A few months ago, the “ping” of a TikTok notification or a Snapchat streak was the heartbeat of our social lives. Since the Federal Government’s ban on under-16s accessing certain social media platforms hit the headlines, the adults have done most of the talking.

But what about the people actually living through it? As someone who falls into this age bracket, I wanted to go beyond politics and see how the ban is changing the day-to-day lives of my peers. Did teenage life really change? Have the so-called “addictive” apps become non-existent for everyone under the age of 16, or are adults imagining a bigger shift than what is actually happening? I caught up with 10 of my contemporaries to talk about their “old” habits, their first reaction to the news, and what they’ve gained or lost since the ban came into effect.

For some students, the ban barely registered as a major change. Jake (15) explained that social media was never central to his routine. He mainly used his phone for communicating with his friends, learning gym routines and looking at recipes, and said he “didn’t really care” when the ban was introduced because he didn’t use any of the restricted apps. Jake continues to communicate through WhatsApp and normal messaging, demonstrating that for some teenagers, friendships were never dependent on traditional social media platforms in the first place.

Others experienced the ban more negatively. Brooke (15) said she “spent quite a lot of time” on Instagram before the restrictions began, originally using it to stay connected with friends before becoming absorbed in trends and entertainment. Although she felt “shocked” when she heard the news, she also stated that she “completely understood why it was being enforced”. She believes the policy fell flat in its implementation, explaining that “most people my age found easy ways around it”.

Banjo (14) offered a more positive perspective. Before the ban, he mainly used WhatsApp and YouTube to organise plans and stay included socially. Unlike expectations that teenagers would strongly resist the change, Banjo said he was “pretty happy” when he first heard about the restrictions because he believed they could help people step away from social media addiction and participate more in real life. While his own routine did not change dramatically, he noticed friends spending less time scrolling and more time communicating through group chats instead of social media.

Despite the intention of the ban, several teenagers said enforcement had been difficult. Some had created new accounts or moved to different platforms. Banjo supported this idea, noting that “people are leaving Snapchat and TikTok etc. and participating more in real life”, but added that “the ban isn’t working as effectively as it should, and many kids are still on social media from my experience”. Similarly, Brooke suggested the policy had changed access rather than stopped usage.

Sadie (14) described a very different experience. As a frequent social media user, using the platforms “every chance I could get”, Sadie relied on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for entertainment and connection. She said she felt “very annoyed” when the restrictions were announced, worried about missing out socially. Although she sometimes felt on the “outside” of friend groups after losing complete access to shared trends, she also noticed unexpected positives. Like Willow (13), who supports the ban despite never having social media, Sadie observed friends communicating more face to face and found herself watching more shows and even reading more books, something she “would never expect” from herself.

Koa (13) and Tyrese (13) revealed how varied teenage experiences have been at the younger end of the age bracket. Koa had not engaged with social media before the ban due to parental rules but said it made him “more determined to get on social media” after his friends demonstrated ways around it, arguing the policy was “not well thought through”. In contrast, for Tyrese, who uses Snapchat and TikTok to talk to friends, the ban made little difference. He said that “nothing happened to me” when it came into effect. Their experiences show that for some the ban backfired by fuelling curiosity, while others simply didn’t care about the age restrictions.

One interesting pattern that became evident from the interviews was that many teenagers had restrictions in place at home before the official ban. Several respondents said their parents had already had a big influence on their activity, setting rules around phone use, app downloads and device access. As Jake says: “I didn’t lose anything because I only recently got a phone at 14,” which indicates that some teens were only just beginning to build phone habits anyway. Across the board, it seemed that younger teens were receiving phones later than their older siblings. Overall, it appears that parental control, specifically monitoring phone access, has shaped teens’ experiences more than the legislation itself.

Since the ban came into effect, it’s clear that social media was more than just an assortment of apps on a phone; it shaped how we stayed connected, shared our lives and filled in the gaps of everyday conversation. Across all interviews, a clear pattern emerged. While adults often described the ban as a dramatic shift in teenage culture, many young people simply adapted. For some, the change has felt frustrating and sudden, while for others it has brought unexpected positives such as more face-to-face time and less pressure online. Meanwhile, many teens were unaffected due to parental policies already in place.

From the data, it’s clear the teens who have lost access do want it back. However, what is more telling is that parents are more alert, aware and protective of their children. So the question arises: was the ban for the benefit of teenagers, or was it more of an educational wake-up call to parents?

“I’ve lived in Bangalow my whole life and love being part of the community. I really enjoy being active, helping people and being involved in community activities,” says Charlotte.

People tend to moan and groan a fair bit about the local council. What motivated you to apply for a spot on the Byron Youth Council?

To be honest, given this is a new initiative, I didn’t really know what to expect when I applied. I wanted to apply because I think

young people should have a say in decisions that affect our community and I thought it would be a great way to meet new people across the Shire. It can feel like young people’s opinions are heard well in some areas, like schools or sports clubs, but there don’t seem to be many opportunities outside of these spaces. The Youth Council is a really good opportunity for people my age to share ideas and help make positive changes in our community.

