Port Macquarie, Author at Port Macquarie News Of The Area

Backlash over ‘quiet cut’ to train passes

LIBERAL MLC Aileen MacDonald has called for the NSW Government to immediately reinstate three-month and six-month NSW TrainLink Discovery Passes, describing the removal as a “quiet cut” that disproportionately hurts regional communities. Speaking in the Legislative Council last week, Ms MacDonald moved a motion highlighting the significant impact of the removal of the passes on […]

Sport

Dozens of women rally for Volley and Vino event

THIRTY-TWO women gathered for the first-ever “Volley and Vino” event at Goodwin Tennis on Saturday 14 June. The afternoon was designed to bring them together through movement, laughter, and social connection. With a combination of pickleball, cardio tennis, light refreshments, and socialising, the event focused on fun over competition. Organisers said it was rewarding to […]

Opinion

Stargazing: Enjoy your shortest day

HAVE you ever wondered why summer days last forever (well, almost!), and winter nights feel like they never end? It all boils down to two amazing celestial events: equinoxes and solstices! These are like nature’s cosmic calendar flips, marking the shift between seasons in Australia, down under where things are a bit opposite compared to […]

Jasminda's Advice

‘On the couch’ with Jasminda

DEAR Jasminda, I am going away with a group of school friends and we are sharing rooms. To save money, we booked a room with two queen beds, but one of our group members has become an incessant snorer. I’m a light sleeper. How do I tactfully ask that she is not my bed companion […]

Opinion

The Big Screen

HOW to Train Your Dragon is at the top of the schedule for cinemas and families this week, as the beloved franchise transitions to live action. Your kids could probably fill you in on the basics: young Hiccup (Mason Thames) is an innovative but hopeless Viking in training who forms a bond with the dragon […]

Event

Love Letters to Nature exhibition at Port Macquarie’s Roto House

Cafe owner/operator, Jess Davidson.. Photo: Pauline Cain. Melanie Evans’ artwork ‘Compassion’. Photo: Pauline Cain. JESS Davidson, cafe owner and operator of Home at Roto House, says it is “business as usual” even though the Koala Hospital next door is closed until 2026 for renovations. This month, an art exhibition is being staged in the dining […]

Community

Heartbeat of the Hastings: Sherrill Weidenbohm

THROUGH heartbreak and happiness, Sherrill Weidenbohm’s story is one of kindness, resilience, and the joy that can be found in helping others. Born and raised in Kempsey, Sherrill came from a family of eleven kids. “My dad passed away when I was only three, so my mum Kathleen raised us on her own but we […]

Entertainment

Hastings Choristers treat audiences to a taste of Broadway with musical medley

Mark Morabito (L) and Craig M. Wood. Photo: Paul Colla Photography. Hastings Choristers performing in ‘Patterns – A Musical Medley’. Photo: Paul Colla Photography. HASTINGS Choristers are known for their high standard of musical performance. Founded in 1990 by Robyn Ryan OAM, they are now under the musical direction of Craig M. Wood. The choristers […]

Government

NSW Gov announce funding to expand crisis and transitional housing

THE State Government has announced $30.4 million for a new crisis intervention package to “ensure more vulnerable people can access homelessness services and find a safe place to live”. The 2025-26 NSW Budget will include $20 million to expand existing crisis and transitional housing, and $10.4 million over four years for homelessness charity the Bill […]

Opinion

Beyond the bite: How our fishing community rises above the floods

AS we transition into winter, we’ve been blessed with a couple of lovely, calm and sunny days. However, the recent floods unfortunately the mackerel season has drawn to a close. While the fishing report highlights the bounty the region offers its impossible to ignore the impact of the recent floods and the incredible resilience of […]