March 15, 2017
In this Issue:
All star comedy comeback
The Doug Anthony AllStars burst onto the comedy scene back in 1984, finding their place in the hearts of satire-loving Aussies on the weekly Big Gig.
In the Spirit
Now in its fifth year, The Byron Spirit Festival gets ready to illuminate your psyche and bliss out your chakras with three days of yoga, chanting, music and joy.
Women of Blues
Bluesfest is world renowned for having many inimitable artists on the bill, each and every year, who happen to be women.
For whom the Bells toll
Back in 1973 Mike Oldfield composed Tubular Bells, the first release on Richard Branson’s fledgling label Virgin Records and, after selling 30 million copies, it went on to be the soundtrack for The Exorcist.
Cinema Review – Alone In Berlin
Quiet acts of defiance in a world that has found itself in the thrall of brutish populism – sounds like it might be a scenario applicable to our contemporary awfulness, doesn’t it? Instead, the true story of Otto and Anna Quangell is set in Hitler’s Germany shortly after the fall of France.
Police flag concerns over Splendour site expansion plans
Local police resources, based in Tweed and Byron Shires, were stretched to breaking point at last year’s Splendour in the Grass (SITG) festival, held in late July at the North Byron Parklands site in Yelgun.
Greens MP challenged over promises kept
A challenge by the local Labor branch over whether the local Ballina Greens MP has delivered on her pre-election pledges to the community drew a quick reply to The Echo.
Bruns developers cop public flak over reserves plan
Around 140 Brunswick Heads residents – many of whom were ropeable – faced off the managers of the town’s three caravan parks over unwelcome expansion plans last Thursday evening at the Ocean Shores Country Club.
Women and kids seeking refuge ‘never had it so good’
National and Liberal MPs who stood by as a 30-year-old award-winning domestic violence service in Tweed Heads was axed were referred to as ‘dogs’ during an angry NSW parliamentary debate on March 9.
Dawn Walker gives inaugural speech in parliament
North coast based Greens MLC Dawn Walker gave her inaugural speech on International Women’s Day last week and became the fifty-fourth woman inducted into Australia’s oldest parliament.
Morning of the Earth, Night of the Shud
Lindsay Bjerre was riding the first wave of tripped-out surf music back in the 1970s with his band Tamam Shud.
Mandy Nolan’s Soap Box: Women getting cross
Have you ever stood at a busy intersection waiting for the light to go green and been unable to cross? ‘Damn, it’s a man crossing. And I’m a lady.’ If only there were road crossings for women.
Murray river long-distance swimmer claims record
After pre-swim training in Mullumbimby, Hunter Helmick has claimed a world record as the first American to swim 2,412 kilometres of the Murray River. Hunter left Corryong, Victoria, on November 5 with his father Eric swimming at his side and...
Mixed results for Shores United in ANZAC Cup
United’s second-grade team had a great win beating Alstonville 7–0 to keep them in the hunt for the semifinals of the ANZAC Cup, but the first team went down 3–1 to Goonellabah. The second’s win was punctuated by a four-goal...
TNR wins Twilight cricket
The Thomas Noble and Russell cricket team won the 35th staging of the Byron Bay Cricket Twilight competition after winning three games on the day to sweep the finals last weekend. The TNR team finished the regular season in third...
Local Frisbee comp takes flight
The inaugural Rainbow League of ultimate frisbee involving four teams was scheduled to get underway for the first time this week. The four-team competition includes a team of younger players based in and around The Channon as well as three...
Mullumbimby High sends nine swimmers to state finals
Nine students have qualified for the state level competition in Sydney in April after triumph at the Far North Coast carnival held in Kempsey last week. ‘We are so proud of the students who competed at the regional swimming carnival....
Beer at the heart of retirement village
When Byron’s Stone & Wood crew heard that residents from Uniting Caroona, an aged-care home in Yamba, had started their very own home-brew club, they jumped at the opportunity to invite a few of those passionate souls to visit...
Brunswick Heads makes good start in District Pennants
Kerry Dexter The Brunswick Heads Women’s Bowling Club had a successful start to the 2017 Pennants competition with a win over Ocean Shores. The first-round game was played at home against Ocean Shores on Tuesday March 7. Ocean Shores took a strong...
A trifecta of sausages
Story and photos by Vivienne Pearson Ocean Shores butcher Garry Leeson has taken out third place in the poultry section of the National Sausage King competition held recently in Hobart. This means he holds a trifecta of awards, previously having...
Coopers, who would have guessed?
By Simon Haslam A lot of alcohol marketing is about the branding, and the ‘story’ behind the drink, as much as the taste. For example, the new northern rivers gin, Brookies Gin, has a marketing story that’s all about the...
Mushrooms
By Victoria Cosford For a food that’s nearly all water, it’s surprising how much flavour there is in a mushroom. Buttons, fields, browns, exotics – each variety has its distinctive nature, its own special texture and taste. The flavour ascribed to...