Myall Coast News Of The Area 14 MAY 2026

COAST

By Thomas O'KEEFE

DEPOT TO STAY

Douglas CONNOR 0431 487 679 doug@newsofthearea.com.au

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Walkers enjoy autumnal jaunts

FROM Page 1

pedestrian paths throughout Myall Quays and the other side of Myall Way, facilitated their return journey.

They came out at Coolabah Close, then it was through the back of Dunshea Estate to the back of Tea Gardens cemetery, down to the river and back to the library - a distance of almost nine kilometres.

April’s second week was a warm one, so the walkers took a long paved footpath parallel to Medowie Road, through some forested areas - noting several relatively new housing developments - then through established suburbia and several parklands.

“Medowie was all quite interesting because it was a new one for the group, even more interesting because it led to the Macadamia Farm Cafe, an ideal stopping point for brunch, nice coffee, some special treats and the opportunity to cool down as the day got hotter,” convenor Ray Hughes told News Of the Area.

Autumn capriciousness brought a cooler Thursday for the next one, but the sun shone as the walkers prepared for a beach walk in Myall Lakes National Park, starting at Sandy Point four-wheel-drive beach access road.

“It was a tough start through and over

the sand dunes in very soft sand after the track had been churned up by previous vehicles, but the view over the ocean and out to Broughton Island when we reached the beach made it all seem worthwhile,” Ray said.

A light sea breeze kept later heat at bay as the walk progressed along the beach to Little Gibber and a well-earned stop for morning tea, then back over the sand dunes to the Dark Point access and eventually back to the cars and home for lunch.

The next week saw a return to Newcastle Harbour on a day that defied forecast showers, with an easy drive to Stockton Ferry, across to Queen’s Wharf, then following the foreshore promenade through Honeysuckle, Wickham and Maryville to Tighes Hill, crossing Throsby Creek and circling to Mount Carrington for a picnic lunch and a boomerang back to the cars.

“A very interesting experience with lots to see - a working harbour on one side, the continual construction of home units and shopfronts all around Honeysuckle and the rows and rows of townhouses through Wickham, Maryville and Carrington.”

The final walk for the month took the group back to the local National Park, this time visiting from Mungo Brush

campground along the shoreline of The Broadwater through a diverse forest dominated by Cabbage Tree palms.

They saw the entrance to the Myall River and the small village of Tamboi; a collection of shacks utilised by both prawners and or fishermen at various times of the year.

Plans to continue to Brambles Green were thwarted by a flood-damaged wetlands boardwalk.

The weather turned on the way back, with drizzle growing heavier over the threeand-a-half-kilometre return, only stopping with 300m to go.

May will see the Walkers set up their annual Camp: four days exploring walks in and around the North Haven/Laurieton area including North Brother Mountain, Perpendicular Point, Queen’s Lake, a beach walk and riverside, with a local walk for those not attending the camp.

Other walks planned include Columbey National Park near Clarence Town, with three adjacent forest communities and a variety of flora, and North Arm Cove, a mix of suburbia and forest - all with magnificent views of local bays and out across Port Stephens.

Then a visit to the Hunter Region Botanical Gardens, and a special outing on Wednesday 3 June to visit the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Base at Broadmeadow.

DEPOT TO STAY

FROM Page 1

“The Tea Gardens depot is not proposed for closure as part of this process,” Mr Panuccio said.

“This workplace change is focused on how we organise our transport and engineering teams so our people, budgets and responsibilities are

better aligned to the work that needs to be delivered across the MidCoast.

“There may be changes to where some staff work from, how some teams are structured, and how functions are managed.

“The changes link to

Council’s three priorities for improvement across roads, financial sustainability and customer service.

“The changes are being considered carefully and in consultation with staff,” Mr Panuccio said.

Council said its review aims to support clearer accountability, better coordination of resources and sustainable service delivery, while maintaining a presence in key areas including Tea Gardens.

Council has committed to working directly with affected staff as part of the workplace change process.

This includes considering feedback, assessing operational needs and reviewing budget impacts before final decisions are made.

New food recycling laws to avert landfill crisis

&

by Robert Lindsay

Sometimes an attractive option for older people is to build a granny flat at the rear of the home of one of their children. The construction costs are usually funded by the parent on the understanding that he/she or they would be permitted to reside in the flat for the remainder of their life. However, complications can arise and it is important that the agreement is fully documented. Matters which should be covered include:

• Will the parent pay rent;

• Will the parent be responsible for a share of the Council rates and water rates; Will the parent be responsible for part of the insurance;

• What is to happen if the parent no longer wants to live at the property; What if the parent loses capacity or his or her health declines and has no option but to go into care (irrespective of whether the parent is agreeable to do so or not).

As soon as the granny flat is constructed, it forms part of the property and therefore the

parent has no legal interest in the granny flat. Therefore, the rights of the parent to continue living at the property must be protected.

Totally unforeseen events can occur. For example, the child or his or her spouse may have to relocate for work and therefore decide to sell the property. The child and his or her spouse may part company and as a result of the Family Law proceedings, the property may be sold or end up with the former son-in-law or former daughter-in-law. Even worse, the child of the parent may die. The parent may have no interest in remaining living at the granny flat with his or her child’s former spouse (particularly if he or she remarries). There are many things to consider.

If you seek advice about anything raised in this article, or want further information, please contact us on 02 4928 7300 or email willsandestates@ mullanelindsay.com.au.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation

By John WATTS

NEW Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) recycling requirements are coming into force.

From 1 July, most large food businesses will have to recycle their food waste, with the aim of diverting it from landfill.

The changes will also require all councils to provide household food waste recycling services from 2030.

“Without action, NSW is on track to run out of landfill space by 2030,” said Penny Sharpe, Minister for the Environment.

“Sending food waste and garden waste to be recycled makes sense, whichever way you look at it.

“We can all do our bit to drive down emissions, reduce waste and create fantastic end products –including compost, energy production and animal feed, to name a few.”

According to MidCoast Council, a proposed new FOGO processing facility near the Tuncurry Waste Management Centre will be able to process up to 146,000 tonnes of organic waste annually in its first stage and will support the Council’s compliance with the State Government mandate to deliver FOGO services to the community by 2030.

The proposal by a private company is presently being assessed as a State Significant Development.

Pat Burrows, President of the Gloucester Community Garden, which already has a significant composting program, has welcomed the changes, but suggested that many local home owners would also benefit from composting their own organic waste or sending it to places such as the community garden.

“If someone has their

own garden, composting all their own vegetable scraps is a great idea because it really does help to promote the growth of fruit and veggies and other plants,” said Ms Burrows.

“The community garden presently composts coffee grounds from a local café, sawdust from a woodworking factory, and leaves and grass from the nearby Gloucester Olympic Pool.

“It would also be really good if the local restaurants chatted to us about sending us some of their veggie scraps.

“We put all the compost that we make onto our gardens which are growing beautifully.”

More details concerning the FOGO changes are available in a NSW government produced booklet titled ‘NSW guide to best practice FOGO’ which can be accessed online via the EPA website.

Change to opening hours

REDUCED operating hours at the Stroud Customer Service Point and Library were adopted at MidCoast Council’s 29 April meeting.

The facility will now operate from Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 12pm.

The move comes after a three month trial and a community feedback period open from Tuesday 27 January to Monday 2 March 2026.

The community was asked to complete a short survey to identify how the reduced hours trial impacted library and customer service point users.

A total of 24 surveys were completed and one written submission was received.

“We heard clearly that the community’s main concern was the possibility of the customer service point and library closing altogether,” said Council’s Director of Corporate Services, Paul De Szell.

“This trial was always about finding a financially sustainable way to continue offering services the community values.”

According to Council, feedback showed that most library users were able to access the service

on alternative days, with minimal impact from the Monday and Friday closures.

Council notes the Stroud community also has access to a range of alternative services that complement those offered at the customer service point.

The Stroud Post Office operates Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, and accepts all Council payments.

Council’s call centre (02) 7955 7777 is also available Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, and call data shows this is the primary way Stroud residents have chosen to interact with

midcoast.nsw.gov.au/

Key council plans on public exhibition

MIDCOAST Council is now inviting community feedback on its Draft Delivery Program and Draft Operational Plan.

Mayor Claire Pontin said the draft budget and program had been developed to balance community needs with longterm financial sustainability.

“Council is increasingly being relied upon to deliver services and infrastructure that were traditionally the responsibility of other levels of government, while funding sources such as the

Federal Assistance Grants have declined over time,” Mayor Pontin said.

“We have been working hard to find savings and cut costs, but we simply cannot fund every project our community would like to see, so we need to make difficult decisions and trade-offs to ensure we remain financially sustainable.”

The draft 2026–27 budget includes total expenditure of $439 million, boosted substantially as a result of disaster recovery

funding.

Improving the region’s extensive road network remains a key priority with over $58 million allocated to road renewals and maintenance.

An additional amount of over $90 million is for natural disaster recovery works arising from the May 2025 floods, bringing the total amount allocated to roads in 2026-27 to almost $149 million.

“We know our community expects better road conditions, and we

acknowledge that many of our roads currently do not meet those expectations,” the Mayor said.

“For many decades, our road network has been underfunded, and we are not currently investing at the level required to keep pace with deterioration.

“While we cannot close the funding gap, we are directing as much funding as possible into roads by finding savings across other services.”

Key road initiatives include resealing,

Certainty needed on rural roads

RURAL residents are crying out for reliable roads, the state’s peak farming body has told an inquiry into local government funding and fiscal sustainability.

Last week, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport held hearings with more than 20 councils in Wodonga, Wagga Wagga and Taree.

Also present were representatives from organisations such as Regional Capitals Australia, NSW Country Mayors and

NSW Farmers.

NSW Farmers Business, Economics and Trade Committee chair John Lowe appeared during the hearings, urging urgent reform to secure reliable funding for rural councils and critical local infrastructure.

“Councils in rural, regional and remote areas have an enormous network of roads and they need greater certainty to maintain them, which supports farm businesses and community safety,” Mr Lowe said.

“Roads are the sole connection for many rural

communities and farms, but too many councils are being forced to ‘patch and pray’ with unreliable, projectbased funding.”

NSW called on the Australian Government to restore Financial Assistance Grants to a minimum of one percent of total Commonwealth tax revenue, providing a stable funding base for local government and a stronger foundation for local road maintenance.

At the same time, Mr Lowe said, there needed to be a pause on special variation rates (SVR) and

greater scrutiny on these applications.

