Ballina Information Blog

Starbucks Coffee International’s decision to close 61 stores throughout Australia includes its Ballina outlet.
In a statement today, the company said: “Starbucks Coffee International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Company, today announced plans to restructure its business in Australia through a geographical refocus on three core cities and surrounding areas: Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
“This decision [...]

Brisbane Lions player Wayde Mills, who grew up in Lennox Head, will return to the area next Thursday, August 7, to help the AFL celebrate 150 years of the sport with a Kick Around Australia Day.
Wayde will attend the celebrations at Ballina High School, which the AFL says will be the most easterly point on [...]

Alstonville resident Rennae Reilly has been announced as the winner of an LCD TV worth over $2000 in a Statewide Australia Post competition.
Mrs Reilly won the competition after redirecting her mail at the local Alstonville PostShop.
Any NSW or ACT resident that renewed their mail redirection in the month of June was automatically entered into the [...]

The Rudd Government’s $75 million Climate Ready program is open for applications.
Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, said Climate Ready would support Australian businesses developing new products, processes and services to tackle climate change by providing dollar-for-dollar support for research and development, proof-of-concept and early-stage commercialisation activities.
Applicants can apply for grants [...]

August exhibition opens Friday 1st August and closes Sunday 31st August. Normal Gallery opening: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
August promises to be one of the most varied and interesting months to date in the Northern Rivers Gallery. Four new exhibitions will open on August 1st, and the Gallery shop will be displaying all new [...]

Offender/s have caused damage to several businesses and public facilities within the CBD of Alstonville late Friday night into Saturday morning.
Several rear doors of a Main Street premises were kicked in, signage destroyed on a business premises front yard, pedestrian safety fencing pushed over and removed in Daley Street, signs removed out of the ground, [...]

The 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are now open, and Ballina MP Don Page is encouraging the local community to get behind their volunteer workers by nominating worthy candidates.
“These days, anyone who gives up their free time to help others is worthy of special recognition,” Mr Page said.
“The NSW Volunteer of the Year [...]

The deserving horses and ponies of the Ballina and District Riding for the Disabled Association are soon to benefit from the feel-good factor when they act as subjects for the area’s first course in the Equine Touch.
Horse owners from the Ballina area will be learning this internationally renowned form of hands-on bodywork during a three-day [...]

Five former Ballina Seagulls rugby league players have been chosen in a 35-man Retravision Centenary Team preliminary squad.
The squad will be reduced to a 17-man Centenary Team, to be announced on September 5.
The former Ballina players in the squad are fullback Milton Thaiday, five-eighths Graham Lees and Chris Storrier, lock Shane Miles and prop Mick [...]

Ballina Shire Council and community groups are joining forces to plant trees on National Tree Day on Sunday, 27 July 2007.
Ballina Shire Council is sponsoring this year’s National Tree Day by supplying 2043 endemic plant species and mulch to schools and community groups in the shire.
Volunteers are welcome to join in and help out by planting [...]