Northern NSW hospitals are already under heavy winter pressure, with health authorities warning emergency departments will become even busier in coming weeks.

A record 78 people became Australian citizens in Ballina's biggest-ever citizenship ceremony, highlighting the region's rapid population growth as Canberra reviews migration settings.

The day Ballina was labelled Australia's worst place to start a business, entrepreneur Paige Brierley quietly opened the tea house she had spent years dreaming about.

A national survey branding Ballina Australia’s worst place to start a business has sparked outrage and a strong response from the local Chamber of Commerce.

Police are searching for the 42-year-old, who was last seen in Lismore and is known to frequent Ballina, Lismore and Nimbin. She has a medical condition and requires medication.

What looks like a return to traditional teaching has delivered record NAPLAN results at St Joseph's Alstonville. Now other schools are visiting to learn the secrets behind its success.

A parliamentary inquiry has cast doubt over the future of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, with Ballina's long connection to the organisation giving the story a strong local focus.

Ballina-on-Richmond Rotary is calling on the community to help fill a second shipping container of donated goods for children, families and hospitals in Papua New Guinea.

Alstonville and Wollongbar have unveiled the Plateau Hinterland brand and a new website, marking the first unified identity for the region as it emerges as one of the Northern Rivers' fastest-growing business communities.

Ballina Coast High School has been recognised among NSW's best public schools, with the school winning a top state award and two students receiving prestigious Minister's Awards.

A 30-year-old woman has been found alive after apparently spending the night in the water following an extensive search off Dreamtime Beach at Fingal Head.

New laws before Parliament would give Fisheries Officers stronger powers to target illegal seafood sales, protect marine habitats and crack down on black market fishing.

Ballina Shire Council has deferred a proposed $50,000 mural for the Lennox Head water reservoir after a debate over water rates, public art and cost-of-living pressures.

The proposed $50,000 mural for the Lennox Head water reservoir raises broader questions about council priorities, public spending and whether ratepayers deserve better value for money.

Wollongbar teenager Ayla Kowalczyk has won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal on debut, producing a personal best jump of 4.71 metres for Australia.

Six months after Yvonne Whear disappeared while driving near Murwillumbah, police have renewed their appeal during Missing Persons Week, urging anyone with information to come forward.

When accusations, intimidation or violence as are substituted for due legal process, it's only a matter of time before innocent people suffer.

A Ballina couple say they were left devastated after anonymous signs falsely accused them of being paedophiles, despite having no criminal history or connection to the allegations.

A century-old building, a chance encounter and a love of old-fashioned baking inspired Cherie Bevan to create HOME, the award-winning Alstonville bakery now attracting visitors from across the region and beyond.

Ballina Shire Council has ordered another round of public consultation on proposed biodiversity planning controls after rural landowners argued the draft introduced restrictions beyond last year's compromise.

A Ballina beekeeper says the varroa mite is forcing many beekeepers out of the industry, with constant hive inspections now needed to protect colonies.

Ballina has the third-highest organ donor registration rate in NSW, but health authorities say more people are needed to sign up as new registrations continue to decline.

Community organisations across the Northern Rivers are being encouraged to apply to reuse flood buyback homes and temporary pods for housing and community projects through the new Homes Reuse

A new CCTV network featuring 360-degree surveillance cameras and automated number plate recognition technology has been officially launched in Coraki