“Farm businesses cannot keep absorbing sudden, steep and cumulative rate rises as councils scramble to fill funding gaps due to cost shifting from state and federal governments,” Mr Lowe said.

“They need a fairer, more sustainable model that enables councils to have funding sustainability and effectively deliver for communities in the regions, especially roads.

“It’s also critical that all landholders contribute

rehabilitation, heavy patching, drainage maintenance, and safety improvements such as updated line marking, signage, and guideposts.

Rates increase

Council will increase rates by 3.1 percent in line with the rate peg increase as set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Individual household rates are based on individual land values as set by the Valuer General.

The share of the 3.1 percent increase will vary from area to area.

Similar increases have equitably and fairly –increasing property acquisitions and land use changes from National Parks, state forestry, biodiversity offsets by mining companies and electricity generation companies are reducing rateable land which can leave the burden to fall on others, including farmers.”

Last week’s hearings featured a broad crosssection of regional stakeholders, including MidCoast, Port MacquarieHastings, Dungog Shire and Maitland Shire councils.

Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold welcomed the inquiry’s visit to Taree.

“This is an important

been applied to fees and charges, which are services that are not funded from rates income.

“We are all experiencing price hikes across a variety of goods and services,” said Mayor Pontin.

“Council’s operating costs have also risen significantly. That’s why it’s important that we act responsibly and apply the IPART rate peg increase.”

The Draft Delivery Program for 2025-2029 (revised 2026-27) and Draft Operational Plan for 2026–27 will be on public exhibition from 1 May to 4 June.

federal inquiry and comes at a time when our local councils are weighed down by the replacement costs of flood ravaged infrastructure and community infrastructure such as roads and sporting fields that are coming to the end of life without the necessary fiscal autonomy to deliver,” she said.

“The problem with centralised decision-making in Canberra is that too often there is a disconnect between policy and the real outcomes that our regions actually need – it is critical that our voice is heard to help shape the Committee’s recommendations.”

Critical renewable energy projects to be fast-tracked

PROPOSED legislation currently before the NSW Legislative Assembly would allow the Energy Minister to identify the highest-priority renewable energy projects in the planning pipeline and prioritise them for streamlining.

The NSW Government says it would result in more streamlined approvals for generation, storage and network projects that will power homes, industry and economic growth.

However, it also states the proposed law would not remove any environmental or community assessment requirements, with developers still needing to meet all relevant planning, environmental and consultation obligations.

“Priority energy projects must demonstrate best practice in how they work with landholders and communities, particularly in regional NSW,” the NSW Government said in a statement.

“The Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026 will also support the effective and consistent implementation of the NSW Benefit-Sharing Guideline, ensuring councils and

communities hosting projects receive associated benefits.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said the government is committed to ensuring reliable, affordable energy for heavy industries like the Tomago aluminium smelter, and to power economic growth across the state.

“This new legislation will mean infrastructure projects that are critical for manufacturing jobs, economic growth and energy affordability don’t get stuck in the queue,” she said.

“No matter where you live in this state, you will benefit from us getting on with the job and delivering quality renewable projects as fast as we can.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “With a growing pipeline of energy projects ahead of us, we need a planning system that can support achieving our ambitious energy targets.

“These reforms will also make sure critical projects are not being delayed by objections from people thousands of kilometres away who will never be impacted by them – NSW locals should and will have the loudest voice.”

The move has been met with discontent from sections of the agriculture industry, with NSW Farmers warning that rushing approvals will deepen community distress, entrench an unfair power imbalance between large developers and landholders, and generate more objections and conflict.

NSW Farmers Energy Taskforce chair Reg Kidd described the government’s new approvals plan as “reckless”.

“Farmers have not been given realistic timeframes to understand proposals and participate meaningfully, or object where necessary,” Mr Kidd said.

“We've been working hard with EnergyCo and the government to improve engagement and get better consultation and we don't want to derail that process –these issues can’t be rushed.

“Under current arrangements, communities are often expected to respond to highly technical Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) within weeks.

“If this is fast-tracked even more, additional pressure will be put on timepoor landholders already distressed and stretched.”

Forest industry future under review

By John WATTS

THE forestry industry has been a contested space in NSW for many years, with some supporting the continuation of native hardwood logging and others strongly opposing it.

The issue was brought into sharper focus recently with the announcement by the NSW Government of its intention to create the Great Koala National Park (GKNP).

The establishment of the GKNP will result in areas which are presently state forest, where logging is permissible, being converted into national park, where logging is prohibited.

Clearly wishing to find a way forward, the NSW Government is developing a Forestry Industry Action Plan (FIAP), which it has indicated will address the following issues:

- The sustainability of current and future forestry operations in NSW,

- The environmental and cultural values of forests, including threatened species,

- The community demand for timber products, particularly as relates to NSW housing, construction, mining,

transport and retail,

- The future of softwood and hardwood plantations and the continuation of Private Native Forestry in helping meet timber supply needs,

- The role of State Forests in maximising the delivery of a range of environmental, economic and social outcomes,

- Opportunities to realise carbon and biodiversity benefits and support carbon and biodiversity markets, and mitigate and adapt to climate change risks, and

- Greenhouse gas emission impacts of different uses of forests and assessment of climate change risks to forests.

As part of the development of its FIAP the government appointed a panel, titled The Independent Forestry Panel, to consult with various stakeholders and to then provide a report to the government about the various viewpoints.

In producing its report, the panel consulted with representatives from the timber industry, forest growers, environment groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, business, related industries, tourism,

scientific experts and the Commonwealth Government.

More than 1,700 submissions were received.

“Making this report available to the public is a key step toward modernising forestry in a way that protects biodiversity,” said Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Heritage and Environment.

“Following the finalisation of the Stakeholder Report, the panel has been tasked to produce a Considerations Report.

“This report will… identify opportunities to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the NSW forestry industry and support jobs.”

This will be through:

- The NSW Government’s moratorium on logging in the proposed area for the Great Koala National Park,

- Changes to the Commonwealth’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

- Opportunities the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme could offer state forestry reform, including potential revenue for the NSW Government.

The Panel’s Stakeholder Report is available online at nsw.gov.au by searching the “independent-forestry-panelstakeholder-report”.

Where you can pick up your paper

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Autocare

Barry's Butcher's Stand

Boathouse Resort

Bulahdelah Bowl Club

Bulahdelah BP Servo

Bulahdelah IGA

Bulahdelah Info Centre

Bulahdelah Library

Bulahdelah Shell Servo

Century 21 Real Estate

Coles Entry

Coles Exit

Credit Union

Estia Health

Home Timber and Hardware

Hook and Cook

Ice Cream Shack

Lady Jane Motel

MeMa's Bakery

Myall Meats

Myall Pharmacy

Myall River Automotive

Nerong Box

North Arm Cove

Palm Lake Resort

Pindimar Box

Post Office

R&R Real Estate

Ray White Real Estate

Riverside Mens Group

RSL Grange

SoLo Tea Gardens

T/B Bakery

Tea Gardens Boatshed

Tea Gardens Fish Co-Op

Tea Gardens Hotel

Tea Gardens Library

Tea Gardens Service Station

Tillermans

Vinnies

Woodwards Nursery

New disaster capability for the Mid North Coast

DISASTER response and recovery operations across NSW are being bolstered as the State Emergency Service (SES) delivers 11 new specialised High Clearance Vehicles (HCV), a combined investment of more than $11 million.

“This investment brings our total number of High Clearance Vehicles to 20 and represents a significant step forward in our flood and disaster response capability,” said NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing AFSM.

“We’ve worked closely with our volunteers and technical experts to ensure these designs meet the realities of field operations and the unique challenges we face here in NSW.

“Whether it’s wading through more than a metre of floodwater, navigating fire trails, or delivering supplies to residents cut off by floodwaters, this new fleet means that help will arrive faster when communities need it

most.”

The new vehicles are being delivered to multiple flood and storm hotspots across the state including Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Forbes, Goulburn, Ku-ring-gai, Mid North Coast, Moruya, Murwillumbah, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga, and can be deployed out of area during severe weather events.

HCVs are designed to operate in extreme off-road conditions and through floodwaters up to 1.2 metres deep, enabling SES crews to complete rescues, deliver essential supplies and support other emergency services in remote and hard-to-reach locations.

The new vehicles enhance crew protection and safety for rescued persons with a fitted canopy and side seating, while protecting equipment in harsh environments with sealed and pressurised underbody storage.

They also increase operational safety and visibility with a significantly upgraded scene lighting package.

Some of the new vehicles also have the capability to carry and load heavy supplies or equipment using an integrated crane, which will strengthen resupply and recovery missions.

This storm season, NSW SES responded to more than 1,500 flood-related incidents, with many requiring vehicles that can get through deep water and reach people in remote or cutoff areas.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said, “I would like to thank our NSW SES volunteers for their dedicated efforts this storm season, and the community for heeding the advice of emergency services.

“The work doesn't end here for the SES and this multimillion-dollar investment by the Government ensures volunteers are equipped with purpose-built fleet to keep communities safe all year round.”

Global eyes on the Upper Hunter

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 Denman Aberdeen Muswellbrook Scone Healthy Environment Group Inc (DAMS HEG), was brought by a grassroots Hunter Valley community group challenging the approval of a major expansion of the Mount Pleasant

open-cut coal mine near Muswellbrook.

MACH Energy sought to double the mine's output to 21 million tonnes per year and extend its life to 2048.

The NSW Court of Appeal ruled unanimously in July 2025 that the mine's approval was unlawful, finding that planning authorities are legally required to consider the specific local climate impacts of a project's downstream emissions.

MACH Energy is now asking the High Court to overturn that ruling.

Four of the world's leading climate law and science institutions have been granted

leave to intervene in the High Court in support of DAMS HEG - from the Universities of Cambridge, Columbia and Melbourne, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The case is being watched internationally as a test of whether domestic law can hold fossil fuel producers accountable for the local consequences of dangerous climate change.

Driving the case forward for DAMS HEG is group president Wendy Wales and her husband Tony Lonergan, the group’s treasurer.

Both retired science teachers, Wendy and Tony run a farm in the Upper Hunter Valley, surrounded by open-cut coal mines.

They have led the case through three court levels over four years.

"Our communities are enduring increasingly terrifying climate disasters, and nature is deteriorating before our very eyes,” Wendy said.

“Yet our governments are continuing to throw fuel on the fire by approving massive new projects and expansions like MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project.

