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Byron Shire
June 12, 2026

Latest News

Up to 550 homes pegged for Byron Shire’s newest suburb

Community feedback is now sought on three planning documents that will shape the future of Gulgan Village, a new residential suburb proposed on the elevated slopes of Saddle Road. 

Other News

Byron stormwater strategy

Has anyone read the Engeny report supplied to Byron Council on the stormwater strategy for Byron Bay? There are several...

Compassion missing

Predictably, Marianne McCormack (Letters, 3 June) chooses to ignore my personal claims that I am not a racist, to support...

Climate action arts program announces 2026 recipients

Ingrained Foundation, together with co-founder of the Climate Action Arts Grant Program, Vicki Brooke, and delivery partner Arts Northern Rivers (ANR), are say they are delighted to announce the five recipients of the inaugural program.

Kyogle adopts $64.6m budget, promises big investment for the future

Kyogle Council has adopted its 2026/2027 budget, with Mayor Danielle Mulholland saying it delivers a clear commitment to strengthening essential services, supporting emerging needs, and positioning the community for the future.

‘Open slather’ if rural housing expands under Tweed policy, says councillor

A Tweed councillor is warning that protections for agricultural/environmental land could be diminished if a strategy to expand housing on rural land is adopted by Council. 

Free bike track ‘waste of money’

Byron Shire business people who think that spending eye-watering amounts of taxpayers’ money ripping up a multi-billion-dollar train line...

August 16, 2023

Byron Shire Echo issue 38.10 – August 16, 2023

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Local News | Comment | Letters | Articles | Soapbox | Crossword | Stars | Bangalow Chamber Music Festival | Health & Healing | Brunswick Heads | Good Taste | The Good Life | Seven Entertainment | Gig Guide | Cinema | Echo Property | Property Business Directory | Service Directory | Classifieds | Sport | Backlash

In this Issue:

Why a listening space matters

Of all the forgotten stories in the aftermath of the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers, the role of Mullumbimby’s Listening Space (LS) surely ranks as one of the more fascinating.

Mullum’s future water supply: Wilsons Creek or Rous?

Since the 1940s Mullumbimby’s water supply has come from a concrete weir on Wilsons Creek, at Lavertys Gap, piped by gravity through a treatment plant perched beside Wilsons Creek Road, to two concrete balancing reservoirs above the old Mullumbimby hospital on Azalea Street.

Land values exceedingly high? Committee taking objections 

Landowners who think the NSW Valuer General’s recent valuations are too high have been encouraged to object to the Joint Standing Committee on the Office of the Valuer General.

Mute voice

If the Voice referendum proposal is passed, the Indigenous will have no more voice than they have today. The Indigenous already have the right to be heard, by letter writing, and the Voice wording makes no obligation on the...

LLS like Robodebt

Following the recent release of the Royal Commission findings about the illegal and devastating Robodebt scheme, the New South Wales government’s new Labor Minister for Agriculture and Regional New South Wales, Tara Moriarty, has begun a long overdue review...

‘No’ opportunists

I ask myself what happens if the referendum records a ‘No’ vote? Consider what the alternative might be if the ‘No’ vote gets enough support to sink the referendum. Who do we turn to then? There is rank political opportunism...

Are we crazy?

PM Albanese at the Garma Festival (Echo 4/8/23) told Australians he would push for the call of the Uluru Statement in full – namely, grant Recognition, a Voice, and a Treaty. He said a ‘Yes’ vote would show what...

Canadian salmon

I watched a riveting show on ITV today called Coextinction. The program was made in Canada and was an exposé of the Norwegian salmon farms on the rivers leading to the sea. Some of these farms can breed up...

Pied Oystercatcher

Dog owners beware – bird breeding begins 

Byron Council is calling on dog owners to keep their dogs strictly within designated dog off-lead areas on local beaches to help protect endangered shorebirds which are currently breeding.

Arrogance

An edict to every sporting club, charity, mining company, insurance company, bank, etc. You know who you are. It is the height of arrogance that these organisations spruik their support for the Voice. I suggest they take this view...

Neoliberal politics

The current Australian debate addressing the Voice now seems lost in neoliberal politics. Media organisations are falling over themselves to maintain exploitive and divisive structural social complexities, lacking historical colonial/genocidal/incarceration information.  An obvious strategy of social manipulation to dumb down consciousness. As...

Byron Surf Fest returns August 24

The Byron Bay Surf Festival (BBSF) is back from August 24 till 27, and again aims to be a showcase of surf culture, which draws enthusiasts and industry experts from all corners of the globe.

Editorial: Just say know 

Let’s briefly unpack the ‘No’ campaign rhetoric for the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum!

Community funding helps homeless cottage, but more is needed

Urgently needed community support is starting to flow for the Fletcher Street Cottage homelessness service, but management says much more is needed to prevent cuts to its operations.

Rather disturbing

On top of the staggering after-tax annual profit of $10.16 billion announced by the Commonwealth Bank, it was also made public that the CBA’s CEO is sitting on a $10.4 million annual salary package.  I’m not really known for my...

Cartoon of the week – 16 August 2023

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.

Revealing your personals in court

We should all be concerned about an underreported development in the Bruce Lehrmann rape trial fallout. 

Calls for accountability on flood response

With the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation now subsumed into the newly formed Reconstruction Authority, there still remains confusion and uncertainty from flood-affected residents who were promised funding. 

Request to reduce Wategos height limit denied

A majority of Byron councillors have voted against reducing height limits at Wategos Beach, a change that was intended to curb the ongoing overdevelopment of the iconic location.

A wordy weekend… with Grace

Beautiful blue skies blessed last weekend’s Writers Festival, held at its new venue, the Bangalow Showgrounds. 

Persecuted whistleblower to speak Aug 19

Afghan war crimes whistleblower, David McBride, will speak in Byron Bay on Saturday, August 19, at Marvell Hall from 6pm. 

Buckle in for higher density, higher buildings, more homes

With the threat of losing their planning powers, councillors scrambled to respond to the NSW Planning Department at Thursday’s Council meeting, approving a template to deliver 5,825 new homes for Byron Shire by 2041. 

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Action to Stop Extraction

Ryder is a forest activist. After the floods he spoke at a climate rally in Sydney in front of 5,000 people where he called for an end to fossil fuels. He is a forest protector who runs ‘tree listening’ tours in our local forests and was part of the citizen scientist group that found giant trees that had not been protected in Doubleduke State Forest. This led to the Forestry Corporation having to stop logging. Ryder is 10 years old. 

Remembering Sinéad for a good cause

When Mandy Nolan and Áine Tyrrell (co-founding witches of the Country Witches Association) are called, they rise – honouring Sinéad O’Connor’s passing and legacy is something they feel passionate about.

Byron Shire Rebels take minor premierships in senior rugby union

The Byron Shire Rebels have finished the regular season as minor premiers in first and second-grade rugby union, after the firsts won against Ballina last weekend. Playing at home in the catch-up game the first graders romped home 69–5, scoring...

Load limit increased for Byron Creek Bridge

The load limit for Byron Creek Bridge has been increased to 24 tonnes, say Byron Shire Council, following structural analysis of the bridge.

Festival and event grants on offer

Community organisations are encouraged to apply for NSW government grants to bring cultural festivals and events to life across the state over the coming year.

Dr Bronwyn Bancroft wins prestigious Ochre Award

Bundjalung woman and artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft AM has received the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Artistic Excellence.

The Pocket Winter Festival bringing you music, food and fun

The Pocket Winter Festival is set to return on Sunday, 21 June, from 10am to 2pm, bringing together the community for a day of music, food, entertainment and family fun at The Pocket Public School.