18.8 C
Byron Shire
June 24, 2026

Byron Writers Festival 2025 cancelled

Latest News

NSW budget and the Northern Rivers

The Minns government says it's handed down a budget which locks in major funding for North Coast health infrastructure, alongside targeted cost-of-living relief designed for regional households and disaster recovery, as locals continue to face higher costs.

Other News

Consultation closes Friday on Lismore’s 60,000 population plans

The future of Lismore is now up for discussion, with Council's Strategic Planning Framework currently out for public exhibition. Now is your time to have your say – consultation closes 26 June.

Bird flu reaches Western Australia

H5 avian flu has officially arrived in Western Australia, first discovered days ago in a dead migratory seabird near Esperance (700 km south-east of Perth), and since found in numerous other birds.

E-bikes destroyed by police in Tweed

Thirty-five e-bikes that were seized during police operations near Tweed Heads have been destroyed, say police.

NSW budget and the Northern Rivers

The Minns government says it's handed down a budget which locks in major funding for North Coast health infrastructure, alongside targeted cost-of-living relief designed for regional households and disaster recovery, as locals continue to face higher costs.

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.

Putting their money where their mouth and conscience is

Climate action group Rising Tide say they will disrupt business at Tweed City ANZ today, as local long-term customers withdraw their life savings from the bank.

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.

Appeal to locate missing woman

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from the Kempsey area.

Citizen science last line of defence for threatened species

Native forest logging is again in the spotlight in NSW, following Monday night’s Four Corners investigation into Forestry Corporation NSW’s failure to protect nationally endangered species.

Site confirmed for future high school at Pottsville

The NSW government says it has secured a site for a future high school in Pottsville, delivering on its commitment to future-proof public education for the growing Tweed community in the Northern Rivers.

Eleven winners at Byron Bay Herb Nursery

The Byron Bay Herb Nursery continues to create constructive pathways to achievement with twelve students from Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s disability support program recently graduating with a Certificate II in Horticulture.