“We have felt the catastrophic impacts of droughts, bushfires, floods and a myriad of other tragic events.

“The short term economic benefits can not be given priority over the exponentially increasing long term consequences.”

Professor Nicole Rogers, a Professor of Climate Law at Bond University, said Australia's apex court hearing its first climate change case is a “watershed moment in the history of Australian law”.

“Courts around the world - from The Hague to London to Canberra - are being asked the same fundamental questions: can legal systems keep pace with the climate crisis and to what extent are decision makers who continue to approve fossil fuel projects accountable for climate impacts?

“The Mount Pleasant case is Australia's latest contribution to that global conversation, and the High Court's answer will be studied by others well beyond the Upper Hunter Valley.”

Just 12 hours before the NSW Court of Appeal's July 2025 ruling, the International Court of Justice in The Hague delivered its own landmark advisory opinion, finding that fossil fuel-exporting nations bear legal responsibility under international law for the climate harm their exports cause.

Australia had argued to the ICJ that it bore no such responsibility for emissions from its coal and gas exports.

The ICJ rejected that argument.

Feedback sought on stocking plan

RECREATIONAL fishers are invited to have their say on which NSW dams and impoundments they would like to see stocked with their favourite freshwater fish species, as the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) develops its stocking program for the year ahead.

DPIRD Aquaculture Director Ian Lyall said NSW is home to numerous impoundments and reservoirs well suited to freshwater fish stocking, helping create and maintain some of the state’s most popular recreational fisheries.

“Each year, DPIRD partners with recreational fishers and local communities to release key sportfishing species, including Murray Cod, Australian Bass, Golden Perch, Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout into public

impoundments across NSW,” Mr Lyall said.

“DPIRD has now drafted a new recreational stocking plan for the 2026–2027 season and is seeking feedback on the proposed sites and species.

“This is a great chance for recreational fishers to directly influence where stocking occurs in future seasons.

“They can even put forward new dams for consideration, provided there is practical public access and fishing is allowed.”

Mr Lyall said all fish stocking activities in NSW are managed sustainably under a Fisheries Management Strategy (FMS) and supported by an Environmental Impact Statement, with all proposals assessed to ensure they align with the FMS.

“Last season, more than 5.2 million fish were stocked

into NSW waterways, and more than 3.7 million have already stocked across regional NSW for the 202526 season,” Mr Lyall said.

“Recreational fishing in NSW is a significant contributor to the NSW economy, and stocking plans play an essential role in building healthy inland fisheries, delivering fantastic fishing opportunities and supporting regional communities.

“DPIRD operates a network of fish hatcheries across NSW that produce the freshwater species used in our stocking programs, including the Narrandera Fisheries Centre, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Grafton Aquaculture Centre, and the Dutton and Gaden Trout Hatcheries.

“These annual stockings are a clear example of recreational fishing licence fees being reinvested

q The strategy provides a framework for managing approximately 13,000 septic systems.

Trackwork on railway lines

THE Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) will carry out maintenance and improvement works on the Hunter Valley and North Coast rail corridors this weekend to maintain safety and reliability.

The works will take place between:

- Telarah in New South Wales to Acacia Ridge in Queensland from 5:00am

Saturday 16 May to 7:30pm Monday 18 May

- Hamilton to Turrawan in New South Wales from 3:00am Saturday 16 May to 3:00am Tuesday 19 May.

The shutdown is part of ARTC’s annual maintenance program.

Work will be delivered across more than 180 sites on the North Coast and Hunter lines including

to improve fishing opportunities right across the state.”

Recreational fishers are encouraged to email their feedback on the draft plan to fish.stocking@dpird.nsw.gov.

au by 22 May 2026.

To view the NSW Freshwater Fish Stocking Plan and for more information, visit: https:// www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fishing/recreational/

rerailing, bridge and structural upgrades, a level crossing upgrade at Casino and signalling works.

ARTC says its crews will minimise the impact of the work wherever possible, including positioning light towers to shine away from residences, watering down work areas and limiting the number of machines operating at any one time.

resources/stocking/ enhanced-fish-production

Wastewater strategy adopted

MIDCOAST

Council has adopted a revised On-site Wastewater Management Strategy, providing a framework for managing approximately 13,000 septic systems across the region.

The “Healthy Land, Healthy Water: MidCoast Council’s On-site Wastewater Management Strategy 2026-2031” outlines how Council will manage on-site wastewater systems, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas where poorly performing systems can impact public health,

Coaches and buses will replace NSW TrainLink services during the trackwork period and customers are encouraged to visit Transportnsw. info or call 13 22 32 for assistance in planning their journey.

Information on road closures or diversions and alternative routes can be found at livetraffic.com.

ARTC is reminding motorists and pedestrians to remain vigilant for

waterways, tourism, and oyster farming industries.

“This strategy gives us a clear and consistent framework to better manage wastewater systems across the MidCoast,” said Rachel Pleasant, MidCoast Council Executive Manager of Sustainable Development.

“It takes into consideration the feedback from our community and ensures we can identify higher-risk systems earlier, respond effectively, and continue protecting our waterways, environment, and community.”

Council says the strategy will support Environmental Health Officers to prioritise inspections and target systems that require immediate attention, helping to prevent or significantly reduce pollution in ecologically and economically important areas.

The revised strategy was placed on public altered traffic conditions near the rail corridor, pay attention to signage and to obey all road rules at level crossings, with rail machinery active on rail lines.

Clinton Crump, Group Executive Operations, ARTC said, “The rail network requires regular maintenance to ensure that it continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the region’s economic supply chain

exhibition from Monday 9 February to 12 March 2026, with Council receiving 186 submissions from the community.

Feedback primarily focused on the proposed funding model, the risk framework, and perceived duplication with existing servicing arrangements.

Following consideration of community input, Council made changes to the draft strategy, including retaining the current flat service fee per system rather than introducing a risk-based fee model that would have varied fees per property based on location.

Council says this approach maintains consistency for property owners while ensuring sufficient resources to deliver the program.

The strategy was formally adopted at Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 29 April 2026 and will guide the next phase of Council’s on-site wastewater management program.

and travel connections to communities in New South Wales and Southeast Queensland.

“The program of works is designed to minimise disruption to passenger and freight services, and ARTC would like to thank the Hunter Valley and North Coast communities for their patience while these critical, long-term improvements take place.”

Revitalised regional coach network

NEW routes and modernised coaches have been unveiled as part of a major upgrade to NSW TrainLink coach services.

A 36 percent funding increase across the NSW TrainLink coach network will lift total funding to $290 million over the next nine years.

From 1 July, 14 coach operators will run 49 routes across the NSW TrainLink coach network, delivering 638 long-distance services each week, up from the current 592 services across 45 routes.

On some routes, the changes will save passengers over two hours in travel time.

The majority of services will be operated by modern coaches featuring wheelchair accessibility, improved seating and seatbelts, mobile phone charging points, onboard defibrillators and toilets.

The new routes will service over 360 destinations across NSW and into Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the ACT.

NSW TrainLink Chief Executive Roger Weeks said, “After listening to passengers, local operators and the NSW Bus Taskforce, we’ve reshaped the network to make services more reliable, better connected and easier to use, matching service provision to community need.

“Alongside the network review, we’ve overhauled our coach contracts, making wheelchair accessible coaches standard with better passenger amenities like improved air conditioning and toilets standard.”

Changes to NSW TrainLink coach services:

North West:

• A new Armidale–Port Macquarie return route creating an Armidale–North Coast connection for the first time, with a train connection at Wauchope to Coffs Harbour, Grafton, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast and Brisbane;

• A new Armidale CBD stop for services to and from Tenterfield and Inverell. New CBD stop for

Armidale for routes to and from Inverell and Tenterfield (routes 337 and 338, 327 and 328).

• A new day-return service between Tamworth and Newcastle (via coach and train).

• More services on the Tamworth–Dubbo route. Additional Wednesday service between Dubbo and Tamworth for routes 361 and 362, which will operate Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

• New daily route 352 and 351 between Tamworth and Muswellbrook, for a day-return link to and from Newcastle via rail interchange at Muswellbrook.

North Coast:

• A new Armidale–Port Macquarie return route (creating an ArmidaleNorth Coast connection for the first time). A new route will operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday between Armidale and Port Macquarie and return, providing an Armidale to

North Coast connection for the first time. At Wauchope the coach connects with rail services giving access to and from Coffs Harbour, Grafton, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

• An enhanced Port Macquarie - Wauchope service enabling travel to Grafton, Coffs Harbour, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast and Brisbane (for the

q

first time). Enhanced service between Port Macquarie and Wauchope, providing both northbound and southbound connections. This enables journeys from North Coast and Queensland centres such as Grafton, Coffs Harbour, the northern rivers, Gold Coast and Brisbane to and from Port Macquarie for the first tim

• Additional Taree

- Newcastle services with new stops. Route 135 and 136 Broadmeadow to Taree and return will increase in frequency from Monday to Friday to daily. There will be additional stops at Taree Manning Street and Newcastle Interchange.

• Improved day and night services to and from Ballina, connecting with trains at Casino.

Stinker’s History: The history of oysters

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE

TO fully realise the significance of the oyster industry you first need to understand the history of the oyster.

Oysters have been on earth far longer than us; they have been present at every turn of human history.

Fossil shells have been found as far back as 230 million years and have been collected for human consumption since the Stone Age.

In their air tight containers, they were brought on voyages of discovery as a supply of fresh food and can be found throughout the world from Norway to the waters near Morocco, Europe, Africa, America, Asia and south to Australia and New Zealand.

Throughout the Greek Period they were greatly appreciated on the table and were even used as a ballot paper.

If the citizens wanted to banish someone from their city they would vote with the top of the oyster shell.

The Romans couldn’t conceive a banquet without oysters which were imported at high cost from Gaul and England. On arrival the oysters were lowered into salt water and fattened with wine and pastries.

The Romans paid for their oysters by their weight in gold as the shellfish was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.

It was a certain Sergius Orata (140-91BC) who first had the idea of organising their breeding.

During the Middle Ages,

enormous piles of oyster shells were discovered in France showing that they were largely consumed from the year 900 to 1300AD.

In the 16th Century oyster meals appeared in Paris where it was expected that each guest would consume around 150.

The 18th Century saw the birth of oyster farming in Europe, France, Spain and Holland, Ireland and England.

On the American continent the native North American tribes feasted on oysters and used the shells as decorations and money for trade.

