Coffs Harbour plans and budget open for community feedback
Coffs Harbour residents are invited to comment on a draft plan outlining the City’s spending, services and infrastructure priorities.
Driver charged after alleged hit-and-run while drunk and stoned
Police allege a driver hit another car twice and fled before returning a 0.181 reading and testing positive to cannabis and cocaine at Tweed Heads.
Gloucester Creatives turns former garden centre into thriving community hub
A former garden centre is now a thriving creative hub, with Gloucester Creatives bringing together more than 70 local artists and makers.
Tree Farmer: A new resource for North Coast landholders
A new hub will help North Coast landholders understand and engage with emerging environmental markets and natural capital opportunities.
Local News
$6.5m infrastructure boost proposed for Woolgoolga
Coffs Harbour City Council has proposed a $6.5 million infrastructure upgrade for West Woolgoolga. Read more here.
From market stalls to gallery walls: Mirabela Varga’s Coherence now showing at Byron Spaces Gallery
Local artist Mirabela Varga presents Coherence at Byron Spaces Gallery, exploring calm and emotional connection through textured works.
$2.46m NHMRC grant to expand national program helping Indigenous mothers quit smoking
A $2.46 million NHMRC grant will expand a national program helping Indigenous women quit smoking during pregnancy.
Community invited to shape Ballina Shire’s future as draft plans go on exhibition
Ballina Shire residents are being urged to help shape the region’s future, with Council’s draft plans now open for community feedback.
Council begins early planning for potential Blakebrook landfill site
Lismore City Council has begun investigating Blakebrook Quarry as a potential future landfill site, as it plans for the region’s waste needs beyond the next decade.
What's On
Happy Mother’s Day! What’s on across the North Coast to celebrate Mums
Mother’s Day across the North Coast is set to bring a wide mix of community events, coastal experiences, creative workshops, markets and live entertainment.
Much-loved Rous Bonfire Night set to light up the region again
One of the Northern Rivers’ most cherished community events is set to return next month, with Rous Public School’s Bonfire Night marking an impressive 45 years.
Geetanjali Shree and Trent Dalton lead the 30th Byron Writers Festival
Byron Writers Festival is set to return to Byron Bay from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 August 2026, with today marking the unveiling of the first group of authors confirmed for the program, alongside a limited release of three-day passes.
Stitched with Intention: The Story of Cotton Whimsy Studio
On the Coffs Coast, where creativity meets conscious living, Cotton Whimsy Studio is quietly redefining what it means to wear and gift with intention.
We’re celebrating all the great locally made products on the North Coast. Whether you grow it, brew it, stitch it, mould it, build it, or any other way you make it, we want to tell the world about it! Nominate your business or creations now.
Lifestyle
Happy Mother’s Day! What’s on across the North Coast to celebrate Mums
Mother’s Day across the North Coast is set to bring a wide mix of community events, coastal experiences, creative workshops, markets and live entertainment.
Bundjalung arts leader honoured and remembered at inaugural Luminas awards
Bundjalung woman and nationally acclaimed arts executive Rhoda Roberts AO has been posthumously recognised at the 2026 Luminas awards, following her passing in March.
Handcrafted calm: Rhondalas Mandalas brings mindful beauty to the North Coast
A passion for creativity, mindfulness and meaningful design is at the heart of Rhondalas Mandalas, a small North Coast business transforming simple spaces into places of calm and beauty.
Climate concern rising in regional Australia, poll finds
Climate concern is rising in regional Australia, with most residents backing renewables and blaming energy companies for high power bills.
Environment
$7m boost for water security to support growing Port Macquarie-Hastings community
A $7 million investment will boost water security and enable more than 5,300 new homes across Port Macquarie-Hastings communities.
Keep your old clothes out of landfill with new drop-off recycling
Got clothes you don’t wear? Ballina’s new drop-off day makes it easy to recycle them — without leaving your car.
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT
Restoring the Past, Reimagining the Future at Jolly Good Emporium
Behind the doors of 168–170 Beardy Street, a 150-year-old building is being lovingly restored and reimagined, not simply as an antiques store, but as a heritage-inspired space where history, craftsmanship and community…
Unleash epic adventures with the X Series RV Toy Hauler X Terra from Tow World
Whether you’re chasing rugged trails, beachside sunsets, or mountainside campfires, the Tow World X Series RV Toy Hauler X Terra is your ticket to a life lived outside the ordinary. Designed for…
HEALTH
Call for nominations for 2026 Healing Heart Award
Public nominations are now open for the 2026 Healing Heart Award, recognising outstanding nurses and midwives across Northern NSW for compassionate, high-quality care.
EDUCATION
Much-loved Rous Bonfire Night set to light up the region again
One of the Northern Rivers’ most cherished community events is set to return next month, with Rous Public School’s Bonfire Night marking an impressive 45 years.
POLITICS
Coalition migration policy widely condemned as bad for regional Australia
The Coalition’s hardline migration policy is drawing fierce criticism, with warnings it ignores the proven success of regional settlement and risks hurting our communities that rely on it.
INDIGENOUS
Outback search for missing girl ends in tragedy
Police have found the body of a five-year-old girl after a massive outback search, confirming fears the suspected abduction ended in tragedy.
CRIME
Four men to face court over alleged Wauchope pub brawl
Four men have been charged and will face court following an alleged affray at a licensed premises in Wauchope on the NSW Mid North Coast last year.
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- Marketing Clarity: How to use AI for content without getting it wrong
Ingrid Rothe says AI is incredibly efficient at producing average - you need to give it a better brief to get better results. The post Marketing Clarity: How to use AI for content without getting it wrong appeared first on North Coast Times Engage.
Good News
Local woman smashes military glass ceiling
Kyogle born and former 12/16 Hunter River Lancers reservist Lieutenant General Susan Coyle will be the first ever female Chief of Army.
Maclean stalwart honoured for decades of community service
A Maclean community stalwart has been honoured for more than 60 years of service at this year’s Highland Gathering.
Top state honour for Lismore health professional
Lismore podiatrist Helen McGregor has been named NSW Allied Health Professional of the Year.
Celebrating 40 Years of Caring: Coffs Harbour Women’s Health Centre marks a milestone
For four decades, the Coffs Harbour Women’s Health Centre has been a cornerstone of support, care, and advocacy for women and gender-diverse people across the Mid North Coast.