12.6 C
Byron Shire
July 6, 2026

The May Day 

Latest News

Vale Eve Sinton 20/11/52–30/06/26

In February this year, Eve Sinton was admitted to Tamworth Hospital. All tests and biopsies were taken. Before announcing the diagnosis to Eve, the doctor asked ‘First Please tell me what was your occupation?’ Eve replied, ‘I am a journalist’.

Other News

Interview with Bill Chambers

Bill Chambers decided early that he would be a musician one day – in the course of making his dreams come true, Tyler Chambers has grown up in a musical family. He has sat side-stage, either at his sister Kasey’s or his father Bill Chambers’ shows, since he was born.

Women to the front: the female voices shaping the 2026 Byron Writers Festival

The 2026 Byron Writers Festival program puts women front and centre. Journalists, novelists, and an award-winning columnist bring an extraordinary breadth of stories to Bundjalung Country this August.

Calls for more public transport

Public transport in the Northern Rivers currently consists of a few buses that run infrequently and have very few...

South Murwillumbah drain works underway

Work is now underway on a major upgrade to the Blacks Drain crossing on Tweed Valley Way at South Murwillumbah. 

New funding path sought for rail trail, but is it too late?

Byron Council will investigate private sponsorship, tourism partnerships, and smaller staged projects as it seeks a new path forward for the long-delayed Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) after a major federal funding bid failed.

What do we owe each other?

Some films arrive as an invitation to gather, reflect, and begin a conversation. Common Wealth, screening at Byron Theatre on Friday, 10 July, feels made for that kind of room.

Natural Wine

Forget the first, 6 May is the day that Luna Wine Store welcomes 30 of Australia’s most exciting winemakers and natural wine importers to the region for the Full Moon Natural Wine Festival at the Eltham Hotel.

Following on from the raucous success that was last year’s inaugural event, this year’s festival promises to be an afternoon of high energy, beautiful wine, great music and conversation, and is a rare chance to chat face-to-face in a casual, party environment with those who are connected to the land on which this beautiful produce is crafted. 

Guests will be able to taste over 100 wines from around the country, with winemakers visiting from Tasmania, Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Gippsland, Barossa, Mount Gambier and plenty more, welcoming the likes of Dan Graham (Sigurd Wines), Rory Duggan (R. D’Meure) and importers Lo-Fi Wines, Liz Carey (Vivant) and Giorgio de Maria.

Luna Wine Store is Byron Bay’s only natural wine store, focusing entirely on independent organic, biodynamic and natural wine producers.

There will be live music, food created by a joint effort of the Eltham and Ciao Mate kitchens and the Eltham’s bar is open as usual. Wines shown on the day will be available for takeaway after the festival. 

Luna Wine Store’s Russ Berry says they want to create an environment that brings people closer to the wine they are consuming. ‘We want to open the dialogue between producer and consumer that is mostly overlooked within people’s relationship with wine, and other drinks’. 

‘I love how people engage with their food and its provenance in this region, and Full Moon, with a bit of dancing and live music thrown in, is a place for our community to interact and maybe walk away having learnt something interesting about the direct relationship between soil health and a wine’s qualities.’

Once the tasting ends, the party carries on into the evening with Luna’s ‘Baller Bar’ serving unique and rare natural wines from around the world by the glass.

Tickets are $75 via Eventbrite; click the link on Luna Wine Store’s webpage, or alternatively drop by in-store on Jonson Street to make a purchase. Bookings for Echo readers are available with a 10 per cent locals discount, just use code ‘ECHO23’ at the checkout.

Bookings for the charter bus ride at 7pm or 9pm to Bangalow or Byron Bay are available at the time of ticket purchase, for $12.50.

The Full Moon Natural Wine Festival at the Eltham Hotel, Saturday 6 May, 2–5pm.

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Positive future for Byron’s visitor economy

Last Thursday saw Destination Byron bring together over 150 attendees looking at the future of Byron and its visitor economy.

Pet adoption day – 4 July in Ballina

Northern Rivers Animal Services Inc (NRAS) are hoping the sun will be out for their monthly adoption day on Saturday, 4 July from 10am until 1pm at the NRAS Rescue Shelter at 61 Piper Drive, Ballina.

Artists sought to transform factory space into multi-artform event

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now open for artists to transform a former factory in Lismore – The Joinery – through performance, installation and site-responsive art.

What’s on in Tweed for NAIDOC Week?

NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held from Sunday 5 July to Sunday 12 July 2026, under the national theme 50 Years of Deadly.