March 18, 2026
Nominations open for 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards Molly Croft, the 2025 NSW Volunteer of the Year, with Minister Jodie Harrison (left), her mother Ange, and Minister Jihad Dib. Photo: Salty Dingo.
Community

Nominations open for 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards

NOMINATIONS for the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are now open, with family, friends and work mates urged to help celebrate the enormous positive impact of volunteers across the state. The awards are in their 20th year and are run by The Centre for Volunteering to recognise the outstanding work of volunteers in […]

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NSW Farmers offer government suggestions for firearm rule improvements NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin addresses the media. Photo: NSW Farmers.
Government

NSW Farmers offer government suggestions for firearm rule improvements

THE state’s peak body for farmers has presented the state government with a range of suggestions for improvements to firearms regulations. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said that “sudden, sweeping changes” to firearms laws had created adverse and unintended consequences, with ongoing uncertainty causing major problems for food and fibre producers. “At the moment I’m […]

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604 people detected drug driving in statewide traffic operation
Local News

604 people detected drug driving in statewide traffic operation

MORE than 600 drivers were detected allegedly driving with drugs in their systems during a statewide police traffic operation last week. Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers) commenced at 12am on Thursday 12 February and concluded at 4am on Sunday 15 February, targeting people driving while affected by alcohol, drugs and fatigue. During the operation, […]

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Charges laid after elderly targeted in carpark fraud
Police

Charges laid after elderly targeted in carpark fraud

CHARGES have been laid as detectives investigate fraud and stealing offences allegedly committed in car parks in dozens of locations across NSW, including in Port Stephens and the Mid Coast. Officers attached to North West Metropolitan Region established Strike Force Pitstop to investigate incidents reported across the state, from Newcastle to Wagga Wagga and including […]

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Stinker’s History: Treacherous Spit The Outer Light as it was from the 1800s
Local News

Stinker’s History: Treacherous Spit

ONE of my favourite parts of my role with the NOTA is sharing incredible local history accounts, often directly from those who experienced it firsthand! The story below came from Rob Robinson, who shares memories of life as the son of a lightkeeper on Fingal Island at the completion of World War One. “Five and […]

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Guinness the budgie safe at home after pub crawl cut short
Local News

Guinness the budgie safe at home after pub crawl cut short

RAYMOND Terrace has welcomed home one small yet extremely adventurous local. One-year-old budgerigar “Guinness” staged what can only be described as an attempt at a one-bird pub crawl to meet his namesake. The bright yellow youngster, hand-raised by Robin Dualsky’s grandson Jakk, was gifted to fill Robin’s heartache after she lost her cockatoo companion “Cookie”, […]

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Hunter locals encouraged to walk to work for mental health campaign Walking to work can improve mental health. Photo: Walk to Work Day.
Local News

Hunter locals encouraged to walk to work for mental health campaign

WALK to Work Day will take place on Friday, 26 March, encouraging Australians to build more walking into their daily routines while raising funds for better mental health outcomes nationwide. The annual campaign, led by the Pedestrian Council of Australia, highlights the physical and mental health benefits of walking and this year supports the Black […]

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Wine and taxes: only one certainty for small producers Ian Napier was slugged with five years' worth of land taxes after diversifying his winery business. Photo: Peter Stoop/AAP PHOTOS.
Business

Wine and taxes: only one certainty for small producers

UNDER the shade of a weeping willow on the banks of a sparkling dam, wine lovers can look out across a sprawling national park while sipping chilled Chardonnay. Members of the Wombat Crossing Vineyard, in the heart of the NSW Hunter Valley wine region, can also stay in a cosy lodge with a fireplace, aptly […]

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Atmospheric inversion causes thick smoke to linger over Myall Coast
Regional

Atmospheric inversion causes thick smoke to linger over Myall Coast

MISERABLE grey skies in the morning, followed by daytime gloom, have joined the biting odour of smoke across the Myall Coast and regions nearby in the aftermath of the Nerong fires, lingering in place thanks to a natural meteorological pattern called the “inversion layer”. While ordinary atmospheric conditions usually see cooler air temperatures at higher […]

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Illegal, high-power e-bikes to be crushed in crackdown NSW Police will be able to crush non-compliant, high-powered e-bikes. Photo: NSW Police.
Police

Illegal, high-power e-bikes to be crushed in crackdown

POLICE will get extra powers to seize and destroy illegal e-bikes that officials say are fuelling anti-social behaviour. Mirroring a move made in WA, NSW Police will be able to crush non-compliant, high-powered e-bikes including so-called ‘fat bikes’ and other throttle-only devices. The move responded to a controversial social media video that showed a group […]

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