Award-winning Norco Eat the Street unveils 2026 food, drink and entertainment lineup
Fresh from winning Silver at the NSW Regional Tourism Awards, Norco Eat the Street has confirmed its 2026 food, drink lineup.
Command centre established to coordinate winter hospital demand
NSW has established a permanent command centre to coordinate hospital demand this winter as influenza cases and emergency department presentations continue rising.
State Government moves to strengthen fisheries enforcement powers
The State Government will introduce new laws to strengthen fisheries enforcement, targeting illegal fishing, black market seafood sales and marine habitat protection.
New director focused on shaping Coffs Harbour’s next chapter
New Planning and Communities Director Ian Fitzgibbon wants to help shape Coffs Harbour’s growth while preserving the city’s character.
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Local News
Maclean High teacher honoured with prestigious NSW education award
Maclean High School teacher Liza Hamilton has been recognised as one of only nine recipients across the state to receive the prestigious NSW Secretary Award for Excellent Service at the 2026 NSW Public Education Awards, held in Sydney last night.
Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie dive into first Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie will host their first Polar Plunge fundraising events this weekend, with locals invited to brave the winter water in support of Special Olympics athletes on the Mid North Coast.
Search begins for Clarence’s Local Woman of the Year
For the first time, Richie Williamson is handing the search for Clarence’s Local Woman of the Year over to the community. Who deserves to follow Michelle Cowan into the honour?
Missing swimmer pulled from Tweed River after overnight search
She vanished off Dreamtime Beach on Monday night. Almost 12 hours and a fleet of rescue crews later, she was found alive near a floating marker in the Tweed River.
Construction begins on Manning Hospital’s new wing
After years of community advocacy, construction has begun on Manning Hospital’s new clinical building, complete with a coronary care unit and its own mortuary.
What's On
Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie dive into first Polar Plunge for Special Olympics
Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie will host their first Polar Plunge fundraising events this weekend, with locals invited to brave the winter water in support of Special Olympics athletes on the Mid North Coast.
Search begins for Clarence’s Local Woman of the Year
For the first time, Richie Williamson is handing the search for Clarence’s Local Woman of the Year over to the community. Who deserves to follow Michelle Cowan into the honour?
Two nights, two vibes: Bellingen’s Beyond Jazz Weekender is back
Bellingen Memorial Hall will transform into a jazz club for two nights this month, with the Beyond Jazz Weekender returning for its second year on Friday, 14 August and Saturday, 15 August.
Lifestyle
NSW funds vet scholarships as Canberra leaves students out
NSW is offering scholarships to 94 vet students to do their prac in regional areas. The AVA says the Federal Government just left the same students off a new list of ten professions getting paid prac.
Clean energy body admits trust problem, proposes royalty scheme
The Clean Energy Council admits regional Australia doesn’t trust renewables, but it’s solution is not likely to fix the problem.
NSW Farmers moves to strip MLA of NLIS database project
NSW Farmers moved to ask the government to strip MLA of the NLIS database uplift project at last week’s conference, after years of what one delegate called “lip service” from the agency running it.
Environment
Confusion reigns over new forest carbon credit scheme
Farmers, foresters and green groups are all furious about a new forest carbon credit scheme, just not for the same reasons. Here’s what it means for the North Coast.
Lismore households throw away $670,000 in container refunds as recoverable waste fills red bins
Lismore households discarded an estimated $670,000 in container refunds while nearly half their red-bin waste was recoverable, audit.
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT
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.
Tow World trusted for honest service and practical know-how
Helping people tow, travel and explore with confidence is what drives the Tow World team every day – and they’re expanding their service capacity with a move to new premises.
HEALTH
‘I’m living the dream’: Tweed woman returns to thank clinicians after kidney transplant
A Tweed woman who spent five years on dialysis has reunited with the clinicians who cared for her after a life-changing kidney transplant.
EDUCATION
More health students to get paid prac
Ten more health courses will get paid prac placements from next year, but is $338.60 a week enough?
POLITICS
Regional councils claim historic win in national funding shake-up
A new national deal has just delivered a big funding win for councils. Here’s what mayors and MPs say it means for your rates, roads and jobs.
INDIGENOUS
New initiative puts Aboriginal communities in the driver’s seat of licensing support
Transport for NSW is launching an Australian-first program training Aboriginal driving instructors to expand culturally safe licensing support statewide.
CRIME
NSW reviews assault survivor privacy laws
NSW is reviewing whether sexual assault survivors’ therapy notes should be able to be used against them in court, after victim-survivors and counsellors spoke out.
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- QW: Lismore Alliance doesn’t speak for me
Re: CSIRO report provides roadmap for flood resilience As a long-term business owner and operator in Lismore, I can confirm there is as much diversity of opinions within the Northern Rivers “business community” as there is outside the ‘business community”. The Lismore Alliance does not speak for me or my business, primarily because I have The post QW: Lismore Alliance doesn’t speak for me appeared first on North Coast Times Engage.
