TRANSFORMING BRAND VALUES INTO REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 39 #50 • May 21, 2025 • www.echo.net.au
Community ĎĶưĶĎĕĎ şưĕſ future of Main Beach carpark Paul Bibby
FEATURE ▶ page 19
Hugo fearlessly takes on the challenge
T
he local community is evenly split regarding the future of Byron Bay’s Main Beach carpark, a wide-ranging survey and consultation process conducted by Byron Shire Council suggests. And it seems we will have to wait until later in the year to discover which of the two main options for the popular oceanfront spot will be chosen by councillors, with ongoing delays in preparing Council’s Coastal Management Program (CMP) waylaying the planning process. The split in opinion over the future of the carpark is revealed in a staff report coming before this week’s Council meeting in relation to The Byron Bay Foreshore Concept Plan. The concept plan, the major document setting out the future of the Byron Bay foreshore from Fishheads to the northern end of Clarkes Beach, includes the results of a community consultation process about the future of this iconic stretch.
Evenly split views This consultation found that the views of respondents were evenly split between the two main options for the carpark, which is located directly adjacent to Main Beach. These options are: 1) Retaining the oceanfront parking while providing open space and access
▶ Continued on page 3
What’s behind the Buttery doors? ▶ p2
Rare good weather shone down on Bangalow last Sunday, as the annual Billycart Derby drew crowds to the much-loved community event. Local police said the under-sevens cohort reached a top speed of 34km/h coming down the hill on Byron Street. At almost two years old, Bangalow bub Hugo was hoping he might be allowed into the under-sevens division. Photo Eve Jeffery
!şƖŕĈĶō Elǽ ŔëƷşſ ĎĕĪĕŕĎ ƆƐëǔ şưĕſ ōëŕĎ Ďĕëō Hans Lovejoy Council’s General Manager, Mark Arnold, and Greens Mayor Sarah Ndiaye, have strongly backed planning staff after claims they improperly intervened to assist wealthy developers with their controversial large, exclusive 38 lot greenfield proposal near McAuleys Lane and Mullumbimby Road. Submissions for development application (DA) 10.2023.454.1 at 53 McAuleys Lane closed on Monday; the DA faces fierce opposition from
neighbours armed with their own peer reviews, along with a myriad of unanswered questions.
Botched assessment Already, the DA is the subject of a botched assessment and readvertising by Council staff. If approved, it could have considerable impact on the busy Mullumbimby Road – it is estimated 13,000 vehicles use the road daily. One crucial point for the DA appears to be whether a deal can be brokered to acquire a piece of
New big industry hub proposed on Ewingsdale Road ▶ p6
land on the corner of McAuleys Lane and Mullumbimby Road. Landholders who own that corner parcel told The Echo they were approached three months ago by Council staff, asking them if they were interested in selling a portion of land to facilitate the DA, and were told the land is not required for the Mullumbimby Road upgrade. They said, ‘No offer was made at the meeting with Council staff, nor has there been any further communication since, from either Council or the owner/developer’.
Palestine supporters leaving area after abuse ▶ p15
The landholders say they felt confused by this approach from Council and require further clarification, ‘especially with the imminent upgrade of the intersection and Mullumbimby Road and the advertising for submissions on the DA closing’. The Echo asked Council staff, ‘If staff’s intervention on behalf of developers proposing the DA was for “improved safety”, why didn’t staff instead require the developer to upgrade that intersection at their own cost as part of their DA application?’ ▶ Continued on page 2
Mullum the location of great local biz ▶ p18
Health and healing Byron style ▶ p24