Community Archives - Dungog Shire News Of The Area

A funding boost puts rural local community halls in line for an upgrade

The upgraded Rowena Community Hall, originally built in 1934. Photo: Supplied Community Association member Vanessa Radford standing at the Rowena Community Hall. Photo: Supplied FOR many rural towns, the local hall is far more than a building. It is where neighbours gather, volunteers organise events, children perform in concerts, emergency information is shared and communities […]

Community, Local News, Regional

Dungog community rallies for iIts next generation with a new community bus

A NEW community bus is set to open doors for young people across the Dungog region, helping them access sport, education and community activities that are often out of reach due to transport barriers. Community advocate Jim Doyle said the 24-seat bus is about much more than getting from one place to another. “It takes […]

Community, Local News, Regional

Peter Gambrill and Mia Finch claim top honours at Stroud Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition

PETER Gambrill and Mia Finch claimed the Men’s Open and Women’s Open titles as hundreds of competitors and spectators gathered for the annual Stroud Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition during the town’s bicentenary celebrations. The pair emerged as the day’s top throwers at the Stroud Showground, where one of regional Australia’s most distinctive sporting […]

Community, Event, Local News, Regional

Citizen scientists photograph and catalogue fungi

THE Great Aussie Fungi Hunt 2026 is on, and community members are playing their part in a worldwide effort to catalogue mushroom species. The Great Aussie Fungi Hunt is a yearly event organised by Fungimap, a not for profit, citizen-science organisation dedicated to researching and protecting Australian fungi. One of the chief goals of the […]

Business, Community, Health, Local News, National, Regional

Seven suspected bird flu cases in native species

THE poultry industry is on alert after seven suspected bird flu cases were found in native species, potentially marking a new phase for the outbreak. The poultry industry is on alert after seven sick greater crested terns were found in South Australia’s southeast, sparking fears of a local transmission. Five were collected from Southend in […]

Business, Community, Local News, Regional

New editor for News Of The Area newspaper group

Eve with a few of her favourite things – eight different mastheads of News Of The Area. Photo: Angus Cheetham. Freckle, the sick little bird who grew up and identified as a homing pigeon, with his rescuer. Photo: Angus Cheetham. EVE Nesmith has been named Editor of News Of The Area, the family-owned independent local […]

Community

East coast NSW councils encourage residents to take the Plastic Free July pledge

THOUSANDS of Australians are being encouraged to make one simple change this month by taking the Plastic Free July pledge. Councils along the east coast of New South Wales are supporting the global campaign, encouraging residents to refuse just one unnecessary plastic item during July and help reduce plastic waste in their communities. The Plastic […]

Community

$130 million boost to make NSW national parks safer and more accessible for families

THE 2026 NSW Budget contains $130 million destined to improve visitor facilities and infrastructure across the state’s national parks network, helping meet growing demand for affordable outdoor recreation. The funding will support upgrades to walking tracks, campgrounds, picnic areas, amenities, lookouts, roads and visitor centres across NSW, while also improving accessibility and strengthening infrastructure against […]

Community

Strangler vine struck down by working bee

Members of the working bee battle the invasive strangler vine, Claw Creeper. Photos: submitted Members of the working bee battle the invasive strangler vine, Claw Creeper. Photos: submitted RIVER sheoaks and weeping lilly pilly that are hundreds of years old are being strangled by the rapidly growing and highly invasive Claw Creeper growing along the […]

Community

Give former lab rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits a forever home

RABBITS, guinea pigs, rats and mice who were formerly used in research are now up for adoption and looking for their forever homes as pets and competitions. The Liberty Adoption Centre, at Wyong, on the Central Coast, is now home to Australia’s first adoption centre for small animals transitioning out of research facilities into the […]