Artist Jenny McCracken and visiting student Charlie Haberstock. Photo: Julie Overton. Artist Jenny McCracken led the workshop. Photo: Julie Overton. YOUTH Week 2026 has officially kicked off in Paterson with a vibrant, community-driven art workshop celebrating a key part of the town’s unique agricultural heritage. Organised by Paterson Community Builders, the Youth Week launch event […]
CPL Vince Holmes, 36th Battalion. Photo: D Rubenis. PTE Geoff Holmes, 36th Battalion. Photo: D Rubenis. PTE Herbert Clarence Mate, 34th Battalion. Photo: Harrower Collection. The Honour Roll at Wallarobba Memorial Hall. Photo: MN Holmes. THE small locality of Wallarobba, like every other town and village throughout Australia, had men who volunteered to serve in […]
Alex Daughtrey, Beryl Rumbel, Thea Rumbel, Shirley Daughtrey and Natalie Rutherford with volunteers Jenny Cox and Bernadette Skuse (back).
THE Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers group hosted a free morning tea for the community on Saturday 18 April at the Dungog CWA Hall. The group provides free services for local people diagnosed with a life-limiting illness across the local government area. Family and friends are also provided assistance through services such as carer support […]
The long-period comet C/2025 R3 has returned after an absence of roughly 170,000 years.
A VISITOR from the deep past is about to grace Australian skies. For those willing to rise before dawn, it offers something close to time travel. The long-period comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) – last seen when humans were shaping stone tools and learning to master fire – has returned after an absence of roughly 170,000 […]
FEDERAL Member for Lyne Alison Penfold MP is encouraging local students to take part in the 2026 Anzac Day Schools’ Awards, a national competition recognising outstanding learning and engagement with Australia’s defence service history. Hosted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the awards celebrate the work of students and teachers across schools and other educational […]
Sailor Ruth Boydell has released a compelling memoir covering her adventures across the globe. Photo: Galen Boydell.
HUNTER-BASED sailor and death doula Ruth Boydell has released a memoir, “Rocking the Boat: A Life in Three Voyages”, outlining global ocean adventures in the days before GPS and chartplotters. Ruth’s story begins at the age of 17, when she joined a thirty-something Englishman who was single-handing a sailboat around the world. The adventures came […]
EMERGING filmmaker and local historian, Jacob Ure, 24, shared his unique approach to uncovering and telling hidden local stories at a Youth Week workshop held on Sunday in Paterson. Invited by Paterson Community Builders, Jacob – the creator of local history platform Our Past – delivered an engaging session focused on how he creates compelling, […]
Philanthropy Australia pushes for donations to be equal. Photo: Julia M. Cameron.
HUNTER residents, like most in regional Australia, are known for helping others in need. But changes to charity funding rules have led to concerns that the system isn’t working as well as it could. The Federal Government has announced that “Giving Funds” will be required to distribute six percent of assets each year, up from […]
