LISMORE CITY COUNCIL NEWS ISSUE 295 26 NOVEMBER 2025
SANTA’S WONDERLAND
Santa’s Wonderland kicks off after Santa’s arrival on Friday, 5 December. Enjoy all the magic of Santa’s Wonderland and photos with Santa at the Lismore Regional Gallery until 21 December.
Photo bookings are essential.
CAROLS IN THE HEART
Featuring Rachael Beck, supported by Rhydian and the Residuals.
Bunny Racket will be celebrating the launch of their new Christmas carols album, plus Hillbilly Skank, Isabella A Capella, Luke Vasella and of course a visit from Santa!
Gates at Crozier Field open at 3pm on Saturday, 6 December.
SHOP, SPIN & WIN GIVEAWAY
We are encouraging everyone to shop local this festive season. To say thank you, the team from Visit Lismore will be giving away Loving Local Gift Cards to everyday shoppers who spend $30, to use in participating local businesses.
Simply shop at an independent store in Lismore during December 2025 and present your receipt at one of the Shop, Spin & Win giveaways that will be popping up throughout the city in December. The best part –everyone who spins - wins.
NEW! PAWTRAITS WITH YOUR PETS
Pawtraits capture memorable moments with the whole family, including the furry loved ones at the Lismore Quad on 6, 13, 20 December.
Bookings essential.
ELF HUNT
Families are encouraged to visit local businesses throughout December to find elves hiding in shop windows, with prizes from local shops for completed entries.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF LISMORE’S UPCYCLED CHRISTMAS TREE
It all started with a simple concept: Council staff giving back to our community.
2015 2016
The first upcycled Christmas tree was made of more than 90 bikes from the Revolve Shop, 50 litres of white paint, almost half a tonne of steel and around $30 worth of coloured mis-tints from the paint shop.
The 5.5m tree was made from about 150 old tyres, 100 hub caps, 80 litres of paint donated by Dulux and almost 1/2 tonne of steel. 120 1.25L plastic bottles formed the star, about 88,000 crushed aluminium cans used to create presents around the base. Additionally, 40 old lights from the Lismore Airport runway brought the structure to life.
2017 2018
The 7.3m tree was created from more than 200 old road signs, including a Christmas star shaped from eight ‘giveway’ signs. The tree boasted over 100 decorations made from recycled corrugated plastic and was lit up with 140m of lights featuring 2,900 LED bulbs.
The 7.3m tree was made from 49 second-hand umbrellas, 18 metres of tinsel made from old CBD decorations and lights donated by Bunnings featuring 2540 LED bulbs. The steel frame was recycled from the previous year, along with 778 salvaged screws, 860 cable ties (which were purchased), five metres of securing wire, and one litre of leftover paint.
2019 2020
The 7m ‘living’ tree was inspired by Lismore’s beautiful natural environment, made from more than 300 potted plants, 100m of tinsel, 250m of LED strip solar lighting, 16 pairs of secondhand work trousers and boots and topped by ‘Planta’ rather than the traditional Santa.
The 7m tree paid homage to our rural community, made from 25-litre recycled drums used by many people on the land. The bows and bonbons were made from chaff and feed bags, and the colourful candy canes were upcycled PVC pipe. The tree was completed with 40 heart frames made from leftover metal, decorated with recycled materials.
2023 2021
The return of the original 2015 Christmas tree, made entirely from over 90 bikes from the Revolve Shop, welded together, 50 litres of white paint, and almost half a tonne of steel.
The ‘Back Lismore’ themed tree marked a significant milestone in Lismore’s recovery. Featuring a mosaic of upcycled materials, the tree shimmered with interlocking hearts made from silver foil-lined insulation matting, geotextile fabric transformed with festive red and green paint and orange barrier mesh from Council’s roads team.
2024
The rainbow-themed tree featured hundreds of upcycled PET bottles, ranging in size from 600ml to 1.25 litres and 2 litres, that were sourced from the Recycling & Recovery Centre and staff donations.
2025
To be unveiled at dawn on Monday, 1 December.
LET’S GET FLOOD READY TOGETHER
With the four-year anniversary of the 2022 natural disaster only a few months away, now is a good time for residents to ask themselves ‘Am I flood ready’.
A recent survey of Lismore LGA residents found that while 82% were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about future floods, only 29% felt they were well prepared for a future flood event.
This is why Lismore City Council is joining with NSW Reconstruction Authority, SES and the Red Cross to hold a free Be Flood Ready event to provide residents with localised information to help people better understand their flood risk and take practical steps to prepare.
