“WHEN our grandson was taken, locked away in a room, we thought the Department of Community and Justice would intervene. They didn’t.” These are the words of local author Denis Bright, who saw his family torn apart by an abuser who, after the end of a toxic marriage to his daughter, attempted to get her […]

ALL NSW rivers and streams are now closed for trout fishing until the start of the October long weekend. The annual closure applies from the end of the June long weekend until the start of the October long weekend on Saturday, 3 October. The annual closure is designed to protect trout and other species during […]

FUEL prices and supply availability have negatively impacted 72 percent of Australian businesses, according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). According to Head of Business Statistics Tom Lay, the data from the Survey of Business Conditions and Sentiments helps the ABS better understand the economic impacts of the closure of […]

ROAD naming and budget reviews were on the agenda at Dungog Shire Council’s latest ordinary meeting on Wednesday 20 May. Following is a summary of some of the key matters discussed. Quarterly planning and development Council received its Quarterly Planning and Development Report for the January to March 2026 period, highlighting continued development activity and […]

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 […]