q Cutting the cake with inaugural members (l-r) Lynne Magni, Majorie Stone, Zone Councillor Evelyn Lockhart, Jennifer Brett, President Karen Swain, Noeline Millward and Cheryl Corbett.
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OUTLETS
Pathway upgrade to improve foreshore accessibility
PORT Macquarie Hastings Council has commenced works on the Westport Link Pathway, aimed at enhancing community access and improving connectivity along the
Kooloonbung Creek foreshore.
The project will upgrade the pedestrian pathway linking the base of the Buller Street/ Hollingworth Street
footbridge with the end of the Comfort Resort Waters Edge precinct.
“Once complete, the upgraded pathway will feature improved pavement surfaces, new lighting, seating, landscaping and grassed areas designed to enhance safety and amenity along the waterfront,” Mayor Adam Roberts said.
“A new jetty and canoe ramp will also be constructed to improve recreational access to the waters of Kooloonbung Creek and Hastings River foreshore.”
The project is jointly funded by the NSW Government through
the Recreational Fishing and Camping Facilities Program and Port Macquarie Hastings Council.
Work will occur weekdays between 7am and 6pm, and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
Weather permitting, the project will be complete by July.
During the works, the community may experience temporary pedestrian and car park access disruptions at the Hollingworth Street car park.
Pedestrian and vehicle detours will be clearly signposted, and the community is encouraged
to follow onsite safety signage while work is underway.
The Westport Link Pathway upgrade forms part of Council’s broader efforts to improve access to the Port Macquarie foreshore and provide high-quality recreational infrastructure for the community.
Once complete, the project will deliver improved pedestrian connectivity; safer public spaces through upgraded lighting and pathway surfaces; new opportunities for water-based recreation including canoe access; enhanced landscaping and public seating areas; and improved accessibility and usability of the foreshore.
Cultural burn in Cowarra State Forest
BUNYAH Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) community firefighters carried out a cultural burn in Cowarra State Forest on Wednesday, marking the return of traditional Aboriginal fire practices to State Forest management.
The burn brought together 15 community members, Elders, knowledge holders and young people, working alongside Forestry Corporation fire crews, to apply traditional fire knowledge passed down through the generations.
Amos Donovan, local Biripi man and Chief Executive Officer of Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council, led the cultural burn in Cowarra State Forest in partnership with Forestry Corporation.
The Cowarra State Forest burn forms part of the “Fire, Country and People: Aboriginal Community Disaster Ready Partnership Project” - a three-year, $2.96 million initiative funded under the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund with $1.48 million provided by the Australian Government and $1.48 million from the Forestry Corporation of NSW.
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Forestry Corporation’s Aboriginal
Corporation’s Aboriginal Heritage and Partnerships Manager, John Shipp said cultural burning plays an important role in caring for Country and building long-term community resilience.
“Cultural burning aims to apply fire to the landscape in the right place, at the right time and under the right conditions,” Mr Shipp said.
“Fire is applied at a scale that thins out mid-storey plants, without burning broad areas all at once as we see in high intensity bushfires.
“Burns are carried out when conditions allow for a low intensity, slow-moving and cool fire, allowing people and animals to move safely away from the flames, minimising harm to the forest canopy and maintaining healthy landscapes.
“The landscape can’t be too damp or too dry, and the burn may be deliberately patchy with some areas left unburnt to provide shelter and habitat for fauna.
“Burns are timed for when Country may trend toward being unwell if it is not treated through the re-introduction of traditional fire,” he said.
Ecological benefits of
cultural burning include reducing heavy fuel loads, opening the forest understorey, promoting grass growth and encouraging the return of native plants and animals not seen on Country for many years.
Traditional lighting methods are commonly used, including hand lighting with matches or traditional firesticks, particularly in open grassy forest types along ridges and mid-slopes.
The Fire, Country and People project has been co-designed with Aboriginal communities, including the Bunyah LALC, to ensure community aspirations for cultural burning, disaster readiness and land stewardship are central to all activities.
Burn plans are prepared under Reviews of Environmental Factors or the Bushfire Assessment Code, with cultural context and knowledge added by each community.
Cultural burn sites are prioritised with communities often along traditional pathways based on proximity to fire-affected communities, public infrastructure, important cultural locations and existing protection zones.
A formal research program is being established to build an evidence base for traditional Aboriginal fire management and its influence on the intensity and extent of bushfires.
Photographic monitoring will be used to
track changes in forest condition over time.
More than 60 Aboriginal people across the north coast have already received accredited fire training through the program, with dedicated cultural burning contracts negotiated with Aboriginal partner organisations to support employment and economic participation.
Members of the Bunyah LALC Community have committed to returning to Cowarra State Forest on a seasonal basis to continue treating Country through ongoing cultural burning, ensuring the practice remains a living cultural tradition and an ongoing land management responsibility.
q Weather permitting, the project will be complete by July. Photo: PMHC.
q A fire training camp held at Guulabaa – Place of Koala in Cowarra State Forest last year. Photo: Forestry Corporation.
XPT service to resume this month
THE Sydney to Grafton XPT train service is set to return from 28 April, after a year of coach replacements during fleet upgrades.
Sydney to Grafton train services - travelling through the Central Coast, Hunter and Mid North Coast - will resume from Tuesday, 28 April at 11.47am while return services from Grafton to Sydney kick off 29 April with the 5.15am service.
During the long-
term absence, the train restoration work included mechanical work to improve service reliability, new carpeting and refurbished seats, and maintenance to improve operation of the airconditioning and toilets.
The returning trains will also have a retro look.
As a nod to the popularity of the original livery, two power carscalled 'The City of Sydney' and 'The City of Grafton' - and six carriages will be
painted in the distinctive black, red, silver and warm white branding used by the State Rail Authority in the 1980s when the XPTs were first introduced into service.
The first return service of the Grafton XPT will run as a full set in this livery.
Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said, “We made a clear commitment to the people of Grafton and communities along the line that coaches would
only replace the Grafton train service for 12 months while we carried out these major upgrades.
“We have delivered on that promise.
“I want to thank the community for their patience over the past year.
“It has meant we have been able to fast track the $40.3 million, fiveyear program to refurbish our ageing XPTs – the workhorses of our current regional rail fleet.”
VIEW Club celebrates 25 years
Fifty women marked the 25 years since that launch, including members of the Wauchope and Camden Haven clubs.
President Karen Swain welcomed members and guests while Zone Councillor Evie Lockhart spoke about the joy of “meeting and working with so many lovely girls” over many years.
“I believe Cheryl at the time had a vision to bring women together for friendship to foster connection and to support the incredible work that we do for the Smith Family.
“Today we celebrate 25 years on that promise.”
Cheryl reflected on the club’s history.
“For 25 years, members have embraced that VIEW is at the heart of everything we do: giving time,
friendship and support to help children and families in need,” she said.
“Connecting socially with others in the community helps us to stay engaged and improves our wellbeing.”
Guest speaker Debbie Sommers, curator of Port Macquarie Museum, shared “25 years - 25 Stories", which included early paintings of the town and river.
Lighthouse VIEW Club supports three Learning for Life students with annual scholarships, and helps provide other essential educational resources and opportunities to Australian children.
For details about the club contact President Karen Swain 0409 836 711 or Secretary Cheryl Corbett 0412 457 309.
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q The XPT trains have been painted to reflect their history.
q Zone Councillor Evie Lockhart presenting member Lorraine Jose with her 20-year service pin.
q Guest speaker Debbie Sommers, Assistant Secretary Sue Hudson, guest Suzanne Steel, President Karen Swain, Secretary Cheryl Corbett, Zone Councillor Evelyn Lockhartt and Past President Margaret Donnelly.
Wauchope CWA’s Show splash
By Pauline CAIN
WAUCHOPE Branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) had a big few days at the Wauchope Show on 11-12 April.
Members shared information about what they do and showcased their handicraft.
Their impressive display spread across the stage and included items made by members - including during their Monday morning meetings in the CWA Hall.
President Doreen Burns, Handicraft Officer Mary McEnalley and 10 or more branch members spent the two days chatting with show patrons.
“We want to thank the community for all their support at the show,” Doreen said.
Mary added, “I am always amazed by the talent at Wauchope CWA.
“Someone is always coming in with something new and different.
“I am pleased with all the wonderful comments about the display.”
One of the stars of the branch is 96-year-old Hilda Saunders who has been a CWA member for at least 50 years, moving to Wauchope from Willawarrin where she originally joined the CWA.
Hilda won a number of first and second prizes in handicraft as well as prizes
for vegetables and plants.
“She is an encyclopedia of information on craft,” Mary said.
Mid North Coast Group President Lynn Moore was at the show on Saturday to support the Wauchope Branch.
“They are such a great team and they created a marvelous display,” she said.
Hall damaged The branch’s success at the Show was marred by an accident on Monday afternoon, not long after members had
left their morning craft session.
A utility struck and damaged the exterior wall of the Wauchope CWA Hall.
“This means we may not be able to hold our market and we will lose all the income from the rooms that are totally booked each
week,” said Doreen.
“We could be up to six months out of action, so we will need to find another venue and a way to work around all our activities, including our very popular handicraft mornings.
“We will still do morning tea on Anzac Day and will relocate to the Senior Citizen’s Hall.”
Show’s record cookery entries
By Pauline CAIN
THE Wauchope Showground pavilion was bursting with treats during the 114th annual show on 10-11 April.
The popularity of country cooking competitions was evident in the queues of locals dropping off their entries on Thursday morning.
The cooking competition featured many old-fashioned favourites including Anzac biscuits, jam drops, rock cakes, mushroom tarts, sponges, butter, orange and marble cakes.
