By Lisa WISEMAN
OVER 20 concerned pool users recently met at the Dungog Memorial Swimming Pool, calling for it to remain open for longer periods.
Currently, the pool is open six months of the year.
This year it closed just before Easter and the school holidays, when the weather was perfect for swimming.
School groups, Learn to Swim, Swimming Club, exercise groups, social and recreational groups, lap swimmers and families all use the pool.
It is important for physical therapy, mental health
THE Sydney to Grafton XPT train service is set to return from 28 April, after a year of coach replacements during fleet upgrades.
Sydney to Grafton train services - travelling through the Central Coast, Hunter and Mid North Coast - will resume from Tuesday, 28 April at 11.47am while return services from Grafton to Sydney kick off 29 April with the 5.15am service.
During the longterm absence, the train restoration work included mechanical work to improve service reliability, new carpeting and refurbished seats, and maintenance to improve operation of the air-conditioning and toilets.
The returning trains will also have a retro look.
Where
Clarence Town
Clarence Town IGA
Clarence
Clarence Town Bowling Club
Paterson
Paterson Friendly Grocer
Paterson Service Station
Paterson Country Cafe/Newsagent
Vacy
Vacy General Store
Dungog
Dungog
Dungog Newsagent
Lovey's IGA
Dowling
Dungog RSL
Long
Hidden
Bottlemart
Farmers
Royal
Gresford
Gresford
Gresford
Gresford
As a nod to the popularity of the original livery, two power carscalled 'The City of Sydney' and 'The City of Grafton' - and six carriages will be painted in the distinctive black, red, silver and warm white branding used by the State Rail Authority in the 1980s when the XPTs were first introduced into service.
will run as a full set in this livery.
The first return service of the Grafton XPT
Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said, “We made a clear commitment to the people of Grafton and communities along the line that coaches would only replace the Grafton train service for 12 months while we carried out these major upgrades.
“We have delivered on that promise.
“I want to thank the community for their patience over the past year. “It has meant we have been able to fast track the $40.3 million, five-year program to refurbish our ageing XPTs – the workhorses of our current regional rail fleet.”
FROM Page 1
connection, exercise and entertainment.
Donna van Rooyen
learned to swim as a senior at the Dungog pool. She said longer hours would give people of all ages “more opportunities
to stay healthy and fit, and give them a purpose to achieve dreams, learn to swim and stay safe in the water”.
TUES, WED & FRI
9AM - 5PM 9AM -
Numerous solutions have been raised: from opening half days, to adding several weeks at the beginning and/or end of the season.
Opening year-round is seen as the ideal, especially for people who rely on the pool for relief from serious conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or arthritis.
The problem is that the heating system is not working and Dungog Shire Council is still waiting on parts.
Michelle Dado-Millyn has been involved with the proposal for quite some years.
She presented a community petition to Council last year and has followed-up with a
survey that attracted 100 respondents unanimously in favour of keeping the pool open longer.
Michelle will be raising the issue again at an upcoming Council meeting.
The pool is owned by Council, but is operated by a contractor.
Council previously considered extending hours, but decided against it, presumably due to costs.
Pool users suggest these could be offset by government grants or community fundraising.
Anyone wanting the pool to remain open longer can lend their support by contacting Council.
By John WATTS
LIKE many other plant and animal pests, Scotch Broom was brought to Australia by the early European settlers.
Apparently, it was imported here in the early 1800s by Governor King as a substitute for hops, and being suited to some Australian conditions, it quickly spread.
This weed particularly enjoys parts of the World
Barrington Tops,
plants and animals.
The 2014 National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) Broom Management Manual explained that, at that time, it had infested about 10,000 hectares of the Tops, and approximately 4,500 hectares of the Barrington Tops National Park.
The manual spells out that a mature Scotch Broom plant
can produce over 15,000 seeds and can generate soil seed banks of up to 50,000 seeds per square metre.
For many years after 2014, there was little to no reduction in the infested area, with efforts focused primarily on containment.
The 2019–2020 bushfires triggered widespread germination, but, ironically, also created an opportunity to secure additional funding
and step up control efforts.
In mid-2024 the NPWS produced a Scotch Broom Management Strategy designed to better deal with the problem.
The Strategy’s vision is to “make the best use of resources to manage Scotch Broom effectively and efficiently within the Barrington Tops national parks, for threatened species recovery and healthy systems.”
Although it is clear that Scotch Broom can never be eliminated from the Barrington Tops, since the Strategy was prepared, with additional funding, some real progress has been made.
Gloucester National Parks Ranger Peter Beard told NOTA that the main control methods for Scotch Broom in the past had been physical removal by hand, and spraying, however recently they had been trialling larger scale removal with a mechanical muncher, and were studying the effectiveness of a biological control method in the form of a gall mite.
NOTA was invited to spend a day observing the results of the various methods of control.
It was clear that in the last couple of years a significant area around the popular Polblue swamp had been completely cleared of Scotch Broom, through the efforts of volunteers, NPWS staff and contractors.
Close to the beautiful Junction Pools the mechanical muncher had cleared broad areas, although the muncher has so far only been employed in more open country.
NOTA was shown a number of Scotch Broom
plants where gall mite had clearly impeded the growth of the infected plants, and the results, according to Peter, are promising.
Peter indicated that more Broom clearing work is in the pipeline, including trialling the muncher in more forested areas.
The plan is to first clear Broom from water courses and popular public areas and then to work outwards.
“Whether removal work can be carried out depends on many variables such as weather, access, availability of resources, plant biology and plant location,” said Peter.
“Scotch Broom can never be eliminated from the Barrington Tops, but by employing a combination of methods, some real progress is being made, but more federal and state government funding would be very welcome.”
Although much has recently been achieved, the Strategy contains this sobering message:
“However, there remains a significant need for additional funding and staff resources to reverse the impacts of many years of the growth of this vigorous weed across the park’s vulnerable ecosystems.”
THE Federal Government is providing an additional $11.7 million in funding to bolster emergency relief and financial counselling across Australia, including funds for services in Dungog and Gloucester.
