When he isn’t “swinging a hammer around”, Smiths Lake tradie Dayne Pratzky can be found online, waging war on green energy “misinformation and clickbait”.

Despite the negativity that often surrounds the topic online, Pratzky said in the Forster region - on job sites and on the school run - he sees an overwhelming willingness to engage with the renewable energy transition. Anecdotally, he has seen an increase in the number of EVs on local roads.

The backstory: Pratzky, better known online as “The Frackman”, started looking closely at the impact of the coal seam gas industry on farming communities in rural Queensland in the late 2000s, when his own property was in the firing line.

Almost two decades later his fight has broadened to shine a spotlight on anti-science rhetoric and what he calls “targeted foreign interference campaigns” on social media.

Taking the fight online: When Pratzky was fighting to save his home, he organised multi-day protest blockades, but now has taken his work online.

His explainer-style videos encourage his audience - which has grown to almost 50,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram - to engage critically with the content and question "disingenuous" narratives on Australia’s green energy rollout and the impacts of fossil fuels. 

He also hosts a podcast “talking about politics, misinformation and clean energy” with online influencers including former rugby league star Martin Bella. 

Why bother?: So, what inspires a tradie on the coast to spend his time engaging in an online world he describes as toxic? Pratzky credits dishonest politicians and foreign interference. 

• “We have large external lobby groups that are setting up astroturfing on a scale that we've never seen before in this country,” he told the Mid North Coaster. 

Astroturfing is when business, lobbyists or other vested interests establish fake grassroots community groups to create the impression of widespread support.

• “I see it as a problem for democracy,” Pratzky said. “I also find it really difficult when I see even our local politicians come out and just simply mislead people on what the facts are.
  
  “We know that clean energy is the cheapest form of energy, but politicians keep on trying to drag in this misleading information that we need more gas and we need more coal.”

Realities and perceptions: Pratzky said his experiences highlight a disconnect between the views held by genuine locals and narratives being pushed online.

He describes a “concerted bot misinformation campaign around energy” and the broader political landscape, which serves to artificially inflate negativity around renewable energy. 

• “We see a lot of negativity online, but that's not the reality,” he said. “These (social media) pages attacking renewables don't have names, there's no one behind them. You'll find a lot of these pages that are spurting this misinformation online are managed out of places like Sri Lanka and Vietnam.”

Can we do more?: Pratzky believes not enough is being done locally to support the shift, calling for a regional plan that outlines opportunities for community batteries, small-scale wind turbine installations and more solar on the Mid North Coast.

• “I actually don't think our area is doing its fair share,” he said. “A couple of wind turbines won't hurt anyone, and people will actually realise they're not the boogeyman they've been told they are.
  
  “We lose power here very regularly [and] we should have these larger community batteries in places like Smiths Lake, Boomerang Beach and Rainbow Beach.
  
  “All these places can have batteries that help take pressure off the grid, because our power is coming from the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), or it's coming from Newcastle, or it's going to be coming from the Orana REZ out in Bathurst and Lithgow and Oberon.”

He said producing power where it will be used is the “best solution for this”. 

Image credit: Frackman Project Facebook.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council (PMHC) repealed its climate change response policy without community consultation in May, less than four years after implementing it. 

Concerns have since been raised by councillors and community members about how this decision will impact council’s ability to access natural disaster funding.

The background: This is not the first time PHMC has overturned a climate change-related decision.

It declared a climate change emergency in March 2021, before revoking that declaration 11 months later under former mayor Peta Pinson.

Following that decision, a revised Climate Change Response policy was adopted in December 2022, developed with the input of residents and community groups. 

What was in it?: The policy outlined council's intention to implement "appropriate mitigation actions" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with net zero targets, manage council's risks from climate change and support adaptation and resilience strategies for the community, and ensure that climate change adaptation remained a core component of council planning.

The policy itself did not outline specific actions for council staff to undertake. 

It also served to inform the strategic objectives of the council’s environmental sustainability strategy released last year, which council says it will now need to review.

Why was it revoked?: Leading the push to revoke the policy was Libertarian councillor Mark Hornshaw, who said it dealt with issues outside council’s remit.

