Hearnes Lake is one of the catchments being monitored. Photo: Brett Vercoe.
LOCALS have known that Hearnes Lake and other Coffs Coast catchments have contained evidence of toxic chemicals at unsafe levels for quite a while. In 2021 Hearnes Lake Catchment Management Group, under the auspices of the Sandy Beach Action Group (SANDBAG) used a $9,000 Council Environmental Levy grant to collect water samples from waterways flowing […]
Be quick - last time this program ran, all available washing machines were snapped up within a week. Image: pvproductions on Magnific.
IF you have a top-loading washing machine and are a pensioner, veteran, social housing tenant or part of a low-income household, you may be eligible to trade your machine in for a brand new 8kg water and energy-efficient front-loader for just $250. The NSW Government’s Washing Machine Exchange Program is back with another 6,000 discounted […]
THE 2026 Coffs Harbour Electorate Local Woman of the Year, Dr Rebecca Tallis was guest speaker at the Probus Club of Coffs City meeting in July. Dr Tallis spoke to the meeting about matters which affect older Australians and how times have changed. She told News Of The Area it was a pleasure to speak […]
AUGUST is Rural Road Safety month and all road users are being asked to “Join the Journey” and become road safety advocates by starting conversations and raising awareness. An initiative of the Australian Road Safety Foundation, Rural Road Safety Month is supported by Transport for NSW with the aim of helping to create safer choices […]
MOST patients surveyed about their experiences in NSW public hospitals have given positive feedback, although the latest results also point to areas where patients believe care could improve. The Bureau of Health Information’s 2025 Adult Admitted Patient Survey captured the experiences of 22,100 patients who received care at 84 NSW public hospitals between January and […]
Farmers say it’s time to end the regional mobile black spots
REGIONAL Australians are calling on the Federal Government to act now on domestic mobile phone roaming and take farmers’ connectivity concerns seriously. The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry into domestic mobile roaming but says regional communities should not have to wait any longer for things to […]
The economy appears to be slowing as expected, according to the RBA, but inflation is still too high. Image: wayhomestudio on Magnific.
THE Reserve Bank has held interest rates steady for a second straight meeting despite inflation hovering well above its target. In a unanimous decision, the central bank’s nine-member monetary policy board left the cash rate untouched at 4.35 per cent on Tuesday. The result was widely expected by economists and money markets. While the re-escalation […]
WITH Bullying No Way Week running from 17 to 21 August, families and schools are being encouraged to take a closer look at how bullying is affecting children, in the playground and online. A new national campaign, Let’s Stop Bullying, has been launched with free resources aimed at helping school-aged children, parents and carers recognise […]
Dual occupancies such as this could become more common in Coffs if the legislation is approved. Photo: Supplied.
THOUSANDS more Coffs Harbour properties could become eligible for dual occupancy development under a proposed planning change aimed at increasing the region’s housing supply. Coffs Harbour City Council has endorsed a planning proposal to remove the current 800-square-metre minimum lot size requirement for dual occupancies in R2 Low Density Residential zones. If approved by the […]
Harvey Nicholson, touted as a junior in age only, on his way to an outright win in a Subaru prepared by his father. Zahli Pell, who came 2nd in the ladies category, shared a vehicle with her father, Damien. Jett Drough, behind the wheel of the Club Car in his first-ever event. Coaching from the […]