A total of $8.5 million will be distributed amongst 196 Commonwealth-funded Emergency Relief providers across the country, helping them meet increased demand for their services. This funding represents
a 15 percent boost in yearly base funding for each provider, supporting families in financial stress to access support.
The Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Group will have its Emergency Relief funding reinstated after it was pulled by the Department of Social Services last year.
The Centre will receive $35,000 in 2025/26 and then $148,750 through to 2030.
The Dungog Shire
Community Centre will receive an additional $6,111 in funding on top of its current Emergency Relief funding allocation for services between now and the end of this financial year.
Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has welcomed the funding.
“These are not large amounts of money, and I wish it was more, but each dollar will help provide immediate assistance such
as food vouchers and other emergency relief to people seeking help from both community services,” she said.
“The Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Centre should never have had their funding pulled by the Department in the first place, a decision that is still not entirely clear.
“That said, I am pleased that the Minister responded to my advocacy and has put in place arrangements for the
Centre to receive the funding as soon as possible.”
Writing to the Minister for Social Services on 26 March, Ms Penfold called for an urgent increase in funding to not-for-profit community organisations under growing pressure as more Australians turn to them for support.
“With the cost-ofliving crisis made worse by fuel shortages in regional Australia, these organisations are seeing record numbers
of people seeking help and urgently need more immediate funding to keep supporting our most vulnerable community members.
“We are seeing more people than ever before who have never needed helpfamilies, workers and older Australians - now turning to these centres because they simply cannot make ends meet.”
Communities Australia (FWCA) Chair Steve Dobbyns has warned that hidden cost pressures are overwhelming regional industries.
FWCA, an advocacy body representing forestry businesses and timber industry communities, says recent fuel relief measures are failing to deliver meaningful impact for regional industries, as underlying diesel costs
continue to rise sharply across the supply chain.
While welcoming the Federal Government's decision to halve the fuel excise and scrap the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge (RUC) for three months, Mr Dobbyns said the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
“Despite promised savings of 58.7c at the bowser, diesel users are seeing prices surge to highs of $3.39/l in
regional areas,” Mr Dobbyns said.
“Even with the removal of the RUC and halving the fuel excise, the Terminal Gate Prices are still almost a dollar more than before the US-Iran conflict began,” he said.
“Operators need to find that from somewhere and they need to find it now, not just claim it back at BAS (Business Activity Statement) time.
“By then, it will be too late for some."
FWCA said wholesale diesel prices, reflected in terminal gate pricing, have surged dramatically since the onset of the conflict, with some markets jumping from around $1.60/L to over $3.00/L in a matter of weeks.
“These are the real costs driving the system,” Mr Dobbyns said.
“Terminal gate prices set the baseline for everything that follows - freight rates, contractor pricing, machinery operation and ultimately the cost of getting timber, food and goods to market.”
FWCA says focusing solely on pump price relief ignores the broader cost environment facing dieselreliant industries.
“We’ve said from the outset this isn’t just about
what you pay at the bowser.
“It’s about the full cost stack.”
Across forestry, farming and freight, Mr Dobbyns said businesses are now absorbing rising freight and haulage costs as contractors factor in fuel volatility; increased machinery operating expenses across harvesting and transport; higher parts, servicing and equipment costs linked to global supply pressures; and escalating contractor rates as fuel risk is priced into every job.
FWCA noted that even where tax relief is applied, these compounding pressures are quickly offset before any meaningful savings reach operators.
“There is a clear disconnect between policy announcements and what’s actually being experienced at the bowser in regional Australia,” Mr Dobbyns said.
“By the time relief filters through, it’s already been absorbed by higher wholesale pricing and flow-on costs across the supply chain.”
For regional industries operating on tight margins, FWCA warns the situation is becoming unsustainable.
“Forestry, farming and freight don’t have the ability to simply absorb these increases.
“These are essential industries - and they’re being squeezed from every direction.”
FWCA is calling on the Federal Government to expand its response beyond temporary tax relief and address the full economic impact of the diesel crisis.
“We need a response that reflects how these industries actually operate - where fuel is embedded across every part of the supply chain, not just the pump price.”
IT’S time for people across the Hunter to nominate family, friends or work mates for the
2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards, to help celebrate the enormous positive impact of volunteers across the state.
The awards are in their 20th year and are run by The Centre for Volunteering to recognise the outstanding work of volunteers in every region across NSW. Nominations for the
awards can be made across seven separate categories.
The 2025 NSW State of Volunteering Report revealed that volunteers across the state give 1.3 billion hours of their time to
their communities each year, contributing $205.3 billion to the NSW economy.
The Centre for Volunteering CEO Gemma Rygate said the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards celebrate
this amazing contribution.
“Volunteers in NSW do so much good for so many people every year,” Ms Rygate said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to shine a light on the positive impact of
volunteering, particularly in areas like the Hunter.
“That’s what these awards are all about.”
Last year’s Hunter Volunteer of the Year was Soul Hub Newcastle guest support worker David Dorhauer, who was recognised for his service to people in need across the city.
Minister with Responsibility for Volunteering, Jodie Harrison MP, said volunteers are a powerful force for change in our communities.
“Our state would not be the thriving place it is, without the millions of volunteers giving their time and sharing their knowledge and skills every day.
“They don’t do it for recognition or awards, but because they want to help others.
“The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are a great way to celebrate their contributions and show that they are appreciated.
“I urge people to nominate someone you know – the unsung heroes in our communities – for these awards.”
Nominations are open until Friday 29 May 2026. Visit The Centre for Volunteering website to nominate.
SATURDAY
ABC TV, 7.30pm
When a summer storm slams into Mowai Bay in this charming murder mystery’s penultimate chapter, the Blue Motel finds itself at capacity with stranded tourists. The roads are closed, the power is out and Vinny (Michala Banas) and Cole’s (Brett Tucker, pictured) conference room has become a makeshift community shelter. So, when the local radio DJ starts broadcasting “dead air”, it’s almost certain the killer is right under their noses. However, Jamie (Jayden Daniels) is beginning to doubt the retired cop couple’s credentials.
