If the floods shocked the community at large, they were devastating for those whose property was destroyed or damaged. Some Bangalow residents had more than 30cm of water come through their houses, damaging flooring, appliances and possessions, while others experienced flooding in under-

house storage rooms and workshops, with thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to tools and equipment.

As always, 2479 residents stepped up to help in the aftermath, putting in hours of work to clean, dry and help dispose of damaged goods. Friends, family and community members turned up with gloves, squeegees, fans and dehumidifiers, gurneys and wet/dry vacuum cleaners, along with much-needed sustenance in the form of tea, coffee, biscuits, brownies, sandwiches and pizza to fuel the workers.

The role of the Bangalow Resilience Network

During the Friday 13th flash flooding the Bangalow Resilience Network (BRN) worked alongside the community, using our training and equipment to help clean-up efforts on the ground and calling in support via social media, in particular the Bangalow Community and Beyond Facebook page.

With many of our members trained as Community Carers and Responders (CCRs), we were able to put our skills in emergency communications, first aid, psychological first aid and disaster resilience planning to use as we supported the emergency response. We were also able to draw on the wider regional network of trained CCRs through Plan C’s CCR WhatsApp group and Facebook page. Requests to this network were answered quickly and helped support the clean-up efforts with both hands-on and remote contributions.

“A dramatic and fast-moving weather event like this,” says the BRN’s Vice-President Jo Palser, “may not need a physical hub to facilitate coordination of helpers, like we had in 2022, but what we can do is to get the word out so that people affected by the disaster get the help they need as soon as possible.” The advantage of this approach is that it helps link up affected families with the exact equipment, or helpers with particular skills, that they need. Because every disaster is different, and people will quite often be affected in different ways in the same disaster, it can be really helpful to have a trusted source to spread the word.

“The BRN is connected to Council’s recovery team and the shire-wide network of resilience volunteers. This team activates in declared natural emergencies and other widespread severe events. The system relies on having local volunteers who are on the ground to gather information and others with mobile or internet connectivity to enable them to publish updates on Facebook where possible.”

The BRN wants to extend our network of volunteers to build up strong local communications across 2479 neighbourhoods, so we are well placed for any new events.

One silver lining of the event is increased community awareness about the risks of flooding in Bangalow, which many new arrivals have understandably assumed to be less at risk than other towns in the region. But as long-time locals know, parts of Bangalow such as Deacon St and the sports fields have always flooded. With climate change making rainfall events more intense and less predictable, it is likely that going forward we will experience flooding in places that have not flooded before. Indeed, the Friday 13th flooding took place just a week after the Byron Shire Council released a flood study on the town that warned of the risks to the town of both riverine and overland flooding. The fact that floodwaters could rise as quickly as they did after only several hours of intense rain, and in a much less dramatic ‘wet season’ than we’ve had in previous years, points to the unpredictability of the situation we are now facing.

We at the BRN extend our sympathy and best wishes to all those affected by the flooding, and our gratitude to those who took part in the community response. We hope that more community members will come and join us before the next disaster, or even make contact by sending us an email or following our Facebook page.

Who are the Bangalow Resilience Network?

We are a group of 11 financial members who live in the 2479 postcode, with a wider network of around 30 people on our mailing list.

Our goal is to empower Bangalow’s response to natural emergencies by being organised, sharing knowledge, creating strong connections and taking collaborative action.

In disasters, we aim to connect with people on the ground and keep the wider community informed through our Facebook page, reaching out to our wider networks (like the CCR network, the Byron Shire Community Hubs network and the Byron Shire Community Resilience Network) and our contacts at combat agencies such as the SES, RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Byron Shire Council.

We draw on our relationships with local groups such as the CWA, Men’s Shed, Showground Committee, the Opp Shop and the Lions Club to help organise the volunteer disaster response and recovery, and have, over the past two and a half years, been slowly building an inventory of equipment including a generator, a Starlink unit with battery charger, plus 30 CB radios and three base stations.

However, our capacity to show up, gather information and communicate, and to liaise with our contacts is limited by our numbers, so please consider joining!

For more information or to be added to our emergency WhatsApp group (activated only in times of disaster), please send us an email at bangalowresiliencenetwork@gmail.com

Claire McLisky

Bangalow Resilience Network

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

“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

So, when the club shut its doors abruptly earlier this year, no community notice, no public consultation – just a sign and a visit from the locksmith – it hit harder than expected. Because what we lost wasn’t just a building with beer and bowls. We lost a ‘third place’.

Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined that term in 1989 to describe spaces that exist outside home (the first place) and work (the second place), where community happens organically. “Third places,” he wrote, “are neutral ground… informal, accessible, accommodating… a home away from home.”

Sound familiar?

The Bowlo – as it’s still affectionately known – ticked every box of what makes a ‘third place’ function. It was plain in appearance but welcoming, down-to-earth in its tone, and full of regulars. You could play barefoot bowls with toddlers and teens, or sip a schooner alongside a pensioner watching the footy. No social hierarchy. Just being.

And that presence mattered more than we knew.

The club was absorbed into a Sydney-based consortium through an amalgamation completed in 2023 – one of several regional acquisitions framed as upgrades but largely ending in disrepair and closure. The promised investment never came. Sports clubs, initially wooed by sponsorship money, were left out of pocket. Staff left. And on 24 October, the lights went out without warning.

Local sporting groups have been left without training facilities and a ‘clubhouse’. Carolyn, a Bangalow Netball Club committee member, says “The abrupt closure of the Bangalow Bowling Club has had a significant impact on the Bangalow Netball Club. The Bowlo was the training courts for five netball teams and we used them every Wednesday afternoon. Families may now have to travel to other towns just so their children can train. This puts the club at real risk of losing players and memberships. We hope there is a local solution to ensure our players can continue to participate in the sport they love and remain connected to their community.”

The social impact has been immediate and devastating.

For many older residents, the club was their primary – sometimes only – point of social contact. “Third places,” says academic Louis Heath, who has extensively researched the role of Bowling Clubs in Australian society “are particularly important for those sectors of society that have limited opportunities for social interaction such as the older and new members of the community.” They provide reasons to leave the house, interact, and regain a sense of self beyond the walls of home.

For others, particularly men, the club offered what mental health professionals call a ‘soft entry point’ – an accessible place to talk without the pressure of formality or stigma.

You could just ‘drop in’ no appointment necessary. The famed ‘Table of Knowledge’ is evidence of this. That option is now gone.

For those with limited mobility, chronic health issues or disability, the actual building was one of the only accessible venues in the whole town providing respite from the weather for older residents, or those who, like Richie Allen (now quadriplegic after a sporting accident on the very fields the club overlooks), requires a thermostatically-controlled environment such as that the club once offered, to ensure his comfort and quality of life.

The closure of the club spells the end of a vital cross-generational connector. Bangalow’s Bowlo was one of the rare places where you’d see a 75-year-old retiree swapping gardening tips with a 20-something tradie, or where kids could run free in ‘the cage’ while frazzled parents debriefed on the week that was.

“We have lost our meeting and connection place. How wonderful that any time we popped into the Bowlo we would run into friends, kids would play and we would connect. We are really feeling its absence,” says Anna, mother of two aged 5 and 9.

For newcomers to town, it offered an informal gateway into the community – somewhere to strike up a conversation, find out who’s who, enjoy a meal with friends, or be entertained by people-watching, trivia nights, open-mic events, and incredible live music.

“When Norths suddenly shut the doors of the Bangalow Bowlo, it ripped a hole in the cultural life of the shire,” says Barry ‘Dr Baz’ Ferrier. ‘For musicians, the Bowlo was one of the few remaining grassroots venues where original music, low-key youth gigs and experimental projects could actually happen. There’s a proud history of local bands, touring acts and emerging songwriters all using the auditorium as a launch pad. There’s ‘closed’ sign means lost income, and one less stage in a region that already struggles to keep live music spaces alive.”

“For the open mic community, the impact is even more personal. With a 26-year history these nights weren’t just about getting up and having a sing – they were a weekly ritual where retirees shared the bill with teenagers, where shy writers tried new songs for the first time, and where friendships and collaborations were born over cheap meals and a relaxed crowd.”

Now, the building is locked, and the interiors are neglected. Neighbours have noted rising mould and the unmistakable scent of decay that clings when a space meant for people is left empty. It’s a second insult – the slow undoing of a place where so many memories live. Life events commemorated, losses mourned, graduations celebrated, grand finals won (or lost), a wedding or two, book clubs, Two-Up, a decent parmi/parma and a pint, discos, fundraisers, trivia nights and some of the best live entertainment in the country. Or just shooting the breeze on the back deck overlooking the sports fields, and marvelling at how bloody lucky you are to be living in this paradise?