They too have ancient shell piles or middens, hundreds and thousands of years in the making.

In his book, “The Big Oyster”, author Mark Kurlansky writes, “Before the

20th Century, when people thought of New York, they thought of oysters...”.

Biologists estimate that New York Harbour contained half of the world’s oysters –then, with progress, the water was polluted.

In Australia the origins of oysters as a food source goes way back to the first inhabitants.

Being great hunters and gatherers it is not surprising to learn that the oyster was a major part of the diet of coastal Aboriginal communities.

Shell middens along the east coast, some having been carbon dated back to 6,000BC, provide an accurate record of the significance of the oyster.

Charred shells were still being tossed onto middens up until the mid 19th century suggesting that the local Aboriginal people may have preferred to cook their oysters over the open fire until the shell opened.

Oysters provided far more than food, as the shell, along with the turban shell, could be fashioned into an effective fish hook or cutting tool.

Evidence of the value of the oyster to the local Worimi people, in and around Port Stephens, can be found in all the known sites along the ocean beaches and adjacent to the river systems within the port.

The many islands, both inside and outside the Port, as far north as Broughton Island, bear testimony to thousands of years of oyster gathering.

As it was with Aboriginal people, the sustainability of all natural resources was never threatened, they took what was needed for survival and not one shellfish was wasted.

With the arrival of the First Fleet, this was all about to change.

When the First Fleet settlers arrived in Port Jackson they found their new homeland offered little in the way of edible fruits or berries.

Kangaroos, wombats and koalas were out of the question.

There was no wild game acceptable to 18th century English palates, with one exception – oysters.

From Governor Captain Arthur Phillip to the soldiers, sailors, and the convicts, all feasted on them.

One of the earliest references to oysters was made by William Bradley of the Royal Navy in his published journal whilst aboard the H.M.S. “Sirius” in Port Jackson in 1788.

“We found fish aplenty although the harbour is full of sharks,” Bradley wrote.

“There is a great quantity of shellfish in the coves that have mud flats, at the bottom the oysters are very large.”

To their delight the early settlers in Port Stephens found the same abundance of the shellfish.

Beautiful, fat oysters were growing wild around the foreshores, in the bays and the mouths of the estuaries - they had been growing for

thousands of years and were easily chipped off the rocks and mangrove roots. In 1922 T.C. Roughley, the noted author and marine authority, stated that all through the Port Stephens seabed west of Snapper Island was one vast oyster bed.

“If in the very early days of our colonisation, you had sailed into Port Stephens in NSW at low tide you would have seen a great harbour fringed with rocks, glistening sandy beaches and large expanses of mud flats bordered with mangroves.

“You would probably have seen more oysters than had ever been seen before, anywhere in the world.

“The rocks everywhere were covered with them.

“On the mud flats they occurred in such dense clusters that you would not have been able to walk there without crushing them with your boots.

“If you had been provided with a glass-bottom boat you would have seen them growing on the bottom in clumps two or three feet deep.

“There were thousands of acres of them.”

Back in Sydney town the food needs of the colonists, from these natural deposits, would have been more than sufficient for many years.

Unfortunately the oysters, in particular their shells, were to become far more valuable in other ways.

Rare Humpback behaviour discovered

A NEW paper co-authored by Macquarie University lecturer and renowned whale scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta highlights the importance of ‘citizen scientists’ who have been integral in exposing a newly observed Humpback whale behaviour.

The paper released by Macquarie University on 4 May, ahead of Australia’s annual Humpback Day (6 May), explores the distinct action of ‘gaping’, where whales have been observed opening their mouths widely, without clear reason.

Dr Pirotta says the study, analysing 66 internet and social media instances of gaping, shows how tourists, whale-watch operators and drone users can provide valuable scientific observations.

“Just when we think we know a lot about humpback whales, we don’t,” she said.

“Tourism operators and citizen scientists spend hours observing whales and

are a powerful resource for capturing and reporting on behaviour, using the increasingly high-quality technologies many of us have on hand.”

The gaping was captured by onlookers in a range of situations – from boats (above water) during swim-with-whale activities (underwater) and with drones.

“It was so unusual to see this happen and when I heard the commentary of people watching it, I knew it was rare,” says Dr Pirotta.

It included both adults and calves and was mostly seen when there were other whales nearby.

Notably, it happened outside whales' usual feeding routines.

The research suggests a range of reasons for the behaviour including communication, social/ playful behaviour, exploring ocean debris (particularly for calves) or an incidental jaw stretching or separation.

Zonta launches online club

Zonta e-Club of NSW and ACT has been established as a new online branch of Zonta International, a global organisation with over 100 years of history.

The small but growing group is looking for others who want to help build an effective online advocacy community focused on key issues affecting women and girls.

This year, one of the group’s major priorities is raising community awareness about the new coercive control laws in NSW, with similar legislation expected soon in the ACT.

Unlike traditional Zonta clubs which meet in person, the e-Club is designed for people in rural and regional areas and for others who prefer to meet online.

“We don’t just raise awareness - we take action,” a club representative said.

“And we’re building something new, which means members can come in at an early stage and help shape the direction of our work.”

Members come from diverse backgrounds - farmers, students, businesspeople, teachers, professionals, employeesbut share a common goal:

creating a better future for women and girls.

For those seeking more information, a ‘Discovery Session’ will be held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 20 May via Zoom.

Existing members will introduce attendees to current projects, opportunities for involvement, and how individuals can use their voice as part of a larger collective.

“This isn’t just about joining a club,” the group says.

“It’s about being part of shaping what comes next.”

Contact zontaeclub nswact@gmail.com for the link to the Discovery Session.

Cut to rail route sparks fury from farmers and regions

By Zac DE SILVA and Robyn WUTH, AAP

A MAJOR freight rail line intended to connect Melbourne and Brisbane will be left half-finished after its cost nearly tripled in six years, sparking anger from farmers and regional leaders.

The federal budget will include plans to pare back the Inland Rail project and instead end it at Parkes in central NSW.

Independent analysis shows the cost has blown out from $16.4 billion in 2020 to more than $45 billion, Transport Minister Catherine King said in a statement.

''We are taking sensible decisions to realign the future of inland rail and build a safe, efficient and reliable network for the future,'' she said.

The 1600-kilometre freight line, made up of new and existing track, was designed to run from Beveridge, just outside Melbourne, to Kagaru near Brisbane, making it easier to move goods along the east coast while reducing the number of trucks on roads.

The government will hold on to land for the rail corridor north of Parkes –roughly halfway between Melbourne and Brisbane –but has no immediate plans to build the second half of the project.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie slammed the move, labelling the scaledback plan a ''road to nowhere''.

''This is a direct hit for the businesses and communities and primary producers that had all

geared up for this decadal project,'' she told AAP.

''Primary producers and manufacturers wanted resilience built into the north-south freight network … a project that is from Beveridge to Parkes loses all that additional opportunity.''

Some communities along the line had already raised concerns about noise and towns being effectively cut in two by the route.

The government will also pour an extra $1.75 billion into the east coast freight network in the budget, aimed at upgrading tracks, improving signalling and extending passing loops.

In Queensland, where 345 kilometres of proposed track will now miss out on federal funding, state Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the move was disappointing and

shortsighted.

''Recent events have been a reminder of how fragile supply chains are – now is the time to be strengthening them, not eroding them,'' he said.

Queensland opposition transport spokesman Bart Mellish also called the decision disappointing and says he wants to see more money flowing to the state's regions.

''We want to see more investment in regional Queensland from both the state and federal budgets,'' he said.

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin says the government owes answers to farmers and towns along the northern part of the inland rail corridor, where land has been acquired and sections of track built.

''NSW Farmers policy

supported inland rail because moving freight more efficiently matters to farm businesses, regional communities, and the prosperity of the nation,'' he said.

''Governments can't ask rural and regional communities to carry the burden of disruptive construction, then just change direction without accountability."

Farmers still struggle to get produce to market and are demanding clarity over easements and alreadyconstructed assets north of Parkes.

''Certainty matters, and if the funding is stopping at Parkes then the government must be upfront about what happens next, because real people and real businesses have already paid a price,'' Mr Martin said.

Queensland's Western Downs Mayor Andrew Smith said the decision was hugely disappointing and a missed opportunity for regional growth.

Inland rail could have taken heavy trucks off country roads that are already worn out and underfunded, he said.

''It's not going to hurt us today, but down the track, in the long term, it's devastating,'' he told AAP.

Mr Smith says the cutback comes as regional Queensland is growing strongly in productivity and needs major nation-building projects to keep up.

''Every region in rural Queensland, if not rural Australia, is having issues around road infrastructure that's under-maintained, under-managed and underfunded,'' he said.

Myall Coast Vets

By Tony SMITH

7/05/2026. Stableford. A Grade

Hawks Nest Vets

By Len GOUGH

5/5/2026.

HN VETS Stableford

Front Nine. Nett Scores

1st Ron Stewart 21c/b

2nd Keith Glanville 21

Tea Gardens Soccer Club results

By Shayne REYNOLDS

OUR “Mumms on Myall” round two was held last Saturday with picture perfect weather and a huge roll up of players and supporters alike. The level of competition, enthusiasm and sportsmanship added to the ideal conditions resulting in a great day indeed, attended by

1. Colin Clinch 36 c/b

2. Ross Clissold 36

3. Robert Morrissey 35 c/b

4. Gregory Blyton 35

5. Fred Bennett 34 c/b

3rd Kerry Claydon 19c/b

4th Phillip Wallis 19

Balls down to 16

Back Nine. Nett Scores

1st Tony McClure 18c/b

2nd Peter Nealon 18c/b

3rd John Symon 18

4th Keith Harrap 17c/b

local sponsors Nathanial and Jenna from Mumms on Myall.

Our minis grade (5&6 yrs) games kicked off on time at 9am sharp, with mentor and referee George at the helm.

Game 1 saw the Shovelnose Sharks net 4 goals to the Reef Sharks single goal. Player of the match awards went to Leo Landwehr and Leon Moulds.

Game 2 The Wobbegong Sharks finished on top of the Port Jackson Sharks 6 goal to 4. Players of the match

q

q

through

SPORT RESULTS

B Grade 1. Ian Richardson 38

2. John Reynolds 36

3. Noel Shelly 35 c/b

4. Larry Campton 35 c/b

5. Stephen McDermott 35

Balls down to 15

Nearest to Pin

3rd Keith Glanville

5th Stephen Taylor (Birdie)

10th John Symon (Birdie)

10th Bill Morris (Birdie)

16th Ron Rowe

went to Benji Evans and Nacy Murray.

