Shannon’s year in review

OVER the past year, reporting for News Of The Area has given me a front-row seat to something quietly powerful unfolding across Dungog and its surrounding villages: a renewed confidence in community, creativity and connection.

One of the clearest signs of this has been the appetite for live music.

From the unmistakable harmonies of The Spooky Men’s Chorale to the sell-out Johnny Cash and June Carter Story, shows at The James Theatre have demonstrated that locals are not only hungry for high-quality performances, but deeply committed to supporting them.

Each packed audience told its own story: that live music remains a vital part of Dungog’s cultural heartbeat.

Change and continuity have also gone hand in hand this year.

The retirement of long-serving manager Kate Murphy marked the end of a significant chapter at Dungog Shire Community Centre, while the handover to Xavier King signalled a confident step forward.

It was a reminder that strong communities are built not just on places, but on the people who steward them.

Some of the most meaningful stories I covered unfolded in quieter spaces.

The growing attendance at the once-a-month Death Café, facilitated by Dungog Death Collective, reflected a community willing to sit with difficult conversations, and with one another, in a spirit of openness and care.

At the same time, the crowds kept growing at events like the Dungog Rodeo, Dungog Show, Run Dungog, Pedalfest and Octoberfest at Wallarobba, each gathering reinforcing the role of shared celebration in rural life.

Rounding out the year was an exciting milestone for Radio Dungog, with new studios and state-of-the-art equipment ushering in a fresh era for local broadcasting.

Taken together, these stories reveal a community that continues to show up – for music, for conversation, for celebration, and for one another.

By Shannon BENTON