We often measure community loss in economic terms – jobs lost, property value affected – but what of cultural cost? Emotional continuity? Social wellbeing? Louis reminds us that “bowling clubs significantly contribute to the social capital of our communities… fostering the social wellbeing of many, particularly older, community members.”

We need to make a stand for the value of these places for what they are really: vital infrastructure. Not just venues or businesses, but spaces that carry the emotional weight of community. They aren’t interchangeable. The damage isn’t irreparable – yet. But it does require acknowledgement, transparency and local say in what happens next. Will the community be invited back in? Or will the site continue to rot while the consortium deliberates from afar?

Whatever the outcome, I know this: when a town loses its third place, it doesn’t just lose its clubhouse. It loses part of its collective heartbeat. And I know I’m not the only one who’s not going to stand by and let that happen.

In the weeks since closure, extreme heat and heavy rain has created the perfect environment for mould to proliferate. With no maintenance, cleaning or caretaking in place, the once-lively building is both physically and symbolically rotting. Locals have reported signs of vandalism to the carefully (mostly voluntarily) maintained bowling green. For a club that served its community for 115 years, this feels like a dishonourable demise. It deserves better. We deserve better.

Residents are encouraged to:
• Donate  https://www.gofundme.com/f/bangalow-community-reopen-bangalow-bowlo
• Volunteer their time or expertise – email  savebangalowbowlo@gmail.com
• Write to Norths Collective as Bowlo members concerned about the broken promises and closure of the club
• Follow updates on the Save Bangalow Bowlo Facebook page http:facebook.com/SaveBangalowBowlo

Sally Schofield

Historic images courtesy of the Bangalow Bowling Club

The club, led by President Anthony Maxwell, didn’t give up. Grants Officer Danielle Atkinson, whose son plays juniors, chased every funding lead and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

After years of knock-backs, Danielle secured an initial $40,000 from Cricket NSW – an important breakthrough that unlocked momentum. The NSW Office of Responsible Gambling followed with a further $115,000. The club chipped in $20,000 raised through all the usual raffles, BBQs and persistent locals, demonstrating just how committed this small but mighty club is.

Norths Collective also gave the club a hand, hooking them up with grant writers from Innovative Impact who helped get the paperwork over the line and the result has been well worth the effort.

Built entirely by local hands, the facility showcases the talents of Dick Collin of DFS Fencing & Welding, Andrew Boyle Concreting, and countless club members who prepped the ground and laid turf. Brisbane-based Gabba Sports completed the final installation of the soft netting and synthetic pitch.

The nets were officially launched in mid-October with a BBQ and a visit from the region’s own international cricketers Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson, who presented uniforms to junior players and spoke of their excitement about the new training facility.

Both players live locally and have been getting into the nets themselves – sometimes even helping coach the juniors.

The new facility is more than a cricketing upgrade; it’s a community asset. The nets serve five local public schools including Newrybar, Coorabell and Eureka, and are already drawing representative cricket to the region.

The Far North Coast Cricket Council recently ran a trial match and net session here for the U12s and U13s – a good sign of things to come.

One of the three lanes is always open for public use, and it’s been great to see more locals having a hit – especially more girls giving cricket a go.

With upgraded infrastructure, rising junior participation and elite-level role models training in their backyard, cricket in Bangalow is well and truly on the front foot. And who knows – the next Zampa might just be learning to bowl down at Shultz Oval.

Murray Hand

Photo: Cricketers at new nets  Photo Murray Hand

Over 80 people gathered at the Moller Pavilion, Bangalow at short notice to have a say, ask questions and volunteer in many capacities for essential roles to ensure the community has the best chance of retaining ownership of the club. The session was chaired by Councillor Asren Pugh, and myself, Sally Schofield, as a concerned community member and communications professional.

Now, for those playing at home, this is not the first time the club has been threatened with closure.

Some say in the past 20 years there’s been a few close calls, the last resulting in a highly contentious ‘bail out’ via amalgamation with Sydney-based Norths Collective.

Norths’ commercial formula is the acquisition of ailing businesses with the view of breathing life back into licensed establishments. In their words: “We are in the business of running clubs – and making them better by embedding them within their local community and with the local sports clubs.”[1]

The amalgamation was proposed in 2022 including a Memorandum of Understanding that was edited and revised between Norths and the then Board of the now defunct Bangalow Bowling Club. Norths proudly promoted this agreement as “creating a clear path forward for the Bowlo to be financially secure well into the future.”[2]

Pre-amalgamation, Norths made a compelling pitch to the local community that they were in a position both financially and professionally to restore the club to optimal operation, as soon as three months following the MoU.

