May 2, 2026
Call for patience as area’s long road to recovery begins Mayor Leah Anderson (centre) with SES Commander Mike Wassing and Premier Chris Minns.
Community, Government, Regional

Call for patience as area’s long road to recovery begins

PORT Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson has thanked community members for their patience as the flood emergency makes way for a long and messy clean-up. The priority, she shared, is to “work through recovery – safely, thoroughly, and as quickly as possible”. “Sadly, for many of our residents across Port Stephens, the impacts of this natural […]

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Regional collaboration key for airport expansion Representatives from Singleton, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Cessnock, Dungog and Newcastle councils attended the airport tour.
Government, Regional

Regional collaboration key for airport expansion

MAYORS and council general managers from across the Hunter took an exclusive tour of Newcastle Airport’s international terminal development on Monday 12 May. The local governments represented are members of the Hunter Joint Organisation (HJO), a collaborative body that brings together the ten councils in the region. The tour was led by Newcastle Airport Director […]

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NRAR to step up water usage compliance check ups NRAR officers inspect a pump.
Regional

NRAR to step up water usage compliance check ups

THE Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) will step up water compliance checks along regulated sections of the Hunter River catchment during May to improve water law compliance. NRAR will visit properties across the Hunter region in the coming weeks to speak with water licence holders about their water take conditions. The visits follow a review […]

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Is it down? Strict rules for telcos that suffer outages Telcos will need to provide users with more info about outages under stricter new rules. Photo: Jack Atley/AAP
Regional

Is it down? Strict rules for telcos that suffer outages

CONSUMERS must be told why their phone or internet service has been disconnected during major outages and when they can expect it to return under stricter telecommunication rules. Providers will also have to improve the way they deal with triple-zero outages under the regulations and issue detailed plans to prevent recurrences. The Australian Communications and […]

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Karuah commemorates Anzac Day Locals and visitors young and old gathered in Kaurah to commemorate Anzac Day. Photos: Robert Whiteman.
Regional

Karuah commemorates Anzac Day

Locals and visitors young and old gathered in Kaurah to commemorate Anzac Day. Photos: Robert Whiteman. Locals and visitors young and old gathered in Kaurah to commemorate Anzac Day. Photos: Robert Whiteman. Locals and visitors young and old gathered in Kaurah to commemorate Anzac Day. Photos: Robert Whiteman. Locals and visitors young and old gathered […]

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Marking the 10th anniversary of region’s devastating storms The chook pavilion was obliterated in 2015. Photo: Stroud SES.
Regional

Marking the 10th anniversary of region’s devastating storms

TEN years ago, on the evening of 20 April, a highly destructive East Coast Low (ECL) slammed into the coast just north of Hawks Nest causing damage in all directions. Local observations saw wind gusts in excess of 145km/h, and rainfall exceeding 300mm within a 24-hour period. Waves reached heights of 10m, and coastal erosion […]

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Stinker’s History: Fred on the farm
Regional

Stinker’s History: Fred on the farm

FARMER and lobster fisherman Frederick Henry ‘Fred’ Blanch (b 1883), son of John Blanch and Eliza Lorman (Eagleton), married Ella West in 1913. Fred worked on his father’s farm on Marsh Road from the age of 14 and went net fishing near Mosquito Island. In 1979 Fred died at the age of 95 years, being […]

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Lyne and Paterson vote in 2025 Federal Election ‘Democracy sausages’ were on offer at North Arm Cove, hosted by the local RFS.
Regional

Lyne and Paterson vote in 2025 Federal Election

DEMOCRACY was exercised yet again across the country last week, with voters of the Federal electorates of Lyne and Paterson heading to the polls to have their say on the nation’s future leadership. Candidates’ volunteer armies mobilised at polling places across the electorates, wearing distinctive campaign t-shirts and brandishing ‘How-to-Vote’ cards. Polling places around the […]

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Photo Album: Anzac Day in Raymond Terrace Veterans undertake the march through Raymond Terrace. Photo: Amanda Green.
Regional

Photo Album: Anzac Day in Raymond Terrace

Irrawang High School captain Daniel Cobby and vice captain Jack Skaines. Photo: Amanda Green. Grahamstown Public School students in quiet contemplation. Photo: Amanda Green. The Salvation Army Hope Community Choir in full voice. Photo: Amanda Green. The community lined the streets for the procession. Photo: Amanda Green. The Irrawang High School Drum Corps. Photo: Amanda […]

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Newcastle Airport expansion to boost Sail Port Stephens regatta Port Stephens MP Kate Washington, Minister for Tourism Steve Kamper and Mayor Leah Anderson.
Regional

Newcastle Airport expansion to boost Sail Port Stephens regatta

STATE Government, Council and sailing enthusiasts are predicting the expansion of Newcastle Airport will further propel the Sail Port Stephens regatta in future years. The Sail Port Stephens Performance Series took place from 25-27 April, with thousands of spectators flocking to catch the regatta in action. The Sail Port Stephens Bay Series follows from 2-4 […]

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