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Clarence Valley News

Flying fox frequency, pt 2

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Flying fox frequency

Flying fox frequency, pt 2

Story by Lara Leahy

In the second part of the Flying Fox Frequency, we look at the flying fox population in the Kyogle Council, Clarence Valley Council and Ballina locations. Kyogle Council have also provided excerpts from their Management Plan giving further information on why Flying Foxes receive so much focus.

Kyogle Council
Judy Faulks, the Senior Environmental Services Officer has replied with a great deal of information on the issues faced by all areas with Flying Fox populations. Kyogle Council has sourced funding from the NSW Dept of Planning and Environment (DPIE) and researched its own management plan.
Kyogle’s Plan
“In 2021 Council received funding from DPIE to complete the Kyogle Flying-fox Camp Management Plan (currently in draft form). This Plan has been prepared to guide future management of the Kyogle flying-fox camp along Fawcetts Creek on the northern side of Kyogle township. The Plan aims to reduce conflicts between humans and the flying-fox camp.
“The remaining flying-fox camps throughout Kyogle LGA (one of which is a Nationally significant flying-fox camp) are in more rural/remote areas of the LGA so conflict between humans and the flying-fox camps is minimal.
“In consultation with the community, a range of management actions have been identified in the draft Kyogle Flying-fox Camp Management Plan which includes both general and location specific actions. The key management actions aim to maintain or enhance separation between people and the flying-fox camp. Applying for and securing external funding will be important to enable implementation of the Plan.
“In late 2021 Council also received further funding from DPIE to implement a high priority action under the draft Plan – i.e. undertake habitat enhancement and creation at the northern end of the Kyogle Recreation Reserve to encourage flying-foxes to roost in this area away from sensitive receivers. This project will complement previous vegetation regeneration works along Fawcetts Creek; provide roosting habitat away from residential areas thereby reducing flying-fox conflicts; and reduce pressure on vegetation at the existing flying-fox camp.
“Kyogle will continue monitoring flying-fox camps as part of the National Flying-fox Monitoring Program – as this provides valuable information on the location, species, timing and numbers of flying-foxes at a given camp over time.
Conflict vs Harmony
“There can be conflict between humans and flying-foxes. Key issues identified as part of community consultation for the draft Kyogle Flying-fox Camp Management Plan included flying-fox noise, odour and excrement impacts; and disease concerns. There are local residents and users of the area who reported enjoying the flying-fox camp or whose primary concerns related to flying-fox conservation issues. Reported positive feedback was from people who:
· acknowledge the need to conserve flying-foxes as an important native species and find a balance between wildlife and human needs
· enjoyed watching flying-foxes at the camp
· appreciated the natural values of the camp and vegetation along Fawcetts Creek
· feel the camp does not negatively impact on their lifestyle
· understand the low risk of flying-foxes to human health.”

