AN INSTITUTION – WITHOUT THE PADDED CELLS – SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 40 #06 • July 16, 2025 • www.echo.net.au
DëŔĶōƷ ëżżĕëō for hit and run driver to come forward David Lowe
A
s the Bangalow community – including the Byron Shire Rebels – gathered to pay tribute to Paul Campton last week, his wife and daughters have made an emotional appeal to the hit and run driver who took his life. Mr Campton died after being hit by a vehicle at around 3.30am on Sunday, July 6, on Raftons Road, Bangalow. His wife Janine said via a video, released by NSW police, ‘Obviously the shock was just incredible. You go a bit numb. It’s hard to think… but it’s just something we never, ever expected. There were so many plans for the future, and just to think that we’re never going to see him again is heartbreaking’. ‘How do you ever move forward from something like that? It’s just been horrible.’ ▶ Continued on page 3
Giving Byron a fresh ŕĕƱȞōşşŊ Artist Valentina Di Blasé has created a new mural for the Byron Community Centre. Story & photo Eve Jeffery
T
Bangalow man Paul Campton. Photo supplied
o celebrate the Byron Community Centre’s ‘130 Years of Community Spirit’, artist Valentina Di Blasé is sprucing up parts of the building and adding a wonderful splash of bright colour. Di Blasé, a native of Rome, Italy, caught the eye of the Community Centre’s Communications Manager, Kate Love, when she painted the Bayleaf Cafe’s artists rotation mural wall. Ms Love says they engaged Valentina for the mural, not only
Uncle Pete’s legacy celebrated, July 18 ▶ p2
‘Stop deep-sea mining before it starts’ – Byron paddle out, July 20 ▶ p9
because she is a Byron Markets stall holder, but also an experienced mural artist whose bold, colourful work beautifully captures the iconic Byron style. Ms Love says, ‘We’re absolutely thrilled with her design – it’s a striking piece of public art that will be enjoyed by both locals and visitors for years to come.’
Encapsulates Byron In total, the mural took five days and it highlights many of the things we love about Byron Bay – the markets, the beach and
Utilities want control of your solar ▶ p15
of course, the lighthouse. Di Blasé, who uses Meta Quest VR goggles rather than a projector to trace her murals on the wall, also has some of her work hanging in the foyer of the centre, and will also be restoring the wooden figures that used to be on the facade of the building. Di Blasé graduated from the Liceo Artistico Statale Via di Ripetta – a prestigious school in the arts stream in Rome and has been an Australian citizen for ten years. She and her daughter live in Sunrise and she says she is very
grateful to be earning her living from her art. She feels very blessed and lucky to be commissioned to do the mural, saying, ‘I was happy – super, very happy! And excited! Like, when you fall in love and it’s corresponded.’ Valentina also currently has an exhibition inside the Community Centre in the Byron Spaces Gallery. Her series of nine paintings, Unveil a Hidden World: Magic Birds of Australia has bright images and hidden secrets for those who look carefully. The show is on until August 31.
Ocean dip raises Find the perfect practitioner big bucks for for all your health and charity ▶ p20 healing needs ▶ p21
LEADING CRIMINAL DEFENCE FIRM
,1 <285 &251(5 ˊ˛˘ˡ ˬˢ˨ ˪ˢ˥˞ ˪˜˧˛ ʻ˨˚ˢ ʿ˔˪ ʺ˥ˢ˨ˣ ˬˢ˨ ˗ˢˡϠ˧ ˝˨˦˧ ˚˘˧ ˔ ˗˘˗˜˖˔˧˘˗ ˟˔˪ˬ˘˥ʟ ˬˢ˨ ˚˘˧ ˔ˡ ˘ˡ˧˜˥˘ ˧˘˔ˠ ˜ˡ ˬˢ˨˥ ˖ˢ˥ˡ˘˥ʡ
CONTACT HUGO LAW GROUP ʣʪ ʨʨʨʥCALL ʤʬʣʥ NOW ˜ˡ˙ˢʳ˛˨˚ˢ˟˔˪˚˥ˢ˨ˣʡ˖ˢˠʡ˔˨
˛˨˚ˢ˟˔˪˚˥ˢ˨ˣʡ˖ˢˠʡ˔˨
1257+(51 16: SYDNEY CANBERRA PERTH