Birdwatchers often enjoy visiting wastewater treatment plants because they provide a rich and readily available food source for birds due to the nutrient-rich water, attracting a diverse range of bird species, often including migratory birds, while offering a relatively undisturbed habitat with ample open water and often shoreline areas to forage and roost.

Key reasons why wastewater treatment plants are good for birds and bird watching:

Abundant food supply:
The treated wastewater contains nutrients that support a large population of insects and small aquatic organisms, which serve as a readily accessible food source for birds. read more

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NEFA: “Forestry Corporation retrospectively slash timber yields by 28%”

NEFA: “The Forestry Corporation has reduced yields from public native forests in NSW by 28%, though they are only doing so by dramatically reducing the volumes of products they previously claimed to have obtained in each of the past 3 years, according to the North East Forest Alliance.

The Forestry Corporation is legally required to prepare annual Biomaterial Reports that detail areas of native forests logged, and volumes of products obtained, on a compartment basis.

We welcome the Forestry Corporation admitting gross errors in their reporting of timber products by releasing revised Biomaterial Reports for the past 3 years, though we are flabbergasted that they have retrospectively reduced volumes by 28% from what they previously certified they obtained, said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.  read more

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Tweed Shire Council to report on possible adoption of Single Use Plastics and Materials Policy

Motion to TS Council Meeting, Dec 24, by Councillor Nola Firth (Greens):

“That Council bring back a report on issues involved in adopting a Single Use Plastics and Materials Policy similar to the one that was recently implemented by Byron Shire Council.”

“The (neighbouring) Byron Shire has recently implemented a strong Single Use Plastics and Materials Policy that addresses single -use items on Council owned land or buildings. The policy includes single use items such as plates, food containers, cutlery, bottled water, drink ware (including coffee cups and lids), masks (excluding P2, P3), individually wrapped food items such as soy sauce, tea bags, coffee pods and chocolates. A ban on these single use products applies to all council-run activities and in 6 months time it will apply to all activities held on council land including leases and sponsored events.  read more

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We’re Back!

The Caldera Environment Centre and Shop are, thankfully, back with a premises in town again.

Looking forward to seeing you all again and anew.

2/43 Wollumbin Street, Murwillumbah

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Fridays4Forests

Today at the second weekly Fridays4Forests session, opposite the Murwillumbah post office, three members of the CEC, collected a good number of signed petitions to the premier and local federal member, to stop logging native forests.

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Great Koala National park

Why We Need a Great Koala National Park.

The countdown is on, the assessments are complete or nearly so, and a decision on the GKNP will be made this year – though might not be announced until next year. So we need a concerted lobbying effort over the next month to maximise the outcome for the GKNP. If we get a good outcome for it we have more chance of stopping all logging of public native forests early next year.

 https://assets.nationbuilder.com/ncec/pages/19/attachments/original/1731279148/Why_we_need_a_Great_Koala_National_Park.pdf?1731279148.

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The Windfarm Threat to The Great Dividing Range

The Great Dividing Range

is a magnificent series of connected mountain ranges that form the backbone of eastern Australia. Stretching over 3,500 kilometres from the tropical north to the temperate south, this ancient landscape is home to some of the most ecologically significant habitats on Earth. Sadly, this natural wonder is facing severe threats from major alternative energy developments. Already, deforestation, urban expansion, and unsustainable resource extraction are affecting the integrity of this vital ecosystem..

All ridges will be contoured for access roads and pads to install wind turbines.

Impact on Native Vegetation

The proposed renewable energy projects, particularly wind farms, in Queensland, pose a significant threat to the state’s high-quality, intact native vegetation. This presentation highlights the critical conservation values of these areas and the heavy price being paid in terms of the degradation of ecologically important ranges. read more

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CEC Movie Club: The Forest

The story of an ecologist with a plan to save the world by restoring the planet’s forests. His original work was hijacked by corporations and politicians with disastrous effect. Now he’s using science to fight back. Includes a segment with Professor David Lindenmayer, author of The Forest Wars, available from the NEW Caldera Environment Center and Shop, next door to the Fresh Wholefoods store. 43/2 Wollumbin St Murwillumbah.

