“Kick in the guts” – Norco dumped as NSW health supplier
Local Nationals MPs have joined forces to call out the NSW Heath Department’s decision to scrap Norco supplied milk to hospitals from the Tweed to Port Macquarie, a move that could threaten the livelihoods of Northern Rivers dairy farmers ... "Given our 129-year heritage in the Northern Rivers region, we are naturally disappointed by their decision to no longer support local and 100 per cent Australian-owned," the Norco spokesperson said.
Magnificent Marcia Hines live at the Saraton
After more than 50 years performing and releasing 22 hit albums that have sold more than 2.6 million copies, Australian music royalty, Marcia Hines is bringing her renowned stage presence to Grafton’s Saraton Theatre on her ‘Still Shining’ concert tour. Last week, Marcia spoke to the CV Independent about her upcoming performance in Grafton and her life in music.
Maclean first in Airbnb’s top 50 Australian tiny towns
The Lower Clarence town of Maclean has been named first on Airbnb’s Tiny Towns Guide of the top 50 small towns across Australia, winning a $30,000 grant that will help the future of the town’s famous Highland Gathering ... “Maclean offers a unique blend of cultural heritage on the banks of the picturesque Clarence River,” an Airbnb spokesperson said.
Brilliant Bluesfest’s 2025 curtain call
One of Australia’s longest running and most prestigious music festivals, the iconic Byron Bay Bluesfest will have its final curtain call at the 2025 festival. Since the first East Coast Annual Blues Festival in 1990, which was headlined by American performers Charlie Musselwhite and Canned Heat at the Byron Bay Arts Factory, Bluesfest has been held every year at Easter in the Byron Bay area, except for 2 years during the Covid pandemic.
17 candidates running for council
Registrations for the 2024 Local Government Elections have closed, the ballot draw has been conducted and first-time candidate, Ulmarra’s Cristie Yager secured the top spot on ballot papers out of 17 candidates for the election ... Residents of the Clarence Valley will elect 9 councillors from the 17 candidates to steer Clarence Valley Council for the next four years.
Fire Ant Biosecurity Emergency Order extended
Red Imported Fire Ant detections have increased around the NSW border since the highly invasive pests were found at Tallebudgera, 6km across the border into Queensland, in July 2023, with 7 additional sites resulting in an Emergency Biosecurity Order that has just been extended. Implemented on July 17, 2024, the Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order made by Chief Invasive Species Officer, Scott Charlton, was extended on August 6 for another 6 months.
New contracts for the Whiskey Project Group
Yamba Welding and Engineering continues to go from strength to strength since it was taken over by The Whiskey Project Group in 2021 with the announcement of contracts with the NSW SES and the Royal Australian Navy following their recent success at the Sydney Business Awards. The Whiskey Project Group build high-performance specialised aluminium vessels for Marine Rescue NSW, NSW SES, Australian Border Force, Australian Defence Force, Australian Federal Police, Queensland Police, and their Naiad vessel designs supply the Victorian and Western Australian police forces.
Housing limit set – draft Local Housing Strategy amended
Clarence Valley Council’s Draft Local Housing Strategy has been amended to limit the construction height of new dwellings in Yamba and Iluka after Council received 873 public submissions and a petition containing 1086 signatures against the previous draft. When Clarence Valley Council CVC placed its draft Local Housing Strategy (LHS), and draft Affordable Housing Policy (AHP) on public exhibition … they also received 7 NSW Government agency submissions, and one from a non-government organisation.
Koolkhan not included in coalition’s proposed nuclear sites
If a nuclear power plant that has long been touted to be constructed at Koolkhan, north of Grafton, is to proceed, the state or federal government would have to overrule a Council decision declaring the Clarence Valley a nuclear free zone. Debate about implementing nuclear power plants in Australia ignited in June when federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton said the coalition would go into the next election promising to build 7 nuclear power stations...
Load shedding leaves 24,500 in the dark
Northern Rivers politicians have slammed Transgrid, the high voltage electricity transmission network operator and manager, and the Australian Energy Market Operator after more than 24,000 customers across the region were left with power last week for more than 3 hours on one of the coldest nights of the year. Power went out as people were cooking dinner at 6.20pm on July 8, in a large area from Mullumbimby to Ballina and Alstonville, and west to Lismore, Casino, and Kyogle, and didn’t return to some homes until almost 11pm.