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Gardening Australia.
8.30 Patience. (Mv) A father is shot in front of his daughter.
9.20 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) Hosted by Alex Lee.
9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGls, R)
10.20 ABC Late News.
10.35 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (Ml, R)
11.15 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mav, R)
12.05 Love Me. (Ml, R)
12.50 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)
SUNDAY
NBN, 7pm
No one quite knew what to expect when this competitive trivia showdown premiered last year, but with an average 1.3 million viewers tuning in to yell answers at the screen each night, it’s safe to say Floor is on solid ground. Now, host Rodger Corser (pictured) returns with a cast of 81 clever contestants who step into the arena ready for anything: among them are Olympic gold medallist
Steven Bradbury, Survivor alum Gerald Youles and Travel Guides Kevin Moloney. A new feature – the Freeze –will be heating things up later in the season, but Sunday’s premiere raises the stakes with a bonus $20,000 prize on offer for whoever holds the most territory by episode’s end.
THURSDAY
Viewers could be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu when tuning into this new TV talk show: a handful of famous folk with projects to promote sit on a giant lounge and share personal anecdotes in front of a studio audience. Yes, it’s basically The Graham Norton Show –except this edition is hosted by The ’ Claudia Winkleman (pictured), and rather than the Irishman’s iconic red couch, hers is green velvet. After filling in for Norton last year, the whip-smart Winkleman has been entrusted with her own BBC chatfest. In this second episode, Claudia welcomes comedian Joanne McNally, actor Guz Khan, stage star Rachel Zegler and singer-songwriter Niall Horan for some cheeky conversation.
6.00 Mastermind Australia.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (PG)
8.30 A New ANZAC.
9.30 Orient Express: A Golden Era Of Travel. (PGav, R)
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 The King. (MA15+d)
11.50 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+asv, R)
2.00 Nordland 99. (Mal, R)
2.55 Mastermind Australia. (R)
3.55 Mountain Vets. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Hosted by Johanna Griggs. 7.30 Football. AFL. Round 6. Sydney v GWS Giants.
10.30 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Ml, R) The Giants face arch-rivals the Sydney Swans. 11.30 GetOn Extra. A look at the weekend’s best racing.
12.00 MOVIE: Patsy And Loretta. (2019, Masv, R) Charts the friendship between two music stars. Megan Hilty. 2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 5.00 NBC Today.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 7. Dolphins v Penrith Panthers. 9.55 NRL Friday Night Footy Post-Match. Post-match coverage of the NRL game.
10.45 MOVIE: Dog. (2022, Mdlv, R) A US Army Ranger travels with a military dog. Channing Tatum.
12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.25 BTN Newsbreak. 8.30 My Adventures With Superman. 8.50 BattleBots. 9.40 Gladiators UK. 10.40 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 The Nanny. 9.30 The Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30
6.00
Programmer. (MA15+dhlnsv) Looks at a guest programmer episode from the vault.
5.00 Rage. (PG)
6am Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Octonauts. 6.05 Knee High Spies. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club. 6.45 Supertato. 6.55 Piripenguins. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Kids Baking C’ship. 8.10 Harry Potter: Wizards Of Baking. 8.50 Caper Crew. 9.15 Mr Bean: The Animated Series. 9.40 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.20 Abbott Elementary. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Jewels Of The Mediterranean.
8.20 Magical Train Journeys In Switzerland. (R)
9.20 Jersey And Guernsey. (R)
10.15 Finding Your Roots. (PG, R)
11.15 Snowpiercer. (MA15+v, R)
1.50 Matched. (PG, R)
2.40 Mastermind Australia. (R)
3.45 Undermining Nazis: Paris’ Secret Tunnels. (PGav, R)
4.45 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.15 Euronews.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
(31)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Johanna Griggs meets Yoko Nakazawa. 8.00 MOVIE: The Greatest Showman. (2017, PGa, R) Follows the life of PT Barnum. Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams.
10.00 MOVIE: M3GAN. (2022, Malv, R) A lifelike prototype doll turns deadly. Allison Williams. 12.00 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 4. ITM Christchurch Super 440. Day 1. Highlights. 1.00 Devils. (MA15+av)
2.30 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 It’s Academic. (R) 5.00 House Of Wellness. (PG, R)
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Space Invaders. (PGl)
8.30 MOVIE: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde. (2003, PGl, R) Reese Witherspoon.
10.30 MOVIE: Magic Mike’s Last Dance. (2023, Mls, R)
12.30 Epic Builds. (R)
1.30 Open For Inspection. (R)
2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PGa)
2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R) 5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)
6.30 The Dog House. (PGa, R) Sisters want to extend their family. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (PGa) A couple decide whether to stay in their Karrinyup home. 9.30 Gogglebox Australia. (R) TV fanatics open up their living rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows. 10.30 Matlock. (PGa, R)
6am
6.30 Compass. (PGv)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 The Piano. (Final, PG)
8.25 Can You Keep A Secret? (Final, Ml) Debbie weighs up confessing.
8.55 Frauds. (Final, Mal) The day of the heist arrives.
9.40 Blue Murder Motel. (PGl, R)
10.30 Top End Bub. (PGd, R)
10.55 MOVIE: Two Hands. (1999, MA15+lv, R)
12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
3.00 Gardening Australia. (R)
4.00 Dream Gardens. (PG, R)
4.30 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R)
5.00 Insiders. (R)
6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm MOVIE: Tummy Tom 2: A New Friend For Tummy Tom. (2024) 4.30 Children’s Programs. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club. 6.45 Supertato. 6.55 Piripenguins. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 The Inbestigators. 7.45 Caper Crew. 8.05 Secrets At Red Rocks. 8.30 Animal Park.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 The Rise And Fall Of The Maya. (M)
9.20 Emperor: Rise And Fall Of A Dynasty. (MA15+v, R)
10.15 Lost Treasures Of Egypt. (PGav, R)
11.05 Putin And The West. (Mav, R)
2.30 Matched. (PG, R)
3.20 Mastermind Australia. (R)
4.25 Bamay. (R)
4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.15 Euronews.
