AN Australian-first microplastic assessment has found Coffs Creek to be one of NSW’s most contaminated coastal waterways. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has partnered with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to deliver a Broadscale Microplastic Assessment, released this week. The report ranks coastal waterways by microplastic concentration […]

WORK on a million-dollar ‘destination’ playground at Park Beach is expected to get underway this financial year. At its meeting on 26 February, Council resolved to accept the tender of For Park for the lump sum of $1,071,306 excluding GST for the design, supply and installation of the Park Beach Reserve Playground. The new facility […]

HUNDREDS of locals are set to gather at Jetty Beach on Saturday, 11 April, attempting a world record for the largest banana formation made by people. Attendees will form a giant human banana on the sand in a playful celebration of the region’s banana-growing heritage. The event, to be hosted by Channel Nine’s Jane DeGraaff […]

CITY of Coffs Harbour has outlined steps to make it easier for people to move around under their own steam in a new, 10-year plan. The “big picture” view is to improve opportunities for pedestrians, bike riders and the growing wave of users of electric mobility devices, including e-bikes. Council adopted the Active Transport Plan […]

RURAL Aid has released the third annual Pulse of the Paddock farmer survey report, offering a candid snapshot of how Australian farmers are navigating mental health, uncertainty and the realities of life on the land. Based on the experiences of nearly 1,400 farmers surveyed during October and November 2025, Rural Aid says the report shows […]

The Emerald Beach boat ramp under construction. Final touches as the turf is laid. THE new and improved Emerald Beach boat ramp is available for public use. The project ran slightly overtime but is otherwise a success for City of Coffs Harbour and NSW National Parks. It will provide reliable access to launch boats and […]

WHENEVER a major road is disrupted, it isn’t just its regular users who are inconvenienced: residents in formerly quiet, urban streets also experience significant traffic changes. Forty residents attended the Bellingen Showground Luncheon Pavilion earlier this month to air their concerns about the impact the closure of Waterfall Way is having on them. Hammond and […]

Eric Marsh completes the 2025/26 McIntyre Mini Globe Race. Coffs yachtsman Eric Marsh sails back to Antigua after 14 months. Aged 72, Eric was the oldest in the race. Eric and Brenda Marsh enjoy a welcome hug. COFFS Harbour yachtsman Eric Marsh, 72, has made it round the world. He sailed into Antigua on 10 […]

Garby Elder Aunty Deb Dootson and Ian Foskett from SANDBAG. A vocal crowd gathers for the protest at Sandy Beach Reserve. Jake Foskett says “no means no”. THE Sandy Beach community continues to make its voice heard over a controversial development proposal on the Hearnes Lake floodplain. As reported previously in NOTA,  the development application […]

SOCIAL media commentary has sparked intense discussion about the suitability of a proposed social housing development in Coffs Harbour. As previously reported in NOTA, the proposal at 211a-215 Harbour Drive comprises a four-storey building with 60 units, a communal room for residents, basement car parking and internal lifts, and landscaping and fencing across the site. […]