Catch up on the region’s community news with these 10 news bites
CATCH up with your North Coast news with these snippets from around the region.
Lismore
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1. Night work on Pacific Motorway at Tweed Heads South
DRIVERS should plan for maintenance work in Tweed Heads South to close down the northbound side of the Pacific Motorway to one lane.
Overnight works operate on November 30 at 7pm to 6am December 1.
The southbound lane will be closed from 7pm December 1 to 6am on December 2, weather permitting.
The work on the bridge near Greenway Dr will have a reduced speed of 40km/h with traffic control.
2. Free tutoring for all Tweed students in 2021
TWEED students will be able to access free tutoring for school work thanks to a $337 million NSW Government investment.
Tweed MP Geoff Provest said schooling in the region had suffered more COVID-19 disruption than other parts of the State because of Queensland’s border restrictions.
Mr Provest explained the funding will be used to employ about 5500 extra staff to deliver small-group tuition at every NSW government school, as well as non-government schools with the most significant levels of need.
People interested in taking part can register at teach.nsw.edu.au.
3. Grants available for border sports clubs
NORTH Coast sports clubs and associations that participate in community sport across
the border can receive a helping hand through a new COVID-19 NSW Government grant.
Clubs affiliated with a state level sporting organisation or association recognised in
another state or territory may be eligible for grants of up to $1,000.
With the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacting sport across the state’s border
regions, the grants will support all levels of community sport as the return to training
and competition activities.
The COVID-19 Cross Border Sport Fund is open for applications until 5pm on December 9.
For further information visit: http://www.sport.nsw.gov.au
4. What do YOUth want? Youth outdoor recreation survey opens
YOUNG people aged between 12 and 24 years old have the chance to tell the Tweed council what new outdoor recreation facilities, events and activities they want in the shire.
Tweed Shire council launched a survey to develop its Youth Outdoor Recreation Action Plan, to improve the quality and diversity of sport and outdoor recreational facilities and activities for young people.
This project builds on the extensive community engagement conducted to develop the council’s Open Space Strategy 2019-29 with children, young people and the broader community.
If you complete the youth outdoor recreation survey at yoursaytweed.com.au/youth-voice by 4pm on January 22, 2021 for a chance to win a smartphone of your choice up to the value of $1200.
Parks and active communities manager Stewart Brawley said youth had already said they want “more skate facilities, bike parks, more green space and places to hang out with friends”, and now the council was seeking “what these should look like, what should be included and how they should be designed”.
“Also have your say about events and activities that might feature local musicians, sport or outdoor movies,” he said.
Young people are also invited to join industry experts and the broader community at workshops to co-design new public spaces, sport and outdoor recreation facilities and events.
The co-design workshops will be held in early 2021.
Visit yoursaytweed.com.au/youth-voice for more information.
5. Green thumb grants available for public schools
STUDENTS can now apply for funds to develop sustainability projects at their schools thanks to a new State Government grant.
Tweed schools can put in for $15,000 to assist in developing innovative hands-on projects to make their environment more sustainable.
The projects funded by the grants must be interactive for students to assist in students learning about sustainability, linked to the curriculum, and improved the sustainability of the school environment.
These grants aim to inspire students and school communities to develop ideas and implement plans that will benefit the environment.
The second round of grant applications can be submitted until 5pm on December 11.
6. Tweed nursing staff named in excellence awards
THE Tweed Hospital Medical Team 2 was named as a finalist for the Nursing/Midwifery Team of the Year category of NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards.
The eighth Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards event was held online this week for the first time to allow the community to take part in a COVID safe way.
NSW Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Jacqui Cross said this is the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
“It has been a year like no other where the contribution of nurses and midwives has been highlighted during our response to COVID-19. If there was ever a time to pause and celebrate the 53,000 nurses and midwives of NSW – who make up more than 50 per cent of the State’s public health workforce – it is now,” she said.
Lismore Base Hospital Clinical Risk Resource Nurse Anna Law is the other Northern NSW finalist for the Nurse of the year category.
COVID-19 Assessment Clinic Team at Shellharbour Hospital won the Tweed Hospital Medical team’s category.
7. Planes, Trains and Bubble’O Bills opens at Tweed
MELBOURNE-BASED artist Kenny Pittock’s exhibition at Tweed Regional Gallery will bring laughter in a time of COVID-19.
‘Planes, Trains and Bubble’O Bills’ is a collection of ceramics, painting and drawing opening on Friday described as a nostalgic and fun.