5.30 PBS News Horizons.
Discovering Film. 6.25 Brief Encounter. (1945, PG) 8.00 Somewhere In Time. (1980) 10.00 Marie Antoinette. (2006) 12.20pm Enigma. (2001, M) 2.30 The Lady And The Highwayman. (1989, PG) 4.10 Dean Spanley. (2008, PG) 6.00 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (1968, PG) 8.35 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. (2019) 11.05 Nymphomaniac: Vol 1. (2013, MA15+) 1.10am Late Programs. 6am Dean Spanley. (2008, PG) 7.50 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (1968, PG) 10.30 The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society. (2018) 12.50pm Too Cool To Kill. Somewhere In Time. Master Cheng: A Spice For Life. Sabotage. (1936, PG) 8.30 The 10.25 Master Gardener. Late Programs.
MOVIES (32)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 The 1% Club. (Return, PGals)
8.00 7NEWS Spotlight. (Return) 9.00 Abused By Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal. (Mav, R)
10.30 24 Hours In Police Custody. (Mal, R)
11.30 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.30 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 4. ITM Christchurch Super 440. Day 2. Highlights.
1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
(2022, PG) 11.40 My Way. 11.55 Seinfeld. 12.25pm Soccer. English Premier League. Arsenal v Bournemouth. 2.25 Australian Ninja Warrior. 4.25 MOVIE: Superman II. (1980, PG) 7.00 MOVIE:
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 The Floor. (Return, PGl) 8.15 60 Minutes. Current affairs program. 9.15 Australian Crime Stories: The Investigators: Prescription For Murder. (Mav) Looks at the case of Dr Brian Crickitt. 10.20 9News Late.
10.50 The First 48. (Mav, R)
A Killer Makes A Call. (Ma, R)
Oz Off Road TV. (PGl, R)
(R)
6.00 Morning Programs. 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Landline. (R) 1.55 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) 2.30 Back Roads. (R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.25 Flower And Flour. 6.35 Big Lizard. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Gladiators UK. 9.45 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.25 Late Programs.
(R) 12.05 WorldWatch. 2.00 Finding Your Roots. (PGa, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PG, R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Tutankhamun: Secrets Of The Toxic Tomb. (PG, R) 5.05
Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News. 7.30 Australia’s Greek Cafes & Milk Bars. 8.30 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) 9.30 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M) 10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Herrhausen: The Banker And The Bomb. (Malv) 11.55 Gomorrah. (MA15+av, R)
3.05 Mastermind Australia. (R) 4.05 Mountain Vets. (PGa, R)
4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Discovering
Film. 6.25 Master Cheng: A Spice For Life. (2019, PG) 8.30 Sabotage. (1936, PG) 10.00 The Lady In The Van. (2015, M) 11.50 Godland. (2022, M, Danish) 2.25pm Dean Spanley. (2008, PG) 4.15 Limelight. (1952, PG) 6.40 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 8.30 Tigerland. (2000, MA15+) 10.25 The Fox. (2022, MA15+, German) 12.40am Rheingold. (2022, MA15+, Turkish) 3.10 Late Programs.
(2)
6.00 Morning Programs. 11.00 Judgment: Cases That Changed Australia. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (Ma, R) 2.00 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa,
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.15 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 The Slow Mo Guys’ Big Adventures. 9.05 MythBusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 9.30 BattleBots. 10.20 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys. (R)
8.30 Insight.
9.30 Dateline.
10.00 SBS World News Late.
10.30 Living Black. (R) 11.05 Exit. (MA15+ansv)
12.00 Clean Sweep. (MA15+s, R)
2.50 Mastermind Australia. (R)
3.55 Mountain Vets. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Limelight. Continued. (1952, PG) 8.20 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 10.10 A Singular Crime. (2022, M, Spanish) 12.15pm Master Gardener. (2022, M) 2.15 Discovering Film. 3.10 The Chaperone. (2018, PG) 5.05 Sabotage. (1936, PG) 6.35 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 8.30 A Woman In Berlin. (2008, Russian) 11.00 Rosenthal. (2025, M, Yiddish) 12.50am Late Programs.
MADE FRESH, MADE DELICIOUS
Chargrilled steaks Fresh Fish Pub classics Chef’s specials WEEKDAY LUNCHES
$20 meals + $5 schooner
ENTERTAINMENT
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away.
7.30 Glenn And Mick’s Celebrity Intervention. (Premiere, Mals) 8.40 9-1-1. (Masv) Maddie and Buck are blindsided by unexpected news. 9.40 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. (R) 10.40 The Agenda Setters. 11.40 St. Denis Medical. (PGal)
12.10 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. (PGa, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7MATE (64)
6am Morning Programs. 1.30pm Boating.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGav)
7.30 My Reno Rules. (Premiere, PG) Hosted by Dr Chris Brown.
9.15 House Of Wellness. (PG) A team of industry experts, media personalities and wellness advocates shares insights and experiences to highlight living well.
10.15 The Agenda Setters. 11.15 Ambulance: Code Red. (Ma, R) 12.15 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. (PGas, R) 2.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30
6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Surfing Aust. Noon MOVIE: Superman II. (1980, PG) 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Sherlock Holmes. (2009, M) 11.05 Seinfeld. 12.05am Love Island UK: All
7MATE (64)
Children’s Programs. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Jeopardy!
WHAT’S ON
Wednesday - Trivia from 6.30pm Thursday - Meat Raffle & Joker Poker from 5.30pm Sunday - Roast Lunch, Full menu also available BEHIND THE BAR
8 tap beers • Great wines • Cocktails
to keep locals and visitors coming back
TV (2)
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.45 Foreign Correspondent. (R) 11.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 1.50 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Bitesize. (R) 9.05 Matched. (PG, R) 9.55 Spectacular Railways Of The Swiss Alps. (PGa) 10.50 Scottish Vets Down Under. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Dateline. (R) 2.30 Insight. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Sri Lanka With Alexander Armstrong. (PGalv, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Chernobyl: Inside The Meltdown: Inferno. (Premiere)
9.25 The Audacity. (M) A would-be tech
titan and his therapist try to make a fortune.
