PORT STEPHENS residents are being urged to keep an eye on local birdlife as Australia faces the ongoing spread of H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. During an online webinar on Monday 24 August, Professor Hugh Possingham, President of BirdLife Australia, and Kim Farley spoke about what the virus could mean for Australia’s […]
Women should not have to choose between public office and personal safety. Photo: Magnific.
GENDERED abuse and intimidation is discouraging strong female candidates from standing for office or applying for executive roles, a NSW survey has revealed. The Women for Election survey found 89 per cent of respondents, or almost nine out of 10, had experienced online abuse. Three-quarters said it had worsened over the past two years, and […]
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 […]
Suzanne Freeman on deck with Marine Rescue, where she has served for 24 years.
Suzanne Freeman on deck with Marine Rescue, where she has served for 24 years. Volunteer Suzanne Freeman’s bravery and professionalism has again been recognised. A VOLUNTEER who has served Marine Rescue NSW for almost a quarter of a century has been honoured with an Emergency Services Medal in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List. Suzanne […]
Magpies are Australia’s most-seen bird according to the latest national count. Photo: Kim Duggan.
THE results of the 12th national bird count are in, with the Australian Magpie taking out top spot. The Aussie Bird Count was held last October and saw a record breaking five million birds counted over one week. Organiser, Birdlife Australia, said 64,000 citizen scientists took part in the event. Half of all surveys included […]
The prices of petrol and diesel at Tea Gardens on Friday, 20 March. Photo: Thomas O’Keefe.
GLOBAL events, most notably the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, have seen petrol and diesel prices skyrocket in the last few weeks, with a jump of 10 cents per litre (c/l) seen in a matter of days. As of Sunday 22 March 2026, crude oil prices are around US$122 per barrel – high by […]
Local map showing Unleaded Petrol prices as of Sunday 8 March 2026. Courtesy: Petrol Spy.
Google map of the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, showing oil transport routes in relation to Iran. Image: Thomas O’Keefe. Local map showing Unleaded Petrol prices as of Sunday 8 March 2026. Courtesy: Petrol Spy. WAR in the Middle East is having direct impacts on the prices of basic commodities in Australia, including petrol and other […]
The rain radar and weather map were at the top of the Bureau’s list of fixes. Photo: Sue Stephenson.
THE Bureau of Meteorology has implemented the first round of changes to its heavily-criticised $96.5m website. Since launching, the site has attracted 400,000 “items of feedback”. As a result, the rain radar and weather map have been improved and there is more information about daily temperature highs and lows on state, territory and district pages. […]
Dolphin friendships can last decades. Photos: Dr Simon Allen, Shark Bay Dolphin Research.
NEW research shows male bottlenose dolphins with strong friendships age more slowly than their solitary peers. The University of NSW (UNSW) study is the first to reveal that social bonds in non-human species can slow ageing at the cellular level. Lead author Dr Livia Gerber conducted the study and now works at CSIRO’s National Research […]
Judy Washington receives the Mander Jones Award for ‘Paradise Interrupted’, presented by President Hannah Hibbert.
WHEN Judy Washington learned she had won the Australian Society of Archivists’ Mander Jones Award for her book Paradise Interrupted: Tomaree Headland Port Stephens in World War II, her reaction was immediate and overwhelming. “Immense disbelief,” she said. “It was an Australia-wide award and only one book was chosen in its category. “On reflection, the […]
