NATIONALS Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has called the Labor Government’s Federal Budget a “bloodbath for regional Australia”. In her response to Labor’s Federal Budget, delivered by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on 12 May, Ms Penfold said regional and rural communities like those in Lyne had been left behind. “Budgets can make or break the ability […]

Chichester Dam, April 2026. Grahamstown Dam, April 2026. HUNTER Water is urging customers to make smart water choices as the Lower Hunter records its highest April water usage in 20 years, alongside declining dam levels and ongoing dry conditions. Residential water use topped 3.7 billion litres in the month, equating to 189 litres per person […]

MORE than 708 drivers have been detected allegedly driving with drugs in their systems during a statewide police traffic operation. Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers), which ran from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 May, focused on roadside testing to identify people who may be driving while affected by alcohol and drugs. During the operation, […]

WITH dry seasonal conditions being experienced in many parts of the region, Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) is urging producers to act early on feral pig control. As feed and water become limited, feral pigs are concentrating around remaining resources, increasing the risk of damage to crops, pastures and infrastructure, and putting additional pressure on […]

LONG before humans walked on the Moon and planted their footprints in lunar dust, others made the journey first – silently, bravely, and often without return. Animals were the earliest pioneers of spaceflight, sent ahead to answer a simple but vital question: could life survive beyond Earth? The story begins in 1947, not with a […]

Mayor Digby Rayward with NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison, Labor spokesperson for Upper Hunter Emily Suvaal MLC, and local schoolchildren on the new bridge. The Clarence Town community is celebrating the progress with their bridges. Local schoolchildren are some of the first to cross the bridge, alongside project team members and local politicians. THE first […]

THE first ever climate change case to reach the High Court of Australia will be heard on Wednesday, 13 May. The landmark moment will set a national precedent on whether Australian planning authorities are legally required to consider the local climate impacts of fossil fuel project approvals. The case, MACH Energy Australia Pty Ltd v […]

THE 2026 Census is less than 100 days away, with Census night to be held on Tuesday 11 August 2026. The Census is an important tool for regional and rural communities, as it shows what local areas need to help them grow, including transport, schools, healthcare, roads and buildings. Emily Walter, Census National Spokesperson, said […]

SOME 30 percent of Hunter locals are more concerned about climate change than they were a year ago, a new poll has revealed. The polling of 302 Hunter residents, completed on 20 March, was part of a broader poll of 1,965 residents across key renewable energy zones. Renew Australia for All commissioned research firm 89 […]

HUNTER Water has begun supplying drinking water from the Tomago Sandbeds to supplement surface water storages as dam levels continue to decline across the Lower Hunter. Overall water storages have reduced by more than 20 percent since the start of November due to below-average rainfall, with storages currently around 63.7 percent capacity. The Bureau of […]