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Byron Shire
June 10, 2026

Ballina beaches reopen after shark sighting

Latest News

Missing man

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a 35-year-old man missing from Tugun on the southern Gold Coast since 9 June.

Other News

Minimum requirements were never meant to be aspirations

The Echo’s recent report (2 May) on Cr Elia Hauge’s proposal for a community assessment panel for the old Mullumbimby Hospital site contained a sentence that deserves more than a passing read.

Lismore City Council recognised for environmental leadership at LG awards

Lismore City Council has been recognised for outstanding achievement in environmental leadership, resilience and community infrastructure at the 2026 LG Professionals NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.

Catalano’s twin Wategos mansion DA wins court approval

A controversial dual-mansion development at Wategos Beach has been approved by the NSW Land & Environment Court, ending an 18-month battle between media entrepreneur Antony Catalano's company and Byron Shire Council.

Update on Mullumbimby house fire which destroyed locals’ home

Long-term residents of Mullumbimby, Jeff and Alma Jackson lost their home to fire last week.

Flood-free land and houses hit the market for Lismore buyback residents

In what the government has described as a step forward for the region’s housing recovery, flood-affected homeowners will get the first opportunity to buy into Goonellabah’s Mount Pleasant estate.

‘Open slather’ if rural housing expands under Tweed policy, says councillor

A Tweed councillor is warning that protections for agricultural/environmental land could be diminished if a strategy to expand housing on rural land is adopted by Council. 

Two Ballina beaches were closed for more than an hour this afternoon (Monday 14 January) after a ‘two-metre dangerous species of shark’ was sighted during aerial surveillance.

The sighting, reported just before midday, resulted in the closure of Shelly and Lighthouse beaches.

Northern NSW Lifeguard co-ordinator Scott McCartney told Echonetdaily he could not speculate as to the species of shark involved but did say that it had since left the area and the beaches had reopened.



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North Coast Safe Haven closure

Safe Haven North Coast has provided effective mental health supports for people across the region since it was established in 2022, but is now running out of funding.

Council appeals for help as deliberate tree destruction spreads

Tweed Shire Council is appealing for community help after a spate of deliberate destruction of trees on public land across the Tweed, including the poisoning of mature Norfolk pines at Cabarita Beach and damage to established trees at a local cemetery.

Bangalow Film Festival opens

The Bangalow Film Festival opening night is this Thursday, 11 June and has already sold out.

Mullum hybrid water plan springs a leak

Mullumbimby’s proposed hybrid water supply scheme is in serious doubt after Byron Council staff warned it faces significant public health, regulatory, and cost risks, and recommended Council not proceed with the project in its current form.