• “One thing the council cannot do, despite any imagining to the contrary, is to change the climate of the globe. Nor can we change the climate in our local area in any way at all. To pretend we can is sheer hubris,” he said.
  
  “Whether the climate stays the same, changes beneficially, or changes for the worse, what we cannot do is to stop the weather through hubristic declarations, while adding extra costs to ratepayers in the attempt.” 

The NSW Government’s Climate Change Net Zero Act 2023 states that local councils are essential partners in delivering legislated emissions reduction targets.

Hornshaw claimed “climate change ideology” is responsible for driving up insurance premiums and did little to prepare communities for extreme weather. 

How councillors responded: Councillors Nik Lipovac, Lauren Edwards and Hamish Tubman spoke against the motion.

Edwards moved a failed alternate motion, seeking to place the proposal to repeal the policy on public exhibition for a period of at least 28 days. She questioned the process of not consulting the community, noting council’s own policies recommend a public exhibition period when considering such a decision. 

In response, general manager Robert Fish said council policies are “a guiding document” and “typically would obviously represent best practice”, but that the motion to repeal the policy was compliant with the code of meeting practice. 

What they said: Lipovac warned that repealing the policy may limit council’s ability to “take advantage of the buckets of money available” through grant programs supporting infrastructure upgrades and disaster preparedness. 

He described in detail the local impacts of extreme weather in recent years, including the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 and a litany of floods. 

• “The May 2025 floods were described as a once-in-a-century flood, with rainfall levels exceeding the 500-year average, five confirmed fatalities, extensive property damage, nearly 800 homes declared uninhabitable, 9,500 households ordered to evacuate and more than 48,000 people isolated due to flood water,” he said. 

  
  “Between March 2021 and July 2022, the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area experienced four major flood events, including a one-in-100-year flood.
  
  “By having a response policy in place, we can continue to access funding that specifically relates to these events.
  
  “This council… is not in a financial position to knock back funding and then expect financial assistance when we're impacted by extreme weather conditions.”

Impact to ratepayers: Local Angela Frimberger, a member of the council sustainability subcommittee which helped develop the policy, said repealing it will ultimately lead to higher costs for ratepayers.

• “The policy was not created as a symbolic gesture, but because local governments are already dealing with very costly real-world impacts of climate change,” she said. 

  
  “Roads, drainage, parks, waste management, emergency preparedness, town planning and community infrastructure are all directly affected by environmental conditions.
  
  “Repealing the policy will not remove the challenges, just our plan for dealing with them.” 

Playing our part: Harry Creamer, founding president of Climate Change Australia Hastings, told the Mid North Coaster the decision “flies in the face of science and basic common sense”.

• “[It’s] irresponsible because it removes a much-needed leadership focus on the impacts of climate change, the need to play our part in reducing carbon pollution and always be on high-level preparedness for the next extreme weather event to hit us,” he said. 

Local issues on display: Coastal erosion - a natural phenomenon exacerbated by sea level rise, storm surges and long-term sand loss - also remains a major concern across the Port Macquarie Hastings LGA. 

At the same council meeting a coastal hazard assessment, which outlined locations already experiencing active erosion that “threatens public and private assets”, was reviewed. The sites included Town Beach, Shelly Beach, Rainbow Beach and Lake Cathie Beach.

It also warns coastal inundation will “increase in frequency and extent”, and tidal inundation risk in estuarine communities will “rise substantially”. 

Image credit: Port Macquarie SES.

Tend to feel cooped up during winter? Visiting the Mid North Coast during off season?

Here are eight things you can do during the colder months across the Mid North Coast. 

Know something we should add? Email us suggestions at editor@themidnorthcoaster.com.au

Visit a small(er) town

The Mid North Coast is dotted with smaller towns full of character in between the major hubs, and they deserve your attention. 

For those who love an old pub or motel, heritage cinemas, supporting small business and discovering quirky new places, consider some wintertime suburban tourism to somewhere just outside your everyday commute. 

Add nearby nature walks and galleries full of charm and you’ve got a great day trip or weekend sorted.

