FOUR $1,000 scholarships have been awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions in business, sport, health and community leadership across Port Stephens. The recipients of the 2026 International Women’s Day Scholarships were announced by Port Stephens Council during an event held on Saturday 7 March at Soldiers Point Bowling Club. Council’s International Women’s Day Scholarship program […]

PREPARE yourself to be confused. As a permanent resident of the coastal hamlet of Fingal Bay for over 50 years, it could be assumed that I have learnt the names of local beaches, bays and islands. The truth is that I’m still confused after all this time and I will attempt to explain why. When […]

RATIONING fuel in Australia’s major cities to supply the regions would cause unnecessary economic and social issues, a peak motoring body says. Iran has closed the strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil corridors, after the country was attacked by US and Israeli forces. The conflict in the Middle East has spiked […]

THE Mambo Wanda Wetlands Conservation Group (MWWCG) will host a community forum to inform local residents about the potential impacts of Port Stephens Council’s Salamander Bay Town Centre Place Plan. Greens spokesperson for environment and planning Sue Higginson MLC will speak at the event, joined by wetland scientist Dr Tom Headley and architect Murray Wood. […]

THE Federal Government will provide grant funding for new mobile base stations at Karuah, Taree and Wauchope in the latest round of the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP), delivering 4G and 5G mobile coverage to these areas. Each site will include back-up power, with some also incorporating additional hardening measures to reinforce mobile telecommunications infrastructure. […]

A NEW $50 million fund aimed at building community connections and supporting events in regional areas has been announced by the NSW Government. The Active Regional Communities Package delivers funding through three streams for non-profit local community groups, local councils and cultural or sporting organisations to deliver events, programs and activities. 1. $15 million for […]

WITH parts of the region experiencing dry conditions, patchy rainfall and the likelihood of more hot weather still to come, Hunter Local Land Services says planning ahead for pastures and livestock has never been more important. Across the region, producers are reporting tightening feed availability, uneven pasture growth and declining soil moisture reserves following a […]

THE latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures indicate that total home approvals for the Hunter grew two percent in 2025 compared to the 2024 calendar year. On the Central Coast, total home approvals grew by 16 percent in the same period. Craig Jennion, HIA Hunter Executive Director, said the overall growth in approvals is […]

IN 1976 Don and Coral Kafer of Bobs Farm planted six avocado trees on the advice of an agronomist from the Department of Agriculture. As there was no information as to whether the trees would grow and fruit this far south, the trees were pretty much left to “fend for themselves”. In the early stages […]

A TECHNICAL review will be undertaken into feral pig and deer management in NSW. The move follows the announcement of a $40 million investment in feral animal management from the NSW Government, and almost a quarter of a million pigs culled across the state in the past three years. The control program has been built […]