YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP ANY MORE, THE WORLD ITSELF IS SATIRE – ART BUCHWALD The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 40 #46 • April 22, 2026 • www.echo.net.au
Bruns SLSC needs a helping hand
Aslan Shand
B
runswick Heads Surf Life Saving Club (BSLSC) has had a major rebuild of their facilities, however, unforeseen costs in the development have left the club short of operating funds this summer and they are asking for help from the community. Prior to the redevelopment of the club they tested the site, to better understand the conditions, and determine the amount and extent of any asbestos present, and developed a site remediation program. This was completed and a remediation program developed that was approved by both Crown Lands and Byron Shire Council and importantly was within their funding and fundraising. Unfortunately, when site preparation commenced significantly more asbestos was discovered on the site than test drilling had revealed . This required a new
approved remediation and much more material was required for removal and treatment. ‘The overall impact of this was significantly more work in site groundworks for removal of asbestos, structures, additional remediation activities and approvals. All these additional activities resulted in significant costs (in excess of $600,000), well in excess of the project contingencies. As a result, BSLSC had to reallocate operational funds to continue to fund the new building construction,’ said club treasurer David Quemard. ‘We are now struggling to find the funds to continue to operate the club to provide our life-saving services to our local community and the many visitors to our area,’ said BSLSC president Craig Reid. The club are asking the community to come on board and help with keeping their operations going. You can donate by contacting the club at admin@brunswickslsc.org.
Inflatable rescue boat (IRB) captain, George Russo, with Damien Ferris, Matilda Langtry, Emily Langtry, Mark Harris, and Adrian Russell behind the boat. Photo Jeff ‘Rubber Ducky’ Dawson
Council pushes ahead with bed tax Paul Bibby Byron Shire Council (BSC) has officially revived its long-running push for a bed tax, unanimously backing a plan to build the economic case for making visitors pay their way. The vote, at last week’s Council meeting, gives Council the green light to pursue a detailed financial study of tourism, work that councillors hope will underpin a renewed campaign to secure a visitor levy or similar funding model from state and federal governments. Support for the motion was reinforced during the public access section of the meeting, where Coorabell resident and road safety advocate Anthony Stante delivered
a blunt assessment of the pressures facing the Shire.
Need more revenue ‘When you step away from the postcard version of Byron and drive the hinterland… you see a very different reality,’ he said. ‘Our infrastructure is not keeping up… in many cases, [roads] are at developing nation standards.’ Mr Stante said the region had spent years failing to capture a fair share of the revenue generated by its tourism economy, leaving locals to deal with the consequences. ‘The state collects the revenue and the road safety risk stays here with the local residents and tourists alike,’ he said.
Main Arm photo Sana local rep Cabbage Tree Inspired living at Kohinur at NSW student residents plight inside and out reborn ▶ p6 council ▶ p7 heard at UN ▶ p11 ▶ p20
ANZAC DAY SATURDAY 25th APRIL Join us on Anzac Day
Breakfast from 6am, Lunch from 12 noon, Two-up from 1.30pm, Dinner from 5.30pm
Lest We Forget
Later in the meeting, councillors made it clear the study was intended to arm them for action. Greens councillor Michelle Lowe said the aim was to provide Council with ‘hard facts’ about what tourism contributes – and what it costs – across infrastructure, environment, and local services. ‘We’re a small rate-paying base… and I’m just really hoping that this [study] is successful, and therefore the subsequent work can be done to try and lobby the government with some hard facts that can’t be disputed,’ she said. Labor councillor Janet Swain was even more explicit about where that work could lead. ▶ Continued on page 4
Assorted arts and industry Byronstyle ▶ p22
The A-Z of local tradie superstars ▶ p32
M O T H E R ’ S DAY S U N D AY 1 0 t h M AY
LUNCH
Special
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2-Course Lunch + Glass of Bubbles & $20 in Raffle tickets...ONLY $45pp
(non membs:$50pp)
Full Bistro Menu available
Jonson Street, Byron Bay • 02 6685 6878 • www.byronbayservicesclub.com.au