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/forest

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Landcare field day

Tweed Landcare invites you to attend a free Landcare field day in focused on balancing property management for cattle and biodiversity conservation. 

Presented by North Coast Regional Landcare, Tweed Land Care Inc. and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, the session will demonstrate the benefits of balanced land management for farmers.

The field day, held on Bundjalung Country, will include a range of speakers and a farm walk and talk tour of Rhonda and Greg James Cudgera Creek property, including through high-value conservation bushland. Local graziers and others will present on ways of balancing conservation efforts with grazing and what financial and technical supports are available to landholders to undertake conservation work on their properties.  read more

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Highway to Hell: Are we stuck in a Climate Action Cul-de-sac?

With ever-increasing frequency of floods, intense storms and bushfires, we know the climate crisis is accelerating. 

We also know that the solutions are with us, the everyday people who hold the power to vote and compel decision-makers to enact the right policies for the health of our planet.  

I’m Chels Hood Whithey, Founder of House You and a local 350 Australia supporter, and I am excited to invite you to a pivotal event that will empower our community to take decisive action on climate change: Highway to Hell: Are we stuck in a Climate Action Cul-de-sac?

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue: Brunswick Picture
Cost: House Tickets $20

This isn’t just another talk about climate change. It’s a call to action, featuring renowned climate scientist Dr Joelle Gergis, lead author of IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report and The Quarterly Essay ‘Highway to Hell’. read more

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Native Forests Rally Mullumbimby

Native Forests Rally in Mullumbimby at the Civic Hall
Sunday November 3rd 10am

I am writing on behalf of the Bob Brown Foundation to ask for your involvement in the nationwide Rally for Native Forests on Sun 3 Nov at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall and Cenotaph Park.

The rally itself is from 11-12, and this is bookended by environment group networking and mask-making activities (by Save Wallum crew) from 10am with coffee and food available, then a march and live music until about 1pm. The festival atmosphere will entice people to network and socialise while standing up for the forests together.

You are invited to book an information table in the hall to let attendees know what you are up to and how people can get involved. On the stage before and after the rally there will also be opportunity for a member from your group to do a 2 min promo spot on the stage. Please let us know if you would like an information space and to give your group a spruik on stage. read more

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The Wollumbin Caldera

Text in progress, apologies.

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A ‘Caldera’ is the geographical remnant of an extinct volcano.

… the soft red volcanic soil washed away over eons, revealing the circular landscape feature of the outer wall of the caldera, formed from a harder magna material inducted below the surface, with the central hardstone ‘plug’ of the volcano remaining as Mount Warning / Wollumbin.

A particular ecosystem existed within the geographical landscape of the Wollumbin Caldera, for eons, different from the surrounding landscape, a biosphere of unique and diverse lifeforms, a wonder to behold, almost completely destroyed for the extraction of ‘timber’ for the hardwood sleepers of the London underground railway system. read more

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Heal the Rivers

Heal the Rivers is an Indigenous-led initiative focusing on the restoration of cultural landscapes and implementing nature-based solutions for flood mitigation and adaptation across the Northern Rivers. 

Jagun Aliance website: https://www.jagunalliance.org.au

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petition to end logging of native forests

End public native forest logging

‘Rogue’ government agency Forestry Corporation of NSW accused of more illegal logging

petition to end logging of native forests.
Right now the NSW state owned logging company is logging an area larger than 10,000 football fields inside the proposed Great Koala National Park and has recently been accused of illegally logging the homes of endangered Greater Gliders – despite clear rules prohibiting logging in these areas.

