Port Macquarie, Author at Port Macquarie News Of The Area

New initiative urges Australians to uncover and photograph backyard bugs

FROM 17-23 November, Australians are being urged to step outside and discover the secret world beneath their feet. Bugs in My Backyard Week is a new national initiative encouraging families, schools and nature lovers to photograph and record the mini-beasts living all around them. It coincides with the official launch of a national citizen-science project […]

Regional

Fears ‘free’ electricity could come with hidden costs

ENERGY retailers say they’ve been blindsided by reforms promising free electricity to hundreds of thousands of Australians during peak solar power hours. The Solar Sharer program, announced by the federal government last Tuesday, would give consumers free access to electricity for three hours each day as part of the default offer available. Households in NSW, […]

Sport

Kathryn Stephens finds freedom on the water with Sailability

Kathryn Stephens ready to sail while her Guide Dog ‘Nessy’ stays on land. Photos: Pauline Cain. Kathryn Stephens ready to sail while her Guide Dog ‘Nessy’ stays on land. Photos: Pauline Cain. Kathryn Stephens competing with sailing partner Jason Elwes at the Hansa 303 Asia Pacific Championships. Photo: supplied. KATHRYN Stephens has been blind since […]

Opinion

OPINION: Reflections on the 1975 constitutional crisis

THE dismissal of the Whitlam Government in November 1975 highlighted the fragility of our parliamentary and constitutional system and the danger that, if the various constitutional norms that protect that system are ignored, the democratic system itself can be weakened. The real villains in the whole affair were two State Premiers who went against a […]

Jasminda's Advice

‘On the couch’ with Jasminda

DEAR Jasminda, LAST night (when I was sound asleep) my husband woke me about the mosquitoes in the room. He then searched (unsuccessfully) for the flyspray before trying other tactics. By the time he’d killed them, I was wide awake and stayed that way. What do I do to avoid this in the future, Katie […]

Local News

Supermoon lights up Mid North Coast skies

Supermoons are the closest to earth. Photo Greg Higgins. The moon was 30% brighter than normal. Photo: Sis Higgins. SKYWATCHERS across the Mid North Coast looked to the heavens on Tuesday night as the biggest and brightest moon of 2025 rose over the horizon. Dennis Hughes, one of the amateur astronomers at the Port Macquarie […]

Government

Nationals ditch net zero as Liberals ponder policy

THE Nationals have set up a possible showdown with their political ally the Liberals after unanimously agreeing to scrap their commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. The regional party argues Australia is doing more than its fair share to reduce carbon pollution, and emissions reductions should instead be tied to an average of similar […]

Community, Health

Hastings Home Hospice honours volunteers’ decades of compassion

Ruth Durant, Mayor Adam Roberts, President Dr Caterine Settle, Susanne Pritchard and Dan Abei. Photo: supplied. HHH Secretary Jenny Delroy thanks members and volunteers. Photo: supplied. CURRENT and past members of Hastings Home Hospice (HHH) gathered for a special afternoon tea on Thursday 30 October at the Lions Club in Port Macquarie. The event was […]

Community

Hastings Cancer Trust’s 2025 fundraising totals $113k for local cancer care

Dr Baerin Houghton explains how the EBUS diagnostic equipment works. Photo: supplied. Mary Trotter, Wauchope Palliative Care Unit, accepts the grant certificate from Brendon and Kate Roods at the 2024 awards. Photo: supplied Nasendoscope funded by HCT, in use. Photo: supplied THE Hastings Cancer Trust’s 2025 fundraising year will end on Thursday 13 November, with […]

Fishing

Yellowfin tuna make a splash

Yellowfin on the chew! Riley Baker and skipper Blair Carroll had an awesome day out off Port Macquarie last Friday. Yellowfin on the chew! Riley Baker and skipper Blair Carroll had an awesome day out off Port Macquarie last Friday. AS we head into the final month of spring the weather has been inconsistent, with […]