Cookery Stewards, Lorraine Wedge and Lexie Burton, were
pleased with the record number of entries in the open section, including from a number of men.
“It was rewarding to see some of the new competitors come away with winning entries,” said Lexie.
“The school holidays [also] gave the juniors a great opportunity to test their skills.
“Many commented that they had lots of fun, while the mums mentioned the messy kitchens they had to head home to.”
Entry numbers were high, particularly in the junior cookery section, where Evelyn Park was the most successful exhibitor.
The judge said the quality of
Young artists inspired by exhibition
By Pauline CAIN
YOUNG aspiring artists were treated to a “Paint and Shake” workshop hosted by Port City Bowling Club (PCBC) as part of the fourth annual Hastings Valley Open Art Prize.
Artists Peggy Eather and Jan von Schoenberg from the Hastings Valley Fine Arts Association, together with Penny Lindsay, guided the children from a blank canvas to a hang-on-the-wall painting.
Over 20 children attended, ranging in age from five to 13, with each one given a blank canvas, paint and brushes.
Peggy Eather, who demonstrated, helped the young artists understand composition and the importance of the horizon in a landscape.
“The children were also taught about colour mixing and creating secondary colours from primary colours,” she said.
“Each one produced a piece that was an interesting and thoughtful… bird's-eye view of Lighthouse Beach and Tacking Point Lighthouse.
“It was a messy but productive workshop that left every child with a terrific painting.”
At the end of the workshop, the children were encouraged to view the paintings on exhibition at the Hastings Valley Open Art Prize and to choose their favourite piece as part of the Peoples’ Choice competition.
the junior entries was sometimes better than in the same open class. There were 44 classes in the open section, with the judge’s favourite the cooked slice, won by Vicki Martin.
Sheryl Workman, a stalwart of the Wauchope Show, entered 37 classes in the cookery competition and was named the most successful exhibitor.
She also entered in the handicraft and arranged flowers’ sections.
Sheryl is a member of the Women’s Show Auxiliary, as well as a steward for the jams, marmalades, jellies, relishes and preserves.
q Lyne MP Alison Penfold (centre) with CWA members (l-r) Deirdre Pfeiffer, Gail Kirkpatrick, Jenny Gaudry, Doreen Burns and Mary McEnallay. Photo: supplied.
q Damage to Wauchope CWA Hall on Monday afternoon. Photo: supplied.
q Cookery Stewards Lorraine Wedge and Lexie Burton surrounded by competition entrants. Photo: Pauline Cain.
q Artist Peggy Eather demonstrating her techniques. Photo: supplied.
$1M REWARD Careers market returns
FROM Page 1
“It does not matter how minuscule or small that piece of information may well be.
“It could be the piece of the puzzle that the police need to finalise this shocking incident and to bring closure to Harmony’s family.”
Police outlined that Harmony was found near her burnt vehicle on Ocean Drive, Bonny Hills on 16 August 2003 and had sustained burns to around 60 percent of her body, which were described as catastrophic.
She also suffered from
multiple fractures, including injuries to her pelvis and wrist, along with other significant trauma.
Harmony was taken to hospital but later became unconscious.
She died about a month later as a result of her injuries.
NSW Police’s Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, said the large reward “reflects the seriousness of this matter”.
“We strongly believe that there was another person or persons present at that scene and assisted Harmony
to make her way back up the cliff face to her vehicle,” he said.
Harmony’s mother, Karen, made an emotional plea for information.
“Today, thankfully, after a very long battle, a $1 million reward has been offered to bring forward information to solve Harmony's murder,” she said.
“We know that there are people out there with information.
“Today, you have been offered one-million-and-one reasons to come forward.
“Remembering, this time this is our daughter and our sister, but next time it just might be yours.”
Police say the investigation remains open and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Liberals' migration plan from 'another time'
By Kat WONG and Grace CRIVELLARO, AAP
THE coalition's hardline migration plan has been lashed as divisive and Australia's multicultural communities say they are tired of being dehumanised by all sides of politics.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a plan to boot migrants from the nation if they do not exhibit "Australian values", shut the door on some asylum seekers and screen the social media profiles of visa applicants.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers
called the plan a "strange and pretty disappointing" contribution.
"What he's doing is plagiarising the politics and the rhetoric of other countries and another time," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
"What he's doing is playing more to the internal politics of the three rightwing parties than he is concerned with the national interest."
Mr Taylor's announcement was seen as an attempt to claw back ground from Pauline
THE Mid Coast Careers Market makes its return at the Port Macquarie Race Club on Tuesday, 5 May.
The official opening is at 8.30am and the event will conclude at 2pm.
Open to the public at no charge, everyone is welcome to attend.
“The Mid Coast Careers Market is important in terms of raising the awareness and aspirations of young people about their careers and highlights the
options available locally,” said Mid Coast Connect’s Denise Moore.
“The event connects young people to education/ training providers, employment services, employers, apprenticeship/ traineeship services, disability providers, government services, and other support services to help them make informed decisions about their future.”
This year fourteen high
schools will participate in the Mid Coast Careers Market, bringing 1300 students and teachers from Kempsey through to Taree. The event showcases locally available training and employment opportunities, with over 80 exhibitors bringing information and connections to a diverse range of careers. Contact Mid Coast Connect on 65 835910 for further information.
Large crowd for annual book sale
By Rachael THORPE
A RECORD 14,000 books found new homes at the annual Rotary Club of Port Macquarie book sale.
Now in its 26th year, the sale drew crowds of locals and visitors between 10-12 April.
Book sale convenor Bob Cleland told News Of The Area, “The sale was a huge success.
“It was great to see so many people still reading, and it was especially heartening to have so many families bringing their children in to pick up some school holiday reading.
“Crime novels are usually the most popular, followed by teen fantasy and sci fi.
Hanson's populist One Nation, which has hoovered up disillusioned Liberal and Nationals voters in the aftermath of the coalition's worst federal election defeat.
The plan has been widely panned by human rights groups, Labor and communities the coalition once attempted to court.
Under the coalition's plan, complying with the Australian values statement will be enshrined into law and a prescribed set of behaviours that constitute a breach of Australian values will be established.
"What we're intending to do is, if you do breach one of the elements as can be established in law, then your visa would be cancelled and you would be asked to leave the country," opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam told ABC Radio.
"I'd argue hate preaching is one of those things that would constitute an offence."
The opposition has previously tried to repair relations with the ChineseAustralian community, with Liberal senator Jane Hume issuing an apology after she
“This year we were completely cleaned out of children’s books.
“I saw lots of kids sitting reading their books while their parents browsed, the whole event just had a lovely feel to it.”
The three-day sale was
said "Chinese spies" were volunteering for Labor in a clip that went viral on WeChat.
However, Mr Taylor's latest speech has only added to the diaspora's concerns.
"I feel like nothing has changed since the last election," Chinese Community Council of Australia's Victorian chapter committee member Eric Yan Ma told AAP.
The policy also emboldened Nazis and white supremacists, and paved the way for hate against diverse communities, Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman warned.
"Whenever migrants are singled out, dehumanised or blamed, it gives permission for racism towards those people," he told AAP.
"Often the only signal
staffed by volunteers, with the 3 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets 317 Squadron also giving their time to assist.
The club will use the money raised from the sale to support local organisations such as Endeavour House, Sailability, Rotary youth programs, and Liberty Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services. Further afield, funds will assist Port Macquarie
gynaecologist Dr Ray Hodgson in his medical work with women and children in rural Nepal.
Many of the leftover books were given to the Rotary Clubs of Laurieton, South West Rocks, and Wauchope for their upcoming book sales.
Donations of good quality books are accepted at the Rotary book store at 198 Hastings River Drive on Saturdays from 9am12.30pm.
as to whether someone is a migrant is the colour of their skin or their accent or their name, so it taps into a deep undercurrent of racism that is still very much flowing in this country."
While Labor had condemned Mr Taylor's speech as "desperate dog-whistling", the party also played a part in scapegoating immigrants, the commissioner said.
The federal government in March barred thousands of Iranian visa holders from entering the nation while their homeland is under attack from the US and Israel, months after passing laws that make it easier to deport immigration detainees.
Migrants also find it hard to feel seen by Labor, with Mr Ma noting SA Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas said "who's going to feed you
and bathe you and wipe your bum when you're 90?" when asked how he could "win the day on immigration".
"It is disheartening to see that one side of politics portrays us as a liability and the other side only see the utility of us," Mr Ma said.
"How about just see us as humans?"
The coalition in September lost favour with Australia's Indian diaspora when Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price insinuated Labor was bringing in more Indian migrants to bolster its vote.
United Indian Associations president John Kennedy backed the proposal for a stricter screening process, but urged the coalition to have compassion and not single out particular communities.
q Harmony Bryant’s death is now suspected to be a homicide, after initial investigations treated the incident as an accident. Photo: NSW Police.
q Harmony Bryant’s family, Minister Catley and Det Supt Doueihi urge the public to come forward.
Photo: Sis Higgins.
q A pleading mother and her family are desperate for answers. Photo: Sis Higgins.
q Angus Taylor is being accused of trying to replicate One Nation's anti-immigration stance. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
q Locals browsing for a bargain at the annual book sale.
Markham sisters the backbone of Wauchope Show
By Pauline CAIN
THE Markham sisters have been part of the backbone of the Wauchope Show for more than 55 years.
The family’s involvement, however, goes back to 1956, when Les Markham started carting Hill brothers’ cattle from Yarras Station to the showgrounds for the
campdraft and bulldogging competitions.
Les and his wife Pattie spent hours assisting with the construction of the Huntingdon Royal Youth
stand.
Pattie also competed in the cookery competition and, in later years, was a steward in the main pavilion.
That’s how eldest daughter, Patricia Douglas, became involved in 1970.
