A towering new electronic billboard on Bangalow Road has locals talking — and not all of it’s positive.

The flashy digital screen outside Ballina Central has sparked a mix of amusement, frustration, and full-blown conspiracy theories online, with some asking if Ballina is being transformed into “Balifornia.”

Love it or loathe it, the towering LED sign outside Ballina Central is here to stay, despite Ballina Shire Council doing all it could to stop it. 

Council opposed the development on the grounds it was out of character for the neighbourhood and posed a potential road safety risk, but the matter ended up in the NSW Land and Environment Court, where the council lost.

That loss left Ballina ratepayers with a legal bill close to $150,000 and prompted a warning from council’s independent auditor, who suggested council might want to think twice before challenging developers in court unless the odds are better stacked in their favour.

Since lighting up, the billboard has triggered a flurry of comments on social media.

Brendan Graham kicked things off on the Ballina Community Noticeboard, posting; “I love the new LED billboard at Ballina Central – it gives off those big city vibes which Ballina is heading towards.”

That LA-vibe didn’t sit well with everyone.

One user posted: “It looks stupid. We ain’t no city. We are a country town that needs to be left alone.”

Peter Hatfield wrote: “My Byron Shire friends call us Ballifornia… but they sneak down here for a bit of shopping and forbidden fast food.”

And one comment took a detour into sci-fi conspiracy territory: “I think it’s part of the radiation used to alter our climate. Chemicals pumped out at the pharmacy changing our DNA.”

Despite a few fans praising the “big city look,” the general tone was clear, with most commenters backed council’s original stance and weren’t thrilled with the LA-style glow-up.

And it doesn’t stop there.

The ‘Californication’ of Bangalow Road is set to go even further, with council recently approving the removal of 40 large trees on the opposite side of the road. The trees are listed as “significant” on the council environment register.

The cleared space will make way for a new carpark for the upcoming SES building , with the decision likely to spark more debate about what kind of town Ballina wants to be once the chainsaws come out.

For now, it seems the sun may have set on sleepy, small-town vibes.

Welcome to Balifornia.