March 21, 2026
International Women’s Day aims to ‘Balance the scales’ in 2026 Rotarian and global volunteer Brittani Michelle.
Community

International Women’s Day aims to ‘Balance the scales’ in 2026

THE first International Women’s Day (IWD) was held in Europe on 8 March 1911 as a way of uniting globally to push for suffrage and workers’ rights for women. The movement spread and in 1928 it was celebrated for the first time in Australia, with calls for equal pay, an eight-hour working day for shop […]

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Port Macquarie community walking for a world without type 1 diabetes A previous One Walk event.
Community

Port Macquarie community walking for a world without type 1 diabetes

COMMUNITY members from across the Port Macquarie-Hastings region will come together on 8 March to fundraise for research into type 1 diabetes (T1D). The fundraising walk is organised by Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), a leading supporter of global research into the condition. The local event is part of the organisation’s annual […]

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Nominations open for 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards Molly Croft, the 2025 NSW Volunteer of the Year, with Minister Jodie Harrison (left), her mother Ange, and Minister Jihad Dib. Photo: Salty Dingo.
Community

Nominations open for 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards

NOMINATIONS for the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are now open, with family, friends and work mates urged to help celebrate the enormous positive impact of volunteers across the state. The awards are in their 20th year and are run by The Centre for Volunteering to recognise the outstanding work of volunteers in […]

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Varroa mite showing resistance to chemical treatments L925I significantly reduces the efficacy of pyrethroid miticides in managing affected mite populations.
Local News

Varroa mite showing resistance to chemical treatments

THE NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has confirmed the first case of Varroa mite pyrethroid resistance in the state. Laboratory testing at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute identified a known genetic mutation, L925I, which causes pyrethroid resistance in Varroa mites. DPIRD Honey Bee Technical Specialist, Elizabeth Frost, said L925I significantly reduces […]

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Kendall’s Sunday Swap is growing more than veggies
Local News

Kendall’s Sunday Swap is growing more than veggies

Veggie growers meet every Sunday at Kendall Oval. Photo: Cathy Cloran. No money is exchanged, just fresh produce. Photo: Cathy Cloran. The swap is a way of dealing with the gardener’s dilemma of growing too much. Photo: Cathy Cloran. The swap is a way of dealing with the gardener’s dilemma of growing too much. Photo: […]

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Police appeal for missing teenager last seen at Lighthouse Beach
Police

Police appeal for missing teenager last seen at Lighthouse Beach

POLICE are appealing for public assistance to locate a missing woman who is known to frequent Bonny Hills. Jade Blyth, 19, was last seen at Lighthouse Beach in early December 2025. Unable to be located since, police were notified on Monday 16 February and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts. Police and her family have concerns […]

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Mid North Coast’s emerging Indigenous storytellers invited to apply for scholarship The Indigenous Storyteller Scholarship 2025 was awarded to artist Sean Kinchela.
Regional

Mid North Coast’s emerging Indigenous storytellers invited to apply for scholarship

INDIGENOUS creatives across the Mid North Coast are being encouraged to apply for the fourth annual Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship, with applications now open for the 2026 program. The initiative offers meaningful financial backing and professional mentorship, creating a pathway for Indigenous creatives to develop their work and confidence while remaining connected to culture and community. […]

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Forestry organisations promote sustainable management in new report Disagreements about what should be included in the GKNP continue. Photo: Tim Cadman.
Local News

Forestry organisations promote sustainable management in new report

FORESTRY Australia, a not‑for‑profit, independent professional association representing more than 1,100 scientists, practitioners, and farm forest growers, has released information showing well-managed forests are “critical to Australia meeting its emissions reduction targets”. The organisation says its Forest Carbon Balance Evidence Review brings together the latest science on forest carbon dynamics and demonstrates that sustainable forest […]

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Emergency Services Levy reform to face parliamentary inquiry
Government

Emergency Services Levy reform to face parliamentary inquiry

OPTIONS to reduce household insurance costs and fix an “unfair funding model” for emergency services will be put to a NSW parliamentary inquiry. While emergency services benefit everyone, most of their funding comes from a levy not everyone pays. The NSW Government says it is committed to removing this Emergency Services Levy (ESL) and replacing […]

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