Blueberry pickers waited up to 31 months for pay: Coffs Harbour labour hire company and director hit with $75,600 penalty
Two migrant blueberry pickers. Two ignored orders to pay them what they were owed. Now a labour hire company and its director are facing a $75,600 bill from the court.
Quandamooka artist Kieron Anderson wins $20,000 Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award in Lismore
A Quandamooka artist has claimed $20,000 and one of Australia’s top Indigenous art prizes in Lismore. See the winning work, Medicine man, and the finalists, free, until February.
Man dies, toddler fighting for life after Fishermans Reach water tragedy
Bystanders rushed to pull a man and a toddler from the water at Fishermans Reach this morning. The man could not be saved, and the little boy is now fighting for life.
Clunes writer, 86, among 12 North Coast voices in Seniors’ Stories
From Byron Bay to Bulahdelah, 12 North Coast seniors have stories in this year’s Seniors’ Stories. Meet the Clunes writer, 86, behind Queenie, and the locals sharing the pages with her.
LATEST NEWS
Local News
No-cost appointments for long-acting contraception, with outreach to rural and regional women
An IUD or implant can cost more than $300 just to have fitted at a private clinic. Now the appointment is free, and outreach is taking it to rural and regional women.
Four Northern Rivers artists open The Art Vault gallery in Lismore
Everything in this new Lismore gallery is made by the people behind the counter. Four Northern Rivers artists have joined forces to open The Art Vault, and the doors officially open this Friday.
Farm weddings and artisan food get the green light on Coffs Coast farms
Weddings in the paddock and artisan food and drink at the farm gate are now on the cards for Coffs Coast landholders. But there’s a catch, and the rules are strict.
Wallis Lake and Wallamba River locals asked: where did the water go?
Remember how high the water got last time? MidCoast Council wants your photos and stories of Wallis Lake and Wallamba River floods, and the clock is ticking.
North Coast strikes gold with 24 wins at NSW Tourism Awards
Ten golds, two Hall of Fame honours, and one operator who simply couldn’t stop winning. Find out which North Coast favourites just conquered the state’s biggest tourism awards night.
What's On
Quandamooka artist Kieron Anderson wins $20,000 Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award in Lismore
A Quandamooka artist has claimed $20,000 and one of Australia’s top Indigenous art prizes in Lismore. See the winning work, Medicine man, and the finalists, free, until February.
Wallis Lake and Wallamba River locals asked: where did the water go?
Remember how high the water got last time? MidCoast Council wants your photos and stories of Wallis Lake and Wallamba River floods, and the clock is ticking.
North Coast strikes gold with 24 wins at NSW Tourism Awards
Ten golds, two Hall of Fame honours, and one operator who simply couldn’t stop winning. Find out which North Coast favourites just conquered the state’s biggest tourism awards night.
Lifestyle
Colour Run, bananas and Healthy Harold: Kempsey’s Festival of Health is back
Kempsey is about to get covered in colour! Healthy Harold’s free Festival of Health and Colour Run hits Service Club Park this Wednesday afternoon. Here’s everything you need to know.
‘Matt Damon’s house’ at Broken Head sells for $4.65 million
The Broken Head estate locals know as “Matt Damon’s house” has sold for millions less than its original asking price.
Goonellabah pool takes centre stage in national water safety campaign
Lights, camera, splash! An Olympic champion, local swim teachers, and Lismore kids have just filmed a national water safety campaign at Goonellabah’s pool. Here’s when the whole country sees it.
Adults-only art party takes over Coffs Harbour’s YAM
No kids, no curfew, just art, cocktails and a live show from The Huxleys. Coffs Harbour’s YAM is throwing an adults-only party, and it won’t cost you a cent to get in.
Wingham Brush back open with a live view of its flying-foxes
The boardwalks are back, and there’s a new live-stream camera on the flying-fox colony. Wingham Brush has fully reopened after the May 2025 floods.
NSW grain growers gain a national voice
A harvest-time win on phosphine rules was just the start. NSW Farmers and GrainGrowers have made their alliance official, and their leaders say governments will have to listen.
Kyogle timber mill shuts its doors, and workers wait to learn if they’ll get support
Kyogle’s timber mill is gone, and up to 31 workers are out. Whether they see a cent of government support is not clear.
Environment
Coalition taskforce to hunt for new dams
One in six apples, four in 10 blocks of butter, and nearly half our pork could be imported by 2040, the Coalition warns. Its answer is more dams.
Ballina Shire landholders offered grants to bring riverbanks back to life
Got a riverbank, creek, or wetland on your Ballina Shire property? Grants are now on offer to help you restore it, but applications close on 1 December.
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
The NSW surgeries with the longest waits
Waiting more than a year for a new knee? You’re not alone. New analysis reveals the NSW surgeries with the longest waits, and the Mid North Coast hospital at the bottom of the national list.
Still waiting: no opening date for Forster–Tuncurry urgent care centre
Back in August, Forster–Tuncurry was told an urgent care announcement was “weeks away”. It’s now November. No location, no funding details, no opening date. So what’s the hold-up?
POLITICS
Lismore Nationals candidate backs adult time for serious youth crime
Break-ins, carjackings, and families lying awake at 2am. Lismore’s Nationals candidate wants serious youth offenders facing adult time, but says prevention matters too.
Councils slam developer levy delay
Labor says letting developers pay later will get homes built faster. Councils say it’s a handout that will leave regional towns short of roads, parks, and drainage.
SPORT
Ready, set, go: work starts on Lismore’s $4.5m athletics track
No more five-hour drives to Tamworth. Lismore’s $4.5 million world-class athletics track is finally underway, and it could even host international teams before Brisbane 2032.
CRIME
Police call for more care on our roads after nine die in a week
Nine dead in a week, a motorbike clocked at 216km/h, and an eight-year-old in the back seat of a car police chased to Ballina. Now police are pleading with drivers before Christmas.
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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.
