Dunoon and District Gazette

Rous Water has released its revised Draft Plan outlining its future water strategies and community members have eight weeks to respond – amid calls for the Dunoon Dam option to be put back on the table. Rous Water has outlined the challenges it faces in securing water supply in our region, including: population growth forecasts indicate a 37 per cent increase in drinking water demand by 2060; climate forecasts predict a reduction in available surface water of 22 per cent by 2060; and, on current growth, water demand will exceed reliable supply by 2024.

"The new church stands upon an excellent site in the township of Dunoon which has been purchased from Mr. W. Munro. It has been built and furnished at the cost of £635, and the price of the site was £100. An Estey organ has been provided by Messrs. Paling and Co. at the cost of £35 18s. The total outlay is therefore £770 18s, of which £161 9s has been raised by subscriptions, fairs ..."

In its first meeting for 2021, Ballina Shire Council has voted to support further investigation into the Dunoon Dam in an effort to revive the proposal and secure the region’s future water supply.

WATER Northern Rivers Alliance calls on Rous County Council and state water planners to respect the wishes of Widjabul Wia-bal people who have voiced their opposition to the proposed Dunoon Dam. The dam would obliterate important cultural heritage ancient burial sites. Yesterday John Roberts, a senior Elder of the Widjabul Wia-bal stated that when he and other traditional custodians were consulted about the dam in 2011 they made it clear that no level of disturbance was acceptable.

On Wednesday 18 November, members of Dunoon RFS were presented with the NSW Premier's Bushfire Emergency Citation for their contribution and service to the 2019-2020 Bushfire emergency response by Zone Manager Superintendent Michael Brett. Mr Brett commended the members of the brigade for their ongoing commitment to the RFS and the protection of the community.

The last year has been an enormous learning curve for us here at Friends of the Koala. While we have had single fire events which have affected our koalas in the past, this was the first time where essentially the whole region was on fire.

Lismore Theatre Company is proud to announce that Educating Rita is back in rehearsal ready to open its 2021 season. Associate director Kylie Fuad is collaborating with director David Addenbrooke to work with the two actors Elyse Dallinger (Rita) and Gray Wilson (Frank) to bring Educating Rita to the Rochdale Theatre in February 2021.