• NGT-0711-2-7.indd - Nimbin Good Times

Nimbin’s NAIDOC Weekby Amber SeccombeThe local Aboriginalcommunity and staff andvolunteers from Nimbin AgedCare and Respite Serviceorganised a colourful, funand creative celebration forNAIDOC (the NationalAborigines and IslandersDay Observance Committee)week.The celebration in AllsopsPark on 28 th June carried thetheme “Change – the nextstep is ours” reflecting thework of Indigenous peopleacross the country takingresponsibility for their futureand shaping the changes theywant to see.The day was warm andsunny with the vibe improvingas people pulled together toclean up and decorate thepark in the vibrant red, blackand yellow colours of theAboriginal flag.The event was attended bya broad range of people fromthe community, includingcommunity elders andstudents and teachers fromTuntable Falls Communityschool and Rainbow RidgeSteiner school.Entertainment wasby Natalie MeyerThe new Nimbin Busextension starts up onMonday 18 th July 2011 – andto celebrate a party will beheld at the Nimbin Bus Stop(opposite the Newsagency)at 4.15pm, fancy dressrecommended.Be on time to get a seat onthe once-only free fancy dressrun, a 4.25pm return trip intoLismore – with the returnfrom Lismore at the new timeof 5.30pm.Graeme Waller, fromWaller’s Bus Company, willbe delivering the extra buses.Buses will leave from/arriveat the Lismore Transit Centrein Lismore and the NimbinBus stop.The morning bus duringschool times will also providefor school kids. Even so, theaverage travel time betweenNimbin and Lismore isonly 40 minutes. This iscomparable to any train ridein a metro area and Graemepoints out that it can takeChris Phillipsprovided by artists includingMonkey and the Fish, localBundjalung composer andsinger Chris Phillips and awild-card guest musicianfrom South Australia.Children and adults enjoyedpainting mini-boomerangsand participating in othercreative activities organisedand co-ordinated by Gail fromthe Nimbin Family Centre.Lunch was made possible byvolunteers and contributionsfrom the local pub, bakeryand other communitymembers.Nimbin to LismoreMon – Fri, 4.25pm &6.05pm and arrivingLismore at 5pm & 6.35pm.Mon – Fri, 7.30am (schoolholidays only) arrivingLismore at 8am. There willbe service during schoolholidays in time for peopleto get to Lismore forwork/study etc.Lismore to NimbinMon – Fri 5.30pmarriving Nimbin 6.00pm(including schoolholidays).A wheelchair accessiblevehicle is available onrequest. (24 hours noticeis preferred).over 30 minutes just to travelfrom Lismore central toGoonellabah, because of pickupsand set-downs.All bus fares acrossNSW are set by the StateGovernment and not byDeb & Uncle CecThe co-ordination of the daywas made possible by KarynRoberts and her family.Transport was provided bySimes Bus Company. Anyoneinterested in participating infuture events please phone6689-1709.Photos by Shaddha StarGet on the bus – and party!individual bus companiesThe current full fare betweenNimbin and Lismore (oneway) is set at $13.80. Waller’sis subsidising the fare by onlycharging $9.00 each way. Theconcession fare is currently setat $6.90. Waller’s is charging$4.50, again subsidisingthese fares. Waller’s has notincreased the fares for manyyears, remaining committedto affordable public transport.A multi-ticket can bepurchased in advance charged$7 instead of $9.Nine full fares each wayare needed for the service tobreak even. The more peoplewho travel by bus the less carstravelling and the lower thecommunity’s carbon footprintwill be.Byrill Creek dam review slammedThe Tweed Water SharingPlan, which prohibited thebuilding of the Byrrill Creekdam, is to be reviewed by thecoalition state government.The decision, made on31 st June by National PartyMinister for PrimaryIndustries, KatrinaHodgkinson, was describedby Joanna Gardner (pictured),co-ordinator of the SaveByrrill Creek Campaign,as “an unnecessary wasteof taxpayers’ money, anda political move pressuredby Nationals MP ThomasGeorge and Tweed MayorKevin Skinner.”