Celebrate Our Olympic Heroes at the Tweed Regional Museum Street Party!

Join us in Murwillumbah on Saturday, 31 August, as we roll out the red carpet for our Tweed Olympic athletes at the Tweed Regional Museum’s epic Street Party celebrations!

We’re thrilled to welcome home two of the Tweed’s Olympic stars—marathon swimmer and silver medallist Moesha Johnson, and fellow swimmer Isabella Rose Millar, who proudly represented the Solomon Islands in Paris.

As we kick off the Paralympics, we’re also honoured to host former Paralympic champion Tracy Lee Barrell OAM, who won two gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games. Tracy, a triple congenital amputee and Paralympic swimmer, is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities in the Tweed.

Event Highlights

• Welcome to Our Athletes: Moesha, Isabella, and Tracy will join the Street Party right after the official Welcome to Country at 12:30 pm. Don’t miss your chance to meet these inspiring athletes, ask them questions, get autographs, and snap photos with your local heroes.
• Olympic Village Marquee: A special Olympic Village marquee, complete with a winners’ podium, will be set up for the kids to enjoy some Olympic-themed fun!

Street Party Extravaganza

The Olympian welcome is just one part of the action-packed Street Party 2024, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the award-winning Tweed Regional Museum. Thanks to the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, Queensland Road in front of the Museum will be closed for the event, running from 12 pm to 7 pm.

Here’s a taste of what’s in store:

• Live Music and Flash Dance Mobs: Enjoy a stellar lineup of live performances and spontaneous dance mobs that will keep the energy high throughout the afternoon.
• Swamp Beer Garden & Makers Lane: Sip on local brews in the Swamp Beer Garden or explore Makers Lane, featuring creative public art and local artisans.
• Going Bananas: From 12 pm to 5 pm, the Tweed Valley Banana Festival Float is back, complete with a regal throne and four fabulous Banana Queens. Enjoy photo ops, chat with the Queens, and indulge in all things banana!
• Six Seasons Cultural Calendar and Connection to Country: Drop by from 1 pm to 5 pm for insightful yarns with Uncle Franc, a Bundjalung elder from the Minyangbal language group, and explore the adaptive Cultural Calendar.
• Adventure Game: Kids, grab your Game Card and embark on an adventure throughout the Museum and Street Party. Discover hidden stories, contribute to chalk murals, and more.
• Story Salon at the Museum on Wheels: From 12 pm to 5 pm, join the Story Salon for a modern twist on French salons! Delve into conversations with the Murwillumbah Historical Society, explore local history, and contribute to a collaborative story using old typewriters.
• Tweed Tales Trivia: Tall or True?: Test your knowledge of Tweed’s history from 18+ with fantastic prizes up for grabs. Can you tell a tall tale from the truth?

To learn more, visit the Tweed Regional Museum website or follow us on social media. For the full program, register at Tweed Regional Museum Street Party.

Let’s celebrate our local heroes and the vibrant history of the Tweed region together!

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Northern Rivers Safe Havens Extended Until End of 2025

By Robert Heyward

Residents of the Northern Rivers region will continue to have access to vital mental health support and counselling services, thanks to the extension of all four Safe Havens across the area until December 2025. These Safe Havens, located in Lismore, Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, and Woodburn, offer free, compassionate, and non-clinical mental health support for adults in a welcoming “drop-in” environment.

Originally commissioned in 2022 by Healthy North Coast as part of the NSW Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Flood Recovery Package, the Safe Havens were established in response to the devastating floods that hit the Northern Rivers region. Since their inception, these centres, operated by The Buttery, have provided over 15,600 hours of counselling to more than 14,400 participants.

The extension was announced by The Hon Rose Jackson, Minister for Mental Health and North Coast, during a visit to the Mullumbimby Safe Haven. She emphasised the importance of these services to the community, particularly in the aftermath of the region’s recent natural disasters.

