TRANSPORT for NSW is leading a “once-in-a-generation” review of the Roads Act 1993 and is seeking input from councils, community members, peak bodies and industry experts about how the legislation should be reformed. “The aim is to create a more modern, flexible and easy-to-use law that can help enable NSW Government initiatives such as housing […]
Sisters Poppy and Zaylee bringing smiles to kids at Port Base Hospital
WHILE most kids are spending their school holidays taking their foot off the pedal, sisters Poppy and Zaylee Cupitt have kept their hands heart-warmingly busy. With tiny, coloured rings spread over the table, the sisters aged 10 and 9 respectively, spent five days creating over 100 loom band bracelets for patients in the children’s ward […]
While the country lifestyle and lower cost-of-living was appealing, access to housing, health care, connectivity and public transport were seen as key barriers.
Health, housing and jobs stifling the country dream
A QUIET life in the countryside appeals to nearly half of Australia’s city residents, but concerns about access to health care, housing and jobs are stopping them making the move. Country Australia is on track to become home to 11 million people by 2032, or 40 percent of the population, while 40 percent of people […]
Practice in Community: Investing in artists working in regional Australia
REGIONAL Arts Australia is launching a “transformative” new funding initiative with $2.4 million dollars in support from Minderoo Foundation. The program offers multi-year grants of $160,000 to support independent artists living and working in regional communities across Australia. “Practice in Community” will deliver two funding rounds for independent artists working in Community Arts and Cultural […]
Hastings pubs on shortlist for AHA NSW awards
THE Australian Hotels Association (AHA) reckons the Hastings’ pubs are among the state’s best when it comes to food, music and generally being “the heart of the community”. Port Macquarie, Lake Cathie, Wauchope, Beechwood and Long Flat all feature on the list of finalists for this year’s AHA NSW Awards of Excellence. These are the […]
Results released from Port to Port building blitz
THE Building Commission NSW has released the results of its three-day inspection blitz of worksites between Port Stephens and Port Macquarie. During August, a team of inspectors visited 41 sites across Nelson Bay, Forster, Diamond Beach, Bonny Hills and Port Macquarie. Inspections focused on identifying defective building work, monitoring for unlicensed or unsupervised specialist trades […]
A drone shot of some of the 10 or 11 juvenile humpbacks off Port Macquarie on Monday. Photo: Alex McNaught, roving-eye.com.
Adolescent male humpbacks stun whale watchers as they jostle for position off Port Macquarie
A drone shot of some of the 10 or 11 juvenile humpbacks off Port Macquarie on Monday. Photo: Alex McNaught, roving-eye.com. This spectacular breach off Port Macquarie’s Town Beach last week has been shared around the world. Photo: Jodie Lowe’s Marine Animal Photography. Whale spotter Leigh Mansfield at Tacking Point Lighthouse. Photo: Sue Stephenson. THERE’S […]
The loss of forest canopy has long been claimed to increase the risk of flooding – but actually proving the direct link has proven difficult since the impact of other factors such as changing climate are hard to exclude. Photo: NSW SES.
Deforestation can cause eight-fold increase in flood event risk, says report
THE chance of large-scale flooding in a specific catchment area can increase by as much as 700 percent if widespread deforestation has occurred. That is the finding of a new paper by academics who analysed decades of flooding data from regions in Australia which frequently suffer forest fires. The loss of forest canopy has long […]
Farm Firefighting Vehicles are commonly small trucks, utes or trailers with fixed water, pumps or fire management equipment.
Farm fire vehicle scheme launched after series of trials
FARMERS and rural landholders can now register to use Farm Firefighting Vehicles (FFVs) to respond to emergency bushfires near their property. Last Wednesday, the NSW Government launched a conditional registration scheme to enable typically unregistered FFVs to be used legally and under the protection of insurance. FFVs are commonly small trucks, utes or trailers with […]
NSW Women over 50invited to join free program for active living
WOMEN across NSW are being invited to take part in a major government-funded health initiative designed to support active, independent ageing. The program, Active Women over 50, is led by Professor Anne Tiedemann from the University of Sydney and supported by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund. It will provide free, tailored support to […]