Just choose somewhere from our (obviously non-exhaustive) list and go: Sawtell, Laurieton, Gladstone, Comboyne, Nambucca, Wauchope, Dorrigo, Bellingen, South West Rocks, Crescent Head.

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Do a thrifting trail

There’s undoubtedly a craze for 90s style and nostalgic items from bygone eras recently and with it, more curated op shops like North Haven’s Chosen Stranger. 

Here’s our list from last year, which also includes Meg’s Op Shop and Boutique in Bellingen, Taree’s Valley Vintage and Wingham’s 2nd Chance Wares.

Do a beach to bush trike tour

Rug up and see Port Macquarie’s coastline in a way you never have before - on the back of a trike. 

Or opt for the 2.5 hour rural experience which includes a stop at a traditional Aussie pub. 

The four-hour option includes a trip up North Brother for its panoramic views plus a stop at Brewhaven Cafe. You can even design your own trike tour for special occasions.

More info at www.beachtobushtriketours.com.au/.

Go whale watching

It’s the season for it. You can take a vessel out with a guide to get as close as possible to these beautiful beasts as they journey north between May and November, or watch from a safe distance at one of the Mid North Coast’s many vantage points.

More info here.

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Walk Australia’s largest hedge maze at Bago Maze and Wine

More fun than it sounds. Reward yourself with a wine tasting and cheese platter afterwards at this family-run establishment.

Here’s their website for more info.

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Visit Moorland Cottage Cafe for the (actual) best scones on the coast

Fifteen minutes north of Taree you’ll find a place that can credibly claim the best scones on the Mid North Coast. 

With a dog-friendly courtyard and a glorious garden to bask in some winter sun while you enjoy your tea, this is worth going out of the way for. 

The menu is mostly gluten free and recently their “scone of the week” was orange and almond with grapefruit curd. 

Open Wednesdays to Sundays 9am to 3pm.  Bookings are essential at least 24 hours in advance, so phone or text 0413 230 831 to place yours.

Facebook is the closest thing they have to a website.

Visit a local gallery or museum

There aren’t many better places to wile away the time on a miserable day than at an art gallery. 

Our region is full of galleries and museums full of meaningful histories, unexpected discoveries and many experts to learn from and chat with. 

Time your visit for a talk or a curator-led tour for insight into local life, culture and history. School holidays often mean special programs for the kids. You can often find one-of-a-kind souvenirs from these places, too. They’re also great places to look into your family history.

There are loads - you only have to look. Here’s a master list where you can find your closest. 

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Have a night at the Observatory

We get it, it’s tempting to spend another night at home streaming the next TV show, especially when it’s cold out. But what if we told you you could glimpse Saturn’s rings instead?

Port Macquarie Observatory has state-of-the-art equipment ready to let you get close and personal with neighbouring planets, comets, stars, and more. Join Sky Stories on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 7:30pm for a presentation followed by a viewing. 

Keep an eye on their What’s On page for fascinating extra-terrestrial adventures you can go on with kids, spouses, or even solo.

Accessibility and safety upgrades proposed for seven train stations on the Mid North Coast are now on public exhibition, however one Camden Haven disability advocate claims they fall short of the mark. 

As part of the NSW Government’s Safe Accessible Transport (SAT) program, draft designs for station upgrades at Kempsey, Kendall, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Sawtell, Urunga and Wingham are now available for feedback.

What is changing?: The proposed upgrades are aimed at improving access for passengers with limited mobility, people with disability, older passengers and people with prams.

The aim is to upgrade stations to achieve Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT), legally enforceable standards under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

What’s proposed: Across the various stations, slated improvements include:

• wider platforms

• upgraded accessible toilets and pathways

• lighting, signage and security features

• new ramps and stairs

• improved accessible parking, bike storage and bus stop connections.

Over $800 million has been allocated to the SAT program across the state, providing funds for planning, site investigations and detailed design development, but not yet for delivery of the upgrades.

Overdue upgrades: Analysing the draft designs, Dunbogan-based disability advocate Rachael Thorpe said while it was heartening to see “serious consideration” given to accessibility upgrades, areas of concern remain. 

• “Published reports focus on safety and making travel easier, but neglect to mention a key component for people with a disability - independence.
  
