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Byron Shire
November 9, 2026

Operation Christmas New Year

Latest News

Green Heroes among 2026 NSW Environment Award winners

The NSW Environment Awards, hosted by the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, Nature Conservation Council NSW, was recently held at Customs House in Sydney.

Other News

Cartoon of the week – 4 November, 2026

The Echo loves your letters 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, send us your epistles.

New Tweed Heads Hub backed by $3.8 million commitment

The newly opened Veteran and Family Hub at Tweed Heads will be backed by a renewed $3.8 million commitment from RSL NSW to sponsor veteran and family services, delivered by partner charity RSL LifeCare.

Kinvara centre relocation would allow taller shop-top housing

The planned village centre at Kinvara, west of Lennox Head, would move to flatter land and allow taller shop-top housing under planning changes now open for public comment.

Ballina’s arts attitude

At last week’s Ballina Shire Council meeting, I moved a motion that Ballina Council rejoin the Arts Northern Rivers...

Seven women, seven decades and seven minutes to tell their stories

Most of us would struggle to squeeze a lifetime into seven minutes. Seven local women are about to give it a go, with stories of what they have survived along the way.

Koalas on the move – stay alert on the roads

Over spring and summer koalas are on the move as they search for food, territory and mates.

Operation Christmas New Year has begun, with NSW police stepping up visibility and cracking down even further on reckless driving behaviour.

Double demerits came into effect on 12:01am Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will continue until 11:59pm Sunday 4 January 2026.

This year’s road toll has made for yet another devastating 12 months on our roads reaching 351 deaths.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers, together with local police across NSW, will be targeting all road-related offences including speeding, wearing seatbelts, drink and drug driving, distractions, driving tired and any dangerous driving behaviours which put the safety of road users at risk.

Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole. Photo Simon Haslam

Responsibility

Shadow Minister for Police Paul Toole said although police will have a highly visible presence on the roads, the key to reducing accidents is taking responsibility – for yourself, your family, your passengers, and every other road user.

‘The most important gift you can give this festive season is being responsible. Everyone has someone waiting for them at the end of their journey, we don’t want to see any more empty seats around Christmas table,’ Mr Toole said.

‘In the last few weeks, deadly crashes have torn through our regional communities taking lives that we can’t replace. Despite less people living in regional areas, the country accounts for more than 70 per cent of all road fatalities.’

If you are getting behind the wheel – even if it’s a short trip, never drive if you’re tired, buckle up, stay under the speed limit, and put the phone away.

To help plan your trip anywhere in NSW, traffic conditions can be found at: https://www.livetraffic.com.



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