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June 21, 2026

Culture Roundup – 8 July, 2015

Latest News

The NT intervention laws that shape lives

This Sunday marks 19 years since the then Howard Government announced the Northern Territory Intervention laws – ‘The Intervention’ began with a media release by Mal Brough, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, on June 21, 2007.

Other News

Byron High brings you SAAM – full of humour and chaos

In the vein of a speculative sci-fi, this comedy misadventure is simultaneously relatable, playful, hilarious, and unnerving. SAAM will be performed for three nights by Byron Bay High’s Year 11 Drama troupe on 23, 25 and 26 June from 6.30pm.

Lismore shops enchanted for Lantern Parade

Winners of Lismore’s Enchanted Windows comp have been announced, with The Two Ravens taking top spot. The comp is part of the city's Lantern Parade, to be held this Saturday, 20 June.

Tweed Shire Council presents flood resilience series – part one

Over the coming weeks, Tweed Shire Council will present a flood resilience series, which looks at how 'Tweed's story is different from the standard flood recovery narrative and what happened next'.

Call to end damaging native logging agreements

North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) is calling on the NSW state government to reassess the Wood Supply Agreements (WSA) that facilitate native forest in NSW’s state forests.

Lismore Council spruiks 150 projects since 2022 floods

A milestone of 150 projects has been reached since the 2022 disasters, says Lismore City Council.

Calls for micro-abattoirs to boost food security

Local farmers and food producers are calling on NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty and Minister for Small Business and the North Coast, Janelle Saffin, to work with farmers, industry and local communities to develop practical, evidence-based reforms that support a diverse, decentralised and resilient food production sector.

Bringing back the love

Mark Swivel returns to the Drill Hall in Mullumbimby with his one-man show How Deep Is Your Love. 

Mark’s play Water Falling Down premiered at Queensland Theatre Company (2011) and was produced at B Street Theatre, Sacramento (2012). He also wrote and performed My Grandfather’s Balls, Belvoir Downstairs (1993) and Jeremy Boutsakis: Thought Leader, Old Fitzroy, Sydney and Pleasance, Edinburgh (2007). Mark did the Playwrights Studio at NIDA in 1991.

Friday 24 July at 8pm.

Walking the Camino

Walk the Camino de Santiago this Saturday at The Pighouse Flicks.

Encouraged by moviegoers they are screening the documentary Walking the Camino followed by the 2010 film The Way starring Martin Sheen.

While you’re there, enter the competition to win a trip to Spain.

See cinema page for session times.

Elizabeth Lord performs at Tweed River Gallery for Dangerously Poetic’s Ordinary Miracles
Elizabeth Lord performs at Tweed River Gallery for Dangerously Poetic’s Ordinary Miracles

Poetry, painting, and songs

Dangerously Poetic Press invites the public to a free cultural afternoon at the Tweed Regional Gallery on Sunday. Enjoy poetry on the theme of Ordinary Miracles read by the poets from the anthology Salt Breezes. The inimitable Elizabeth Lord will sing some of her originals and display her remarkable vocal range. Whether on the concert stage, in cabaret, at folk and country music festivals throughout Australia, onboard cruise ships or simply playing piano with her partner Leigh James on guitar, Elizabeth continues to leave audiences spellbound. From 2.30pm.

Young green food

This Saturday the Northern Rivers Young Greens are screening Fair Food: The Documentary, a film that considers what is wrong with the Australian food industry and how we can fix it. Created by the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (ASFA) in collaboration with The Field Institute, the film focuses on innovative approaches to the issues facing food production and distribution in Australia.

After the film, several speakers coming from different areas of the local food industry will answer questions and discuss ideas relating to current local food production and what they hope to see happen in the future.

There will be a panel of speakers from the local food industry as well as live music and a Fair-Food menu of delicious treats.

$15 adult and $12 concession. 5.30pm at Silvercloud Studios,
14 Foleys Road, South Lismore.

Rachael Beck at the Jockey Club in Ballina on Sunday as part of the Ballina Fine Wine and Food Festival
Rachael Beck at the Jockey Club in Ballina on Sunday as part of the Ballina Fine Wine and Food Festival

Fine wine, food and music

Ballina’s premier Fine Wine and Food Festival is back for its sixth year this weekend. It opens on Friday with a gourmet dinner at the Ballina RSL (sold out) and then a Flavours of Northern Rivers gourmet tour on Saturday.

The bus tour will include a wonderful mix of venues, showcasing the best the northern rivers region has to offer. Tour attendees will get to experience, explore, learn, and indulge while touring our region.

The specially selected tour destinations incorporate guided tours of the venues, food and beverage tastings and entertaining bus tour guides.

On Sunday head out to the Ballina Jockey Club from 11am and enjoy the talents of Wendy Matthews and Rachael Beck performing a repertoire of musical genres from jazz, rock, blues to pop and ballads. Go to ballinafinewineandfoodfestival.com.au for more information.

Laugh for cancer!

