THE NSW Food Authority says consumers can feel confident enjoying locally grown berries, with NSW Government laboratory testing confirming they meet food safety standards for pesticide residues. Twenty-five kilograms of blueberries and raspberries, representing 100 samples of 250 grams each, were purchased from a range of Sydney retail stores in November 2025. They were tested […]

Dashcam shows the moment the B-double’s rear wheels lifted off the pavement. Photo: supplied to @PortMacquarieOnScene. The B-double tipped on its side at the John Oxley Drive and Oxley Highway roundabout. Photos: supplied by @PortMacquarieOnScene. The B-double tipped on its side at the John Oxley Drive and Oxley Highway roundabout. Photos: supplied by @PortMacquarieOnScene. The […]

CHARITIES, community groups and not‑for‑profit organisations delivering community‑led projects across Essential Energy’s network area are encouraged to submit their applications for the 2026 Essential Grants program before the end of March. The program is offering grants of up to $15,000 to help eligible organisations bring their initiatives to life and deliver real benefits for people, […]

RURAL Aid has released the third annual Pulse of the Paddock farmer survey report, offering a candid snapshot of how Australian farmers are navigating mental health, uncertainty and the realities of life on the land. Based on the experiences of nearly 1,400 farmers surveyed during October and November 2025, Rural Aid says the report shows […]

RETAIL, fast-food and warehouse workers from across the Mid North Coast gathered in Port Macquarie on Thursday 5 March, to join the bid for improved pay and work-life balance. Delegates from the Union for Workers in Retail, Fast Food, Warehousing (SDA) NSW, met at the Mercure Centro to officially kick off the statewide “Better Wages […]

FOUR-YEAR funding is being made available to local organisations to combat the impact of priority weeds, updating a previously annual grant program. The new $40.7 million NSW Weeds Action Program (WAP) is a key component of the NSW Government’s Biosecurity Action Plan, with funding being provided to 97 Local Control Authorities (LCA). Minister for Agriculture […]

THE Federal Government will provide grant funding for new mobile base stations at Karuah, Taree and Wauchope in the latest round of the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP), delivering 4G and 5G mobile coverage to these areas. Each site will include back-up power, with some also incorporating additional hardening measures to reinforce mobile telecommunications infrastructure. […]

GEN Z is leading a new wave of city dwellers eyeing a move to the regions, with almost half considering swapping skyscrapers for the great outdoors. Australians aged 18 to 29 have overtaken millennials (aged 30 to 45) as the cohort most eager to leave the city for the regions, with 49 percent considering the […]

Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services CEO Kelly Lamb and event host Peta Alexopoulos. Photo: Lucy Humphries. DFV Prevention Manager Brooke Maggs. Photo: Lucy Humphries. SOME 80 local women gathered on Friday 6 March for the ninth “PA YourWay” International Women’s Day Lunch to support Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services. The sold-out […]

WAR in the Middle East is having direct impacts on the prices of basic commodities in Australia, including petrol and other fuels that keep the local economy going. Almost overnight, the geopolitical shape of the world instigated panic that filtered through global supply chains. Unleaded petrol is now averaging over $2/litre in many areas of […]