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Byron Shire
July 12, 2026

Living life

Latest News

Deadly weaving at Lismore gallery

Eighteen months ago, a group of First Nations artists from the Northern Rivers came together at the Lismore Regional Gallery as part of the Gathering Space project.

Other News

First Nations voices at the opening and heart of writers festival

Byron Writers Festival opens on Bundjalung Country on August 14 with a Calling to Country led by local Arakwal Bundjalung custodian, Delta Kay, and this year will feature the inaugural Rhoda Roberts Oration, honouring the late, beloved Rhoda Roberts AO.

Ballina memorial pays tribute to fallen Marine Rescue volunteers

On Sunday, a memorial was unveiled at the RSL Memorial Park, next to the Ballina RSL, to pay tribute to those lost on the night of May 4 on the Ballina Bar.

Community rallies behind beloved Byron local facing cancer battle

Locals are rallying behind beloved Byron local Krystal Pillwein after she was diagnosed with stage 2 inoperable cervical cancer, launching a fundraising campaign to help ease the financial burden of her treatment.

Deadly stories: powerful First Nations voices at Byron Writers Festival 2026

This year’s festival celebrates some of the most vital and impactful storytelling in Australian literature, with a dedicated program of First Nations writers whose work spans historical fiction, picture books and Indigenous knowledge and whose voices are reshaping how this country understands itself.

It’s not just you, it’s Telstra

Across Australia, Telstra mobile and mobile data customers have been dealing with widespread outages this morning, from cities to the regions, including the Northern Rivers.

Music comes to Mullum this weekend!

Wild Rocket blast into Mullum as Mullum Roots Festival lights up the town this coming weekend. Three venues around Mullum will host music, while songwriting workshops will happen at the Drill Hall Theatre on Sunday.

While the population of planet Earth grapples with the novel coronavirus situation, everyone is facing the ancient learning; what to do and what not to do? 

Life continues regardless of circumstances people create in their participation with life. 

One nagging reported situation that raised its head at the beginning of 2020; where did COVID-19 come from? Sadly, this question has taken the back seat while the process of ignoring and removing the question altogether is being implemented. 

As long as authority does not peruse this question, with open and honest debate with the rest of the population, are we not all following the blind men of authority to get results only they can see? 

SARS-CoV-2 can’t be seen without specialist equipment, thus identification remains in the control of the few. What the equipment reveals to the experts who use it is shrouded in the secrets of their processes and laws. The same people who are making the rules for the pandemic… er, is that a conflict of interest like robodebt and sports rorts etc? 

What is going to change this process to reveal these secrets to all people? What is going on with the secrets they are keeping? What are  the reasons? 

Doubt remains about where SARS-CoV-2 came from; is it natural or unnatural? What have, and what are the bio labs doing, besides making the vaccines? 

The morality of their actions we are listening to and following are leading to unknown situations, we can believe, or not believe, the information they give. It still remains the blind person following the blind person, to get somewhere. While learning what to do and what not to do. 

Robert Podhajsk, Ocean Shores



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Plastic not so fantastic

There is nothing healthier than drinking some water – or so I’ve always told my kids. It doesn’t contain sugar or colour additives – as one person used to tell us as children, ‘it’s sky juice’! What could be better?

Ballina courthouse windows smashed, man charged

Police say a man will face court today, charged after 12 windows were allegedly smashed in Ballina last night.   Police say, 'About 10.35pm (Thursday 9 July 2026), police were called to Martin Street following reports of a man smashing windows'.

Alleged native tree removal continues in Lennox, says councillor

With a government agency now investigating the alleged clear felling of natives on a large private block in Lennox Head, Ballina Greens councillor Kiri Dicker has told The Echo that contractors were felling trees all morning, ‘trying to get the job done’.

Ocean Shores man charged with advocating terrorism online

Police say a 20-year-old Ocean Shores man is behind bars (refused bail) and will face court in Tweed Heads Local Court on 18 September, charged with advocating terrorism.