“I was 12, competing in the rural youth section for Huntingdon and a lady asked if she could borrow me as a junior steward, and I’ve been here ever since,” she said.
Patricia is one of the vice presidents of the Show Society and a life member.
She’s also spent 33 years with the Ladies Auxiliary.
When Keith McKenzie passed away in 2006, she took over as Chief Hall Steward - and is still in that position.
Younger sister, Jennifer, is treasurer of the Show Society, a director, and also a life member.
She works in the Show office and has been with the Ladies Auxiliary for over 20 years.
The next sister to follow was Jeanette.
“I’ve been working in the hall since high school in the 1980s and worked in the Ladies Auxiliary for 20 years,” she said.
Like Jennifer, she is a steward in the pavilion.
Together they prepare the schedule, the cards, and the ribbons.
The youngest sister, Roslyn Boyce, was Show Secretary for three years.
Now in Bowen, she came
down to help out at this year’s show on 10-11 April with her daughter, Olivia.
Another sister, Colleen, and her two children Brittni and Reece, assisted in the main pavilion.
Colleen and Brittni also helped in the Ladies Auxiliary for a number of years.
The Wauchope Show Society has thanked all judges and stewards for their “dedication, fairness, and professionalism”.
“Your time, expertise, and commitment are the backbone of our competitions.
“Our volunteers’ tireless efforts before, during, and after the show often go unseen. [But] we simply could not do this without you.”
Volunteer for the first statewide Dolphin Census
PORT Macquarie residents are invited to register as a volunteer and help protect dolphins by taking part in the first statewide Dolphin Census on Saturday 30 May.
The one-day census is a collaboration between Dolphin Research Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to create a statewide snapshot of where dolphins are found
and what habitat they use.
Dolphin Research Australia CEO Dr Liz Hawkins said, “At the moment, we simply don’t know enough about many of our dolphin populations.
“By working together as coastal communities, people across the state can help improve our understanding and contribute to protecting dolphins and their habitats.”
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Officer Andy Marshall said, “Every time we look more closely at our coastal dolphins, we uncover new insights - and often realise how much more there is to learn.
“In fact, many dolphins don’t travel as far as people assume, with some female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins spending their
whole lives in the same local coastal area.”
Volunteers who register will be trained as citizen scientists in the weeks before the NSW Dolphin Census Day, with the project supported by funding from the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.
On the day, volunteers will spend at least 15 minutes continuously watching for dolphins from their favourite vantage points along the NSW coast – from beaches and headlands to harbours, bays and river estuaries.
No experience is needed before undertaking the training.
People can participate as individuals, with friends or in groups, bringing binoculars or a camera with a zoom
Registered volunteers can choose to attend training in person, join a live webinar or complete a self-paced online course to help identify dolphin species, learn how to collect data and ensure safe observations.
The information collected will help fill key knowledge gaps about NSW’s dolphins and support conservation efforts.
Sign up at www. dolphinwatch.org.au
Nominations open for volunteer awards
IT’S time for people across the Mid North Coast to nominate family, friends or work mates for the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards, to help celebrate the enormous positive impact of volunteers across the state.
The awards are in their 20th year and are run by The Centre for Volunteering to recognise the outstanding work of volunteers in every region across NSW.
Nominations for the awards can be made across seven separate categories.
The 2025 NSW State of Volunteering Report revealed that volunteers across the state give 1.3 billion hours of their time to their communities each year, contributing $205.3 billion to the NSW economy.
The Centre for Volunteering CEO Gemma Rygate said the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards celebrate this amazing contribution.
Last year’s Mid North Coast Volunteer of the Year was dedicated canteen worker, fundraiser and event organiser Tania Hrbacek, who was recognised for her support for teachers, students and their families across seven schools in the Orara Learning Community.
Minister with Responsibility for Volunteering, Jodie Harrison MP, said volunteers are a powerful force for change in our communities.
“Our state would not be the thriving place it is, without the millions of volunteers giving their time and sharing their knowledge and skills every day.
Local Businesses of Dungog
“Volunteers in NSW do so much good for so many people every year,” Ms Rygate said.
“Now, more than ever, we need to shine a light on the positive impact of volunteering, particularly in areas like the Mid North Coast.
“That’s what these awards are all about.”
“They don’t do it for recognition or awards, but because they want to help others.
“The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are a great way to celebrate their contributions and show that they are appreciated.
“I urge people to nominate someone you know – the unsung heroes in our communities – for these awards.”
Nominations are open until Friday 29 May 2026 at The Centre for Volunteering website.
q The Markham sisters outside the Ladies Auxiliary: (l-r) Patricia, Jennifer, Jeanette, Roslyn and her daughter Olivia. Photo: Pauline Cain.
q The census aims to create a statewide snapshot of where dolphins are found and what habitat they use. Photo: Dolphin Research Australia.
lens.
Heartbeat of the Hastings: Casey Whitehouse
By Chan ANSELL
FOR Bonny Hills volunteer Casey Whitehouse it was becoming a parent that truly opened her eyes to the importance of strong support networks.
While she had always believed in the importance of community, motherhood gave her a deeper understanding of how vital connection and support can be.
“Parenthood can be incredibly joyful, but it can also be isolating and overwhelming at times,” she said.
“Hearing the experiences of other parents really opened my eyes to how many families are quietly navigating maternal mental
health challenges.”
That realisation inspired Casey to become more active in supporting families locally, particularly through her involvement with The Nurtured Village.
Casey established a local branch of the national charity dedicated to improving maternal mental health.
Every month, volunteers supply hampers of donated goods and services to young and deserving families.
Through this role, she has helped provide support, resources and connection for parents who may be struggling behind the scenes.
“What I love most is the connection that comes from this
work,” she said.
“Hearing people’s stories, helping parents feel less alone, and seeing how powerful community support can be is incredibly rewarding.”
Casey explained that sometimes the smallest gestures can have the biggest impact.
“Sometimes it’s just a conversation, sharing a resource, or giving a care hamper,” she said.
“Those little things can remind someone they are seen and supported.”
Looking back, she says one of her proudest achievements has been helping to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health within the local community.
“I’m proud to be part of initiatives that provide practical and emotional support to families when they need it most,” she said.
“But it’s not just me, it’s the collective effort of the volunteers, businesses and families involved with The Nurtured Village.
“It really is a community effort.”
Looking ahead, she hopes the local community will continue to strengthen the conversation.
“I’d love to see our community continue to wrap around families with kindness and understanding, because when parents are supported, the effect reaches children, families and the whole community.”
Top marks for sports uniform proposal
NEW research suggests most Australians support a simple change that could significantly boost children’s physical activity levels: letting students wear sports uniforms every day.
The majority of young Australians are still not active enough, despite wellestablished evidence that regular physical activity improves children’s physical and mental health.
Schools are seen as an important setting to address this - but some principals have been hesitant to move away from traditional uniforms due to concerns about community expectations.
A University of Newcastle (UoN) study in partnership with Hunter New England Local Health District’s Population Health, published in the Australian and New
Zealand Journal of Public Health, analysed nearly 2,000 public responses and hundreds of community comments, finding more than three-quarters of respondents back the daily wearing of activity-enabling sports uniforms in schools.
UoN’s Belinda Peden, of HMRI’s Population Health Research program, said ensuring children obtained adequate amounts of physical activity was important for their physical, social and mental health and could improve their attention and academic performance.
“Because physical activity patterns established in childhood often track into adulthood, supporting children to be sufficiently active can help prevent chronic disease later in life,” she said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends children do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intense, physical activity each day.
However, global data shows that only one third of children are sufficiently active, highlighting the need for population-wide interventions.
Traditional school uniforms are often formal in design, consisting of a dress or skirt and blouse for girls and trousers or shorts with a button-up business styleshirt for boys, paired with black leather shoes.
Sports uniforms, consisting of shorts, polo shirts and sports shoes are only worn on days with physical education classes or scheduled sport, often requiring children to change at school.
Several studies have identified formal school uniforms as a barrier to students participating in physical activity, especially for girls.
“Reviews have found that traditional uniform policies more frequently disadvantage girls, students from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, low-income families, and gender, and sexually diverse students,” Ms
Peden explained.
This study conducted a multi method content analysis, examining public responses to media coverage of proposals to allow students to wear sports uniforms in schools.
An article originally published in research-based news and analysis media outlet The Conversation, titled ‘Four reasons Australian schools should let students wear sports uniforms every day’, attracted coverage across television, digital, print and radio news, as well as social media platforms.
The multi method content analysis found the majority of responses to media coverage of The Conversation article (76 percent) supported schools’ permitting students to wear sports uniforms every day with only 22 percent opposed and two percent categorised as unclear.
“This is one of the first studies to really look at what the public thinks - and it shows people are more open to flexible school uniforms than many might expect,” Ms Peden said.
“We found strong support for letting kids wear sports uniforms every day, which could make it much easier for schools to help students be
more active.
“It’s a simple, low-cost change that could have a big impact, especially when we know parents, students and teachers are already on board.”
Ms Peden said themes around equity, inclusion and autonomy also came through strongly across all the data.
“The data showed people felt that letting students wear sports uniforms every day could make a real differencesupporting gender equity and inclusion, giving kids more choice, and simply making them more comfortable.
“We also know from previous research that strict uniform rules can have the opposite effect, particularly for gender-diverse students, impacting both wellbeing and learning.”
While global, national and state level physical activity guidelines recommend increasing opportunities for students to be active at school, uniform policies are often overlooked as an easy modifiable factor that could potentially influence student activity, particularly during school break times.
Ms Peden said the study’s findings could inform strategies to address a barrier to a simple, scalable, population-level intervention to increase school-based physical activity.