Council wants to give young people a platform to voice their views and advocate for action on issues that affect them. What issues do you think are important to young people in Bangalow and 2479?

Bangalow is a great place to live, and I think it’s really important that young people feel included and supported here. I think some of the important issues for young people in our area include having safe places to hang out, especially since the Bangalow Bowlo shut down. It would be great to have more spaces where teenagers can spend time with friends in a safe and welcoming environment. Good sports and recreational facilities are also really important, because a lot of young people here are very active. And living in such a beautiful area, it’s also important to make sure our beaches and natural environment are protected for the future.

Being part of the Youth Council is a chance for us to actually have a say about things that affect teenagers in our area. I also love volunteering, and I think the Youth Council could be a great way to help more young people get involved in the community and feel like they’re part of making a difference.

How will you connect to, and consult with, young people in order to stay in touch with issues?

I think it’s really important to listen to lots of different young people. Given the restrictions around social media, in-person discussions will be the way to go. I’m lucky to have a younger brother at Bangalow Public School, and we have quite a few community events, e.g. the Billy Cart Derby and the Bangalow Show, that could provide opportunities to speak with local teens. I love chatting with my teammates through netball and many different sports about their concerns, and I connect with kids involved in community groups like Surf Life Saving. The local media could also help us achieve our goals. I want to make sure I’m listening to different perspectives so I can represent as many young people as possible.

What skills are you hoping to build on or develop during the 12 months you will be on the Youth Council?

It’s a great chance to develop leadership skills and learn more about how local government works. However, for me, it’s about building confidence in speaking up on issues I believe in. I’d also like to work on projects that can make a real difference to my friends and community.

Being part of the Youth Council will be a great opportunity to learn how to represent people and make a difference in the community.

Are you interested in a career in politics?

I am not totally sure about what I want to do when I grow up, but I am certain that the skills I learn throughout these 12 months will help me with whatever I choose to do.

What was the first Byron Youth Council meeting like?

The first meeting was a chance to meet everyone in the Council and the councillors. We got a chance to look over the opportunities that we will have over the 12 months. There is a wide age range and teens from all parts of Byron Shire. What I discovered was that we are there for the same reason, but all bring a variety of different perspectives and skills. Everyone was so welcoming and excited to kick off the next 12 months of action!

Keep your eye out for Charlotte in The Bangalow Herald over the next 12 months. She will be reporting in on the Byron Youth Council, and The Herald will support Charlotte in her efforts to connect to young people in the 2479 postcode.

It was meant to be the adventure of a lifetime. In early December 2025, Seb Stockdale had just landed in Japan on his first solo overseas trip – a working holiday and a snowboarding dream. But it soon became clear that something wasn’t right.

“I was over there for about maybe two weeks before I started getting like symptoms of anaemia, just really fatigued and every day I just be able to do less and less.” That turned into nausea, vomiting, and a complete loss of appetite. Then a cyst under his arm became an abscess which required draining at a Japanese medical clinic, followed by IV antibiotics. “After a few days one of the doctors said I looked quite pale and did a blood test.” The following day Seb learned he was dangerously anaemic, and his platelet count was nine. It should have been 180.

That day, Seb was taken to a hospital in Sapporo, about an hour and a half away. “They ran some more tests and then the haematologist came and saw me and basically just said that they found signs of leukaemia.”

The medical team gave him blood and platelets to get him stable enough to fly. “Mum actually came over to fly back with me which was great ‘cause I had someone to talk to.”

Back in Australia, Seb was taken straight to the Gold Coast hospital where further tests revealed a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia with FLT-3 mutation, a rare and fast-growing form of blood and bone marrow cancer.

“I need a bone marrow transplant, or it will just keep coming back no matter how many times they get rid of it,” says Seb. Dad Graeme puts a finer point on it: “He will not survive unless we find a stem cell donor.”

For now, Seb needs to get through three rounds of chemotherapy and prepare for transplant. The transplant means he needs a donor match needs to be found, and the family are appealing to people aged 18-35 worldwide to have their blood tested to see if they are a match, and to register on the Bone Marrow Register.

It’s not a matching blood type but a search for a blood donor who has six DNA markers that exactly match Seb’s. Sadly, no one in the Stockdale family has a strong enough match. ‘It’s not just about being related,” says Jen.

If your blood sample is found to be a match, the next part of the donation process is far less intense than most people imagine. “You go to your local hospital or Blood Bank or whatever and they’ll just give you party pies, sausage rolls and milkshakes and you just sit there while they take a larger than average blood donation.” No needles in the hip or anything gruesome as maybe have been used in times gone by.

After that, the stem cells are separated from the blood and used to create new bone marrow, and Seb’s old bone marrow is removed. “Then they inject that new bone marrow into Seb’s empty bones,” says Jen.

If you’re nervous about needles, there are other ways to join the register. “You can actually order a mouth swab through the mail… if you’re anaemic you know you can do the mouth swab as well. It’s obviously not the best but yeah, they definitely accept that as well.”

Locally, the Lifeblood donor centre in Lismore even knows Seb’s name. “You can say I’m doing it for Seb Stockdale and then just put it to his tally so he knows that there are lots of people out there thinking of him,” says Jen.

Seb’s already gone through one intense month of chemo. The family all shaved their heads in solidarity for Seb’s journey. He’s home briefly, before heading back in for the next round. When the time is right, he’ll be admitted to the Royal Brisbane hospital for the transplant and recovery, which will take another three and a half months. “So when he gets inducted into the Royal Brisbane hospital, they call the donor that they found as the match,” says Jen.

The best outcomes come from younger donors, which is why the register focuses on people aged 18 to 35. “Basically, the older stem cells, the harder it is for his body to integrate,” says Jen

Herald readers will remember the Stockdales as the well-loved family behind the Stockpot Kitchen, a hugely popular southern-style eatery that was a crowd favourite operating out of the Bangalow Bowlo for a number of years.

Known for its slow-cooked meats and smoky flavours it brought a welcoming, community-focused vibe to town. After years in Bangalow, the Stockpot Kitchen moved to Lismore, where it continues to serve up its signature hospitality even through the tough times. Like so many in our region, the family faced the devastating 2022 floods with resilience, rolling up their sleeves to help rebuild the town they now call home.

Now they are asking you to roll up your sleeve, literally.

Readers with kids or grandkids in the 18–35-year-old age bracket are encouraged to have a conversation with their young people about giving a blood sample and joining the Bone Marrow Register. They might just save a life.

For more information, visit lifeblood.com.au

Sally Schofield

For autistic individuals, young and old, and those with ADHD or other sensory profiles, the festive season can be less about cheer and more about managing discomfort – with a side serving of overwhelming smells and small talk.

So, with some practical strategies (and a little empathy), here’s how to make Christmas a little more inclusive for those with unique sensory needs. It may not be a Silent Night, but with a few tweaks, you’ll get through with a little less stress and a bit more calm.

Predictability is a present

Surprises might be part of the season for some, but for many ND people, routine and predictability are essential. Wrapped gifts with unknown contents can cause anxiety. A simple solution is to write a clue on the tag or give a heads-up about the gift. Even better, gift cards can avoid any discomfort altogether. If you or your child prefer to open gifts privately, feel free to let others know.

Plan your quiet place

Whether you’re visiting someone else’s home or hosting, make sure there’s a calm space to retreat to when needed – a shady verandah, a quiet room, or even the car. Pack a sensory survival kit: comfort items, fidgets, headphones, sunglasses – whatever helps soothe and regulate. Show kids where the quiet space is and how to access it. Always ask the host before wandering through their house to find it.

Eat your way

Festive food traditions can be delightful – or a sensory nightmare. If you or your child find certain textures, flavours or smells difficult, bring your own food. There’s no need to explain or apologise. Let kids serve themselves if possible. If that ends up being plain pasta or chicken nuggets, that’s perfectly fine. It’s about comfort, not conformity.

Minimise the small talk

Chatting with extended family or acquaintances can be tiring. It’s okay to stick to brief greetings like “Merry Christmas” or “Lovely to see you” and then gracefully step away. There’s also no rule that says you have to hug or kiss relatives. Teach children they can wave, high-five or fist bump if that feels more comfortable.

Know your limits

Increased sensory input, disrupted routines and social overload can lead to shutdowns or meltdowns. Give yourself and your loved ones grace. Ready-to-cook meals are your friend. You don’t need to serve a traditional spread – festive paper plates with favourite foods work just as well.

Don’t overcommit to social events. One gathering may be plenty. Plan recovery days between activities. Give children time to unwind with drawing, gaming, pets or their favourite show. Quiet time isn’t a luxury – it’s essential.

A neurodivergent-friendly Christmas is one where consent, flexibility and personal comfort take priority over tradition or expectations. This season, let’s choose calm over chaos and joy over pressure

Sally Schofield

“On the 22nd of December last year we went up to Foodworks and loaded up the trolley; we had no idea what to do. If you’d have told me where we would be today I don’t know if I would have believed you,” says Bangalow Men’s Shed President David Noakes.

The Bangalow Community Pantry is celebrating its first year of operation, and a lot has happened between now and that inaugural trip to Foodworks. I had the chance to speak to David and Shed member Louise Anderson, who have been running the pantry, to learn more about the work they’ve been doing out in front of the Men’s Shed.

“The idea started about five years ago with Rev. Rosie Wynter,” David says. “We were The well-stocked pantry fills a gap for locals struggling to make ends meet Photos Georgia Fox noticing more people sleeping rough, women in the car with their kids, and we wanted to do something about it.”

It took a while to get things off the ground and to convince the town that this was something people really did need. “One of the key things I learnt very quickly,” says Louise “is that even though we are perceived as a very affluent locality, I knew from previous work that if you open up a kitchen cupboard, they could often be bare.” David expressed it quite plainly, saying “it’s the really simple stuff that we just take for granted. It’s a norm for us but it’s not for a lot of our people”.

