IN 1976, musician and music lover Bernd Fichtner emigrated to Sydney and attended his first Australian concert, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, headed by Joe Camilleri. A proud member of the Laurieton Ukulele Group, and with many years of experience singing in pub bands as well as playing keyboard and guitar, Bernd is passionate […]

MUSICNSW has released a new report detailing how to strengthen regional and remote music, setting a map for action for government, industry and communities across NSW. The report gathers insights from 80-plus representatives from across the NSW music sector. The contributors participated in a NSW Roundtable held at the 2025 Regional and Remote Music Summit […]

IMAGINE waking one morning to find the sky torn open by a glowing fireball racing towards Earth. It sounds like science fiction, but it isn’t. Our planet sits in a cosmic shooting gallery. Asteroids and comets – leftovers from the birth of the solar system – cruise through space, and sometimes their paths cross ours. […]

PORT Macquarie’s Charlie O’Derry has secured his spot in the next stage of The Voice, winning his Battle Round performance on Sunday 7 September under the guidance of coach Kate Miller-Heidke. Charlie was paired against fellow contestant Brenton Kneen, a match-up that left him both nervous and inspired. “I honestly thought, ‘this might be the […]

Sarah Butler is the former lead trumpet of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Photos: supplied. Trumpet players Sarah Butler and Alex Eglon with trombone player Amanda Eglon. Drummer Harrison Eglon. Flutist Aarohi Deshmark. NOW a leading figure in the much-loved Hastings Koalas Orchestra, conductor Sarah Butler’s musical talents have taken her across the globe. She spent […]

The Greater Good team behind Good Intent. Photo: Billy Zammit. Past Greater Good winner Fool Nelson, performing in Coffs Harbour recently. Past Greater Good winner Fool Nelson, performing in Coffs Harbour recently. GREATER Good, a massive multi-discipline support package worth $30k for independent music artists, is back for a fifth year, with applications open now […]

BILL Harrow and Judy Campbell of the Harry and Pearl Ensemble have taken out second place for best comedy at the recent Ipswich One Act Play festival. It was for their original play “Edmund and June”. Fresh from their first place in Port Macquarie, Judy and Bill were thrilled with their result, as all competing […]