“What this study shows is
q Casey has provided support, resources and connection for parents who may be struggling behind the scenes.
that the community is ready for change,” she said.
“There’s strong support for more flexible school uniforms, which could help remove a key barrier to getting kids more active.
“When you combine this with support from parents, students and teachers, it’s a great opportunity to rethink uniform policies in a way that supports wellbeing, inclusion, and equity.”
Professor Luke Wolfenden is Editor-in-Chief of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health and works alongside the research group that developed the paper.
He hopes the research will help settle the ongoing debate regarding community support and perceived benefits of more physically activity-enabling versus traditional school uniforms.
"This study suggests there is broad community support for school uniforms that support physical activity,” he said.
“Hopefully the findings prompt school principals and committees to focus on health when choosing school clothing. It’s a simple change that has the potential to have a big impact.”
HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Local Health District and the community.
q University of Newcastle’s Belinda Peden of HMRI’s Population Health Research program.
A diverse week on the water
By Kate SHELTON
THE annual sea mullet migration is on the verge of beginning.
While large schools are
still holding in the river systems and don't quite seem ready to spawn, the atmosphere on the coast is one of high anticipation.
Local commercial fishing
families, relying on decades of passed-down knowledge, are already prepping their nets and watching the shoreline for the first signs of movement, maintaining
a seasonal tradition that defines the region’s coastal rhythm.
It has been a week of diverse opportunities in the Hastings.
Luderick have been the headline act, with plenty of fish taken on weed around the river-mouth breakwalls and local wharfs.
On the sand, tailor numbers are climbing steadily, providing excellent sport for beach anglers. Bream enthusiasts have also been rewarded, particularly at Lighthouse and North Shore beaches, where heavy hitters over a kilo have been weighed in.
Rock hoppers are finding plenty of drummer at Point Plomer and the Lighthouse, and with the season just warming up, the best is likely yet to come.
Those heading offshore have found mackerel out the front of the Lighthouse and around yabbies reefs, while deeper water around 40 metres is producing solid snapper.
The lucky few venturing further out have returned with pearl perch and kingfish.
The luderick population in the Camden Haven is surging.
If you're heading out for a fish, bring a variety of green weed, cabbage, and flies to see what they are favouring.
Flathead remain a reliable target throughout the river on whitebait and lures. Along the coast between Dunbogan and Diamond Head, school mulloway are showing up; however, anglers are urged to handle these juveniles with care to ensure a healthy return.
Rock anglers are finding success in the washes with bream and drummer, though
Calls for better travel reimbursements
AS regional communities continue to struggle with soaring fuel costs, Member for Oxley Michael Kemp and Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh are calling on the NSW Government to increase support for rural and regional patients travelling long distances for medical care.
The MPs say the current 40 cents per kilometre subsidy under the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) is no longer keeping pace with the real cost of travel.
Mr Singh said the current IPTAAS rate “simply isn’t cutting it”.
Stargazing
Mr Kemp says the issue is being more keenly felt in regional and rural areas.
“In Sydney, you can likely see a specialist down the road,” he said.
“In Oxley, it can mean hours behind the wheel, multiple times a week.
“In the regions, we’re already paying more at the bowser, and with fuel prices continuing to climb, those trips are becoming increasingly expensive – far beyond what the current subsidy was designed to cover.”
Shadow Minister for Regional Health Sarah Mitchell said increasing the IPTAAS travel rate is a simple,
By Dave RENEKE
EVER stood under a quiet night sky and caught a sudden flash, like the heavens just struck a match?
That fleeting streak we casually call a “shooting star” is anything but ordinary.
And over the coming week, the sky is set to put on a show that rewards patience, curiosity, and a willingness to lose a little sleep.
Welcome to the Lyrids meteor shower!
This annual meteor shower is like stumbling into the dusty wake of a long-forgotten cosmic traveller.
Hundreds of years ago, a comet named ‘Thatcher’ swept through the inner Solar System, shedding tiny grains of debris like breadcrumbs across space.
Every April, Earth ploughs straight through that invisible trail.
The result?
Those grains slam into our atmosphere at blistering speeds up
practical step the government could take immediately to better support regional patients.
“This is a straightforward change that would make a real difference right now,” Mrs Mitchell said.
NOTA asked the office of Regional Health Minister Ryan Park whether an increase to the IPTAAS travel rate would be considered.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Park said, “We are monitoring the fuel supply situation closely.
“The States and Territories have agreed to a National Fuel Security Plan with the Commonwealth, to ensure the response is
coordinated and flexible so we can act quickly as the situation changes.
“We will continue to take measures that we believe are consistent with the National Plan to conserve fuel and do what we can to ease the cost of living for New South Wales.”
Fuel costs hit disability sector
Sustained high fuel costs are also having impacts across the nation’s disability sector, with NDIS workers in NSW struggling to afford fuel to drive clients to essential appointments.
In response, the Australian Services Union (ASU) NSW & ACT has backed
calls for a higher car expenses allowance.
The ASU - the union for NDIS workers - is supporting the Australian Council of Trade Union's application to the Fair Work Commission to increase the amount community and disability sector workers can claim for transport and fuel expenses when driving their own car for work.
ASU NSW & ACT Secretary Angus McFarland said the government’s initial fuel excise cut was welcome, but not enough to shield disability workers from pain at the pump.
“We support the ACTU’s call for a higher allowance
you’ll need to hunt for sandfree pools as the swell shifts conditions daily.
Meanwhile, Lake Cathie is the place to be for mud crabs, with both traps and nighttime scooping yielding great results.
In the Macleay, it’s all about finesse. Bream are plentiful, but they are proving shy, so downsizing to light lines and minimal weight is essential. Use gut or strip baits or work soft vibes through the deeper holes.
The river is also producing great flathead, with some fish pushing the metre mark falling to suspending minnows.
For those on the walls, luderick numbers are building nicely.
If the weather allows a trip to the shelf, the deepdrop fishing has been outstanding, with blue-eye and bar cod waiting for those willing to put in the effort.
that better protects essential workers, including disability support workers, from high fuel costs,” Mr McFarland said.
“Our union has been inundated with calls from NDIS workers across NSW and the ACT who can't afford fuel to support people with disabilities.
“Hundreds of disability support workers have told us that the cost of fuel is affecting their work, their wellbeing, and their lives outside their job.
“NDIS workers often use their own cars to drive people with disabilities to medical appointments and other important services.
“With sky-high fuel prices, NDIS travel reimbursements are falling short, leaving workers out of pocket.”
April showers set to thrill
to 40 kilometres per second, igniting in a brief, brilliant farewell.
They’re not stars at all. They’re tiny fragments of rock and dust, some no bigger than a grain of sand, meeting a fiery end high above your head.
But what an ending it is.
For a split second, each meteor burns brighter than the stars behind it, carving a glowing scar across the sky.
Some leave ghostly trails that hang there, twisting and fading, like smoke in slow motion.
Blink, and you’ll miss it.
But wait - and another will follow.
On an average year, the Lyrids produce around 15 to 20 meteors an hour at their peak.
That might not sound like a cosmic fireworks finale, but here’s the trick: it’s not about numbers.
It’s about the moment. The surprise.
The quiet anticipation as you stare into the dark, knowing the next flash could come at any second.
If you want the best seat in the house, head outside after midnight between 16 and 23 April, with the
early hours of the night being the sweet spot.
Look toward the north eastern sky, but don’t fixate - meteors can appear anywhere overhead.
Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust. No phones. No torches.
Just you and the dark. Light pollution is the silent thief of the night sky, washing out the faint and the magical alike.
Now here’s something that might surprise you.
Earth is constantly under fire from space - about 100 tons of material rains down every single day.
Most of it burns up harmlessly, never making it to the ground.
But occasionally, a piece survives the fiery plunge.
That’s when a meteor becomes something far more tangible - a meteorite.
So how do you know if you’ve found one?
Real meteorites are usually heavier than they look, often with a dark, burnt crust from their passage through the atmosphere.
Many contain iron, so a magnet will often stick. Break one open
(carefully), and you might see tiny metallic flecks glinting inside.
But beware - Earth rocks can be convincing imposters.
The genuine article has a story written in fire.
And while you’re looking up, spare a thought for the clouds drifting by.
Those innocent-looking puffballs?
A typical one can weigh as
much as 100 elephants, hundreds of thousands of kilograms of water floating effortlessly above you.
Makes a meteor seem almost polite by comparison.
So, this week, step outside. Look up. Wait.
Because somewhere out there, a fragment of an ancient comet is racing toward its final moment - and you just might be there to see it.
q Local legend: Indi Garvey celebrated this catch a few weeks ago, landing a black marlin off the Port Macquarie coast. Caught on 15kg line.
EVERY year, on 23 April, UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day in recognition of the power of books as a bridge between generations and across cultures.
The concept was started in 1922 in Spain by writer Vicente Clavel Andrés and is now celebrated in over 100 countries to encourage children to explore the joy of books, improve literacy, and promote publishing.
Bookshops and libraries play an important role in fostering a love of reading.
Locally, Collins Booksellers supports all initiatives that encourage literacy and a love of reading, particularly in children and teens.
“It’s really wonderful to see young kids particularly, reading a book with a smile on their face,” said Wendy Ranger, owner of Collins Booksellers in Port Macquarie.
Wendy believes in developing a reading routine in children, which usually starts with a storybook before bedtime.
Once a reading routine is established, she says children look forward to the next book, whether it’s a series or a stand-alone story.
“We are seeing a lot more young teens coming into the store to get the latest book in a particular series or to find the next big thing to get excited about,” Wendy said.
