FOLLOWING the success of its debut on 15 June, the Magpie Market at Stroud District Country Club is calling on local growers and producers to take the market to the next level. Organised by new Stroud local Victoria Henderson, the market drew a strong crowd and a vibrant mix of stalls showcasing handmade goods, art, […]
MP calls for NDIS pricing changes to be revoked
FEDERAL Member for Lyne Alison Penfold is calling on the Federal Government to urgently revoke the latest National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) pricing changes, warning of the “significant negative impacts on people with a disability living in regional and remote areas”. The changes, announced following the Government’s NDIS Annual Pricing Review, came into effect on […]
Fire ants discovered in Tweed Heads
FARMERS are calling for a government crackdown to stamp out fire ants in NSW after the pests were discovered in Tweed Heads this week. Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are prohibited under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and high-risk materials are restricted from infested areas of south-east Queensland. On Wednesday the NSW Government confirmed an immature […]
Flooding and power outages hit Port Stephens as wild weather returns
THE POWERFUL low-pressure system that hit the NSW coast this week resulted in flooding and power outages across Port Stephens. The extreme weather event comes just over a month after Port Stephens was last impacted by severe flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology warned of large waves on the coastline. “We saw fairly significant wave action […]
MidCoast Council addressing housing roadblocks
MIDCOAST Council is attempting to make it “easier and faster to build homes in the region”, with progress discussed at last week’s Council meeting. Council has been addressing the recommendations identified in the 2023 Housing Barriers Review, which identified problems that slow down the building process and offered ways to fix them. A statement from […]
Local trawler ‘Dawn’ dressed for war. The trawler and her Captain Archie Thompson conducted valuable service in New Guinea.
Stinker’s History: The war years
DURING the early years of the Second World War, when there was a large Army presence in the Nelson Bay area, US army engineers constructed a sealed road, which was to form part of the Nelson Bay Road. In the 1940s wartime era there was an army camp for Australian troops (Far North Coast 2/2nd […]
Public wharves close to commercial use
THE commercial use of public wharves in the MidCoast LGA has been discontinued as of 1 July, including the Yallinbah wharf on Marine Drive, Tea Gardens. The decision looks set to impact catamaran operator YKnot Cruises, which currently utilises the wharf for its Nelson Bay-Tea Gardens service. MidCoast Council resolved to discontinue the commercial use […]
Despite the road closures, Gloucester and Stroud are open for business and eager to welcome visitors.
Thunderbolts Way and Barrington Tops Forest Road remain closed
KEY routes north and west of Gloucester remain closed due to extensive landslip damage and bridge washouts. Thunderbolts Way (north of Gloucester) remains closed in multiple locations due to landslips and washed-out bridge approaches. Repairs are underway, with reopening expected in approximately four weeks, restoring access to Walcha and the New England region. Barrington Tops […]
Category D support now available for primary producers
ADDITIONAL support has been announced for primary producers in New South Wales affected by the extreme flooding event from 18 May 2025. This funding is provided under Category D of the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments. The package will be available through grants administered by the NSW […]
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 […]