Homelessness has been a big topic in the Byron Shire. Adding to that the day-to-day struggles of food insecurity can be too much to bear for many, especially those with dependents to care for. There is a strong link between food security and mental health, as studies by the National Library of Medicine show. On Monday mornings between 7-9am, people can come and pick up Help In Your Area (HIYA) vouchers which can be redeemed at Foodworks. This is a joint effort between the Lions Club, the CWA, and the Pantry. “When we meet on Mondays, we always have a counsellor on hand, to offer other avenues of support when needed,” Louise says. “This has become a de facto community hub, which Bangalow has really been missing.”

Between the Pantry and the vouchers, people have discreet options to reach out for the help they may be needing when the hard rains fall.

Getting the Pantry built wasn’t hard at all though, as businesses were happy to chip in. “We never paid for a penny of the materials, which meant we could put that money straight into the food,” says David. “That’s a credit to our community.”

The local community’s generosity has been silently working behind the scenes. “We did a lot of work bringing resources together and finding sponsors and supporters, and we now have ongoing relationships with local businesses and individuals who help us stock this Pantry and keep it full,” says Louise.

In the future, David and Louise hope to integrate the Orange Sky program into Bangalow, a mobile laundromat and shower service, for which they are currently on the wait list. “We’re not out to change the world, we’re just trying to do the best we can for those who need it,” says David.

And as to whether Bangalow needed this or not? “We’re out there restocking every day. There’s a communications board inside to hear what people specifically need, but most of the time we just get messages of thanks, which is wonderful,” says Louise.

Another interesting fact is that you might be helping fund this program without even realising it. David estimates 85% of the funds raised at the Men’s Shed’s Bangalow market stall go directly back into this area of the club. For those who are interested, other forms of help are always welcomed. “We’d love for people to get involved however they can,” Louise and David agree. “If anyone wants to donate time it won’t go to waste; there’s always jobs to do and a need for more product too!”

Another thing that’s always needed is safety. When people are at their most vulnerable, it was important to consider how to make the experience of using the pantry a safe, dignified one. “The lights and security cameras make this a place people can come whenever they need,” David says. “Some people don’t want to be seen, so it was crucial to allow access at night. Making sure people are able to do that has positively impacted our effectiveness.”

“Bangalow is a hidden oasis,” Louise adds. “It’s a safe place for people to come.”

“Another important thing we supply is dog and cat food. It provides such impactful emotional and physical security.” For some, having a pet can be a barrier to entry for emergency accommodation, as they can’t support the animals. Impassioned, David says “they’ll say ‘I couldn’t live without them’, and that’s not just a throwaway line”.

Louise, equally as passionate, says “there are a lot of services down in Byron, but when you’re in a much more delicate situation, it became obvious to us that we were witnessing a different struggle. We’re not here for people to run down and grab a jar of olives when they run out at home.”

This kind of compassion is the backbone of a strong community. It gives a sense of meaning and belonging to a town. David, who has been working with the Men’s Shed since 2018 says “it keeps me getting out of bed in the morning.”

“If we don’t talk about it, it remains hidden,” says Louise. “To be able to get what you need without filling a form just keeps that dignity.”

“They’re more than numbers,” agrees David. “We’re all about the human head and the heart.”

@bangalow.mensshed

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, they say. In the past few months, Bangalow Heritage House Museum has started receiving requests from teachers for their students to explore the museum and neighbouring Piccabeen Park. What’s the story?

The Living School in Lismore wanted their teenagers to visit the museum “as part of a unit on civilisation”. A busload of 18 students – 14- and 15-year-old young learners – visited in August, keen to see how life was lived from the 1930s to 1950s. Of particular interest to them was the old classroom set-up with its ‘quaint’ wooden school desk, plus the textbooks of that era. The teenagers were also interested to find out how to get involved in their local community, and a visit to the CWA followed.

For Emmanuel Anglican College, Ballina, the incentive to bring along 45 seven- and eight-year-old kids (plus a few teachers and parents) is a program called Mini Coastal College. It forms part of an Integrated Studies course that includes science, history, geography, mathematics, English and visual arts.

Roxanne Kent, the leader of Foundational Learning at Emmanuel Anglican College, explained their interest. “Inspired by the Reggio Emilia educational approach and the Forest Schools of Scandinavia, the aim of our Mini Coastal College program is to introduce students to new, engaging, challenging and fun opportunities to learn, play and grow.

The program is delivered by highly skilled educators whose purpose is to equip and support students to investigate, explore, discover, apply, practise and master new concepts, skills and understandings, whilst also meeting the syllabus requirements in a natural outdoor environment.”

The “natural outdoor environment” Roxanne selected was Piccabeen Park and the Bangalow Museum. Though their school is located in Ballina, teacher Alyssa Marshall explained: “Many of our students also live in and around the Bangalow area, so it is part of their community. The motive was to deepen the students’ understanding of the town’s history, culture and environment while building a stronger connection to their local community. The exploration also encouraged curiosity, respect for the environment and a sense of responsibility in caring for the area, helping students appreciate both the past and the importance of protecting Bangalow’s future.”

But what did the kids themselves think about the experience? Leo said, “I love Coastal College because we get to go out into nature and experience lots of things.” For Max, it was “because you get to be out of school and in the sunshine.” For Rachael, “The thing I love most about Coastal College is that we got to learn about the park’s heritage and explore nature.” From the teachers’ perspective, “It was a valuable learning experience for all students. Outdoor learning allows children to explore, discover, and learn in hands-on ways,” added Mel McClelland.