There are a number of initiatives which promote better literacy and a love of reading, including National Literacy Day, the Premier’s Reading Challenge, Book Week, Love Your Bookshop, and many others.
q Bookshops such as Collins Booksellers play an important role in fostering a love of reading.
The health benefits of walkable neighbourhoods
AMID soaring fuel prices which are prompting Australians to explore alternative transport options, a new study highlights the health benefits of walkable neighbourhoods.
New research shows that regional residents living in walkable towns and centres walk 75 minutes more each week, prompting calls for Governments to invest more in well-connected, safe footpaths to boost community health.
The new paper, led by the
Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania, was published last week in the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
It's the first of its kind to show walkability has a bigger impact on the amount of time spent walking in regional communities.
Lead author Dr Sharon Campbell, post-doctoral research fellow in the Environmental Health Research team at the Menzies Institute for Health Research,
said that the study highlights the need to enhance walkability in regional and rural towns across Australia.
“Our study assessed walkability based on how connected and convenient it is to get around an area by foot. For instance, how easily and quickly can you walk to the local shops, schools, parks or public transport,” said Dr Campbell.
“When we merged Tasmanian government health data with geospatial walkability assessments, we revealed a clear link between walkability and residents’ physical activity levels across the state, with an even stronger relationship in regional and rural areas.
“Our research found residents in high walkability regional areas walked 75 minutes more a week compared to those living in low walkability regional areas.
“Even those in regional areas of medium walkability walked over 60 minutes
more a week compared to those in low walkability regional areas. In comparison residents in high walkability urban centres walked 38 minutes more when walkability was high.”
Senior author Professor Verity Cleland, from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, said that with regional Australian towns experiencing unique health challenges including higher rates of preventable chronic disease, improving walkability could offer a simple, but effective solution to help address health inequalities.
“Imagine if all Australian towns were built with walkability in mind –everyone would be able to travel easily and conveniently on foot, boosting their health while saving money on fuel and protecting the environment,” said Professor Cleland.
“But traditionally government planning and funding has prioritised roads
and driving, particularly in regional areas, leading to lack of well-connected footpaths and facilities.
“Our research uncovered a higher number of regional areas that had low walkability compared to urban areas.
“Walkability shouldn’t be limited to urban centres.
“No matter where you live you should be able to walk around your local area safety and conveniently.
“We need local, state and Federal Governments to do more to set up regional towns with walkable infrastructure to help boost health, particularly in our regional communities.”
Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO, Public Health Association of Australia said that promoting physical activity across the nation is a public health priority.
"Being physically active has an enormous range of health benefits including reducing the risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes, dementia and heart disease,
Statewide approach to community consultation
THE NSW Government is attempting to introduce a statewide approach for how communities have their say on planning proposals.
A draft statewide Community Participation Plan is now on public exhibition.
Currently there are more than 100 different Community Participation Plans across the state, each with its own approach, timeframes and thresholds for consultation on planning matters.
The State Government said this has led to inconsistent consultation practices and confusion for proponents, homeowners, community members and other stakeholders trying to
engage with and navigate the planning system.
“Consulting the community is a central part of the NSW planning system and the introduction of a single Community Participation Plan will simplify this and standardise public exhibition and consultation requirements across the state,” the government said in a statement.
“The draft plan reframes NSW’s approach to community consultation by putting the primary focus on strategic planning and major complex development applications instead of sweating the small stuff.
“It proposes longer timeframes for the
community to have their say on strategic planning proposals that set out where development should occur and where infrastructure is needed; while reducing the number of low-impact development application types required to be exhibited by councils, speeding up assessment and decision making.”
Key changes include:
• Extending minimum consultation timeframes on significant state-level strategic planning initiatives like the recent draft Sydney Plan and the State Plan from 45 days to 60 days.
• Standardising the process for notification of Complying Development
across the state and giving neighbours seven days’ notice before any works begin.
• Making public exhibition requirements clear for different types of local development so that councils do not need to exhibit things like new single or two storey houses or sheds and pools that already meet planning controls.
Councils will still be able to tailor their own community engagement strategies to suit local needs and feed into other council plans and policies.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “We are encouraging more people to have their say up front when looking
at the future of their city, town or suburb by focusing consultation on strategic planning decisions while making the approach to consultation on planning matters clear and consistent across the state.
“We’re taking more than 100 inconsistent and sometimes contradictory plans and bringing them into one clear, consistent approach to give communities a strong voice in the planning system.”
The move has been strongly supported by the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
“The statewide Community Participation Plan will improve the planning system by
as well as improving sleep, mobility, strength, confidence and mental health,” said Adjunct Professor Slevin.
“When it comes to health benefits, nothing beats it, and if we could put the benefits of physical activity into a pill, everyone would be taking it.”
Adjunct Prof Slevin said that with less than 25 percent of Australians meeting physical activity recommendations, more needs to be done to make it easier for Australians to live healthy lifestyles.
“It is recommended adults do at least 30 minutes exercise most days of the week.
“Walking is a convenient, enjoyable and healthy way to get around. It’s something that families can do together, can be done in almost all stages of life and it is free.
“Improving walkability right across the country is a sensible and simple way to boost our physical activity and ultimately protect health and well-being.”
introducing a consistent approach to consultation on planning matters across all of NSW, adding more certainty for communities and industry,” said Brad Armitage, HIA Executive Director NSW.
“HIA fully supports the move to put the primary focus of community consultation on strategic planning and major projects, rather than lowerimpact development types such as single dwellings, sheds and pools, already designed to meet planning controls.”
The draft Community Participation Plan and discussion paper are on exhibition until Wednesday 3 June 2026.
To have your say, visit https://www.planningportal. nsw.gov.au/proposedstatewide-cpp
More than $46k boost for local sporting clubs
NINE sporting clubs across the Port Macquarie electorate will benefit from a combined $46,000 in funding through the NSW Government’s Local Sport Grant Program 2025.
Member for Port Macquarie Robert Dwyer said the program attracted a record number of applications this year, highlighting the strong demand for investment in grassroots sport across the region.
“I acknowledge and thank all clubs that submitted applications for this funding round,” Mr Dwyer said.
“The quality and number of submissions reflect the passion and commitment of our local sporting community.
“The successful projects range from facility upgrades
to new equipment and participation initiatives, all aimed at increasing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved in sport and active recreation.”
The successful recipients are:
• $2,000 for Port Macquarie Rowing Club to stage the 3 Rivers Mini Marathon
• $3,600 for Port Macquarie Australian Rules Football Club to purchase goal post pads
• $8,370 for Port City Rugby League Football Club to upgrade club equipment
• $5,000 for Hastings Valley Motorcycle Club to enhance the racing circuit
• $3,000 for Port
Triathlon Club to deliver a junior participation initiative
• $2,000 for Laurieton Tennis Club to establish a free tennis pathway program
• $5,000 for Port
•
•
sporting opportunities for the community.
“This investment ensures our local clubs can continue to thrive and support healthier, more active lifestyles across the region,” Mr
Macquarie
Macquarie Swimming Club to install a new electronic scoreboard
$12,130 for Football
Mid North Coast to support football development
$5,000 for Mid North
Coast Veteran Cricket Association to
Dwyer
Dwyer said.
q The report shows walkability has a bigger impact on the amount of time spent walking in regional communities. Photo: David Guerrero/Pexels.
q Blair Maxwell from Laurieton Tennis Club and Port Macquarie MP Robert Dwyer.
q David Relf and Mick Bulmar from Mid North Coast Veteran Cricket Association with Port Macquarie MP Robert Dwyer (centre).
AFL North Coast season underway
By Aiden BURGESS
AFL North Coast’s 2026 season got underway last weekend, with opening round matches played in Sawtell and Woolgoolga.
Men’s
The Coffs Harbour Breakers started their premiership defence with a 7.9 (51) to 7.5 (47) win against the Northern Beaches Blues, in their opening round match at the Wiigulga Sports Complex.
Women’s
The Coffs Harbour Breakers women had a narrow 6.3 (39) to 4.13 (37) win against the Northern Beaches Blues, also at the Wiigulga Sports Complex.
Sawtell/Toormina Saints started their season on a winning note, with a 7.18 (60) to 1.2 (8) win against the Port Macquarie Magpies, in their opening round match at Richardson Park.
Under 18s
Port Macquarie Magpies had a dominant 25.11 (161) to 5.3 (33) win against the
Tough start for Magpies
By Aiden BURGESS
THE Port Macquarie Magpies have started their season with a 10.8 (68) to 8.9 (57) loss away from home against the Sawtell/Toormina Saints during the opening round of the AFL North Coast season.
The Saints’ win at Richardson Park came on the back of a defensive masterclass in the second half.
Much of the first half was akin to a tennis rally, with each team striking back after the other kicked a goal.
The Magpies were on top in the early territory battle but the Saints took a slender 18-16 lead into quarter time, after making more of their opportunities inside 50.
The visitors made their move in the second quarter,
Sawtell/Toormina Saints, in their grand final rematch, also at Richardson Park.
Round 2
The AFL North Coast season continues this weekend with Round 2 matches in Port Macquarie and Grafton.
Port Macquarie Magpies and Northern Beaches Blues teams play off in Port Macquarie, while the Coffs Harbour Breakers and Grafton Tigers reserves sides play off in Grafton.
opening up a 49-38 lead at the main break.
Scoring was at a premium in the third quarter, with the Saints gaining the ascendancy and locking it in their forward half, starving Port of any scoring chances.
They were rewarded with a goal with nine minutes left in the term, following it up with another to take a 54-49 lead into the final stanza.
The home side continued to lock down the Magpies in the final quarter, keeping the visitors at bay to record a gritty 11-point win to start their season.