“The mental health and wellbeing of every individual is a top priority, and the NSW Government is committed to improved mental health outcomes on the North Coast. The extension of these four Safe Haven sites is crucial—they’ve been embraced by the Northern Rivers community not just for the expert mental health support they provide, but as safe and welcoming spaces during times of disruption,” Minister Jackson said. “We are pleased to keep these services running until the end of 2025.”

Safe Haven Northern Rivers – Photo sourced from Safe Haven North Coast

Monika Wheeler, CEO of Healthy North Coast, highlighted the ongoing need for these services: “More than 700 people connected with the Safe Havens during June alone, showing us that these services are still essential for the community. With floods and droughts expected to increase in intensity and frequency, it is vitally important that Safe Haven services remain available to those still feeling the impact of the 2022 flood events.”

Healthy North Coast, in collaboration with the NSW Government, has adjusted service activities under the funding agreement to ensure the Safe Havens will remain open until 31 December 2025. These sites will continue to offer both clinical and non-clinical support to the community from Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Leone Crayden, CEO of The Buttery, expressed her gratitude for the extension, noting the importance of the Safe Havens to the community. “It is welcome news that we can continue to keep the doors open at the four Safe Haven sites until 31 December 2025. The counselling and wellbeing support have been very well received, and our co-location agreements with other providers allow the community to access additional support for housing, flood recovery, and social activities such as local BBQs or network meetings. Safe Havens offer a place to connect, which is important for wellbeing.”

Dee, a Peer Worker at one of the Safe Havens, echoed these sentiments: “It’s great news that the Safe Havens are being continued in the heavily flood-affected communities we work in. Mental health services are both valued and needed. The drop-in, no-appointment-needed space that people can access without referral is a refreshing and much-needed approach in mental health, especially with the easy access to Peer Workers.”

For more information, visit safehavennc.org.au or visit your community’s Safe Haven:

• Lismore | 46 Magellan Street (next to Lismore Regional Gallery)
• Mullumbimby | 15 Tincogan Street (Behind the Mullumbimby and District Neighbourhood Centre)
• Murwillumbah | Shop 10-12/41-45 Murwillumbah Street
• Woodburn | 114 River Street

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THE MURBAH PRESENTS FRIDAYS AT M-ARTS PRECINCT MURWILLUMBAH

Due to popular demand The Murbah Presents Fridays at M Arts Precinct will continue to bring a little funky vibe to your weekend in Murwillumbah.

Who doesn’t like a little funky disco house? Well listen up people, The M-Arts precinct is continuing it’s efforts to support local performance artists this time with an exciting line up of Dj’s hosted by local promoter Sean Finlay on Friday nights.

After a successful month in June of bringing together a team of Dj’s including celebrated DJ Abel Toro from Mullumbimby and local DJ’s Vinnie and Nicholas Ching is sourcing more talented DJS from Byron to Burleigh with Djs Jr Dynamite, Dave Carnovale, Wax Addicts, and DJ Ashton from Flo Records now on board to give you a place to kick off your weekends … for Free.

Yes that’s right for no cost, you can enjoy these talents with some tasty pizzas from Fancies, an with an ice cold Earth beer off the tap or a cocktail from the M- Arts Bar Café So if you miss the era when Murwillumbah was a hub of night time festivities and you enjoy music that has a sweet essence of soul and funk to it? Then head on in to M-Arts for their after work happy hour from 4 till 6pm to get your weekend started.”

About The Murbah The Murbah is an events company set up to produce pop up events around the Northern Rivers Caldera Valley that brings together people who enjoy good soulful music and an atmosphere of community.

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Saffin’s Commitment to 24/7 Policing in Murwillumbah ‘On Track’

LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin confirms that her key election commitment to ensure 24/7 policing at Murwillumbah Police Station is progressing well and is expected to be achieved within the Minns Labor Government’s first term.

Progress Update

Ms. Saffin recently met with NSW Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism Yasmin Catley to receive a progress briefing on the staged allocation of 15 additional police positions. This increase aims to extend service delivery from the current 20/7 to a full 24/7 by 2026-27.