The logging industry is currently writing to NSW MPs asking for their support to continue unsustainable industrial logging in our native forests including some of the last critical habitat for endangered species like the Koala and Greater Glider. read more

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Follow the Rain

World famous fungi hunters invite audiences on a unique expedition into the wilderness of Australia, where the symbiotic dance between fungi, plants and animals, unlocks nature’s greatest secrets.

We document fungi because humans are only just starting to understand how important fungi are to life on our planet and how critical they are in protecting us from the impacts of climate change. We realise now that without fungi, the world as we know it would not exist – forests would not exist, and we would not exist. Now the push is on to document as many species as possible, as fast as possible. Raising awareness about fungi is critical to achieving that goal.

Made by Northern Rivers locals. In one of the wettest years Australia has ever seen, world famous fungi hunters Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak, follow in the path of the rain. read more

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What the gas giants knew all along

From The Saturday Paper

The founding chair of Australia’s oldest fossil fuel industry association was aware at least as early as 1969 that burning oil, gas and coal had the potential to cause harm, according to newly recovered materials.

However, legal experts say that under Australian law it is unlikely companies will be held to account for their historical role in driving climate change, while activists and campaign groups are ever more at risk of litigation and jail time.

The relevant observations are found in an article published in the June 1969 issue of Australian Fisheries – a journal produced by the then federal department of primary industry – authored by Reg Sprigg, a geologist who helped establish Santos, served as the founding chair of the Australian Petroleum Exploration Association (APEA) and founded the oil company Beach Energy. read more

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Climate Community Convergence event!


Hi Friends of the Koala Inc,

Are you and your community free on Saturday 22 June from 10:00am – 3:00pm Rising Tide is going on Tour and coming to Bangalow for a Climate Community Convergence event!

In November 2023, Rising Tide organised The People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port, which saw over 3,000 people from across Australia come to Newcastle and blockade the coal port for over 32 hours. This incredible event saw a group from the Northern Rivers establish ‘Climate Justice Alliance Northern Rivers’ in December 2023.

Climate Justice Alliance has a vision to engage and build deep connections to country and people based on the values of justice, community and care in the Northern Rivers. That’s why on Saturday 22 June, we are hosting Rising Tide and all community groups in the Northern Rivers at a Climate Community Convergence event at Bangalow A&I Hall! read more

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Minister won’t step in over alleged logging breaches

An audit found Forestry Corporation breached greater glider search rules 188 times in eight weeks.

NSW’s environment minister has refused to intervene amid fears the government’s own Forestry Corporation could be illegally destroying the den trees of endangered greater gliders.

Penny Sharpe has voted against a motion, brought by the Greens in parliament, calling for the suspension of logging in nine state forests while investigations are carried out.

The motion was made after an audit by conservation groups found the Forestry Corporation had breached new greater glider search rules 188 times in just eight weeks.

The rules for pre-logging surveys were tightened in February after the corporation admitted it had been looking for nocturnal gliders during the day, when the animals would have been asleep inside their hollows. read more

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Environment Initiatives

Tweed Shire Council has lots of opportunities for you to have your say about Sustainability and Environment initiatives, including:

Energy Access and Poverty plan

Electric Vehicle Charging in the Tweed

Community Action Network May Sustainable Food

Climate Change Adaptation reference Group

For More information go to TSC website

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CEC at Kinship Festival

The Caldera Environment Centre will have a stall at the Kinship Festival on May 25 at Knox Park.

Come and check out our range of environmental books and grass roots products, such as stainless steel clothes pegs, water bottles and native plants.

As well as Plant ID and children’s books, we have the recently launched book: The Forest Wars, by ecologist David Lyndenmayer.

Architect, Rebecca Whan will demonstrate the ancient method of Earth Bag building

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The Forest Wars

Professor David Lindenmayer AO, in his new book, The Forest Wars, lifts the lid on destruction of native forests by government corporations and logging industry that is making bushfires worse, killing wildlife and costing taxpayers millions, for the sake of woodchips for export.

