13.2 C
Byron Shire
June 25, 2026

A Happy and Healthy New Year in 2026

Latest News

Planets and weather align for Cape Byron Steiner Winter Solstice success

Last Thursday, in the days before the Winter Solstice, and after weeks of on and off rain that had more than a few parents nervously eyeing weather apps, Cape Byron Steiner School's annual Winter Festival went ahead.

Other News

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Vagina-Maxxing

It’s a thing. It popped into my newsfeed as a story. I had to click. I mean, what new vagina fashion has come into play. Maxxing? Is this some new big vagina trend? Are our vaginas now not ‘big’ enough? Are we trying to create a spare room in our womb?

A heartfelt night of fundraising

We can’t solve the lack of social housing investment, or magically make emergency accommodation appear, but we can help alleviate suffering and bring warmth and comfort to people coping in truly awful situations.

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.

Booyong Abattoir I

We strongly believe that the disturbing Booyong Abattoir is a blight on Byron Shire. The health and wellbeing of the local...

Cartoons of the week – 24 June, 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.

Wyuna 1 freed from Belongil Beach

There's been a happy ending to the saga of Jeff Sutton's yacht Wyuna 1, which has been beached near Elements at North Belongil since early May, after being damaged in heavy weather.

This healthy and delicious Buddha bowl is from On The Ripe Side.

The new year often arrives with a familiar feeling: after weeks of indulgent meals, festive treats and celebratory drinks, your body is quietly asking for a reset. Summer stretches ahead with long golden days, ocean swims and balmy evenings, the perfect time to feel light, energised and well.

The farmers’ markets are the ideal place to begin. Start by supporting your gut with nourishing fermented foods and effervescent drinks. Look out for kombucha from Organic Forest, crafted with organic ingredients and a gentle natural fizz, alongside traditional herbal jamu, known for its warming, digestive benefits.

Byron Fermentary is also a must-visit, using ingredients grown themselves or by local farmers, therefore offering seasonal ferments that change regularly – proof that krauts can be far more exciting than just cabbage.

You’ll also find Yogi Nectar, a water kefir that supports improved gut health, stronger immunity and better digestion, available as refreshing drinks and probiotic gels.

If you’re kicking off the new year gluten-free, be sure to check out Breadicine. Their range of breads, muffins, pizza bases, brownies and biscuits prove that gluten-free can still be deeply satisfying.

On The Ripe Side and Jungle Juice both make amazing, health-focused juices and smoothies, using fresh, seasonal produce. On the Ripe Side also prepares a delicious range of chia puddings and colourful Buddha bowls, all vegan-friendly and designed to nourish without weighing you down.

Add extra vitality with Energetic Greens, offering crisp sprouts and powerful wheatgrass shots, and Sprout Lovers, whose sprouted legumes are easy to digest and rich in plant-based protein.

For a clean, calm lift, explore Matcha Man’s matcha drinks, delivering sustained energy and antioxidants without the coffee crash.

With so many thoughtful, small-batch producers in one place, the markets turn good intentions into delicious habits. Start the year gently, nourish your body from the ground up, and let summer be about feeling refreshed, light and truly energised.

Find these products at Mullum Farmers Market every Friday from 7 am to 11 am and New Brighton Farmers Market every Tuesday from 8 am to 11 am.



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.

Kyogle bridge build completed in under three months

Kyogle mayor Danielle Mulholland says a new bridge on Gradys Creek Road, off Summerland Way and north of Kyogle, has opened to traffic. She says it took Council less than three months to build Methvens Bridge.

57 Station St, Mullumbimby amended DA on public exhibition

The development application (DA 10.2025.212.1) for the carpark at 57 Station Street, Mullumbimby is now back on exhibition for eight weeks from 22 June.

A Byron kickback with the Gimelli family

The Gimelli family ran a small Italian restaurant on Jonson Street from about 1995 into the early 2000s. It was a classy joint, ahead of Byron’s culinary curve, serving dishes from every corner of Italy.

12 winners at Byron Bay Herb Nursery

The Byron Bay Herb Nursery continues to create constructive pathways to achievement with 12 students from Byron Bay Herb Nursery’s disability support program recently graduating with a Certificate II in Horticulture.