Doubling the fun for Small Business Month in 2026
Small Business Month starts on Thursday, 1 October, and this year there’s even more to celebrate across the New England and North Coast. Register your business now!
Lismore’s tiniest babies to get donated breast milk closer to home
Until now, it was only for the sickest newborns in intensive care. Now premature babies in Lismore can get donated breast milk closer to home, and one mum says every family deserves it.
Bellingen Shire calls for 2027 Community Awards nominations
Bellingen Shire residents are being urged to nominate local community champions for the council’s 2027 Community Awards.
Touchdown in Coffs: Record field hits National Youth Championships
A record 131 teams have descended on Coffs Harbour for four days of competition at the National Youth Championships.
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
LATEST NEWS
Local News
Got a big event planned for Ballina Shire? $150,000 is up for grabs
Planning something big in Ballina Shire? Council has about $150,000 on the table for festivals and events, and the clock is ticking on applications.
From concrete jungle to leafy boulevard: Coffs Harbour’s old highway gets a makeover
Big shade trees, a 40km/h zone, and a bike lane to Park Beach Plaza. Here’s how Coffs Harbour’s old highway could look once the bypass takes the traffic away.
Landholders encouraged to report plague locust sightings
Landholders across NSW are being urged to report signs of Australian plague locusts as authorities monitor activity across the state.
Lismore gets its say on 70 hectares of flood buyback land
They were once family homes. Now 70 hectares of Lismore flood buyback land needs a new future, and it could become parks, playing fields, or commercial spaces. Here’s how to have your say.
Byron Bay gears up for bumper long weekend of markets
Byron Bay will host two vibrant markets over the October long weekend, showcasing local food, music, makers and community spirit.
What's On
Got a big event planned for Ballina Shire? $150,000 is up for grabs
Planning something big in Ballina Shire? Council has about $150,000 on the table for festivals and events, and the clock is ticking on applications.
Lismore gets its say on 70 hectares of flood buyback land
They were once family homes. Now 70 hectares of Lismore flood buyback land needs a new future, and it could become parks, playing fields, or commercial spaces. Here’s how to have your say.
Casino Show returns for two big days of family fun
The Casino Show will return to the Casino Showgrounds on Friday, 9 October and Saturday, 10 October, bringing families, farmers, exhibitors and visitors from across the Northern Rivers together for two big days of entertainment
Lifestyle
Kingfish and snapper proposals put North and Mid North Coast catches in focus
Fishers along the NSW North Coast and Mid North Coast have been given more time to respond to proposed changes to Yellowtail Kingfish and Snapper fishing rules.
Farm crops could fuel the nation: report
Australia imports 80 per cent of its diesel. A new report says the answer could be growing in paddocks right now, and farmers could be the big winners.
Coffs tourism partnership takes top honours at regional business awards
A regional tourism partnership led by the City of Coffs Harbour has been recognised at the 2026 Business NSW Mid North Coast Regional Business Awards.
Environment
Wallum appeal deadline looms as bulldozers reach Brunswick Heads site
Save Wallum Inc has lost a second bid to protect the Wallum site at Brunswick Heads from clearing, after the NSW Land and Environment Court dismissed an application for an interim injunction on Tuesday, adding to a Federal Court defeat on 16 September and hardening the odds against the campaign as its 5 October appeal…
Have your say on Australia’s first solar panel recycling scheme
More than a million rooftop solar systems are ageing across NSW, and the panels are starting to pile up in landfill. A new scheme could change that for good.
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
Red Alert for blue-green algae at Lake Ainsworth
Ballina Shire Council has issued a Red Alert for potentially toxic blue-green algae at Lake Ainsworth. Here is what you need to know before swimming or fishing.
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
Johnstone back in the Clarence Valley mayor’s chair, but the fight may not be over
A hat draw gone wrong, a mayor who resigned, a general manager sacked, and now Peter Johnstone is back in the chair. But is the Clarence Valley’s mayoral mess really over?
INDIGENOUS
Mid North Coast cadet inspires health push
A Mid North Coast placement student says a hospital stay with her baby brother set her on the path to occupational therapy, as applications open for the next Aboriginal Allied Health Cadetship intake.
CRIME
Three men charged over alleged online child grooming offences
Three men have been charged with alleged online grooming and child abuse material offences following police raids at South Grafton and Forster.
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.