David Lindenmayer reveals an unholy alliance between state forestry, the timber industry and unions. Loggers routinely breach regulations, and industry intimidates anyone who questions what they are doing. Worse still, even where native forest logging is supposedly ending, efforts are being made to continue it under a different name. Forests purify our drinking water. Forests are our best hope to reduce carbon emissions. Forests preserve biodiversity. It’s time we realised the value of leaving our native forests standing. read more

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State Government Koala Strategy

Preview(opens in a new tab)

From our friends at North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) a flyer to encourage your response to the State Governments Koala Strategy. The most important thing to emphasise is habitat. We need to see an end to native forest logging as in Western Australia and Victoria. Currently logging is happening in the proposed Koala National Park. Submissions due 26th April.

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TSC, Increased Roadside Weed Management, 3 Year Contract

Weeds, along with habitat loss and feral animals, are the top causes of the loss of biodiversity in NSW.

Cnclr Nola Firth: “We in the tweed are responsible for one of the most diverse places in Australia and one where we have the most threatened species.

“Despite this weeds are proliferating along our road side and the floods have spread seriously invasive weeds such as devils fig. Many in the community are concerned about the issue.

“In response to this urgent situation a it is proposed that council accept the quote from Rous County Council for a full weeds team and their equipment for three years.

“Such an investment will make a major difference to the protection of the integrity of our highly important and greatly loved natural environment.” read more

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Draft Growth Management and Housing Strategy

Passing this on from The Northern Rivers Guardians.

Friends:
A few weeks ago, we alerted you to Tweed Shire Council’s Draft Growth Management and Housing Strategy that was exhibited for public comment. The draft raises many questions about what the shire will be like in the future, including how to best preserve the region as we know it. Re-zoning of different areas and other significant changes are in the strategy, including plans for development of most areas of the shire. If you haven’t yet looked at the document in detail, here is a link: 
https://www.yoursaytweed.com.

The deadline for submissions was 22 March, but if you have comments on the draft that you have not sent in yet, please send them in asap. We understand that late submissions will be considered—as long as they aren’t too late in arriving. Please follow the link above for more information on the draft and on making a submission. read more

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March for the Forests

Sunday 10am Gather at Riverside Park. Lismore

Will you March in March in Lismore with us?

 We can protect our native forests, restore our landscapes, expand our plantation base and create thousands of jobs in the regions.

We need a national strategy to guide this important work, and we need to move urgently – to 100% plantation timber and an end to broadscale land clearing before the next federal election. 

make sure you bring your friends and family along too!

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ePetition: Increase Penalties for Urban Forest Tree Vandalism and Recognise Trees as Natural Assets

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY – ePetition:

To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, In November 2023, Lane Cove witnessed the worst act of environmental vandalism in its history. Nearly 300 trees and plants were illegally removed from Council-owned bushland in Longueville. Local governments received more than 1000+ reports of trees being damaged or killed in the previous 12 months. Our urban forests are under threat. These acts also put a financial burden on already cash-strapped councils. It’s time to take stronger action against those who harm our environment. Current fines for tree vandalism in NSW are $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for companies, compared with recent reforms in the ACT imposing fines up to $80,000. We ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the Government to significantly increase penalties for urban forest tree vandalism. Councils lack resources for thorough criminal investigations, hindering effective prosecution. Despite the illegality of tree vandalism under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, only 19 cases were prosecuted from 2018 to 2022. We the undersigned petitioners also ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the Government to amend the NSW Local Government Act to include trees in Councils’ asset registers as ‘natural assets’, allocate a budget for a collaboration of councils to undertake pilot projects to integrate natural capital/asset reporting in balance sheets and develop natural asset data capture and management standards. Recognising trees as ‘natural assets’ helps us appreciate their true value including their role in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. read more

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Caldera Update

Both state and federal governments are responsible for decisions which erode environmental protection. 

The Caldera Environment Centre is supporting environmental protection groups, Fridays4Forests, North East Forest Alliance, Northern Rivers Guardians to call for immediate action to protect native forests and species habitat, for their intrinsic ecological, biodiversity and carbon services.