Bogie Bandits Social Golf Club
By Colin EVERINGHAM
TUESDAY 07/04/2026
Number of Players – 30 ( great turnout)
Game Played –2 Man
Ambrose
Winners -Glenn & Matt Holt- net 61.75
2nd Luke & Flynn Ackroyd - net 63.75(on count back)
3rd Chas Viner & George Evans - net 63.75 4th Ian McKenzie & Michael Hassett – net 64
NTP 4 Michael Hassett
NTP 9 Ian McKenzie
NTP 11 Colin Stibbs
NTP 15 Ken Baldwin Congratulations to all winners (especially Archie Bunker and Matt Holt who are awesome champions).
Friday Afternoon
Golfers Social Golf Club
By Colin EVERINGHAM
Hastings Ladies Social Golf
By Leonie MULVIHILL
MONDAY 13th April. Stroke Monthly Medal and Putts. 50 players.
did not play . Raffle winners were Glenda Elford x 2 Julie Samuelson and Ita Walker Wauchope had a bye this week in Ladies Pennants
Port Macquarie Sailing Club
By Jeff WALSH
12-4-26
PORT Macquarie Sailing Club’s 3rd race of the handicap start series was held on Sunday under sunny skies in a very variable Westerly. The race was run in the last of the run out tide. Jeff Walsh set a 3 lap, Port buoy course with an up river start working to buoy A across the river from the Governors Way Canal, a reach across to buoy B just off the Rowing Club, a long run down to buoy C just past Stevens Street, another reach across to buoy D well into the mouth of Limeburners Creek, and a work back to the Start/
Finish line to complete the lap. The Westerly breeze was great as the fleet went on the water, but as the timer counted down to the start, the breeze eased, leading to a slow start. By the time most of the fleet were down the bottom end of the course, large areas were glassed out, and the talk was of shortening the course to 1 lap. The decision was held off long enough to see the breeze build again allowing the 2nd lap to be completed in half the time of the first. The breeze looked like dying again, so the shortened course flag was deployed at buoy D to make it a 2 lap race. The breeze did ease a little but didn’t glass out
again. In the Arrow Cat division, Jack Corthals on ‘Crackerjack’ was scratch boat and came from behind to finish ahead of Tony and Julian Kuhn on ‘Stella’ who had started 5 minutes earlier.
The Monohull division was dominated by Steve Couch in his Laser ‘Lazybuoy’ who held is early start time of 18 very well. Jock Simpson and Stuart Simons in the Tasar ‘Voyager’ also held their start time of 16 to take 2nd place ahead of Rob Barwick in his Impulse ‘Drift’ who had started on 10. Germain Corthals tried his hand at Impulse sailing in ‘Serenity’ starting on 18 to get 4th place followed by Steve and Lucy Bohlsen in their MG14 ‘Interceptor’ who had started on 12. Simon Gandy and Esra Mert in their MG14 ‘Vamos’ started as scratch boat, but when the breeze came in after rounding buoy D for the first time, their mast came off the step pin causing their rig to come down and resulting in a tow home for a DNF.
Next week is Sprint Races 12-16 starting at 10.30am for the first 2 or 3 races, a lunch break, then the remaining races. Frank O’Rourke is on duty.
Wauchope Monday Mixed Bowls
By Marie WINTER
MONDAY the 13th April
2026 there were 3 rinks of social bowlers on the green at the Wauchope Country Club.
The largest margin this week was 6 ,thanks to the very keen selection of the duty officers George and Marie.
Once again 13 is the number that many bowlers
dread with rink 2 Meckle’s team sitting on 13 for 6 ends and giving away 6 points on one end but made a comeback to lose by only 4. The winners were on rink 3 the team with 3 arms and as their lead always believes you only require 1 point and that is what they won by one shot, Ned (on shot) McKelvey, David Woodlands, and skip Paul
Sloan.
The lucky losers marble was rink 5 Sandra Hackney, Jenny Wooster, and skip Brian Orr.
The Jackpot number 7 was picked by rink 3 but the number was 13 , jackpot will be carried forward to next week.
Raffle prizes were picked up by Jenny Caller, Fay, sue, Gina( who never wins), Ian, and Lachie
A big turnout for social golf.
q Steve Couch in his Laser ‘Lazybuoy’ who won the monohull division.
Electric trucks are the future
DEAR News Of The Area,
THE price of diesel fuel must be sounding alarm bells to heavy transport operators.
How long will the price of diesel stay high, or more to the point how long will it take to return to the prices of a month ago – if ever?
How pleasing it was to see a B-double rated electric prime mover parked outside Parliament House in Canberra recently.
Not surprisingly, Australian trials are showing how much faster and more cost effective these vehicles are compared to diesel powered trucks.
For these reasons, the number of heavyduty electric trucks is rapidly increasing in other countries, particularly in China.
Electrification offers the next great opportunity to bring down the cost of road transporting our groceries and thereby put sustainable downward pressure on inflation in the long term.
There will always be a place for diesel fuelled trucks in the outback, but electric trucks are a no-brainer on the major freight routes along the east coast.
Meanwhile, instead of embracing this new technology, conservative politicians in Australia are arguing that these vehicles don’t exist, that net-zero is a furphy, and that we should be drilling for oil or making it from coal.
Is this really how the conservatives see the future and how cost of living can be reduced?
Reaching net-zero is the driver of this technological revolution and we should be arguing for the rapid expansion of the infrastructure required to make heavyduty electric trucks a reality – if only to reduce Australia’s dependence on imported diesel.
Regards, Stephen OTTAWAY, Mid North Coast.
Dorin's Drawings
OPINION & LETTERS
On the Couch
By Paul DORIN
Verse of the week
By Lynne MILES
Even war heroes can be held to account
DEAR News Of The Area,
AS ANZAC Day approaches, and as wars rage unabated in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, it is important to contemplate the sacrifices made by previous generations and what legacies we have inherited.
Almost everyone who participated in WWII is now dead, weakening the direct link to that dark period in history that still casts its shadow over today's world.
The second world war was a time of unparalleled barbarity involving torture, genocide, fire bombing of civilians, nuclear destruction of cities, and much more.
At the time a lot of this was justified as a necessary response to the venality of the Nazis and their racist ideology.
After the war ended there was a general consensus that action needed to be taken to prevent such atrocities happening again.
The United Nations (UN) was created in 1945.
Its primary goal is to prevent future conflicts, maintain international peace, and promote human rights.
In 1949 the Geneva Conventions were created.
This treaty, and its additional protocols, seeks to protect people who do not take part in the fighting (civilians, medics, aid workers) and those who can no longer fight (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war).
These treaties, and the institutions that seek to enforce them, have been created and agreed to in order to prevent a
By JASMINDA
DEAR Jasminda,
I HAVE been going really well with my eating and exercise plan, but over Easter it went out the window. I'm feeling very guilty and disillusioned.
Dear Fiona,
descent into barbarity.
The fact that they appear to be breached with impunity does not mean that they are ineffective.
On the contrary, we need to be reminded of their usefulness and the need to enforce them more than ever.
The arrest of Ben RobertsSmith on allegations of war crimes is a pertinent example that even war heroes can be held to account.
The accusations against him came, not from investigative journalists, but from his own comrades who knew the law and understood the consequences.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that the world recognises “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.
This dignity is inherent, it belongs to all of us.
No exceptions.
These rights are inalienable. They can not be taken away.
This is what the world agreed to as a way to acknowledge the deaths of over 70 million people in nearly six years of war.
If we truly wish to honour and respect the people who gave their lives in war then we should seek to strengthen and apply a respect for human rights.
War crimes should be prosecuted and war criminals should be held to account.
Regards, Peter SOBEY, Mid North Coast.
There are ways to shift both, so let's go through some options.
1. Drink lots of water. Water will fill you up, it's good for you, and it will help to move your sluggish metabolism and flush out all that sugar.
2. Go for a walk. Walk a dog, if you have one, or just walk on your own or with an equally guilt-ridden friend. Moving is a great way to improve your mindset and it may burn off a couple of those eggs too.
3. Have a healthy lunch full of salad ingredients. This will help reset your Easter binge in a positive way.
Fiona W.
This is completely relatable, and I'm sure many of our readers will be feeling post-Easter remorse.
In a 24-hour period, I somehow managed to eat Lindt chocolate eggs, Easter buns, Cadbury eggs, chocolate bunnies, Easter buns with lashings of butter, a baked dinner, and, just to top it off, a chocolate-hazelnut meringue dessert.
I could have declined the dessert, but at that stage of the proceedings, what was the point?
Now that we are back to a working week, I'm seriously regretting my life choices.
Then again, we can't be disciplined all the time. Sometimes we just have to break out.
The fact is, Fiona, there is nothing we can do about yesterday.
Decision were made.
They may have been the wrong ones.
To keep going blindly down the same path would be foolish.
The only thing we can deal with is the repercussions, in this case an expanded waistline and regret.
4. Remove temptations. If you still have some chocolate treats left over, give them to friends with young kids, neighbours or other family members. You won't be able to move on while there are still Easter eggs on every surface of your house.
5. Don't be hard on yourself. It is challenging in the post-sugarhigh stage to stay positive, but you have survived many overindulging experiences in your past, and you'll survive this one too.
Perhaps now is the time to plan for the future.
Next Easter you could set limits.
Have a three-egg rule, put in a 'no chocolate after 10am' clause, premake a healthy dinner so there is no temptation to just keep making poor choices.
If it makes you feel any better, I just put my Easter Sunday eating total into an app, and it told me I would need to walk for 11 hours to break even.
I guess with the price of fuel at the moment, it's an option worth considering.
Carpe
diem, Jasminda.
How to get rich from war
DEAR News Of The Area,
IT’S worth noting that the US/ Israel war on Iran is going to affect people differently.
