THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Milton Dick MP, has launched the “My First Speech” competition for high school students across Australia. Students from across the Cowper electorate are encouraged to take part in this unique opportunity to learn more about Parliament and public speaking. “The My First Speech competition challenges students […]
Applications now open for Hastings Education Fund grants
APPLICATIONS for a Hastings Education Fund (HEF) grant close on 30 September. The fund was established to provide financial assistance to support local young people achieve their post-school education, training and vocation aspirations. A recent recipient of funding is Daniel Hutchinson, who completed his schooling at Hastings Secondary College’s Westport Campus in 2024. He is […]
Residents of Lighthouse Beach fear construction of public preschool will cause traffic chaos
Tacking Point Public School in Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie. Photo: Rikki Waller. Tacking Point Public School in Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie. Photo: Rikki Waller. ON any given school day, Bangalay Drive in Lighthouse Beach Port Macquarie is bumper-to-bumper during student drop-off and pick-up times. The NSW Department of Infrastructure is now adding to the frustrations […]
St Columba Anglican School to introduce International Baccalaureate Diploma
ST COLUMBA Anglican School has officially announced its candidacy to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. It will be the first school on the Mid North Coast to deliver the globally recognised qualification. Set to commence in 2027 for Year 11 students, the IB Diploma Programme will sit alongside the HSC, giving families a […]

Open Day at Port’s CSU campus
Lorraine Ryan (second from left) with other volunteers at a previous Port Macquarie campus Open Day. Photo: CSU. Open Day at the Port Macquarie CSU campus is Sunday, 3 August. SCHOOL leavers, career changers and lifelong learners may find their next career opportunity this Sunday, 3 August, when Charles Sturt University (CSU) invites the community […]
CSU searching for business and community partners needing free IT solutions
PORT Macquarie-based Senior Computing Lecturer Dr Arash Mahboubi is searching for community groups and businesses with IT problems to solve. His Charles Sturt University (CSU) students have just delivered 3500 hours of free IT solutions as part of the capstone unit of their Bachelor of Computer Science (Software Development). These solutions, which were for organisations […]
Grace Curran hoping to get her song noticed in triple j’s Unearthed High competition
STEPPING into the spotlight can be tough when you’re a teenager, but for 17-year-old Grace Curran, it’s her best shot at breaking into the music scene. The Port Macquarie singer-songwriter has entered her original song “Out of His League” in the highly contested triple j Unearthed High competition. Open to all artists of high school […]
Žaža Semchyshyn sings her way to success at Elevate Eisteddfod in Sydney
ŽAŽA Semchyshyn, 15, recently competed at the Elevate Eisteddfod in Sydney, winning the Most Outstanding Performance in her age category (15-18yrs). It was for her contemporary vocal performance of Sarah Bareilles’ song, “She Used to Be Mine” from the musical “Waitress”. The eisteddfod focuses on self improvement and growth, offering workshops and industry support to […]
Four public preschools announced across the Mid North Coast
FOUR brand-new public preschools are set to be operational on the Mid North Coast by early 2027. Each preschool will be co-located with an existing public primary school. The four public preschools will be built at Bowraville Central School, Moorland Public School, Tacking Point Public School, and Taree Public School. Once open, the four sites […]
St Columba students win Global Innovators of the Year for waste reduction app
YEAR 8 students Lizzy Collett and Eloise Flower of St Columba Anglican School have been named “Global Innovators of the Year”. The prestigious win puts the pair at the pinnacle of student innovation. Run by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) through the “Go Innovate Together’ (GoIT) initiative, the competition recognises and celebrates the ingenuity and creativity […]