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June 11, 2026

Latest News

School is the beating heart of Bruns

From floods to festivals, Brunswick Heads Public School has long the been the anchor of village life.

Other News

Matthew Laverty recognised with OAM

Recognising his  passion for golf and long-term commitment to community service, Mullumbimby’s Matthew Laverty received the Medal of the...

Appeal to locate teen missing near Lismore

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from The Channon, north of Lismore.

Wanted: citizen scientists to check on our creeks

The Richmond River upper catchment is currently sitting on a C- in the Richmond River Ecological Health Report Card. It's not a number we can accept without doing something about it.

Taxing labour vs capital

Catherine Cusack (Echo, 27 May) says she believes ‘Australians are fine with fairness for housing. The issue is messy...

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.

A night out that changes lives

Some fundraisers just ask you to give – Rafiki Royale asks you to come and have the best night of your year, and the giving takes care of itself.

December 10, 2025

Byron Shire Echo issue 40.27 – December 10, 2025

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Local News | Comment | Letters | Articles | Soapbox | Crossword | Stars | Sport | Good Taste | The Good Life | The Scoop | Filter Off | Festive Season | Mullum Shop Local | Seven Entertainment | Gig Guide | Classifieds | Service Directory | Echo Property | Property Business Directory | Baccklash

In this Issue:

Kid sleeping at computer

Social media ban moving forward, despite criticism

From December 10, Australians under 16 years old are unable to create or keep accounts on most mainstream social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.

Say hello to the Australian owlet-nightjar

Have you ever ventured into an open-wooded forest in the Northern Rivers at twilight?

Harriet wins national songwriting award

Mullumbimby High School captain, Harriet Killips, has won second place in a national songwriting competition for a song titled ‘I Hate the Piano.’

Synthetic convenience

We are standing at the precipice of a global neurological emergency – one born of our own synthetic convenience. Microplastics and heated plastics, once hailed as marvels of modernity, now infiltrate every corner of our biosphere – and every cell...

Venezuela

Venezuela has the world’s largest crude oil reserves and our allies have begun attacking Venezuela, claiming Venezuela is the source of the drugs in America. An AI search engine says that more Americans die of fentanyl than any other drug,...

Mullumbimby poem 

It feels so nice, To sip some ice, In Mullum on a hot summer’s day. Though you may dismay, When your keys go astray… Mullum is no place to hate! Fun times and lots of laughs, With different people at different parks. Funny to see them all...

Mullum Ex-Services Club awards $30,000 in grants

The Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club last Friday evening handed out $30,000 in cash and in-kind support to community initiatives that make a real difference in our region.

JP launches Winning The Room podcast

Splitting his time between Byron, Sydney, and LA Jonathan Pease, otherwise known as JP, has launched his podcast, Winning The Room that features conversations with some of the world’s most interesting minds.

The Pocket Public School NAPLAN success

NAPLAN results came out last week and The Pocket Public School has done extremely well.

Bronwyn Bancroft’s Sydney retrospective

A beautiful and thought-provoking retrospective exhibition I am Gurgun is the art of local Bundjalung woman Dr Bronwyn Bancroft AM and is currently on show at the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative, 55-59 Flood Street, Leichhardt, Sydney.

Violence against women

Gender-based violence an ‘every day’ issue

The alleged domestic violence murder of Ashleigh Grice in September 2025 brought hundreds of people together to grieve and to question how this could have happened in our community. Yet it is happening every day.

Aboriginal protection sought for Wallum development site

An application to protect the Wallum development site at 15 Torakina Road, Brunswick Heads has been submitted under the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth) (ATSIHP Act) by Minyungbul Mulanjali woman Ms Arabella Douglas of the Bundjalung Nation.

Family fun in Lennox Head

Santa Claus, Christmas carols, and lots of fun will be happening at Ross Park this Friday, 19 December at the Lennox Head Lions Christmas in the Park event from 4.30pm.

Byron skydivers part of first-ever national skydiving strike

Byron based skydiving instructors went on strike last Friday,which continued into Saturday, joining seven other strike sites across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

Shedfest: A celebration of hand tools

This year, Shedfest offers a myriad of workshops, food, drink, and entertainment from 10am to 3pm on Sunday, 14 December at 18 Prince Street, Mullumbimby

Mullum parking fines

As we all know parking in Mullum is a massive issue with limited spaces, and with an ever-increasing number of cars in the Shire, it’s hard to find a spot. Our beloved Byron Shire Council appears to be taking full...

Who is throwing screws on Wilsons Creek Road?

For the past year, Wilsons Creek Road has been going through a major make-over, costing over $140 million of Commonwealth flood relief money. Workers have carved 55 culverts across the road, and built massive retaining walls in preparation for paving...

SEP and Byron’s creatives

After reading the letters  and the account of Council’s proceedings last Thursday in The Echo, all that I find to say positive about the town is that the poinciana trees and the flame trees are in splendid blossom this year. In...

Byron solar train

As a regular commuter on the Byron solar train, I’ve seen a steady increase in patronage.  Tourists love the short, but beautiful train ride into town from Sunrise. However, in a region where most of us are totally car dependent, when...

Manosphere and online algorithms corrupt young men’s concept of masculinity

The Minns NSW Labor government is investing $3.5 million to support healthy behaviours in men and boys, as the government releases new research into domestic, family and sexual violence.

As if Christmas isn’t already too much fun

The Versace Boys and Hotmess have been cooking up a Christmas show that’s dedicated to pint-sized legends and their families. Will Henderson (one half of the Versace Boys) calls it, ‘The funnest family day out of the year! We are heading to Federal Hall on 20 December at 2pm to kick the silly season into gear.

Norths give Bangalow community a chance to reclaim Bowlo

Following strong advocacy by the Bangalow Advisory Committee (BAC) members to Norths Collective, Norths have delayed seeking external expressions of interest (EOI) to acquire the club.

Bike path for Kolora Way bridge?

Could the long-delayed plan to build a pedestrian and cycle path on the Kolora Way bridge near New Brighton finally be getting a kick along?

Mullumbimby Road, works, finally

Mullumbimby Road is now back open to two-way traffic, detours are no longer in place and heavy vehicles can resume use of the road.

Comedy, fitness, shackles, and murder

Years ago, I heard a comedian tell a squirming funny/not funny story about two guys from Mullum in the pub joined by Garth from Byron. When the latter goes to get a drink the Mullum lads discuss how much they hate people from Byron.

Israel’s assault on Global Sumud Flotilla – a first-hand account

It hit me like a lightning strike. It was the latex gloves that did it. Those pale blue five fingered clinical sheaths made me want to vomit. Last Tuesday, having just been repatriated from my time on the Global Sumud Flotilla, I was at Tweed Valley Hospital getting a forensic medical examination for my sexual assault at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces.

Voters are not ‘always right’

The mantra ‘voters always get it right’ is repeated after every election by winners and losers. The decision of voters must be respected, blah, blah.

Lismore councillor pay rise divides chamber at June meeting

The sharpest debate from Lismore City Council's 9 June ordinary meeting saw a majority vote to increase councillor and mayoral fees, following a 3.7 per cent rise determined by the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal (LGRT) – a figure tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12 months to February 2026.

Here’s to the Flotilla

The Global Sumud Flotilla is about brave people doing exceptional things with skill, compassion, colour, spirit and gruff chutzpah. Would I leave my comfy chair...