FREE entry – book here
Battle For Byron (52 minutes)
Friday 10 August from 6pm to 7.30pm
Byron Bay Community Centre
Gold coin donations welcome at the door
Back in the mid 90s for most Byron Shire residents it seemed that the arts and eco minded surfing Shire they lived in was about to become the next Gold Coast, or at least Noosa.
A huge tourist complex, Club Med, was about to be built and the Council was overwhelmingly pro-development. Helicopters regularly flew overhead as developers looked for the next great site.
And then something happened.
David Bradbury’s classic 52 minute 1996 documentary tells the story of a community lead campaign that shaped the Byron Shire we enjoy today. Despite our many differences and unresolved issues we remain a model for planned sustainable development for many lin Australia.
For its Byron Bay premiere the film had to be screened simultaneously on several screens such was the demand for seats. Then ABC TV screened it. And the very same events led Byron TV script writer, Deb Cox, to use the story as inspiration when writing the TV series, Sea Change, then Australia’s highest rating TV program.
And the battle is far from over…The demands of expansion have overtaken most of the east coast of Australia and the knock on effects on local facilities including roads,transport, the environment and community services are far from resolved.
So if you are a newcomer to the Shire, this is a rare opportunity to see some history and meet one of Australia’s most celebrated and awarded doco directors, David Bradbury. After the film David will talk on making the movie and its impact.
A special invitation to the many, many locals who featured in the film. Please join us at the screening, be photographed with David on stage and tell us where you are now.
David Bradbury films have been shown on all the major Australian commercial and public broadcast networks as well as overseas and have won countless international film festival prizes. David is the winner of five AFI awards and two Academy Award nominations.
I felt totally inspired by The Battle For Byron movie to protect this sacred area for our children’s, children’s children, to share with their children. Any development in this area must be done with what Bob Brown said about decision making in mind. Would our grandchildren thank us for this decision?
We have no choice but to share this sacred place, people want to come here to enjoy it.
Byron can lead the world in carefully planned environmentally and socially sustainable development. In other words, development for speculative purposes should not be welcomed here. Development aimed at preservation of this paradise can be allowed if it is for the benefit of all and for the land here. I believe that Bundjalung Country should be declared a greenbelt to be preserved at all costs. Byron Shire can be an example to the world, leading in cutting edge sustainable solutions to power, water, sewerage, environmentally friendly housing and social harmony.
Ben Ormonde
Byron Bay