F O R O P T I C A L A P P L I C A T I O N O N LY The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 39 #32 • January 15, 2025 • www.echo.net.au
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The famous Brunswick Heads Woodchop Festival’s final day was on Saturday, which drew axe-wielding professionals from far and wide. Pictured is hard hitter, Mitch Argent. Photo Jeff ‘Off The Block And Fully Chipped’ Dawson
dĕŕŕşƶ ŔĕĕƐƆ Ɛş ëĎĎſĕƆƆ ƷşƖƐIJ ĈſĶŔĕ Paul Bibby Installing CCTV cameras and motion-sensor lights is one of the best ways for locals to protect their homes from the wave of break-ins and car thefts occurring across the Northern Rivers, a community meeting has been told. Around 100 people gathered at the Lennox Cultural Centre last Saturday evening, a turnout that appeared to reflect the growing level of concern about youth crime in the town. The meeting was addressed by current and former police officers, a security expert, and concerned locals, all of whom emphasised that
CT subdivision proposed for Main Arm ▶ p4
the best way for locals to protect their homes was by installing CCTV cameras and motion-sensor lights, and by sharing information with neighbours via smartphone apps. ‘Look, you’re not going to stop the real criminals from getting into your home if they really want to,’ said Geoff Bensley, who installed security systems and other electrical services in Byron for many years. ‘But you can deter the kind of crime and theft that these young people are involved in. Putting motion-detection lights in is definitely an option, and so is CCTV.’ Mr Bensley and the others who addressed the meeting also emphasised the importance of
David Heilpern looks at unapproved dwellings ▶ p8
collaborating with neighbours to share information though WhatsApp chat groups and apps such as WeWatch, which is specifically designed to boost community security.
WeWatch app WeWatch, which informs communities whenever there has been a break-in within a certain radius, was described as a ‘more up-to-date version of Neighbourhood Watch’. Earlier in the meeting, Detective Sergeant Michael Smith, from the Richmond Local Area Command, painted a picture of the types of young offenders who were ▶ Continued on page 5
The hoary old nuclear chestnut ▶ p12
The Saddle Road and future ƐſëǔĶĈ ȑ ë ĈōşƆĕſ ōşşŊ Hans Lovejoy With up to 1,500 new homes and commercial expansion planned for the exclusive hilltop along The Saddle Road, The Echo sought to clarify Council’s traffic plans given new roads will be needed to accommodate the proposal. The Saddle Road precinct, including the Gulgan Village, is proposed for large residential and commercial expansion under Council’s Residential Strategy 2041 and Business Lands Strategy (BILS). The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) are also involved, having held closed-door meetings with Council over many months. According to www.byron.nsw. gov.au/Development-Business/ Land-Use-Zoning/Saddle-RoadPrecinct, the ‘Infrastructure Priority Plan’ has commenced, with the Precinct Structure Plan yet to begin. As reported last week, Council staff are preparing to undertake road improvements on Mullumbimby Road, which will impact traffic on The Saddle Road. The Local Traffic Committee meeting minutes from November 19, 2024, read, ‘A meeting was held with Transport to discuss the possibility of lowering the speed limit on Mullumbimby Road to address the sight distance issues at the Saddle Road and McAuleys Lane intersections’. ‘At this time, Transport was not supportive of lowering the speed limit from 80km/h in this location’. The Echo asked Mayor Sarah Ndiaye, ‘Are there any plans to create a new access road for The Saddle Road, or will the residents of the estimated 1,500 new homes all
Local folk who take care of your wellbeing ▶ p13
be using the existing road network?’ She replied, ‘This is a large and complex site, involving multiple landowners and numerous moving parts. It’s also a significant opportunity to address the housing crisis with modern planning principles, focusing on affordable and diverse housing solutions that can meet future needs. As I understand it, the existing road reserve along the Saddle Road ridge is not suitable for accommodating the additional traffic generated by the BILS site. ‘As per the development proposal, the BILS/Gulgan Village site will need to construct a new roundabout off Gulgan Road, as well as an internal access road up to the ridge to manage the expected traffic flows.
Uncle Tom’s roundabout ‘Council has applied for a $7.6 million grant from the Housing Support Program to fund the construction of a roundabout at the Gulgan/Mullumbimby Road (Uncle Tom’s) intersection. ‘In this scenario, a left-in/left-out arrangement at the northern end of The Saddle Road would allow local traffic travelling towards Mullumbimby to turn left, perform a U-turn at the new roundabout, and then continue north into Mullumbimby. ‘The existing intersection at the northern end of The Saddle Road is particularly hazardous, especially for right-turns at the crest, and a redesign is essential. ‘However, it’s important to note that no decision has yet been made by the Commonwealth government regarding this funding request. ▶ Continued on page 2
Bright and shiny Mullum on the map ▶ p16
Summer fun for everyone ▶ p18
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