14.3 C
Byron Shire
June 25, 2026

The Country Witches Association first meeting

Latest News

Planets and weather align for Cape Byron Steiner Winter Solstice success

Last Thursday, in the days before the Winter Solstice, and after weeks of on and off rain that had more than a few parents nervously eyeing weather apps, Cape Byron Steiner School's annual Winter Festival went ahead.

Other News

Booyong Abattoir II

The ongoing discussion surrounding the Booyong Abattoir is about more than a single DA application. It raises broader questions...

Aged care

The Byron Central Hospital (BCH) branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) would like to express our...

NT Intervention

I refer to the NT Intervention article, Echo page 4, 17 June. Recent events in the Northern Territory (NT) would...

Booyong Abattoir I

We strongly believe that the disturbing Booyong Abattoir is a blight on Byron Shire. The health and wellbeing of the local...

Tweed keeps rate increase below rate of inflation

Tweed Shire Council says it has adopted one of the lowest rate increases in the cross-border region for 2026/27, with the average household bill rising around 3.6 per cent once all charges are counted. This is below the current annual rate of inflation of 4.2 per cent.

Mullum water supply, a new twist

Debates on the future of Mullumbimby’s water supply took a new twist at Council’s meeting on 18 June. The latest...

Long live the country witches. Photo Tree Faerie.

What can Mandy Nolan do that hasn’t been done? Plenty!

In December Mandy wants to welcome everyone to the inaugural first meeting of the CWA – the (dis)organisation everyone’s been waiting for! – the Country Witches Association.

Tired of waiting for change, creative women around the world are getting ready to stir the political pot – bringing comedy and music to the boil, to facilitate dangerous dialogues and uncomfortable collaborations.

Irish troubadour and country witch founding member Áine Tyrrell says if you’re not doing something the church would have burnt you for 400 years ago then you’re just not witching properly…or enough…or at all.

Photo Tree Faerie.

Comedian and co-founder Mandy Nolan believes its time for a movement for busy women who love tea but can’t be bothered baking cakes.

‘As performers we get a bit tired of sticking to the rules, so the idea of the CWA is to unleash our more deviant selves. This is a creative space to navigate topics at a deeper level than you’d do in a traditional pub format.

‘Everyone in the entertainment industry has to play it safe but we don’t want to. Playing it safe is boring. And it just won’t bring change. We really want to stir the pot on stage and in the audience.’

The CWA First Meeting format invites the audience to participate by becoming members and suggesting topics to be discussed on the Agenda by Mandy and Áine.

This will be one of the show’s highlights as it has an unscripted improvised format decided by the audience. The content will form the basis of the CWA podcast to be recorded as part of this innovative live show.

Photo Tree Faerie.

The CWA First Meeting will feature half an hour of comedy and story telling by Mandy who is looking forward to using the new format to bring across some of her more thought provoking ideas and commentary that will be more akin to her regular Soapbox that she publishes in the Echo – except spoken word than her usual stand up.

Traditional music sets don’t allow you to go deeper into the story behind the song.

One of Áine’s strengths is her fierce story telling. In her CWA performance she’ll be sharing stories of place, people and politics along with the music.

CWA (Country Witches Association) First Meeting
With Áine Tyrrell and Mandy Nolan
Brew House Theatre
Byron Bay Brewery
Friday 20 Dec 8pm. Doors 7.30pm.
Tix $25 at mandynolan.com.au or ainetyrrell.com.au.



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.

Kyogle bridge build completed in under three months

Kyogle mayor Danielle Mulholland says a new bridge on Gradys Creek Road, off Summerland Way and north of Kyogle, has opened to traffic. She says it took Council less than three months to build Methvens Bridge.

57 Station St, Mullumbimby amended DA on public exhibition

The development application (DA 10.2025.212.1) for the carpark at 57 Station Street, Mullumbimby is now back on exhibition for eight weeks from 22 June.

A Byron kickback with the Gimelli family

The Gimelli family ran a small Italian restaurant on Jonson Street from about 1995 into the early 2000s. It was a classy joint, ahead of Byron’s culinary curve, serving dishes from every corner of Italy.

12 winners at Byron Bay Herb Nursery

The Byron Bay Herb Nursery continues to create constructive pathways to achievement with 12 students from Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s disability support program recently graduating with a Certificate II in Horticulture.