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Rise Of The Raven. (MA15+av)
11.55 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (Ma)
1.50 Classified. (MA15+v, R)
3.25 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R) 1.15 Rage. (MA15+dhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Aust. (R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Steven Universe. 9.05 Adventure Time. 9.30 Teen Titans Go! 9.50 Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl. 10.15
THURSDAY,
TV (2)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
Cycling. UCI World Tour. Fleche-Wallonne Men’s Race. 12.45am Cycling. UCI World Tour. Fleche-Wallonne Women’s Race. 2.15 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa)
7.30 My Reno Rules. (PGl) Hosted by Dr Chris Brown.
9.15 The Front Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher take a lighter look at all things AFL.
10.15 To Be Advised.
11.25 The Agenda Setters.
12.25 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Ml)
1.45 Kochie’s Business Builders. (R)
2.30 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
6am Australia’s Deadliest. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s Practice. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Business Builders. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon My Reno Rules. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Rookies. 4.30
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Events That Changed Australia. (Ml)
8.30 Outback Murder Highway. (Premiere, Masv)
9.30 The Killer Interview With Piers Morgan. (MA15+av, R)
10.30 9News Late.
11.00 Freddy And The Eighth. (Ml)
11.50 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
12.40 Pointless. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
2.30 Global Shop. (R)
3.00 TV Shop. (R) 4.00 Skippy. (R) 4.30 ACA. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.
6am The
Chaperone. Continued. (2018, PG) 7.50 Discovering
Film. 8.35 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 10.30 Within Sand. (2022, M, Arabic) 12.40pm Speed Kills. (2018, M) 2.35 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 4.25 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 6.20 The Giants. (2023, PG) 8.30 The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. (2008, M) 10.20 Sasquatch Sunset. (2024, M) 11.55 Late Programs.
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.30 The Weekly. (Final, Ml, R) 11.00 QI. (Ml, R) 11.30 Can You Keep A Secret? (Final, Ml, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Frauds. (Final, Mal, R) 1.45 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Aust. (PG, R) 3.55 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 7.30.
8.00 Back Roads.
8.30 Grand Designs. (PG)
9.15 The Piano. (Final, PG, R) 10.15 ABC Late News.
10.30 The Business. (R)
10.45 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PG, R)
11.30 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R)
12.20 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R)
5.00 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R)
5.30 7.30. (R)
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Matched. (PG, R) 9.50 Spectacular Railways Of The Swiss Alps. (PG) 10.50 Scottish Vets Down Under. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.05 Rhoda Roberts AO: A Lasting Legacy. (PG, R) 3.30 Living Black. (R) 4.00 Destination Flavour. (R) 4.10 Sri Lanka With Alexander Armstrong. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Seven News With Alex Cullen. 1.10 Blankety Blank. (PGas, R) 2.00 Bridge Of Lies. 3.00 The Chase. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00
6.00 Mastermind Australia.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 William And Kate: A Royal Wedding.
8.30 Secrets Of Flying Scotsman. (R)
9.30 Riot Women. (Malsv)
10.35 SBS World News Late.
11.05 Under The Bridge. (Ml)
12.00 Bonn. (Msv, R)
1.55 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a, R)
2.50 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
3.55 The Zelensky Story. (Ml, R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (PG, R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
6am WorldWatch. 11.00 The Movie Show. 12.10pm WorldWatch. 12.40 Alone. 1.55 UFOs: Investigating The Unknown. 2.45 Insight. 3.45 News. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.30 American Godfathers: The Five Families. (Premiere) 10.10 The UnXplained. 11.00 Theatres Of War. 12.35am Late Programs.
SBS MOVIES (32) SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Discovering
Film. 6.45 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 8.40 The Giants. (2023, PG) 10.50 First Snow Of Summer. (2023, M, German) 12.40pm Rosenthal. (2025, M, Yiddish) 2.30 Mr. Holmes. (2015, PG) 4.25 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 6.20 The Battle Of The River Plate. (1956, PG) 8.30 Flags Of Our Fathers. (2006, MA15+) 11.00 Shanghai. (2010, MA15+) 12.55am Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Remi ponders picking up the guitar again. 7.30 Football. AFL. Round 7. Western Bulldogs v Sydney.
10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews. 11.00 Kick Ons. A preview of the upcoming AFL matches.
11.30 HMP: Behind Bars: HMP Full Sutton. (MA15+a, R)
1.00 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
Magic Mike. (2012, MA15+) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.35am Love Island UK: All Stars. 1.35 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.30 Late Programs. 6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Innovation Nation. 11.40 Motor Racing. FIA World Endurance C’ship. 6 Hours Of Imola. H’lights. 12.50pm LEGO Masters. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Wedding Crashers. (2005, M) 10.55 Seinfeld. 11.55 Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs.
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Rugby
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By JASMINDA
DEAR Jasminda,
I HAVE been going really well with my eating and exercise plan, but over Easter it went out the window. I'm feeling very guilty and disillusioned.
Fiona W.
Dear Fiona,
This is completely relatable, and I'm sure many of our readers will be feeling post-Easter remorse.
In a 24-hour period, I somehow managed to eat Lindt chocolate eggs, Easter buns, Cadbury eggs, chocolate bunnies, Easter buns
with lashings of butter, a baked dinner, and, just to top it off, a chocolate-hazelnut meringue dessert.
I could have declined the dessert, but at that stage of the proceedings, what was the point?
Now that we are back to a working week, I'm seriously regretting my life choices.
Then again, we can't be disciplined all the time. Sometimes we just have to break out.
The fact is, Fiona, there is nothing we can do about yesterday.
Decision were made.
