November 15, 2025
‘Amazing’ Pink Ladies launch Christmas fundraiser The Port Macquarie Pink Ladies.
Community, Health

‘Amazing’ Pink Ladies launch Christmas fundraiser

IF you’ve ever spent time in Port Macquarie Base Hospital, it is likely that you have interacted with one of the “Pink Ladies”. This dedicated group of approximately 70 women and 30 men can be found in almost every ward of the hospital and refer to themselves as ‘gophers’. With one volunteer scheduled on most […]

Read More
Citizen scientists recording the Coffs Coast’s frogs for FrogID Week Australian Museum Lead Scientist for FrogID Dr Jodi Rowley.
Community

Citizen scientists recording the Coffs Coast’s frogs for FrogID Week

THE Australian Museum’s FrogID Week is on, finishing at midnight on Sunday 16 November. Australia’s biggest citizen science project and the world’s biggest frog count, FrogID Week encourages the public to make a meaningful contribution to scientific understanding of the world. The free FrogID app enables anyone with a smartphone to record different frog species […]

Read More
Fears ‘free’ electricity could come with hidden costs Chris Bowen says you don't have to have solar panels on your roof to reap the benefits. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP
Regional

Fears ‘free’ electricity could come with hidden costs

ENERGY retailers say they’ve been blindsided by reforms promising free electricity to hundreds of thousands of Australians during peak solar power hours. The Solar Sharer program, announced by the federal government last Tuesday, would give consumers free access to electricity for three hours each day as part of the default offer available. Households in NSW, […]

Read More
The satisfaction of helping others on their ‘toughest days’ RFS volunteers Steve Taylor, Tom Patrick, Dylan Sheehy, Jackson Boswell and Paul Roelandts.
Community

The satisfaction of helping others on their ‘toughest days’

RFS volunteers Steve Taylor, Tom Patrick, Dylan Sheehy, Jackson Boswell and Paul Roelandts. A car fire at Herons Creek. AFTER more than a decade of service to the Camden Haven Rural Fire Brigade, Jackson Boswell has witnessed the worst of nature and the best of humanity. Now second in charge of the local Brigade, Jackson […]

Read More
Busy start to season for Marine Rescue volunteers A total of 56 people were safely returned to shore last month across all nine Marine Rescue units on the Mid North Coast.
Local News

Busy start to season for Marine Rescue volunteers

MARINE Rescue NSW volunteers across the Mid North Coast have experienced their busiest start to a boating season on record, with 33 search and rescue missions including 19 emergency responses during October. A total of 56 people were safely returned to shore last month across all nine Mid North Coast units – Woolgoolga, Coffs Harbour, […]

Read More
Applications now open for 2026 Youth Parliament Program Youth Parliament offers young people the opportunity to debate in NSW Parliament, create Youth Bills on issues for change, and have their voices and recommendations heard by Members of Parliament.
Community, School

Applications now open for 2026 Youth Parliament Program

THE Y NSW is calling for passionate young people from across the state to apply for the 2026 Youth Parliament program, now open to students in Years 10 to 12 across NSW. Operated for over 20 years by the Y NSW (formerly YMCA), Youth Parliament offers young people the opportunity to debate in NSW Parliament, […]

Read More
North Haven family history comes full circle with raffle win Ostler family descendants Leanne Ostler, Ray Lee, and Chris Trotter outside River Cottage.
Community

North Haven family history comes full circle with raffle win

IN 1929 Alf and Valma Ostler built a home for their family on Ocean Drive, North Haven and subsequently began selling fishing tackle and groceries out of their front room. As holidaymakers started flocking to the area, Alf built a row of cottages that are still standing today. Their granddaughter Chris Trotter, a keen family […]

Read More
New initiative urges Australians to uncover and photograph backyard bugs Invasive Species Council’s Citizen Science Coordinator Jess Ward-Jones. Photo: Hayden Starr.
National

New initiative urges Australians to uncover and photograph backyard bugs

FROM 17-23 November, Australians are being urged to step outside and discover the secret world beneath their feet. Bugs in My Backyard Week is a new national initiative encouraging families, schools and nature lovers to photograph and record the mini-beasts living all around them. It coincides with the official launch of a national citizen-science project […]

Read More