Hundreds of police athletes descend on Port Macquarie for basketball championships
Hundreds of police athletes have arrived in Port Macquarie for a five-day basketball championship, with local juniors also set to benefit.
Ashlee Rugendyke crowned 2026 Lismore Young Woman of the Year
Lismore’s next generation of community leaders has been recognised, with Ashlee Rugendyke crowned the 2026 Lismore Young Woman of the Year.
Our House 2 plan would add 30 units for patients near Lismore Base Hospital
A quarter of requests for a bed at Lismore’s Our House can’t be met. A plan for 30 more units for patients and families is about to go to council, and it needs backers.
New $6.2 million Murwillumbah SES facility taking shape
A new $6.2 million Murwillumbah SES headquarters is taking shape, strengthening flood and storm response capabilities across the Tweed region.
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Local News
Northern Rivers community projects receive $30,000 to boost mental wellbeing
Three Northern Rivers community groups will share $30,000 in Australia Post grants to strengthen mental wellbeing, disaster recovery and community connections.
Northern Rivers businesses to benefit from $20 million skills investment
Northern Rivers businesses and workers will benefit from a $20 million training boost as apprenticeship numbers recover from the 2022 floods.
New $13 million emergency operations centre strengthens Clarence Valley disaster response
A new $13 million emergency operations centre at Glenugie will boost the Clarence Valley’s ability to respond to natural disasters.
Byron councillor Janet Swain to run for Labor in Ballina
She teaches music, founded a festival in Brunswick Heads, and sits on Byron Shire Council. Now Janet Swain wants Ballina’s seat in NSW Parliament, with Labor’s backing for the March 2027 State Election.
Roadworks to cause delays along Waterfall Way
Motorists travelling between Raleigh and Armidale are being warned to expect delays as multiple roadworks take place along Waterfall Way later this month.
What's On
Clarence Valley projects recognised for tackling housing challenges
Two Clarence Valley Council projects aimed at fast-tracking housing development and improving approval times have been shortlisted for prestigious NSW planning awards.
Roaming concerts and Dungeons & Dragons win Nambucca grants
Three volunteer-run Nambucca Valley halls are about to host big-name music acts, and Macksville teens are getting a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. See which six projects won council grant money.
Bellingen weekend to bring MEAO veterans together for 25th anniversary
Veterans of Australia’s Middle East deployments are being invited to pack up the car and head to the Bellinger River this month, as the Bellinger River RSL Sub-Branch marks 25 years since Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan began.
Lifestyle
Bellingen and Dorrigo pools reopen for summer season
Bellingen and Dorrigo pools have reopened for summer, offering swimming programs, upgraded facilities and recreational activities for local residents.
SBM26: Tech help, personal service and poetry
Today for Small Business Month, we’re celebrating three very different businesses making a difference: practical tech support that makes life easier and more accessible, a family cleaning and pest control business built on personal service, and a unique regional venue keeping Australian poetry and performance alive.
SBM26: Fit, chilled and financed
Today for Small Business Month, we’re celebrating three very different local businesses that each have a specialist niche: staying fit by dancing, cool rooms on the move, and finance solutions for business.
Environment
Browns Creek Pump Station upgrade to boost Lismore flood resilience
Construction will begin early next year on a $16.5 million upgrade to Lismore’s Browns Creek Pump Station, more than doubling its stormwater capacity.
Northern Rivers tap water ranks third in national taste test
Our tap water just ranked third in Australia! Northern Rivers water from Rocky Creek Dam took on the nation’s best in a blind taste test. So who beat us?
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
Ballina residents asked to help shape future health services
Ballina residents are being invited to help shape future health services as planning begins for the region’s growing and ageing population.
EDUCATION
Principal swaps office for classroom in Port Macquarie student shadow day
A Port Macquarie school principal has swapped his office for a Year 9 desk, spending a full day walking in a student’s shoes to better understand what school life is really like for them.
POLITICS
Kempsey councillor’s “bashed” comment was real, investigator finds
An investigator says Kempsey councillor Noel Selby did post “pity he hadn’t bashed you” on Facebook, after he said it was posted without his consent. Now the council must decide what comes next.
INDIGENOUS
Mid North Coast girls make football history in Dubbo
Nine girls from Birpai Country designed their own jerseys and are about to make Mid North Coast football history in Dubbo. Now their families need the community behind them.
CRIME
Driver charged over alleged hit-and-run following fatal Eungella shooting
A 39-year-old man has been charged after allegedly pursuing and running over another man following a fatal shooting near Murwillumbah last year.
Engage is our hub for opinion, letters, comments and ideas.
On North Coast Times engage now
- 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.
