Ballina Information Blog

This month marks the 35th anniversary of the landfall of the Las Balsas rafts in Ballina after their crossing of the Pacific Ocean from South America. Gabriel Salas, one of the crewmen, tells how the expedition came about, and how he was part of an earlier single-raft crossing of the Pacific Ocean. He also laments [...]

Lismore Detectives working in conjunction with State Crime Commission Drug Squad and New South Wales Crime Commission have arrested and charged two Ballina residents, charging them with two counts of Supply a Commercial Quantity of Prohibited Drugs (heroin and methylamphetamine). The male aged 48 and female aged 68 were charged with Supply Large Commercial Quantity [...]

The best of local cuisine will be on the menu at ‘Eat Street’ at this year’s Ballina Rivafest, on Sunday, November 30. Eat Street is a designated food and beverage area showcasing delicious regional cuisine from seven local Ballina Shire restaurants and cafes. “This year’s Rivafest theme is ‘riva of life’ and Eat Street will [...]

Member for Ballina Don Page is circulating a petition calling on the State Government to rethink its planned closure of the Alstonville Tropical Horticulture Centre. Speaking after visiting the centre today with Nationals Federal Leader Warren Truss and Nationals Senator Fiona Nash, Mr Page said the New South Wales Government needs to immediately rethink its [...]

The ‘Morning of the Mo’ will host its third annual surf gathering at Ballina on Saturday, Movember 29. Inspired by Albert Falzon’s seminal surf film, Morning of the Earth, this unique gathering sees surfers from around the country participate in the spirit of fun and brotherhood to raise money for Movember beneficiary partners, the National [...]

The four-wheel-drive beach access to Richmond River Nature Reserve at South Ballina will be improved by upgrading the track and walking access to the beach, and much of the base material used will be recycled plastic decking and milk containers. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Ranger Andrew Fay said that the four-wheel-drive track will [...]

Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin is holding public forum on climate change in Ballina this week to provide a local perspective on one of the biggest issues facing the Northern Rivers, Australia and the world. The forum, ‘Climate Change: A Regional Perspective’, will be held in the Richmond Room, Regatta Avenue, at the rear [...]

Officers and sailors of the Royal Australian Navy Heavy Landing Craft, HMAS Labuan, will march into the Shire of Ballina next weekend to observe the centuries old tradition of ‘Freedom of Entry’. The occasion on Sunday, 23 November, will mark the first time in four years that the ship’s company has exercised their right, which [...]

Lennox Head’s Seven Mile Beach has been announced the Northern Rivers Regional winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Clean Beach Challenge. Now in its eighth year, the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Clean Beach Challenge enhances beachside communities by promoting personal initiative, civic pride and environmental awareness. The program recognises and rewards coastal communities, local [...]

The latest in a series of Operation Vikings High Visibility police operations was conducted in Ballina Shire last weekend by officers from the Richmond Area Command. Police participated in High Visibility patrols in Ballina, Lennox Head, Alstonville and Wardell. “During this period, additional General Duties and Highway Patrol police were strategically deployed in phases to [...]