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Local News
Housing not industrial precinct say Lismore locals
Aslan Shand - 0
Locals from Goonellabah and Lindendale have called out the proposed Goonellabah industrial precinct at 1055A Bruxner Hwy and 245 Oliver Ave as being the wrong use of the site.
Byron Echo
Families and children left struggling after government fails flood recovery commitments
Bella Clay - 1
The recovery process following the February 2022 flood has been slow, and many people are still struggling to regain normality in their lives.
Local News
Appeal to locate missing man – Tweed Heads
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from Tweed Heads West.
Local News
Child protection workers walk off the job in Lismore
Lismore and Ballina child protection caseworkers stopped work to protest outside the defunct Community Services Centre in Lismore yesterday after two years of working without an office. They have been joined by Ballina child protection caseworkers who had their office shut in January.
Political Comment
Youth crime is increasing – what to do?
There is something strange going on with youth crime in rural and regional Australia. Normally, I treat hysterical rising delinquency claims with a pinch of salt – explicable by an increase in police numbers, or a headline-chasing tabloid, or a right-wing politician.
Byron Echo
Blockades continue as councillors wave next Wallum certificate through
Paul Bibby - 6
A second subdivision works certificate for the Wallum estate was signed off by a majority of councillors last week, who again argued that they have no legal standing to further impede an approved development.
Byron Echo
Ancient brewing tradition honoured
An annual event and brewing ritual to honour ancient brewing traditions was held at Stone & Wood’s Byron brewery last week.
National News
New data reveals NSW social housing waitlist blowout
A fresh analysis by Homelessness NSW reveals where people are waiting the longest for social housing, sparking calls to double the supply of social homes and boost services funding.
National News
Domestic violence service calls for urgent action to address crisis
Relationships Australia NSW is calling for urgent intervention from the NSW government to address men’s violence against women, following the horrific murder of Molly Ticehurst.
Byron Echo
More Byron CBD height exceedance approved
Paul Bibby - 12
Two multi-storey mixed-use developments with a combined value of $36.2 million have been approved for the centre of Byron Bay, despite both exceeding height limits for that part of the Shire.
National News
eSafety commissioner granted legal injunction as X refuses to hide violent content
Australia’s Federal Court has granted the eSafety commissioner a two-day legal injunction to compel X, Elon Musk’s social media platform, to hide posts showing graphic content of the Wakeley church stabbing in Sydney.
Local News
Anzac Day events in the Northern Rivers
Around Australia people will come together this Thursday to pay their respects and remember those who have served, and continue to serve, the nation during times of conflict. Listed are details for Tweed, Ballina, Lismore, Byron, Kyogle, and Richmond Valley Council areas.
Local News
Cr McCarthy versus the macaranga
David Lowe - 1
This morning Ballina Shire Council will hear a motion from Cr Steve McCarthy to remove the native macaranga tree from the list of approved species for planting by Ballina Council and local community groups.
Byron Echo
2022 flood data quietly made public
The long-awaited state government analysis of the 2022 flood in the shire’s north is now available on the SES website.
Byron Echo
Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Couching an Opinion
Mandy Nolan - 5
The Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins case was never about establishing whether or not Lehrmann raped Higgins. It was about Brittany. She was established as not ‘the perfect victim’ so we overlooked the blazingly obvious fact that Bruce Lehrmann was ‘the perfect perpetrator’. An entitled, compulsive wrecking ball of cocaine, $400 steaks, free rent and very very expensive massages.
Local News
Connecting people, rivers, and the night sky in Kyogle
The youth of Kyogle were asked what their number one priority was and they said it was ‘is looking after the health of the river and they want to be involved in healing it’.
Science Goes Viral
New insights into great white shark behaviour off California coast
Marine scientists using tracking devices have been able to shine a spotlight on the behaviour of great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) with the publication...
Byron Echo
Increased Byron Council fees on the cards as fossil fuel investments decrease
Paul Bibby - 1
Byron Council’s financial ship is beginning to list concerningly, taking from its reserves and other funds in order to bail out its bottom line.
National News
Sustainable power from carbon dioxide?
University of Queensland researchers have built an experimental generator which they claim absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) to make electricity.
Local News
Mullumbimby railway station burns down
David Lowe - 4
At around midnight last night, a fire started which engulfed the old Mullumbimby railway station. It's been twenty years since the last train came through, but the building has been an important community hub, providing office space for a number of organisations, including COREM, Mullum Music Festival and Social Futures.
