Regional coverage
News
NOMINATIONS are being called for the 2025 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government, which recognise the achievements of talented and inspirational women in councils across New South Wales. The 18th annual awards will be presented on Thursday, October 23 during a ceremony at NSW Parliament House. The awards will be co-hosted by Minister for [...]
Regional Tourism
AFTER sold-out and award-winning runs across the Australian Fringe Festival circuit, Marcel Cole and his mother Katie are bringing their hit show The Ukulele Man on the road to the New England region. In partnership with Arts North West, the sensational story of George Formby is set to delight audiences in Barraba, Gunnedah, Baan Baa [...]
Regional Education
TAMWORTH, Quirindi and Gunnedah are embracing NAIDOC Week 2025 with a dual investment in culture and skills, as TAFE NSW delivers infrastructure upgrades and the long-awaited return of Aboriginal language training to the region. After more than five years, the Certificate I in Aboriginal Languages for Everyday Use will be offered at TAFE NSW Tamworth, [...]
Connectivity Help
THE Regional Tech Hub has announced a new grants program, offering up to $3000 to community groups across rural, regional and remote Australia. The Connect Grants are open to grassroots projects that help people navigate the complex world of phone and internet connectivity. Regional Tech Hub general manager, Jennifer Medway, said the program is about [...]
NAIDOC Week
PROUD Gomeroi and Euahlayi man, Harry Phillip Hall from Walgett, has been named Male Elder of the Year at the 2025 National NAIDOC Awards ceremony, held in Perth at the weekend ahead of NAIDOC Week celebrations across the country. Mr Hall, born in a segregated blacks-only labour ward at Walgett District Hospital in 1946, was [...]
Regional Tourism
ON a normal day, the population of Bingara sits around the 1500 mark. But at the weekend, that figure more than doubled when the idyllic little town – nestled in the Gwydir River catchment 40km south of Warialda – hosted the annual Orange Picking Festival. The festival, covered at the weekend by the Weekend Sunrise [...]
Regional Tourism
THE Big Chill Festival has once again proven regional events are more than just a good time – they’re a powerful force for economic growth and long-term resilience in communities like the Armidale region. This year’s sold-out festival delivered a staggering $3.6 million in total economic benefit, including $2.3 million in direct visitor expenditure. With [...]
Scam Watch
The ACCC is warning consumers about the operators of four websites allegedly misrepresenting themselves as Australian businesses, also known as ‘ghost stores’. It is alleged these four ghost store operators are harming consumers by making false representations that they are local Australian businesses, imminently closing down, and selling high-quality clothing and footwear products, when they [...]
Regional News
WITH the federal government’s new Cheaper Home Batteries Program launched this week, a free community event in Armidale will help locals unpack what battery storage means for households, electric vehicles and the community more broadly. Renewable Energy Storage for the Home: Home, Community and Electric Vehicle Batteries will be held on Thursday, July from 10 [...]
Parental Leave
CHANGES to Paid Parental Leave began July 1, giving around 180,000 families a year more flexibility and support at one of the most important times in their lives. From Tuesday, the amount of Paid Parental Leave available to families increased to 24 weeks, giving parents an extra two weeks to spend with their newest family [...]