So, the sports clubs, members and the wider community were stunned by the sudden closure of the club which came without warning. The closure also cited several reasons why the venue had ceased trading, the number one being the state of the building (which Norths had pledged to fix as part of the deal).

At the impromptu meeting, community members formed tables of knowledge and expertise, and quickly established key areas of concern and strategic opportunities for ways forward.

Naturally, the legal table committed to scrutinising the MoU with the assistance of a barrister should the need arise for further action.

A hospitality table joined forces, pooling their decades worth of experience for revamping the food and drink side of things, while an entertainment and events group scoped out potential streams for supporting the club via live events, and fundraising.

The building and construction table were particularly productive, organising an independent building report to confirm (or not) the safety of the building, cited by Norths as the primary reason for immediate closure.

A team of business and finance specialists explored ideas about what was publicly perceived to have gone wrong with the Norths operation (in the absence of any financial reports relating to the Bowlo), and a detailed checklist of points to review was drawn up.

A table of sports club representatives shared their views on the situation and emphasises the importance of the sponsorship money owed by Norths (and promised in the MoU) much of which is still outstanding.

Finally, the communications and marketing table made extensive plans for local, national and wider coverage of the sudden closure of the Club and the lack of clarity around the stated reasons. A media plan has been drawn up focusing on social media, crowd funding, radio and television interviews to raise public awareness for the efforts of a small group of Bangalow folk trying to take on a financial-focused Sydney based consortium.

Whats App groups and group emails have popped up, and regular meetings called to ensure the tables of knowledge (and new recruits) are connecting meaningfully with one another and all working in the same direction. It’s heartwarming to see.

There is still plenty to be done. The first step is the Save Bangalow Bowlo group creating a new Advisory Committee (which then needs to be introduced to Norths via the current Bangalow Advisory Committee) who, after Norths approval, will then be permitted to communicate directly with Norths on this matter, but under the strictest confidence.

It was delightful to see the number of eligible community members who came forward to volunteer for these positions, and it can only be hoped that Norths Collective approves these nominations swiftly so that the next stage of negotiation can continue.

Norths Collective issued an alarmingly short time frame for a community response of 28 days (some say ‘one month’, another sticking point in negotiations), so the Save Bangalow Bowlo group is working around, and against, the clock to get new representatives for the Advisory Committee in place in order to continue discussions.

The clubs aren’t happy, the players aren’t happy, the patrons aren’t happy and the rest of the community is wondering what the hell is going on. The Save Bangalow Bowlo group is trying to get to the bottom of it and they will need your support in many ways to do this over a very, very short period of time.

If you can assist with a significant financial contribution, now’s the time to speak up – email savebangalowbowlo@gmail.com for a confidential discussion.

Community members with expertise in any of the areas mentioned above, a willingness for working bees (yes, here we go again, thanks Norths), or ideas for fundraising, donations of products, services and supplies – Save Bangalow Bowlo is also calling on you, so get in touch savebangalowbowlo@gmail.com

Everyone else invested in keeping the community asset in community hands, rest assured your opinions matter. You will soon be invited to express your hopes and fears for the Club via an online form, as well as advising ways in which you might be involved in the Save Bangalow Bowlo group but in the meantime, email savebangalowbowlo@gmail.com with any comments or insights you have.

The issue of amalgamation with Norths tore the village in two back in ’22. It’s heartwarming to see that we are once again united with the common goal of returning this essential community asset back to the hands of the people of Bangalow.

Sally Schofield

[1] Norths Collective website (https://northscollective.com.au/bangalowbowlo/), accessed 4/11/2025

[2] Ibid.

READ MORE

Sudden closure sparks community action
(25 October 2025)

Norths goes south
(24 October 2025)

Norths grilled over delays on Bowlo promises
(24 May 2025)

The Bangalow community has been left reeling after the unexpected and immediate closure of the much-loved Bangalow Bowlo on Friday 24 October, with no prior communication from current operators Norths Collective. Even on Sunday afternoon, long-time members and locals arrived at the club expecting to share a drink and support weekend bowls, only to find the doors locked and a closure notice on display.

Three years ago, Bangalow Bowlo members voted on a highly contested—and for many, emotionally charged – amalgamation with Norths Collective, whose business model relies heavily on income from gambling machines, including its flagship club, North Sydney Leagues Club. The terms of that amalgamation, including how the club was to be operated and under what circumstances it could be closed, are set out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that applies for the first 10 years.

