17.1 C
Byron Shire
July 15, 2026

Byron Writers Festival 2025 cancelled

Latest News

Renewables and battery storage stable amid global uncertainty

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, in partnership with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) today released the GenCost 2025–26 Final Report, finding renewable energy supported by storage is helping to protect Australia against global energy shocks and continues to provide the lowest cost pathway for Australia’s electricity system to achieve net zero emissions.

Other News

Gulgan Village meeting

I attended the Brunswick Progress Associations (BPA) meeting on 6/07/2026 at the CWA for a discussion on the impact...

Energy savings

Two exciting developments will lower household electricity bills, strengthen the local grid, and help power-up our renewable energy. First,...

Shark politics

The Minns government’s response to the most recent shark attack in Sydney is to spend an additional $34 million...

Mandy’s column

John Heaton (Letters 8 July) is correct in stating that allowing Mandy Nolan a weekly column is no longer...

Here she comes

Tiffany Grace is a 22-year-old Brisbane-based singer/songwriter/guitarist. Her original songs are deep, uplifting, and relatable, with an acoustic, pop-country feel that are getting attention worldwide.

Mammalian meat allergy and my heart valve replacement

Increasingly, people living in bush areas of the Shire are becoming aware of Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA). Also known as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), the disease is caused when a tick bites you and transfers a sugar called alpha-gal into your bloodstream.

The inimitable Robert Dessaix during today’s wet Friday in Bangalow. Photo Jeff Dawson.

Update: Some events going ahead

Byron Writers Festival 2025 – some events going ahead

Original:

The organisers of the 2025 Byron Writers Festival have regrettably decided to cancel the rest of the weekend’s events, owing to the condition of the festival site, as well as ongoing rain.

The festival will not proceed tomorrow – Saturday August 9 and Sunday August 10 at Bangalow Showground as planned.

A difficult decision

This difficult decision has been made in close consultation with all Byron Writers Festival stakeholders and is based on the safety and wellbeing of our patrons, authors, partners, suppliers and volunteers.

Festival Artistic Director, Jessica Alice, told The Echo this evening that this is a deeply regrettable but necessary decision. ‘Though we had a wonderful but wet first day, now the safety of our community is our highest priority. The forecast conditions make it impossible to continue the event safely.

‘We encourage patrons to come to the Book Room in Byron this weekend and collect the books of our fabulous authors.’

Organisers are asking all ticket holders to please bear with them as we manage the situation. ‘We will be in touch as soon as possible with updates and outcomes.

‘We are devastated and we’re sure everyone associated with the festival will also feel the disappointment and loss that comes with a festival cancellation.

‘Thank you to our audience, writers, staff, and volunteers for your incredible patience on our opening day.’



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.

Lismore Boulevard Project announced

Design concept plans for the Lismore Boulevard – Shared User Path project are now available for community consultation, following Lismore City Council securing $2,383,030 in funding through the NSW Government’s Get NSW Active 2025–2026 program, administered by Transport for NSW (TfNSW).

Community responds to detention dams proposal

More than 110 residents gathered at Rock Valley Hall on Sunday 12 July and rejected claims that the recently released CSIRO report on flood mitigation was informed by strong community consultation.

Data shows biggest danger to wildlife is people, not cats

Human-created hazards are responsible for most wildlife rescues in New South Wales, and researchers are calling for more prevention strategies to save threatened species.

Try pickleball and support a great cause

Northern Rivers Pickleball Club are holding a marathon day of pickleball on Sunday, 19 July at the Goonellabah Tennis and Pickleball Club Reserve Street, Goonellabah.