  “Most NSW train station platforms have a significant gap and height distance to trains, meaning people with mobility devices require platform staff to obtain a ramp from a locked cupboard to enable boarding of the train - a situation that is problematic on small stations that are unstaffed for significant periods.
  
  “Without addressing this significant issue there is no true equity of access.”

Focus on physical disability: Thorpe noted the onus of the upgrades is heavily weighted towards physical access, with little mention of low vision, hearing, cognitive, or neurodivergent accessibility. 

• “And while media releases mention upgraded amenities there is no detail around whether they will meet contemporary accessibility standards which includes adult changing facilities and circulation space for large powerchairs,” Thorpe said.
  
  “The issue of how to safely evacuate disabled passengers from trains and train stations in the event of an emergency has also not been addressed, which I believe is a major oversight.” 

Have your say: Feedback on the station designs is open until 11:59am on Sunday 5 July.

Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin is urging the community to provide all relevant feedback on the plans.

• “Upgrading these seven stations is about ensuring that an older passenger, a parent with a pram, or someone using a mobility aid can catch a train with total confidence and independence,” Saffin said.
  
  “We need local knowledge to get this right, which is why I urge everyone on the Mid North Coast to look at these designs and help shape the future of our local stations.”

To view the draft designs visit www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say or head directly to the pages for Wingham, Kendall,  Kempsey, Macksville,  Urunga, Sawtell and Nambucca Heads.

A group of student scientists have helped reveal the presence of cane toads in Coffs Creek, prompting calls for immediate action to stop the spread of the invasive species.

First released in Queensland in 1935, cane toads are highly toxic to native wildlife and have become established across large parts of northeastern Australia.

Coffs Harbour is more than 100 kilometres south of the nearest known population. 

What they found: Doctor Maarten De Brauwer, a senior research scientist at Southern Cross University (SCU), has led a project mapping the biodiversity of estuaries across NSW for the past two-and-a-half years.

One of the core mapping methods used is known as Environmental DNA (eDNA), which identifies discarded genetic material such as scales, faeces, fur or skin.

• “We go from the border of Queensland all the way down to the border of Victoria to look at what lives in the estuaries,” Dr De Brauwer told the Mid North Coaster. 

  “As part of the large suite of species that we detect, we can pick up amphibians and cane toads as well.”

Local detections: De Brauwer’s research detected cane toad eDNA as far south as the Sandon River near Yamba in 2024.

• Assisted by SCU marine science students, De Brauwer then detected cane toad eDNA in Coffs Creek in May 2025 and again several weeks ago.

Surprising results: Doctor Matt Greenlees, a lecturer and researcher at Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie, said an established population of cane toads in Coffs Harbour would be a surprise and a concern. 

• “They're not considered or known to have been established in that area,” he said.
  
  “They've been spreading slowly, but the recognised extent of their distribution is still pretty much north of the Clarence River.”

How do they migrate?: Dr Greenlees said cane toads are “very good at hitchhiking” and will travel south onboard trucks transporting materials such as landscaping supplies. 

This instinct for travel has seen cane toads located in Port Macquarie, Lake Cathie and even Sydney and Canberra in recent years. 

Fast action required: Greenlees urged immediate investigation to avoid the development of a population in Coffs Harbour.

• “The longer they are established in the area, the more likely they are to reproduce and spread even further, which obviously increases the difficulty of removing them, and definitely increases the cost,” he said.

Starting from 2010, Greenlees was part of a successful four-year effort alongside a local council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to eradicate an established population of more than 4500 toads in an industrial area in southern Sydney.  

Site-specific response: Doctor De Brauwer said the eDNA data found in Coffs Creek has been shared with all relevant authorities and communication between agencies was positive. 

• “We detect something and then tell the authorities so they can be informed based on science, and then it's up to the authorities to decide what to do with it,” De Brauwer said. 

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is the appointed “combat agency” for biosecurity emergencies, while Local Land Services works with local communities to tackle biosecurity threats.

A spokesperson for the department said DPIRD has not been notified of any recent sightings of cane toads in Coffs Harbour, but did not comment on current or previous risk mitigation measures undertaken.

