13.2 C
Byron Shire
August 29, 2026

Kyogle council votes for rates increases

Latest News

How can we keep paying for incompetence

The only way forward is going backwards. That’s how I explain the current situation of Byron Shire Council. The...

Other News

Climate science meets art at Lismore Gallery

Climate change conversations filled with graphs, reports and grim headlines can be enough to make even the hardiest soul want to hide under the doona. This Sunday, Lismore Regional Gallery is trying a different approach to discussing the issue.

Rally against changes to RDT laws at Queensland Parliament House

The Legalise Cannabis Queensland Party (LCQ) and its members are up in arms about the proposed changes to Roadside Drug Testing (RDT) that are destined to pass into law by a majority LNP government.

A hole in one!

Mullumbimby Golf Club’s Cody Watego get a hole in one.

How can we keep paying for incompetence

The only way forward is going backwards. That’s how I explain the current situation of Byron Shire Council. The...

Editorial – Drug-checking saves lives

No-one would tolerate killing six teenagers with methanol-laced alcohol in Australia, as occurred recently in Laos. But in Australia, you can’t check your drugs to see if they’re safe.

Mullum CWA celebrates 100 years

The Mullumbimby Country Women’s Association has played a pivotal role in the local community for the last 100 years.

Kyogle Mayor Danielle Mulholland.

The Kyogle Council has included increases to general and sewerage rates in a draft $61.3 million budget on public display and available for comment.

A general rate increase of the rate pegged limit of 4.1 per cent is included in the draft agreed on by councillors at Monday night’s meeting.

Meanwhile, a proposed 10 per cent increase in sewerage rates ‘will help raise $4.25 million needed to secure a $12.75 million State Government grant to build the new sewerage treatment plant,’ a media release on Tuesday read.

Mayor Danielle Mulholland was quoted saying the old sewerage treatment plant was classified as high risk and no longer met environmental standards.

‘Building the new STP will ensure critical environmental standards are met and sets Kyogle up for the future, with the town having increased capacity to grow and thrive,’ Cr Mulholland said.

The STP project represented the largest cost listed in the council’s media release about the draft budget, at $17 million over two years.

Another $6 million was also provided in forward estimates ‘to sewer the villages of Wiangaree, Tabulam and Mallanganee,’ the statement read, ‘and $2.5 million for a Tabulam water supply’.

More than $12 million for Kyogle’s bridges and roads

The Kyogle Mayor said it was a ‘responsible budget’ that set the groundwork for growth and prosperity, focusing on ‘improvements to infrastructure and connectivity’.

More than $12 million was allocated to bridge and road projects, with $5.4 million allocated for bridges, $4.1 million for rural local roads and $2.68 million for regional road projects.

Also budgeted was:

  • $783,674 for urban streets;
  • $141,500 for the Roxy Gallery;
  • $614,490 for the library and mobile library;
  • $725,213 on Council’s three public swimming pools;
  • $1.48 million on parks, gardens and village maintenance; and
  • $166,620 in financial assistance and community donations.

Councillors voted on Monday night to put the document on display for public comment.

It’s available for public comment until 13 May 2025, with copies available at the council’s administration centre at 1 Stratheden Street, Kyogle, via the council’s website www.kyogle.nsw.gov.au or at the Wadeville store, Woodenbong Post Office, Tabulam Post Office, Cawongla store, Mallanganee Post Office, Wiangaree Post Office, and Bonalbo Post Office.

Written submissions are to be accepted up to 4pm on 13 May 2025 and are to be sent to the General Manager, PO Box 11, Kyogle, NSW 2474 or to [email protected].



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.

Greens urged to back pathway to end native forest logging

Some of NSW’s most respected and long-standing forest campaigners and scientists have today urged the Greens not to support the Nationals' attempt to disallow the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) method.

Ballina Council makes decision on Ross Lane

With the absence of all four of its progressive councillors for various reasons, Ballina Council pushed ahead with its agenda at yesterday's monthly meeting, including a decision which is likely to close Ross Lane for months while the road is upgraded.

Mullumbimby puts new governance models first, and now wants to build it

Imagine Northern Rivers says Mullumbimby is the only community across the region to rank new models of governance and decision-making as the number one element of its preferred future, and last week locals gathered to work out how to make it real.

Appeal to locate man missing from Broadwater

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a local missing man.