Budaabang Bari Dancers performing at the Buluunggal Festival. Photo: Jessica Miller. Te Whānau Mānihera from Aotearoa performed a number of dances including a haka. Photo: Jessica Miller. Janie Smith, Nopera Pikari, Uncle Martin Ballangarry and Kiki Marama. Photo: Jessica Miller. Rhys Pavey operating Uncle Bud’s smoker. Photo: Jessica Miller. The Budaabang Bari Dancers. Photo: Jessica […]

Port Oyster Company’s Paul Wilson on the ‘farm’. Photo: Port Oyster Company/Facebook. Cowper MP Pat Conaghan with Bob St John, GM of Coffs Harbour Fisherman’s Co Op. Photo: supplied. THE loss of a key mental health program for Australia’s seafood industry has prompted urgent calls for funding to be reinstated.  Federal Member for Cowper Pat […]

Judges Michael Sprott and Annie Talve at the EJ Mantova exhibition opening. Photo: Jessica Miller. ‘The Italian Vase’ by Charlotte Craib (Marie Warwick Memorial Open Prize). Photo: Bellinger River Agricultural Society. ‘Edgeland’ by Richard Sampson took second prize in the Open category. Photo: Jessica Miller. BELLINGEN community members were treated to a vibrant opening night […]

NOW IN its second year of operation, the Coffs Harbour Medicare Mental Health Centre is moving to a larger, purpose-built facility, reflecting strong community demand for the free service. Clinical Services Manager and Psychologist Emma Schubert said the move comes after a busy first 18 months, in which the centre quickly outgrew its original location […]

THE coalition’s hardline migration plan has been lashed as divisive and Australia’s multicultural communities say they are tired of being dehumanised by all sides of politics.  Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a plan to boot migrants from the nation if they do not exhibit “Australian values”, shut the door on some asylum seekers and […]

Walking with a focus on world peace. Buddhist Monk Dr Louis led meditations on love and world peace. The Dhammaduta Pagoda provided a reflective setting for the walk. AT A time when global conflict and uncertainty are dominating headlines, a small group in the Coffs Harbour hinterland has taken a different approach – walking quietly […]

A NEW wave of internal migration is reshaping regional Australia, with coastal communities from Port Stephens through to the Mid North Coast continuing to attract strong interest from city dwellers. While Queensland’s Sunshine Coast remains the top destination nationally, the NSW corridor spanning Port Stephens, the MidCoast, Port Macquarie, Nambucca and Coffs Harbour is maintaining […]

BELLINGEN Shire Council is inviting community feedback on a proposed affordable housing development at Ferry Street, Urunga, marking the next step in a project years in the making. The consultation follows a Mayoral Minute passed unanimously by Bellingen Shire Council in May last year, requesting a detailed report into the legal and financial considerations of […]

Noah Yardley at ‘Encore’ – an HSC Showcase event. Photo: supplied. Noah Yardley at ‘Encore’ – an HSC Showcase event. Photo: supplied. COFFS Harbour Christian Community College student Noah Yardley was one of a handful of students around the state selected to participate in the recent HSC Performing Arts Showcase at the Sydney Opera House. […]

CHARITIES, community groups and not‑for‑profit organisations delivering community‑led projects across Essential Energy’s network area are encouraged to submit their applications for the 2026 Essential Grants program before the end of March. The program is offering grants of up to $15,000 to help eligible organisations bring their initiatives to life and deliver real benefits for people, […]