They may have been the wrong ones.
To keep going blindly down the same path would be foolish.
The only thing we can deal with is the repercussions, in this case an expanded waistline and regret. There are ways to shift both, so let's go through some options.
1. Drink lots of water. Water will fill you up, it's good for you, and it will help to move your sluggish metabolism and flush out all that sugar.
2. Go for a walk. Walk a dog, if you have one, or just walk on your own or with an equally guilt-ridden friend. Moving is a great way to improve your mindset and it may burn off a couple of those eggs too.
3. Have a healthy lunch full of salad ingredients. This will help reset your Easter binge in a positive way.
4. Remove temptations. If you still have some chocolate treats left over, give them to friends with young kids, neighbours or other family members. You won't be able to move on while there are still Easter eggs on every surface of your house.
5. Don't be hard on yourself. It is challenging in the post-sugarhigh stage to stay positive, but you have survived many overindulging experiences in your past, and you'll survive this one too.
Perhaps now is the time to plan for the future.
Next Easter you could set limits.
Have a three-egg rule, put in a 'no chocolate after 10am' clause,
premake a healthy dinner so there is no temptation to just keep making poor choices. If it makes you feel any better, I just put my Easter Sunday eating total into an app, and it told me I would need to walk for 11 hours to
break even.
I guess with the price of fuel at the moment, it's an option worth considering.
THE M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is now expected to open to traffic in late 2026, more than a year earlier than originally planned.
The accelerated timeline comes as the project reaches a major milestone, with the northern section, the Heatherbrae Bypass, now complete.
The M1 Pacific Motorway extension and Hexham Straight widening projects are being funded jointly with a total investment of $2.24 billion - $1.792 billion provided by the Federal Government and $448 million from the NSW Government.
Significant progress has been made on the ground, including the completion of five kilometres of new motorway forming the Heatherbrae Bypass.
As part of the northern
section, the Raymond Terrace interchange, the Masonite Road overpass and a major bridge crossing at Windeyers Creek have also all been completed.
Completion of the Heatherbrae Bypass means this section of the M1 extension is ready to go, and will open as soon as work on the 10-kilometre southern section from Black Hill to Tomago is complete, later this year.
“Completion of the Heatherbrae section of this project means we are well and truly past the halfway mark, with all work set to be completed by the end of the year,” said Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King.
“The school holiday traffic we’re seeing on the existing highway right now is a great reminder as to why
this project is vital.
“Nearly 25,000 vehicles use this road on a normal day, with that number swelling
during the holiday breaks.” Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said it is incredibly rewarding to see
the bypass take shape.
“Seeing it power ahead of schedule is a testament to the hard work behind the
FROM Page 1
The framework also lays out the groundwork for a new Local Environmental Plan, Development Control Plan and Contributions Plan.
The plan was developed following a period of community consultation.
Council received a total of 38 formal written submissions, alongside 19 survey responses, approximately 170 attendees at drop-in engagement sessions, and 71 comments submitted through Council’s online mapping tool.
Mayor Digby Rayward said strengthening Council’s planning approach and proactively preparing for future needs positions Dungog Shire for a sustainable, well-managed and thriving future.
“The Housing and Infrastructure Master Plan is a perfect example of what can be achieved when our Council team, planning experts and the community all come together to provide input into what we all want to see for the Shire’s future.
“During the consultation period, we held several workshops in Dungog, Clarence Town, Vacy, Paterson and Gresford, and welcomed people of all ages and interests to contribute, including children from all local Shire schools.
“I’m really proud of what we have delivered in such a short period of time, and look forward to taking the Master Plan to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for consideration and endorsement,” Mayor Rayward said.
Key focus areas of the
Master Plan include:
• Identifying opportunities for additional housing supply across the Shire, including in established towns and villages
• Supporting diverse housing options to meet the needs of current and future residents, including smaller lots
• Aligning growth with infrastructure capacity, including roads, services and community facilities
• Protecting environmentally sensitive areas, drinking water catchments and natural assets
• Providing a clear, strategic basis for future planning decisions and investment.
The plan also responds to the Hunter Regional Plan 2041, which suggests Dungog Shire Council will need to deliver a minimum 2400 new homes to keep up with population growth.
ROADWORKS on East Seaham Road are now complete, following investments from all levels of government.
The project included reconstructing the entire 3.1km unsealed section of East Seaham Road to become sealed and match road widths of previously constructed stages; upgraded drainage infrastructure to cater for large storm events and flooding; and installation of road safety barriers where required.
A total of $7,181,418 was invested in the project, including $842,000 of Australian Government Black Spot Funding, $2,832,000 from a NSW Government
election commitment, and a Port Stephens Council contribution of $3,507,418.
Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold said the project was a long time coming for locals.
“Locals have long campaigned for this road work to be completed and I hope that this upgraded section of road makes a huge difference to them getting about their business and their lives,” Ms Penfold said.
“The Black Spot Program targets locations with a history of crashes or a high risk of serious incidents, and this upgrade will help reduce that risk for everyone using the road.
“I thank Port Stephens Council and the team of engineers and contractors for their great work.”
Ms Penfold said regional communities deserve continued investment in infrastructure that keeps people safe and supports local connectivity.
“This is a strong outcome for East Seaham and the surrounding community, and I will continue to advocate for practical that investments improve safety and strengthen our regional and rural road network, including the serious need for grade separated interchanges at Medowie Road and the Bucketts Way."
NEW analysis from Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) is providing practical insights for producers looking to make timely decisions as seasonal conditions tighten, with distinct patterns emerging between the Upper and Lower Hunter.
The latest data combines Meat and Livestock Australia saleyard throughput, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) and soil moisture readings from the Scone probe.
Together, these show soil moisture declining from spring into summer, alongside increasing saleyard numbers and a relatively stable EYCIindicating continued market confidence.
Hunter LLS says this reinforces the value of producers acting early.
“Aligning stocking decisions with seasonal conditions and market signals can help maintain ground cover, manage feed availability and reduce the need for more costly or reactive decisions later,” it said in a statement.