Our Midis grade (7,8,9 yrs) game 1 the Bull Sharks shot 5 goals to the Hammerhead Sharks’1. Game 2 was similar to the previous game with the score line ending with 6 goals to the Bulahdelah Bullets and the Mako Sharks not being able to find the net despite several close attempts. Zac, Mile, Hugo and Beau took home the player of the match awards.

Karen refereed the junior grade (10,11,12 yrs) games, both being standouts. Game 1 saw the Thresher Sharks run away with 9 goals to the Bronze Whalers 3. Players of the day awards went to James Howard and Asher Gimbert. Welcome back Asher and well-done boys.

Game 2 The Tiger Sharks clawed their way on top of the Bulahdelah Bullets by 5 goals to 4 in an absolute thriller. Tobias Keeble and Xavier Sumner were the proud recipients of the player of the match awards. Congratulations and thanks to all players for fantastic games.

Jack Modistach bagged the generous sportsmanship award voucher from the local Lions Club.

After the round 2 games were all done and dusted, the Walking Football players mustered.

We welcomed back Vicki and Gary, all the way from

been here," Kisnorbo said.

Delicately poised

STORY STARTS on BACK COVER, Page 20

fortress of McDonald Jones Stadium next Saturday night.

Newcastle have the chance to complete the domestic treble this season, having already secured the Premiers Plate and the Australia Cup titles for the first time in the club's history.

If the Jets get the job done against Sydney on Saturday, the domestic treble will be within touching distance.

"These boys have been fortunate to create a lot of special moments this year, but that chapter's closed now," Milligan said.

"We have a chance to

go and rewrite the history books, and that comes down to how hard we want to work this week and how much desire we have. It's in our hands."

A win over Sydney on Saturday will thrust the Jets into the grand final, where they would take on either Adelaide or Auckland.

That semi-final series is also on a knife's edge after Adelaide and Auckland fought out a 1-1 draw in Auckland on Saturday.

Sydney were denied a late penalty shout against Newcastle, but coach Patrick Kisnorbo, who only replaced Ufuk Talay six games ago, was happy with the performance.

"It was probably our best performance since I've

C Grade

1. Michael Ross 36

2. Barry Collins 35

3. Richard Kemp 34 c/b

4. Ross Kirwan 34 c/b

5. Gordon Morrison 34

Hawks Nest Social Club Thursday Night Darts

By John EDWARDS

7th MAY.

Winners going through undefeated: Geoff Smith and Bob Whyte.

Runners up: Michael Russom and Damian Ellis. Ladies highest score: Teagan Diaz-106.

Men’s highest score: John Edwards-140.

Darts are on every Thursday night, names in by 6.45pm, darts start 7pm.

the Central Coast, where they have moved to, back into our ranks for the day.

We also welcomed two newbies, Leonie and Sally who took to the field and managed to complete the three 15-minute playing sessions. See you both next week ladies.

Adding to a great day, we had a visit from two Gosford Walking Football Club players Mark and his wife Linda together with their club

NTP. A B C 3rd. Harrap, Keith Shelly, Noel Ross, Michael 5th Morrissey, Robert Shelly, Noel Kemp, Richard 10th Matheson, George

29 c/b

mascot Scout the dog. They were all staying in Hawks Nest last week and reached out to see if they could join us.

The eight a side game was a cracker, our newly introduced game rules proving popular and creating much more safe space and time for players to enjoy their time on the pitch.

Len broke his own record with a slow-motion tumble in the first 30 seconds of

"I'm very proud of the players."

Star Sydney winger Joe Lolley made an impressive cameo off the bench after being introduced in the 76th minute.

It marked the 33-yearold's first minutes since undergoing ankle surgery on a syndesmosis injury in early March, and Kisnorbo wasn't making any promises about potentially starting the former Nottingham Forest star in the second leg.

"I don't know. We'll have to see how he goes from tonight," Kisnorbo said.

"This was his first match for a long time, so we'll see how he recovers.

"He's been working hard to get fit as quick as possible... so I'm pleased that he got some minutes under his belt."

the game but got back up with some other players' assistance and enjoyed the remainder of the day.

Chris rolled in a great slow but determined goal from an extremely wide angle, to much jubilation of everyone on and off the field. Well done.

Thanks to Robyn for taking care of the laundry this week and I will see you all again next Saturday morning at 11am.

Bulahdelah Golf Club

Report

By Thora-Lou SMITH

WEDNESDAY 6th May was a Stroke event for the ladies (Country Championships – Club Level only) and Meredyth Rae was the winner with 68nett from Kath Guyer with 78nett. No NTPs or jackpot!

The Vets played the May Monthly Mug on Thursday

Hawks Nest Ladies Golf

By Dianne BOWES

LAST Saturday’s Stroke round saw 30 ladies tee off throughout the morning, with quite a few visitors boosting the numbers. The day belonged to local player Cheryl Rose, who topped the leaderboard with a magnificent round of 65, a decisive 6 shots ahead of the field – congratulations, Cheryl!

Results: Saturday 2/5/2026

Ladies 18 Hole Stroke Round

A Grade Winners: 1st

Gaye Gillard 71; 2nd Maxine Mitchell 72 C/B; 3rd Denise Sainty 72

B Grade Winners: 1st Cheryl Rose 65 (best score

7th May and the winner was Paul Reid with a crazy 64nett from Damian Bishop with 69nett and Peter Norman with 71nett. NTPs were Mick Welsh, Stewart McNaughton, Kevin Martin and 17th jackpot, Ray Mansell. Saturday 9th May was a beautiful Autumnal day and 48 players enjoyed the Stableford event on the course that was running well and in excellent condition. A Grade winner

of the day); 2nd Judi Salmon 74; 3rd Robyn Wade 75

Place Getters (74 C/B -77 C/B): Antje Basson, Donna Andrews, Sue Campton, Evelyn Potts, Robyn Keegan, Tanya Sinclair

Gross Winners: A Grade

Denise Sainty 90 C/B; B Grade Cheryl Rose 100

NTP Hole 10: A Grade

Gaye Gillard

NTP Hole 5: A Grade

Donna Andrews; B Grade

Deb Gardner

The Myall Classic, a 36 hole event, was held over 2 days at Hawks Nest Golf Course last week in perfect conditions. Congratulations to Hawks Nest’s Liz Edmonds who won the Ladies Trophy!

There were 37 starters in the Tuesday Stableford round, including Gayle and Colleen from Singleton GC. Rhonda Dorman took the

SPORT RESULTS

was Max Schlenert with 35pts on a c/b from dad David Schlenert. Rodney Richards was the B grade winner with 33pts on a c/b from Glenn Grainger. C grade winner was Damian Bishop with 36pts from new member Luke Ayres with 35pts. Ladies' winner was Jenny Kars with 35pts from Lou Smith with 31pts and Meredyth Rae with 30pts. NTPs were Ray Mansell, Stewart McNaughton, Steve

honours with a great score of 37, followed closely by Elsa Jones on 36 and Robyn Keegan 35. Beyond that it seemed the leaderboard got stuck on 33, with the next 7 place getters sharing all the threes! Chip ins today came from Chris Simmons on the 1st hole from a distance of 17 metres, for par. Di Bowes parred the 10th with a chip in, as did Deb Matheson on the 12th – well played, ladies!

Results: Tuesday 5/5/2026

Ladies 18 Hole Stableford

A Grade Winners: 1st

Marcia Smith 33 C/B; 2nd Angela Clipperton 33 C/B; 3rd Carolyn Affleck 33

B Grade Winners: 1st

Robyn Keegan 35; 2nd Fran

Henderson 33 C/B; 3rd Dale McClure 33 C/B

C Grade Winners: 1st

Sharp, Max Schlenert, Rod Norberry and Charlie Matheson. Long Drivers were Daryl Harvey, Brad Glesson, Charlie Matheson and Lou Smith. Lou also won the 17th jackpot and got the birdie putt.

Next weekend is busy with the Men's Foursomes Championship being played on Saturday 16th, followed by the Mixed Foursomes Championship on Sunday 17th

Rhonda Dorman 37 (best score of the day); 2nd Elsa Jones 36; 3rd Debbie Andrews 33

Place Getters (33 – 31 C/B): Gayle Thompson (Singleton GC), Ann Morris, Robyn Wade, Carol Maher, Liz Ross, Deb Gardner, Judy Benson

NTP Hole 5: B Grade Gayle Thompson; C Grade Jan Olsen

Thursday’s Lady Vets event was the ever popular Grandmother’s Trophy. There was a brisk westerly wind blowing which may have kept the numbers down a little, but 48 determined golfers took part in this 9 hole competition. It was great to see Jo Collins back after a long break, and our Singleton visitors joined us again to enjoy the Thursday festivities. Jeanette Kemp

Hawks Nest Bridge Club

By Diane RUSSELL

WEEK ending 8th

May.

Monday: N/S 1. L & G Conroy, 2. L Caro & B Treharne, 3. S

Pearson & D O’Brien E/W 1. L

Falla & C Rands, 2. L

Butler & K McMurray, 3. G Morrison & P

had a cracker of a chip in, from 30 metres out on the 17th hole, and Marlene Stokes chipped in from 12 metres on the 11th – well played, ladies!

But it was Robyn Richardson’s day all round, finishing with the best nett score of 34 to win the Grandmother’s Trophy for the first time. Fran Henderson was the Runner Up on nett 35 C/B. Robyn also had the best handicap score of the day AND she won the Mother’s Day Raffle! A wonderful day, congratulations, Rob!

Results: Thursday 7/5/2026

Lady Vets 9 Hole Event

1st Robyn Richardson -2; 2nd Gene Prigg 2 C/B; 3rd Jan Olsen 2; 4th Rhona Smallcomb 3; 5th June London 4

Baily. Wednesday: 1. E Digby

1. D Hipkins & B Eyre, 2. B Taylor & J Fowler, 3. J Armstrong & D Dale.

NTP

Division 1 Fran Henderson; Division 2 Donna Clemens; Division 3 Viv Ballinger

There was a special moment today for Marlene Stokes, when she was presented with the WVGA pin marking her recent significant birthday –congratulations, Marlene! The Lady Vets Mother’s Day Raffle, raising money to support the HMR was drawn today. It was won by Robyn Richardson, Dawn Nealon, Kay Webb, Gayle Thompson and Trish Campbell. Thankyou to everyone who donated prizes and bought tickets this year to support important research into breast, ovarian and blood cancers.

