4+ day, 18+ hour ago   (384+ words) THE rising cost of life’s essentials is putting increasing pressure on households across Australia, with regional communities facing their own challenges. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show housing costs rose five per cent nationally in the year to…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago   (232+ words) DEAR News Of The Area, I AM appalled that lobbyists at Hunter Defence Conference (NBN News, 26 August) are pushing for a nuclear submarine base in Newcastle. There has been no community consultation and no opportunity for Newcastle and Port Stephens…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago   (375+ words) AN excited 319 students from Preschool to Year 6, along with their teachers, families and children from Thou Walla, the Schools as Community Centre, brought plenty of colour, laughter and energy to Irrawang Public School’s annual Book Week parade on 26 August. The…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago   (348+ words) DEAR News Of The Area, IN his recent letter (Tomago Aluminium bailout is a crisis of Government policy, NOTA, 27/8/26), Troy Radford describes the Tomago Aluminium agreement as a bailout caused by government energy policy. He’s right about one thing: Tomago…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago   (311+ words) MORE than 100 pickleball players took to the Tomaree Netball Courts on Sunday for a new competition bringing Port Stephens players together with their Sydney rivals. The inaugural Interclub Challenge was held on 30 August between the Port Stephens Pickleball Club and…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago   (607+ words) AUSTRALIANS should be asking a very simple question about the government’s decision to support Tomago Aluminium: how did we get here in the first place? Tomago Aluminium is one of the Hunter’s most important industrial employers and a major contributor…...