THE NSW Government has completed its first comprehensive statewide koala survey. It says it provides the most accurate picture to date of where koalas live and how populations are distributed across the state. Using new tools such as heat-detecting drones and acoustic recorders, scientists surveyed more than 1,000 locations across national parks, state forests and […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: […]

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 […]