10.4 C
Byron Shire
June 6, 2026

Latest News

Cartoon of the week – 3 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.

Other News

Wardell Knit n’ Knat Group – 22 years of knitting and giving

Since 2011, 15 years, Dawn and Robert Sword have been entrusted by the Wardell Knit n’ Knat Group with the privilege of distributing the beautiful handcrafted rugs, scarves, beanies and other knitted and crocheted items they have made to people in need throughout the Ballina Shire.

World Environment Day celebrated in M’bah, 7 June

A free family-friendly community celebration for World Environment Day will be held on Sunday, 7 June, at the Murwillumbah Showgrounds from 10am till 3pm.

Tweed Council urgently meet over Code of Meeting Practice reform

Tweed Shire Council staff say they will hold an Extraordinary Meeting today, Tuesday 2 June at 3.30 pm to 'address an urgent governance matter relating to its Code of Meeting Practice'.

Echo celebrates 40 with awards night tomorrow

Tickets are selling fast! Come join a fun-filled night of community celebration – This Saturday (tomorrow) The Echo is set to mark its 40th year in style with a ’30s swing-era style party and community awards night featuring the dynamic sounds of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

Rail trail funding 1

The Echo reports ‘fury’ over the federal government’s failure to fund the rail trail. I recall fury when government...

Lismore Lantern Parade returns 20 June

The iconic Lismore Lantern Parade will once again light up the streets of Lismore on Saturday 20 June, kicking off with a full day of markets, live music and exciting activities.

October 18, 2023

Byron Shire Echo issue 38.19 – October 18, 2023

Download PDF (18MB)
Jump to:
Local News | Comment | Letters | Articles | Byron Bay Film Festival | Good Taste | The Good Life | The Spirit of Brunswick Heads | Health & Healing | Seven Entertainment | Gig Guide | Cinema | Soapbox | Crossword | Stars | Echo Property | Property Business Directory | Service Directory | Classifieds | Sport | Backlash

In this Issue:

Opera House misuse

Dear Premier Minns, I am writing to express my disappointment and sorrow at your decision to light the Sydney Opera House in support of Israel, weighing in on one side of a complex political debate, particularly at a time...

Brilliant David Lowe

Thank you for the wonderful article ‘A short history of cruelty’ by the brilliant David Lowe (The Echo online, 25 September: www.echo.net.au/articles). Those who profit most from this terrible trade in animal suffering are some of the richest people...

Suffolk Park DA’s refusal

The message from the refusal of the development application (DA) for the mega, mixed development at Suffolk Park by Commissioner Dickson last Thursday is ‘Don’t give up!’ Developers do not always win, but it is imperative to get key...

New DA ‘withdrawal guidelines’  

The NSW Labor government have announced new DA withdrawal guidelines for councils in an attempt to ‘boost housing supply’.

Make peace great again

Like the Prime Minister, I support Israel’s right to exist and detest the extremist religious group Hamas who advocate ‘pushing the Jews into the sea’. But, like many people I’m not surprised by the current escalation of the conflict....

Rough sleepers

A number of months ago I was privileged to take Rose Jackson, the NSW Minister for Housing and the North Coast, to meet with the wonderful people running Fletcher Street Cottage and to hear from Council staff on the...

NSW govt to start work on treaty

Work towards a NSW treaty between representatives of European colonisers of Australia and First Nations peoples in the state is to start before the end of the year.

Dam burst

What the hell did Israel and its supporters expect when Palestinians rose up and attacked it, after enduring a never-ending catalogue of crimes by this fabulously weaponised apartheid regime? We could all see the conflagration coming, just like the...

Inhumane attack on Israel by Hamas

Now the world can finally see the nature of Hamas. Could humans really carry out these atrocities in Israel, butchering 1,500 people (almost all of them civilians) in the most personal and inhumane ways possible, and severely wounding several...

Juvenile drivers

There is an increasing incidence of catastrophic events caused by youngsters driving stolen or ‘borrowed’ vehicles creating devastation to the families of those maimed or killed due to their inexperience and arrogance. Apart from their ultimate police action, their...