Setting aside the effects on the Iranian people, the main effect here in Australia is that the costs of energy and food are going to go up.
For working and middle-class people this is going to be a large chunk of weekly expenditure, but for wealthy people this will go almost unnoticed because they don’t spend as much on food and energy in terms of percentage of their overall income.
How wealthy people will be affected is through asset values.
As energy and food costs go up, so too do values of assets such as oil.
These assets are largely held by wealthy people, so they stand to benefit.
Meanwhile, working and middle-class people will be supported by the government as government money will be spent to take the sting off the increase in food and energy costs.
Another point worth noting here is that government money is public money – i.e. it belongs to the people.
While this money will indeed go directly to the people, it will be used to pay for the higher costs of food and energy.
The people who receive it won’t benefit, they will just find it easier to survive.
Ultimately, the money will go to those who hold the food and energy assets: the wealthy.
So, the amount of money the government holds will be reduced, which these days is not an anomaly but a trend, and it will be transferred to the wealthy.
Without a tax system designed to reduce inequality, this will continue and likely increase as climate change fosters more wars, droughts, fires and floods.
So, in short, to get rich off of the war in Iran, the first step is to already be rich.
The system will do the rest.
Regards, Marcus BAYNES-ROCK, Mid North Coast.
Luke 24: 51 - 53 "While He was blessing His disciples, he left them and was taken up into Heaven. They worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the Temple, praising God."
Kids Boot Camp
PORT MACQUARIE
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When a summer storm slams into Mowai Bay in this charming murder mystery’s penultimate chapter, the Blue Motel finds itself at capacity with stranded tourists. The roads are closed, the power is out and Vinny (Michala Banas) and Cole’s (Brett Tucker, pictured) conference room has become a makeshift community shelter. So, when the local radio DJ starts broadcasting “dead air”, it’s almost certain the killer is right under their noses. However, Jamie (Jayden Daniels) is beginning to doubt the retired cop couple’s credentials.
FRIDAY, April 17
TV (2)
6.00 Morning Programs. 11.00 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 The Piano. (R) 1.45 Can You Keep A Secret? (Ml, R) 2.15 The Assembly. (PG, R) 3.00 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Gardening Australia.
8.30 Patience. (Mv) A father is shot in front of his daughter.
9.20 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) Hosted by Alex Lee.
9.50 The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. (PGls, R)
10.20 ABC Late News.
10.35 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (Ml, R)
11.15 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mav, R)
12.05 Love Me. (Ml, R)
12.50 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)
Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 8.00 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.25 BTN Newsbreak. 8.30 My Adventures With Superman. 8.50 BattleBots. 9.40 Gladiators UK. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Going Places With Ernie Dingo. (PG)
8.30 A New ANZAC.
9.30 Orient Express: A Golden Era Of Travel. (PGav, R)
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 The King. (MA15+d)
SUNDAY
THE FLOOR
NBN, 7pm
No one quite knew what to expect when this competitive trivia showdown premiered last year, but with an average 1.3 million viewers tuning in to yell answers at the screen each night, it’s safe to say Floor is on solid ground. Now, host Rodger Corser (pictured) returns with a cast of 81 clever contestants who step into the arena ready for anything: among them are Olympic gold medallist Steven Bradbury, Survivor alum Gerald Youles and Travel Guides Kevin Moloney. A new feature – the Freeze –will be heating things up later in the season, but Sunday’s premiere raises the stakes with a bonus $20,000 prize on offer for whoever holds the most territory by episode’s end.
THURSDAY
THE CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN
Viewers could be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu when tuning into this new TV talk show: a handful of famous folk with projects to promote sit on a giant lounge and share personal anecdotes in front of a studio audience. Yes, it’s basically The Graham Norton Show –except this edition is hosted by The ’ Claudia Winkleman (pictured), and rather than the Irishman’s iconic red couch, hers is green velvet. After filling in for Norton last year, the whip-smart Winkleman has been entrusted with her own BBC chatfest. In this second episode, Claudia welcomes comedian Joanne McNally, actor Guz Khan, stage star Rachel Zegler and singer-songwriter Niall Horan for some cheeky conversation.
11.50 Babylon Berlin. (MA15+asv, R)
2.00 Nordland 99. (Mal, R)
2.55 Mastermind Australia. (R)
3.55 Mountain Vets. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Hosted by Johanna Griggs.
7.30 Football. AFL. Round 6. Sydney v GWS Giants.
10.30 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Ml, R) The Giants face arch-rivals the Sydney Swans.
11.30 GetOn Extra. A look at the weekend’s best racing.
12.00 MOVIE: Patsy And Loretta. (2019, Masv, R) Charts the friendship between two music stars. Megan Hilty.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
5.00 NBC Today.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 7. Dolphins v Penrith Panthers.
9.55 NRL Friday Night Footy Post-Match. Post-match coverage of the NRL game.
10.45 MOVIE: Dog. (2022, Mdlv, R) A US Army Ranger travels with a military dog. Channing Tatum.
12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Postcards. (PG, R)
ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 The Nanny. 9.30 The Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Rugby Heaven. 12.30pm Australian Ninja Warrior. 2.30 The Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 The Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 The Nanny. 7.30 MOVIE: Meg 2:
6.30 Pawn Stars. 7.30 Surveillance Oz. 8.30 MOVIE: Ticket To Paradise. (2022, M) George Clooney, Julia Roberts. 10.45 Late Programs.
10 News+.
Deal Or No Deal. (R)
Millionaire Hot Seat. (PG, R) Hosted by Rebecca Gibney.
SATURDAY, April 18
6.00
death.
9.40 Frauds. (Ml, R) Bert and Sam struggle to keep their secrets hidden.
10.30 Rage Vault Guest Programmer. (MA15+dhlnsv) Looks at a guest programmer episode from the vault. 5.00 Rage. (PG)
8.25 Can You Keep A Secret? (Final, Ml) Debbie weighs up confessing. 8.55 Frauds. (Final, Mal) The day of the heist arrives.
9.40 Blue Murder Motel. (PGl, R)
10.30 Top End Bub. (PGd, R)
10.55 MOVIE: Two Hands. (1999, MA15+lv, R)
12.25 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
3.00 Gardening Australia. (R)
4.00 Dream Gardens. (PG, R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 The Rise And Fall Of The Maya. (M)
9.20 Emperor: Rise And Fall Of A Dynasty. (MA15+v, R) 10.15 Lost Treasures Of Egypt. (PGav, R)
11.05 Putin And The West. (Mav, R)
2.30 Matched. (PG, R)
3.20 Mastermind Australia. (R)
4.25 Bamay. (R)
4.55 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 The 1% Club. (Return, PGals)
8.00 7NEWS Spotlight. (Return) 9.00 Abused By Mum: The Ruby Franke Scandal. (Mav, R)
10.30 24 Hours In Police Custody. (Mal, R)
11.30 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.30 Motor Racing. Supercars Championship. Round 4. ITM Christchurch Super 440. Day 2. Highlights.
1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 The Floor. (Return, PGl)
8.15 60 Minutes. Current affairs program.
9.15 Australian Crime Stories: The Investigators: Prescription For Murder. (Mav) Looks at the case of Dr Brian Crickitt. 10.20 9News Late.
10.50 The First 48. (Mav, R) 11.45 A Killer Makes A Call. (Ma, R) 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)
6.30 The Dog House. (PGa, R) Sisters want to extend their family. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (PGa) A couple decide whether to stay in their Karrinyup home. 9.30 Gogglebox Australia. (R) TV fanatics open up their living rooms to reveal their reactions to popular and topical TV shows. 10.30 Matlock. (PGa, R) Matty juggles a court case and her 50th wedding anniversary. 11.30 Elsbeth. (Mv, R) A celebrity wigmaker is murdered. 12.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
6.30 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.
MONDAY, April 20
6.00 Morning Programs. 11.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Landline. (R) 1.55 Spicks And Specks. (PG, R) 2.00 Tonight At The Museum. (PGs, R) 2.30 Back Roads. (R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PGv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.00 Morning Programs. 9.15 Matched. (PG, R) 10.05 Kew Gardens: Season By Season. (R) 11.00 Scottish Vets Down Under. (R) 12.05 WorldWatch. 2.00 Finding Your Roots. (PGa, R) 3.00 Going Places. (PG, R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Tutankhamun: Secrets Of The Toxic Tomb.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.
Australia’s Greek Cafes & Milk Bars. 8.30 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. (M) 9.30 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (M)
10.20 SBS World News Late. 10.50 Herrhausen: The Banker And The Bomb. (Malv) 11.55 Gomorrah. (MA15+av, R)
4.40 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.25 Flower And Flour. 6.35 Big Lizard. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Gladiators UK. 9.45 Kids BBQ Championship. 10.25 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away.
7.30 Glenn And Mick’s Celebrity Intervention. (Premiere, Mals)
8.40 9-1-1. (Masv) Maddie and Buck are blindsided by unexpected news. 9.40 The Agenda Setters: Rugby League. (R) 10.40 The Agenda Setters. 11.40 St. Denis Medical. (PGal) 12.10 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. (PGa, R) 2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
VICELAND (31)
6am Discovering
Film. 6.25 Master Cheng: A Spice For Life. (2019, PG) 8.30 Sabotage. (1936, PG) 10.00 The Lady In The Van. (2015, M) 11.50 Godland. (2022, M, Danish) 2.25pm Dean Spanley. (2008, PG) 4.15 Limelight. (1952, PG) 6.40 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 8.30 Tigerland. (2000, MA15+) 10.25 The Fox. (2022, MA15+, German) 12.40am Rheingold. (2022, MA15+, Turkish) 3.10 Late Programs.
