WITH over $450,000 available across various grants and scholarships, the 2025 to 2026 Port Stephens Community Funding Program offers vital financial support to community groups, event organisers, athletes, businesses and schools, dedicated to enhancing the Port Stephens region. Mayor Leah Anderson said the launch of this year’s program ensures the continued support of initiatives that […]
Worimi Conservation Lands’ beach driving open for school holidays
THE Worimi Conservation Lands reopened at first light on Saturday 5 July following severe weather from the recent East Coast Low. The following entry points remain closed to vehicles: Fern Bay 4WD entry at Fern Bay, and selected sites in Ganyamalbaa campground. Visitors are reminded to exercise caution along the beachfront as well as the […]
Flooding and power outages hit Port Stephens as wild weather returns
THE POWERFUL low-pressure system that hit the NSW coast this week resulted in flooding and power outages across Port Stephens. The extreme weather event comes just over a month after Port Stephens was last impacted by severe flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology warned of large waves on the coastline. “We saw fairly significant wave action […]
Public wharves close to commercial use
THE commercial use of public wharves in the MidCoast LGA has been discontinued as of 1 July, including the Yallinbah wharf on Marine Drive, Tea Gardens. The decision looks set to impact catamaran operator YKnot Cruises, which currently utilises the wharf for its Nelson Bay-Tea Gardens service. MidCoast Council resolved to discontinue the commercial use […]
Fire ants discovered in Tweed Heads
FARMERS are calling for a government crackdown to stamp out fire ants in NSW after the pests were discovered in Tweed Heads this week. Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are prohibited under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and high-risk materials are restricted from infested areas of south-east Queensland. On Wednesday the NSW Government confirmed an immature […]
Stinker’s Fishin’: The good old days
DO you remember the good old days when catching calamari squid was simple? Inside the harbour, excited “squidders” gathered around the Nelson Bay Marina or drifted over the sea grass in Shoal Bay on calm days. Tossing a squid jig and slowly retrieving it ensured a bucket or so of thumping squid to be prepared […]
Stinker’s History: The importance of Tomaree Lodge
A magnificent local site, the future of which will be decided by the community. Tomaree Lodge has a fascinating history. OVER the past 50 years I have wandered through Tomaree Lodge on numerous occasions, mainly on the way to the headland where I fished for bream off the Tomaree Torpedo Tube. I often thought of […]

More Aussies wanting to live regionally, work remotely
NEW research has uncovered the immense potential of ‘working from home’ to regional Australia, with data capturing the nation’s growing desire to live in a regional setting but work in an urban one. A nationwide survey, commissioned by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), showed two-in-five city dwellers would consider a move to regional Australia, up […]
Leadership competition invites young leaders to life-changing Power Trip in Canberra
YOUNG rural women and non-binary students in Years 10 to 12 from across Australia will have the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime ‘Power Trip’ to the nation’s capital. Country to Canberra’s (C2C) prestigious Leadership Competition launched on Monday, opening the door for young rural leaders to embark on a four-day leadership experience designed to help […]
New PFAS guidelines released for drinking water
THE National Health and Medical Research Council has published updated Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which confirm new, lower values for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australian drinking water supplies. PFAS are a class of more than 4,000 manufactured chemicals that are not found naturally in the environment. These chemicals have been widely used in […]