Visitors pose at the well recognised entrance of Timbertown. Photos: Timbertown, FB. Fun times by visitors over the years. Showcasing timber work at the park. Friendly residents of the park The Iconic steam train. TIMBERTOWN Heritage Park will close permanently on 28 January 2026, bringing to an end more than 50 years of operation – […]
Local producers urged to report pasture dieback this Summer
Pasture dieback can start in small patches. Photo: DPI. Pasture dieback can start in small patches. Photo: DPI. THE region’s producers are being urged to report any sign of pasture dieback this Summer to the Department of Primary Industries, following detections in the North Coast and Hunter. Pasture dieback is a destructive […]
Region’s national parks users urged to ‘stay vigilant and safe’
The Point Plomer campground in Limeburners Creek National Park. Photo: NPWS. Kayaking in the Barrington River. Photo: NPWS. WITH temperatures high and visitors flocking to the region’s stunning beaches, rivers, and waterholes, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is urging everyone to stay vigilant and safe. National parks offer countless opportunities for swimming, fishing, […]
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 […]
The government says the updated estimate of 274,000 koalas reflects ‘improved technology and more extensive survey work’. Photo: Koala Conservation Australia.
NSW Government completes first statewide koala survey
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 […]
Memories of a 1964 summer family road trip
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 […]
New gene-mapping method unlocks hidden drivers of cancer
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 Historical Courthouse Museum has copped a massive increase in Crown land fees by the State Government. Photo: Matt Taylor
Council to lobby MPs over ‘outrageous’ Crown land fee increases
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 […]
Code-of-conduct complaints cost council more than $47,000
CODE-of-conduct complaints cost Port Macquarie-Hastings Council more than $47,000 over the past year, according to an annual report tabled at last week’s council meeting. The Code of Conduct Complaint Statistics report, covering the period from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025, details the number of complaints made against councillors and the general manager, how […]
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.
Friends with benefits: Social connections slow ageing in dolphins, too
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: […]