An excerpt from draft Kyogle Flying-fox Camp Management Plan: Flying-fox ecology and behaviour
Ecological role
Flying-foxes make a substantial contribution to ecosystem health through their ability to move seeds and pollen over long distances (Southerton et al. 2004). This directly assists gene movement in native plants, improving the reproduction, regeneration and viability of forest ecosystems (DEE 2019a). Some plants, particularly Corymbia spp., have adaptations suggesting they rely more heavily on nocturnal visitors such as bats for pollination than daytime pollinators (Southerton et al. 2004).
Grey-headed flying-foxes may travel 100 kilometres in a single night with a foraging radius of up to 50 kilometres from their camp (McConkey et al. 2012) and have been recorded travelling over 500 kilometres in two days between camps (Roberts et al. 2012). In comparison bees, another important pollinator, move much shorter foraging distances of generally less than one kilometre (Zurbuchen et al. 2010).
Long-distance seed dispersal and pollination make flying-foxes critical to the long-term persistence of many plant communities (Westcott et al. 2008; McConkey et al. 2012), including eucalypt forests, rainforests, woodlands and wetlands (Roberts et al. 2006). Seeds that are able to germinate away from their parent plant have a greater chance of growing into a mature plant (DES 2018). Long-distance dispersal also allows genetic material to be spread between forest patches that would normally be geographically isolated (Parry-Jones & Augee 1992; Eby 1991; Roberts 2006). This genetic diversity allows species to adapt to environmental change and respond to disease pathogens. Transfer of genetic material between forest patches is particularly important in the context of contemporary fragmented landscapes.
Flying-foxes are considered ‘keystone’ species given their contribution to the health, longevity and diversity among and between vegetation communities. These ecological services ultimately protect the long-term health and biodiversity of Australia’s bushland and wetlands. In turn, native forests act as carbon sinks (Roxburgh et al. 2006), provide habitat for other animals and plants, stabilise river systems and catchments, add value to production of hardwood timber, honey and fruit (e.g. bananas and mangoes; Fujita 1991), and provide recreational and tourism opportunities worth millions of dollars each year (DES 2018).
Flying-foxes in urban areas
Flying-foxes appear to be roosting and foraging in urban areas more frequently. There are many possible drivers for this, as summarised by Tait et al. (2014):
· loss of native habitat and urban expansion
· opportunities presented by year-round food availability from native and exotic species found in expanding urban areas
· disturbance events such as drought, fires, cyclones
· human disturbance at non-urban roosts or culling at orchards
· urban effects on local climate
· refuge from predation
· movement advantages, e.g. ease of manoeuvring in flight due to the open nature of the habitat or ease of navigation due to landmarks and lighting.
Under threat
Flying-foxes roosting and foraging in urban areas more frequently can give the impression that their populations are increasing; however, the grey-headed flying-fox is in decline across its range and in 2001 was listed as vulnerable by the NSW Government through the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (now BC Act).
At the time of listing, the species was considered eligible for listing as vulnerable, as counts of flying-foxes over the previous decade suggested the national population had declined by up to 30%. It was also estimated the population would continue to decrease by at least 20% in the next three generations given the continuation of the current rate of habitat loss, culling and other threats.
The main threat to grey-headed flying-foxes in New South Wales is clearing or modification of native vegetation. This removes appropriate roosting and breeding sites and limits the availability of natural food resources, particularly winter–spring feeding habitat in north-eastern NSW. The urbanisation of the coastal plains of south-eastern Queensland and northern NSW has seen the removal of annually-reliable winter feeding sites, which is continuing.
There is a wide range of ongoing threats to the survival of the grey-headed flying-fox, including:
· habitat loss and degradation
· conflict with humans (including culling at orchards)
· infrastructure-related mortality (e.g. entanglement in barbed wire fencing and fruit netting, power line electrocution, etc.)
· exposure to extreme natural events such as cyclones, drought and heatwaves.
Flying-foxes have limited capacity to respond to these threats and recover from large population losses due to their slow sexual maturation, low reproductive output, long gestation and extended maternal dependence (McIlwee & Martin 2002).
Camp characteristics
All flying-foxes are nocturnal, typically roosting during the day in communal camps. These camps may range in number from a few to hundreds of thousands, with individual animals frequently moving between camps within their range. Typically, the abundance of resources within a 20 to 50-kilometre radius of a camp site will be a key determinant of the size of a camp (SEQ Catchments 2012). Many flying-fox camps are temporary and seasonal, tightly tied to the flowering of their preferred food trees; however, understanding the availability of feeding resources is difficult because flowering and fruiting are not reliable every year, and can vary between localities (SEQ Catchments 2012). These are important aspects of camp preference and movement between camps and have implications for long-term management strategies.
Little is known about flying-fox camp preferences; however, research indicates that apart from being in close proximity to food sources, flying-foxes choose to roost in vegetation with at least some of the following general characteristics (SEQ Catchments 2012; Eco Logical Australia 2018):
· closed canopy >5 metres high
· dense vegetation with complex structure (upper, mid- and understorey layers)
· within 500 metres of permanent water source
· within 50 kilometres of the coastline or at an elevation <65 metres above sea level
· level topography (<5° incline)
· greater than one hectare to accommodate and sustain large numbers of flying-foxes.
Optimal vegetation available for flying-foxes must allow movement between preferred areas of the camp. Specifically, it is recommended that the size of a patch be approximately three times the area occupied by flying-foxes at any one time (SEQ Catchments 2012).
Clarence Valley Council
Clarence Valley Council (CVC) said “Traditionally any flying fox camps in or adjacent to urban areas present challenges for Council and the community.” They highlighted examples in their area, including Maclean, Iluka, Grafton, Ulmarra, South Grafton as well as some rural locations such as Blaxlands Creek.
CVC have applied for the LGNSW grant. “The current strategy is to implement the Maclean Flying Fox Management Strategy and the draft CVC wide Flying Fox Management Strategy. Improving flying fox habitat opportunities away from sensitive receivers and mitigating existing impacts between camps and sensitive receivers while still accommodating co-habitation of both with less conflict.”
“We are currently in the process of issuing fresh communications around newly established, seasonal flying fox camps in Grafton and Blaxlands Creek and we are open to having further conversations to promote challenges around flying fox management as they apply to the Clarence Valley LGA.”
Ballina Shire Council
James Brideson, the Natural Resource Officer for Ballina Shire Council was able to contribute from their area:
“We understand some residents have concerns about local flying foxes and may be worried about disease. Within Ballina Shire, flying fox camps are currently located away from residential areas with buffers in place. However, their camps do change with the seasons. It’s also important to remember that within our community flying foxes are a very important part of the ecosystem process and are important for the survival of many plant species in our area.”

