BONNY Hills speedster Cooper Barnes is turning heads on the motorsport circuit after recent performances in the Bridgestone GR86 Championships in New Zealand. The series features a competitive field of 25 cars, featuring drivers from Australia and New Zealand, who compete over six rounds. The competition began on 22 November 2024 at Taupo International Motorsport […]
Kew Bowling Club
3rd MARCH, 2025 In Wednesday Social Bowls Dave Harvey and Steve McGregor claimed first prize. The Runners Up were Howard Burrows, Reggie Robb and Rod Quirk. Voucher winners were Bob Carr, Ian Hodgkinson, Dave Harvey, Steve McGregor and Dave Jones. In the Friday Cashpot Triples the major prize winners were Brian Kirkwood, Ian Hodgkinson and […]

Rough seas but young surfers impress at Reflections Cadet Cup in Bonny Hills
CYCLONE Alfred made its presence felt at Rainbow Beach in Bonny Hills last weekend, where 85 of the state’s best young surfers tackled rough ocean conditions in the Reflections Cadet Cup. One of the highlights was a workshop run by World Surf League contender Callum Robson. Supported by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Robson attended the event […]
Letter to the Editor: Fear campaigns work
DEAR News Of The Area, THE NSW National (Mining) Party has been making a lot of noise lately about “youth crime”. In their quest for relevance they have chosen a campaign against a group that we all have a legitimate right to fear: young people! I blame rock and roll myself but that might be […]

Community rallies to support Laurieton Fisherman’s co-op after devastating fire
THE Camden Haven community has come together in a show of support for the Laurieton Fisherman’s Co-op and Laurieton Seafoods after a devastating fire destroyed the building on Wednesday, 15 January. Community members, groups and organisations gathered at the Laurieton United Services Club (LUSC) on Sunday to discuss how best to assist the Co-op […]
Liberals call for more trainee tradies during Port Stephens site visit
A HOME under construction in Anna Bay was host to visiting politicians on Wednesday, 15 January. Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Sussan Ley was joined by NSW Senator Maria Kovacic and the Liberal candidate for Paterson, Laurence Antcliff. It was an opportunity for Mr Antcliff, who has worked in the building industry, to […]
Storms wreak havoc leaving thousands in the dark
RESIDENTS of Port Stephens continue to clear debris and assess damage following major storms that hit multiple parts of NSW from Wednesday 15 January. Persistent, heavy rainfall, strong winds and extraordinary displays of lightning preceded power outages that affected more than 220,000 homes across the state, with more than 70,000 of those located in […]
Meet your Gloucester Australia Day award nominees
MEET the nominees for the 2025 Gloucester Australia Day awards. Winners will be announced across four categories: Local Young Citizen of the Year; Local Citizen of the Year; Local Project of the Year; and Local Community Business of the Year. Local Young Citizen of the Year Nominee Findlay McIntosh Findlay is the youngest Gloucester […]
Aluminium sector to share in billions to help go green
AUSTRALIA’S aluminium industry is set to share in billions of dollars of investment to help it convert to renewable energy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Tomago on Monday to unveil a green aluminium production credit scheme that will provide financial support to smelters changing their energy source before 2036. As part of the […]
Floodwaters subside across Dungog as clean-up operation continues
A LOW-PRESSURE system off the northern NSW coast caused widespread rainfall and strong winds across the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions, including the Dungog Shire. With floodwaters now subsiding, the local community is shifting its focus to cleaning up and recovering from the damage caused by the severe weather event. By 10:02am on […]