Byron Council will investigate private sponsorship, tourism partnerships, and smaller staged projects as it seeks a new path forward for the long-delayed Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT) after a major federal funding bid failed.

Predictions for the Tweed Rail Trail of 25,000 users a year have been blown out of the water with the last two years seeing over 90,000 users a year Pat Grier, President of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Supporters told The Echo.

One of the most divisive local issues in recent years has been the construction of the Byron Shire sections of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NRRT). Last Thursday, Byron Shire Council (BSC) bit the bullet and finally voted to go ahead and seek funding for an ‘on-formation’ trail,

Is it time for Byron Council to let go of the long-held vision of returning trains to the tracks in Byron and focus on the more achievable task of building a rail trail? This is the decision facing Council this week when it considers a motion proposing just such a course.

The Northern Rivers Rail Trail has taken out Gold in the Adventure Tourism category at the 2025 North Coast Tourism Awards

Further to last week’s story where The Echo asked Byron’s mayoral candidates their position on rail trail or rail, we offered the other two mayoral candidates their say over the future of the disused railway, i.e. a return to rail or a rail trail.

Tweed Shire Council yesterday launched a new collaboration with Cycling Without Age to bring an innovative and inclusive service to the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

If tourism is the lifeblood of the Byron Shire, then Cameron Arnold is one of its key haematologists.

This year, Mullum High School (MHS), looked for a strategy to engage students at school who were disengaged with learning. As teachers, we knew this year was going to be hard, with post-Covid, post-flood, and lots of disruption and distractions as the school is rebuilt.

Significant steps have been taken by Byron Shire Council toward creating a bike and pedestrian pathway along parts of the old rail line in the Shire, moving away from its previous position of supporting a return of trains to the tracks.