LYNE MP Alison Penfold has announced her intention to provide a pre-Budget submission to the Federal Government’s Treasury Department to highlight community and infrastructure funding needs across the electorate. Ms Penfold said pre-Budget submissions offer an opportunity to highlight local priorities for consideration in the 2026-27 Federal Budget. “The Albanese Government needs to hear loud […]
SHERYL Barnett has long been a driving force in the Camden Haven and Port Macquarie communities. Her passion for helping others extends far beyond her professional work, focusing especially on supporting women facing breast cancer. “Being involved in the local community helped others as well as my own work,” Sheryl said. . “Plus, there’s such […]
HOUSEHOLDS across the Mid North Coast will soon have access to a new tool to help manage grocery costs, through a partnership between Greater Bank and Newcastle-based fintech “Grocerize”. Created by Newcastle dad Blake Bennett, Grocerize compares supermarket prices and highlights savings opportunities for families. Greater Bank told News Of The Area that users of […]
Ruth Durrant in the foreground at a previous Christmas Gift Fair.
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 […]
SEVENTEEN years ago, Michelle and Steven Hedger moved from Sydney to Port Macquarie in search of a better life for their family, especially their daughter Demi. Now a 30-year-old woman Demi has an intellectual disability and lives full time with her parents, who celebrated 36 years of marriage this year. They love how welcoming and […]
BUSINESS NSW Mid North Coast will host the 2025 Business NSW Mid North Coast Skills and Training Summit on Thursday 23 October at The Westport Club in Port Macquarie. The half-day summit will bring together leaders from education, training, industry, and government to discuss how to build a sustainable, locally driven skills ecosystem to meet […]
OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Australia and Laurieton local Jo Dempsey has a message that she wants everyone to hear: “check your boobs.” In 2019, Jo was a 41-year-old busy mum of three when she found a lump in her breast. Within days tests showed she had stage three breast cancer. She underwent […]
John Chandler and John Crisp at the Breakwall .
JOHN Crisp is not ashamed of his past and will openly talk about his experiences with homelessness, mental health challenges and addiction. With 33 years of sobriety under his belt, he is an advocate for all aspects of men’s health, and as a peer support worker the Port Macquarie resident spends many hours a week […]
A security vehicle blocks access to Hamilton Green on Sunday, 12 October. Photo: Peter Varley, FB.
Some of the buildings are leased by the Port Macquarie Art Society. The markets were founded 55 years ago by the late Maureen Cooke. A security vehicle blocks access to Hamilton Green on Sunday, 12 October. Photo: Peter Varley, FB. The road into Hamilton Green was clear on Wednesday. CONFUSION and bewilderment have followed the […]
Port Macquarie’s Museum, a cultural standout. Photo: supplied
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 […]