“A review will still come upwith the proven evidence ofthe high conservation andbiodiversity values of theByrrill Creek area,” she said.The Tweed Water SharingPlan, legislated on 17 thDecember by the formerMinister of Water, Mr Costa,was based on scientific reportsand research by experts, anddecided after eight months ofAfter years of frustration,the Nimbin Bush Theatreis finally alive again, with acelebration planned for the16 th July.There is an air ofexpectation and positivityabout town. The newproprietors, Daniel Soler andBelinda Marsh(pictured), sayeveryone remembers Sandra'sapple crumble intermission,so after the first question– are you going to bring backthe cinema? (The answeris yes, soon) – the next isusually: With the applecrumble at the intermission?Yes, of course...The new proprietorsare refugees from BlueMountains winters who fellin love with Nimbin’s people,scenery, rhythm and warmth.Cinema, music, theatre andvisual arts are part of theplan, and the hall will also beavailable for hire.The Burning Bush Cafe hasbeen redesigned, redecoratedand de-oranged with greatdelight and hard labour. Avariety of lunches, deliciouscakes, great coffee and teaare on offer, and meals willbe served in the dungeonand also al fresco (weatherpermitting) on the banks ofthe mighty Mulgum Creek,with Mulgum Bridge rattlingin the distance.deliberation by the Office ofWater and the Departmentof Environment and ClimateChange.Report that wereconsidered included theNSW Government’s StressedRivers report, the Councilcommissioned“Ecosure”assessment, a statement fromMurwillumbah NationalParks, “Biolink” EcologicalAssessment, Northern RiversCatchment ManagementAuthority and assessmentsfor Riparian repair andallocation of over half amillion dollars for this work.The Community WorkingGroup and Council staffrecommendations also placedByrrill Creek dam as theThere will be adual celebrationon 16th July incelebration of theopening of thetheatre and BastilleDay. The bandRapskallion willbe performing thatnight. Put on your dancingshoes and dress up as Louis16th, Marie Antoinette,Robespierre or any otherFrench character, and enter inthe best costume competition.Light meals (from $8-$12) will be available from6.30pm, and Rapskallionlast option, despite TweedCouncil’s decision on 1 stDecember to go ahead withthe dam, which followedspeeches by local developers.Minister Costa said of theTweed water Sharing Plan,“The decision was based onthe high environmental andworld heritage values of theByrrill Creek area and theavailability of other watersupply options.”The lack of proactivemeasures for water saving(dual reticulation, watersensitive design and largetanks) by Council and theDept of Planning in thenewly approved CobakiDevelopment, and alsoKings Forest (projectedpopulations of 23,000) hasbecome intertwined with thedam issue.Joanna Gardner said,“If these measures wereimplemented, a dam wouldbe unnecessary.”Details of the review are yetto be announced.Bush bash (with apple crumble)will be on stage from 9pm.And yes, there will beapple crumble served atintermission, along withother cakes, coffee and tea.Tickets to this event areavailable now from the cafeat $20 (show only), phone6689-1111 for more details.Great food with lots of choice for everyone, includinggluten-free, vegan and carnivores.We do everything the hard way - cut our own potatoesto make chips, blend real local organic fruit to makesmoothies and create our own sauces.We have great local coffee with great baristas.www.nimbingoodtimes.com July 2011 The Nimbin GoodTimes Page 3

One for the kidsGet your pixies dreamingBrace yourself forsome eye-popping,popcorn-munching,awe-inspiring film fun.Little Big Shots is afilm festival just for kids,started seven years ago by aMelbourne dad who wanted afestival that he could take hiskids to. It’s now the largestchildren’s film festival in theSouthern Hemisphere.NORPA (Northern RiversPerforming Arts) is bringingLittle Big Shots to the StarCourt Theatre in Lismore.With animations, films bykids, documentaries andshorts, the festival showssome of the best offeringsfrom around the world toappeal to younger audiencemembers.Little Big Shots will screenat the Star Court Theatre onFriday 12th and Saturday13th August. NORPA isbringing select sessions toLismore as part of their 2011program. Screenings over twodays are designed to suit preschooland primary schoolages.Chloe Boulton, Festivaldirector of the 2011 program,searches high and low, rightacross the globe, for theworld’s best films for kids,by Tina Fuller, OptometristIwas going to write aboutglaucoma this month,with a view to getting agrant to buy better testingequipment.However, as I am stillpatiently waiting for thatfunding to materialise, Ithought I would insteaddemystify another topic whichpeople often ask me about:the ready-made readers (ormagnifiers).about kids, and sometimeseven by kids.“We look for films that notonly appeal to children butalso offer a child’s view ofthe world,” she said. “Havinga child protagonist doesn’tnecessarily mean that a film issuitable for children, or evenaimed at children.