“At a local level, the Upper Hunter (Scone) shows a measured and progressive increase in yardings aligned closely with declining soil moisture, reflecting proactive and well-timed decision making.”
Hunter LLS Team Leader Agriculture Sarah Giblin said, “In the Upper Hunter,
producers are responding early and making deliberate decisions based on seasonal signals.”
The Maitland (Lower Hunter) data reflects a reactionary December spike in stock sales off the back of an unseasonably dramatic decline in soil moisture for this region in early Spring.
“These insights are about supporting better on-farm decisions - helping producers act earlier, reduce risk and maintain productivity,” Sarah said.
If you're considering next steps this season, visit the LLS Farming Forecaster website for local data and reach out to the Hunter LLS Agriculture team on 1300 795 299.
THE NSW Government is attempting to introduce a statewide approach for how communities have their say on planning proposals.
A draft statewide Community Participation Plan is now on public exhibition.
Currently there are more than 100 different Community Participation Plans across the state, each with its own approach, timeframes and thresholds for consultation on planning matters.
The State Government said this has led to inconsistent consultation practices and confusion for proponents, homeowners, community members and other stakeholders trying to
engage with and navigate the planning system.
“Consulting the community is a central part of the NSW planning system and the introduction of a single Community Participation Plan will simplify this and standardise public exhibition and consultation requirements across the state,” the government said in a statement.
“The draft plan reframes NSW’s approach to community consultation by putting the primary focus on strategic planning and major complex development applications instead of sweating the small stuff.
“It proposes longer timeframes for the
By Dave RENEKE
HAVE you ever wondered who the first astronomers were?
What an interesting question.
Astronomy is the oldest science, but it’s also the newest.
Everything we know about the
community to have their say on strategic planning proposals that set out where development should occur and where infrastructure is needed; while reducing the number of low-impact development application types required to be exhibited by councils, speeding up assessment and decision making.”
Key changes include:
• Extending minimum consultation timeframes on significant state-level strategic planning initiatives like the recent draft Sydney Plan and the State Plan from 45 days to 60 days.
• Standardising the process for notification of Complying Development
across the state and giving neighbours seven days’ notice before any works begin.
• Making public exhibition requirements clear for different types of local development so that councils do not need to exhibit things like new single or two storey houses or sheds and pools that already meet planning controls.
Councils will still be able to tailor their own community engagement strategies to suit local needs and feed into other council plans and policies.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “We are encouraging more people to have their say up front when looking
at the future of their city, town or suburb by focusing consultation on strategic planning decisions while making the approach to consultation on planning matters clear and consistent across the state.
“We’re taking more than 100 inconsistent and sometimes contradictory plans and bringing them into one clear, consistent approach to give communities a strong voice in the planning system.”
The move has been strongly supported by the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
“The statewide Community Participation Plan will improve the planning system by
night sky has been passed down through history, and we find the oldest continuous culture on Earth, the Australian Aboriginal people, were very likely the world’s first astronomers.
Quite an accolade!
Aboriginal Australians have been gazing at the night skies for thousands of years.
It seems they even pre-dated monuments like Stonehenge, estimated at 3100 BC.
Historians have been studying Dreaming stories and deciphering cave drawings to build a picture of the heavens as seen by these ancient cultures.
Tribes used the sky for navigation, timekeeping and to mark out the seasons.
They ordered their lives by the stars.
Most groups have stories that explain tides, eclipses and the rising and setting times of the Sun and
Moon.
In one story, Walu the Sun is a woman who lights her fire every morning and scatters red ochre across the clouds, creating dawn.
She then carries her torch across the sky, creating daylight.
At the end of the day, she descends, puts out her fire, and travels underground through the night back to her morning camp.
Cool, huh?
My favourite Dreaming story is about the Southern Cross, or Crux.
One Northern Territory Aboriginal group believed it was once a giant stingray, with the two pointer stars as sharks chasing it out of the sky.
You can’t beat these stories for sheer drama and imagination.
To groups near the border of Victoria, it represents the four unmarried daughters of a tribal elder named Mulululu.
Star patterns were vital.
For example, the “Emu in the Sky,” formed by dark dust lanes in the Milky Way, appears to run or sit at different times of the year.
Depending on its position, some groups knew when to hunt emus or collect their eggs. Neat, huh?
May these stories live forever!
The lure of the night sky has always been powerful. For
introducing a consistent approach to consultation on planning matters across all of NSW, adding more certainty for communities and industry,” Brad Armitage, HIA Executive Director NSW.
“HIA fully supports the move to put the primary focus of community consultation on strategic planning and major projects, rather than lowerimpact development types such as single dwellings, sheds and pools, already designed to meet planning controls.”
The draft Community Participation Plan and discussion paper are on exhibition until Wednesday 3 June 2026.
To have your say, visit https://www.planningportal. nsw.gov.au/proposedstatewide-cpp
Aboriginal Australians, it was a living map of law, survival and spirit.
Other civilisations, like those of Ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, also studied the stars, but often to predict floods, track gods or build calendars.
While many cultures charted constellations, Aboriginal astronomy stands apart in seeing the sky not just as points of light, but as shapes in darkness and stories embedded in the land.
Today, despite satellites and telescopes, the night sky still draws us in.
Whether ancient or modern, we are united by the same sense of wonder - looking up and asking where we came from. So, what’s going to happen to all these stars?
Will our Universe keep expanding forever, or will it eventually slow down and collapse into a “Big Crunch,” the opposite of the Big Bang?
Perhaps the Universe recycles itself over and over.
If so, the answer to “where did the Universe come from?” may simply be - another universe.
Hey, got a question about the night sky?
See Dave’s website: www. davidreneke.com.
