Latest News
Lismore Women’s Festival cancelled
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis that is sweeping NSW and other states in Australia the Lismore Women’s Festival has been cancelled.
Other News
No by-elections during this Tweed Council term
Tuesday's Tweed Council meeting's second order of business was to decide if a by-election should take place if a councillor could not continue in their elected role.
Community the big winner at Rotary Duck Race
The Richmond River at Fawcett Park in Ballina was full of colour on the weekend for the 30th Rotary Duck Race. The event has raised a quarter of a million dollars for charity over its history in Ballina.
Northern Rivers Animal Services needs helpers
Ballina-based animal welfare organisation Northern Rivers Animal Services Inc is on the lookout for cat-lovers to help at their cat cottage, and foster carers for both dogs and cats.
Lung specialist ‘we’re doing the best we can’ and Hazzard lays it on the line for the unvaccinated
At this morning's COVID-19 update press conference, Concord and Nepean Hospitals lung specialist Dr Lucy Morgan gave an update on COVID-19. Dr Morgan says she works as part of a team of people looking after patients with COVID.
Lismore Council chooses costly by-election over ‘countback’ if a council position becomes vacant
New Councillor Big Rob took to the floor of the Lismore Council chambers during the first council meeting (Tuesday...
Entertainment in the Byron Shire and beyond for the week beginning 19 January, 2022
Welcome back to the Brunswick Picture House
Brett and Chris from the Brunswick Picture House, and their entire team, believe...
Stories about "rock walls":
The man whose house fell into the sea
Meet Dr Garry Egger. When his neighbours built a rock wall, his house fell into the sea. Coincidentally Dr Egger was in town last week when Council voted in favour of constructing the disputed wall.
Rail lines and rock piles
Rod Murray, Ocean Shores. It's great to see the Greens are proposing the aerial survey of the disused Casino to Murwillumbah rail line.
Sol’s ‘folly’ will cost community
Dailan Pugh, Byron Bay
Sol Ibrahim intends to make ratepayers pay to construct rock walls at Belongil to protect private houses. This means diverting our rates from roads and public infrastructure into works that will rob us of our public beach. There is no public benefit from Ibrahim’s walls.
‘Green Dream’ an expensive experiment
Byron Shire councillor Di Woods, Brunswick Heads. I have read on a couple of occasions now that the Belongil landowners funded the pro-business group who voted for the rock walls.
Cr Wanchap defends use of rock walls
Cr Rose Wanchap. I would like to respond to the comments made on the way I voted in council to continue the process towards replacing present geo bags with rock revetment protection works in order to repair and protect beach accesses and three public roads which are now in urgent need of repairs at Belongil.
Rock walls superior to bags
Rose Wanchap, Byron Shire Councillor. I do have a difference of opinion with my fellow Green councillors on a couple of key issues but the majority of the time we are in agreement.
Belongil con
Jan Hackett, Byron Bay. Re your article 'Belongil rock wall to go ahead', (Echonetdaily December 24), what an appalling Christmas gift for Byron Bay.
Belongil pro
John Vaughan, Belongil. For the Echo to describe Cr Rose Wanchap as a ‘renegade Greens councillor’ for so called ‘voting against party lines’ to approve the interim rock works at Belongil is quite extraordinary.
Planned retreat the only solution
Dailan Pugh, Byron Bay. The only way to restore the beach at Belongil, and save what is left of it at the end of the wall, as well as the shorebird nesting area, is to implement planned retreat.
Byron’s long history of rock walls
John Vaughan, Belongil Beach. Commenting on Cr Duncan Dey’s trip to the beach two weeks ago: I can see the rose-tinted glasses are firmly on here but allow me to disturb the nirvana.
Byron Echo
Vale Byron girl, Patricia Marcia Dailhou
Patricia, better known as Pat or Patsy, was born in Byron Bay in 1933 and was the second eldest of nine, to Horace Cecil Vernon Freeman (better known as ‘Bluey’) and Dorothy Lulu Freeman (nee Daniels).
Byron Echo
Daintree buyback sees more forest retained
Aslan Shand - 0
Over the last two-and-a-half years the Mullumbimby based Rainforest 4 Foundation has had a mission to buy back parts of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest that were subdivided for sale in the 1980s.
Local News
Over 1,000 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Northern Rivers
There have been 1,099 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWHD) to 8pm 18 January. These numbers include 663...
Byron Echo
Localisation shines as supply chains weaken
Paul Bibby - 0
While Coles and Woolworths struggle with supply chain issues caused by the Omicron outbreak, local farmer’s markets and independent food retailers appear to be coming into their own.