Though the Emmanuel College students who visited were from Year 2 in a Coastal College program that runs over eight Thursdays during Term 3, their Year 3 students go to Seven Mile Beach and Lake Ainsworth in Ballina, while Year 4 students visit Ballina’s Lighthouse Beach. The program will happen again every year.

And what was the experience like for the Bangalow Historical Society? “When the students visited Heritage House, they discovered a wealth of new things which piqued their curiosity – so important for learning,” commented Historical Society Secretary and former teacher, Heather West. “Coming here also exposed them to a diversity of ideas and information about different people, places and time periods, all contributing to broadening their horizons of knowledge. Handling Aboriginal artefacts and understanding their use helped contribute to their appreciation and respect of our Indigenous culture.

“There’s no doubt about it, their visit was a win all round. Our volunteers loved it, the teachers enjoyed observing their students being engaged and communicating with others, and the kids left with a head full of new knowledge and an understanding about our collective past. There are huge benefits for kids of all ages getting out of the classroom and into an informal learning environment where they’re invited to explore and understand new concepts. The museum displays helped develop critical thinking skills and gave the kids an understanding of the past and how it compares with the present.”

To enquire about a school learning experience, call 02 6687 2183

Despite his comparatively late start, once the passion for the instrument was ignited, Malik began to practise with a “ferocious enthusiasm” says his mother, Ambyr, and in a very short time he has come a long way, creating a serious future for himself.

Malik Traki Johnston (or Malik Sofian, his middle name and Insta identity) is not a typical 17-year-old, and his development as a pianist has not been conventional. For a start, growing up, he didn’t have much interest in music, and was even confused about why other kids liked it at all: “I’d see them listening to various genres like metal or rock or rap music, and I just never liked it to any degree. And I thought myself rather strange for that.”

The only music he could relate to was in films, such as ‘The Imperial March’ in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, “so I guess that was a sign I’m more aligned to dramatic classical music”, he says.

He listens to more music now and has multiple playlists featuring many different genres. Classical is the foundation, then jazz, from early 20th century through to Charlie Parker.

His favourite jazz pianist is Oscar Peterson, for his virtuosity. “He’s incredible. His fingers are just so nimble and he can create a thunderstorm of sound.” That word again.

Another unusual feature of Malik’s development was how his ability to play outstripped his theoretical understanding, as Ambyr explains: “Many gifted kids learn from when they’re two or three or four; they learn to play and learn music at the same time. But Malik became quite advanced in his playing before he ever learned how to read music.”

When Malik met his first teacher, Bangalow’s Linda Armstrong, a little over four years ago, “he didn’t even want to look at the music”, she says. “We were starting from scratch, the very basics.”

But Malik knew what he wanted to play, and he has a “fantastic ear”, she says. “He can listen to the music and then hear if he’s doing it right. He picked it up so quickly. And he has an amazing memory.”

“The hardest piece I’ve ever played, I learned by ear,” Malik says. The piece, Liszt’s ‘La Campanella’, requires an astoundingly brisk allegretto tempo and is famously difficult.

But when he knew that he wanted music to be his life, he caught up with the theory, and in 2023 learnt to read music in nine months; in 2024 he was awarded the Licentiate Diploma of Music Performance (LMus) with honours from St Cecilia – signifying a high level of musical performance, achieved through rigorous practical and theoretical assessments.

Some of this commitment was due to the influence of his second teacher, Mark Hooper, in Brisbane, who insists his students study the sheet music: “What is the music telling you?” he asks them. “That’s the best connection you have to what was in the composer’s mind.”

Malik says: “It’s a privilege to be able to be in a position where you can express the music, absolutely. That makes you a real musician, in a way. As Mark says: ‘An amateur uses the music to express their feelings, and a professional uses their feelings to express the music’.”

To pursue his interest in jazz, Malik studies with Nick Campbell at the Lismore Conservatorium, where he had a scholarship for two years, the first through the Con itself, the second through the Harmony Fund, established by local identity (and music lover) Vicky Brooke.

Along with determination and a phenomenal memory, Malik possesses another distinctive quality, Linda says. “If he loves a piece of music and wants to learn it, he researches it – learns how old the composer was when they wrote it, and if they’d had their heart broken, and so on, and he wants to play with the same feeling the composer had when it was written, which I see as a very adult concept.”

Malik began homeschooling with Ambyr in 2022, after a few unsettled years of high school. He attended several over the years but, as he told The Piano presenter, Amanda Keller, “I did not fit in at school. A lot of people probably thought I was weird, but I see myself as a very shy kid, and self-critical”.

Homeschooling allowed him to prioritise the piano over other studies but he has returned to high school, at Cape Byron Steiner, to do his HSC. He plans on enrolling for a Bachelor of Music Performance next year, ideally in Melbourne, and is looking forward to the cold and the grey: it’s that romantic temperament emerging again – the drama of stormy skies.

