Dad’s pride and joy – his 1964 Ford Falcon station wagon. Photos: Pauline Cain. My grandmother and aunt with my siblings and cousins in the mid-1970s in Murwillumbah. Photos: Pauline Cain. THE car was packed and we were off – heading north on the Pacific Highway. The car, a 1964 Aqua Blue Ford Falcon Station […]
New gene-mapping method unlocks hidden drivers of cancer
UNIVERSITY of South Australia scientists say they have developed a powerful new way to uncover the genetic interactions that fuel cancer progression, paving the way for earlier and more precise treatments. The AI-driven method, published recently in the Royal Society Open Science journal, reveals that tumour progression is driven by cooperating groups of genes, rather […]
Hold Back
Letter to the Editor: Dangerous ideas on climate change
DEAR News Of The Area, ONCE again David Lawrence from Dunbogan is making erroneous claims that climate change is a conspiracy promulgated by the United Nations and that the Covid vaccine was ineffective and unsafe. This disinformation is dangerous and completely unhelpful as we face the dire threats from the increase in CO2 in our […]
Port Macquarie Historical Courthouse Museum has copped a massive increase in Crown land fees by the State Government. Photo: Matt Taylor
Council to lobby MPs over ‘outrageous’ Crown land fee increases
PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council will push back against “outrageous” increases to Crown land lease and licence fees, warning the changes could threaten community access to key heritage, cultural and recreational facilities across the region. The move follows fee increases introduced by NSW Crown Lands in August 2024, after the council had already finalised its 2024-25 operational […]
Code-of-conduct complaints cost council more than $47,000
CODE-of-conduct complaints cost Port Macquarie-Hastings Council more than $47,000 over the past year, according to an annual report tabled at last week’s council meeting. The Code of Conduct Complaint Statistics report, covering the period from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025, details the number of complaints made against councillors and the general manager, how […]
Dolphin friendships can last decades - they surf waves together, rest side-by-side and build deep, stable alliances that look remarkably like human relationships. Photos: Dr Simon Allen, Shark Bay Dolphin Research.
Friends with benefits: Social connections slow ageing in dolphins, too
Dolphin friendships can last decades – they surf waves together, rest side-by-side and build deep, stable alliances that look remarkably like human relationships. Photos: Dr Simon Allen, Shark Bay Dolphin Research. Dolphin friendships can last decades – they surf waves together, rest side-by-side and build deep, stable alliances that look remarkably like human relationships. Photos: […]
Report confirms drinking water across the Hastings is safe
THE region’s drinking water continues to meet health and safety standards, with Council noting strong performance across all water supply systems during the past financial year. The Drinking Water and Recycled Water Reports for 2024-25, which assess water quality across five supply systems servicing Port Macquarie and Camden Haven, Wauchope, Comboyne, Telegraph Point and Long […]
Printed Edition 02 JANUARY 2026
Police re-release security video of car near Port Macquarie shooting
DETECTIVES have re-released security video as investigations continue into a shooting in Port Macquarie in October. About 2.10am Friday 17 October, police were called to Park Street following reports of a home invasion. They were told multiple people had entered a home and confronted a 26-year-old man. Shots were fired by the intruders, who fled […]
