Bangalow's true blue

Robert Lotty cooks up a storm as part of the Bangalow Historical Society belated Australia Day celebrations.

BANGALOW'S Living Treasure for 2012 was busy cooking the sausages when The Northern Star caught up with him at the town's free Australia Day breakfast yesterday.

Robert Lotty, a man with community running through his veins, as always was there to help out at the event hosted by the Bangalow Historical Society and Byron Shire Council.

The breakfast and mini market had been postponed from last month due to rain.

"I'd been coming up here on holidays and surfing since the 1960s," Mr Lotty said.

"In Sydney I was involved in a community centre but when we moved up in 2003 I found that Bangalow was just one big community centre.

"The place is booming."

Mr Lotty's tireless efforts include participation in the Bangalow Lions, the Bangalow Land and Rivercare Group, Bangalow Groundforce and the Bangalow Historical Society and Museum.

Christobel Munson from the historical society said the free breakfast and mini market had been throbbing since 8am.

"There have been lots of local people here," she said.

"It's low key but very successful."

Bringing the Beach to Bangalow, a photographic exhibition depicting 'an historical overview of Byron Bay', will be on display at the museum until the end of the month.

Another exhibition running now illustrates the construction and use of the Swimming Pool in Byron Creek.

The pool was built 90 years ago but is now in danger because the weir wall has cracked and the water level has dropped 1.5m. It has been fenced off by the council for safety reasons.