THE Lord Street footpath upgrade between Flynn and Herschell streets is complete. The work involved laying 265 metres of accessible pavement and the relocation of a pedestrian refuge. The $412,000 upgrade was jointly funded by the Federal and State governments under the Road Safety Program, and aligns with Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Walking and Cycling […]

HUNDREDS of locals have heeded the call to submit feedback on the worsening congestion on the Oxley Highway at Wrights Road, but more are needed to strengthen the case for its upgrade. Feedback can be left on the Transport for NSW website at haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/sritp/north-coast. Head to the “pin on the map’ section and select “add […]

THE countdown’s on to this coming week’s Ride The Wave Festival in support of locals doing it tough. Over five days from 24 March, Port Macquarie will host surf, skate and live music events – all centred on Town Beach. Organised by Make A Difference (MAD), the event raises funds for the frontline services providing […]

A TECHNICAL review will be undertaken into feral pig and deer management in NSW. The move follows the announcement of a $40 million investment in feral animal management from the NSW Government, and almost a quarter of a million pigs culled across the state in the past three years. The control program has been built […]

THE NSW Food Authority says consumers can feel confident enjoying locally grown berries, with NSW Government laboratory testing confirming they meet food safety standards for pesticide residues. Twenty-five kilograms of blueberries and raspberries, representing 100 samples of 250 grams each, were purchased from a range of Sydney retail stores in November 2025. They were tested […]

Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services CEO Kelly Lamb and event host Peta Alexopoulos. Photo: Lucy Humphries. DFV Prevention Manager Brooke Maggs. Photo: Lucy Humphries. SOME 80 local women gathered on Friday 6 March for the ninth “PA YourWay” International Women’s Day Lunch to support Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services. The sold-out […]

DOCTOR Kristy Kostalas has been named the 2026 Local Woman of the Year for the Port Macquarie electorate, in recognition of her commitment to women and children experiencing domestic violence. The Local Women of the Year Awards shine a light on extraordinary women whose compassion, courage and leadership strengthen communities across New South Wales. A […]

THE Federal Government will provide grant funding for new mobile base stations at Karuah, Taree and Wauchope in the latest round of the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP), delivering 4G and 5G mobile coverage to these areas. Each site will include back-up power, with some also incorporating additional hardening measures to reinforce mobile telecommunications infrastructure. […]

Exiting Nationals leader David Littleproud with newly elected leader Matt Canavan. Photo: Matt Canavan MP FB. Cowper MP Pat Conaghan with exiting Nationals leader David Littleproud. Photo: Pat Conaghan MP FB. MATT Canavan has been elected Nationals leader after David Littleproud’s shock resignation. The firebrand senator edged out former deputy leader Kevin Hogan and Senate […]

FOUR-YEAR funding is being made available to local organisations to combat the impact of priority weeds, updating a previously annual grant program. The new $40.7 million NSW Weeds Action Program (WAP) is a key component of the NSW Government’s Biosecurity Action Plan, with funding being provided to 97 Local Control Authorities (LCA). Minister for Agriculture […]