August 31, 2026
Cowarra Dam milestone highlights need for expansion Mayor Adam Roberts with council staff and guests at the Cowarra Off-Creek Storage Dam. Photos: PMHC.
Government

Cowarra Dam milestone highlights need for expansion

Mayor Adam Roberts with council staff and guests at the Cowarra Off-Creek Storage Dam. Photos: PMHC. PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council is celebrating two decades since the opening of Cowarra Dam – a critical source of the region’s water supply. Council staff and guests gathered at the site in the Cowarra State Forest earlier this week to […]

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Robert Fish is Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s new General Manager General Manager Robert Fish with PMHC Mayor Adam Roberts.
Government

Robert Fish is Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s new General Manager

ROBERT Fish has been confirmed as the new General Manager of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. Mr Fish has been acting in the role since the sudden departure of Dr Clare Allen in March. “Robert’s leadership during the May weather event was a particular highlight for me,” said Mayor Adam Roberts in announcing the appointment. “His strength […]

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New Johns River Rural Fire Station officially opened Brigade Captain Chris Bawn, Port Macquarie MP Rob Dwyer, Dep. Comm. Peter McKechnie, and Mid Coast Mayor Claire Pontin open the new Johns River station.
Community, Government

New Johns River Rural Fire Station officially opened

AFTER more than six years of planning, the new Johns River Rural Fire Station is ready for action – just in time for Summer. The $1.6 million purpose-built facility was officially opened on 9 October by RFS Deputy Commissioner Peter McKechnie AFSM and special guests including Member for Port Macquarie Rob Dwyer and Mid Coast […]

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NSW Government invests $2 million to create low-carbon concrete jobs on Mid North Coast Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe tours the site with Solidcast owners Will and Sarah Hynes.
Business, Government

NSW Government invests $2 million to create low-carbon concrete jobs on Mid North Coast

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe tours the site with Solidcast owners Will and Sarah Hynes. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe tours the site with Solidcast owners Will and Sarah Hynes. Precast walls in use. Photo: Solidcast website. WAUCHOPE-BASED Solidcast will expand production of its patented low-carbon concrete panels after […]

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Nationals call for firefighting scheme to be made permanent When a fire breaks out, farmers are often the first to respond. Photo: DPIE.
Government

Nationals call for firefighting scheme to be made permanent

NSW NATIONALS MPs are calling on the NSW Government to immediately deliver its promised Farm Fire Fighting Vehicle scheme, months after the second of two trial periods ended. In January 2024 Labor committed to provide conditional registrations that would enable farmers to drive unregistered vehicles on public roads in an emergency, but is yet to […]

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Australians warned to pay attention to superannuation paperwork Who will inherit your superannuation nest-egg… and are you sure?
Community, Government, National

Australians warned to pay attention to superannuation paperwork

MILLIONS of Australians are putting their superannuation at risk by not following-through with proper, and legally binding, beneficiary paperwork, according to a nation-wide survey. Research conducted by Super Consumers Australia, an advocate for people on low and middle incomes in Australia’s superannuation system, shows that more than one in three Australians with super say they […]

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Flood recovery grant applications to be processed quicker Member for Oxley Michael Kemp discusses flood recovery with Premier Chris Minns and NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders in May. Photo: Michael Kemp FB.
Community, Government

Flood recovery grant applications to be processed quicker

THE State Government last week announced it would immediately double the number of staff members working on the processing of Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) Recovery Grants for primary producers impacted by the May floods. Since June, the RAA has received almost 2,000 applications and has approved more than $23 million in payments, however the Government […]

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State Government to convene regional advisory group
Government

State Government to convene regional advisory group

THE Premier and Minister for Regional NSW will convene an advisory group to address the challenges faced by people living and working in regional, rural and remote areas of the state. Announced at the 2025 Bush Summit, the NSW Premier’s “Rural, Remote & Regional Advisory Council” (PRRRAC) will meet twice annually with Premier Chris Minns […]

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Petition demands urgent fix to Oxley Highway bottleneck in Port Macquarie Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer, Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan, Business Port Macquarie President Peter Jones and Member for Oxley Michael Kemp. Photo: supplied.
Government

Petition demands urgent fix to Oxley Highway bottleneck in Port Macquarie

A MAJOR push to address Port Macquarie’s most notorious traffic bottleneck officially began on Friday, 22 August, with the launch of a community petition calling for urgent upgrades to the Oxley Highway. The petition, driven by Business Port Macquarie and Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer, needs 10,000 signatures to be debated in NSW Parliament. […]

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Rate cuts welcomed, but cost of living still looms over regional Australia Regional businesses continue to suffer. Photo: stock image, Canva.
Business, Government

Rate cuts welcomed, but cost of living still looms over regional Australia

THE Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates by 0.25 percent on Tuesday 13 August, has been welcomed as a positive step for households across the nation, particularly the three million families managing mortgages. The reduction equates to a saving of $74 per month on a $500,000 mortgage. Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan, who is […]

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