A vicious cycle of inflation

AUSTRALIA is being told inflation is the nation’s biggest economic threat, yet the actions of the Federal Government suggest something very different.

Australians are tightening their belts, cutting household spending, struggling with mortgages, rent, groceries and power bills, while Canberra continues to spend at record levels.

The question many ordinary Australians are now asking is simple: if inflation is supposedly the priority, why does the government keep pouring more money into the economy?

Every week Australians hear politicians talk about “cost of living relief,” but too often these measures simply add more fuel to the inflation fire.

Handouts, subsidies and massive spending programs might sound compassionate in a press conference, but when governments continue to inject billions into the economy without restraint, demand rises and prices keep climbing.

It becomes a vicious cycle - the government spends more to offset rising costs, which in turn helps keep those costs high.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank responds by increasing

interest rates to try and slow spending. The result?

Everyday Australians are punished twice.

Families with mortgages are hammered with higher repayments while taxpayers continue funding government spending sprees that appear to have no end.

There is also a growing perception that governments benefit politically from inflation staying high.

When inflation rises, governments collect more GST revenue.

Income tax receipts also increase as workers are pushed into higher tax brackets despite not actually being better off.

Asset prices remain inflated, allowing governments to boast about economic growth while ordinary Australians fall further behind in real terms.

Australians are not blind to the contradiction.

They see politicians flying around the country announcing billions for new projects, expanding bureaucracy, funding consultants and growing government departments, all while lecturing households about the need for economic discipline.

Families are expected to sacrifice, yet government spending continues almost unchecked.

OPINION

The hard truth is that inflation will not seriously come down until government spending is brought under control. You cannot fight inflation with one hand while accelerating it with the other. Economic management requires restraint, prioritisation and difficult decisions — not endless announcements designed for headlines and political survival.

Australians deserve honesty.

If the government truly wants inflation under control, it must lead by example.

That means cutting waste, reducing unnecessary spending,

shrinking bureaucracy and focusing on policies that grow productivity rather than simply throwing more borrowed money into the economy.

Right now, too many Australians feel like they are carrying the burden while Canberra keeps spending as if there is no tomorrow.

Until that changes, many will continue to believe the government does not really want inflation to fall - because politically and financially, high inflation suits them just fine.

Regards, Troy

Dorin's Drawings

& LETTERS

On the Couch

By Paul DORIN

Verse of the week

The Write Direction

By John BLACKBOURN

Shock, horror and heck

HAVING spent 40 years of my life involved with the economics of companies and investors, little shocks me.

From the Mayor's desk

By Claire PONTIN MidCoast Council

IT is the time of year for us to put our budget and operational plan out for public comment ahead of adoption in June.

Please have a look at it and give us some feedback, recognising, of course, that each year we must decide how to spread the money

DEAR News Of The Area,

I AM writing in support of Leigh Allen's letter this week on the above subject.

I am a golfer of many years and have been to several

DEAR Jasminda,

By JASMINDA

I find there are times during my working day when I lack energy or wonder at the futility of an office job. How do I keep my momentum going for the next 45 years?

Melissa W.

By Lynne MILES

I thought that I had seen and experienced most of what goes on in the real world.

But revelations from our highest authorities have confirmed just how bad our nation’s financial position really is.

Last month alone some 14,000 Australians phoned the National Debt Helpline suggesting that they had reached the end of their ability to survive financially in the present economic climate.

Also, who would have thought that we now have some eight million residents receiving some form of income support from the taxpayer (including sick leave)?

The facts are that around two

that we receive over a large geographic area and the over 31 services that we fund each year.

And it is never enough to do what we would like to do.

The document (draft Delivery Program and Draft Operational Plan) also outlines our fees and charges for next year and most have been put up a bit to help cover the inflation costs of the goods and services we provide.

This also means that the annual increase of 3.1 percent (recommended by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) has once again been built into our rates.

Dear Melissa,

I had some general ideas for you and was about to start composing my response when I came to the number at the end of your conundrum. If any of us looked at the sum total of our time doing anything we would be stressed.

There is a wonderful short story by David Eagleman called

million “more” people are now accessing payments than they were a decade ago.

One third of these claims across Australia’s major income support schemes are from people claiming mental health reasons.

Suffering from long-covid and unable to work was another common reason offered.

Another shocker for me is the significant growth of public sector jobs Australia-wide.

The extent of public service jobs these days is huge when

everyone’s rates will go up – the impact of the changes in property value (set by the State ValuerGeneral) between individual areas and properties often has a greater impact.

This is all set out in the documents that are now on public exhibition.

I should also mention that the uncertainty surrounding oil and fuel prices has made it difficult to set budgets, but at the end of the day we must make do with what we’ve got.

If fuel prices surge higher, this could impact the amount we can deliver within the budget.

This does not mean that beach.

The good news is that due to

'Sum', a fictitious account of the afterlife where everything in a lifetime is grouped.

In the story, the narrator describes how the average person would spend thirty years asleep, experience 27 hours of intense pain in one hit, and 15 months looking for lost items, amongst other things.

The point I am making with this reference is that you cannot envisage the next 45 years of your working life in an office in isolation and remain sane.

You need to break your working life down into achievable chunks, for example: If you can get through the next two hours, Marie from sales and marketing will bring in a vanilla slice after her weekly bakery run. The sugar hit that releases will give you about 30 minutes of adrenaline and positivity. If you can extend that to 45 minutes by adding a double-shot coffee, you will probably make it to the 2pm staff meeting where Julie from accounts will drone on about profit and loss stats for about half an hour.

If you can stretch the meeting

you think of police, ambulance and fire service personnel.

We have the Army, Navy and the Air Force now employing a greater number of people.

Add councils, bureaucrats, railways, transport services etc.

Wow, what about the free enterprise system we all thought that we were part of?

The professional sector of doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers and even economists used to be seen as the engine room driving the economy.

Plus, with the self-employed

disaster funding for our damaged roads network, we will be spending over $250m of new money on restoring our roads and bridges over the next few years.

This will have a significant impact.

Councils in NSW, following the lead of the Country Mayors Association, have increased their advocacy to the Federal Government to increase the annual Financial Assistance Grants that go to Councils across Australia.

The call is to increase it from 0.5 percent of tax revenue back to the previous level of one percent.

Currently, MidCoast Council receives just over $20m each

Of The Area

to 3pm, there is every probability you will make it to knock-off time. There is also absolutely no guarantee you will be in an office job for the next 45 years. In fact it is extremely unlikely.

Many people have up to seven career changes.

For all you know, in a decade from now you may have retrained to be a dietician or a paramedic or a spin class instructor.

In that final example, you will be so full of exerciseinduced dopamine that you'll be positively bursting with energy and enthusiasm.

So, Melissa, try to find the positives in your workday, when you leave work focus on enjoyable life activities that have nothing to do with being in the office, and, if you really do find your current job futile, I'd recommend looking at alternatives. You sound young enough to be in a position to do further education and training. It would be a real shame if you looked back on your working life with regret.

tradespeople now being the income savvy amongst us, things have certainly changed in the way our economy operates. It is not a time to panic about our economy and where we are headed, but government borrowing with increased spending usually results in waste, and creates false reality about the strength of our economy. This must ring bells about the direction in which we are heading.

A solemn warning for us all to consider.

year through these grants, which are “untied”, meaning they are not linked to specific projects, except that nearly half must be spent on roads. Doubling this amount would solve many of our budgetary issues.

I will join in and write to relevant Ministers (including the Prime Minister and Treasurer) and Federal MPs again asking them to help with rising cost of living increases by increasing funding to local Councils to reduce the need for squeezed Councils to constantly increase their fees and rates.

For more information see https://haveyoursay.midcoast.nsw. gov.au

meetings at the Golf Club on the proposed development adjacent to the golf course.

At the beginning the developer assured us together with maps etc that the buildings would not be visible from the

Although none of us wants our beautiful beach area spoiled, it appeared that these buildings - in the so-called "progress of today" - would not stop locals and visitors alike from having a wonderful outlook when on our incredible beach.

At the present there is not a single man-made building (apart

from the surf club) in sight, with 40 km views of natural habitat to see.

In their wisdom, it appears that MidCoast Council increased the permissible height from 8.5m to 12m; thereby the developer can now put four storey buildings on this site which would have to be seen from our beach.

I am very much against this

so-called progress if it means spoiling our wonderful natural coastline.

So sad. Shame on the Council for allowing this.

Regards, Elsa D JONES, Hawks Nest.

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BEST ON THE BOX

FRIDAY EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

SBS, 5am (live) and 7.30pm (access all areas) Music fans turn their attention to Vienna this weekend as the Austrian capital hosts the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. While die-hard devotees will likely catch the 5am (AEST) semi-final broadcasts live on Wednesday and Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s grand final, casual viewers are best advised to tune in for this access-all-areas pass. Aussie commentators Courtney Act and Danny Estrin present all of the action from the first semi-final tonight, while Saturday’s primetime broadcast includes a dazzling performance from pop powerhouse Delta Goodrem (pictured). Her entry, “Eclipse”, is a quintessential power ballad with an epic key change that’s tailor-made to take on the competition.

MONDAY THE FLOOR

NBN, 7.30pm

This say-what-you-see trivia game could be the easiest money on Australian TV. There’s no need to tough it out in the jungles of Samoa , spend months renovating a high-end home for or create fine-dining

FRIDAY, May 15

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 Gardening Australia. Clarence Slockee explores diverse foliage plants.

8.30 Patience. (Final, Mv) Patience and Frankie are held hostage.

9.20 Gruen. (PG, R) Presented by Wil Anderson.

9.55 Urzila. (Mls, R)

10.20 ABC Late News.

10.40 Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee. (PG, R)

11.25 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mav, R)

12.15 Love Me. (MA15+, R)

1.05 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv)

5.00 Rage. (PG)

6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! 8.55 BattleBots. 9.40

6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Eurovision Song Contest. Hosted by Courtney Act and Danny Estrin. 10.00 Rock Legends: Chicago. (PGa, R)

10.30 SBS World News Late.

11.00 The King. (MA15+s)

11.55 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+asv, R)

1.50 Syndrome E. (Malv, R)

3.55 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (R)

4.30 Bamay. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News Morning.

5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

MasterChef; simply perform well in a few 90-second quiz battles and a $200,000 prize could be yours. Even host Rodger Corser (pictured) appears to be on easy street – a computer screen handles the questions for him. In Monday’s secondseason finale, just eight contestants remain standing on the giant illuminated board. As they face off in both their own specialist subjects and those they’ve inherited from fallen rivals, all bets are off. It’s winner takes all.

