Ballina Information Blog

Regional Express (Rex) has announced that it will commence Newcastle to Sydney and Newcastle to Ballina/Byron services 7 days a week from Sunday, 30 October 2011. Rex will provide three return services between Newcastle and Sydney Monday to Friday on a schedule that is convenient for the business traveller wanting to make a day-return trip, [...]

Ducks will be racing on the Richmond River this weekend when the annual Ballina Rotary Club Charity Duck Race is held on Sunday, October 2. The Charity Duck Race has been staged in Ballina since 1992 by Ballina Rotary Club. The duck race will be conducted from Fawcett Park. The  plastic ducks are launched from [...]

Ballina is set for huge weekend this October long weekend, with the inaugural Ballina Coastal Country Music Festival, the boat show, Ballina Island Paddle Challenge, the annual Rotary Club Duck Race, and the North Coast Fishing Bonanza sure to attract plenty of interest. To accommodate the music festival, River Street will be closed – from [...]

After the success of the 2010 event, the Ballina Lighthouse & Lismore Surf Life Saving Club will be hosting the Ballina Island Paddle Challenge again on Sunday, October 2. It is a major fundraiser for the Life Saving Club and will also benefit the Ballina Jet Boat Service. It is open to any participant with [...]

  The Hailstorm that ripped through the north coast yesterday afternoon is the talk of Ballina with many stories of storm damage and sights of vegetation shredded after the 20 minute hammering. The SES answered over 80 calls in Ballina alone and were seen out and about with local councils today as the mop up [...]

Ballina Shire residents are very aware of the ferocity of Mother Nature and the damaging effects that extreme weather conditions have on our coastline – the Coast Road near Pat Morton Lookout at Lennox Head was one such casualty during the heavy rain deluge in January 2011 when 50 metres of the eastern road embankment [...]

Over the last few weeks Ballina Shire Council has received calls from residents expressing concerns about sewage-like odours. Council has carried out site visits and lab testing and found that the smell is not sewage but the result of decomposing mangrove fruit, which occurs annually at this time of year. Reports of the persistent foul [...]

Do you own a business in the Ballina Shire and want to participate in a free marketing campaign? Ballina Shire Council, Ballina Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Ballina Tourism & Hospitality have joined forces to bring you an exciting ‘shop local’ community initiative. The campaign is aimed at local residents of the Ballina Shire [...]

These school holidays will see young people in Ballina Shire learning how to surf for free! As result of a partnership between Soul Surf School and BDCSA Youth Services, local young people will learn surf safety, board riding whilst having a lot of fun. There is an All-Girls learn to surf session on Thursday 29th [...]

A seal which has been seen in the Richmond River at Ballina since Saturday appears to be in good health and should be left undisturbed. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager Mark Pittavino said that the seal was being monitored by volunteers from Australian Seabird Rescue (ASR) and had been seen swimming strongly [...]