Andy and Scrubby are excited about their big walk. Their route will traverse all mainland states and the Northern Territory. COFFS Harbour local Andy Stewart is attempting to join a group of just eight people officially known to have walked unaccompanied and unsupported around mainland Australia. Setting off in just a few days, Andy’s journey […]

ALARM bells are ringing after the release of statewide Landcover and Tree Study (SLATS) data. It shows that 66,498 hectares of native vegetation, including 32,847ha of forest and woodland, was cleared across NSW in 2023, compared to the clearing of 47,388ha of native vegetation and 21,137ha of forest and woodland in 2022. This represents a […]

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a greater role for the government in childcare as he prepares to push through legislation tightening up the sector following horrifying allegations of child abuse at Melbourne early learning centres. Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he’d […]

WITH droughts on one side of the country, floods on the other, and political volatility overseas, Australia’s agriculture industry has been right in the thick of it. But there is reason for “cautious optimism” in the $90.7 billion sector as uncertain conditions create both threats and opportunities for the nation’s producers, according to Bendigo Bank’s […]

NSW LANDHOLDERS are being asked to report their livestock numbers and land use information as part of Local Land Services’ annual farm census. The Annual Land and Stock Return collects information that helps shape the delivery of animal health and biosecurity services and prepare for emergencies such as bushfires and biosecurity outbreaks. Landholders must lodge […]

An area previously occupied by homeless people is now fenced off, forcing them to move to unsafe places. Signs on the Jetty carpark fence make it clear that rough sleepers are not welcome. LOCAL homelessness services believe the number of people sleeping rough in Coffs Harbour is being significantly undercounted. Frontline workers say that many […]

Transport engineering expert, Dr Elnaz Irannezhad from UNSW’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The freight industry is under growing pressure as it struggles to align with Australia’s sustainability targets. Photo: NSW Government. FREIGHT is critical to Australia’s economy but a University of NSW (UON) expert is warning the industry is falling behind on the […]

Htun had the opportunity to meet others advocating for multicultural issues, including advisory board member Malaemie Fruean OAM. Community representatives from across the region attended the forum. A RECENT community consultation by Multicultural NSW, held in Grafton, provided a valuable opportunity for the Coffs Harbour community to provide a voice on the future of multicultural […]

Andy and Scrubby face the journey with courage. Andy and Scrubby hit their stride in training. Locals Ange and Craig Hurst, with pup Betty, are keen to learn more about Andy’s mission. The map on the trailer shows how far they’ll go. The sign says it all. TO MARK his 60th birthday, local Andy Hope […]

THE Minns Government is extending free vehicle access to National Parks to all Commonwealth Veteran Card holders. Park entry fees for motor vehicles apply at 45 of NSW’s 895 national parks and reserves. A 2025-26 budget measure will enable veterans from around Australia to apply for a pass to enter for free. The pass is […]