ENERGY retailers say they’ve been blindsided by reforms promising free electricity to hundreds of thousands of Australians during peak solar power hours. The Solar Sharer program, announced by the federal government last Tuesday, would give consumers free access to electricity for three hours each day as part of the default offer available. Households in NSW, […]

LANDHOLDERS across NSW are being encouraged to take advantage of $850,000 worth of free grain and bait on offer as part of a statewide crackdown on feral pigs. The funding is part of the Government’s Feral Pig and Pest Program with funding from the State’s more than $1 billion biosecurity budget. It is the third […]

THE National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has addressed all councils in the footprint of the Great Koala National Park (GKNP). Its key message is how access will be maintained and improved for most current users. City of Coffs Harbour councillor Tony Judge said the most notable aspect of the presentation was “their willingness to […]

Mid North Coast Group office bearers for 2026: Pauline Cain (Publicity), Chrystine Bouffler (International), Lexie Burton (Land Cookery), Tanya Jolly (State President), Carmel James (Vice President), Lynn Moore (Group President), Doreen Burns (Vice President), Yvette Smith (Social Issues), Donna Kemp (Ag and Environment), Barbara Veness (Vice President), Eunice Roberts (Secretary), Kathy Jeanes (Cultural), Janella Leotta […]

Cultural burning practices are integrated with accredited firefighting qualifications Laqueesha Laurie and her father, Dane, participated in the program (Photos: FCNSW) CULTURAL burning techniques are being integrated into government bushfire management frameworks across NSW. Funded by the Federal Government program “Fire, Country and People”, the aim is to strengthen community resilience to major bushfire events […]

RISING temperatures over Antarctica have been a major contributing factor to recent volatile weather along the East Coast, according to new information from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). A “sudden stratospheric warming” (SSW) is to blame. This is a documented weather scenario in which air temperatures high above the South Pole rise by 30 degrees […]

A NEW online tool is available to help NSW farmers better prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters including fire, flood, and drought. The platform, called myStockPlanner, enables farmers to provide details of their farm, risks and resources to access tailored response options to consider and implement with their feed and livestock. Federal […]

SOME regional Australians may get a reprieve from the housing crisis as councils are offered interest relief to build more drains, roads, and other infrastructure. Though many parts of regional Australia have ample residential land, it often isn’t ready for development due to a lack of funding and planning for critical infrastructure, a 2024 national […]

A NEW citizen science project led by UNSW Sydney is inviting beachgoers, snorkelers and divers to spot and share photographs of seagrass flowers along Australia’s coasts. The endangered seagrass Posidonia australis forms rich underwater meadows that capture carbon, support fisheries, and help stabilise shorelines. It’s one of the most important habitats in coastal ecosystems but […]

THE North Coast has been identified by the NSW Government as a region ready to harvest the economic benefits of the growing plant-based protein sector. Plant-based protein manufacturing is the process of turning crops such as chickpeas, soybeans, lentils and grains into high-protein food products like meat alternatives, protein powders, dairy-free drinks and snacks without […]