Six breast-beatingly funny women comedians come together for a very special fundraiser to help their friends in need. Bosom Buddies is a comedy gala and fundraiser for two women who are recovering from breast cancer. It was an idea Mandy Nolan had when speaking to a friend about the ‘cancer recovery journey’.

As a single mother her friend had not only undergone the trauma of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, but for a significant period she incurred medical costs and was unable to work to earn money. Then a few months later another friend of Nolan’s was diagnosed with breast cancer and told her of the hardship of being the primary wage earner in her household.

Mandy Nolan believes as an individual this is where she and her comedy buddies can make a difference. ‘While Pink Ribbon does an amazing job of raising money for research funding, there’s not a lot out there to assist women trying to get by once they’ve had a diagnosis and they are coping with the reality of treatment and recovery. Obviously we can’t help everyone, but I wanted to do at least one of these a year to target women in need, to raise some money for them to help them get their lives back on track. It could happen to any of us at any time, and it’s not just the health implication; it’s the financial implications for middle-aged women who generally have dependants who are suddenly unable to work for a time.’

Hosted by Mandy Nolan, the night is a comedy gala featuring some of the hottest women comics on the circuit.  Bold and brassy Bev Killick has been getting her boobs out for comedy every since she landed a role in the much-aired Berlei ad for the Uplifting Tour of Australia. As a result of this she was asked to perform in Busting Out, making audiences across the globe laugh as she got her tits out! Bev Killick is from the bold and brassy school of standup, delivering a non-stop energetic comedy every time. Also featuring Brisbane’s Jenny Wynter, Fiona McGary, Ellen Briggs, and Ting Lim. Hosted by Mandy Nolan, Bosom Buddies will have a charity auction and raffles and lots and lots of laughs!

Saturday 1 August at the Mullum Ex-Services. Doors from 6pm. Show at 7pm. $20/25 Bookings 6619 0529, or tix at the club or on the door on the night if not sold out.

Magic Steven performs his hit show from the Melbourne Comedy Festival World of Feelings
Magic Steven performs his hit show from the Melbourne Comedy Festival World of Feelings

Magic Steven’s world of feeling funny

Magic Steven aka Steven Harris has been called ‘part Steven Wright and part Dimitri Martin in the way he lays bare his idiosyncrasies and attempts at self-understanding to share with the audience his detail-obsessed stream of coinsciousness’.

Premiering his most recent show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, this Melbourne-based performer’s work has been alternately described as autobiographical storytelling, standup comedy, spoken word and poetry. His recent festival shows In Search of True Self, Try To Love Everyone have explored these themes with his most recent World of Feelings traversing very new comedic territory.

This is not your typical comedy show full of dick jokes and one-liners. Magic Steven’s is a brave performance that invites you to laugh at the peculiar inner world so rarely seen or articulated. Steven stays true to the inner world as he jumps abruptly from one topic to another, wanders off on a tangent, but in the end managed to tie all these seemingly disparate stories neatly together by the end of the show. Something a reviewer who awarded him four out of five stars declared was ‘truly impressive’. Steven’s one-hour comedy show will be performed at the Byron Brewery on Monday at 8pm and the Mullum Ex-Services Club on Wednesday also at 8pm.

Tickets for both show are $10/15 and are available at the door or can be booked by ringing 6619 0529.

Tickets for the Mullumbimby show can also be purchased beforehand at the club.

Rams, playing at the Scandinavian Film Festival at Palace Cinemas
Rams, playing at the Scandinavian Film Festival at Palace Cinemas

Scandinavian films on screen

With a comedy about a disgruntled small-business owner kidnapping his nemesis: the boss of IKEA, an endearing story of four young boys coming of age in Norway during the height of Beatlemania, and a quirky and moving film about two Icelandic brothers trying to save their flocks of prize-winning sheep, the Scandinavian Film Festival will present a diverse program of this year’s best cinema from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Denmark. Here is Harold, Beatles and Rams are just three of the eleven films screening at Palace Byron Bay Cinema over July 17–23. Programs and tickets available at Palace Byron Bay or online at scandinavianfilmfestival.com.



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Hemp industry given boost with development plan

A Hemp Industry Development Plan has been announced by the NSW government, which promises 'to unlock new opportunities for NSW businesses and add value to the state's low-THC hemp industry, which is forecast to become a $100 million Australian industry by 2032'.

Gambling harm recognised by Tweed Council, supported by Wesley Mission

Faith-based, not-for-profit organisation providing community services in NSW, Wesley Mission, has welcomed Tweed Shire Council’s decision to publicly recognise the impact of gambling harm and advocate for stronger harm-minimisation measures.

Winter Warmer fundraiser for homelessness

The annual Winter Warmer Homelessness Relief campaign, hosted by Dharma Care, will return for 2026 with cabaret at Salt, Kingscliff, on Thursday 2 July, headlined by comedian Mandy Nolan, interactive performance artist The Space Cowboy and the Kinship Doobai Dancers, with a Welcome to Country from Aunty Jackie.

Tweed Shire Council presents flood resilience series – part one

Over the coming weeks, Tweed Shire Council will present a flood resilience series, which looks at how 'Tweed's story is different from the standard flood recovery narrative and what happened next'.