Council reveals when Jonson Street will reopen as major drainage works progress

JONSON Street in Byron Bay is expected to reopen to traffic by the end of June, once drainage works at the intersection with Byron Street are completed.

Footpath works along part of Jonson Street will continue throughout July, while drainage upgrades will also progress along Byron Street towards Fletcher Street.

The Byron Bay Drainage Upgrade, which aims to reduce flood risk during heavy rainfall, is being delivered in stages aligned with available funding and planned to minimise disruption to the community.

Byron Shire Council said most drainage works in the rail corridor and South Lawson Street Car Park are now complete, with stage one of the town centre works expected to be finished by the end of this year.

Council will need to secure additional funding to complete the remaining stages of the project, including works in the rest of the town centre catchment, the recreation grounds catchment and the Shirley Street catchment.

Mayor Sarah Ndiaye reminded locals that businesses in the affected area remain open and encouraged the community to continue supporting them.

“Please don’t be discouraged by the construction site in Byron’s town centre,” she said. “All the businesses remain open and are ready as always to welcome you.”

The drainage project includes potholing, geotechnical investigations, and the design and construction of a new stormwater system.

The initiative is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Emergency Response Fund and the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, supported by both the Australian and NSW governments.

Additional works have already been completed as part of the broader drainage strategy, including upgrades to drainage and road infrastructure on Lawson Street (East) in 2024 and drainage improvements on Tennyson Street in 2025.

The Sandhills Wetlands restoration project, also delivered under the Byron Bay Drainage Strategy, recently won the Landscape category at the 2026 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards.