Caravan hire comes to national parks
No caravan, no tent, no worries. Hire one and set up camp at 16 NSW national park campgrounds, with bookings opening in November. Tent hire is already back at The Basin.
Free fitness and wellness open day coming to Goonellabah
Goonellabah residents can explore new fitness activities for free at GSAC’s Fitness and Wellness Open Day on 31 October.
Two lives lost in separate North Coast crashes
Two families are grieving after separate crashes on the North Coast. One driver died at the scene at Fingal Head. A woman died in hospital more than two weeks after a crash at Herons Creek.
Farm inspections aim to protect workers and honest businesses on Mid North Coast
A crackdown on Mid North Coast berry farms aims to protect local jobs, stop worker exploitation and ensure honest businesses aren’t disadvantaged.
Local News
More than $11 million invested in MidCoast parks and outdoor spaces
More than $11 million has been invested in parks, playgrounds and outdoor recreation facilities across the MidCoast over the past three years, delivering major upgrades to community spaces.
Coffs Harbour adopts its first Aboriginal strategy
Coffs Harbour’s streets and buildings could soon carry Aboriginal names. The city’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy has 38 actions, and the Mayor says it is “more than just a document”.
New flood-resilient Aboriginal health hub opens in Lismore
After the 2022 floods wrecked its services, Lismore’s Rekindling the Spirit has a $4.4 million flood-resilient home. Its CEO says it took more than 35 years of fighting for a dedicated health service.
Bangalow Show celebrates 125 years of country tradition
The Bangalow Show will celebrate its 125th show on Friday, 13 November and Saturday, 14 November at the Bangalow Showgrounds on Market Street.
Young writers make a splash in National Water Week competition
Young writers across the MidCoast have made a splash in this year’s National Water Week Junior Writing Prize, with three students taking out top honours in the competition’s biggest year yet.
What's On
Bangalow Show celebrates 125 years of country tradition
The Bangalow Show will celebrate its 125th show on Friday, 13 November and Saturday, 14 November at the Bangalow Showgrounds on Market Street.
Young writers make a splash in National Water Week competition
Young writers across the MidCoast have made a splash in this year’s National Water Week Junior Writing Prize, with three students taking out top honours in the competition’s biggest year yet.
MidCoast Council leader recognised at NSW women in local government awards
MidCoast Council’s Tracey Hamer has been highly commended at the 2026 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government for her contributions.
Lifestyle
Flood refuge reborn as Evans Head holiday hotspot
From flood refuge to holiday hotspot. A $2.5 million makeover has turned the Evans Head site that sheltered families after 2022 into tiny homes and camp sites.
Grafton set to turn purple as Jacaranda Festival opens
Thousands of jacaranda trees in bloom will turn Grafton purple when the Jacaranda Festival opens on Friday, 23 October. The celebration runs until Sunday, 8 November.
NSW tops Australia for food tourism
NSW has been named Australia’s food tourism capital, with visitors spending more than $12 billion. See what they are eating, and which regional food events are drawing the crowds.
Love Island Australia villa in Byron hinterland sells for about $6 million
Amileka, the Federal home used as the villa in the 2021 series of Love Island Australia, has sold. The series was hosted by Sophie Monk, and the most recent price guide for the home was $6 million.
SBM26: Rustic style, craft beer and finance made simpler
Today for Small Business Month, we’re celebrating three businesses with very different ways of making a difference: a bush camping escape offering granite landscapes and country hospitality, a children’s clothing brand inspired by life on the farm, and a counselling practice helping young people and families find support that works for them.
Coffs MP warns of costs in reusable cup plan
A $22,000 fine for forgetting to offer a reusable cup in the morning rush? Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh says Labor’s plan hands cafés yet another cost, and Labor and the Greens rejected every amendment.
Environment
Why can’t we get this done? Oven Mountain latest renewable project to falter
The latest announcement of a renewable project to fail is the one that no one expected. Questions are being asked about whether the NSW Government is to blame, or if there is a bigger problem about how we do large infrastructure in this country.
Tree vandals face $500,000 penalties
Poison a tree and you could pay $500,000. New laws will let councils chase tree vandals through the courts for the first time, on public and private land.
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT
A new chapter in coastal living begins at Valis
Downsize your home, not your life. A $180 million community of 159 homes is rising in North Boambee Valley, complete with a clubhouse, pool, pickleball courts and cinema at its heart.
New England Business Technology: the local team behind smarter business systems
New England Business Technology (NEBT) is focused on helping organisations “do business better” through tailored technology and communication solutions designed specifically for regional conditions.
HEALTH
More GPs worried about misinformation
AI is making health misinformation harder to spot, and more GPs are feeling it. New survey figures show a sharp jump in doctors worried about what patients are reading online.
Premature babies spared Gold Coast trips by $120,000 eye scanner
Tiny babies at risk of losing their sight no longer face a trip to the Gold Coast. A $120,000 community effort has put a portable eye scanner into Northern Rivers hospitals.
POLITICS
NSW first to sign new Free TAFE deal
NSW is first to sign the new five-year Free TAFE deal, with $560 million and about 160,000 places from 2027 aimed at housing, energy, digital skills, and essential care.
Want to be a Coffs councillor? Get the inside look
Fancy a seat at the Coffs Harbour council table? A free session on 28 October will show would-be candidates what the job really involves before the 12 December by-election.
SPORT
Marist Rams launch women’s tackle team
After years of waiting, Lismore will have a senior women’s tackle league team in 2027. More than 20 women have already put their hand up for the Marist Brothers Rams. Could you be next?
CRIME
Tuncurry man charged over weapons haul
Knives, knuckle dusters, a stolen caravan, and six replica pistols. Police say a Strike Force Ontar raid on the Manning Great Lakes has led to 10 charges and a refusal of bail.
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- Opinion | Keeping the Light on the Hill burning
Denise asks what is government actually for? It is a question worth asking at a time when politics increasingly seems to be about outrage, grievance, personalities and winning the daily argument on social media. The post Opinion | Keeping the Light on the Hill burning appeared first on North Coast Times Engage.