But there is another side to this tendency too: “With Liszt, like the other Romantics, there’s the very virtuosic thing, all the drama and the showmanship, which I’ve always loved, and then the contrast – a very delicate, gentle side, which a lot of people maybe didn’t see in him when he was alive. There’s an emotional quality about it, reflective,” he says.

It could almost be a description of himself: with his wild hair and velvet jackets he looks, and plays, like a romantic hero, blowing listeners away with his bravura performances. But behind this is a sensitive and vulnerable young man, someone for whom, as he revealed in The Piano, music signifies hope. Succeeding with the piano has taught him that he can tackle difficulties in other areas of his life, he said.

Malik says The Piano was a great experience, especially meeting other pianists and piano enthusiasts, and it was likely a big confidence booster too, judging by the reception he received: the Beethoven piece is “one of the most deceptively difficult pieces in the repertoire and especially for someone with three-and-a-half years of piano playing”, said international star Andrea Lam.

“Unbelievably impressive”, was Harry Connick Jnr’s verdict of the performance.

The experience also proved cathartic: “Before the piano I was very angry,” he tells Amanda Keller. “Now I can channel my emotions through the music, the good and the bad. The piano is joy, kindness, struggle, hope, strength and despair. You can really tell a story through the music, and make people understand.”

The Brunswick Heads concert was just the latest in a series of successful appearances: At the invitation of White Rabbit Gallery owner Judith Neilson, he performed an hour-long recital at a venue called The Church, in Alexandria, eight pieces altogether.

He also played at the Bangalow Chamber Music Festival, and had lessons with one of the Festival’s stars – the terrifyingly gifted Konstantin Shamray at a piano intensive in Armidale.

“Last year Konstantin played, out of the blue, ‘La Valse’ by Ravel, and almost blew the ceiling off,” Malik recalls. “It was insane. The sound he creates is just like what I said about Oscar Petersen in the thunderstorm. Just like that, but on drugs.

“That is my ultimate mood. I want to replicate that. I want to give my audience that kind of transcendent experience.”

Paul ‘Campo’ Campton once considered learning a trade – it’s a good thing he didn’t or he wouldn’t have met his life-long partner, Jannine. The pair met working together at the Commonwealth Bank branch in Manly and spent a few years together on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, including a stint as a branch manager in Dee Why, before moving to the Hinterland in 1994. “One of Paul’s absolute best friends lived up here and one of my best friends lived up here, so we’d come up to visit them and we thought, ‘oh, yeah, that would be nice’,” says Jannine.

It wasn’t long before the couple, then in their early 30s, settled into a quieter life on acreage in Binna Burra but “it didn’t take long for Paul to get into the social side of things,” says Jannine, of her famously social husband. She joined in the celebrations until the couple’s daughters came along a few years later – Marlie in 1998, and Brianna in 2001. Paul’s eldest daughter Kristy moved to the Northern Rivers with her mum, Annie, around 11 years ago, and now has three of her own children, who called Campo ‘Poppy Paul.’ “He cried when Kristy told him she was pregnant. He was just so happy,” says Brianna.

Campo relished fatherhood and grandparenting. When Brianna and Marlie were young, he used to shout the girls to ‘chips and a drink’ – usually a pink lemonade – as a weekly treat at the pub each Thursday while Jannine did a late shift at the hospital. Known for his baked beans on toast kids’ meals, he once wowed the family with a stuffed roast chicken dinner that took all day to prepare, using a recipe sourced – with great hilarity – from the front bar regulars. “He couldn’t cook and wanted to prove us wrong. And honestly, it was incredible, but that was the one time he ever cooked,” says Marlie. He was, however, quite at home behind the BBQ, and this was demonstrated for many years as he and the family sizzled sausages outside Herne’s butcher shop of a Saturday morning, raising funds for the then-primary school-aged Campton girls to compete in out-of-town athletics events. “He was never a pushy sports parent, and he always respected and supported all the kids. He was so excited for them and proud of everyone. So genuine. He just loved the sport,” says Brianna. “He had the gift of the gab,” says Jannine. “They sold a LOT of sausages. People would buy a sausage just to get away, I think,” she laughs. “He did like a chat.”

After the girls finished school, the Camptons embraced a modern approach to family life, with two households allowing each family member independence while still retaining the close bonds of marriage and family. “We never got divorced,” says Jannine, “we just lived in our own spaces. I want people to understand we were a happy family. Separate but together. Paul needed to be who Paul is – who the Bangalow community saw. That’s the real Paul.”

He was always humbled by the interest and support his family received while nurturing the Campton girls’ sporting pursuits. “Sometimes it was hard to see Paul’s gratitude because he’s always busy dancing and singing, but you know, he felt real feelings about things too that you wouldn’t always see,” says Jannine. He endeavoured to pay that community support forward through his involvement in the Bangalow Pub Social Club, a group of grassroots philanthropists who enjoy a beverage and work quietly behind the scenes to give financial support to locals in need, including other up-and-coming young sports people.