TUESDAY SHAUN MICALLEF’S GOING FOR BROKE

ABC TV, 8pm

In his 2020 docuseries

On the Sauce, teetotal comedian Shaun Micallef (pictured) tapped into Australia’s drinking culture, getting hands on with booze for the first time in 30 years. In this new three-parter, Micallef applies a similar approach to another national pastime: gambling. Its appeal is not something the comic has ever understood – he’s never even played the pokies – but with his young sons and their friends bombarded by gambling ads, he decides to take a closer look. Tuesday’s premiere begins with an afternoon of sports betting, before a game of two-up on Anzac Day and discovering how poker machines are programmed to cast a spell on players. For support, call Gambler’s Help (1800 858 858).

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Hosted by Johanna Griggs.

7.30 Football. AFL. Round 10. Sydney v Collingwood. From the SCG.

10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews taking a look back at all the action from the match.

11.15 GetOn Extra. A look at the weekend’s best racing.

11.45 My Reno Rules. (PGl, R) Hosted by Dr Chris Brown.

1.20 Quacks. (Mads)

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 11. South Sydney Rabbitohs v Dolphins.

9.55 NRL Friday Night Footy Post-Match. Post-match coverage of the NRL game.

10.45 MOVIE: Rambo: First Blood. (1982, Mlv, R) A Vietnam War veteran is pushed to the brink. Sylvester Stallone.

12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)

1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)

Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)

SATURDAY, May 16

6.00 Rage Charts. (PG) 7.00 Wknd Brekky. 9.00 Rage. (PG) 10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer. (PG) 12.00 News. 12.30 Death In Paradise. (Ma, R) 1.30 Patience. (Final, Mv, R) 2.20 David Attenborough’s Galapagos. (Final, R) 3.10 David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef. (Final, R) 4.10 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.00 Aust Story. (R) 5.30 Landline. (R)

6.00 Kath & Kim. (PGals, R) Sharon takes a shine to Kel’s best friend.

6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) Hosted by Tom Gleeson.

7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.

7.30 Death In Paradise. (PG) The team investigates the death of a business owner.

8.30 Silent Witness. (MA15+) Nikki conducts an unusual post-mortem. DNA evidence forces the team to seek advice from an unexpected quarter.

10.15 Bergerac. (Mv, R) Bergerac and Barney’s relationship reaches breaking point.

11.00 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 For The Love Of Dogs. (PGa, R) 11.00 Hot Roads: World’s Most Dangerous Roads. (PG) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Sailing. Sail Grand Prix. H’lights. 3.00 Stories From The Cities. 3.30 U-96, The True Story Of Das Boot. (PGaln, R) 4.30 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. H’lights. 5.35 Cold War Spies. (PG)

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Eurovision Song Contest. Hosted by Courtney Act and Danny Estrin.

10.00 The Wonders Of Europe: Schonbrunn Palace. (PG, R) Looks at  Vienna’s Schonbrunn Palace.

11.00 Snowpiercer. (MA15+v, R) Layton and Wilford vie for the upper hand.

1.40 The Kingdom. (Ma, R) Marc Fennell investigates Hillsong.

3.00 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (R) 4.10 Bamay: Murrumbidgee River – Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri And Ngarigo Country. (R)

5.00 Eurovision Song Contest.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Horse Racing. Arrowfield Dark Jewel Classic Race Day, Andrew Ramsden Race Day and Doomben 10,000 Day. 5.00 Seven News At 5. 5.30 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Hosted by Johanna Griggs.

8.00 Ooops! I Bought A Pub. Shane Jacobson buys a rundown country pub sight unseen and attempts to bring it back to life.

8.30 MOVIE: The Day After Tomorrow. (2004, Ma, R) A climatologist tries to save his family after the planet is plunged into a sudden ice age. Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum.

11.00 SAS: AUS v ENG. (Madlv, R)

12.00 Devils. (MA15+av)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 It’s Academic. (R)

5.00 House Of Wellness. (PG, R)

6.00 NBN News.

7.00 Rugby League. NRL. Round 11. Parramatta Eels v Melbourne Storm.

9.40 NRL Saturday Night Footy Post-Match.

10.00 MOVIE: City Of Lies. (2018, MA15+lv, R)

12.05 Law & Order: Organized Crime. (MA15+av, R)

1.00 Tasman Trails. (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) A bulldog has lost its spark.

7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. A couple must decide whether to move or not.

8.30 Building The Dream. Architectural designer Charlie Luxton helps first-time builders design budget-friendly homes that suit their lifestyles.

9.30 Ambulance Australia. (Mms, R) Paramedics respond to a child’s call about a five-year-old stuck in mud, but all is not as it seems.

11.30 Elsbeth. (PGlsv, R) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.

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SBS MOVIES (32)

6.10am

SUNDAY, May 17

6.00 Rage. (PG) 7.00 Wknd Brekky. 9.00 Insiders. 10.00 Offsiders. 10.30 World This Week. (R) 11.00 Compass. (PG, R) 11.30 Praise. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Landline. 1.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 2.30 The Assembly. (PGa, R) 3.15 Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure. (PGa, R) 4.10 Grand Designs. (Final, R) 5.00 Back Roads. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow.

6.30 Compass. (PG)

7.00 ABC News.

7.30 The Assembly: Dave Hughes. (PGa)

8.15 Bad Company. (PGn) Margie decides to become social media famous.

8.40 Bergerac. (Mal) Bergerac’s pursuit of Monica has severe consequences.

9.30 Death In Paradise. (PG, R) The team investigates the death of a business owner.

10.30 Silent Witness. (MA15+, R)

12.15 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)

3.00 Gardening Australia. (R)

4.00 Dream Gardens. (R)

4.30 A Bite To Eat With Alice. (R)

5.00 Insiders. (R)

ABC FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 3.30pm Room On The Broom. 3.55 Odd Squad. 4.30 Little J And Big Cuz. 5.05 Kangaroo Beach. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Emerald. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 Kids Baking Championship. (Final) 8.10 Kids BBQ Championship. 8.55 Caper Crew. 9.15 Mr Bean: The Animated Series. 9.40 Fresh Off The Boat. 10.20 Abbott Elementary. 10.45 Merlin. 11.25 Late Programs. 6am Children’s Programs. 1.50pm Kangaroo Beach. 2.15 Peter Rabbit. 2.30 Mister Maker Around The World. 3.00 Play School. 3.30 Paddington. 4.30 Little J And Big Cuz. 5.05 PJ Masks. 6.05 PJ Masks. 6.25 Emerald. 7.05 Let’s Go Bananas! 7.30 The Inbestigators. 7.45 Caper Crew. 8.10 Secrets At Red Rocks. 8.30 Animal Park. 10.00 Secrets Of The Zoo. 10.45 Merlin. 11.30 Late Programs.

6.30 SBS World News.

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6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 For The Love Of Dogs. (PGa, R) 11.00 Hot Roads: World’s Most Dangerous Roads. (PG) 12.00 PBS News Compass Points. 12.30 WorldWatch. 1.00 Speedweek. 3.00 Gymnastics. Artistic World Challenge Cup Series. H’lights. 4.30 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. H’lights. 5.30 The Battle Of Crete. (R)

7.30 Eurovision Song Contest. (PG) Hosted by Courtney Act and Danny Estrin.

12.00 MOVIE: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song. (2021, Ml, R)

2.05 Matched. (PG, R)

2.55 A Certain Mother. (PGan, R)

4.15 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (PGa, R)

4.50 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News Morning.

5.15 Euronews.

5.30 PBS News Horizons.

VICELAND (31)

9.05 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. Stage 8. 1.35am The Nine Lives Of. 2.30 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6am Morning Programs. 10.00 France 24 English News. 10.30 Eurovision Song Contest. 1.10pm Faithless. 2.10 Jeopardy! 4.15 France 24. 4.45 PBS Washington Week. 5.10 PBS News Compass Points. 5.40 The Frontier. 6.35 Abandoned Engineering. 8.25 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Giro d’Italia. Stage 9. 1.35am The Nine Lives Of. 2.30 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera Newshour.

SBS MOVIES (32)

Grandpas. (2019, PG, Spanish) 8.00 Vai. (2019, PG) 9.40 Oink. (2022, PG, Dutch) 11.05 Delfin. (2019, PG, Spanish) 12.50pm Cat Call. (2023, M, Hungarian) 2.30 A Great Friend. (2023, PG, French) 4.20 The Orator. (2011, PG, Samoan) 6.20 The Way Ahead. (1944, PG) 8.30 Crossing Over. (2009, MA15+) 10.35 The Sex Of The Angels. (2012, MA15+, Spanish) 12.35am Late Programs. 6am The Orator. Continued. (2011, PG, Samoan) 7.10 Howl’s Moving Castle. (2004, PG) 9.20 Vai. (2019, PG) 11.00 Oskars Kleid. (2022, M, German) 12.55pm Close. (2022, M, Dutch) 2.50 Thunderbirds Are GO. (1966, PG) 4.30 Delfin. (2019, PG, Spanish) 6.10 Sabrina. (1995, PG) 8.30 Past Lives. (2023, Korean) 10.30 The Talented Mr Ripley. (1999, M) 1am Piece Of My Heart. (2022, MA15+, Dutch) 3.00 Late Programs.

6.00 NBC Today. 7.00 Weekend Sunrise. 10.00 The Morning Show: Weekend. (PG) 12.00 Sunday Footy Feast. 2.30 House Of Wellness. (PG,

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 The 1% Club. (PGls)

8.00 7NEWS Spotlight.

9.00 Child Snatchers: A Day At The Fair. (MA15+a) Looks at the disappearance of seven-year-old Mark Tildesley.

10.50 24 Hours In Police Custody. (Malv, R)

12.00 A Friend Of The Family. (MA15+a, R)

1.15 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.

7TWO (62)

6am Morning Programs. 3.15pm MOVIE: Wonder. (2017, PG) 5.40 MOVIE: The Addams Family 2. (2021, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian. (2009, PG) 9.40 MOVIE: Yes Man. (2008, M) 11.45 Seinfeld. 12.15am Prodigal Son. 2.00 MOVIE: Blaze. (2022, MA15+) 4.00 Big Rigs Of Oz. 4.30 Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures. 4.50 Cry Babies Magic Tears. 5.10 Late Programs.

