February 7, 2026
Letter to the Editor: Accept the science
Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Accept the science

DEAR News Of The Area, I WISH to comment on two items in your 21 November issue about net zero emissions for Cowper. The feature article by Andrew Vivian gave a comprehensive and balanced summary of the issues surrounding any policy towards net zero emissions by 2050. The article rightly refuted the Federal Coalition’s claim […]

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Legal Hypothetical: Selling the house… any day now
Hypothetical

Legal Hypothetical: Selling the house… any day now

ANNETTE died in late 2021. In her will, she appointed her two eldest children, Fiona and Sean, as co-executors. Her estate consisted largely of a coastal cottage where Sean had been living intermittently for several years. Under the will, the cottage and the remainder of the estate were to be divided equally between Fiona, Sean […]

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‘On the couch’ with Jasminda
Jasminda's Advice

‘On the couch’ with Jasminda

DEAR Jasminda, I’m thinking of getting an ice bath for stress relief. Do you have any views on this? Gavin H. Oh, Gavin, Sometimes I read a conundrum and my first thought is, yes, I have views on this, but do you really want to know them? I have no qualifications in ice-bath therapy, so […]

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Stargazing: The secret star maps of moths
Opinion

Stargazing: The secret star maps of moths

ON a moonless night, when the world goes quiet and even the gum trees seem to hold their breath, something small is commuting through the darkness. Not a drone. Not a late-night bird. Just a moth, humble, silent, and roughly the size of your thumb flying with the confidence of a seasoned pilot. Inside that […]

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Letter to the Editor: A decision made for the people
Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: A decision made for the people

DEAR News Of The Area, I AM pleased that the Liberal Party has finally made a decision for the people rather than continue their political posturing to the United Nations and the corporate media that initiated and promoted the hoax of man-made global warming. Hopefully, it is just the first step toward abandoning the renewable […]

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Heartbeat of the Hastings: Pink Ladies The Pink Ladies committee.
Opinion

Heartbeat of the Hastings: Pink Ladies

DURING a recent stay at Port Macquarie Base Hospital, I had the pleasure of meeting a few of the amazing women known as the Pink Ladies. Their dedication to the hospital and the community is truly inspiring. One of the many ways they support the hospital is through fundraising events like “Brickfest”, held annually in […]

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Legal Hypothetical: The high price of proof
Hypothetical

Legal Hypothetical: The high price of proof

SALLY and Harry have been married for 25 years. Sally transfers her home into joint names with Harry as “joint tenants”. Five years later, Sally is moved into a care facility and passes-away two years later at the age of 85. Sally leaves a daughter from a previous relationship, Penny. When Penny discovers that as […]

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Remembrance Day: Dorothy’s story
Opinion

Remembrance Day: Dorothy’s story

MY mum, Dorothy Smith, was born on 14 December 1919 in a small mining settlement in outback Queensland called Kuridala. She had three brothers – one older and two younger. Her father was a mine manager, and the family lived there several years before moving to Papua New Guinea when Mum was two. The family […]

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