FORMER NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens has been appointed as the Recovery Coordinator for the Hunter and Mid-North Coast in the wake of devastating floods. Mr Owens commenced the role last week and will be based out of Taree. “Dave Owens has a lot of experience helping communities after natural disasters, so I am […]
Guulabaa – Place of Koala recognised with international award
GUULABAA – Place of Koala, the world’s first purpose-built wild koala breeding and rehabilitation centre, has been named a winner of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) 2025 Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence. Announced at the ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Hong Kong, the award recognises Guulabaa as a global exemplar of conservation-led design, Indigenous collaboration, […]
Locals treated to two stellar phenomena in one night
Sunday’s space junk, captured from Lighthouse Beach. Photo: Steve Phelps. The magic of Aurora Australs from North Brother Mountain. Photo: Steve Phelps. THE sky came alive on Sunday evening, 1 June, with locals stopped in their tracks by colourful lights, flashes, and luminous glowing. Leaving a trail of bright blue, white and green – and […]
Heart of the Haven: Thomas Maxwell
IF you’ve been down at North Haven Beach on a sunny weekend, chances are you’ve seen Thomas – either in his red and yellow uniform on patrol or cheering on the younger kids at Nippers. At just 15, Thomas has already packed in more community involvement than many adults, and his passion for helping others […]

MP recounts how the Camden Haven rallied to return a flood favour
Rob Dwyer (second from right) with clean-up volunteers Cr Hamish Tubman, Jedd Clarke, Simon Hancox, Tony Johnson, Brian Barry, Aisher Hanington, Aimee Cooke, Shelby Mackenzie, Sarah Feldman and Marine Rescue Commander Greg Davies (far right). The clean-up crews on their way to the North Shore. Mayor Adam Roberts and MPs Pat Conaghan and Rob Dwyer […]

Residents counting costs after ‘heartbreaking’ floods
DANIEL Fitzgerald slept in his car for five days, watching helplessly as floodwaters slowly destroyed everything inside his home for the second time. Deadly flooding has lashed parts of NSW, resulting in five deaths, damaging up to 10,000 properties and cutting off more than 50,000 people in regional towns. The deluge did not spare Mr […]
Over 100 call-outs but SES says Camden Haven ‘dodged a bullet’
Camden Haven SES responding to extreme weather call-outs. Photos: SES. Camden Haven SES responding to extreme weather call-outs. Photos: SES. A rare break for the unit’s volunteers. THE Camden Haven branch of the SES responded to over 100 calls for help during the recent extreme weather. This came just 48 hours after the entire unit […]

CSU awards more than $300k in scholarships to Hastings students
FIFTY-SEVEN students from the Port Macquarie-Hastings region will receive financial support through the Charles Sturt Foundation Trust this year. The total value of the scholarships is $335,926. The amount is part of the $3m awarded to students across all six CSU campuses. Recipients in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region were the first to be presented with […]
Major disruption as the Camden Haven cops a lashing
The Cutty Creek Bridge between Bonny Hills and Herons Creek. Photo: Nathan Marden. The Boulevarde at Dunbogan on Wednesday morning. The Camden Haven River rises under Stingray Bridge. Photos: Diane Solomon Westerhuis. The Camden Haven River rises under Stingray Bridge. Photos: Diane Solomon Westerhuis. The Hastings River in flood. Debris mounts at Bain Bridge. No […]
Kendall OOSH kids step up in support of sick children and their families
The children of Kendall OOSH are supporting sick kids through a dance-based fundraiser. THE kids of Active OOSH Kendall are dancing their hearts out to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). For over 33 years, RMHC has been a pillar of support for families with ill or injured children, providing accommodation near hospitals […]