15.4 C
Byron Shire
June 17, 2026

Flood residents get $650 from Lismore Council

Latest News

Vale William ‘Bill’ Ewen

The funeral service for Marine Rescue Ballina volunteer William ‘Bill’ Ewen was held on Monday at Ballina RSL Club.

Other News

Police chase stolen vehicle in Tweed, man charged

Police say a man will face court today charged after an alleged pursuit in a stolen vehicle at Tweed Heads yesterday morning.

New maternity unit at Grafton Base Hospital

Pregnant women and their families across the Clarence Valley will benefit from an upgraded purpose-built maternity unit following a $20 million funding boost from the NSW government.

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Plastic Is Forever

Our family has been trying to give up plastic. And I’m not just talking single-use straws or takeaway cups or bottled water. Like most people we did that years ago. I’m talking about all the other plastic that we ingest either directly or through chemical leaching. In the period of time since I was a child, to a child born now, the fossil fuel industry has become implicated in nearly every part of our daily routine.

E-bikes rule

Teenage gangs on e-bikes now rule our roads at night in Byron Bay. Driving, or even walking, in the hours...

Bayside blues

Hi beautiful community, I am concerned for the whole Shire. Our stormwater and sewage systems have been affected by the...

Tropical soda apple eradication project spans 130km of the Richmond River

A major regional effort to manage a highly invasive weed has been completed across the Far North Coast, says Rous County Council (Rous), "marking an important step forward in protecting local agriculture and the environment".  

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg today announced that 1,558 residents will receive a grant of $650 from the Lismore Flood Appeal.

He said the Flood Appeal Committee decided to equally distribute $1 million between all eligible applicants in the first round of grants.

Mayor Krieg said that Council hopes these grants will go some way to helping the community recover from the February natural disaster. ‘I also want to thank all those who donated to the Lismore Flood Appeal, which so far had raised $1,559,252.43.’

The grants will be distributed to residents within the next two weeks.

Distributed within the next two weeks

Mayor Krieg said the committee had decided to distribute the grants in two rounds to create a ‘safety net’ for those who could not submit an application in the first round.

The second round will open for four weeks from 1 September this year. Any unallocated funds from Round 2, will be redistributed to all eligible applicants from both rounds.

The grants are available for residents in the Lismore Government Area who were living in a home in the inundation zone and suffered property damage or loss.

The first round closed on 11 July, with 1805 received.

Council staff reviewed all applications to ensure they met the eligibility requirements, with 1558 determined as eligible.

The reason applications were declined included:

  • Duplicate applications
  • Does not live in Lismore LGA
  • Applicant is a business
  • Applicant is a landlord
  • Address was not flood affected

Council made contact with many applicants who did not provide proof of a flood-affected address or supporting documents to allow them the opportunity to update their application.

However, Council was unable to contact some applicants despite numerous attempts. We encourage these people to apply for a grant in Round 2 and contact Council on 6625 500 if they need further assistance.

No administration costs have been deducted from the funds raised, with all donated funds going to flood-affected residents.



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.

Empowering women and girls

Applications are now open for Northern Rivers Community Foundation's (NRCF) 2026 Empowering Women & Girls Grant, offering local not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to secure funding for projects that empower women and girls across the Northern Rivers.

Big things are happening at The Paddock — and one of them has a flush

There are two milestones worth celebrating at The Paddock this season as they push ahead with their innovative project.

Byron Writers Festival reveals 30th anniversary program

As August draws near and authors gear up for a big weekend in Byron Bay, Byron Writers Festival has revealed its complete program for its 30th anniversary edition

Are retirement villages what Byron Bay needs?

Developer DD Resort Living is seeking community feedback until June 18 on its proposed retirement living development in Byron Bay.