MY records show that commercial fishing commenced in Port Stephens in the early 1880s. The industry, in its infancy, was very much restricted by the unavailability of ice. Not having ice meant that the fishermen could only sell their catch locally to the very few residents and to the Chinese who had gathered on the […]

Owners Kiran Chavan and Monica Dhungana, bowing to fundraiser dinner guests while saying “Atithi Devo Bhava” meaning “Treat your guest like God”, with MC Peter North. Photo: Jacie Whitfield. The Tomaree Over Fifties Fitness participants booked a table to help people facing hardship in Nepal. Monica Dhungana’s family and friends attended to stand beside local […]

Japanese exchange students in the classroom. Photo: Medowie Christian School. A game of soccer helped bridge the cultural gap. Photo: Medowie Christian School. FOR young people growing up in Port Stephens, experiencing another culture doesn’t usually involve getting on a plane. A visit by Japanese exchange students to Medowie has given local students the chance […]

FOR horses that have experienced neglect, abandonment, or uncertain futures, Hunter Horse Haven Inc. offers a new beginning. Based at Anna Bay, Hunter Horse Haven Rescue is a registered not-for-profit charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, retraining and rehoming unwanted horses of all breeds. Horses arrive at the sanctuary from a range of circumstances, including reported […]

Marine Rescue Shoalhaven’s Mark Schwegler retrieves target during the challenge. Photo: ARO. Marine Rescue Sussex Inlet volunteer Glenn Write. Photo: ARO. MARINE Rescue NSW volunteers from the Hunter and Port Stephens regions took part in the Australasian Rescue Organisation’s Australasian Rescue Boat Challenge at Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Port Stephens local Daryl Jurd, from Marine Rescue […]

The Lemon Tree Passage road will receive $715,150 in funding. Photo: Althea Guinsberg. Intersection of Gan Gan Road and Frost Road. Photo: Althea Guinsberg. THREE local roads with a history of serious crashes are set for safety improvements after Port Stephens Council secured $2.4 million in Black Spot funding. Frost Road at Anna Bay, Newline […]

Fathers and children bonding together, thanks to woodworking. Photo: Nico Lombardo Fathers and children bonding together, thanks to woodworking. Photo: Nico Lombardo A PRESCHOOL in Nelson Bay prepared for Father’s Day with a workshop bringing parents and children together in a hands-on woodworking experience. At Karingal Preschool, Nelson Bay, it is a yearly tradition for […]

Paul, Dru and Patrick, cooking for the community. Photo: Supplied by Medowie Lions Club. Ann and vice-president Patrick get ready for their next fund-raiser. Photo: Althea Guinsberg. MEDOWIE Lions Club members have had one of their busiest years yet, giving more than $54,000 back to the community while clocking up thousands of volunteer hours. Club […]

Kiralea at Rankin Park with her son, who lives with autism, and her daughter. Kiralea at her mother’s home with her sisters. (Photos: Courtesy of Kiralea Powell.) THE turning point in Kiralea Powell’s life came in October 2020, when she was first diagnosed with a brain tumour. The aggressive meningioma would soon upend her health, […]

Bar-Tailed Godwit. Photo: Stephanie Owen. Latham’s Snipe. Photo: Stephanie Owen. WINNING artworks of the Wings over Wetlands competition, which celebrates the annual arrival of migratory shorebirds in local wetlands, will be showcased at Roy Wood Reserve on Sunday, 13 September, from 11 am to 2 pm. Wings over Wetlands is the result of a partnership […]