At the eleventh hour, Ballina Shire Council has voted to press pause on the controversial Sharpes Beach car park redevelopment, and seek further options.

The NSW government is providing Byron Shire Council $300,000 through the Resilient Lands Program to provide flood resilient land for new housing at the Saddle Road Precinct near Brunswick Heads.

The corner of Jubilee Ave and Azalea Street, near Mullumbimby High School, is currently closed following a truck leaving the road and damaging overhead electrical lines.

A new fire ant nest was identified at South Murwillumbah and was confirmed and eradicated yesterday by the NSW Government and National Fire Ant Eradication Program teams. 

White spot syndrome virus has been detected by scientists in wild-caught school prawns from the inshore ocean area off the Richmond River estuary near Ballina.

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.