EASTER has always been a busy time at Byron Bay. In the 36 years that I have lived on the Far North Coast, it has just got progressively busier.

It was no different back in 1990, except for one edgier aspect – the town was ‘invaded’ by 200 bikies.Read More…→

BELOW is a column I wrote for the Northern Star back in 2012 with the headline, ‘My Favourite Place in the World’. I don’t get there as often as I should these days, but it still inspires me. The reason I am posting it is to give me an excuse to display just some of the many photos of Wategos I have taken over the years.Read More…→

BYRON Bay was one of many communities across Australia which felt the devastating impacts of the cowardly terrorist Bali bombings on October 12, 2002 which claimed so many lives.

Byron Bay businessman, Barry Wallace’s daughter, Jodi, 29, died in the Sari Club blast, as did Marc Gajardo, partner of  Hannabeth Luke, daughter of Doug and Maggie Luke.

It was an indescribable tragedy for both families which they shared at the time for readers of the Byron Shire News.

Sevegne Newton, who went on the become president of the Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce, was also there on that terrible night.

Five years after the bombings in 2007, Sevegne spoke to me about her experience and this is the story below I wrote for the Byron Shire News.

She is pictured below launching the Byron Naturally campaign during her time as chamber president.

Read More…→

IT was an early morning phone call to my house in Alcorn Street, Suffolk Park that alerted me to the fact that a low-loader carrying an excavator was reversing up Pacific Vista Drive at Byron Bay and heading to Paterson Hill, the site of a planned controversial 15-townhouse development.Read More…→