In response to the abrupt closure, a group of dedicated and informed Bangalow residents has formed a Bowlo advocacy group to investigate the options of restoring the Bowlo to local operation and ensuring it continues to serve as a vital social and sporting hub. The group includes members of the existing Advisory Group, disgruntled supporters of the original amalgamation, along with those who objected to the amalgamation from the start – united now in their desire for transparency, accountability and a positive outcome for the community.

“Our group represents the full diversity of the Bowlo community, people from every side of the original amalgamation debate, all united in our determination to get our local Bowlo reopened and serving the community once again,” says Asren Pugh, spokesperson for the new Bowlo advocacy group.

“Norths’ sudden closure has caused deep frustration and disappointment among members, local sporting clubs and the broader community. These decisions impact real people and the social fabric of our town,” Asren says.

Closing the Bowlo without notice to members or the community has sent shock waves through the village, and may have even breached the terms of the contentious MOU. The current Advisory Committee, appointed after the MOU was signed off, will be meet with Norths management on Wednesday. “We expect those discussions to be transparent and constructive,” Asren says.

“We hope Norths comes to the table, engages openly with our community representatives, and commits to returning the Club to local hands, allowing for trading to recommence as soon as possible,” he says.

After a positive and productive meeting on Sunday, the Advisory Committee, with the support of the new community advocacy group, look forward to presenting a united front at the meeting with Norths Collective on Wednesday.

There are plans to hold a community meeting in the coming weeks to share information, answer questions and discuss the options available to secure the future of the Bangalow Bowlo. Keep an eye on The Bangalow Herald and Bangalow Community Facebook page for more information.

Sally Schofield

Or would you?

The photo above was taken at midday, on a clear, warm late spring day in October when the club should have been in full swing.

But, as of the morning of Friday 24 October, the Bangalow Bowling Club abruptly ceased operation, shut up shop, and advised patrons of its closure via laminated signs at the entrances.

Perhaps this approach to sharing such significant news is unsurprising, given the club — under its Norths Collective stewardship — had become renowned for poor member communication (not to mention its failure to action, in a timely manner — or at all — a number of promises made in their Memorandum of Understanding).

Club managers arriving for today’s shift were asked to hand over their keys. The Advisory Committee, set up to liaise between Norths and the legacy club committee, were emailed advising of the closure.

The content of this email has not been made public, but it is thought to cite the causes of the sudden closure as building compliance and safety issues, ongoing substantial financial losses over a period of years, and the improbability of the club’s continued operation as a result.

Addressing long-standing building compliance issues was perhaps the number one selling point from Norths Collective in its overtures to the formerly community-owned club leading up to the amalgamation. Anyone can see there has been limited significant work done to remedy any of these issues. The tap in the women’s toilet still leaks.

A “services no longer required” email was also sent to floor and bar staff, with as little as two hours’ notice before the start of a scheduled shift.

In June this year, we reported that strongly pro-amalgamation club member Greg Nash was so alarmed by the lack of progress and transparency within the operation that he took himself to the Norths Collective AGM in Sydney to ask some hard-hitting questions. He returned from the meeting with a to-do list, and a few tasks (bi-fold windows, new auditorium doors, and clearing out the under-deck storage area) were completed — but not without substantial time and effort from community volunteers. (The extensive requirement of such volunteer support proved to be yet another unmet promise post-amalgamation.)

These small wins suggested to the community that perhaps plans to re-enliven the venue were getting back on track after months of frustrating delays. But under this veneer of improvement, things were quietly going south.

Following the June AGM, Norths Collective appointed a new CEO and COO, resulting in the departure of two key figures in the Bangalow amalgamation deal.

The original amalgamation plans and process divided the town, with resistance group Keep the Bowlo Local pleading the case for community ownership and operation. As we know, the deal went through regardless, and now the town is once again divided between sentiments of “what a tragedy” and “I told you so.”

This rhetoric does little for the now-suddenly unemployed staff — particularly those with outstanding pay who are rightly concerned that monies owing may not be forthcoming. The sudden turn of events is also highly dispiriting for local young people who are clearly ambitious, creative, and willing to take risks, as demonstrated through their efforts with the club signage immediately following the closure.

In true local spirit, other venues have reached out to affected staff members.

