Ballina Information Blog

As the rain continues to tumble the RTA reports that the Pacific Highway has been closed just 5km North of Ballina. An alternative route for light vehicles only is the Summerland Way via Casino. Heavy vehicles are advised to use the New England Highway.

The New South Wales Land and Environment Court has invalidated permission for a developer to destroy Aboriginal middens on the North Angels Beach site at East Ballina.
The decision puts a halt to a plan by developer Chris Condon to put 169 properties on the market. However, an appeal may be lodged.
The area has heritage significance [...]

Tintenbar-East Ballina all-rounder Brett Crawford has confirmed his reputation as one of the region’s best cricketers with an innings of 198 on January 14 in the L J Hooker League competition.
Crawford’s innings was a club record. He opened the innings and when he was dismissed, Tintenbar-East Ballina was 6-351.
He was involved in a partnership of [...]

Ballina Shire Council is considering three options for redevelopment of the Lake Ainsworth Reserve at Lennox Head in a bid to save the town’s ‘jewel in the crown’, the tea tree-fed Lake Ainsworth.
All options reduce sites in the adjoining caravan park, prompting opposition from regulars who holiday at the park.
They also transform the road on [...]

Wet weather forced an unusual finish to the Ballina New Year Tennis Open.
Clint Letcher, of the Gold Coast, was scheduled to face his younger brother, Chris, in the final, but rain intervened.
The result was that the toss of a coin determined the winner. The prizemoney of $1500 was shared by the two, but a winner [...]

Lennox Head Dolphins rugby league players gathered at the local hotel on January 7 to hold a wake for their former teammate, Steve Rogers.
Rogers, a former Australian, New South Wales, Cronulla and St George star, had been found dead at his home days earlier. His family announced after his death that he had been suffering [...]

Lennox Head lawn bowler Neil Burgess is back — and in a big way.
Burgess, a former NSW representative, had cut back his competitve appearances but signalled a return to top-class bowls with a win in the Summerland Singles at Ballina Bowling Club on January 8.
Despite the wet conditions, Burgess found his best form to defeat [...]

Tourism in Ballina and its surrounding regions has been given a boost by Jetstar, which has announced extra flights to Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport.
As well as extra flights to Sydney, Jetstar has announced that there will be a new direct service to Melbourne.
The new Jetstar schedule, to begin on March 28, includes:

Melbourne to Ballina 5.55pm Tuesday, [...]

It’s good to see the residents of Shaws Bay at East Ballina taking a stand against spearfishing in the popular swimming and snorkelling spot.
Residents this summer have reported more incidents of the illegal activity and went public with their concerns.
Shaws Bay is a tidal lagoon and is home to an estimated 150 species of fish, [...]

St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church in Ballina was overflowing on January 7 as family and friends gathered to attend the funeral of Alister Bolt Snr, one of the top Aboriginal rugby league players to come from the Cabbage Tree Island settlement near Wardell.
Ali, as he was known, was born in 1951. He passed away on [...]