A NEW wave of internal migration is reshaping regional Australia, with coastal communities from Port Stephens through to the Mid North Coast continuing to attract strong interest from city dwellers. While Queensland’s Sunshine Coast remains the top destination nationally, the NSW corridor spanning Port Stephens, the MidCoast, Port Macquarie, Nambucca and Coffs Harbour is maintaining […]

Sail Port Stephens 2025 Performance Series – Div 1 IRC winner Hooligan. Photo: Promocean Media The three-week festival brings more than 300 boats and thousands of sailors to the region. Photo: Council. SAIL Port Stephens returns from 13 April, shaping up to be Australia’s largest sailing regatta. The three-week festival is projected to attract 300 […]

LOCAL business the Original Tea Gardens Ferry is a finalist in the 2026 Australian Small Business Awards. The owners of this much-loved local service, which carries a large chunk of local tourism back and forth across Port Stephens Bay, will head to Sydney on 2 May for the awards. “The ferry has such a special […]

AUSTRALIA has stockpiled billions of litres of fuel – more than a month’s supply – as frustrated motorists grapple with rising petrol prices and an explosion in demand. The country is “as prepared as possible” with 1.6 billion litres of petrol or 37 days’ supply, Energy Minister Chris Bowen told reporters on Saturday. The stockpile […]

GWAC CEO Gulwanyang Moran celebrating at the Gathangga Wakulda Language and Culture Picnic in Wauchope. Photo: @KAMRAfilms. Children celebrating at the Gathangga Wakulda Language and Culture Picnic in the park. Photo: @KAMRAfilms. GATHANGGA Wakulda Aboriginal Corporation (GWAC) has launched its Strategic Plan, setting out a community-led roadmap for the future of Gathang language across the […]

TAKE 3 For The Sea has come to the Port Stephens region. On Saturday 21 February, the environmental initiative joined Port Stephens Council and NSW National Parks in hosting a clean-up day at Birubi Beach. It started with Take 3 volunteer Leela Siva giving a presentation detailing the effects of plastic pollution on Australian beaches. […]

PORT Stephens Council has finalised the sale of the Medowie Social facility, with the venue now under private ownership. The sale of the property at 36A Ferodale Road, Medowie was completed on 24 February. According to Council, proceeds will be reinvested back into the local community. “The sale proceeds will be restricted to support the […]

FED up farmers and families facing poor regional, rural and remote mobile services are being encouraged to “keep complaining”. The latest report from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) revealed an increase in complaints in NSW, with almost a quarter coming from regional areas. A total of 4,285 complaints were made by people in NSW, up […]

PORT Stephen Council’s plan for upgrading Medowie’s town centre remains on public exhibition until 1 March. As previously reported in NOTA, the draft Medowie Town Centre Master Plan aims to revamp the town’s centre through expansion of existing facilities, improvement of traffic flow and new shops and a community centre. Community members are being encouraged […]

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 […]