It will be the inaugural Ballina Tourism & Hospitality race day.

Secretary for Ballina Tourism & Hospitality, Dave Heggie, said: “Ballina Tourism & Hospitality is the private sector tourism industry’s membership body. Our aim is to drive the growth of businesses involved in tourism and hospitality in the Ballina and hinterland area.

“This race day is a wonderful concept which highlights the local businesses that provide such a high standard of products and services for tourists.”

The Ballina Tourism & Hospitality Cup is a Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1300m.

As well as sponsoring the race, Gem Array also is providing a bracelet for presentation to the winner of the race.

Club CEO Sarah Wills said: “We are delighted that Gem Array are joining with us not only for this year’s Bracelet but also to work together to develop the race back into the pre-eminent race that it used to be in years gone past.”

The principal of Gem Array, Connie Bidwell, said: “We have not had any previous experience with racing but we see our involvement with the Jockey Club and the Bracelet as a natural fit with our business.”

Other races are being sponsored by well-known names such as Fleurs Restaurant, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ballina Byron, Northern Rivers Trike and Bike Tours, Buddha Gardens Day Spa, Ballina North Coast Party Hire and The Australian Hotel.

Thrifty Rental are sponsoring a Punters Club to raise money for people affected by the Lennox Head tornado.

The Chairman of the Ballina Jockey Club, Robert Pitt, said: “We are very happy to be hosting this event for the association and plan to work with them to build this day into being one of the major race meetings of the year. The fact that Gem Array have come on board to sponsor the Bracelet is also a very positive development and we very much welcome their involvement.”

After many years of applying, Ballina Golf & Sports Club have been given permission to conduct a “Veteran’s Week of Golf” by the New South Wales Veterans Golfers Association.

The allocated week is next week from 19th July to 23rd July, which is the first week after the winter recess.  Murwillumbah, Coolangatta-Tweed and then Yamba events are held in the following weeks, making a compact four week period for the participants.

There are some 48 “Weeks of Golf” tournaments in New South Wales each year, held at about 44 different golf courses.  There are about 300 golf clubs vying for the opportunity to host one of these prestigious events, and Ballina Golf Club is indeed very fortunate to finally be able to do so.

There are 208 players registered, almost all of them nominating to play the entire four days of the tournament.  These players come from in excess of 60 golf clubs around Australia.  There are players from Alice Springs, Victoria, Northern Queensland, and all over New South Wales.

Many of these veteran golfers really make a feast of it and travel for weeks on end, often in groups of caravaners.  There are many husband and wife teams of dedicated golfers who travel almost continuously “on tour”.  These golfing nomads wander backwards and forwards across NSW throughout the year, generally returning home during the warmer months and for the small winter recess.

The event was completely booked out within 3 weeks of nomination forms being available, and very few of the participants have ever played on our golf course.

The Club has been very fortunate in the support received locally by sponsors, who no doubt can see the possible injection of trade caused by so many people in town for a short period of time being of benefit to their businesses.

Caravan parks and motels report excellent bookings for next week, and have indicated their willingness to again support the event next year.

During the week commencing next Monday, there will be in excess of 1,200 rounds of golf played on the golf course.  This possibly will be the busiest week in the 102 years history of the Ballina Golf Club.

The benefits to Ballina for hosting the “Week of Golf” are huge and we are very confident that all participants will be eager to return for this event next year and every year thereafter.

For a great Musical Theatre Experience, come along to the audition, or for more information, contact Paul at pjcjohnson@ozemail.com.au

“I made a strong appeal in April this year in Parliament for this project to be supported and I’m pleased to see that common sense has prevailed,” Mr Page said.

The Ballina Hockey Club had secured funding from various sources for the $1.1 million project but needed a final $200,000 to build the complex.

“The new hockey complex will bring enormous benefits to Ballina and the North Coast,” Mr Page said.

“It is expected to attract an additional 8500 visitors to Ballina each year, many during the winter months, which is a slow period for tourism.” 

The hockey complex will include a new synthetic turf playing field as well as a clubhouse, spectator grandstands, canteen and change and toilet facilities.

“This is a visionary project and I congratulate the Ballina Hockey Club for its commitment and perseverance in seeing the new facility get off the ground,” Mr Page said.

“The Ballina Hockey Club raised almost half of the required construction cost themselves – an exceptional effort for a small community sports club.

“I congratulate everyone involved in this impressive endeavour and I look forward to being one of the thousands of people who will enjoy the state-of-the-art complex when it is completed.”

