Port Macquarie, Author at Port Macquarie News Of The Area

Practice in Community: Investing in artists working in regional Australia

REGIONAL Arts Australia is launching a “transformative” new funding initiative with $2.4 million dollars in support from Minderoo Foundation. The program offers multi-year grants of $160,000 to support independent artists living and working in regional communities across Australia. “Practice in Community” will deliver two funding rounds for independent artists working in Community Arts and Cultural […]

Community

Port Macquarie unites to ‘Reclaim the Night’

Locals gathered at the Town Beach Amphitheatre for ‘Reclaim the Night’. Speaker Port Macquarie MP Robert Dwyer and MC Deputy Mayor Nik Lipovac. RECLAIM The Night is an international movement that started in the 1970s and is a mainstay of Sexual Violence Awareness Month, which is observed in October. Marked this year on 25 October, […]

Port Mac Goss: Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach

FROM Wollongong to the Balmain Tigers, NRL legend Steve “Blocker” Roach played in the front row in 186 games, representing NSW 17 times and Australia 19 times. Steve had a reputation as a hard man, and he was never far from controversy, once famously patting the referee on the head after being sent off the […]

Government

Councillor Nik Lipovac takes on the role of Port Macquarie-Hastings’ Deputy Mayor

A NEW deputy mayor was elected at the October meeting of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, following the conclusion of Councillor Lauren Edwards’ term. Unlike the mayoral position, which is decided by popular vote at council elections, the deputy mayor is chosen annually by councillors. This year, Councillor Nik Lipovac was elected to the role. Cr Lipovac […]

Local News

IFAW and Koala Conservation Australia prepare wildlife rescuers for bushfire season

Emergency response group members attend search and rescue training. Photo: Olivia Katz/IFAW. Training with plush animals. Photo: Olivia Katz/IFAW. CRITICAL training is being rolled out to help wildlife groups better prepare for bushfire emergencies. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is launching its wildlife search and rescue training course in Port Macquarie in collaboration […]

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Correction regarding the traits of lefties

DEAR News Of The Area, TWO months ago there was a letter about plans to charge school age sportspeople for using sports fields. The letter writer blamed the idea on “lefties”. This has been niggling me and now I write, as a self identifying leftie, to clean up this misunderstanding. Lefties wish to reduce inequality, […]

Health

Port Macquarie Safe Haven offers essential mental health support to those in need

MID NORTH COAST Local Health District (MNCLHD) has officially opened a purpose-built Safe Haven building in Port Macquarie, providing a safe space and immediate support for people who are experiencing mental health distress. Safe Havens are non-clinical settings that offer support in a calm and welcoming environment as an alternative to attending a hospital emergency […]

Community

Foster carers in high demand on the Mid North Coast

MID NORTH COAST residents are being urged to consider becoming foster carers due to a significant demand for children needing the love and support of a safe and stable home. Life Without Barriers’ NSW regional director for NSW Family Base Care North services, Benn Anderson, said many children are unable to live with their families […]

Regional

Deforestation can cause eight-fold increase in flood event risk, says report

THE chance of large-scale flooding in a specific catchment area can increase by as much as 700 percent if widespread deforestation has occurred. That is the finding of a new paper by academics who analysed decades of flooding data from regions in Australia which frequently suffer forest fires. The loss of forest canopy has long […]

Opinion

Drawing clouds and coconuts: Why cartoonists never tire of the Pearly Gates and the Desert Island

The Pearly Gates and the Desert Island are two of the most symbolic settings in the cartoon world. YOU would think that after decades, cartoonists would have wrung out every last drop of humour from two of the most symbolic settings in the cartoon world – the Pearly Gates and the Desert Island. Yet, somehow, […]