6.00 NBN News.

7.00 The Floor. (PG)

8.15 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians. 9.15 To Be Advised.

10.15 9News Late.

10.45 The First 48: Old Flame/ Bad Behaviour. (Mav, R) 11.40 American Ripper. (Mav) 12.35 Oz Off Road TV. (PGl, R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) 4.30 The Garden Gurus. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.

6am Morning Programs. 2.50pm The Summit. 5.35 MOVIE: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. (2004, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Speed. (1994, M) 9.55 MOVIE: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. (1989, PG) 11.50 Gotham. 12.45am Arrow. 2.25 Soccer. English Premier League. Manchester City v Brentford. Replay. 4.25 Lego Dreamzzz. 5.10 Bubble’s Hotel. 5.30 Beyblade Burst QuadStrike. 6am Morning Programs. 11.30 Life Off Road. Noon Aussie Adventure Bike Show. 12.30 Timbersports. 1.00 Blokesworld. 1.30 Garage 41. 2.00 Rides Down Under: Aussie Truckers.

6.30 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.

7.00 MasterChef Australia. (PG) It’s the start of around the world week. 8.15 Race Across The World. (Ml) The teams must navigate the full length of Thailand to reach the next checkpoint in Koh Phi Phi. 9.30 Taskmaster Australia. (Ms, R) The comedians try

3.10 MOVIE: I Live In Grosvenor Square. (1945) 5.30 Midsomer Murders. 7.30 David Attenborough’s Mammals. 8.40 Paramedics. 9.40 Emergency. 10.40 Late Programs.

MONDAY, May 18

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Silent Witness. (Ml, R) 11.40 You Can’t Ask That. (Mls, R) 12.00 ABC News At Noon. 1.00 Landline. (R) 2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.30 Anh’s Brush With Fame. (R) 3.00 Grand Designs Australia. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.00 Morning Programs.

6am Children’s Programs. 4.40pm Ariel. 5.30 Talking Tom Heroes. 6.05 Spidey And His Amazing Friends. 6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Expedition With Steve Backshall. 9.35 Chopped Junior. 10.15 Kids Baking Championship. 11.00 Late Programs.

6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes. (PG)

8.40 Ancient Greece By Train. (R)

9.35 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M)

10.20 SBS World News Late.

10.50 Sambre: Anatomy Of A Crime. (Mav)

11.50 Gomorrah. (MA15+v, R)

2.45 Off The Beaten Track With Kate Humble. (PGn, R)

3.55 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (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 Home And Away. (PGl)

7.30 Glenn And Mick’s Celebrity Intervention. (Ms) 8.40 9-1-1. (Mav) 9.40 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. (R) 10.40 The Agenda Setters. 11.40 Happy’s Place. (PGal) 12.10 New Amsterdam. (MA15+a, R) 1.10 The Outdoor Room With Jamie Durie. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

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MOVIES (32)

6am My

Neighbour Totoro. Continued. (1988, PG) 6.25

Castle In The Sky. (1986, PG) 8.40 Delfin. (2019, PG, Spanish) 10.20 The Talented Mr Ripley. (1999, M) 12.55pm Hounds. (2023, M, Berber) 2.35 The Movie Show. 3.10 The Way Ahead. (1944, PG) 5.20 What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. (1993, PG) 7.30 Goodbye Julia. (2023, M, Sudanese Arabic) 9.40 Sweet As. (2022, M) 11.20 Late Programs.

TUESDAY, May 19

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00 Aust Story. (R) 10.30 Planet America. (R) 11.00 A Life In Ten Pictures. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (PGv, R) 2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.25 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Australia. (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

Family. (PG, R) 1.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 4.00 Gardening Australia. (R)

5.00 A Bite To Eat. (PG, R) 5.30 7.30. (R)

6am Children’s Programs. 6.05pm Spidey And His Amazing Friends. 6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 The Slow Mo Guys’ Big Adventures. (Final) 9.05 MythBusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 9.30 BattleBots. 10.20 Merlin. 11.05 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) ABC FAMILY (22)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG)

8.30 Insight.

9.30 Dateline.

10.00 SBS World News Late.

10.30 Living Black. (R)

11.05 The Negotiator. (Premiere, Mal)

12.00 World On Fire. (Mav, R)

3.15 Off The Beaten Track With Kate Humble. (PG, R)

4.25 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News.

5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

(31)

SBS MOVIES (32)

6am Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind. Continued. (1984, PG) 7.10 Porco Rosso. (1992, PG) 8.55 Francis: Pray For Me. (2015, PG, Spanish) 10.55 UnIndian. (2015, M) 1pm Past Lives. (2023, Korean) 3.00 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 4.50 The Bridge On The River Kwai. (1957, PG) 7.45 Shadow Island. (2023, M, Norwegian) 9.30 Ama Gloria. (2023, PG, French) 11.05 Late Programs.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGal) 7.30 My Reno Rules. (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. (Mav, R) 12.15 New Amsterdam. (MA15+a, R) 1.15 Harry’s Practice. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

NBC Today.

(64)

WEDNESDAY, May 20

TV (2)

6.00 Morning Programs. 10.45 Dr Ann’s Secret Lives. (R) 11.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.00 Grand Designs Australia. (Final, PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.35 Alexander Armstrong In India. (PG)

8.30 The Trial Of Michael Jackson. (M)

9.25 The Audacity. (M)

10.30 SBS World News Late. 11.00 Rise Of The Raven. (MA15+asv) 12.05 Golden Boy. (MA15+ds, R) 1.55 Classified. (Malv, R) 3.35 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (R)

4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 4.05pm Andy’s Prehistoric Adv. 4.40 Ariel. 5.30 Talking Tom Heroes. 6.05 Spidey And His Amazing Friends. 6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 9.05 Adventure Time. 9.50 Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl. 11.00 Late Programs.

THURSDAY,

TV (2)

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa)

7.30 SAS: AUS v ENG. (Madlv) A punishment proves too much.

8.30 The Front Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher take a lighter look at all things AFL.

9.30 Unfiltered. (M) Hosted by  Hamish McLachlan.

10.00 The Agenda Setters.

11.00 Ultimate Crash Test. (PGal, R) 1.00 Kochie’s Business Builders. (R)

2.00 Home Shopping. (R)

4.00 NBC Today.

5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Events That Changed Australia. (Ml)

NRL Origin Stories. (Premiere, PGl)

9News Late.

Freddy And The Eighth. (Ml)

A Killer Makes A Call. (MA15+av, R)

12.00 First On Scene. (Mav, R)

12.30 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R)

3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping.

6am Hotel

Salvation. Continued. (2016, PG, Hindi) 6.50 Ama

Gloria. (2023, PG, French) 8.25 Open The Wall. (2014, PG, German) 10.10 Discovering Film. 11.05

Goodbye Julia. (2023, M, Sudanese Arabic) 1.20pm

Sweet As. (2022,

May 21

6.00 News Breakfast. 9.00 News. 10.00 Gruen. (PG, R) 10.35 Guy Mont Spelling Bee. (PG, R) 11.25 Urzila. (Mals, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Bergerac. (Mal, R) 2.00 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.30 Brush With Fame. (PG, R) 3.00 Restoration Australia. (PG, R) 3.55 Frankie Drake. (PG) 4.40 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)

(R)

5.30 7.30. (R)

FAMILY (22)

6am Children’s Programs. 2.45pm The Makery. 3.00 Play School. 4.05 Andy’s Prehistoric Adv. 4.40 Ariel. 5.30 Talking Tom Heroes. 6.05 Spidey And His Amazing Friends. 6.25 The Adventures Of Paddington. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Ultimate Vets. 9.05 Animal Park. 10.35 Merlin. 11.20 Late Programs.

(3)

6.00 Mastermind Australia.

6.30 SBS World News.

7.30 Rick Stein’s Australia. (PGa)

8.40 American Prince: JFK Jr. (Ml, R)

9.30 A Gentleman In Moscow. (M)

10.30 SBS World News Late.

11.00 Under The Bridge. (Madl)

11.55 DNA. (Ma, R)

2.30 Off The Beaten Track With Kate Humble. (PG, R)

3.40 Great Coastal Railway Journeys. (PGa, R)

4.15 Bamay. (R)

5.00 NHK World English News.

5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.

VICELAND (31) VICELAND (31)

Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 8.50 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 10.40 Shadow Island. (2023, M, Norwegian) 12.25pm Four’s A Crowd. (2022, M, Spanish) 2.15 Open The Wall. (2014, PG, German) 4.00 Ama Gloria. (2023, PG, French) 5.30 The Man Who Knew Infinity. (2015, PG) 7.30 The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry. (2023, M) 9.30 Eighth Grade. (2018, M) 11.15 Late Programs.

6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGl)

7.30 Highway Patrol. (PGl, R)

8.00 Motorway Patrol. (PGl) A car is found overloaded with bicycles.

8.30 Britain’s Got Talent. Hosted by Ant and Dec.

10.30 Unbelievable Moments Caught On Camera. (PGa, R)

11.30 To Be Advised.

12.30 New Amsterdam. (MA15+a, R) 1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.

By Justin CHADWICK, AAP

NEWCASTLE Jets coach

Mark Milligan is urging his players to write their name into the history books as the minor premiers look to seal an A-League Men grand final berth on home soil.

The two-legged semifinal showdown between Sydney and Newcastle is delicately poised after they fought out a 1-1 draw at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

Sky Blues striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos opened the scoring in the 50th minute before Eli Adams equalised eight minutes later for Newcastle.

The Jets will start as warm favourites in the return leg at their home

Burnie, Wynyard, Cradle Mountain, Strahan, Queenstown, Derwent Bridge, New Norfolk, Hobart, Mt Wellington, Bruny Island, Port Arthur, Mona, Richmond, Ross, Freycinet, Bicheno, St Helens, Bay of Fires, Pyengana, Bridestowe Estate, Launceston

Burnie, Wynyard, Cradle Mountain, Strahan, Queenstown, Derwent Bridge, New Norfolk, Hobart, Mt Wellington, Bruny Island, Port Arthur, Mona, Richmond, Ross, Freycinet, Bicheno, St Helens, Bay of Fires, Pyengana, Bridestowe Estate, Launceston