Opinion

In a huge win for the Bangalow community, Byron Shire Council has unanimously supported the recommendations of a Heritage Assessment recognising the Bangalow Bowling Club’s social, cultural and architectural value. While the formal listing process still has steps to complete, the motion marks an important public acknowledgment: the Bowlo is more than a building. It is a place of continuity…

I don’t remember the first time I felt unsafe. Maybe it was walking home from school and sensing a stranger’s stare from an unfamiliar car. Maybe it was as a teen, learning to hold my keys between my fingers like claws, just in case. Certainly by my 20s, when the phone calls to friends while walking home alone at night…

Christmas, in theory, is a time of joy, connection and togetherness. But for neurodivergent (ND) folk, it can feel more like one giant peppermint-scented panic attack of flashing lights, overbearing strangers and a shrill soundtrack of seasonal songs looping loudly. For autistic individuals, young and old, and those with ADHD or other sensory profiles, the festive season can be less…

He ran the Athens Marathon so you wouldn’t have to – and hallucinated Cliff Young 35km in – here Bangalow’s Angus Thurgate shares his experience of running up that hill.

For 115 years, the Bangalow Bowling and Sports Club was a constant in our community. You’d know a face, find a seat, and settle into conversation. It didn’t matter who you were. Everyone belonged. So, when the club shut its doors abruptly earlier this year, no community notice, no public consultation – just a sign and a visit from the…

It was a feeling of deja vu (and not the good kind) for the Bangalow community as word spread around the village on Friday 24 October that the beloved Bowling Club had closed, effective immediately. Over 80 people gathered at the Moller Pavilion, Bangalow at short notice to have a say, ask questions and volunteer in many capacities for essential…

Dr Airdre Grant returns to people watching, pondering human behaviour, and the meaning of life.

The catastrophic floods of 2022 were a wake-up call for our region. While Bangalow wasn’t as severely impacted as some of our neighbouring towns, we saw firsthand how devastating the floods were for many. For many of us, it underscored a sobering truth: climate change is no longer a distant threat. It’s already here—and it’s reshaping our world in real-time….

This month, Dr Airdre Grant ruminates on the meaning of canine companionship, drawing the conclusion that many have long suspected.

I have just done a quick trip to a busy, grey city and have realised that it is imperative that we display as much colour, creativity, and acceptance of flamboyance as we can. It was so very glum and dreary. Very sophisticated but oh so dull. I longed for splashes of colour, outrageous style. Coincidentally, the fashion industry has finally…

In the September edition of the Herald, I asked the community if anyone wanted to share their reasons for voting No in the Voice referendum for potential publication. The conditions of publication were that the writer lived in 2479, would put their name to the piece, and would be able to verify the source of any information quoted in their…

In our April issue we reported that both Bangalow and the 2479 postcode grew a lot between 2016 and 2021 – both population and houses. In this article Jenny Bird looks at income – did we grow richer as well as bigger?