13.2 C
Byron Shire
August 29, 2026

The hills of Bangalow echo with the sound of music

Latest News

Greens urged to back pathway to end native forest logging

Some of NSW’s most respected and long-standing forest campaigners and scientists have today urged the Greens not to support the Nationals' attempt to disallow the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) method.

Other News

Happy councillors

Our councillors should be happy, even proud to be part of a community that so values participatory democracy. A...

Big Council rates rise coming – SRV for ratepayers

The proposed 35.03 per cent rates increase over three years to Byron Shire ratepayers is extremely concerning. I fully understand...

Local Land Services

Are people aware that NSW is the only state to tax farmers for Local Land Services? Other states must...

Lower the age

It was pleasing to see smart young people around the county coming out recently to protest idiotic political leaders...

Brisbane band awake in Byron

Don’t let the name fool you – Vancouver Sleep Clinic (VSC), who are returning for their first Australian show in half a decade, are not Canadian!

Wollumbin Art Award winners to be revealed this Saturday

The winners of one of the Northern Rivers’ major regional art awards will be revealed at Tweed Regional Gallery this Saturday, as the 2026 Wollumbin Art Award exhibition opens in Murwillumbah.

Cellist David Requiro with dancer Riley Baldwin at the Bangalow Music Festival. Photo Jeff Dawson

The soothing and beautiful sounds of classical music drifted over the hills of Bangalow last weekend during the 17th annual Bangalow Music Festival.

Soloists and chamber musicians from around the world converged, with a highlight being the schools’ concert rendition of Prokofiev’s timeless tale – renamed Peta and the Wolf.

First-time visitors to the festival included NZ violin soloist Amalia Hall, US cello soloist David Requiro and leading contemporary dancers Rebecca Hall and Riley Baldwin, who performed in the festival’s first-ever dance program. 



For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling.

If you are a local business owner help us and in turn we help you. All The Echo asks for is advertising, not a free ride. It is every advert in The Echo and on www.echo.net.au, which creates the space for all the stories and coverage of community events, happenings and concerns.

If you are a reader you can become a sponsor of The Echo. Your support keeps the us independent.

Even a small one-off or regular donation from you will help keep the echo’s independent voice alive and strong.

Support Us

Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire

You’re supporting The Echo, thank you

Your contribution is keeping independent, local journalism alive in the Northern Rivers.

Because of supporters like you, we can keep every story free for everyone — no paywall, no exceptions. Your money goes directly to funding our newsroom of 40-odd local workers covering the stories that matter to this community.

Tell us what you think, give us your opinion

The Echo loves your letters and comments and is proud to provide a community forum on the issues that matter most to our readers and the people of the NSW north coast. So don’t be a passive reader, email us your epistles at editor@echo.net.au.

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor. Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number.

Online comments are no longer available.

Ballina Council makes decision on Ross Lane

With the absence of all four of its progressive councillors for various reasons, Ballina Council pushed ahead with its agenda at yesterday's monthly meeting, including a decision which is likely to close Ross Lane for months while the road is upgraded.

Mullumbimby puts new governance models first, and now wants to build it

Imagine Northern Rivers says Mullumbimby is the only community across the region to rank new models of governance and decision-making as the number one element of its preferred future, and last week locals gathered to work out how to make it real.

Appeal to locate man missing from Broadwater

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a local missing man.

Katie Milne responds to Tweed’s draft housing and employment strategy

The former mayor of Tweed Shire Council, Kate Milne, has shared her submission to Tweed's Draft Growth Management Housing & Employment Strategy.