WHEN Mayor Adam Roberts throws up a price match challenge to Phil Cassegrain, you know you’re onto something special. And something special is exactly what local artist Halia Senu served up as part of last weekend’s Hastings Arts Trail at Cassegrain Wines. Wanting to do something to support local farmers following devastating floods, Halia created […]
New pie shop in Wauchope stirs the pot with risky, and now viral, shop name
EVERYONE loves a good pie. Well, everyone except for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) when Wauchope’s new bakery offering, the Phat Phuc Pie Shop, tried to register its business name. Forced to assume the registered business name of Double P Bakehouse following multiple failed attempts, the bright neon sign that hangs in the […]
Empowering communities through sustainable fishing
Brice with one of his latest catches. Photo: supplied Brice sharing his love of the ocean. Photo: Kim Ambrose/SaltyFoxFotography. CAMDEN Haven’s Brice Hayward has personal experience of the power of fishing and the ocean to change lives. A primary school teacher and facilitator of Indigenous cultural camps, Brice believes that fishing has the potential for […]

Discover the region’s creative side with the Hastings Arts Trail
David Brooker will be live painting at the Port City Bowling Club on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. The Blokes Notes choir. THE community will be invited into the studios and creative spaces of local artists this weekend, as the Hastings Arts Trail hits the streets from 5-6 July. Visitors can discover and […]

Hooked On: From snapper to a surprise cobia
THE Mid North Coast has been a bustling hub for anglers, offering a wide array of fishing opportunities despite recent rough conditions. The Camden Haven River continues to be a top spot for anglers. Rock fishing anglers have had mixed success targeting drummer, with Camden Head being a reliable location. Other nearby headlands are also […]

Celebrating 170 years since the birth of Port Macquarie’s ‘Rudyard Kipling of the South Pacific’
Louis Becke (1855-1913). Photo: from the book ‘Louis Becke’ by Professor Grove Day (decd). Dr Chrystopher J Spicer in Port Macquarie with David Bawden ahead of the 170th birthday celebrations. Becke’s family cottage at the corner of William and Owen streets was known as Becke’s Corner and is now the Luxor Apartments. THE descendants of […]
Casting before the clouds: Mid North Coast anglers reel in catches ahead of wet weather forecast
WHILE this past week offered a delightful stretch of sunshine, allowing many to enjoy the outdoors, it appears the coming week might bring wetter conditions. So, it was certainly a good time to get out and about while the weather was fine. The Macleay River continues to be a prime location for fishing enthusiasts. Anglers […]

Port Macquarie and Districts Family History Society celebrates turning 40
Society founders Cheryl Perry and Barbara Robins. Photo: supplied PMDFHS members Secretary Jennifer Mullin, President Diane Gillespie and Publicity Officer Karen. Photo: Pauline Cain. PORT Macquarie and Districts Family History Society is celebrating its 40th birthday with a luncheon for current and former members. It will be held at the racecourse on Saturday 28 June. […]
Library launches decodable readers collection to support children with dyslexia
DECODABLE readers, now recognised as an effective tool for supporting early and struggling readers, will form a new permanent collection in the children’s section of local libraries. The resources will be distributed across Port Macquarie, Laurieton, and Wauchope branches, ensuring access for families throughout the Hastings and Camden Haven regions. The readers will be officially […]
Port Macquarie businesses dig deep for Bravehearts charity race day
Irene Balkema, Jenny Watts, jockey Luke Rolls, Tickle Me Pink, and Rick Balkema. ‘Ditto’, the Bravehearts mascot. LOCAL businesses rallied behind Tuesday’s Bravehearts charity race day, generously sponsoring each of the seven races. Naming rights were snapped up, resulting in the Coolcene Air Maiden, Dittos Keep Safe Adventure Shows Maiden, Divine Experiences Country Plate, Stone […]