Those attending the event at the Lismore Library on Wednesday, 3 December will get hands-on help downloading and learning how to use emergency apps and other emergency resources, including individual Property Flood Certificates for those living in urban and southern areas of the LGA, with northern rural areas to be included soon.
The certificates provide specific details for individual addresses, including natural ground levels and building floor levels, along with definitions for commonly used flood terms.
Lismore has a long history of experiencing floods, the Mayor said.
“Understanding your flood risk is crucial for effective planning. Knowing how floods may affect your property helps you make informed decisions before, during and after a flood,” he said.
“As well as a new SES video showing how the water flows through our catchment during a flood, there is also a special Storytime session for young children to help them understand floods and minimise trauma.”
Join us for a special story time with the NSW State Emergency Service
Lismore Library / Wednesday, 3 December, 10.30am to 11.30am
Presenters: NSW SES, Lismore Library staff
Come along to a fun story time hosted by the NSW SES for children aged 3-5. A variety of trauma-informed activities have been planned, including reading the children’s book Birdie and the Flood. Written and published by Children’s Health Queensland, the story is designed to help young children:
• learn what happens when it rains a lot and causes flooding
• learn who can help in a flood
• work through sad or scary feelings
• understand they will feel safe and happy again
BE FLOOD READY: Feel more confident and prepared for future floods
Lismore Library / Wednesday, 3 December, 12 noon to 1pm
Presenters: NSW RA, Red Cross, NSW SES, Lismore City Council
Join us for a free, interactive flood preparedness community event at the Lismore Library to help you stay safe.
• Learn about flood preparedness and emergency resources
• Get hands-on help downloading and using emergency apps
• Understand your property flood risk and how floods behave locally
• Hear about new local flood resilience initiatives
• Enjoy light refreshments
It’s a relaxed, hands-on session with friendly faces from the NSW Reconstruction Authority, Red Cross, NSW State Emergency Services, Lismore City Council and Lismore Library staff.
Register for the free community event here.
GRANT APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR RURAL LANDHOLDER INITIATIVE
Lismore City Council is encouraging rural landholders across the Lismore Local Government Area to apply for Round 13 of the Rural Landholder Initiative (RLI), with grant applications opening on 24 November and closing 27 January.
The RLI provides up to $15,000 over three years to support environmental works on rural properties. Eligible project activities include bush regeneration, riverbank rehabilitation, weed control, habitat improvement, stock-exclusion fencing and off-stream watering infrastructure.
Mayor Steve Krieg said the program continues to play a crucial role in supporting local landholders to protect and enhance the region’s natural environment.
“Council is committed to helping our rural community improve the condition and resilience of their land,” he said.
“These grants give landholders practical support to implement on-ground projects that benefit their property, our waterways and the broader landscape.”
The long-running program has delivered strong outcomes for environmental health and community engagement across the Lismore LGA. It has helped many landholders undertake projects they may not otherwise have been able to achieve and Council continues to support this work by encouraging landholders to apply for funding to improve their properties.
The RLI is particularly valuable for landholders who may feel the environmental issues on their property are too large or overwhelming to tackle. The grant provides an opportunity to get expert assistance, make meaningful progress on difficult areas and improve the long-term health and habitat of the land. Even small steps can lead to significant environmental gains when supported by the right resources and guidance.
The Rural Landholder Initiative aligns with Council’s Biodiversity Management Strategy and supports sustainable land management practices across the region.
Applications are encouraged from rural landholders, farmers, industry groups, Landcare groups and community organisations connected to the rural sector.
website www.lismore.nsw.gov.au
LISMORE’S FLOOD RECOVERY POWERS AHEAD
Lismore City Council is getting the job done in its efforts to rebuild and repair following the 2022 natural disasters, reaching another milestone of 120 projects completed under its Flood Restoration Portfolio – with many more in the final stages.
Recent competed projects include:
• Reopening of Woodlawn Road (cover) – reconnecting residents and businesses
• Restoration of Cabbage Tree Creek Bridge on Hutchinson Road – supporting community access
• Refurbishment of Upper Hollingworth Creek flood gate – boosting flood resilience
• Construction of ten new public amenities buildings, including Lismore Railway Station
With essential flood pump upgrades underway and major landslip repairs ongoing in the hills around Nimbin, expect to see even more progress over the next 12 months.
“These achievements wouldn’t be possible without the support and encouragement of our community and government partners,” Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said.
“Together, we’re delivering projects that protect homes, connect communities and strengthen our city – with benefits that will be felt for years to come.”
These works are jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
For more information on ongoing projects and updates, visit www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Business/Flood-Restoration-Portfolio
