A climate change adaptation forum is set to be one of the highlights of this year’s Tweed River Festival program begining next week.
The river festival starts next week and culminates in the main day celebrations on Saturday, November 12 at the newly-revamped Jack Evans Boat Harbour.
The main day will feature fabulous food, information stalls and family entertainment, ending with the lantern parade at dusk (from 7.30pm) followed by fireworks over the water.
The public forum, to be held on Tuesday, November 9 from 6pm (DST), coincides with the 20th Anniversary NSW Coastal Conference at Tweed Heads (November 8-11), also hosted by Tweed Shire Council.
The forum will be held at the South Tweed Community Hall at the corner of Heffron Street and Minjungbal Drive, Tweed Heads South.
The focus of the forum, which is open at all members of the community, will be on how government is preparing communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Speakers will represent all tiers of Government.
The Chair of the Coasts and Climate Change Council, Professor Bruce Thom, will give a national perspective covering coastal science and implications for planning and management.
The Coasts and Climate Change Council provides advice to the Australian Government on adaptation priorities.
Christopher Lee, Manager of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, will provide insights into the NSW Government’s role in developing policies and programs for climate change adaptation.
Tweed Shire Council staff will present local adaptation projects and issues including local food security, flooding and coastal hazard management.
For more information about climate change, please visit the Australian Government website at www.climatechange.gov au/climate-change, the NSW Government website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/climate change or Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Sustainability/ClimateChangeImpacts
All are welcome. If you wish to attend, please register by calling Council on (02) 6670 2400 or
1300 292 872.
Tweed Shire Council hosts the Tweed River Festival each year to celebrate our environment and community, while promoting the importance of our catchment and waterways.
Festival coordinator, Council’s Natural Resource Management Coordinator Jane Lofthouse, said the annual festival is an opportunity to share and discover some of the secrets of the Tweed River and coastal estuaries.
“It’s also an opportune chance to reflect on the issues affecting the Shire’s waterways and what can be done to address them,” Ms Lofthouse said.
The festival kicks off this Friday with the Caldera Art 2011 Tweed River Festival Exhibition at the Caldera Art Gallery in the World Heritage Rainforest Centre in Murwillumbah (November 4-18). The artworks highlight issues relevant to beach, foreshore, estuarine and riparian ecosystems.
Get out and get active on one of the Tweed’s beautiful estuaries next week (November 6-13) with discounted water sports on offer from hire businesses in Jack Evans Boat Harbour at Tweed Heads, Cudgen Creek at Kingscliff and Cudgera Creek at Hastings Point.
Students at participating schools will be busy making lanterns from Monday next week, with lanternmaking workshops underway in preparation for the lantern parade at the main day activities on Saturday, November 12 at Jack Evans Boat Harbour.
Join local bird and wetland habitat experts on a free escorted tour along the Terranora Broadwater foreshore, leaving from Birds Bay Drive at Tweed Heads West on Monday, November 7 from 9am to 11am. Please register on (02) 6670 2400 or 1300 292 872.
Another tour will be held on Wednesday, November 9 from 9am to 10am, leaving from Philp Parade at Tweed Heads South. Please register on (02) 6670 2400 or 1300 292 872.
The boat ‘Captain Bill’ will host the Tweed Catchment Catch Up on Thursday, November 10 from 11.30am to 2pm, showcasing issues and projects relevant to the environmental management of the lower Tweed Estuary, particularly Cobaki and Terranora Broadwaters. ‘Captain Bill’ will depart from the Tweed Marina at River Terrace, Tweed Heads. Please register on (02) 6670 2400 or 1300 292 872 for the free tour and discussion.
The main day of the festival on Saturday, November 12 at the newly-revamped Jack Evans Boat Harbour will feature fabulous food, information stalls and family entertainment, culminating in the lantern parade at dusk (from 7.30pm) followed by fireworks over the water.
“So grab a picnic blanket and bring all the family and come see the river in a different light,” Ms Lofthouse said.
For the full program, visit www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/riverfestival
