June 19, 2026
Liberals’ migration plan ‘strange’, from ‘another time’ Angus Taylor is being accused of trying to replicate One Nation's anti-immigration stance. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
Regional

Liberals’ migration plan ‘strange’, from ‘another time’

THE coalition’s hardline migration plan has been lashed as divisive and Australia’s multicultural communities say they are tired of being dehumanised by all sides of politics.  Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a plan to boot migrants from the nation if they do not exhibit “Australian values”, shut the door on some asylum seekers and […]

Read More
M1 extension set to open a year earlier than planned Local MPs celebrate the progress with the project team.
Local News

M1 extension set to open a year earlier than planned

THE M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is now expected to open to traffic in late 2026, more than a year earlier than originally planned. The accelerated timeline comes as the project reaches a major milestone, with the northern section, the Heatherbrae Bypass, now complete. The M1 Pacific Motorway extension and Hexham Straight widening […]

Read More
CHARITY FEATURE: Port Stephens Westpac Helicopter Support Group Crews draw upon extensive experience and training to respond to missions for those who are injured or requiring urgent specialist care.
Community

CHARITY FEATURE: Port Stephens Westpac Helicopter Support Group

THE Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a community-owned and operated aeromedical, search and rescue service operating across the Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast, New England and North West regions of NSW. Since 1975, thanks to the generosity and support from people right across Northern NSW, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter has grown to become a […]

Read More
Nelson Bay community craft afternoon brings parents and children together for Easter Assorted Easter crafts. Photo: Nico Lombardo.
Community

Nelson Bay community craft afternoon brings parents and children together for Easter

Organiser Jema Moore. Photo: Nico Lombardo. Assorted Easter crafts. Photo: Nico Lombardo. A FREE community craft session helped get local families firmly into the Easter spirit.  Ahead of the long weekend, the Wood Oven in Nelson Bay’s d’Albora Marina dedicated their free monthly Community Craft Afternoon to the task of creating Easter-themed crafts. “Each time […]

Read More
1800 petrol stations inspected for fuel price compliance
Government

1800 petrol stations inspected for fuel price compliance

THE NSW Government has inspected just under 1800 petrol stations for fuel price compliance, issuing 93 penalty infringement notices. Over the last fortnight, the government fast-tracked a statewide fuel price compliance blitz to “strengthen fuel price transparency and protect motorists from misleading pricing”. Around 75 percent of stations in NSW were inspected by the beginning […]

Read More
Councils want guarantees on fuel supplies
Local News

Councils want guarantees on fuel supplies

MORE than 60 Councils from across the state have issued a call for the NSW Government to guarantee fuel supplies for local government garbage and waste collections in the face of increasing shortages and costs. The meeting of councils convened by Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Mayor Darcy Byrne also proposed that any fuel cost […]

Read More
The man turning beaches into temporary galleries The whimsical beach artwork titled ‘UFO abducting a cow’. Photo: supplied.
Local News

The man turning beaches into temporary galleries

The whimsical beach artwork titled ‘UFO abducting a cow’. Photo: supplied. A geometrical sand imprint made by artist Brian from Badeye Chalkart last weekend. Photo: supplied. BEACHGOERS strolling along the shoreline at One Mile Beach last week were treated to a fleeting spectacle of intricate sand artworks destined to disappear with the turning tide. The […]

Read More
Medowie students take on STEM challenges Raphael, Navrin and Lucas.
School

Medowie students take on STEM challenges

Raphael, Navrin and Lucas. Ava, Annabelle, Bethany and Lydia. Terran, Nayte and Harry. LOCAL students put the textbooks down and got their tools out for a full day of real world problem solving at the annual National Science and Engineering Challenge. Year 10 students from Medowie Christian School recently travelled to the University of Newcastle […]

Read More
Port Stephens Athletics Club holds fundraiser to support young athlete Pippi Cullimore The Port Stephens Athletics Club calling the numbers for the raffle. Photo: Nico Lombardo.
Community

Port Stephens Athletics Club holds fundraiser to support young athlete Pippi Cullimore

The Port Stephens Athletics Club calling the numbers for the raffle. Photo: Nico Lombardo. Young athlete Pippi Cullimore. Photo: GoFundMe. THE Port Stephens community has banded together to support young athlete Pippi Cullimore. Pippi, who was nominated for the 2025 Port Stephens Young Person of the Year award, has been fighting a rare form of […]

Read More
Stinker’s History: Port Stephens boat register Working boats ‘Stella Maris’, ‘Ventura’ and ‘Ivy May’ played a major role in the growth and development of the oyster industry. Photo taken circa 1975.
Local News

Stinker’s History: Port Stephens boat register

THE Tomaree Museum Association (TMA) is asking members of the Port Stephens community to contribute their knowledge to establish a record of all working boats moored in the port. They are interested in the boats involved, throughout history, in the oyster industry, fish and prawn trawlers along with lobster boats, ferries and supply boats. Long […]

Read More