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June 28, 2026

Southern Cross University awarded almost $2 million for innovative research

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Less than 300 tickets left!

Following a sold-out inaugural event in 2025, Mullum Roots Festival returns bigger and bolder, taking over Mullumbimby with an expanded program, and an additional venue. The new space will host a Youth Battle Of The Bands and give more room for music lovers to gather, celebrate and connect.

Southern Cross University has received more than $1.94 million in government funding for innovative research at the institution.

The funding was awarded by the Australian Research Council this week, giving local researchers a positive start to the year.

‘This is a stunning result for Southern Cross University with a 27 per cent success rate for Discovery Projects, compared to the sector average of 19 per cent,’ Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Mary Spongberg said.

First-time ARC recipient Associate Professor Lynne McPherson from the Faculty of Health has been awarded a Linkage Project grant for her project ‘Strengthening relationships for young people in residential care’, along with renowned Southern Cross University researcher Professor Anne Graham, and Dr Kathomi Gatwiri.

First-time ARC recipient Associate Professor Lynne McPherson from the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University. Image supplied

The ARC will provide $429,569 to fund the project, which will provide policy-makers and therapeutic care providers with the information required to help improve approaches to therapeutic care and enable greater participation for young people in care.

In the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Professor Bradley Eyre has achieved the rare feat of securing two Discovery Project grants as first named researcher in the same round, worth a total of $893,000.

The money will support ground-breaking research to better understand the global carbon cycle: the biogeochemical exchange of carbon between the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land and fossil fuels.

Professor Eyre’s projects ‘Shallow water carbonate sediment dissolution in the global carbon cycle’ ($437,000), and ‘Resolving the role of dryland flooding in the global carbon cycle’ ($456,000) top off an impressive three years of ARC success for Professor Eyre.



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Byron’s Winter Whales raise $43,000

The Byron Bay Winter Whales (BBWW) took to the ocean for the 39th time this year on the first Sunday of May and raised $43,000 for local organisations and charities.

When it comes to real estate, everyone can use an advocate

With 45 years combined experience across both sales and property management, husband and wife team Mark and Michelle Errichiello have recently moved to the Northern Rivers and teamed up with Byron Property Search to provide advocacy services for people looking to buy or sell across the region.

Savour The Tweed returns, 22 October

Food and drink event, Savour The Tweed, returns to excite tastebuds this spring, from Wednesday 22 October to Sunday 26 October.

Conservationists welcome carbon credit scheme to protect forests

Today’s release of the government’s proposed Improved Native Forest Method, which allows governments to claim carbon credits in return for stopping logging has been welcomed by the North East Forest Alliance and North Coast Environment Council as "providing a way to end native forest logging on public land".