December 19, 2025
Stinker’s Fishin’: Beach Bream Stockton Beach bream.
Local News

Stinker’s Fishin’: Beach Bream

THIS Christmas give rock fishing a miss and concentrate your efforts on the beach. Family-friendly, the local beaches have loaded up with cracker whiting and thumping big snowy white bream. Unlike their cousins that live in the estuary, beach bream are broad shouldered and pearly white. In the kitchen the beach bream can be filleted […]

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Access to essential medicines during recent bushfires
Local News

Access to essential medicines during recent bushfires

PEOPLE living in communities impacted by recent bushfires who require essential medicines, including diabetes, heart and asthma medicines, can now access a limited supply without a prescription at pharmacies. NSW Health has issued an Authority under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation that enables pharmacists to supply prescription medicines to people without a prescription who […]

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Flood recovery work continues on roads and bridges Scone Road disaster recovery repairs.
Local News

Flood recovery work continues on roads and bridges

THE May 2025 flood resulted in over 28,000 defects to the MidCoast road network, with Council crews and contractors continuing flood recovery works. Assessment of 680 bridges, 1,800km of unsealed roads and 1,800km of sealed roads has been undertaken so far. Approximately $34m of emergency works and immediate reconstruction works have been completed to date. […]

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Four youths charged after alleged pursuit
Local News

Four youths charged after alleged pursuit

THREE teens and a child have been charged after an alleged highway pursuit. About 6.50am on Tuesday 9 December 2025, officers attached to Port-Stephens Hunter Police District attempted to stop a vehicle on the Pacific Highway, Heatherbrae. When the vehicle allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle allegedly continued towards […]

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Marine Rescue volunteers return 800-plus boaters to safety A Marine Rescue crew member with a rescued sailor.
Local News

Marine Rescue volunteers return 800-plus boaters to safety

MARINE Rescue NSW volunteers across the state returned 823 people safely to shore during November, completing more than 370 search and rescue missions including 108 emergency responses. Acting Commissioner Todd Andrews said demand remains high for the volunteer service. “Following successive record months in September and October, our volunteers were in high demand throughout November, […]

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New system for road recategorisation unveiled in NSW
Local News

New system for road recategorisation unveiled in NSW

THE NSW Government is rewriting the framework that determines road management in NSW, announcing a new road recategorisation system this week. The move comes in an attempt to provide local councils with certainty over who will manage and maintain different roads, allowing for more targeted investment where it is most needed. Road recategorisation is the […]

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Stinker’s History: Shipping disasters
Local News

Stinker’s History: Shipping disasters

PORT Stephens, the surrounding reefs and islands have the well-earned reputation as being a graveyard for shipping. It was thought that the establishing of a lighthouse on Point Stephens in 1862 would solve the problem. Unfortunately this was not to be the case, particularly for Captain Thomas Kehoe who continually ran aground. From the 1860s, […]

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Ray Keipert features in NSW Seniors writing collection Ray with his personal copy of the NSW Seniors’ ‘Then and Now’ vol.11, in which his short story is featured. Photo: Thomas O’Keefe.
Local News

Ray Keipert features in NSW Seniors writing collection

THE work of local author Ray Keipert is featured in a compendium of short stories, launched at the NSW State Library on Monday 10 November. Ray’s “Desperation” was included in this year’s NSW Seniors’ book of short stories, which is available for free online via the NSW Government Seniors’ Stories website. “Following a statewide competition […]

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Kemp calls out Premier’s flood recovery comments Premier Chris Minns discussed flood recovery on the Mid North Coast in May with Oxley MP and former NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders.
Local News

Kemp calls out Premier’s flood recovery comments

MEMBER for Oxley Michael Kemp has called out Premier Chris Minns for “out-of-touch comments” on morning TV show Sunrise regarding the recovery of communities impacted by flooding in May. When asked by host Matt Shirvington what NSW should be most proud of in the past year, the Premier responded: “I think the thing we should […]

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Yacht returned to safety in overnight operation off Broughton Island Port Stephens 31 and the disabled yacht at the marina.
Local News

Yacht returned to safety in overnight operation off Broughton Island

Port Stephens 31 and the disabled yacht at the marina. Marine Rescue NSW vessel Port Stephens 31. VOLUNTEERS from Marine Rescue Port Stephens responded to a late-night call for assistance after a 12–15 metre yacht lost steerage between Seal Rocks and Broughton Island while transiting from Lord Howe Island late on Sunday 7 December. Radio […]

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