You can see more of David Young’s work here: davidyoung

The post Mullum’s Mysterious Mountain appeared first on .

At Verandah Magazine we’re all in favour of a good cause – and this is a good cause.  Go to the link at the bottom of the story to support the Zero Emissions Byron project and help get Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson to Paris to showcase Byron at the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference. He’s raised $2,420 of the $4,000 needed with eight days to go…

Says Richardson: “We have two choices when facing the low carbon future ahead of us- ride the wave and make Byron economically, socially and environmentally sustainable and a model for others to follow, or water-tread in the foam out the back of the wave and hope we don’t get left behind. This project to create Australia’s first Zero Emissions Community in 10 years has the potential to secure millions of dollars of renewable energy and emission reduction investment, to secure and enhance the rich biodiversity of the region and support local communities establish cooperative models of living. It is the game changer for Byron and can be the game changer for Australia.

Re-navigating our economy to one powered by locally or regionally generated renewable energy with zero net emissions will create jobs, establish sustainable economies and ensure our society lives in balance with its environment. Byron Shire has the people with the skills and commitment to become a zero net emission community. The time is now for this to start.

As Mayor of Byron Shire, I have been invited to promote the Shire at the United Nations Framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, November 30-December 11. It is set to become one of the most momentous conferences in world history.

I have been invited to attend to present the Zero Emissions Byron (ZEB) project within the Cities and Regions Pavilion, as part of the Compact of Mayors and the Compact of States and Regions initiatives – the two leading global initiatives announced at the UN Climate Summit 2014 in New York, US.

I will be Australia’s only Mayor invited to the event, specifically, to showcase the ZEB project as an Oceania representative, by ICLEI – the international organisation of Local Governments for Sustainability.

As the only Australian representative at the lead up UNFCCC conference in Bonn, Germany earlier this year, the world sustainability community took notice of Byron-we are set create great excitement again.

The benefits of being inside the tent at Paris are numerous:

• *Showcasing Byron as a leader in this area will bring people to Byron to see what is happening, it will put Byron on the map, and firmly connecting Byron with innovation and sustainability in the eyes of the world’s influencers
• *ZEB showcases the strength, passion and commitment of our community and is something of which to be proud.
• *Putting ourselves forward can attract funders from overseas to support zero emissions projects in Byron, including renewable energy, organic farming, re-vegetation projects etc
• *Having access to confidential conversations allows us to learn best practice initiatives from other shires, cities and regions. For example, I have been invited to participate in a confidential dialogue, to spend two hours engaging with leaders from fifteen cities, towns and regions from around the world. The Mayor of Vancouver, Canada, Gregor Robertson, has already agreed to lead off this dialogue by sharing his city’s recent experience with designing a long-term plan to shift Vancouver to using 100% renewable energy. This will be a closed event (not open to media coverage), to encourage free and candid dialogue among participants.*Being the only Australian local government present, we have strong and regular access to Australian government officials in the climate change field; this will position us perfectly to be at the forefront of funding and trailing of emission reduction projects that flow after an increased emission target that will flow after Paris.
  

  ---

You can help Simon Richardson get to Paris by clicking on the link below and donating:

https://www.chuffed.org/project/showcasingbyron

The post Care about climate change? Help get Simon Richardson to Paris… appeared first on .

According to Festival Director Remy Tancred, this year’s Sample Food Festival is promising to be one of the most exciting and entertaining yet. Bangalow is once more playing host to the largest gastronomic gathering in the Byron Shire’s calendar, and it’s all on today…

The 2015 festival welcomes celebrity guest chefs Adriano Zumbo (Zumbo), Luke Hines (The Paleo Way) Clayton Donovan (Jaaning Tree, Nambucca Heads) James Viles (Biota Dining, Bowral) and Steven Snow (Fins, Kingscliff).

The day starts from 8am with fresh food offerings at the Farmer’s Market and then evolves into a feast of food.  Thirty of the region’s best restaurants will offer a $5 and $10 tasting plate which will keep you full all day. . In between plates, wander the marketplace and chat to local producers and designers about their wares. With over 200 exhibitors, there’s plenty of  products, gifts and homewares to discover.

Cooking demonstrations will be abundant from early morning at the highly regarded Northern Rivers Food cooking stage. Kicking off at 8:15am is trainer, celebrity and promoter of healthy living, Luke Hines and his MKR buddy Dan Mulhern. Luke and Dan will demonstrate their favourite breakfast recipes, using produce from the Byron Farmer’s Market. Providing further entertainment is the competitive TAFE NSW North Coast cooking.

Adriano Zumbo of ‘Zumbo’  – famous for his croquembouche towers

Keeping the children entertained is easy at the festival. The well-known Macadamia Castle will bring a host of baby animals for the little ones to pet and feed. And new to the festival this year is the creative cabin This Old Duck, featuring hands-on, imaginative craft ideas. And in the afternoon, keep an eye out for the ever-vibrant Shorty Brown who will wander the arena, making balloons come to life.