Next week: Richmond Valley Council, Tenterfield Shire and Lismore City Council – Edition 86 of The Northern Rivers Times

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Advisory committee cuts “insulting” say conservationists

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Clarence Advisory committee member Leonie Blain

Advisory committee cuts “insulting” say conservationists

 

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley conservationists say they feel “insulted” after a Clarence Valley decision to cut the number of community advisory committees.

Many of them met to consider their response to a Clarence Valley Council decision in December that condensed three committees providing advice to council on the environment into one.

At the meeting convener Leonie Blain was unhappy with the way the restructure had come about.

“The members of the previous advisory committees feel insulted by the way the change has been handled by the new council,” Ms Blain said.

The decision was part of an overhaul of the council’s advisory committee structure, reducing the number of committees from 10 to four.

Previously the council received advice from community members in the Climate Change Committee, the Biodiversity Committee and the Coast and Estuary Committee on environmental matters

In December councillors voted to create one new body, the Environment and Sustainability Community Advisory Committee.

The decision was not unanimous at first with deputy Mayor Cr Greg Clancy concerned the new structure would discourage people with expertise in specific fields from taking part.

Cr Clancy moved to instead have two committees covering climate change and biodiversity, but this was defeated 6-3

Presented with a fait accompli he voted for the motion, which passed unanimously, but warned the council could lose input from some experts.

“I don’t know how we will get people with an interest in the environment, in those special areas, working together, because they’ve come from a whole range of different backgrounds, and it’s very sad that we’ve just got one broad Environment Committee,” he said.

“So how that’s going to work? Time will tell.”

The meeting last week at the Clarence Environment Centre in South Grafton could provide some answers.

Ms Blaine, who had been a member of the former Climate Change Committee, said the council had benefited from the expertise of members who had given their time to be on theses bodies.

“The previous advisory committees had operated in good faith, providing expert and well-considered advice on a broad range of matters,” she said.

“While only some were formally adopted by council, we felt that council’s operations benefited through the committees’ positive interactions with council staff.”

A key concern raised at the meeting was the scope of matters that would need to be covered by the new committee.

It’s scope would encompass council’s management and policies on biodiversity, sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, particularly in the extensive estuary and floodplains of the Clarence River.

“The previous advisory committees had operated in good faith, providing expert and well-considered advice on a broad range of matters,” Ms Blain said.

“While only some were formally adopted by council, we felt that Council’s operations benefited through the committees’ positive interactions with council staff.”

Ms Blain, who had addressed council’s December meeting in a delegation to council advocating for the retention of both the biodiversity and climate change committees, said it was obvious the general manager was not listening to her address and was in conversation with another person.

“It was an obvious slight which was noticed by many of the people attending or watching the meeting,” Ms Blain said.

A member of the former Biodiversity Advisory Committee, Phil Redpath, who brought significant environmental regulatory and ecological experience to that committee, had written to all councillors.

His submission pointed out that the cost of holding advisory committee meetings was insignificant compared to the significant uncosted economic benefit made by experts volunteering their time to attend Advisory Committee meetings.

A member of the former Coast and Estuary Management Committee, Peter Maslen, said his queries to council about whether the future Clarence advisory committees would be asked to provide input to council during the development of the coastal management program (CMP) for the Clarence River’s estuary had gone unanswered.

“The Coast and Estuary Management Committee had provided valuable input on the CMP for the Clarence’s Open Coast,” he said.

“The Estuary CMP is still to be prepared. That CMP should have community input during its preparation – not just wait for the public exhibition period.”

Ms Blain said the meeting concluded with a decision to review the Terms of Reference for the new and fewer advisory committees, to understand whether those committees could operate as an effective voice for community input to council policies and operations.

 

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Charity golfers chip in for kids health

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Westlawn Charity Golf Day

Charity golfers chip in for kids health

 

By Tim Howard

Clarence Valley golfers who chipped in for the Westlawn Charity Golf Day last August can now see the benefits of their generosity.

The popular annual event, held in August year has provided two pieces of kit that will help Grafton bubs.

