Stroud Men’s Open brick-throwing winner Peter Gambrill. Photo: Nyomi Aubrey Photography. Mia Finch claims the champion’s title in the Women’s Open brick-throwing competition. Photo: Nyomi Aubrey Photography. PETER Gambrill and Mia Finch claimed the Men’s Open and Women’s Open titles as hundreds of competitors and spectators gathered for the annual Stroud Brick and Rolling Pin […]
A stinkhorn, one of many fungi that may be found in Australia. This one smells very, very bad, as the name suggests. Photo: Nico Lombardo.
Citizen scientists photograph and catalogue fungi
THE Great Aussie Fungi Hunt 2026 is on, and community members are playing their part in a worldwide effort to catalogue mushroom species. The Great Aussie Fungi Hunt is a yearly event organised by Fungimap, a not for profit, citizen-science organisation dedicated to researching and protecting Australian fungi. One of the chief goals of the […]
Boronia Park netball courts and clubrooms to be renamed
MIDCOAST Council is inviting the community to provide feedback on the proposed naming of the netball facilities at Boronia Park to be called ‘The Pauline Carr Netball Centre’. The Great Lakes Netball Association has submitted a proposal to call the netball facilities ‘The Pauline Carr Netball Centre’. This naming honours Pauline’s decades of dedication to […]
Eve with a few of her favourite things - eight different mastheads of News Of The Area. Photo: Angus Cheetham.
New editor for News Of The Area newspaper group
Eve with a few of her favourite things – eight different mastheads of News Of The Area. Photo: Angus Cheetham. Freckle, the sick little bird who grew up and identified as a homing pigeon, with his rescuer. Photo: Angus Cheetham. EVE Nesmith has been named Editor of News Of The Area, the family-owned independent local […]
Blueys Beach Village concept design adopted
THE final Blueys Beach Village concept design aims to improve pedestrian and motorist safety while enhancing the area’s visual amenity and preserving the area’s relaxed, coastal atmosphere. The chosen design was adopted by MidCoast Council following community consultation. Two concept designs were placed on public exhibition for community feedback. During the consultation period, Council staff […]
New NSW tourism strategy puts Barrington Coast and Port Stephens in the spotlight
THE Barrington Coast and other select NSW locations are set to receive a tourism boost under a new NSW Government marketing strategy designed to attract more visitors, support local businesses and create jobs across the State. The first phase of the campaign will promote the Barrington Coast, Shoalhaven, Port Stephens, Byron Bay and Sapphire Coast […]
Australian records first case of H5 bird flu
THE deadly H5 bird flu has been detected in Australia, the Australian Government confirmed on 20 June, 2026. A detection of H5 high-pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) was confirmed by the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in a single brown skua (migratory seabird) in an isolated area in southern Western Australia. This is the […]
Wilma’s crochet animals bring joy to children
Wilma with her gifts of love. Some of Wilma’s many crochet animals. YOU never know what happens when you hand over a gift to someone. Will it be appreciated, loved, packed away, passed onto someone else or – worse – sent to the Op Shop? Wilma Whysall, a retired bank teller who had relocated from […]
University of Newcastle staff and alumni recognised in 2026 King’s Birthday Honours
UNIVERSITY of Newcastle staff and alumni were among those recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, with ten individuals acknowledged for their contributions across education, health, public service, community welfare and defence. University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO congratulated the recipients and praised their achievements. “Each year, the King’s Birthday Honours highlight the […]
Motorcycle rider killed in Bulliac crash
A MOTORCYCLE rider died following a crash west of Gloucester on Sunday 14 June. Emergency services were called to Bundook Road, Bulliac, about 14km west of Gloucester, just after 1pm following reports of a crash. Officers attached to Manning/Great Lakes Police District attended and found a motorcycle and a utility had collided. The motorcycle rider, […]
