Haven’s story starts with a supermarket. The venue at 102 Jonson Street occupies the former Woolworths building, a site presented as a temporary home for music and community, before the building is eventually redeveloped. Instead of hiding that impermanence, the team made it the point. The space was built entirely from salvaged materials, turning a commercial site into a cultural one which is reminiscent of a futuristic Pan-Asian set from Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell.

A major effort to rehabilitate almost 30 kilometres of flood-affected riverbanks across NSW has received international recognition, with Local Land Services and the Soil Conservation Service winning this year’s International Erosion Control Association Australasia (IECA Australasia) Environmental Excellence Award.

The North Coast Petroleum Casino Truck Show has taken out the Outstanding Visitor Experience category at the 2026 NSW Business Awards in Sydney.

Environmental protections and tighter housing controls are proposed for a disputed Hastings Point development site, following a court decision allowing its subdivision.

Friends of the Libraries, Byron Shire are looking for some fresh, new, younger faces to join the group and help keep it moving forward.