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 […]
A stinkhorn, one of many fungi that may be found in Australia. This one smells very, very bad, as the name suggests. Photo: Nico Lombardo.
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 […]
Seven suspected cases of bird flu have been detected in greater crested terns, a common coastal species in Australia. Photo: AAP Image/Andrew Stafford.
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 […]
Eve with a few of her favourite things - eight different mastheads of News Of The Area. Photo: Angus Cheetham.
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 […]
Council encourages the community to get involved in the Plastic Free July pledge. Photo: Engin Akyurt/Pexels
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 […]
Walking tracks and other amenities in NSW national parks will benefit from the funding. Photo: freepik
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Visitors can once again experience Tasmanian Devils up close when Aussie Ark resumes its popular Devils in the Wild tours at Barrington Tops in August. Photo: Aussieark.org.au
BARRINGTON Tops wildlife sanctuary Aussie Ark will welcome visitors back to its popular Devils in the Wild tours from August, following a short winter break. The fully guided two-hour experiences take guests behind the scenes of the organisation’s conservation work at its Tomalla sanctuary in the Barrington Tops. Upper Hunter MP David Layzell highlighted the […]
Dungog’s James Theatre was the venue for a celebration.
Dungog’s James Theatre was the venue for a celebration. On-stage local musician Peter Smith watches a piano duet performance. Andrew Simpson talks with Anne Fisher of Dungog by Design. Sharon and Emily at the Boomerang Bags stall. Diverse stalls manned by locals drew interest. Dungog High students played ambient music. DUNGOG advocates for ‘people and […]
