Unseemly graffiti was painstakingly removed from inside the public toilets. This mural was defaced and has since been rejuvenated. The men’s room door is solid and impenetrable again. MEMBERS of the Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Association (HNTGPA) have dug in to keep their area beautiful and liveable, attacking several projects of late in collaboration […]
Increased rate of NSW adults getting sunburnt
ALMOST one million adults across the state were sunburnt at least once over a four-week period, according to a new report from the Cancer Institute NSW. The “Sun Protection Behaviours Report”, released last week, shows 15 percent of people surveyed reported being sunburnt, up from 12 percent in the previous report. The research analyses data […]
Probus members aiming to live long with healthy eating and exercise
Probus President Barb Smith with new member Lynne Bradbury. President Barb with 10-year pin recipients: Sue and Grant Hickey, and Margaret and Noel Jones. Guest speaker and mobile physiotherapist Alan Johns from Myall Physiotherapy. MEMBERS and visitors of the Hawks Nest and District Probus club braved capricious winter weather on 4 July to hear some […]
Thursday Walkers group continue to explore across the Hunter
Feed time at the wetlands centre at Shortland on 5 June. Photo: Bea Watkins. Across Tilligery Creek on 12 June. Photo: Robyn Thompson. Puddle Jumping at North Arm Cove on 19 June. Photo: Bea Watkins. The long ‘up’ along the Trolley Trail on Alum Mountain on 26 June. Photo: Rebecca Jacobs. THE inexorable Thursday Walkers […]
Progress Association to map defibrillator locations
Kelly Pietsch instructing local tennis club members how to use their new device. The AED in Tea Gardens Coles is only available during business hours. The AED outside Hawks Nest IGA is available 24/7. An external AED between the new and old buildings at Hawks Nest Community Centre is also available 24/7. PROGRESS is being […]

First aid facilities upgraded at Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club
Newly built walls and false ceilings divide the original space. The frame of the new wall going in. Photo: David Lau. First aid was relegated to a bed in the corner of the old single room. Photo: David Lau. The plastic table and chairs will be upgraded with a proper kitchenette for lifesavers on duty. […]
Cheaper complementary health treatments are on the way
WHEN Peter Hill walked into his first pilates class, he had to warm-up for the warm-up. With a feeble lower back and taut hamstrings, the then 63-year-old was hoping the therapy could aid his pain. Six years later, he can dart and dash with little-to-no trouble. “Occasionally I might have a bit of a twinge […]

Residents urged to be aware of mould impacts after floods
HIDDEN dangers exist in practically every house and property, many only exposed after an incident like the heavy rainfall that the region received over the last weeks. Mould, which naturally exists almost everywhere, loves moisture and poorly-lit areas that lack decent ventilation, such as walls or wallpaper, ceilings, bathroom tiles, carpets, insulation material and wood. […]

Mosquito numbers set to soar after long rains
Aedes aegypti mosquito ready for a meal, followed by laying eggs in your birdbath. Photo: Dr Cameron Webb. This backyard birdbath, filled by the recent rains, contains dozens of mosquito larvae that can mature within a week. The black spots are mosquito eggs or pupae, ready to hatch. MOSQUITO numbers are set to soar due […]
Olympian Matthew Gray inspires Tea Gardens students
Students were keen to get into the discussion about sports dreams and goal-setting. Some students got to try on Olympic uniforms (L-R): Maddie, Kayleigh, Karim, Otto, Sonny, Christine, Zachary, Hudson and Tegan. Olympic archer Matthew Gray gave Tea Gardens student Owen Dennis a go at pulling the bow. STUDENTS at Tea Gardens Public School (TGPS) […]