The Grafton-based financial firm recently presented Grafton Base Hospital’s Children’s Ward and Women’s Care Unit with a portable Nitrous Oxygen Unit for the Children’s Ward,

This helps to sedate children and babies when undergoing procedures.

And the second piece of equipment was a Radical-7 Pulse CO-Oximeter, which is a high-tech monitoring system that assists medical teams in monitoring the respiration and oxygen levels of pre-term babies admitted to the hospital’s Special Care Nursery.

The donation to Our Kids, allowing the children’s health fund to purchase the new equipment for the hospital.

Westlawn Finance executive director Geoff Scofield said the company’s donation to Our Kids was only possible through funds raised during the charity golf day, which he described as an event that brought community and business partners together.

“The amazing work Our Kids does to raise funds for much-needed equipment in the maternity and children’s wards at Grafton Hospital is truly inspiring,” he said.

Westlawn Charity Golf Day

Midwifery unit manager at Grafton Base Hospital Alison Fels, is grateful to receive new equipment for the Special Care Nursery from funds donated to Our Kids by Westlawn Finance, represented here by Geoff Scofield and Damien Rouse.

“Our commitment to supporting local initiatives aligns perfectly with Our Kids’ mission to keep kids and families in our region, reducing the need for them to travel too far away from home.”

Our Kids fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista thanked Westlawn Finance for its continuing support for community care in the region.

“A massive thanks to the Westlawn Finance team, their customers and supporters of the Westlawn Charity Golf Day – it is always a great day and the results impact so many families in the Clarence region. Thank you to all involved,” she said.

Our Kids has been a huge support to the health system in other regions on the NSW North Coast.

It has hosted events like the up-and-coming Lismore Samson Fitness Challenge, and Our Kids Day Out, along with contributions from donors and local businesses to help raise funds to purchase paediatric equipment for our local hospitals.

Ms Battista said Our Kids has purchased more than $2.7 million in paediatric equipment for the Grafton, Lismore and Tweed hospitals.

Our Kids invites members of the public to become involved by become a financial or in-kind partner.

For more information please contact the Our Kids team on 0438 417 085 or email info@ourkids.org.au.

 

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The Long Way Home Writing Competition Launches for 2025

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Claire Aman - The Long Way Home Writing Competition

The Long Way Home Writing Competition Launches for 2025

 

Local writers will be delving for gold this year with the launch of the Clarence Valley’s annual writing competition. The 2025 competition theme, ‘Heart of Gold’, invites writers to interpret it in their own unique ways.

“We’re hoping to get a trove of original stories that explore all the richness in this theme,” said Claire Aman, Director of The Long Way Home. “In these times, we’re all searching for a heart of gold: a shiny nugget freely given, or even a speck of kindness. It’s a potent symbol. We’re very excited to see what writers come up with.”

The competition is open to everyone, from primary and high school students to adults.

“You don’t need any qualifications or experience,” Claire added. “You just need to make up a story with heart. We’re looking for imaginative stories that surprise us, stories that make us curious about what happens next, stories that make us laugh or make us cry.”

As in previous years, the best entries will be published in an anthology titled ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 — Heart of Gold,’ set for release at the end of the year.

The Long Way Home, a writing collective, has been nurturing voices across Clarence Valley since 2018, publishing seven books featuring 372 stories to date.

“The competition grows more popular each year,” Claire noted. “We discovered some fabulous writing last year, especially from winners Gra Murdoch, Jia Atwal, and Lilly Mulqueen. We’re expecting to find new talent this year as writers unearth the beating, gleaming heart of gold.”

Key Dates and Submission Details:

  • Deadline: 1 June 2025
  • Word Limits: Adults: 2,500 words | High School Students: 500 words | Primary Students: 200 words

For more information and to enter the competition, visit here.

 

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Gavin named Valley’s top citizen

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Clarence Valley Council's Australia Day ambassador Cr Cristie Yager, left, with the 2025 Citizen of the Year Gavin Rayward, centre and Clarence MP Richie Williamson.

Gavin named Valley’s top citizen

 

By Tim Howard

The Clarence Valley has rewarded an athlete who has promoted healthy outdoor activity as an antidote to mental health problems, naming Gavin Rayward as its leading citizen for 2025.

Mr Rayward was named the Clarence Valley’s 2025 Citizen of the Year at a ceremony held at Grafton District Golf Club on Thursday.

For more than a decade he has been at the forefront of local outdoor sports including running, canoeing and orienteering, encouraging young people to enjoy the wonderful environment the Clarence Valley possesses.