To help cleanse the palate over the day, the award winning local brewery Stone & Wood will offer a range of beers, alongside delectable wines from Cloudy Bay and effervescent Moet and Chandon. There will also be plenty of non-alcoholic beverages including Madura Tea, Mount Warning Spring Water and the new Organic Drink Co.

The festival offers visitors the chance to relax, take a plate and a drink, settle on the grass and enjoy the atmosphere, tastes and sounds of the event. Soak up the vibe from midday at the SAE Byron Bay Music stage, where local, professional artists will play a variety of genres including blues and roots, jazz and contemporary tunes. Prior to this, students from the local Mullumbimby High School will entertain guests with their emerging talents. Sample is also thrilled to have former guitarist and songwriter of Powderfinger, Darren Middleton, closing the festival with his acoustic charm from 3pm.

Tickets are $5 per person and children are free. Come and indulge your senses in this culinary, stunningly decadent event on Saturday September 5 from 8am until 4pm. www.samplensw.com

HIGHLIGHTS

Sample Food Festival is the premier food and lifestyle festival for Northern NSW.  The Festival is held in the village of Bangalow, Byron Bay Shire, and is supported by 200 exhibitors comprising local chefs, producers, growers and artisans. Their impressive flavours and bold creative flair attract over 15,000 visitors annually. With the great food comes live music as well as celebrity cooking demonstrations and other evnts. Guests include Adriano Zumbo, James Viles of two-hatted restaurant Biota Dining and musician Darren Middleton (formally from Powderfinger). Saturday September 5th from 8am – 4pm at the Bangalow Showgrounds.

The post Sampling the samples at Sample – it’s on today in Bangalow appeared first on .

Local Bluegrass group The Wilson Pickers.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones that left your run to buy a Byron Bay Writers’ Festival ticket too late, don’t despair – there’s plenty on this weekend – and  a veritable smorgasboard of events during August.

The Bangalow BBQ & Bluegrass Festival only started last year, but it was a crowd-pleaser from the start, and so it’s not surprising to see that it’s already grown, with a great line-up of musos and bands from far and near, including The Wilson Pickers, The Company and Green Mohair Suits. It’s on today, Saturday August 8 at the Bangalow Showgrounds from 10.o0 am, and tickets are available at the gate.  Kids under 18 are free, which makes it a cheap family day out.  Great food, great music, great weather…enjoy.

In the meantime, if the white noise of writers and music gets too much, up at Tweed Heads, there’s the 17th Tweed Antiques and Collectables Fair, which runs all day on August 8 and 9, at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre, Brett Street, Tweed Heads.  You never know, you might just pick up a bargain…and be back in the Shire in time for the next session.

Next weekend – August 14 – 16, the hills are alive with a different sound of music with the Bangalow Music Festival for 2015.  The Festival is celebrating its 14th year, and it’s 20 years since Creative Director Tania Frazer started the highly successful Southern Cross Soloists chamber music ensemble.  This year’s festival explores the connections between past and present – and celebrates the promise of a bright future. Artists appearing include Piers Lane, Karin Schaupp and William Barton, as well as members of Southern Cross Soloists – and international visitor, UK conductor Rainer Hersch.  The Festival kicks off on Thursday night, August 13, with the Festival Prelude at the A&I Hall.

Comic and musician Rainer Hersch brings his one-man show to the Byron at Byron for the Bangalow Music Festival.

Tickets range from the Platinum Subscription of $450pp to single concert tickets for $55 – try your luck at the A&I Hall next weekend call Southern Cross Soloists on 07 3833 7260 or email [email protected] or visit www.southernxsoloists.com

Suvira McDonald’s ‘Lost River’.

If you’re in town for the Music Festival, take a little time out to follow this year’s North Coast Mud Trail, and unearth your local potter – or even perhaps, your inner potter.  Visit 10 studio potters in nine beautiful Northern Rivers locations, catch a workshop, demonstration or artist talk – and buy your first Christmas presents.

Potters include the incredibly talented multi-disciplinary arts practitioner Suvira McDonald who is throwing open his Federal studio; the dynamic duo of ceramcists Karen Jennings and Jenn Johnston at their Tooheys Mill Road studio in leafy Fernleigh; the brilliantly minimalist work of John Stewart at his studio near Clunes and the 2012 winner of the $10,000 Townsville Ceramic Award, Catherine Lane, whose luminous pieces are bsed on a practice grounded in the Japanese ‘mingei’ tradition.

For enquiries call Suvira McDonald on 02 6684 9194 and for a list of Australian Ceramics Open Studios go to: www.australianceramics.com

Karen Jennings and Jenn Johnston at the Tooheys Mill Pottery.

The post Mud Trails, Music and more appeared first on .