Campo worked at Commonwealth Bank branches in the Northern Rivers for 30 years, making friends with staff and customers from Murwillumbah to Lismore and to Ballina to Mullum. “He’s just a person that connects with people,” says Jannine, adding that he considered his work mates his ‘bank family.’ “He was such a hard worker,” says Brianna, “Everyone sees his crazy side at the pub, but he would get up every morning and go to work.” Until last year, he worked four days at the bank, also, since 1994, kept a friend’s acreage property in Dunoon ‘pretty immaculate’ two days a week. “And then Sunday, because we lived on a property then, he worked there too,” says Brianna. “We had sheep and chickens growing up,” she says. “Dad was a Chicken Whisperer. They followed him around everywhere. They loved him, and he loved his animals.”

After years of hard work, Campo had been looking forward to taking some long service leave for the first time. “He had really good tickets to The Ashes. He was going to go up to Brisbane with Grant, Billy and Anthony,” says Jannine, naming some of his many front bar family. He’d also started daydreaming about retirement, taking an outback pub crawl with Brianna, and a trip to Ireland with mates Dave and Jackie. “He’s been cheated of that,” Jannine says.

He was a footy fanatic, supporting the St George Dragons in the NRL, and locally, a life-long Bangalow rugby club member. “He played up here for the Bangalow Royals rugby league team, and then when he stopped playing, he helped coach them,” says Marlie. After the Royals folded, his support moved to the Bangalow Rebels Rugby Union team, which in recent years joined with the Byron Bay team to become the Byron Shire Rebels. His involvement with the club was acknowledged with an oversized tribute to Campo painted on the grass before a memorial rugby match held at the Bangalow sports fields one week after his tragic death. “He was the grounds manager, which he was so proud of – and would remind us of every year,” says Marlie. “He’d get so excited for going to footy every week.”

For all his smiles and jolliness, Jannine hints at a complex side to Campo that most people never saw, and an upbringing that made the man determined to be a committed and involved parent in his own children’s lives. The beach was a place of solace for Campo, who in his earlier years had been a keen surfer and later taught his daughter to surf. He enjoyed walking on Broken Head Beach, sometimes with the family, sometimes just in his own company.

Campo absolutely loved music. The girls describe their regular ‘dance parties’ at home, where their Dad would load up the CD stacker and blast out the tunes. “We’d have the Saints, the Clash, R.E.M., Tom Jones, and we got to put in one – The Veronicas or the Wiggles or something random, and we’d all be dancing,” says Brianna, recalling happier times for the family. “It didn’t matter what song, he would say ‘Oh! I love this one!’ I’ve been hearing this for 40 years,” Jannine says, “I can hear him saying it.”

Sally Schofield

Paul ‘Campo’ Campton died after he was struck by a vehicle on Raftons Road, Bangalow, at around 3am on Sunday 6 July.
The driver failed to stop and has not come forward.
Contact Crime Stoppers to report any information anonymously: nsw.crimestoppers.com.au | 1800 333 000

Eli Clarke was 11 years old when his family moved onto the Jindibah community, in Fowlers Lane. At the time, his parents, Charlotte and Simon, said of the decision to move onto this rural community title (C.T.) property that they were dreaming “of a happy place where our children can grow with a respect and understanding of the environment.” In the seven years the family of six lived there, Eli fully developed his love of fishing into a fine art – and also created an early career as a passionate YouTubing nature lover, with a following in the thousands.

Running across the property for about a kilometre – including tributaries – is Sleepy Creek. Although Eli had started fishing at the age of six, living at Jindibah “is when my passion for fishing took off. I love fishing, camping and spending time outdoors and there, I had the freedom to walk down to Sleepy Creek whenever I wanted – sometimes with mates, my brother Asher, or just on my own.”

At the age of 15, in 2016, he started his own YouTube channel. “I bought my first GoPro Hero1 and began filming my bass fishing adventures. My channel captured bass fishing in the local creeks and waterways around Bangalow, Clunes, Lismore and Brunswick Heads.” He mainly filmed his adventures himself, propping his GoPro on fence posts and whatever else he could find – tripods “not even being a thought back then!”

His channel built up a large following of keen would-be fishers, wanting advice and practical suggestions – how to find the best fishing spot, what lures to use, what fish could be found where. According to Eli, who still lives locally, the most prominent fish to catch around Sleepy Creek, Byron Creek and the Bangalow area is the Australian bass. “They’re native to the region and are treated with a lot of respect by anglers who ‘catch and release’: they’re considered a sport fish, not something you keep. The bass fishing season is closed between 1 June and 31 August. Every year they need to migrate to saltwater to breed. At that time, fishing for bass is completely off-limits.”

In his experience, other species to be found walking the local riverbanks include “eels, eel-tailed catfish, mullet, the very rare eastern cod, platypus, turtles, bullrout (freshwater stonefish) and unfortunately, carp. Carp are an introduced species, causing major damaging impacts to our local freshwater creeks. Over the years, with more floods happening, this invasive species is growing rapidly and starting to cause damage. They eat the eggs of native fish like eel-tailed catfish, muddy up rivers and uproot river weeds, particularly in places like Emigrant Creek.”

