Three men stranded on an offshore rock near Byron Bay were rescued after their kayak was swept away and worsening weather left them showing signs of hypothermia.

The owner of a yacht stranded on Flat Rock says thieves have already tried to board the vessel, as authorities race to save it on tonight's high tide.

All ten councillors backed the controversial rate rise despite public opposition. The state's regulator has now approved the increase, securing millions in future Council revenue.

The end of an era for regional television. NBN’s famous one-hour local news bulletin is being cut in half, with weekend local news disappearing altogether.

Two people escaped safely after a yacht ran aground on Flat Rock off Skennars Head, with calm conditions helping avert a more serious outcome.

Supporters say more than 200,000 people have already used the completed sections and are urging governments to finish the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

One Nation is building support in Ballina as the Greens prepare for a three-way pre-selection contest and independent candidates begin circling the race.

A stolen electric car allegedly hit 168km/h on the M1 before crashing, with the driver then trying to swim a lagoon to evade capture.

The NSW Nationals have postponed their Ballina pre-selection after receiving no nominations, as the Greens move through a high-profile contest to replace Tamara Smith.

A motion by the Greens to direct more council resources towards restoring rainforest became heated after council staff advised the move could have negative repercussions.

Ballina businessman and sailor James Foster is setting off from New Zealand on one of the Southern Hemisphere's toughest offshore races.

Jed Daniel Gordon, 45, of Byron Bay, was given a three-year community corrections order and 300 hours of community service after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a minor.

A teenage boy has been charged after a supermarket worker was allegedly struck in the face with a bottle during a suspected shoplifting incident at Goonellabah.

A Northern Rivers woman has been charged after investigators examined fourteen alleged hoax bomb threats sent to NSW schools over a 15-month period, along with two alleged airport threats.

The first survey of its kind aims to build a clearer picture of dolphin populations along the NSW coast, helping guide future conservation efforts.

A plan to allow housing on recreational land at Skennars Head led one councillor warning of possible political retribution ahead of the NSW election.

Two men have been refused bail after two students’ e-bikes were allegedly taken from a primary school and later recovered in bushland.

A sod-turning ceremony has officially marked the next stage of the Alstonville Cultural Centre upgrade, with major redevelopment works now progressing onsite.

More than 200 Northern Rivers students explored aviation careers at Ballina’s annual expo, highlighting the region’s growing status as a major aviation hub.

VIDEO: A Northern Rivers man has been charged as part of Operation Yankee Interstate, an investigation into the alleged supply of drugs across the NSW-Queensland border.

Ballina’s whale watching sector is growing, with a new local operator preparing to launch as the annual migration begins.

A new boutique menswear and lifestyle store has opened in Alstonville, with business leaders saying it reflects the growing sophistication of the village retail scene.

Jodie Saunders remains bedridden three weeks after being hit and left unconscious outside KFC in a Ballina Fair shopping centre carpark.

Police are asking the community to identify the males shown in released images after the Australian flag was removed from outside Byron Bay Police Station.