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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

Building sites ‘blitzed’ between Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads

More than 100 building sites from Coffs Harbour to Tweed Heads have been inspected, which has been described as a 'blitz' by the NSW Labor government.

Roadworks an upgrade?

I hope that Council kept their receipt for the Mullumbimby Road upgrade. Not even a year old and falling...

Stout Blackout Blowout at Earth Beer

Nestled among the rolling green hills of Cudgen, just minutes from Kingscliff on the Tweed Coast, Earth Beer Company...

Update on Mullumbimby house fire which destroyed locals’ home

Long-term residents of Mullumbimby, Jeff and Alma Jackson lost their home to fire last week.

Remembering the Peacekeepers

Last Friday a small group gathered at the Cenotaph in Mullumbimby to commemorate International UN Peacekeeper Day.

Israel’s rehabilitation

Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians has not ended and it will not end before Israel officially renounces its intention...

April 10, 2024

Byron Shire Echo issue 38.44 – April 10, 2024

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In this Issue:

Access all areas – unless you are a person with disability

Almost a quarter of the Northern Rivers can’t access the places most people take for granted, like our beaches, parks, and public toilets. That’s a significant chunk of the population.

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.

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. 

Labor leading

A very proactive Minns Labor government will celebrate one year in government with a massive investment of $1.8 billion in renewable energy to get it back on track. Another great initiative with the establishment of the Energy Security Corporation...

Shame Mullum RSL

For those that do not know, RSL stands for Returned and Services League Australia. An independent support organisation for people who have served in, or are serving in, the Australian Defence Force. Its legal status – charity. It advocates for...

Alternate facts?

According to David Shoebridge of the Greens in a recent sitting in the senate, the UN has named Australia as one of a number of countries supplying weapons to Israel, albeit a minor supplier. He stated that some government...

Antisemitic racism

It takes the death of an Aussie, Zomi Frankcom, to remind Prime Minister Albanese that murdering aid workers is not kosher. After all, in Australia’s calculus one Aussie death outweighs the 33,037 Gazans killed, 454 killed in the West...

Transgender rights

Mandy Nolan might be surprised to discover how many women of all political persuasions, feminists or not, are alarmed at what we see as the erosion of very hard-won women’s rights. Even our language is being changed to accommodate a...

Bangalow retaining wall damage

The wall supporting the western end of Deacon Street has failed – opposite the Roman Catholic Church. Fortunately, this type of wall usually collapses slowly. Byron Shire Council have discounted my concern (I am a retired L.G. engineer) ignoring the...

We wonder why

Living in Byron Shire the majority of people continue to ask why is this organisation continuously letting this community down as far as representing their best interest. The main reason is the committees that are formed to represent the best...

Aid workers killed

I along with the Israeli and Jewish community in general mourn with the rest of the world for the tragic loss of the seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen when the Israeli Defence Force mistakenly targeted the...

Rains, drains, floods

The ABC news and Guardian recently published reports of the potential return of La Niña in 2024 bringing similar rain to 2022. We just experienced 100mm of rain and had streets and local roads blocked. We have seen no significant clearing...

Peace

Elimination by people-power voting is necessary to remove dictators from Russia, Israel, China, Iran, wannabe (again!) North Korea, to avoid what is heading toward WWIII. It is getting scary and at my age, I don’t want to go through...

Itching for a Mullum flea market?

A new flea market will launch this Saturday, April 13 from 8am until 2pm at the Mullum Community College campus.

Less parking more drainage say New Brighton residents

Bad weather on the weekend only served to highlight an ongoing drainage problem in New Brighton, with residents incredulous at Council’s plan to create dozens of new car parking spaces, yet they can’t, or won’t, fix the drainage problem.

Mullum refugee support group formed

A new group in Mullumbimby has formed to help settle a Syrian refugee family in the area within the next few months.

Speed limits

I’m surprised to see that when you drive from Bangalow to Lismore via Clunes and Bexhill the speed limit goes from 80km/h up to 100km/h on these windy roads. But Hinterland Way, which was the Pacific Highway when I...

Step towards healing

While reading Michal Schiff’s letter (Echo 3 Apr) I am reminded of the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart’s request for truth telling as a fundamental step toward historical healing. As a descendant of white colonial rule in Australia we also...

After school care phased out 

Byron Council will cease providing out of school hours care (OSHC) in the shire after deciding that the cost and regulatory burden is too great to bear.

Flood-prone frog habitat slated for industrial expansion

The Byron Arts & Industry Estate would expand onto the other side of Ewingsdale Road under a new project before Byron Council which is currently on public exhibition.

Weighing in on Gaza and Israel

I’ve hesitated to weigh in on the ongoing debate about Gaza and Israel, but Michal Schiff’s pain over the apparent tenor of the recent ‘Politics in the Pub’ in Mullum’s RSL (Echo 3 Apr)pushes me into it. How many...

Surya McEwen joins Freedom Flotilla Coalition

Surya McEwen has volunteered on Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s voyage to take 5,500 tonnes of food and medicine to the Palestinian people, in one of the most dangerous war-torn parts of the planet.

Community land trust group home approved 

Construction work on the Shire’s first permanent group home for women and children in housing stress could begin within months, after the project was formally approved by Byron Council.

Mayor’s Wallum negotiations unsupported

An update on closed-door deals around the controversial Wallum development by Mayor Michael Lyon has been criticised as not providing any commitment, trading one endangered species for another, while also ignoring the input from the Save Wallum group.

Israel

It is difficult in the current situation to see Israel as anything but a malignant force in the world. Yes Israel has the right to defend itself but that does not give it the licence to commit genocide which...

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.