Jacaranda honour for former Matilda Jo

By Tim Howard

One of the Clarence Valley’s leading sporting and business identities former Matilda Jo Powell has accepted the invitation to the Guest of Honour for the 90th celebration of the Jacaranda Festival.

Festival manager Mark Blackadder said he was thrilled to announce the beloved local icon would headline this historic occasion.

“This milestone event will take place from Friday October 25 to Sunday November 3 and promises to be a memorable highlight for the Clarence Valley community,” he said.

Mr Blackadder said the Grafton born and bred sportswoman and business person embodied the spirit of the town.

“With a storied career as a Matilda, she has not only made her mark in the world of women’s football but has also become a powerful advocate for empowering individuals, especially young women, to pursue their dreams and become the best versions of themselves,” he said.

As an influential figure and current Matilda alumni, Ms Powell reflected on her journey and how she used her platform to inspire others to embrace their potential.

“I am incredibly honoured to be part of the 90th anniversary of the Grafton Jacaranda Festival,” she said.

”This festival is a celebration of our community, our culture, and the incredible spirit of Grafton. I look forward to celebrating 90 Years in Bloom with everyone and empowering our youth to chase their dreams.”

The Grafton Jacaranda Festival is a cherished tradition that showcases the beauty of the jacaranda tree and the vibrant community of Grafton.

This year’s festival will feature a range of events, including parades, live music and cultural activities, all aimed at bringing the community together in celebration and putting on a show for the thousands of visitors.

Mr Blackadder invited Grafton people in the Jacaranda City and beyond and anyone who wished to be part of one of the country’s oldest floral festivals to join in honouring Ms Powell and all that she represents at the 90th Grafton Jacaranda Festival.

For more information about the festival and its events, please visit here or visit the Grafton Jacaranda Festival Facebook page.

CLARENCE VALLEY ABORIGINAL ARTIST’S WORK HONOURED IN NSW PARLIAMENT’S BICENTENARY UNVEILING

Today marks a significant achievement for Clarence Valley Aboriginal artist Kim Healey, whose artwork has been commissioned as part of the NSW Parliament’s Legislative Council Bicentenary celebrations.

Unveiled today by the President of the Legislative Council, Ben Franklin, Kim’s major artwork titled Ngurra Jagun—meaning “Home Country” will now take pride of place in the Fountain Court public foyer, where it will be prominently displayed for all to see.

Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, who recently viewed the exquisite piece in Kim’s gallery, expressed his pride in seeing a local artist receive such prestigious recognition.

“Kim is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung woman whose work not only showcases her immense talent, but also brings attention to the rich cultural heritage of our region. Her storytelling through art invites deep reflection on the history, traditions, and future of the First Nations people of NSW,” he said.

“The artwork, Ngurra Jagun embodies the deep connection of Aboriginal people to the land and waters, where the NSW Parliament stands today. Kim’s connection to country and culture is reflected in every piece she creates.

“I encourage everyone to visit the NSW Parliament and experience the beauty and depth of Kim’s work, which stands as a symbol of the strong relationship between the Parliament and the Aboriginal community.”

President of the Legislative Council, Ben Franklin MLC praised the significance of the artwork.

“This artwork not only commemorates our past, it also invites contemplation of the kind of future we aim to build together, and our ongoing commitment to reconciliation with the diverse Aboriginal communities of our state,” Mr Franklin said.

Kim Healey describes her artwork as “a correlation between the Southern Cross and how our culture is our compass. The inner design, with traditional overlayed patterns and symbols, acknowledges community, world views, meeting places, and unity. The bordering design pays respect to my Saltwater/Freshwater heritage of my Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr nations.”

The commissioning of Ngurra Jagun is part of the broader commitment by the NSW Parliament to engage with and honour the state’s First Nations communities and will stand as a lasting legacy of the Bicentenary celebrations.

Following today’s unveiling, ‘Ngurra Jagun’ can be viewed by the public during the opening hours of NSW Parliament House (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays). A mini documentary will be released in the coming weeks, covering the journey of the artwork and its creation.

For more local Clarence Valley news, click here.

$30mil aquatic centre looking for a name and a manager

By Tim Howard

Three months from the scheduled opening of its $30 million regional aquatic centre, Clarence Valley Council is looking for a manager and what it might be called.

Departing from its usual practices of contracting out management of its facilities, the council has flagged it will self-manage the facility and want to have a manager in place in time for the December opening.

The report to the August 27 council meeting called for public consultation to help with the naming of the pool, suggested the council manage the pool for two years to allow staff to draw a better picture of pool usage.

The figures for the controversial project have been questioned as overly optimistic and were based on figures consultants Liquid Blu provided to the council in 2018 before the pool’s unscheduled closure in 2022.

Then deputy mayor Cr Jeff Smith alluded to these figures during debate at the last council meeting on August 27.

“I’d like to thank staff for finally putting a disclaimer in that these projections also represent the full operation of all water bodies and features, including the water slides, which have been excluded from the current construction program,” he said

“That’s what I’ve been banging on about for over 12 months.”

But Cr Smith said there were still figures in the report which had no basis.

“It projects that we’re going to have 24,336 visitors in three years to a non-existent gym,” he said.

“Can we just file that whole spreadsheet? Because it just goes popping up and over and over again.”

Cr Smith, who has promised to walk down Prince St (Grafton) in his Speedos if the pool attracts 270,000 visitors a year as projected, pointed to some anomalies that still exist.

“I look forward to that time,” he said. “In fact, I might even trot all the way to the pool, because you won’t get a car parking spot, because despite the 800% increase in patronage, there’s no extra car parking spots.”

Clarence Valley Council has sought help from the community in finding a name for the Regional Aquatic Centre. The first stage of the project, the 50m pool, is due to open in December.

Cr Karen Toms said the figures in the report from Liquid Blu were brought to council in December 2018, and acknowledged requirements had changed since then.

“I’m not sure why we needed to have that in there, but it was an operating forecast estimated in the 10 year, as it says, Budget and Financial based on the full operation of the facility,” she said.

“So, you know, our staff didn’t sort of just dream up those numbers.”

The council described the managerial role as an “exciting opportunity for someone to set up the new $30 million facility located at Grafton and build it into a signature aquatic centre for the region”.

Its release said the successful applicant would be offered a three-year term contract under the Local Government (State) Award.

Council’s manager open spaces and facilities Rachelle Passmore said the council was proud to maintain management of the facility to ensure programs and activities meet the growing needs of the community.

“The new centre includes an outdoor 50m pool, an accessible zero depth splash pad and an indoor centre with two heated pools, a 25m and combined program and leisure pool.

“With December quickly approaching, we’re excited to get the recruitment underway for the new facility.

“In this first round, we are seeking a centre manager. Additional roles, including programs, operations, lifeguards, customer service staff, and various instructors such as fitness and swimming instructors, will be advertised soon.”

The manager position is open now until October 1 with interested candidates encouraged to apply by applying via the Council Careers Page.

The council approved self management of the pool and beginning public consultation to find a name for the centre.

Council would like naming suggestions for the:

• Regional Aquatic Centre
• 50-metre competition pool
• indoor program and leisure pool.

The engagement period began on September 5 and continues until September 23.

You can fill out an online survey here.

For more local Clarence Valley news, click here.