Children share flood and landslide stories

No child is reported to have suffered serious physical injury in the floods and landslides that devastated the Byron Shire hinterland and beyond in early 2022, but the experience was ‘really scary’, as one child says, and likely unforgettable.

Taking a hike for mental health 

‘A comedian, a deathwalker and a podcaster walked into the bush…’ 

Editorial: Submission on Council’s Housing Option Paper

Byron Shire Council is asking residents to comment on its Housing Options Paper, which is currently on exhibition at www.byron.nsw.gov.au until November 6.

Repair Day celebrated tomorrow

With International Repair Day on tomorrow, Saturday October 21, Repair Cafe Mullumbimby will be hosting an all-day event between 10.30am and 4.30pm at the Shedding Community Workshop, located at 18 Prince Street in Mullumbimby. 

Proud Ocean Shores

Once upon a time, Ocean Shores was a very proud town as all houses were to be built brick, garages large enough to occupy all vehicles, washing lines were not to be visible from the road and fencing disallowed...

Council wins in court – large Suffolk Park DA refused

A large mixed-use Suffolk Park DA proposed by Sydney-based property development company Denwol has been rejected in the Land & Environment Court after mediation failed.

Local sparky suffers serious accident

Local tradie, Jamie Gluyas suffered terrible injuries in a workplace accident on September 28, and he and his family are still coming to terms with the repercussions and trying to navigate the next few months.

Byron Shire bucks ‘No’ trend

While nearly all the nation’s states and territories rejected the referendum question of an Indigenous Voice to parliament (except the ACT), Byron Shire bucked the trend with the ‘Yes’ votes claiming all booths on Saturday. 

From devastation comes determination 

I was one of the 60,000 ‘Yes’ volunteers who set up stalls, handed out leaflets, and helped the campaign create a local presence and profile. 

An open letter from Byron Bay Feros residents 

Thank you to the NSW Minister for Crown Lands Stephen Kamper MP, Tamara Smith MP, Byron Shire Council, Justine Elliot MP and all their staff. We all know how hard everyone has been working to investigate our complaints about...

Thanks for supporting Ballina

Firstly, may I address the cynics out there and assure them that this letter is not a subtle advertisement for the Greens. It’s merely a ‘pat on the back’ for a job well done and greatly appreciated. I would like...

The scramble to save Wallum 

With considerable public interest in the imminent loss of threatened and diminishing native habitat for an urban subdivision in Brunswick Heads, councillors passed a unanimous notice of motion last week to seek legal advice and federal and state government intervention.

Cudgen Connection continues to push development on State Significant Farmland

Developer Allan Larkin with Centuria Capital Group and Digital Infratech are continuing to push for development of SSF against zoning regardless of community opposition and long-term ‘iron clad’ guarantees from NSW government that no further development would take place at the site.

Byron homeless service receives one off funding 

The NSW Labor government has come good with their promise to find emergency funding for Byron’s Fletcher Street Cottage (the Cottage), yet it will not prevent the service from reducing its services.

Time to drug test

We lost two young lives through untested ecstasy use at a festival in Sydney a few weeks ago. What an unnecessary loss, especially when we remember that free drug testing for the participants (free of costs for the government...

Marooned yacht on rocks near Ballina

A local photographer has shot a marooned yacht at Flat Rock, in Ballina Shire. It's the second boat to be washed ashore in recent months

Echo celebrates 40 with awards night tomorrow

Tickets are selling fast! Come join a fun-filled night of community celebration – This Saturday (tomorrow) The Echo is set to mark its 40th year in style with a ’30s swing-era style party and community awards night featuring the dynamic sounds of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

Author Tristan Bancks follows up with Two Wolves sequel

Local author Tristan Bancks launched his new book for readers 10+, Raised By Wolves, at Byron Book Room last night (Thursday 4 June).

Lismore City Council recognised for environmental leadership at LG awards

Lismore City Council has been recognised for outstanding achievement in environmental leadership, resilience and community infrastructure at the 2026 LG Professionals NSW Local Government Excellence Awards.