February 17, 2026
Advanced survey technology begins on $265 million Port Macquarie Base Hospital upgrade Port Macquarie Base Hospital to be upgraded. Photo: Port Macquarie Base Hospital website.
Government, Health

Advanced survey technology begins on $265 million Port Macquarie Base Hospital upgrade

SPECIALIST survey works are now underway inside Port Macquarie Base Hospital and around its grounds, as the early planning stage of its $265m upgrade gets underway. These works involve the use of advanced, body-worn scanning camera technology to capture highly accurate measurements of existing hospital buildings, both internally and externally. A Health Infrastructure spokesperson said […]

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Feedback in now open on MidCoast Council’s draft plan for Taree Regional Airport growth Taree airport under review. Photo: MidCoast Council.
Government

Feedback in now open on MidCoast Council’s draft plan for Taree Regional Airport growth

MIDCOAST Council has placed a new draft Strategic Plan for Taree Regional Airport on public exhibition, inviting the community to help shape how the airport develops over the next decade. Community members, aviation users and industry stakeholders can review the draft and provide feedback until Friday, 13 March 2026. The plan sets out a long-term […]

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Government launches “Name and Shame’ list of property agents Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong launched the ‘Name and Shame’ list on 25 January. Photo: minister’s website.
Government

Government launches “Name and Shame’ list of property agents

THE State Government has launched a “Name and Shame” list of real estate agents, property managers and strata managing agents who have faced enforcement action. Available through the NSW Fair Trading website, it allows homeowners, buyers and renters to check if an agent has been fined, suspended or had their licence cancelled. It also includes […]

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Government flags tougher penalties for animal cruelty including jail time for leaving dogs in hot cars Even if parked in the shade with the windows partially down, dogs can die in a car in less than six minutes. Photo: GabesDotPhotos/Pexels.
Government

Government flags tougher penalties for animal cruelty including jail time for leaving dogs in hot cars

DOG owners tempted to leave their pet in the car when they run to the shops, will soon risk tougher penalties. The State Government is delivering on its election promise to review the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (POCTAA), flagging heavier fines and longer jail sentences. Minister for Agriculture, Regional and Western NSW, […]

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Autonomous Bluebottle vessels to patrol Mid North Coast marine parks over Australia Day long weekend The Bluebottle, unmanned marine surveillance vessel. Photo: Ocius Technology - naval-technology.com
Government

Autonomous Bluebottle vessels to patrol Mid North Coast marine parks over Australia Day long weekend

UNMANNED marine surveillance vessels known as Bluebottles will patrol Marine Parks between Coffs Harbour and Camden Haven over the Australia Day long weekend. The deployment aims to deter and detect illegal fishing activity in protected Green Zones along the Mid North Coast. Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer said the vessels will focus on detecting […]

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Weather Bureau updates unpopular $96.5m website The rain radar and weather map were at the top of the Bureau’s list of fixes. Photo: Sue Stephenson.
Government, National

Weather Bureau updates unpopular $96.5m website

THE Bureau of Meteorology has implemented the first round of changes to its heavily-criticised $96.5m website. Since launching, the site has attracted 400,000 “items of feedback”. As a result, the rain radar and weather map have been improved and there is more information about daily temperature highs and lows on state, territory and district pages. […]

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Staff praised as Mid North Coast hospitals deliver strong results in quarterly report The number of emergency and urgent care patients is the highest since reporting began.
Government, Health

Staff praised as Mid North Coast hospitals deliver strong results in quarterly report

PUBLIC hospitals across the Mid North Coast are providing high-quality care despite high demand in emergency departments, according to the latest Bureau of Health Information statistics. The quarterly report is based on the period between July – September 2025. Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) Chief Executive Jill Wong praised staff for their commitment […]

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Anger and fears over Council’s sudden closure of Kindee Bridge The Kindee Bridge was closed without warning on Tuesday.
Government

Anger and fears over Council’s sudden closure of Kindee Bridge

Kindee resident Chris O’Brien. Photo: supplied. The Kindee Bridge was closed without warning on Tuesday. KINDEE resident Chris O’Brien, 73, lives on his own since his wife passed away earlier this year. A resident of the area for more than 35 years, he is fiercely independent. But as the survivor of a triple bypass, heart […]

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PMHC releases Disability Inclusion Plan featuring Town Beach Mobi Mats
Government

PMHC releases Disability Inclusion Plan featuring Town Beach Mobi Mats

INTERNATIONAL Day of People with Disability on 3 December, was marked by the release of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Community Inclusion and Disability Inclusion Action Plan for 2025-2029, alongside the NSW Government’s Disability Inclusion Plan 2025-2029. The Port Macquarie Hastings plan is named, “Make a bigger circle”. It originated from a community forum where a participant […]

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Nationals ditch net zero as Liberals ponder policy The Nationals make their net zero announcement at Parliament House. Photo: supplied.
Government

Nationals ditch net zero as Liberals ponder policy

THE Nationals have set up a possible showdown with their political ally the Liberals after unanimously agreeing to scrap their commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. The regional party argues Australia is doing more than its fair share to reduce carbon pollution, and emissions reductions should instead be tied to an average of similar […]

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