COUNT DOWN TO THE KYOGLE READERS AND WRITERS FESTIVAL

This year’s Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival kicks off this Friday 17 May and runs across Saturday 18 May. Centred around the KMI Hall and the Roxy Gallery in downtown Kyogle, the Festival features an array of talented writers including Melissa Lucashenko, Mirandi Riwoe, Jessie Cole, Michael Burge, Tim Baker, Ellen van Neerven, Corey Tutt and many, many more.

Special guest, Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis, will be in conversation with Angela Catterns, talking about his latest book as well as his love for gardening.

A smorgasbord of panels will discuss a range of topics including Indigenous writing, gardening and gardening literature, writing as an outsider, towards a more ethical and sustainable society and the use of alternative therapies.

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Lovers of poetry are well catered for with a workshop on performance poetry as well as the Page and Stage Poetry event taking place at the Kyogle Golf Club later on Saturday.

The festival promises to offer something for all lovers of books, poetry and writing in all its varied forms.

Festival passes are still available for purchase online and tickets for single events will be available on Saturday at the Festival Box Office in Stratheden Street.

For more information, head over to the website here.

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Kyogle Memorial Institute is the cultural hub of Kyogle community

The latest improvements to the Kyogle Memorial Institute (KMI) have cemented the hall’s standing as the cultural hub of the Kyogle community, Kyogle Mayor Kylie Webster said.

The work completed earlier this month includes new cinema-style seating in the gallery overlooking the stage, movable stackable chairs for the hall, a mechanical winch system for new lighting bars over the stage and audience; acoustic improvements (centre-fill speaker arrangement; ceiling hung acoustic panels, curtains that hang on the walls); new stage curtains and scrim; and shelving.

Cr Webster said Council had also repaired a large area of the roof, built a new steel support structure over the stage to hold the new curtains and lights, and repaired a section of the gallery which had been damaged by a water leak.

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This latest project follows previous work to upgrade the Banquet Room and kitchen and create the Roxy Gallery space.

“Council has been progressively upgrading the KMI to ensure this wonderful building is safe, comfortable, and able to meet the needs of the community for years to come,” Cr Webster said.

The recently completed work, part funded by a Federal Government Creative Capital Grant, has received a tick of approval from the Village Hall Players.

“We are thrilled,” a spokesperson for the theatre group said.

“As well as the big-ticket items, there were small thoughtful things like reading lights for the Stage Manager and off-prompt positions.

“Thank you, Kyogle Council, for making our hall so much better for cast, crew and audiences alike.”

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Public Consultation: Have Your Say on Private Native Forestry Plan

The Kyogle Council is calling on community members to share their input on a significant planning proposal that may change the governance of Private Native Forestry (PNF) operations within our region. The State Government has proposed that Local Land Services (LLS) become the sole consent authority for PNF activities in the Kyogle Council area, shifting the current requirement where landowners need approvals from both the LLS and Council.

Currently, this approval process applies to land zoned RU1 – Primary Production and RU4 – Primary Production Small Lots. The proposed change aims to streamline the process by making LLS the only body that grants operational consent for private native forestry.

Key Points of the Proposal:

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• Unchanged Environmental Safeguards: Although the consenting authority may change, the legislative requirements for landowners to conduct forestry operations responsibly will not be altered. These operations must continue to avoid adverse environmental impacts.
• Ongoing Monitoring: The NSW Environmental Protection Agency will maintain its role, overseeing the compliance of PNF operations to environmental standards.

How You Can Participate: The community’s views are invaluable, and we encourage everyone to participate in this consultation process. The proposal details are available for public viewing until 4 PM on Friday, 7 June. You can access the document on the Kyogle Council’s website under the Public Notices section.

Submitting Your Feedback: Please send your written submissions to the attention of the Director of Planning and Community Development. Submissions can be mailed to PO Box 11, Kyogle, NSW, 2474, or emailed to council@kyogle.nsw.gov.au.

The Council will compile all feedback and submit it to the State Government for consideration before a final decision is made. This is an opportunity for you to influence the management of our natural resources and ensure the sustainability of our local environment. Your participation is crucial in shaping the future of forestry in our community.

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