The competition was part of the Let’s Live Better program, a partnership with the Children’s Food Education Foundation to grow healthier communities.

The winners of the competition are two students from Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Year 1 and Year 4.

The Little Green Thumbs Tomato Patch program is a hands-on activity whereby students will learn about gardening, sun safety, backyard hazards, the correct way to handle and care for gardening tools.

Students will also learn how to grow their own edible plants and develop healthy eating habits.

Mr Page said the State Emergency Service, Ambulance, NSW Police, Ballina Shire Council, the Rural Fire Service and the NSW Fire Brigades were all wonderful in the way they co-ordinated with each other to achieve the best outcome. 

Department of Community Services workers were also on site helping those who needed immediate support. “I also thank the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, the St Vincent de Paul Society and Anglicare,” he said.

Mr Page also praised Country Energy who did a good job of restoring power as quickly as practicable, given that in some cases there was no house to connect the power to.

“In the general community, neighbours were helping each other. Strangers who had not suffered damage were helping those who had. The Aussie tradition of helping out your mates in a crisis was evident for all to see,” Mr Page said.

“I arrived on site in Lennox Head with the Minister for Emergency Services and Commissioner for the State Emergency Service mid-afternoon on the Thursday. The Minister, the Premier, the Commissioner, the Mayor and I were again on site at 6.30 the following morning. 

“Both the Mayor and I lobbied the Minister for the Natural Disaster declaration.

“I was relieved when the Government declared the event a natural disaster because it meant that more resources could be contracted to effect a speedy clean-up.

“That declaration was important because damage to property had exposed asbestos across the whole disaster area.” 

In Parliament the Minister for Emergency Services, Steve Whan, thanked the Member for Ballina for his representation of the residents. 

“It was very good working constructively with the member for Ballina throughout the process,” the Minister said.

On Monday, June 14, there will be a community barbecue from 2.30pm across from the Lennox Point Hotel.

There will be a fundraising auction, and Lions club members will be running the barbecue.

To donate to the Lennox Head Tornado Appeal, deposit into Southern Cross Credit Union account: BSB 802185, Account Number 137897.

This will be followed by Chanel Nine’s The Footy Show’s pre-recording, starting at 6.30pm. The show will then be aired at 9.30pm.

The public are welcome to head down and enjoy the nights festivities, but are being urged to be aware of certain areas that are only to be used by the victims and supporters. This will mainly be inside Ruby’s restaurant. Byron Street and Pacific Parade will be closed off for the event.

Doors open at 10am through to 3pm.

The expo will celebrate local produce and producers.

Patrons will enjoy gourmet food and beverage sampling with cooking demonstrations.

There will be family entertainment including local music, Mad Hatters tea party, train rides and more.

$5 entry fee, under 18s a gold coin donation. All proceeds to The Westpac Rescue Helicopters.

The education program is being funded by the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA) as part of the ‘Engaging NSW Communities in Shoreline Conservation’ project.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Ranger Holly North said that this program would complement management actions being undertaken to protect breeding shorebirds.

“The education program targets the conservation of Pied Oystercatchers, Beach Stone-curlews and Little Terns which use coastal habitats to breed,” she said.

“The program addresses key threats to breeding shorebirds including foxes and intrusion from beach users. 

“Local residents in the South Ballina to Evans Head area as well as holiday visitors will be invited to community field days throughout the year based on different themes.

“The first field day on Friday 28 May will be held on a private property at Broadwater and will demonstrate best-practice fox control to protect breeding shorebirds.

“Fox control is a vital part of shorebird conservation because foxes take eggs and chicks from breeding shorebirds.

“Local landowners will also be invited to participate in a private property fox threat abatement program to protect breeding shorebirds. This program will complement the existing fox threat abatement program on public lands funded by NPWS and LPMA.

“Future field days will involve guided walks at South Ballina beach and Mobbs Bay with local experts. Participants will learn about shorebird breeding ecology, migratory shorebirds and sea turtles.”

The project delivers on regional priorities within the Northern Rivers Catchment Action Plan and is also part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country program.

Australian Seabird Rescue, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Land and Property Management Authority, Livestock Pest and Health Authority (LPHA) and local councils are project partners in this venture.

For details contact Australian Seabird Rescue 66862852 or NPWS on 66270200.

PICTURE: Pied Oystercatcher chicks are banded as part of the South Ballina-Evans Head shorebird conservation program. PHOTO REID WATERS