Ballina welcomes Rous as staff move into new $25m offices
The massive Gallans Road complex brings together offices, depot operations and ultra-modern council chambers on one site — facilities likely to be the envy of councils across NSW.
More women gain access to hospital midwife care
Lismore Base Hospital has expanded services for expectant mums, giving more women access to care from a known midwife during pregnancy and after birth.
Have your say: Community invited to help shape local health services
Residents are being encouraged to join Northern NSW Health advisory groups and help shape the future of local healthcare services.
Learner motorbike riders ordered to gear up under safety reforms
Learner and P-plate motorcycle riders will face new safety gear rules from July 1 as authorities move to cut novice rider deaths.
North Coast voters unload on Budget as housing fears dominate
Reaction to last night’s Federal Budget turned fierce today as North Coast voters questioned tax changes, migration levels and housing affordability.
Claude ‘The Mowerman’ rolls into Ballina on a $2.4m mission
80-year-old Claude 'the Mowerman' Harvey has arrived on his national fundraising campaign for the Bravehearts child protection charity.
Flowers cast into the sea as Ballina marks one week since tragedy
A quiet ceremony on South Ballina Beach today honoured Marine Rescue volunteers Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch and the tragedy that shook the community.
Wanted fugitive fighter spotted in Ballina
A highly trained martial arts fighter wanted over an alleged sexual assault has been spotted camping in carparks at Northern Rivers beaches.
Life after Idol: Lily-Grace Grant looks ahead
Lennox Head singer Lily-Grace Grant is back home after Australian Idol with new music, upcoming gigs and growing support from fans across the Northern Rivers.
Exhausted Ballina firies front up for open day after battling inferno
The annual fire station open day still went ahead, despite crews spending much of the night controlling an explosive house fire.
Minns cops an earful as Cadwallader comes to town
Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader used a long-awaited meeting with Premier Chris Minns to press for action on hospital redevelopment, river dredging and housing projects.
Ballina Toy Gun Bank Hold-Up Accused Charged Over Alleged Sex Assault
A Ballina man accused of sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman had previously been jailed after threatening Ballina bank staff with a toy gun.
‘Darkest day’: Ballina mourns as tributes grow at Marine Rescue tower
Ballina is in mourning as tributes grow at the Marine Rescue tower, with the tragedy described as the organisation’s darkest day.
Police offer $1m reward in missing woman case linked to Wollongbar man
Nearly three decades on, Marion Barter’s disappearance continues to raise questions, with financial activity and a Wollongbar connection under scrutiny.
Ballina Greens MP Tamara Smith to exit politics after three terms
Tamara Smith has confirmed she will not contest the 2027 NSW election, ending a 12-year run as Ballina’s Greens MP.
Built by apprentices, sold for lives: $40K+ boost for Rescue Helicopter
Restored by Wollongbar TAFE apprentices over 15 years, the iconic Holden Commodore caps off a major community fundraising effort
Tradition and quiet protest meet at Alstonville Anzac Day service
Olive ribbons and applause for a Roberts-Smith reference added a subtle edge to a well-attended community commemoration.
Ballina brothers back before court as one returns to community despite long history
Ballina's Presbury brothers face domestic violence matters — with one still in custody and the other serving a sentence in the community.
Tamara Smith’s statement in full
Tamara Smith has confirmed she will not contest the 2027 NSW election, ending a 12-year run as Ballina’s Greens MP.
COMMENT: The moral case for action on the Richmond River
A call for a single authority to manage the Richmond River, as new research highlights upstream sediment as a major driver of its declining health.
Jali jets off to New York: If they can make it there — can they fix it here?
COMMENT: Eight Jali leaders head to New York for a two-week United Nations forum — but how will that sit with locals still sleeping rough?
COMMENT: Top Tourist Town? For Ballina right now, it’s probably just a dream
Visitors do not come to a coastal town expecting to feel like they have wandered into some sort of bad episode of the The Benny Hill Show.
Honouring the lives and legacies of loved ones from Ballina and the Northern Rivers.
A Celebration of a Life Well Lived – David Foster Brown
Ballina locals gathered to honour David Brown, remembered for his quiet kindness, love of music and deep connection to community and nature.
Ballina Economy Gets Major Vote Of Confidence With NAB Upgrade
Ballina’s banking sector has officially entered a new era, with National Australia Bank unveiling its completely rebuilt River Street branch following a multi-million-dollar transformation.
Should Ballina become a city? Big ideas emerge from economic strategy talks
The question of whether Ballina should become a city emerged during community strategy talks that also heard repeated calls for less red tape and stronger promotion of the region.
Qantas now paying passengers to help beat global fuel crisis
Normally you pay to change flights - but now Ballina passengers are being offered $20 vouchers to switch between Jetstar and Qantas flights in a bid to keep planes flying full.
Big ideas wanted as Ballina launches first major economic talks in 20 years
Mayor calls for bold ideas to shape the shire's economic future, as neighbouring Lismore plans a population comeback, while avoiding Ballina's 'mistakes'.
Hope amid horrifying domestic violence figures as Purple Friday spreads
Six years after Purple Friday began in Ballina, confronting domestic violence figures show the crisis remains severe — but the movement born here is now spreading hope and change across NSW.
Breaking barriers: First regional disability health workshops launch in Ballina
New Ballina workshops aim to give people with disability the tools to manage their own health, with a strong focus on self-advocacy and women’s wellbeing.
Young courage at heart of Ballina’s Our Kids Day Out
A big crowd marked 21 years of Our Kids Day Out in Ballina, with a powerful bravery award reminding families why the charity the annual event celebrates matters so much.
BIG HIT: Ballina’s squash comeback officially opens
From losing their courts to building a world-class complex, local players have turned frustration into one a remarkable sporting comeback
Paddle power: Ballina dragon boaters bring home national medals
A seven-year return to the national stage has paid off for the Rainbow Region Dragon Boat team, with a strong medal haul in challenging conditions.
