‘LAWS RARELY PREVENT THE CRIMES THEY FORBID’ – ALUN MICHAEL The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 40 #19 • October 15, 2025 • www.echo.net.au
March in Byron for Palestine
19th Byron Bay Film Festival opens on Friday
Aslan Shand Saturday afternoon saw hundreds of people gather at Byron Bay’s Railway Park to join the nationwide march for peace in Palestine, and ‘mark two years of the resulting war in Gaza and the resulting genocide, and demand that the Australian government impose comprehensive sanctions on Israel,’ Subhi Awad told the gathered crowd. ‘We are here for all people from Bundjalung to Bethlehem, we are united. We shouldn’t have to be here. We are here because our government sold weapons to an active genocide. We will not take a step backwards until everybody is free.’ Local Byron Shire councillor, Byron Bay High School teacher, and Bundjalung woman Michelle Lowe, spoke to the rally saying, ‘Don’t let anyone forget about the children.’ The march followed Jonson Street to Apex Park where local organisers, activists, and community members, including Ella Noah Bancroft, Mr Awad, and Jacob Miller spoke. Local musicians, including Tashmeen, Juman, Laisa Loved and The Seedling performed.
Cody Greenwood who produced the opening night film, Birthright, Jack Tupper, co-owner of Tokyo Doll, and the Byron Bay Film Festival’s Director J’aimee Skippon-Volke, at the bar of Tokyo Doll, the venue for the festival’s opening night after party. The 2025 Byron Bay International Film Festival will run from 17 to 26 October. Photo Jeff Dawson See page 9 for the opening week’s film sessions.
lƖōōƖŔȜƆ şżĕŕ ȑ ćƖƐ ĕƶżĕĈƐ ƆĶīŕĶǕĈëŕƐ ĎĕōëƷƆ īĕƐƐĶŕī şƖƐ şĪ ƐşƱŕ Aslan Shand Hundreds of people gathered in Mullumbimby last Thursday (9 October), parading up the main street playing music and calling to ‘Keep Mullum Open’. They arrived with great fanfare at the Byron Shire Council (BSC) chambers to let councillors know they wanted more effective management of the outbound traffic from Mullumbimby north to Brunswick Heads and the M1 (especially Council’s
Symposium held on the future of tourism in Byron Shire ▶ p4
planned diversion of outbound Mullumbimby Road traffic for four months north along the dangerous Coolamon Scenic Drive), and south along Myocum Road, which also has safety and economic impacts. A last-ditch meeting between councillors, staff, the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce and Community, and other community members the day before the gathering had drawn some concessions from Council on managing the roadworks.
Countering the rise of right-wing populism ▶ p10
Council’s concessions included: extending working hours from 7am to 3pm five days a week to 7am to 6pm, six days a week; turning The Saddle Road into a one-way traffic road from Mullumbimby to Gulgan Road near the Brunswick Heads roundabout to take light vehicles at 40kph with traffic calming; and a request to Mullumbimby High School to consider ‘additional traffic control measures’. Mullumbimby Chamber President Paul Prior, said on behalf of
The hidden costs of our digital lives ▶ p14
the chamber that he was grateful for the concessions from Council, reminding everyone that ‘Mullum is open for business’ with Mullumbimby Road having a direct flow of traffic at least into the town from Brunswick Heads and the M1. ‘It’s in, easy; out, not quite so easy. But we’re asking everyone to support Mullum and all the businesses,’ Mr Prior told the crowd, who seemed underwhelmed by the message. ▶ Continued on page 6
Health, healing and wellbeing Byron-style ▶ p18
Australians returned Byron Shire resident Surya McEwen, who along with fellow Northern Rivers residents Hamish Paterson, and documentary filmmaker Juliet Lamont had been removed from the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) as they attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, joined the afternoon rally. Surya spoke at the Byron rally wearing a sling after, he said, being ▶ Continued on page 3
Trusting hands, caring hearts: National Carers Week ▶ p21
Thoughtful tiny homes designed and built in Murwillumbah with you and your site in mind.
konpak.com.au
GET IN TOUCH
0434 272 353
info@konpak.com.au
@konpak_homes