“The first phase of this transition to 24/7 policing began in November 2023, with Murwillumbah Police Station receiving three additional authorised positions: one sergeant and two constables,” Ms. Saffin reported. Recruitment for two of these positions has been completed, while one position remains advertised. The staffing capacity is set to increase gradually over the next three years to reach the full complement of officers.

Addressing Recruitment Challenges

Ms. Saffin noted that the challenge has been the historically low number of officers due to inadequate recruitment strategies. However, the Minns Labor Government has introduced several measures to boost police recruitment and address the critical shortage of officers, thereby enhancing community safety across the state.

Currently, New South Wales faces over 1,500 police officer vacancies – a situation resulting from years of neglect in police recruitment and retention. However, since the announcement on 31 October 2023 that the Minns Labor Government would pay recruits to study at Goulburn Police Academy, over 1,424 applications have been received – a more than 40% increase compared to the same period last year.

Recruitment Boosts

Evidence of the Government’s successful recruitment strategy includes Class 364, which is set to graduate in December at full capacity, with more than 350 recruits.

Two new programs have been specifically designed to attract more regional recruits and experienced officers to the NSW Police Force:

• Regional Recruitment Scheme: The ‘You Should Be a Cop in Your Hometown’ program ensures that people from regional NSW can serve in or near their hometown after graduating from the Academy. This program allows recruits from regional NSW to request to return to their hometown or nearby community, giving preference to these recruits for filling local vacancies.
• Experienced Officer Recruitment Scheme: The Professional Mobility Program (PMP) incentivizes officers from other Australian states, territories, and New Zealand to join the NSW Police Force while retaining their equivalent rank (up to senior constable level six). Previously, serving officers had to complete eight months of study, including four months in-person at the Academy, starting at the rank of probationary constable. Successful applicants now undergo a three-month course at the Academy focused on NSW policing policies and procedures, with pay equivalent to current student police officers.

Ms. Saffin remains optimistic about achieving the 24/7 policing goal for Murwillumbah and improving overall police presence and community safety in the region.

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Love of nature inspired Murwillumbah artist Elodie Cazes

Murwillumbah artist Elodie Cazes draws inspiration from her deep love of nature. Despite the challenges she faces, Elodie paints by holding the brush in her mouth.

Her artwork “Weeli Wolli Creek” will soon be featured on a greeting card, part of the collection sold across Australia by the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA), an international organisation with 850 members in 84 countries.

“I’m thrilled to have one of my paintings reproduced as a card. This particular piece was inspired by a photograph of Weeli Wolli Creek in Western Australia,” Elodie shared.

Elodie finds immense joy in painting nature, especially the stunning Australian landscapes. Her travels around the world have provided her with a wealth of photographic material to draw from. Flowers and birds also frequently inspire her work.

The mid-year product selection for MFPA is highly competitive, with a panel of European experts choosing the featured artworks. This year, Elodie is the only Australian artist whose work is included.

Originally from France, Elodie spent 15 years in New Zealand with her family. At age 12, she suffered a spinal injury after diving into a shallow pond, resulting in paralysed limbs. During her hospital stay, she began painting with a brush held in her mouth as part of a therapeutic program.

As a child, Elodie always loved drawing, making painting a perfect therapeutic outlet. She was encouraged by several New Zealand members of MFPA, including Kevin Griffiths and Irene Bernie.

After returning to France, Elodie and her family eventually moved to Australia, settling in Murwillumbah. “Northern NSW is an artist’s paradise, with its beautiful nature and peaceful locations. It’s also conveniently close to healthcare facilities,” Elodie added.

The MFPA supports artists like Elodie by selling products featuring their artwork. Initially focusing on Christmas cards, their offerings now include a wide range of items such as special occasion cards, jigsaws, tea sets, address books, calendars, Christmas serviettes, placemats, gift tags, and wrapping paper.

Founded in 1956 by a group of European artists, the MFPA is a self-help organisation that empowers artists with disabilities to achieve their creative ambitions while maintaining financial independence. The Australian branch was established in 1971.

To become a student member, an artist must qualify by painting with a brush held in either their mouth or foot due to the loss of hand function from illness or accident. Student members receive scholarships for art supplies and tuition.

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