Ballina Information Blog

There’s a howling onshore and the ocean is a mess.
Unfortunately, things will stay pretty much the same over the weekend, with east to south-easterly winds forecast.
Byron could be protected from the wind, if you can handle the crowds.
Marine weather:

Friday: E/SE 15/20 knots in the south grading to 25/30 knots in the north. Sea: 1.5/2 metres [...]

 
Ballina women golfers have won the inaugural Weekend Interclub Matchplay competition.
Ballina, Ocean Shores, Coraki and Mullumbimby Weekend women golfers contested the event.
A number of competitors had not played Matchplay before.
Pictured are six members of the winning team (from left) Angela Nolan, Jane Dell, Audrey MacCabe, Kathy Keenan, Jean MacKay and Narelle Bessling.
Other team members were: [...]

Tenders for construction of the Alstonville bypass will be called later this year and the bypass is expected to be open to traffic around the end of 2010.
The Australian and NSW Ministers responsible for delivering new road infrastructure last week inspected the Alstonville bypass site on the Bruxner Highway following the Federal Budget announcement of [...]

The opening of the Ballina bypass interchange between the Bruxner Highway turn-off and the Cumbalum interchange is predicted to occur in 2012, after the Australian and NSW governments reaffirmed their commitment to the joint upgrade of the Pacific Highway with the official announcement of the start of preliminary site work on the Ballina bypass project.
Federal [...]

Ballina Council says it is actively managing the vegetation in and around Lake Ainsworth, Lennox Head.
With financial support from the NSW Environmental Trust Restoration and Rehabilitation Grants Program, the council is conducting the Lake Ainsworth Aquatic and Terrestrial Vegetation Restoration Project.
“Lake Ainsworth is a perched freshwater lake of high conservation value under increasing pressure from [...]

There’s a decent five-foot swell this morning, but it’s a bit bumpy.
Conditions should settle down overnight, and with a south-wester forecast for tomorrow morning, there’s a good chance of waves for the weekend warriors.
Marine weather:

Today: S/SE 13/18 knots. Sea: 1.5/2 metres. Swell: S/SE about 2 metres.
Outlook Saturday: SW/SE 15/20 knots. Sea: 1/2 metres. Swell: S/SE [...]

Dave’s Bait Shop in Ballina reports there were some good hits on spotties last weekend around Riordans Reef and a few up off Lennox Head.
Some snapper on the deeper reefs with a few squire in close.
Tailor from the headlands and breakwalls have been going pretty well.
Jewfish have slowed down since the full moon but everyone [...]

The Wardell Tennis Club is seeking new players for it next nightly competition.
All ages and abililities are catered for.
During the next couple of weeks social tennis will be played at 7pm at the courts next to the post office.
Any new players will be made most welcome. Cost to play is $2.

Police in Ballina say they are being forced to travel to Lismore and Byron Bay to charge offenders because the local police station is ill-equipped and unsafe to hold them.
 
“The police station charge room in Ballina has put police at risk for too long,” says Ballina Police Association branch vice-chairman, Mal Sutherland. 
 
“The charge room – [...]

The Salvation Army urges people in the Ballina Shiare area to dig deep for this year’s Red Shield Appeal (the big doorknock is on this weekend, May 24th/25th), highlighting that mortgage stress is now having a significant impact on the Salvos – bringing all kinds of people they haven’t seen before to their door.
Salvation Army [...]