COCOS Palms will be gradually removed from selected streets, parks and reserves in coming months, as part of a long-term council program to protect native wildlife and ecosystems. Classified as an environmental weed, Cocos Palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) are known to negatively impact flying-foxes – a species that plays a critical role in pollinating and dispersing […]

THE third rendition of the Draft Laurieton Town Centre Master Plan has officially gone on public exhibition. Residents are now being encouraged to carefully review the document and make formal submissions as debate around the town’s future intensifies. The latest draft became publicly available on Monday, 20 April and will remain on exhibition until Friday, […]

THE new Laurieton play space is set to open by July, with construction commencing last week. The play space project, located at Bruce Porter Reserve in Short Street, Laurieton, is funded by a $302,250 grant from the NSW Government’s Local Small Commitments Allocation Program with additional funding from Port Macquarie Hastings Council. The project aims […]

Inundation along the Hastings River in May 2025. Photo: Port Macquarie SES. Hastings River Drive, Port Macquarie in May 2025. Photo: Port Macquarie SES. THE State and Federal Governments have committed more than $56 million in new funding to support Mid North Coast communities as they continue to rebuild following the severe weather of May […]

ARTIFICIALLY intelligent cameras detected more than 1100 bushfires in Australia over summer, including some that would have been missed by humans until they posed a greater risk. One fire outbreak caused by lighting strikes, for example, could have damaged a pine forest if cameras had not alerted firefighters. Pano AI revealed the findings on Tuesday […]

EVER stood under a quiet night sky and caught a sudden flash, like the heavens just struck a match? That fleeting streak we casually call a “shooting star” is anything but ordinary. And over the coming week, the sky is set to put on a show that rewards patience, curiosity, and a willingness to lose […]

BUNYAH Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) community firefighters carried out a cultural burn in Cowarra State Forest on Wednesday, marking the return of traditional Aboriginal fire practices to State Forest management. The burn brought together 15 community members, Elders, knowledge holders and young people, working alongside Forestry Corporation fire crews, to apply traditional fire knowledge […]

FEDERAL Member for Lyne Alison Penfold MP is encouraging local students to take part in the 2026 Anzac Day Schools’ Awards, a national competition recognising outstanding learning and engagement with Australia’s defence service history. Hosted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the awards celebrate the work of students and teachers across schools and other educational […]

CAMDEN Haven residents are invited to register as a volunteer and help protect dolphins by taking part in the first statewide Dolphin Census on Saturday 30 May. The one-day census is a collaboration between Dolphin Research Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to create a statewide snapshot of where dolphins are found […]

WAR in the Middle East and associated spiralling diesel costs could spell the perfect time for truck fleets to keep edging closer to electrification. On Tuesday, the NSW government announced an expansion of heavy vehicle electrification incentives as part of its EV roadmap, along with investment in more fast chargers and kerbside charging stations for […]