They wanted to interview us there because there is an internationally recognised goat called 'Wategoat' on the headland who is the last remaining goat which National Perks and Good Life haven't been able to catch yet despite them trying for years.
This also being despite the fact that goats had been placed on the NSW Heritage register when the Good Life Service was negotiating a legitimate Aboriginal Land Claim with the traditional Arawkwal People*.
* This info was given to me by Evans Head local, Halden Boyd who informed us that goats have a long history on Cape Byron Headline having provided milk for whalers and lighthouse keepers as well as keeping down the weeds on the headland for well over a century.
Being the last remaining goat on the run here, The Northern Star thought 'Watego' and I had a lot in common and it'd be a good story.
We agreed.
Anyway, when we got there, there was no Northern Star reporter.
Instead there was a Parks and Wildife guy who told Jimbo he wasn't allowed to let a goat out on the headland.
After a two hour drive, Jimbo knew I needed to do a piss though so let me out while assuring the guy that I was tethered up to the bumper and going to cause no harm.
He then threatened to fine Jimbo $200 for bringing in introduced wildlife into the National Park.
Jimbo explained to him that the local newspaper had asked us to come up here for a photo shoot which would not take long at all.
To complicate things, Jimbo had lost his phone three days before in a Brisbane strip joint (we did a gig there) so he couldn't ring the reporter to find out where he was.
The Parks and Wildlife guy then said he if we weren't going to leave he was calling the cops to get us out of here.
Jimbo asked him if he could ring the newspaper instead to find out if the reporter was already up here so who could help sort the situation out without getting the cops involved.
The Parks and Wildlife guy refused to call the newspaper or let Jimbo use his phone.
As it was a beautiful Sunday morning the headland was full of tourists, many of whom could hear the Parks and Wildlife's guy's threats to call the police.
Jimbo then started walking around asking people if he could use their phone for a quick call.
As a backstory to this, this morning while Jimbo was feeding me a chip outside our van, I put my front horns up on his chest - as I normally do.
Jimbo then put the chip higher to see how far up I could get up and found out when I put my hoof through his left sunglass lense.
Figuring half a pair of sunglasses was better than none, Jimbo continued to wear them.
Anyway, this combined with the fact that he also had one shoe on, dirt all over his face, had hardly slept last night, had not shaved for five days plus smelt like a combination of fish and chip oil and diesel didn't help his cause while approaching people.
The more people he asked for a phone the more he was treated like he was Martin Bryant wandering through a café askng for a cigarette.
Everywhere he looked people just put their eyes down and hoped he wouldn't approach him.
So Jimbo ran into the tourist office where a girl let him use the phone.
to ring the editor of The Northern Star.
This is apparently how the conversation went:
Jimbo: G'day Jimbo here. I'm the guy with the goat who is meeting up with your reporter Peter Weekes at The Lighthouse. I'm here but he seems to be late. Can you tell me how long away he is coz there's Parks and Wildlife on my back here outside and police about to arrive. It's getting a bit hairy.
Editor: I'm sorry we don't know anything about your story. There must be some mistake.
Jimbo: What!?
Jimbo then went outside where the cops asked him for ID.
Cop: Have you been in trouble with us before?
Jimbo: No mate, I'm a cleanskin.
Cop: Only people with police records use the term 'Cleanskin' to describe themselves.
Jimbo: Well, I'm an exception. I've got no police record. Nothing that's stuck at least. Check me out.
Cop: We've heard reports that you've come up here to release a goat into the wild.
Jimbo: No not at all, we're just up here to do a quick story with a reporter from The Northern Star but it seems they haven't turned up.
Cop: Must have got your wires crossed hey.
Jimbo: I'd say more like we've been left high and dry. That's okay though. We've got a comedy gig in Evans head tonight so we'll just push on.
Cop: There looks like there's a few issues with this van.
Jimbo: Its got good brakes and tyres but the other stuff, I'll be fixing up in Sydney. We've been all around Australia. Its been a long tour and as soon as I pay off a few defect fines, I'll start putting some money into this van, don't you worry.
Cop: Are you starting the car with a pair of scissors?
Jimbo: Yep.
Cop: And you say you're leaving Byron Bay now?
Jimbo: Yep. Hey with regards to the journo, what I think has happened is..
Cop: I don't want to know mate. Can you just leave the lighthouse area and get out of town now.
Jimbo: No worries mate.
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