“We try and select filmsthat show a child trying tomake sense of the world andprocessing what’s going onaround them. That way, itis most likely that a youngaudience would find the filmaccessible.”With enough publicsupport, this could become anannual event.Focus on ready-readersAre they proper glasses orjust magnifiers?The lenses in the readyreadersare the same typeof lenses as the ones inprescription glasses, butwithout the quality control.They may not be of the exactstrength specified, and theyare sometimes warped ordistorted. If the page appearsto swim when you move yourhead from side to side, youhave a shoddy pair.Will they ruin my eyes?They will not do anypermanent damage to youreyes if you are over 20 years ofage. However, they don’t allowfor any difference betweenyour eyes, so if one of youreyes is worse than the other,it can gradually become ‘lazy’because it isn’t being used.When using the readers forlong periods, you may feel likethey damage your eyes, for anumber of reasons:• If you have a more complexeye muscle problem (otherthan just difficulty focusingon close objects), it willbecome more obvious withthe ready readers.• If you use a pair too strongfor you, your eyesight willdeteriorate faster than itwould have otherwise.• Lenses which are notcorrectly centered will strainthe eye muscles and causeheadaches or tiredness.• Frames which are notadjusted properly can sit onthe pressure points behindyour ears and give youheadaches.If they are proper lenses, whydo optometrists dislike them?The main reason, for mostdecent optometrists, is notfinancial. People who usethe ready-readers often donot have their eyes checkedregularly, if at all.This means that seriousproblems can go undetecteduntil it is too late to treatthem.This is very frustratingfor any health practitioner,especially if the consequencesare irreversible and could havebeen easily prevented.Free tickets offer, exclusive to the GoodTimesThe final word on readyreadersThey have their purpose –they make great spares, andare OK for people whose eyesare suited to them, or who dovery little close work.But please, if you are goingto use them, have your eyeschecked as well!Hope this helps. If youwould like to know more,feel free to give me a call on6689-0081, or drop in atthe Community Centre on aThursday.Sunday 18th SpetemberPeople interested in gettinginvolved as stallholders,speakers or a demonstrators,please email Wendy Jansenat greendaybvps@gmail.comor phone Barkers Vale PublicSchool on 6689-7202.Katrina holds storytime as a sacred space at the new PixiesDreaming group.by Katrina RossPixies Dreaming is anew group for childrenaged two to four and theirparents to share the joys ofplay, music and movementin a gentle and supportiveenvironment.Gathering, playing,singing in a circle,moving together, playinginstruments, joining injoyful finger rhymes andlistening to stories andsimple puppet plays thatcelebrate nature and theseasons are all part of amorning session at PixiesDreaming.I have worked formany years as a Steinerkindergarten and musicteacher. It is my passionand a privilege to havebrought the joy of openheartedsong into peoples’lives in group situations. Bysinging together we createunity and harmony. Forchildren to share this withtheir parents is a wonderfulgift for everyone.Drawing on the gentlerhythms of the Steinerway, the children will singsongs to start the day,pack away, join the circle,give thanks for morningtea, begin storytime andsay goodbye, as well aslearning songs and fingerrhymes that capture theessence of nature. As theyoung child learns stronglythrough imitation they willbe guided by their parents,and hopefully many of thesongs will carry throughinto their daily lives.Storytime will be asacred space for listeningand the children will beengaged by the use of smallprops or puppets to helptell the story. A moodof respect and reverencewill be held to help thechildren to become partof the group activities ina peaceful and nurturingway. Most important ofall we will join together tocreate a joyful and positiveexperience for ourselvesand our children in ourbusy lives. This is a chancefor us to just be togetherand have some fun.Pixies Dreaming willstart in Term 3 on Monday1st August, and will runfor seven weeks. It willbe held from 9.30amuntil 11.30am at LillifieldCommunity Hall, KyogleRd. Financial exchange willbe $80 for the seven weeksto be paid in advance. Callme on 6689-7308 for moreinformation and to book,as places will be limited.Tina Fuller (B. AppSc - Optometry)Now at Nimbin Community Centrewww.nimbingoodtimes.com July 2011 The Nimbin GoodTimes Page 5