Generations of children living at Jindibah have developed a love for fishing and just hanging out at the creek. Shortly after Carolyn and Neil Hannah moved into the original Fowler family farmhouse in 2018, Neil was delighted to discover the spiny freshwater crayfish (Euastacus fleckeri) in the creek. “I personally release everything I catch and don’t see any sense in taking anything out of the ecosystem,” Neil says. Today, his kids Lotte and Hamish can often be seen down by the creek, sometimes with neighbouring kids Otis, Theo and Nina Bachle. During the catfish breeding season, 14-year-old Otis has been fascinated watching the big circle of rocks the catfish make in Sleepy Creek, where they breed.

Like Eli before them, the kids living onsite today have seen plenty of huge eels, turtles, platypus, bass and eel-tailed catfish – not to mention water dragons and minnows. Otis just loves going down by the creek: “Being near the water makes me feel good,” he says. He likes to check out different types of lures, while Theo, who’s 11, likes the sound the water makes flowing over the rocks. They’re down at the creek several times a week, just a walk of a few hundred metres from their home. They find summer the best season for fishing, given the ease of finding bugs and cicadas as bait.

As youngsters, David and Jenny Kennedy’s three kids also loved exploring, swimming and rafting in the six swimming holes along Sleepy Creek. Though they caught bass and eels, all the fish they caught ended up back in the creek.

Just up Fowlers Lane, in their early teenage years, the two sons of Fay and Gary Dwyer would also spend countless hours along Sleepy Creek. “Our boys and their friends from up the lane, the Henry boys, would mainly build dams in the creek or race blackbean pods along the stream. They would spend hours along Sleepy Creek, hunting and cooking up eels, and catching and cooking yabbies. They were delicious!” Fay recalled. “These are very fond memories.”

Christobel Munson

Christobel, a founder of the Jindibah community, has lived there for 30 years. She has observed generations of children explore and enjoy its 113 acres, including the popular Sleepy Creek.

Group images Lyn McCarthy Niche Pictures, photo of Eli Clarke supplied.

You were named Young Woman at the Bangalow Show in 2024. Tell us a bit about where that has taken you since.

I have just won at Zone alongside Phoebe Southwell (Kempsey Young Woman). We will represent Zone 1 at the Sydney Royal Show 2025 in The Land Sydney Royal AgShows NSW Young Woman competition.

What or who inspired you to enter the Young Woman competition?

My passion for agriculture is the driving force behind entering the Young Woman of the Show competition. Seeing friends go through this experience and hearing about their incredible journeys encouraged me to give it a go. For me, this competition is about more than just personal growth—it’s an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and help raise awareness of the agricultural sector.

As you progress through the competition, what has been the most rewarding experience so far?

The most rewarding part of this journey has been the opportunity to connect with such a diverse range of people. From my fellow competitors to the judges, sponsors and supporters, this experience has opened doors to invaluable networking opportunities within the industry. Building these relationships and engaging in meaningful conversations about agriculture has been a highlight of my experience so far. The competition celebrates the leadership and community involvement of young rural women.

Can you share an example of the ways you demonstrate these qualities?

Giving back to the community is something I believe in deeply, no matter where I am in the world.

In 2014, my family lived on a boat, travelling through Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, where we supported local schools by donating much-needed supplies.

In 2022, alongside my father, I assisted in the Lismore flood evacuation and cleanup, witnessing firsthand the strength and resilience of the Northern Rivers community.

I’ve been a long-time member of Summerland Dressage Club and Brunswick Valley Pony Club, always keen to lend a hand where needed.

Currently, I’m in Canberra, participating in March On, a charity walk supporting Australian veterans by symbolising the distance of the Kokoda Trail. By walking, we raise funds and awareness for our brave heroes’ mental health.

I hope to continue contributing to more community initiatives throughout the year. To me, leadership in this industry means being a role model—encouraging young people to support their communities and inspiring the next generation to step up in times of need. In a rapidly changing world, fostering leadership in young people is more important than ever.

What is one message or cause you are passionate about, and how does/will the Young Woman title allow you to raise awareness or create change?

I am incredibly passionate about creating pathways into agriculture for young people. Growing up in Byron Bay, without direct ties to a farm, I had to navigate my way into the industry on my own. Thankfully, I had an inspiring agricultural teacher in high school who encouraged me to chase my dream and study AgBusiness.

So, I took a leap—moving to the University of New England without knowing a soul, driven purely by my passion for agriculture. That decision changed my life. I spent three incredible years learning about the industry, met my wonderful fiancé, and built friendships that now span across Australia and the world.

Through this competition, I hope to share my story and inspire other young people— especially those without traditional farm backgrounds—to step outside their comfort zones, explore opportunities in agriculture and pursue their passion with confidence.

What is one skill you have gained through being part of this event, and how can you see this experience shaping your future goals and aspirations?

Through this competition, both at the local and zone levels, I have truly come to appreciate the power of storytelling and advocacy. Being able to share my experiences and engage with industry leaders has reinforced my belief in the importance of effective communication in agriculture.

This experience has given me the confidence to continue using my voice to promote careers in agriculture, highlight the diversity of our industry and inspire the next generation. Moving forward, I hope to build on these skills and further contribute to the future of Australian agriculture.

Wishing Summer all the best for the Sydney Royal Show.

Feature image by Lyn McCarthy Niche Pictures