July 21, 2026
What priorities will shape Port Macquarie over the next decade
Opinion

What priorities will shape Port Macquarie over the next decade

DEAR News Of The Area, READING through this year’s NSW Budget, I have been having conversations with friends and family: what comes next for Port Macquarie? There are some great positives in the budget. The continued redevelopment of Port Macquarie Base Hospital is a significant investment that will benefit our region for years to come. […]

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Tourists staying in homes and locals staying in motels
Opinion

Tourists staying in homes and locals staying in motels

DEAR News Of The Area, IN all the housing crisis talk by Federal or State governments, the biggest elephant in the room is unhosted Airbnbs, specifically entire-home Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA). Homes that should be available for first-home buyers, normal buyers and long-term renters are instead being bought up to be used as Airbnbs […]

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Call for clear answers about ‘chem-trail’ activity
Letter to the Editor

Call for clear answers about ‘chem-trail’ activity

DEAR News of the Area, SOCIAL media was abuzz last week following what many residents described as unusually heavy chem-trail activity over the Mid North Coast. The sky was crisscrossed with persistent trails that gradually dispersed into a light silver-grey haze, obscuring much of the blue sky above. It was the most extensive activity I […]

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Port Macquarie High School reunion at Port City Bowls Club
Opinion

Port Macquarie High School reunion at Port City Bowls Club

DEAR News Of The Area, On Saturday 20 June at 5pm the Port City Bowls Club will host a large number of former Port Macquarie High students for a school reunion. A number of students are travelling large distances – such as from Port Douglas and Adelaide – to be reunited with their former classmates. […]

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Women deserve respect, not patronising
Opinion

Women deserve respect, not patronising

DEAR News Of The Area, WHY do shop assistants and supermarket checkout staff think it is in any way acceptable to call women – especially older women – by pet names such as “Dear”, “Sweetie”, “My lovely” “Darl”, “Love” “Pet” and so on. I’ve heard people make the excuse that they’re just being friendly.  But […]

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Poetic reflection on Port Macquarie’s ArtWalk 2026
Opinion

Poetic reflection on Port Macquarie’s ArtWalk 2026

DEAR News Of The Area,   ON the night of Friday, 5 June, I attended the Port Macquarie Art Trail with tens of thousands of other people. I felt inspired to write the following poem about my experience.   How wonderful were people when they gave their time for free, To gather all their family […]

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Strong fishing across Mid North Coast rivers, beaches and offshore reefs Boats moored up next to Pelican Island in The Hastings River. Photo: Kate Shelton
Opinion

Strong fishing across Mid North Coast rivers, beaches and offshore reefs

THE Mid North Coast has continued to provide excellent fishing opportunities, with anglers enjoying success across rivers, beaches, rock platforms and offshore grounds over the long weekend. The Camden Haven River remains a standout destination. Rock fishers targeting drummer have experienced mixed results, although Camden Head has continued to produce reliable catches, with nearby headlands […]

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Open letter from the non-human residents of Oxley Beach
Opinion

Open letter from the non-human residents of Oxley Beach

DEAR News Of The Area, This letter is to the humans protecting our home at what you call Oxley Beach. We don’t have pens, we don’t have podiums, we can’t raise our hands at council meetings. We can’t write petitions and we don’t have a voice in the ocean pool planning proposal. But we see […]

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Council’s climate policy a backwards step
Opinion

Council’s climate policy a backwards step

Dear News Of The Area, I READ with horror that the Port Macquarie/Hastings Council has repealed its climate change policies. Cr Maltman argues that we cannot change the climate on the globe nor the climate in our local area. This to me is limited thinking. The argument that the council cannot change the global or […]

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