From COVID lockdown in Melbourne, Pittock has been playing with ideas around being stuck in one place and the ways in which we keep ourselves mentally active during the times we’re unable to be physically active.
“In previous years this meant finding ways to pass the time during our daily commuting, such as drawing on the train,” he said.
“More recently though this has branched out into our homes, in ways such as getting a sourdough starter, looking for missing puzzle pieces and cutting our own fringe. If we can’t get on an actual plane, at least we still have Aeroplane jelly!”
Planes, Trains and Bubble’O Bills will include Pittock’s 99 drawings of people on the train alongside a series of ceramic sculptures.
The exhibition will be on display until March 14, 2021.
For more information, visit artgallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au
8. Women encouraged to nominate and run for local office in 2021
TWEED mayor Chris Cherry is supporting a NSW Government campaign to encourage women from all walks of life and backgrounds to nominate for the 2021 local government elections.
State and local government have joined forces to empower more women to stand for their community and run for their council at next year’s elections.
The campaign includes a series of inspiring videos with former and current female councillors speaking about their positive experiences in local government and their proudest achievements for their communities.
Office of Local Government figures show women represent just 31 per cent of the 1,300 councillors serving on the State’s 128 local councils.
Since the 1960s Tweed Shire Council has had more than 15 female councillors – with women holding the positions of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Shire President and Council Administrator.
“Being able to help someone in difficult circumstances, sort out an issue that has been creating problems or ensuring future planning has considered people at the core are some of the most rewarding aspects of being a councillor,” Cr Cherry said.
“I would love for women who have a strong sense of community and are keen to make a difference in their local area to consider nominating for the September 2021 local government elections,” she said.
For further information, visit www.olg.nsw.gov.au
9. Tweed City launches coffee cup recycling initiative
TO HELP combat the growing number of takeaway coffee cups ending up in landfill, Tweed City has partnered with Closed Loop, to recycle disposable cups used in the centre.
Tweed City is introducing coffee cup recycling bins, shaped like coffee cups, throughout the centre and will be encouraging customers to recycle.
Centre manager Grant Jolley said Tweed City listened to the community’s concern for the environment and their desire for local businesses to be more sustainable.
10. Exhibition celebrates National Art School alumni
A DYNAMIC selection of artworks from graduates of Australia’s leading art school feature in the National Art (part one) exhibition on display at Tweed Regional Gallery until January 3, 2021.
The exhibition contains artworks by 50 of Australia’s most significant artists who studied at Sydney’s National Art School.
As the National Art School approaches 100 years on its Darlinghurst site (1922-2022) and more than 175 years in operation, this exhibition celebrates some of the extraordinary artists who trained at the institution over the past seven decades.
The exhibition features recent artworks and early formative works by key alumni, and applauds the creative drive, skill and imagination of those who have emerged to become artists of national significance.
The work demonstrates the various disciplines taught at NAS; ceramics, painting, photo media, printmaking, sculpture, as well as interdisciplinary practices using digital media, assemblage, performance and artist books.
Tweed Regional Gallery director Susi Muddiman OAM said the gallery has an important connection to NAS in the new Artist-in-Residence partnership launching earlier this year.
“The exhibition also includes the work of much-loved artists who are represented in our collection, including Lucy Culliton, Karla Dickens, Guy Maestri, Justine Varga and Anne Zahalka,” she said.
10. Seagulls and TopSport raise funds for Preston Campbell Foundation
TWEED Seagulls have teamed up with bookmaker TopSport to raise over $2000 for The Preston Campbell Foundation.
Seagulls CEO Matt Francis said the Charity Betting Competition pitted Seagulls Old Boys against Seagulls Young Gulls each week by placing a $100 bet on a horse race.
“Each week TopSport provided a $100 bonus bet to a punter from each team and then it was us to them to prove their ‘punting prowess’ to try to raise some money for this very worthy cause. Any weekly winnings were set aside and then at the end of the competition each teams winnings were combined,” he said.
“In what some might consider to be a surprising result the Young Gulls won $1,475 compared to the Old Boys $680.”
“A number of the Young Gulls had never placed a bet before, so it just goes to show that picking a horses name or number that you like is sometimes the best way to go.
“Regardless of who won the bragging rights, the competition was a fun way to raise funds for a very worthy cause and I know that the $2,155 will be well used by The Foundation.”
The Preston Campbell Foundation supports Titans legend, Preston Campbell’s vision of developing programs and opportunities which inspire and mentor participants to achieve their aspirations and dreams by connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with their culture, sense of place and well being.
Originally published as Catch up on the region’s community news with these 10 news bites
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