Byron Bay

Byron Mayor Cr Jan Barham and Bay FM president Ros Elliott at last week’s launch at Italian at the Pacific restaurant.
The Byron Shire’s community radio station, Bay FM has launched its annual subscriber drive which will run from August 16 to 29.
President Ros Elliott said it took more than $250,000 a year to keep the station on air.
Ms Elliott said Bay FM was not publicly funded or owned by commercial interests, but was run on volunteer energy and community spirit.
“We rely on annual subscriptions to allow us to keep broadcasting,” she said.
As usual, there are some great prizes on offer for new and renewing subscribers, including the major prize of a trip for two to the Kimberley region donated by [...]

Metalcore: Parkway Drive drummer Ben Gordon (left), guitarist Luke Kilpatrick, vocalist Winston McCall, bass guitarist Jia O’Connor and guitarist Jeff Ling are releasing their third album.

TWO examples of the region’s musical expertise have left home territory to seek international praise and inspiration for up-and-coming projects.
Local hardcore band Parkway Drive has risen from a garage in Byron Bay on to the international rock scene, while Lismore-born-and-bred composer Colin Black is continuing to ride his wave of success all the way to Europe.
Mr Black, who is a Southern Cross University contemporary music graduate, recently completed working on his new sound composition, Kilian’s Antipodean Dream, which will be premiered in two parts on a German national radio broadcaster on May 21 and May [...]

TWO beachfront mansions owned by prominent property industry identities and collectively worth more than $10 million, have been “totally destroyed” by an unexplained fire in the northern NSW resort centre of Byron Bay.
Investigators are trying to identify the cause of the blaze, which claimed the prestige holiday homes owned by Gold Coast property marketeer Dudley Quinlivan and Sydney property developer Terry Agnew’s GKI Land Pty Ltd.
The houses, which were both unoccupied at the time, are situated in the exclusive Byron Bay enclave of Watego Beach, which is known for its wealthy homeowners and celebrities looking for a discreet place to holiday.
Mr Quinlivan, a two-time bankrupt, was once described as the “King Con” of Queensland’s property marketeering scandal, which saw scores [...]

TOURIST towns are a ‘honeypot of commercial activity that provide the opportunity for multiple criminal activities,’ Byron mayor Jan Barham has said after an intense week of crime at Byron Bay.
“That’s the experience around the world,” she said. “Because of their transient nature, tourist towns are traditionally seen as ripe for that type of activity.” Cr Barham’s comments come after a series of daring robberies were carried out at Byron Bay this week. The latest was the ram-raid of a chemist in the early hours of yesterday morning. Senior Constable Tony Rose, from Byron Bay police, said thieves drove a dark coloured ute through the glass doors of the Byron West Sunrise Pharmacy about 2am.
They stole around $500 [...]

“….the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is an amazing line-up and the type of outstanding performances that have become the festival’s trademark. The two best days in any music lover’s calendar year… Splendour in the Grass!” - Faster Louder
A veritable feast of musical treasures from around the globe awaits when SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS returns to warm up your winter this Saturday 2nd and Sunday August 3rd at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay. From Akron, Ohio and Bristol, UK to Reykjavik, Iceland and the sunny Gold Coast, here’s a taste of the first acts lined up to thrill at SPLENDOUR 2008.
DEVO, WOLFMOTHER, SIGUR ROS, THE LIVING END, THE PRESETS, TRICKY, VAMPIRE WEEKEND, BEN LEE, COLD WAR [...]

PETER STOLZ says Suffolk Park residents are crying out for a solution to a very serious problem, with kids as young as 12 getting drunk and terrorising the community. It comes after two men were hospitalised at the weekend after being attacked with a broken bottle by a group of youths. The men, aged 22 and 18, were allegedly walking past the corner of Brandon and Wareham streets when they were attacked by a group of up to 10 teenage boys. The 22-year-old was hit over the head with a broken bottle and the 18-year-old sustained hits to the ribs and arms.
COME ON SUFFOLK PARKÂ PARENTS - We live here for the lifestyle. Why do you let [...]

Controversial Irish singer Sinead O’Connor and country superstar Keith Urban will headline the East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival at Byron Bay next year. The Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, Wilco, Ron Sexsmith, and Don McLean are also slated to play the annual outdoor music festival, while local acts include John Butler Trio, Eskimo Joe, Gotye, Clare Bowditch, and Angus and Julia Stone.The East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival, which is in its 19th year, runs over the Easter long weekend from March 20 to 24.
Lets hope she brings Sly and Robbie as the back up band!!!

ha ha..
They want to ban people from smoking on the beach? Or do they want to ban people from dropping buts on the beach? What about coffee cups or fish and chip boxes? First it was sleeping on the beach, now smoking on the beach, then maybe we cant kiss or stroke our lovers on the beach???? How are you going to police it - why dont you put your energy into something a little more useful, like working out why the council wont put money into the youth activity center?
Why is the council ignoring the fact that the streeties and parkies all live there now? Its a squat.
Why do the kids still get in to some [...]

A beach shack for $15 million? That’s pocket money for some of the millionaires vying for property at Byron Bay. THEY came in their 20s, toting surfboards in Kombis, in search of the perfect wave. Now in their 50s, they’re returning to Byron Bay, but this time they come by private jet or sports car, in search of the ultimate beachside mansion.
Mega-wealthy executives from Sydney and Melbourne are splashing out millions of dollars on Byron property, keen to live the surfies’ dream while broadband internet and frequent flights south ensure they don’t miss out on making a buck. Much of this money is flooding into the exclusive enclave of Wategos Beach, nestled beneath Cape Byron Lighthouse away from the [...]

If you live in Byron Shire and haven’t already, please take the time and send a letter of support. If you have already done so then please get your husbands and wives, girlfriend or boyfriend, friends and their friends, families and extended families to write in support. If you live outside Byron Shire but have family or friends in the area, please ask them to submit a letter or email of support.
We firmly believe this proposal is of excellent integrity, we would not be involved otherwise. After many years supporting various environmental programs in the Shire along with the green initiatives we implement such as carbon offsetting the event (last 4 years), recycling programs, onsite awareness with the Eco Cops [...]