14.9 C
Byron Shire
July 2, 2026

Hand outs

Latest News

The Buttery celebrates NAIDOC Week with ‘Imagine’

The Buttery, in partnership with its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee, is proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week with a free community screening of the acclaimed First Nations animated feature film Imagine, inviting the Northern Rivers community to come together to reflect, learn and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, stories and achievements.

Other News

Casino Suspension Bridge opens

Minister For Small Business, Recovery and North Coast Janelle Saffin joined Mayor Robert Mustow and Member for Page Kevin Hogan to officially opening the Casino Suspension Bridge today (Saturday).

Youth internship program inspiring new volunteers

Students gaining practical emergency response skills while helping build the next generation of volunteers has been the focus of the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Youth Internship Programs across the state during this school term.

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: When No Means MoNo

Pauline wants monoculture. No one really knows what she means. And we know that Pauline definitely doesn’t know what it means, she just knows it will create disturbance. So I’ve done a bit of a deep dive on what the mono might look like.

Teals form a party – well some of them, anyway

Community Strong Australia chose to announce its existence to the world with an image showing two women, teal MPs Allegra Spender and Zali Steggall, isolated on the vast expanse of the Parliament House forecourt, while something exciting seemed to be happening in the distance.

Conservationists welcome carbon credit scheme to protect forests

Today’s release of the government’s proposed Improved Native Forest Method, which allows governments to claim carbon credits in return for stopping logging has been welcomed by the North East Forest Alliance and North Coast Environment Council as "providing a way to end native forest logging on public land".

A deeper dive into Gulgan Village’s affordable housing

If approved, Gulgan Village, proposed on the highway end of The Saddle Road across 37.9 hectares, could eventually (after a development application process) house up to 1,000 people in around 550 homes, ‘depending on the housing mix’ (source: Gulgan Village Civil Engineering Report).

If Labour touches CGT, they have lost my vote, plus all my family. This Labour government is the worst government we have ever had in this country. Government of hand outs.

Paulo Dias



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.

CSIRO releases flood mitigation report

After four years of work, the CSIRO has come to the conclusion that multiple water detentions (dams), in the upper reaches of the catchments in the Northern Rivers, along with other flood mitigation engineering, could reduce future catastrophic flooding impacts in Lismore and elsewhere by as much as 2 metres.

Protecting the Daintree from Mullumbimby 

From a small office in Mullumbimby, a local conservation organisation is helping protect one of the most extraordinary places on Earth, more than 1,500 kilometres to the north. 

Landlord penalties for premises selling illicit tobacco and vapes

New laws targeting commercial landlords who knowingly permit tenants to sell illicit tobacco and vaping goods from their premises begin today, as part of the government’s continued crackdown on the illicit market.

Award-winning writers coming to BWF

The Byron Writers Festival has announced a number of prize-winning authors who will be appearing among 150 international and Australian writers at this year's festival, representing a wide range of genres.