Early works have been completed for Byron Bay’s new $8.2 million fire station, with construction of the building set to begin.

It's the final week of Richmond RiverFest, with events from Ballina to Lismore, and the upper catchment to the coast.

The Minns government has announced it will bypass the independent planning process and legislate an increase in coal production at MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant mine, following the landmark High Court decision that found the mine's expansion approval was invalid because the climate pollution from exported coal had not been properly considered.