September 18, 2025
Nationals call for firefighting scheme to be made permanent When a fire breaks out, farmers are often the first to respond. Photo: DPIE.
Government

Nationals call for firefighting scheme to be made permanent

NSW NATIONALS MPs are calling on the NSW Government to immediately deliver its promised Farm Fire Fighting Vehicle scheme, months after the second of two trial periods ended. In January 2024 Labor committed to provide conditional registrations that would enable farmers to drive unregistered vehicles on public roads in an emergency, but is yet to […]

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Flood recovery grant applications to be processed quicker Member for Oxley Michael Kemp discusses flood recovery with Premier Chris Minns and NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders in May. Photo: Michael Kemp FB.
Community, Government

Flood recovery grant applications to be processed quicker

THE State Government last week announced it would immediately double the number of staff members working on the processing of Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) Recovery Grants for primary producers impacted by the May floods. Since June, the RAA has received almost 2,000 applications and has approved more than $23 million in payments, however the Government […]

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Residents are demanding action on Oyster Cove Road’s potholes Signs have been posted to warn drivers to slow down due to the dangerous conditions.
Community, Government

Residents are demanding action on Oyster Cove Road’s potholes

Signs have been posted to warn drivers to slow down due to the dangerous conditions. Oyster Cove Road has been full of potholes for weeks now. PORT Stephens residents are once again voicing their concerns about hazardous road conditions. Oyster Cove Road has been a recent source of frustration, with potholes covering the full length […]

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Shoaly Collective awarded $200k grant to transform Shoal Bay The businesses will use the funding to elevate Shoal Bay’s profile.
Business, Community, Government

Shoaly Collective awarded $200k grant to transform Shoal Bay

THE Shoaly Collective has been awarded $200,000 through the NSW Government’s Uptown Grant Program. The Collective includes Port Stephens Paddle Sports, Shoal Bay Newsagency, The Café, Port Stephens Community Arts Centre, Ramada Resort Shoal Bay and the Shoal Bay Country Club. The group is planning to use the funding to transform Shoal Bay into a […]

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Port Stephens Council seeks community input on Medowie town centre masterplan The masterplan aims to provide a ‘clear framework’ for the future of the Council-owned land opposite Woolworths.
Community, Government

Port Stephens Council seeks community input on Medowie town centre masterplan

PORT Stephens Council is creating a detailed masterplan of Medowie Town Centre in collaboration with the local community. As Port Stephens’ fastest growing suburb, Council says the plan is essential to accommodate Medowie’s future growth. “This masterplan will provide a clear framework for the future of the Council-owned land opposite Woolworths,” Mayor Leah Anderson said. […]

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Council replants trees at Shoal Bay foreshore following vandalism Council signs warn of the fines for tree vandalism.
Community, Government

Council replants trees at Shoal Bay foreshore following vandalism

Council signs warn of the fines for tree vandalism. More vandalised trees in Port Stephens. FIVE trees have been planted along the Shoal Bay foreshore to replace recently vandalised trees. Eleven trees were originally planted at the site back in 2021, but were subject to repeated acts of vandalism. “The trees had been cut at […]

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Council calls on state government to repair Port Stephens’ roads Damaged sections on local roads have prompted the call to action.
Community, Government

Council calls on state government to repair Port Stephens’ roads

A COMMUNITY petition has been launched to fund repairs to Medowie Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road. The petition was created by Port Stephens Council and calls for urgent action from the state government. “Medowie Road and Lemon Tree Passage Road are showing the impacts of both increasing traffic and ongoing weather events,” Port Stephens […]

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XPT replacement trains unlikely to arrive anytime soon An artist’s impression of the XPT replacement trains. Photo: TfNSW.
Community, Government

XPT replacement trains unlikely to arrive anytime soon

THE wait for XPT replacement trains looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, with Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary Camilla Drover unable to put a date on when the new trains would come into service. “I’m not willing to commit to a hard and fast date,” she said at a recent Parliamentary budget estimates […]

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Port Stephens Council to tighten moderation on social media
Community, Government

Port Stephens Council to tighten moderation on social media

PORT Stephens Council has resolved to improve moderation on its social media accounts. The motion was introduced by Mayor Leah Anderson in response to a perceived increase in negative comments and interactions on various social media pages related to the Council and local community groups. “For too long, we have been tolerating poor behaviour on […]

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Port Stephens Council votes to remove carbon emissions targets Cr Watson says that given Council’s emissions, the ‘global impact of pursuing Net Zero is minimal’. Photo: file.
Government

Port Stephens Council votes to remove carbon emissions targets

PORT Stephens Council has voted to suspend Carbon Neutral and Net Zero emissions targets for at least the next five years. At the council meeting on Tuesday 8 July, the Emissions Reduction Action Plan was on the agenda for discussion. By offsetting emissions, Port Stephens has reduced its carbon footprint by 40 percent since the […]

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