ROTARY SATELLITE CLUB OF BALLINA LIFESTYLE Community Donations 2023/24

At its recent Annual Changeover Lunch, the Rotary Satellite Club of Ballina Lifestyle awarded donations to the following local organisations, to assist them with the important work they do in our community:

• Ballina Public School Reading Project – $1,300
• “Love Bites” – Domestic Violence prevention – $2,000
• Mental Health Support Group – $2,000
• Northern Rivers Suicide Prevention and Awareness Group – $2,000

The Satellite Club’s main fundraising activity is its recycling project, in partnership with Reflections Holiday Parks and the Discovery Holiday Park in Ballina. The project commenced in September 2023, and, to date, the Club has raised over $15,000. The Club has also conducted several Bunning’s sausage sizzles. The Satellite Club is committed to assisting local groups and in 2022-23 also provided donations to the Ballina Marine Rescue Service and the Ballina Seabird and Turtle Rescue Service.

Representatives from the Mental Health Support Group, the Northern Rivers Suicide Prevention and Awareness Group and Love Bites said they were thrilled to receive a donation which will assist them in delivering their vital services to the community.

The Ballina Public School representative spoke passionately about the importance of reading and said that the donation will be used to purchase decodable reader sets of “Phonics Australia” which the school has found to be engaging and a success at encouraging students’ reading progress.

The Rotary Satellite Club of Ballina Lifestyle consists of a group of People aged from 55 plus, who have fun together and a passion for helping worthy causes in the Ballina community.

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Ballina gets ‘beefed’ up with new pie shop in town

By Samantha Elley

If you’ve been wondering about the new store on River Street in Ballina, wonder no further.

Beefy’s Pies have made their way down from the Sunshine Coast ready to fill the bellies of Northern Rivers locals.

These award winning pies have crossed the border, opening its first NSW store at 166-172 River Street, Ballina.

“We’re excited to receive a warm welcome from the Ballina and Northern Rivers community so far and can’t wait to have everyone in store to taste the Beefy’s difference,” says Jason Lyons, General Manager – Operations at Beefy’s.

“Beefy’s will bring its full range of award-wining pies, sausage rolls, sweets and coffee to the Northern Rivers community, making it a go-to destination for travellers and locals alike.

“Our new Ballina team can’t wait to get to know everyone by name, pie and coffee order. Our opening weekend is the best way to kick this off, but we’ll be teaming up with the local community to support businesses, events and groups in the future with our Pie Drives and fundraising events.”

While the store opened its doors on Friday, 28^th June, the official Beefy’s Ballina community launch is Friday 12th to Sunday 14^th July with one-weekend only deals and children’s entertainment on offer.

Ballina is Beefy’s 10^th store and the first in in New South Wales. It joins locations across South-East Queensland including Gympie, Traveston, Maroochydore, Buderim, Kawana, Aussie World, Glasshouse, Mango Hill and Ningi.

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Local Dog Off-Leash Areas Set for Further Upgrades

Ballina Shire Council is set to upgrade two popular local dog off-leash exercise areas, continuing its commitment to providing quality recreational spaces for the community and their pets.

Gap Road, Alstonville

Since its opening earlier this year, the Gap Road dog off-leash exercise area has become a favourite spot for dog owners. This park features a fully fenced area with dog agility equipment, a walking track, improved accessibility, shelters, seating, a dog waste bag dispenser, and landscaping.

To enhance this space further, additional improvements will be made to the access entry and exit points, seating, and the walking track. The temporary closure for these upgrades will start on Thursday, June 20, 2024, and continue for four weeks. During this period, the existing dog exercise off-leash area north of the site will remain accessible for use.

Compton Drive, East Ballina

In East Ballina, the entrance to the Compton Drive Dog Park will undergo essential upgrades, including the installation of a new concreted main entrance. To facilitate this work, the main entrance will be closed for a brief period of 3 to 5 days at the end of June. Access to the park will still be available through the gate on the eastern side of the fenced area.

Funding and Community Feedback

These enhancement projects have been made possible through the Local Government Recovery Grants for Highly Impacted Councils. The upgrades align with community feedback on the Companion Animal Management Plan, which can be viewed here.

The Council appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as these facilities are improved. For more information about dog off and on-leash areas, visit the Council’s website here.

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