Saffin urges residents to prepare for storm season

Member for Lismore, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery, Janelle Saffin is urging residents of the Lismore electorate to prepare for the increased risk of storms as the storm season officially begins.

“The period between September and April is when storms, strong winds and heavy rain tend to be more frequent and the Bureau of Meteorology has indicated an increased risk of extreme storms, at least for the start of the season.

“Over recent weeks NSW has already been battered by windy conditions with 1200 volunteers responding to more than 2000 events.

“Storm activity can be checked using the Hazards Near Me app, alongside existing flood and fire alerts.

To prepare for storms, residents are advised to:

• Secure loose items outside, trim trees and branches away from properties, clean your gutters and move your cars from underneath trees.
• If you are caught out in a storm, seek shelter indoors. Do not shelter under trees and stay away from powerlines.
• Prepare an emergency plan for storms and floods.
• Download the Hazards Near Me app and set your watch zones.
• If you need assistance from the NSW SES, call 132 500. If it’s an emergency, call Triple 0.

For more information on how to get ready ahead of this year’s storm season, visit here.

“This is the time of year when we keep a watch on weather warnings to see when and where the storm activity is happening, and doing what we need to stay safe like deciding when it is safe to drive home from work.

“I would like to thank our hardworking SES volunteers for all they do to support our communities over the course of the storm season.

“We can help them by having our homes prepared for storms and staying informed of the severe weather warnings.”

For more local Lismore news, click here.

New Koala Fence to Reduce Road Deaths in Lismore Area

Robert  Heyward

Lismore City Council has appointed Ecoteam to manage the installation of a koala exclusion fence on the corner of Tatham Road and the Bruxner Highway at Tatham. This project aims to reduce the number of koala deaths and injuries in a known roadkill hotspot, approximately 12 km west of Lismore.

The key components of the project include:

• 1.5km of fencing along both sides of the Bruxner Highway, starting at Pelican Creek Bridge and extending 120m along Tatham Road.
• A safe crossing point under Pelican Creek Bridge and the installation of fauna escape structures.
• Koala grids (similar to cattle grids) across three driveways to prevent koalas from entering roads.

Jack Herington, Council’s Environmental Strategies Officer, explained that the fencing will guide koalas away from dangerous traffic areas towards safe crossing points, and the installation of one-way escape poles will help any koalas that may accidentally enter the road area.

The project, which faced delays due to the 2022 natural disaster and logistical challenges, was strongly supported by the community during public consultation and is expected to be completed in the second half of next year, pending weather conditions.

The initiative is a collaboration between Lismore City Council, Friends of the Koala, Transport for NSW, and the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), with funding from DCCEEW to help protect the local koala population.

For more local Lismore news, click here.

‘A simple man, simply extraordinary’

By Samantha Elley

These were the words that described 90-year-old Wilfred ‘Fred’ Hoskins, used by Wyrallah Public School principal, Lisa Fahy.

“This is an historical occasion,” she said at the event that was to see the library named after their most dedicated ex-student.

“It is to show our appreciation of our guest of honour, Fred Hoskins.

“Eighty five years ago Fred came to school on horseback.”

From that time on, Fred became an integral part of the community of Wyrallah Public School and all those connected to it.

“He is a man of many hats,” Ms Fahy said.

“Has been a dairy farmer, steel worker, lifeline counsellor, truck driver and even sings and dances.

“And he has an unwavering love for education.”

Fred is still a regular visitor to the primary school where he first received his formal education from his teacher Mr Hardy, but now he inspires the students of today with his knowledge.

“Fred has a passion for reading and for books,” said Ms Fahy.

“So, naming the library after him was a fitting honour.

“He lives a purpose driven life and has supported the community in ways many people, except those receiving the support, don’t know.”

Janelle and Fred unveil the new sign to the library.

In the 157^th year of the school’s history, making it the oldest continuously operating school in the Lismore district, Fred has been a big part of that.

“Fred climbed the pine tree (on the school grounds) to sketch and graph the school for its 125^th anniversary,” said P&C president, Nathan Rose.

“He was also at the 150 year celebrations.”

Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin said Fred had made a difference, not only in the lives of the students, but their parents and the community as well.

Fred was given the opportunity to speak and his love and passion for books and learning was evident.

“My teacher used to read to us,” he said.

“Books like Wind in the Willows, where you became a part of the story.

“Your imagination was everything.”

His favourite book was one about compassion and kindness, entitled ‘The King of the Golden River’.

For Fred the library was the most important building, as it was the place to learn and he enthusiastically encouraged the students who were listening to get a dictionary.

“Words and their meanings influenced my life,” he said.

“Words like kindness, wisdom and compassion, if they are foremost in your mind, they will influence your life.”

Fred Hoskins, Member for Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, Wyrallah Public School principal Lisa Fahy.

He said his greatest influence, his saviour, Jesus Christ, was his driving force for all that he did in life and he and his wife, Olwyn taught scripture at the school for more than 30 years.

Current students were keen to ask him a number of questions regarding his own student days, including what he had for lunch, who was his favourite teacher, what was his favourite event at school and what was his favourite toy.

“We didn’t have a football,” Fred said.

“So we used an inflated pig’s bladder to kick around.”

Fred wasn’t always one of the best behaved students either.

“Children today never knew anything about corporal punishment,” he said.

“But I learnt a lot about it.

“But my father taught me that if you do something wrong, you accept the punishment and try not to do it again.”

Whatever his misbehaviours as a child, he has more than made up for it with his support of the school since.

With Olwyn and many friends and family by his side, the veil was released to show the engraved sign renaming that most important building as “Fred Hoskins Library”.

For more local Lismore news, click here.