DUNBOGAN’S Maya Oakham is on a mission to improve the lives of Australia’s animals. Developing a passion for animals of all sorts at a young age, 10-year-old Maya has been fundraising for animal sanctuaries for several years. Her next fundraiser, a garage sale, will be held on Saturday, with all money raised going to the […]
NSW residents encouraged to be alert to signs of avian influenza in poultry
THE NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is encouraging everyone to be alert to signs of avian influenza in commercial and domestic poultry, and wildlife. Australia remains free from the H5N1 strain that is causing concern globally, however there is a risk the disease may be introduced by wild birds that migrate […]
Brian Tolagsom, Alison Davey, Lyn Murphy and Barbara Bushe at the 2024 launch of the first edition. Photo: supplied.
Stories of dementia resilience wanted for second edition of ‘Unforgettable Voices’
FOLLOWING the success of the book “Unforgettable Voices”, the Greater Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Community Alliance (DFCA) is planning a second edition. The Alliance is now calling on community members to contribute their own stories or poems for publication in 2026. “The aim of this project is to capture the untold stories of the lived […]
Experts want a national seabird beach monitoring program to help explain why mass deaths happen. Photo: Silke Stuckenbrock/AAP.
The ecological disaster threatening Australian seabirds
BILL Fulton recalls counting 1162 dead birds during a four-and-a-half kilometre morning beach walk. That’s a rough average of one every four metres. But when he tells people about the work and its confronting reality, they’re curiously inclined to dismiss it as kind of normal. “We want people to know that this is different,” Mr […]
Salvation Army accepting donations to Christmas Toy Drive Appeal
DONATIONS for the annual Salvation Army Christmas Toy Drive Appeal are now being accepted at Newcastle Permanent and Greater Bank branches until 12 December. The joint appeal has supported local families for nearly 40 years. Last year the community donated a record 7500 gifts through the branches. Salvation Army Auxiliary Lieutenant Bernie Muendel said the […]
The new water quality buoy automatically records key water quality parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and water level every 15 minutes.
Enhanced water-quality monitoring on Lake Innes
ADVANCED water-quality monitoring technology has been installed at Lake Innes to improve understanding of the lake’s condition. The new water quality buoy automatically records key water quality parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and water level every 15 minutes. This live data is transmitted to the Manly Hydraulics Laboratory (MHL) website, where it […]
Pros and cons after Coalition’s decision to abandon Net Zero
ALL sectors have weighed in on the Federal Coalition’s decision to abandon Net Zero by 2050. This major tool for combatting climate change involves balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere with the amount removed. Patrick Leyland, Chief Digital Officer at Populares and former Director of Digital Campaigns for the Australian Labor […]
Multiple fundraisers in the works for Kendall RDA
The Riding for the Disabled centre in Kendall. RDA volunteer Christa Martinson with Katie. EACH week five horses, 16 people with disabilities and 40 volunteers come together to facilitate horse riding at Riding for the Disabled in Kendall. The organisation aims to empower participants and to enhance their lives via equine-assisted activities. RDA NSW does […]
‘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 […]
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 […]
