Ballina Information Blog

This afternoon’s wild weather in Ballina almost had disastrous consequnces for lifeguard communcations officer Brett Lewis.
North Coast lifeguard co-ordinator Stephen Leahy reports that lightning struck the SurfCom Communication Centre at Lighthouse Beach shortly before 4pm this afternoon.
Mr Lewis, aged 26, was answering a phone call on the emergency line when lightning hit the building.
“Brett was […]

The licensing of older drivers in northern NSW should be less stressful and more respectful, Shadow Minister for Roads Duncan Gay said today.
“Older drivers across the Clarence, Lismore and Ballina electorates have expressed their deep concern at the RTA’s proposed changes to the licensing of older drivers, which they believe to be unfair and discriminatory,” […]

Federal Labor has announced a plan that will see solar panels and water tanks installed in schools around Australia.
Labor Candidate for Page Janelle Saffin says every school in the Page electorate will be able to take advantage of the plan, which includes grants of up to $20,000 for solar panels and up to $30,000 for […]

Country doctors represented by a range of rural groups at the beginning of National Rural Health Action Week have backed much of the Nationals’ Plan for North Coast Hospitals, says Page Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis.
National Rural Health Action Week is backed by the Rural Doctors Association, the Australian Nursing Federation, the National Farmers Federation and […]

For anybody who missed the recent news footage of the mini - tornado that hit Lismore / Dunoon last week (October 26, 2007) I have compiled some of the best of it that has been posted on YouTube.
The first video shows some of the debris hitting a sub power station, causing plenty of chaos and […]

Bruce at Dave’s Bait Shop reports the best shakers and movers this week have been the have been the whiting in North Creek, the lower river and starting to appear around Pimlico Island. Take up some bloodworms on the big tides this weekend and you should do well.
A few flathead in the lower reaches with […]

Northerlies, northerlies, northerlies … it seems that is going to be the pattern this summer.
It’s been blowing from the north and north-east all week, and the forecast is for more of the same through until Monday.
There’s a swell of about two to three feet and some beach breaks locally early in the morning before it […]

North Coast Lifeguard Co-ordinator Stephen Leahy’s daily beach report:
We are yet to see the storms predicted hit the coast, although the radar is indicating some heavy activity to south-west of us. Beaches were relatively quiet today with choppy conditions and the lack of sun keeping people away. Here’s what happened on lifeguard patrolled beaches in […]

True story: A woman walked into a Ballina office recently and asked the receptionist: “Do you have A Ferret in Your Pants?”
“Do I have a what?” asked the receptionist, more than somewhat taken aback.
“A Ferret in Your Pants. It’s a book,” replied the woman.
She was right too! It’s a book by former Northern Star editor […]

North Coast councils need cast iron guarantees from all local Federal election candidates that they will continue to enjoy record levels of Federal Government funding, according to Page Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis.
Mr Gulaptis made the comments following the release of a new report by Fiscal Star which rated the financial positions of Clarence Valley, Richmond […]