January 26, 2026
Careers advisor says HSC results do not define long term success Senior students at Heritage Christian College. Photo: HCC.
School

Careers advisor says HSC results do not define long term success

WITH Year 12 students having received their HSC results on Thursday 18 December, a local careers advisor said it’s an important time to remind students that final scores don’t determine long term success. Heritage Christian School Careers Advisor Liza Hone said results represent one step, not an end point. “Your result isn’t everything. “If you […]

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Council to lobby MPs over ‘outrageous’ Crown land fee increases Port Macquarie Historical Courthouse Museum has copped a massive increase in Crown land fees by the State Government. Photo: Matt Taylor
Local News

Council to lobby MPs over ‘outrageous’ Crown land fee increases

PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council will push back against “outrageous” increases to Crown land lease and licence fees, warning the changes could threaten community access to key heritage, cultural and recreational facilities across the region. The move follows fee increases introduced by NSW Crown Lands in August 2024, after the council had already finalised its 2024-25 operational […]

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Lake Cathie foreshore upgrades move closer with plan adoption A plan for the Lake Cathie foreshore was signed off by councillors at last week’s meeting. Photo: Matt Taylor.
Government

Lake Cathie foreshore upgrades move closer with plan adoption

A LONG-TERM blueprint for the future of Lake Cathie’s foreshore has been signed off, after months of community consultation and public exhibition. The decision was made at last week’s Port Macquarie-Hastings Council meeting, with councillors noting feedback received during the exhibition period and endorsing the final version of the plan as a long-term framework for […]

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Work underway to improve safety and appearance of Oxley Highway near Wrights Road A section of the current fencing along Wrights Road. Photo: Robert Dwyer MP.
Local News

Work underway to improve safety and appearance of Oxley Highway near Wrights Road

WORK is underway to remove several dangerous trees along the Oxley Highway road reserve, paving the way for the replacement of fencing between Wrights Road and Fernhill Road. Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer said, “As the main gateway into Port Macquarie, the current state of the fencing is unacceptable. “It reflects poorly on the […]

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Forestry losses criticised after release of annual report The FCNSW report says the hardwood division lost $32 million. Photo: Mark Graham.
Local News

Forestry losses criticised after release of annual report

GREENS MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson says that Forestry Corporation NSW’s (FCNSW) 2024-25 Annual Report, recently tabled in the NSW Parliament, reveals that the state has spent $76 million over the last three years to keep the native forest logging division in business. Ms Higginson said that having to pay to destroy […]

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Report confirms drinking water across the Hastings is safe A new report shows drinking water is safe across the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA.
Local News

Report confirms drinking water across the Hastings is safe

THE region’s drinking water continues to meet health and safety standards, with Council noting strong performance across all water supply systems during the past financial year. The Drinking Water and Recycled Water Reports for 2024-25, which assess water quality across five supply systems servicing Port Macquarie and Camden Haven, Wauchope, Comboyne, Telegraph Point and Long […]

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Strict welfare guidelines as government legalises virtual stock fencing The CSIRO’s patented neckbands use GPS and wireless sensors to control cattle movements. Photo: CSIRO.
Regional

Strict welfare guidelines as government legalises virtual stock fencing

CATTLE and dairy farmers have welcomed the government’s decision to legalise virtual stock fencing, which involves using GPS collars to control the animals through audio cues and electric shocks. The move is expected to reduce physical fencing costs, improve rotational grazing systems, and provide remote access to data on the welfare of herds. Minister for […]

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Cairncross recycling facility set to become transfer station The Cairncross Waste Management Facility. Photo: PMHC.
Local News

Cairncross recycling facility set to become transfer station

PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council will transition the Cairncross Materials Recycling Facility from a local processing plant to a large-scale transfer station. A council report says major changes across the recycling industry have made small regional facilities increasingly unviable. The decision last week confirms Council will move away from plans first flagged in 2022 to establish a […]

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YP SPACE MNC marks 40th year with expanded support for local youth
Community

YP SPACE MNC marks 40th year with expanded support for local youth

YP SPACE has supported vulnerable young people on the Mid North Coast for the past 40 years. The organisation provides crisis accommodation, transitional support, outreach, and case management services for more than 300 young people each year. As the festive season approaches, CEO Andrea Davidson said the service will increase outreach and wellbeing checks. “The […]

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PMHC releases Disability Inclusion Plan featuring Town Beach Mobi Mats
Government

PMHC releases Disability Inclusion Plan featuring Town Beach Mobi Mats

INTERNATIONAL Day of People with Disability on 3 December, was marked by the release of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Community Inclusion and Disability Inclusion Action Plan for 2025-2029, alongside the NSW Government’s Disability Inclusion Plan 2025-2029. The Port Macquarie Hastings plan is named, “Make a bigger circle”. It originated from a community forum where a participant […]

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