Gavin was nominated for his dedication to promoting outdoor activities and mental health in the Clarence Valley, where he has organised numerous events to engage people of all ages and abilities, such as Street-O orienteering event in Grafton and traditional orienteering events in Bom Bom State Forest since 2013.

Mr Rayward’s motivation was to help deal with the effects of mental illness, like depression, by getting outdoors.

A good example was his role in the Mad Paddlers event in 2023.

The acronym MAD – Men Against Depression – summed up the event perfectly.

The Clarence Valley 2025 Local Hero winner was Jenny Vickery pictured here with Clarence MP Richie Williamson and 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador Cr Cristie Yager.

The Clarence Valley 2025 Local Hero winner was Jenny Vickery pictured here with Clarence MP Richie Williamson and 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador Cr Cristie Yager.

“MAD Paddlers is a program created to help you experience the physical and mental benefits of becoming more active and socially connected,” the promotions for the event promised.

It reflected the emerging recognition in mental health sectors that exercise and social connection has a big impact on improving mental health.

Mr Rayward finished ahead of a big field for the 2025 award with 11 nominations received in the Citizen of the Year category.

In the other sections there were four nominations in the Young Citizen of the Year, four nominations for the Community Achievement Award and six Local Hero nominations, highlighting the incredible contribution and impacts made by our community.

Clarence Valley Councillor Cristie Yager, who was the 2025 Citizen of the Year Awards ambassador and hosted the event, praised the nominees for all their hard work in our community.

“Our community are everything,” she said. “These awards are the perfect way to highlight and celebrate our local legends and community groups and I’m so honoured to be able to host the awards in my first year of being a councillor.

“These incredible accomplishments reflect the immense impact our nominees have made and the high regard in which they are held by our community.

“Thank you for making a difference.”

Warm Touch received the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

Warm Touch received the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

Other nominees in the Citizen of the Year category include Brian Ferrie, Damien Fisher, Helen Tyas Tunggal, Jesse Dead Langford, Kaitlyn-Maree Robertson, Kathleen Giggins, Kathryn Langford, Sally Rogers, Suzanne Day and Toby Power.

Nash Crofton was named Young Citizen of the Year for his remarkable impact on the Clarence Valley community through his entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, and passion for the arts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nash founded Clarence Tunes, a home-grown music festival providing a vital platform for local artists to showcase their talents.

Mr Crofton was an apology for the awards ceremony.

The festival quickly became a regional highlight with proceeds directly supporting performers.

Also nominated in the Young Citizen of the Year categories are Kaitlyn-Maree Robertson, Reny Dooley and Shannon Moran.

Warm Touch 2460 were awarded the Community Achievement Group award for their quick action support to individuals in need of all ages and circumstances.

This remarkable group is backed by local businesses, generous community members and dedicated volunteers.

Also nominated in the Community Achievement Group category were Happy Paws Haven Inc, Paua Yoga Studio and Rivertree Film Inc.

 

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Golden Guitar winner heading to muster

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Golden Guitar winner

Golden Guitar winner heading to muster

 

By Samantha Elley

Musician and instrumentalist Lindsay Waddington will need to make some room on his shelf in the ‘pool room’ having just won a Golden Guitar, along with fellow musician Brendan Radford, for their work, The Red Centre.

“I grew up on Aboriginal missions, so my work often has a desert vibe to it,” said Lindsay.

“I did my first recording session at 10 years old after I’d learnt the drums in North Queensland.

“I was the only person who could play the drums with brushes, so when someone needed a drummer, I got the job.”

In fact, Lindsay was a teenager when he travelled as a roadie with Brian Young, then the late Jimmy Little, who took him under his wing.

From there, Lindsay met the who’s who of country music, eventually working with the likes of John Williamson, Brian Cadd, James Blundell and many more.

Running his own recording studio and record label, LWM House, on the Gold Coast, Lindsay was thrilled with his win.

“We had the song pretty much finished,” he said.

“But it was missing something, so I asked ‘Breno’ to look at it.”

Once the music was complete, the pair were on track for their Golden Guitar win.

Northern Rivers country music lovers will get the chance to hear Lindsay and Brendan perform at the 10th anniversary of the Clarence Valley Country Muster, to be held on October 16th-19th.

“I am usually plugged in to the Gold Coast but I love getting back to the bush,” said Lindsay.

“People come from everywhere in the vans and Wendy (Gordon, the muster’s host) gives a great vibe.

“People are there for a good time and good music.”

Find out more about the Clarence Valley Country Muster here.

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