Aslan Shand

We have seen the government ban under-16s from social media over concerns for mental health which include isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression, body image issues, and low self-esteem.

Byron Shire Council’s decision not to renew the contract to locals for the Mullumbimby and Byron pools was decided in a confidential session – like far too many of this month’s Council deliberations – leaving the public with little information why the decision was made to hand over the local aquatic facilities to Belgravia Leisure ‘one of Australia’s largest providers of sports and leisure’ according to their website.

The Mullumbimby, Byron, and Lismore chambers of commerce, along with local businesses and the Byron and Lismore councils, have said that they are incredibly disappointed and frustrated at the federal government’s decision not to fund the latest applications for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail

Byron Shire Greens Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye, has confirmed with The Echo that she is putting her hand up for Greens preselection for the state seat of Ballina, following Greens MP Tamara Smith announcing she would not be contesting the seat in the 2027 state election.

The Returning, an Indigenous women-led not-for-profit organisation based in Mullumbimby, has taken on four Aboriginal programs after the closure of the Murwillumbah Community Centre.

Victoria is side-stepping the rising cost of fuel by offering free public transport. If only public transport was an option in the Northern Rivers, let alone it being free!

On Monday 4 May, a ten-year-old was hit by a teenager on an e-bike on Jubilee Avenue, Mullumbimby near the Mullumbimby Pool.

After 118 years the fourth generation member of the Bridgeland family, Rob Bridgland, is closing up shop.

Former Nationals Party Deputy Leader and Member for Ballina from 1988 to 2015, Don Page, has told The Echo that it is vital to hold the line on height limits in Byron Bay to ensure it doesn’t become another Gold Coast.

‘I want my country back. I want to bring back prosperity.’ As we listen to the strains of Pauline Hanson and her calls about how existing parties have ‘run this country into the ground’ following the One Nation win in the Farrer by-election I have to reflect on how her good mate Donald Trump has made America great again (MAGA).

John Milford, Captain of the Wilsons Creek Rural Fire Brigade, has been in the Rural Fire Service (RFS) for about 34 years and when the 2022 floods hit he became a lynch pin in linking his local community. But for him it was ‘just doing my job’.

The federal government’s Budget has committed $2 billion for housing-enabling infrastructure, including $500 million dedicated to regional Australia – over four years from 2026-27, to fund critical infrastructure and build up to 65,000 new homes.

Booyong Abattoir has approval to slaughter 5,000 pigs per week, although it has historically slaughtered 7,000 to 10,000 animals at times, and a Booyong Village local residents’ group doesn’t want the abattoir’s development application (DA 10.2024.305.3) to be approved by Byron Shire Council (BSC).

The closure this week of ACM’s (Australian Community Media) Tamworth printing facility has once again led to the closure of more local, regional newspapers.

The community frustration at Byron Shire Council was palpable on Monday night as they sought to understand why the draft development control plan (DCP) for the former Mullumbimby Hospital site failed so effectively at reflecting all the contributions they had made to the process.

With Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith (Greens), saying she will not be contesting next year’s state election, Mandy Nolan says she will run for Greens preselection for the state seat of Ballina.

Byron Shire Council is currently seeking community feedback on the closure of part of 35 Bayside Way, Brunswick Heads – a former Crown road...

Frustration was expressed at Monday night’s public meeting, at the failure of the Mullumbimby Hospital site development control plan (DCP) to incorporate the significant and time-consuming community proposals and feedback that had been provided to Byron Shire Council (BSC).

Local athlete Paul Mayberry won gold at the 2026 MSA National Championships in Brisbane on Saturday, 2 May, in the 800 metres short course...

Last Sunday, 3 May, the Byron Bay Winter Whales gathered wearing their iconic Okanui shorts, to host the Byron Property Sales Ocean Classic and...

Crews aboard Global Sumud Flotilla, who are part of unarmed crews with critical humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, say Israeli naval forces boarded their ships on 1 May and threatened them at gunpoint.