16.5 C
Byron Shire
June 13, 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

Nimbin village boil water alert lifted, but remains for outskirts

After just over a month, Lismore City Council say the boil water alert for the village of Nimbin has been lifted, effective immediately. Yet these living in the outskirts of the village, a boil water alert is still in place.

Cartoon of the week – 10 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.

What lies beneath – AUKUS grows murkier

Senate Estimates descended into 'Yes Minister' territory last week when the vexed subject of AUKUS came up, following the revelation from deputy PM and defence minister Richard Marles that Australia's best case scenario was now that we would receive three second-hand submarines from the USA during the transition stage of this very expensive project, possibly between 2032 and 2038.

Rainbow Guy recovering from serious car accident

On Sunday, 24 May one of the Northern River’s most beloved and legendary figures Rainbow Guy, aka Guy Feldmann, was involved in a car accident on Tandy’s Lane by Uncle Tom’s.

Council appeals for help as deliberate tree destruction spreads

Tweed Shire Council is appealing for community help after a spate of deliberate destruction of trees on public land across the Tweed, including the poisoning of mature Norfolk pines at Cabarita Beach and damage to established trees at a local cemetery.

Race cards

They’re doing it again. The conservative Coalition are playing the race and immigrant card. Here is an Opposition that lost...

August 23, 2023

Byron Shire Echo issue 38.11 – August 23, 2023

Download PDF (20MB)
Jump to:
Local News | Comment | Letters | Articles | Opinion | Making Spaces | Byron Arts & Industry Estate | Good Taste | The Good Life | Seven Entertainment | Gig Guide | Cinema | Soapbox | Stars | Crossword | Echo Property | Property Business Directory | Service Directory | Classifieds | Community at Work | Sport | Backlash

In this Issue:

We are hypocrites

Why should Australia aid and abet America’s proxy war in Ukraine? Is it simply to assist the senseless slaughter, or is it more about appeasing our overlord in Washington, the unhinged hegemon, self-appointed ruler of planet Earth? Why are we...

The case for justice – West Papua’s story

PM Albanese, understandably, has continued Australia’s military contribution to Ukraine’s independence, currently totalling $655 million. 

Former Shell executive, Ian Dunlop, speaks on Wednesday

It’s clear that the world is indeed boiling and that climate-related records are being smashed with alarming regularity. 

Living as an occupier

On the weekend I attended an event presented by NORPA in association with the Byron Writers Festival at Brunswick Picture House, Bunjalung Nghari-Indigenise, meaning story gathering.  This is where four Bundjalung writers are set a challenge, to write a piece...

Surfers will suffocate

Economist and author Alison Pennington correctly names our children Generation F’d! However, neither she nor Dr Ray Moynihan (Echo, 9 August) appear to understand the implications of Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres’s warning that the ‘era of...

More homes for who?

The state and federal governments repeatedly claim lack of supply as the core problem in their response to the housing affordability crisis. This apparently obvious proposition has to be re-examined. The housing affordability crisis, Adam Bandt suggests, is not a...

Editorial: Upscaling urban development

Let’s take a short dip into how Mayor Michael Lyon intends to ramp up urban development in the Byron Shire. 

Time to gear up for the heat 

Without the many rescue and recovery volunteers in the area, those devastated by last year’s floods might be a lot worse off.

Don’t know? Ask!

In my post-youth years, before I jiggered my shoulders, a great delight was beach fishing at sunup to bring home a feed of whiting for breakfast. If I wanted to know which way the fish were running, I’d ask...

Limit property ownership

It’s not a new idea, but it’s a big one – one we should not ignore. Can a council’s regulations limit how many private properties one person can own? Say limit it to three or something? If they could,...

The Adventures of Edward Herring

PART ONE A bunch of wild photons that had been travelling for twenty-seven billion years narrowly missed the mirror of the James Webb telescope and five seconds later landed on Earth. It is one of the great tragedies of science...

Will Council become manager of Feros land?

Could the Feros Village aged care facility in Byron Bay be saved from closure by another aged care provider stepping in to take over running the facility?

Bangalow field upgrade before Council

The major upgrade of the Bangalow sports fields is set to take a significant step forward this week, with the final plans for the site to come before Byron Shire Council for adoption.

A glimpse of a smarter, fairer future 

After weeks of wrangling, following the Greens shock election win, Prime Minister Max Chandler-Mather announced today he had sealed a deal with Coalition partners, Labor and independents, to pass ground-breaking reforms to reshape Australia. 

More on The Voice

Big companies use lobbyists, often ex-ministers, to gain access to current ministers. What deals are done at their meetings? Perhaps bribery in the form of million-dollar donations, none of which are made public. A Voice would go some way to giving...

Referendum letters

What a gob-smacking bonanza in The Echo (August 16) when various letter writers warned of dangers inherent in a ‘Yes’ vote.  Firstly, Mr Olson warned us of unnamed ‘foreign vested interests’ exploiting unnamed ‘loopholes’ in the Voice. Then Mr MacDonald...

Flames or sparks?

When catastrophe comes close, and friends and relatives are victims, can we admit to ourselves that we played a part with our little flames that we fuel nearly every moment? Can we replace flames with sparks? Is it really unthinkable...

Committee’s calls to retain Mullum’s local water supply rejected by Council...

A member of a committee that advises Byron Council on water and sewer issues says she is concerned that Council staff are bypassing community consultation and water and sewer committee advice, and are again pushing to connect Mullumbimby’s water supply to Rocky Creek dam, which is managed by water utility, Rous.

‘Significant challenges’ with sharing rail: report 

Building a rail trail for bikes and pedestrians in the northern and western sections of the Byron rail corridor is far more feasible than attempting a mixed-use option that combines trains and a trail, an investigation commissioned by Byron Council has found.

Mobile returned

My heartfelt thanks to the kind and thoughtful person who took my mobile phone to the Ballina police station after I left it at the riverside public toilets on 20 August.  My holiday would have been spoiled if I’d failed...

Mandy Nolan’s Soapbox: Are we losing the Raffle?

The last day off I had was June 23. The next one is sometime in September. I was wondering the other day why I was feeling a bit tired so I checked my diary. Oops. Apparently they invented this thing called the ‘weekend’. Ostensibly it was to refresh the worforce. Or at least give them time to yell at their kids, mow the lawn and wash their undies. And maybe go shopping. There’s no point to a capitalist system if you don’t have time to spend your money or get into debt. Or cut down old growth forests. Or up your carbon footprint.

Feros Village

It is pleasing to see the leadership provided by Byron Shire Council in its efforts to ensure that Feros Care Village in Byron Bay (FVBB), one of the Shire’s most highly valued community assets, continues to keep its doors...

Cartoon of the week – 23 August 2023

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.

It’s brassica season!

Yes, it’s the time of year when the genus of plants in the cabbage and mustard family flourish and abound. These include broccoli and cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, and red, green and Savoy cabbages. Indeed, both broccoli and cauliflower are a type of cabbage in which the flowers have been developed for eating, forming a compact head known as a curd.

Sample coming to Bangalow

Northern NSW’s premier food event, Sample Food Festival, returns to Bangalow on Saturday 2 September to celebrate the regions vibrant, resilient and innovate local food economy.

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.