TUESDAY, April 21
6.00 Morning Programs. 11.00 Judgment: Cases That Changed Australia. (PG, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Death In Paradise. (Ma, R) 2.00 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (Mv, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.15 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 The Slow Mo Guys’ Big Adventures. 9.05 MythBusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 9.30 BattleBots. 10.20 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys. (R)
8.30 Insight.
9.30 Dateline.
10.00 SBS World News Late.
10.30 Living Black. (R)
11.05 Exit. (MA15+ansv)
12.00 Clean Sweep. (MA15+s, R)
2.50 Mastermind Australia. (R)
3.55 Mountain Vets. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGav) 7.30 My Reno Rules. (Premiere, PG) Hosted by Dr Chris Brown. 9.15 House Of Wellness. (PG) A team of industry experts, media personalities and wellness advocates shares insights and experiences to highlight living well.
10.15 The Agenda Setters.
11.15 Ambulance: Code Red. (Ma, R) 12.15 Secrets Of Prince Andrew. (PGas, R) 2.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News.
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6am Limelight. Continued. (1952, PG) 8.20 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 10.10 A Singular Crime. (2022, M, Spanish) 12.15pm Master Gardener. (2022, M) 2.15 Discovering Film. 3.10 The Chaperone. (2018, PG) 5.05 Sabotage. (1936, PG) 6.35 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 8.30 A Woman In Berlin. (2008, Russian) 11.00 Rosenthal. (2025, M, Yiddish) 12.50am Late Programs.
9GO! (83) 9GO!
WEDNESDAY, April 22
(2)
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.45 Foreign Correspondent. (R) 11.30 Back Roads. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.35 Media Watch. (PG, R) 1.50 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Transformations. (PG, R) 3.55 Murdoch Mysteries. (PG, R) 4.40 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Bitesize. (R) 9.05 Matched. (PG, R) 9.55 Spectacular Railways Of The Swiss Alps. (PGa) 10.50 Scottish Vets Down Under. (R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Dateline. (R) 2.30 Insight. (R) 3.30 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Sri Lanka With Alexander Armstrong. (PGalv, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. 6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Chernobyl: Inside The Meltdown: Inferno. (Premiere)
9.25 The Audacity. (M) A would-be tech titan and his therapist try to make a fortune.
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Rise Of The Raven. (MA15+av)
11.55 Darkness: Those Who Kill. (Ma)
1.50 Classified. (MA15+v, R)
3.25 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.50pm Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Steven Universe. 9.05 Adventure Time. 9.30 Teen Titans Go! 9.50 Pokémon: Diamond And Pearl. 10.15 My Adventures With Superman. 10.35 Late Programs.
VICELAND (31)
6am WorldWatch. 10.30 The Movie Show. 12.10pm WorldWatch. 12.40 Question Team. 2.30 Curious Australia. 3.05 The Bee Whisperer. 4.00 News. 4.05 WorldWatch. 6.05 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.55 Jeopardy! 7.50 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.45 Cycling. UCI World Tour. Fleche-Wallonne Men’s Race. 12.45am Cycling. UCI World Tour. Fleche-Wallonne Women’s Race. 2.15 Late Programs.
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The
Chaperone. Continued. (2018, PG) 7.50 Discovering
Film. 8.35 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 10.30 Within Sand. (2022, M, Arabic) 12.40pm Speed Kills. (2018, M) 2.35 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 4.25 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 6.20 The Giants. (2023, PG) 8.30 The Boy In The Striped Pajamas. (2008, M) 10.20 Sasquatch Sunset. (2024, M) 11.55 Late Programs.
THURSDAY, April 23
TV (2)
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.30 The Weekly. (Final, Ml, R) 11.00 QI. (Ml, R) 11.30 Can You Keep A Secret? (Final, Ml, R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Frauds. (Final, Mal, R) 1.45 ANZAC Battlefields. (PG, R) 2.55 Grand Designs Aust. (PG, R) 3.55 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PGa, R) 4.45 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PGa, R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
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6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa)
7.30 My Reno Rules. (PGl) Hosted by Dr Chris Brown.
9.15 The Front Bar. (Ml) Hosts Sam Pang, Mick Molloy and Andy Maher take a lighter look at all things AFL.
10.15 To Be Advised.
11.25 The Agenda Setters. 12.25 No Holds Barred: GWS Giants. (Ml)
1.45 Kochie’s Business Builders. (R)
2.30 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62)
6am Australia’s Deadliest. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s Practice. 8.00 Million Dollar Minute. 9.00 Business Builders. 9.30 NBC Today. Noon My Reno Rules. 2.00 Weekender. 2.30 House Calls To The Rescue. 3.30 Harry’s Practice. 4.00 Medical Rookies. 4.30 Better Homes. 5.30 Escape To The Country. 6.30 Bargain Hunt. 7.30 Heartbeat. 8.45 McDonald And Dodds. 10.45 Late Programs.
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6am Morning Programs. 10.00 Australia ReDiscovered. 10.30 American Resto. 11.00 Storage Wars. 11.30 American Pickers. 12.30pm Pawn Stars. 1.30 Outback Truckers. 3.30 Mountain Men. 4.30 American Resto.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Events That Changed Australia. (Ml) 8.30 Outback Murder Highway. (Premiere, Masv)
9.30 The Killer Interview With Piers Morgan. (MA15+av, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 2.30 Global Shop. (R) 3.00 TV Shop. (R) 4.00 Skippy. (R) 4.30 ACA. (R) 5.00 Today Early News. 5.30 Today.
Late News.
10.30 The Business. (R) 10.45 Sister Boniface Mysteries. (PG, R) 11.30 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R) 12.20 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Jeopardy! Australia. 12.30pm Australian Ninja Warrior. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Magic Mike. (2012, MA15+) 10.45 Seinfeld. 11.45 The 100. 12.35am Love Island UK: All Stars. 1.35 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City. 2.30 Late Programs.
6am Children’s Programs. 10.25 TBA. 10.35 Children’s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.25 Flower And Flour. 6.35 Big Lizard. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Superbuns. 7.05 Batwheels. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Ninjago: Dragons Rising. 8.00 Young Sheldon. 8.20 BTN Newsbreak. 8.25 Young Sheldon. 8.45 Ultimate Vets. 9.10 Animal Park. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 William And Kate: A Royal Wedding.
8.30 Secrets Of Flying Scotsman. (R)
9.30 Riot Women. (Malsv)
10.35 SBS World News Late.
11.05 Under The Bridge. (Ml)
12.00 Bonn. (Msv, R)
1.55 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a, R)
2.50 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
3.55 The Zelensky Story. (Ml, R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (PG, R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
6am WorldWatch. 11.00 The Movie Show. 12.10pm WorldWatch. 12.40 Alone. 1.55 UFOs: Investigating The Unknown. 2.45 Insight. 3.45 News. 3.50 WorldWatch. 5.50 Curse Of Oak Island. 6.40 Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.
8.30 American Godfathers: The Five Families. (Premiere) 10.10 The UnXplained. 11.00 Theatres Of War. 12.35am Late Programs.
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Discovering
Film. 6.45 Hotel Salvation. (2016, PG, Hindi) 8.40 The Giants. (2023, PG) 10.50 First Snow Of Summer. (2023, M, German) 12.40pm Rosenthal. (2025, M, Yiddish) 2.30 Mr. Holmes. (2015, PG) 4.25 The Return Of The Soldier. (1982, PG) 6.20 The Battle Of The River Plate. (1956, PG) 8.30 Flags Of Our Fathers. (2006, MA15+) 11.00 Shanghai. (2010, MA15+) 12.55am Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Remi ponders picking up the guitar again. 7.30 Football. AFL. Round 7. Western Bulldogs v Sydney.
10.30 AFL Post-Game Show. Post-game discussion and interviews. 11.00 Kick Ons. A preview of the upcoming AFL matches.
11.30 HMP: Behind Bars: HMP Full Sutton. (MA15+a, R)
1.00 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62)
6am Morning Programs. 7.30 Harry’s Practice. 8.00
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
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6am Children’s Programs. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.30 Bewitched. 11.30 Innovation Nation. 11.40 Motor Racing. FIA World Endurance C’ship. 6 Hours Of Imola. H’lights. 12.50pm LEGO Masters. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.30 Bewitched. 6.30 Nanny. 7.30 Seinfeld. 8.30 MOVIE: Wedding Crashers. (2005, M) 10.55 Seinfeld. 11.55 Late Programs.
DRAMA
Rugby returns
Port Macquarie Panthers
Rock and Roll Dance Club
Port Macquarie Seniors Hall, 42 Munster St Every Thursday. Doors open 6.30pm All welcome-come along and join the fun
By Aiden BURGESS
THE GAME they play in heaven makes its return for another year, with the Mid North Coast Rugby Union Northern Division season kicking off across the region this weekend.
The Port Macquarie Pirates begin their premiership defence at home in the local derby against the Hastings Valley Vikings.
Last season’s runners-up the Coffs Harbour Snappers begin their season on the road when they travel to take on the Kempsey Cannonballs.
The SCU Marlins are also away from home to start their season, as they clash with the Grafton Redmen in Grafton.
Coffs Harbour Snappers reserves and women’s teams begin their premiership defence in Kempsey, where they play the Kempsey Cannonballs.
The Snappers and SCU Marlins meet in their first local derby of the season during Round 4 on Saturday 23 May. They also meet in Round 9 and Round 14, as they play off for the Des Hoy Cup.
The Snappers and Port Macquarie Pirates meet in their grand final rematch during Round 5 on Saturday 30 May, in Port Macquarie.
This season’s finals series gets underway on Saturday 28 August, with the grand final to be played on Saturday 12 September.
q The Port Macquarie Pirates will look to defend their premiership bounty in 2026. Photo: Pirates.