Byron Echo
Flood insurance inquiry’s North Coast hearings
A public hearing into insurers’ responses to the 2022 flood was held in Lismore last Thursday, with one local insurance brokerage business owner describing the compact that exists between insurers and society as ‘broken’.
Local News
Getting ready for the 24/25 bush fire season
This year’s official NSW Bush Fire Danger Period closed on March 21. Essential Energy says its thoughts are now turned toward to the 2024-25 season, and it has begun surveying its powerlines in and around the North Coast region.
Local News
Keeping watch on Tyalgum Road
Residents keen to stay up to date on the status of the temporary track at Tyalgum Road – particularly during significant rain events – are urged to sign up to a new SMS alert system launched by Tweed Shire Council.
National News
Deadly fire ants found in Murray-Darling Basin
The Invasive Species Council has expressed serious concern following the detection of multiple new fire ant nests at Oakey, 29 km west of Toowoomba in Queensland.
Byron Echo
Paul Watson has his say on Sea Shepherd ousting
Paul Watson - 2
Regarding your article concerning the split in Sea Shepherd. I established Sea Shepherd as a global movement, not as an organisation, controlled by a few men. It was a democratic association of independent national entities
Political Comment
Some spending cannot be questioned
David Lowe - 4
The euphemisms were flying when Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles announced last week that an extra $50 billion would be spent on our military over the next decade, and that $72.8 billion of already announced spending would be redirected.
Local News
The bridges of Ballina Council
Ballina Shire Council has started preliminary investigation works at Fishery Creek Bridge, on River Street, and Canal Bridge, on Tamarind Drive, as part of their plan to duplicate both bridges.
Local News
Tweed Council wants your ideas on future sports facilities
Tweed Council is looking for feedback from residents about future plans for sport and recreation in the area.
Local News
REDinc’s new Performing Arts Centre is go!
It’s been a long wait, but two years on from the 2022 flood REDinc in Lismore have announced the official opening of a new Performing Arts Centre.
Byron Echo
D-day for Bruns pod village pesticide treatment
After two delays, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) will be treating Bruns emergency pods with a pesticide treatment, despite some strong opposition from flood-affected residents.
Byron Echo
Funds sought to complete clubhouse
Paul Bibby - 0
Byron Bay Football Club may finally get the funds to complete its new clubhouse, with Byron councillors to consider loaning the club $200,000 at this week’s meeting.
Byron Echo
Reclaiming childhood in the ‘device age’
A century and a half ago, the visionary Henry David Thoreau declared people had become ‘the tool of their tools.’ In this device-driven age of smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence, few observations could be seen as more prescient.
Local News
A quiet day in Bruns after arrests and lock-ons
Eve Jeffery - 6
Though no machinery arrived at Wallum this morning, contractors and police were on the development site at Brunswick Heads as well as dozens of Save Wallum protesters.
Entertainment News
What’s happening in the rainforest’s Understory?
Springing to life in the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens this April school holidays, Understory is a magical, interactive theatre adventure created for children by Roundabout Theatre.
Local News
WATER Northern Rivers says Rous County Council is wrong
WATER Northern Rivers Alliance says despite decades of objection, Rous County Council have just commissioned yet another heritage and biodiversity study in the Rocky Creek valley, between Dunoon and The Channon, in the heart of the Northern Rivers.
Local News
Musicians and MLC support the save Wallum fight
As the drama unfolded between police and protesters at the Wallum Development in Brunswick Heads yesterday, people were drawn to the site by the red alerts sent out by the Save Wallum organisers.
Editorial
Editorial – What are the people doing in your neighbourhood?
If you are stuck for something to do this Thursday, why not take part in local democracy?
Local News
Housing not industrial precinct say Lismore locals
Aslan Shand - 0
Locals from Goonellabah and Lindendale have called out the proposed Goonellabah industrial precinct at 1055A Bruxner Hwy and 245 Oliver Ave as being the wrong use of the site.
Byron Echo
A fond farewell to Mungo’s crosswords
This week we sadly publish the last of Mungo MacCallum’s puzzles. Before he died in 2020 Mungo compiled a large archive of crosswords for The Echo.
Local News
Tugun tunnel work at Tweed Heads – road diversion
Motorists are advised of changed overnight traffic conditions from Sunday on the Pacific Motorway, Tweed Heads.
Local News
Driver charged following Coffs Harbour fatal crash
A driver has been charged following a fatal crash in the Coffs Harbour area yesterday.