Matt Rabbidge from the Mosey on Inn Group, which runs the Eltham Hotel, has taken to social media to advise of a number of hospitality roles available within their team for former Bowlo staff who now find themselves jobless. He is “bitterly disappointed” at the news. The Lennox Bowling Club and The Park Hotel at Suffolk Park have also quickly suggested that some roles may be available.

Other community comments have been far less restrained — and fair enough. “Utterly disgraceful,” and “What the f*ck?” are among the few publishable sentiments to emerge immediately following the announcement.

Nashy reached out Norths Management via email with a subject line “Dishonourable bastards” calling out their “cowardly gutless withdrawal” not what was promised. Concerned locals are once again rallying to get answers in order to understand what this sudden closure means for the future of the club. The club was not available for comment.

For an organisation whose social media profile declares, “We exist to bring people together,” Norths Collective has done an awful lot to tear people apart.

Sure, the community had a couple more years of the club’s doors being open (again, another selling point in their push for amalgamation), but the club’s position now is no better than before the amalgamation. In fact, it’s probably worse.

Sally Schofield

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

When I first met him 25 years ago much of his spare time was taken up with soccer – he was a force to be reckoned with when he was barrelling in to steal the ball from you (I used to avert my eyes). After several years, several broken bones and many chiropractic sessions I suggested that his soccer days might be nearing an end. About the same time a certain postmaster Mr Gerry Swain was attempting to coerce him to join the Bangalow Men’s Bowling Club. Eventually, after a few friendly barefoot bowls events and more coercion he relented and started playing lawn bowls. Not only did he discover that he enjoyed the game; he soon learned that he was quite good at it.

In April 2025, he became a dual gold medal winner in the NSW State Championships held over the course of three weeks at the Ballina Cherry Street Bowling Club – a nightmare for organisers because it rained almost nonstop. But these aren’t the only medals in his chest so I sat him down to discuss all things “Bowls”.

How did you move from playing in your local club to outside competitions?
Competitions start within the club for the annual singles, pairs, triples, fours champions. Then you progress to regional championships where our club competes against others in those same disciplines plus an annual Pennants competition. At a regional level I met my future pairs partner, Damien Delgado, when he and I had to face-off for the regional singles title (able-bodied). Damien is currently a member of the Australian Disability Squad (he is wheelchair bound) but back in 2017 he suggested that we team up for the Queensland State Disability Championship where we won a silver medal in the pairs. We went on to win bronze and silver medals in 2018 and 2019 and in 2019 also won a silver medal in the Australian Open.

Winning a gold medal for the Reserves Singles title this year has been extra sweet for me. My current pairs partner, John Gibson, and I were really pleased to win the gold in our Pairs final because we were up against last year’s Pairs Champions, one of whom is a current Australian Jackaroo representative.

What is the biggest challenge you face as a player with a disability?
I was born with my disability. My mother was prescribed the thalidomide drug when she was pregnant. It was meant to reduce the effects of morning-sickness but unfortunately resulted in a world-wide tragedy in the countries which ignored the knowledge that there had been no testing on animals to support its safety. Having been like this all my life, I think, gives me a bit of an advantage over a player who is disabled through injury. The biggest difficulty for me with bowls is getting a grip on the bowl because I don’t have properly formed fingers. But the weather at the recent State Championship added another level of difficulty because the bowls were wet and slippery.
Author’s note: Both of Richard’s finals were exciting matches to watch and both were decided in the final end. I was allowed to assist in the capacity of official bowl dryer.

Is a win for Richard Rombouts a win for the Bangalow Bowling Club?
Yes it is. While I am super pleased at a personal level to have won two gold medals, I also recognise that my Bangalow club mates helped me to get here. They have pushed me to improve and have been really supportive and encouraging.

Are there other things you have become involved in as a Bangalow lawn bowler?
Presently I am the Club bowls coordinator responsible for organising club championship games as well as social bowls on a Wednesday and Saturday. I try to compete in all the regional championships and encourage other club members to join in. I’m a qualified marker for Bowls Australia and I have recently qualified as a Bowls Australia club coach.

It sounds like it is all-consuming Richard?
Well, no one would know that better than you Carolyn! But, the truth is that some people in the club are happy to have a roll-up on a Wednesday afternoon whereas, for me, the game appeals to my competitive nature.

Postscript: The thalidomide epidemic prompted a global reckoning around drug safety and regulation. In Australia, it contributed to the eventual development of stricter drug approval processes, culminating in the formation of the Therapeutic Goods Administration in 1989.

Carolyn Adams