SATURDAY 4TH APRIL
INDIVIDUAL STROKE & MONTHLY MEDAL FIELD | 26
members & 5 visitors. DIV 1 (<15) | Winner Glenn Davies (6) 63 Nett, Runner Up Paul Geddes (5) 63 Nett DIV 2 (1636) | Winner & Monthly Medal Glenn Radford (22) 63 Nett, Runner Up Greg Sainsbury (19) 68 Nett BALL COMP | Luke Glendenning (11) [Maitland] 64 Nett, Robert Richardson (12) 65 Nett, Lee Hunt (10) 66 Nett, Troy Barry (23) [Hunter Valley] 66 Nett, Daniel Kelly (22) [Maitland] 66 Nett, Michael Shanley (15) 67 Nett. Stephen Pilgrim (14) 67 Nett & Christopher Burg (13) 67 Nett. PUTTING COMP | Div 1 - Robert Richardson (12) - 28 Putts, Div 2 - Michael Dobosz (23) - 29 Putts NEAREST THE PIN | 1st/10th - Brian Wright (23), 2nd/11th - James Cowled (12), 5th/14th - Brian Mowle (14) MEMBERS DRAW | No.73,
Jackpot, $289.75 MEMBERS EAGLES NEST | Unclaimed - 2 Balls UPCOMING EVENTS | 11-Apr Individual Stableford, 18-Apr Individual Stableford, 25-Apr Individual Stableford (8am shotgun start), 2-May Individual Stroke & Monthly Medal, 9-May Individual Stableford, 16May 2-Person Ambrose Championships (1st Round), 23-May 2-Person Ambrose Championships (Final Round), 30-May Individual Stableford. Schedule subject to change. SATURDAY 11TH APRIL
INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD FIELD | 34 members DIV 1 (<15) | Winner Chris Bryant (8) 40 Points, Runner Up Peter Nicholson (12) 40 Points, 3rd Place Michael Rose (5) 38 Points DIV 2 (16-36) | Winner Michael Cairney (24) 42 Points, Runner Up Dion Rose (36) 41 Points, 3rd Place Cain Gorfine (19) 40 Points BALL COMP |
Benjamin Herden (19) 39
Points, Allan McKinnon (13)
38 Points, Greg Scott (6) 38
Points, Stephen Watson (13)
37 Points, Timothy Kiem (9) 36 Points, Paul Geddes (5) 36 Points, Ramsey Vane-Wood (6) 35 Points & Michael Shanley (15) 35
HUNTER football fans are again able to enjoy a fullstrength beer as they watch NRL and A-League action unfold.
For many years, fans attending venues in Western Sydney and the Hunter could only buy mid-strength beer, while in contrast fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium in Moore Park could buy full strength beer.
Calling out how unfair this was, Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby launched a campaign to change the rules.
As a follow-up, the NSW Government undertook a sixmonth trial into the service of full-strength beer during last year’s NRL and A-Leagues seasons.
Following consultation with NSW Police and sport and entertainment partners, patrons at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle are now able to purchase a maximum of four full-strength beers per transaction.
Minister for Sport and Tourism Steve Kamper said, “This is a commonsense decision and it’s about time
STORY STARTS on BACK COVER Page 16
by providing a consistent, secure surface.
Stage One of the stables project has seen 113 horses relocated to a modern, twostorey ‘hotel for horses’.
Once completed by the end of 2026, four singlestorey stables will be added to accommodate 302 horses, bringing the total number housed at the centre to more than 520, making it NSW’s
largest regional training facility.
Located in the heart of Australia’s horse capital, the racing and training facility was founded in 1944 as the Scone Jockey Club.
The current racecourse began operating in 1994 and is renowned as one of NSW’s premier country circuits.
It is also home to the prestigious Darley Scone Cup Carnival, Australia's leading two-day country racing event.
fans get a choice of fullstrength, mid, light and zeroalcohol beer while cheering on their team at the footy.”
Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather said, “Its important patrons have a choice and access to a variety of food and beverage options while attending events at our venues and now they can.
“Delivering the best event day experience remains our key priority, and we can continue to do so through valuable feedback from our fans.”
The Hunter region is also home to two other Racing for the Regions projects.
- Muswellbrook: $4.2 million investment for a grandstand upgrade with improved viewing, expanded multi-purpose function centre, enhanced male and female jockeys’ facilities with an 80 percent increase in the size of the female jockey room, and improved steward facilities.
The renovated site is now operational, hosting its first event - the Country Championship Race Day - on 8 March 2026.
Points. NEAREST THE PIN | 6th/15th - Michael Rose (5), 8th/17th - Michael Rose (5), 9th/18th - Greg Kellner (18) MEMBERS DRAW | No.8, Fred Cox (20th/34), $178.88 won ($178.87
carries forward) MEMBERS EAGLES NEST | Unclaimed - 3 Balls UPCOMING
EVENTS | 18-Apr Individual Stableford, 25-Apr Individual Stableford (8am shotgun start), 2-May Individual Stroke & Monthly Medal, 9-May Individual Stableford, 16-May 2-Person Ambrose Championships (1st Round), 23-May 2-Person Ambrose Championships (Final Round), 30-May Individual Stableford. Schedule subject to change.
- Cessnock: $4 million invested for a grass track renovation and construction of new sand-based training track and $7.5 million for multiple stables and associated infrastructure to accommodate 160 horses.
The stables are under construction, with the tracks to follow shortly.
Once complete the upgrades will give Cessnock a premier dedicated pretraining facility offering significant cost efficiencies to trainers and free up racecourse stabling.
Minister for Gaming and
Racing David Harris said, “Country racecourses and clubs play a crucial role in developing our champions of tomorrow, and these upgrades will ensure the Hunter and Upper Hunter regions are competitive, grow jobs and offer world class facilities for both participants and the community.
“These projects also enable the creation of modern, inclusive workplaces, with an 80 percent expansion of female facilities at Muswellbrook accommodating the increasing number of women
in racing.
“The redevelopments are about more than just improving race days and training facilities, they’re also about creating versatile venues that can host a wide range of community events and securing the long-term future of racing in regional NSW.”
These projects are funded through the Racing for the Regions program, with additional support from Racing NSW, to ensure rural and regional racecourses and associated infrastructure are up to date.
