Ballina Information Blog

Ballina Shire Council’s outdoor program of events as part of the official Australia Day have been cancelled due to the ongoing wet weather.

All activities that were scheduled for Williams Reserve, Lennox Head, including the Market Stalls, Byron Bay Kidz Klub, and music activities will no longer be held.

The official ceremony will still be held inside the Lennox Head Cultural & Community Centre tomorrow and will include a citizenship and Australia Day award ceremony from 9am.

For more information, please visit ballinaaustraliaday.com.au or call the Ballina Visitor Information Centre on 6686 3484.

Ballina’s Georgia Quinn has decided to study one of her passions at Southern Cross University this year.

Georgia, who completed her Higher School Certificate at Xavier Catholic College, Skennars Head, in 2011, has accepted an offer to study a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science. She has also received an SCU scholarship.

Sport, in particular running and swimming, is a major passion for the 18-year-old, but playing the piano and music run a close second.

Georgia scored 94.85 in her ATAR results and selected Southern Cross University as her first preference, citing the accessible location as one of her main reasons for studying at SCU.

“I didn’t really want to leave home and this way I can keep living in Ballina and travel to Lismore for uni,” she said.

“Also, my brother went to SCU and he had a great time, he really enjoyed it. I’ve also gone to a few study days at Lismore and the facilities are up-to-date.”

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Ballina’s Under-15 cricket team scored a major victory with a win in last week’s Walter Taylor Shield carnival at Armidale.

Ballina finished unbeaten and beat the strong Sydney side, Hornsby, in the final.

Game 1 v Hunter Valley

Ballina bowled first and got on top early with Tom Watkins dismissing 3 of the first 4 batsmen for ducks to have Hunter Valley reeling at 5 for 32. They were dismissed for 89 with Tom Watkins (3/12) and Jack O’Sullivan (2/14) starring and the rest of the bowlers getting 1 each. The batters made light work of the total with a solid start by the openers Sam Lucas (18) and Josh Pearce (12) and an unbeaten 40 run partnership by Tobyn Burvill (22 no) and Callum Carmont (20no) to get to 2/92 at the 25th over.

Man of the match: Callum Carmont.

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BDCSA Youth & Intra will conduct a Stencil and Spary Art 4 hour workshop. The workshop will be held between 2pm-6pm on Tuesday 24th January
at 32 Swift Street Ballina. You need to be over 12 years and have a permission slip to register. For further info please contact Matt Tanttari 6681 5511 or email youth@bdcsa.org

Ballina Shire Council advises residents and visitors to the Ballina Shire that a number of the Shire’s public reserves will be Alcohol Prohibited areas on Australia Day, Thursday 26 January 2012.

Alcohol restrictions have been put in place in response to incidents experienced in previous years that have occurred as a result of excessive alcohol consumption.

In Ballina the following reserves will be alcohol prohibited areas on Australia Day – Commemoration Park, Missingham Park, Kingsford Smith Reserve, Pop Dennison and the reserve adjacent to the entry to the Shaws Bay Caravan Park.

In Lennox Head the following reserves will be alcohol prohibited areas on Australia Day – the public reserve surrounding Lake Ainsworth, Ross Park, Lennox Park, Williams Reserve and the foreshore reserve along Pacific Parade.

In Wardell the Wardell wharf and pontoon and will be an Alcohol Prohibited area this Australia Day. 
 
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Locals and visitors in Ballina Shire have until 5.00pm on Friday 27 January to enter the Locals Rewards competition and win over $2,700 in shared prizes.

Ballina Shire Council, together with Ballina Chamber of Commerce and Ballina Tourism & Hospitality, launched the Locals Rewards campaign last November and to celebrate are giving locals and visitors the opportunity to win one of four Ballina Coast and Hinterland holiday packages.

Each prize contains accommodation for two, a local tour or attraction, cuisine and a local produce hamper. The prizes are themed with the categories: Come Fly With Me, Family Fun Getaway, Leisurely Escape and Surfers Retreat.

“What a great way to start 2012, winning a holiday in your very own back yard,” said Caroline Klose, Ballina Council’s Tourism Co-ordinator.

To enter the Locals Rewards Competition, log on to www.discoverballina.com , click the ‘click here to win’ button on the homepage and tell in 25 words or less why you love Ballina Coast and Hinterland. Winners will be contacted by phone on Wednesday 1 February.

To take advantage of the many discounts on offer from more than 130 Ballina Shire businesses, collect your Locals Rewards Loyalty Card from the Ballina Visitor Information Centre, 6 River Street, Ballina, and log onto www.discoverballina.com to view the list of Locals Rewards.

Dr Ross Walker, an eminent cardiologist, is Ballina Shire’s official Australia Day Ambassador.

Dr Walker, known to many through his regular appearances as a health presenter on the Channel Nine, will join with the community on Australia Day in Lennox Head, to help celebrate a day that truly brings together a community and a nation.

Dr Walker has an infectious passion for people and health and is regarded as one of the world’s best keynote speakers. His special interests are advanced echocardiography, preventative screening and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr Walker runs a busy cardiology practice in Pymble on the North Shore of Sydney, as well as his speaking and media commitments.

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We are up from the Central Coast for our annual Byron surfing holiday when we noticed the plaque on the new stairs at Lennox.

Originally from Sydney, I was on an around-Australia surfing trip with no finish date.

I  arrived in Ballina short on money, got a job at the Ballina Slipway as a cabinetmaker/shipwright, boarded in Bentinck St for a couple of weeks.

I then met the woman that owned and ran the Hastie Tastie takeaway café in Ballina. She had a flat to rent at East Ballina, which I and a Sydney guy, Barry Pussell, moved in.

It was about this time we met the guys from the “Big Pink” whilst surfing, and and that’s when I got know Shorty Connors (pictured).

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Ballina Shire Council has announced that applications for the 2012/13 round of funding under the Festival and Event Support Program are now open.

The program provides $50,000 in funding to support festivals and events held within Ballina Shire between July 2012 and June 2013.

The program, in its third year, has provided valuable financial support to six major events held in the Ballina Shire.

Events that were successful in receiving funding in the 2011/12 program were Ballina Coastal Country Music Festival, Ballina Boat and Leisure Show, Ballina Island Paddle Challenge and Alstonville New Year’s Eve Family Festival.

Ballina Boat & Leisure Show Event Co-ordinator Duncan Woodhead said: “The funding we have received in previous years has allowed the Ballina Marine Rescue to put on the inaugural Ballina Marine and Leisure Show, which we hope will become an annual event, benefiting the community in many ways through safe boating talks and local marine businesses displaying their wares.

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Seven Ballina Electorate organisations have been awarded funding under the 2012 NSW Seniors Week Grants Program.

Ballina MP Don Page said the programs would be held during NSW Seniors Week from 18 to 25 March 2012.

The successful recipients are:

Alstonville Adult Learning Association Inc: Sensational Seniors $500 Ballina Lighthouse RSL Day Club: An Outing With The Lot $1,000
Crowley: Crowley Seniors Week 2012 Gala Day $1,000
Byron Shire Council: Get Active, Get Involved, Be There! $1,000
Ballina Coastal Quilters Inc: Seniors @ The Gallery Creativity In Action $500 Ballina Community Services Association: Seniors Mobile Phone Workshop $500
Tintenbar Community Aid Network Inc: It’s On For Young And Old $500