On Friday 8th March from 11.00 outside Justine Elliott’s
South Tweed office.

The ‘ March in March for the Forests’ is in Lismore on Sunday 24th of March.

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A Sad Decision for Nationally Threatened Species – “This judgement means that it is valid to roll over Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) forever-more based on data collated in 1997″

NORTH EAST FOREST ALLIANCE:

“Justice Perry ‘s judgement of today in North East Forest Alliance vs The Commonwealth of Australia is that no contemporaneous [‘at that time’] assessment is required before extending Regional Forest Agreements beyond the originally intended 20 years, noting:

the question of whether or not to enter into or vary an intergovernmental agreement of this nature is essentially a political one, the merits of which are matters for the government parties, and not the Courts, to determine.

NEFA objected to the Governments extending the North East NSW Regional Forest Agreement in 2018 based on 1997 data, without requiring a new assessment, it is therefore extremely disappointing that after a 5 year legal battle this process of not requiring a contemporaneous assessment has been legally validated, NEFA President Dailan Pugh said.    read more

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Birdlife Northern Rivers

Public education plays an important role in what we [Birdlife Northern Rivers] do. We have placed signs at important roosting, feeding and breeding sites from the Tweed River in the north, to the Port Macquarie coast and at inland areas identifying significant Regent Honeyeater habitat. Additional signs, posters and Bird Routes brochures have been developed to raise awareness of migratory and resident shorebirds.

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Update Regarding Caravan Park proposed on Pottsville Koala habitat

Notice from proponent’s lawyers, 3rd April 2024, an on-site “… conciliation conference under section 34 of the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (Conciliation Conferen… If the matter is not resolved at the Conciliation Conference, the matter will proceed to a hearing at a date to be fixed.”

S34-Notice-of-Concilliation-Meeting-Potsville-Caravan-Park-DADownload

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Development Application no. DA23/0302 (112 sites, reception, managers residence and pool). 

A development application has been lodged by Design Build Instruct Pty Ltd seeking development consent for a caravan park (112 long term sites), reception, managers residence and pool at Lot 2 DP 815370; No. 1126 Pottsville Road, Pottsville. Tweed Shire Council is the consent authority for the application.  read more

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Black Cockatoo Film and Talk

There is a Black Cockatoo Crisis!

Brunswick Valley Landcare present a film fundraiser: ‘Black Cockatoo Crisis – the extinction clock is ticking on our Black Cockatoos.’

Including a short talk on our own Northern Rivers, Glossy Black Cockatoos, and Glossy Squad.

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Community Information Session, ‘Cudgen Connection’

Despite this subject development proposal being prohibited on State Significant Farmland (SSF), and promises there would be no further development on the Cudgen Plateau SSF the Cudgen Connection proposed development has come to life yet again.

Proposed development:

“As you are aware we have a proposal for a $300M+ health, education and essential worker housing precinct for the Tweed and Northern Rivers community.  

The concept proposes essential worker housing, a mental health hospital, childcare and retail to support essential workers, a bus interchange, community hub, university campus, private hospital and medical suites and medihotel.  

“It will expand the services offered by the neighbouring Tweed Valley Hospital and adjacent Kingscliff TAFE, to create a world class health and education precinct on a 5.7-hectare site at 741 Cudgen Rd.   read more

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Tweed Shire Council – Conservation Strategy: Help shape the future of the Tweed’s natural environment.

A draft of the Tweed Shire Council Conservation Strategy is now available for review.

“The Conservation Strategy will guide Tweed Shire Council’s actions to protect, improve, collaborate and adapt to conserve the Tweed’s natural environment for future years to come.

“Help shape the future of the Tweed’s natural environment by providing feedback on the draft strategy.” Have your say until the 19th of October.

Read the Draft Tweed Conservation Strategy and take the survey to provide feedback here:

https://www.yoursaytweed.com.au/conservationstrategy

Thank you!

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