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 […]

Cultural burning practices are integrated with accredited firefighting qualifications Laqueesha Laurie and her father, Dane, participated in the program (Photos: FCNSW) CULTURAL burning techniques are being integrated into government bushfire management frameworks across NSW. Funded by the Federal Government program “Fire, Country and People”, the aim is to strengthen community resilience to major bushfire events […]

RISING temperatures over Antarctica have been a major contributing factor to recent volatile weather along the East Coast, according to new information from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). A “sudden stratospheric warming” (SSW) is to blame. This is a documented weather scenario in which air temperatures high above the South Pole rise by 30 degrees […]

A NEW online tool is available to help NSW farmers better prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters including fire, flood, and drought. The platform, called myStockPlanner, enables farmers to provide details of their farm, risks and resources to access tailored response options to consider and implement with their feed and livestock. Federal […]

Liz Stephens welcomes the neighbourhood to the Big Block Sale in 2024. Barry and Jenny Watson enjoying the community atmosphere at last year’s Big Block Sale. THE Garage Sale Trail began as a small community event at Bondi Beach 16 years ago and has grown into an Australia-wide event. It is being held this year […]

CHRISTMAS is approaching and so is the annual Christmas Gift Fair, on 25 and 26 October at Panthers Port Macquarie to raise funds for Endeavour Clubhouse.  Now in its sixteenth year it has grown into  an event that fills Panthers Auditorium to the brim. The Christmas Gift Fair brings together stalls filled with handmade gifts […]

FINALISTS have been announced for the 2025 NSW Tourism Awards, with more than 230 nominations from across the state, including 38 finalists from the North Coast. This year marks the first inclusion of finalists from the North Coast. Natalie Godward, CEO of the NSW Tourism Association, said the finalists reflect the strength, passion and professionalism […]

A NEW citizen science project led by UNSW Sydney is inviting beachgoers, snorkelers and divers to spot and share photographs of seagrass flowers along Australia’s coasts. The endangered seagrass Posidonia australis forms rich underwater meadows that capture carbon, support fisheries, and help stabilise shorelines. It’s one of the most important habitats in coastal ecosystems but […]

THE Building Commission NSW has released the results of its three-day inspection blitz of worksites between Port Stephens and Port Macquarie. During August, a team of inspectors visited 41 sites across Nelson Bay, Forster, Diamond Beach, Bonny Hills and Port Macquarie. Inspections focused on identifying defective building work, monitoring for unlicensed or unsupervised specialist trades […]

Chris Proctor and Brad Collins at their exhibition opening. Photo: Pauline Cain. Inviting the viewer to take a seat and draw. Photo: Pauline Cain. The ‘Take a Seat’ exhibition reflects on once-owned and changed objects. Photo: Pauline Cain. THE “Take a Seat” exhibition opened at The Glasshouse Gallery in Port Macquarie on Saturday 28 September, […]