DPIRD advised that cane toad sightings can be reported on ToadScan (feralscan.org.au/toadscan) or via this online form.

Councillor’s questions: City of Coffs Harbour councillor Jonathan Cassell has questioned whether the issue of cane toad sightings has been taken seriously enough on the Coffs Coast in the past.

He noted sightings in previous years have “always been referred to as isolated” by authorities and pointed to a lack of a broader “procedural response” for the region. 

Image credit: Dr Matt Greenlees.

City of Coffs Harbour councillors have waved through a development application (DA) in Sapphire Beach, despite it breaching existing height limits by 26 percent.

The proposal, at 42 Coachmans Close, Sapphire Beach, includes a two-storey home, two in-ground swimming pools and a 300-millimetre deep “reflection pool” with an estimated cost of $29,793,000.

The height limit for the area is 8.5 metres, while the proposed dwelling is 10.735 metres.

That’s not all: Other proposed works involve the construction of a new entry gate, driveway and pedestrian footpaths, retaining walls to a maximum height of 2.190m, and landscaping works including the removal of 37 trees and “implementation of various plant species including trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers and climbers”.

• A total of 12 submissions were received during the consultation process, with concerns including the building height, fencing, bushfire access, traffic, headlight impacts/light spill, and impacts on neighbouring structures. 

Why set limits?: Councillor Tony Judge spoke against the proposal at the City’s meeting on May 28, citing the height variation.

• “I hark back to our former colleague, Councilor [Scott] Wolgamot, who regularly said if we consistently vary the height limits and the setbacks and all the other limits in our plans, we make a mockery of them,” he said. 

  
  “If we're going to take our own planning regulations seriously, then we need to take them seriously when it comes to a development like this.
  
  “This [development] is not a community benefit. It's not a block of housing that will house a lot of people. It's one person's house.” 

What they said: Councillor Jonathan Cassell agreed, warning that Council “may be setting an ongoing precedent” by approving the height variation.

Admitting height variations would normally be an issue for him, Councillor Paul Amos supported the DA because there were limited objections to the height in submissions.

Councillor George Cecato described the proposal as an “excellent DA”, urging his peers to approve it. 

In response to concerns over light pollution from the property, Council staff outlined a range of conditions to be imposed, including a landscape buffer and a barrier along the driveway.

How they voted: The DA passed seven votes to two, with councillors Judge and Cassell voting against and councillors Williams, Cecato, Fowler, Saro, Sechi, Oxford and Amos voting for. 

Image credit: DA planning documents.

The company behind a controversial 18-storey development plan in Port Macquarie has entered into external administration, with a slew of investment properties put into receivership to cover debts.

What’s happening: Development company Planet Warriewood, an entity of the Mustaca Group of Companies, had a receiver appointed on 22 May, according to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). 

• The role of a receiver is to collect and sell an entity’s assets to repay the debts it owes to secured creditors. 

• According to documentation from ASIC, 10 properties owned by Planet Warriewood are now in receivership, including the site at 23 Park Street, Port Macquarie (corner Park and Warlters streets). 

Mustaca Group CEO Sam Mustaca spoke to the Mid North Coaster as he was headed to a meeting with his lawyers on Tuesday, however declined to provide any details. 

What was proposed: Declared a State Significant Development (SSD) by the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) in late 2025, the development proposal consists of tourist and hotel accommodation, as well as entertainment and commercial uses.

The proposal includes 210 dwellings, with 15 percent of those slated to be affordable housing.

If ever approved, it would be the first 18-storey development in the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA. 

How it works: The SSD declaration means the proposal - which attracted significant opposition from local residents - would largely bypass Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, with project approval the responsibility of the NSW planning minister.

The proposal is at the Environmental Impact Statement stage of the assessment process.

What could have been: Planet Warriewood - led by enigmatic United Cinemas founder Rocco “Roy” Mustaca - has been attempting to develop the 5,771sqm site for years.

In 2019, it lodged an application with council for a four-storey entertainment and commercial development including a large cinema complex, a gym and an indoor bowling alley - at a cost of $30 million. 

This proposal was knocked back by the Northern Regional Planning Panel in 2023. 

Where to now: While the land will likely now be sold to cover Planet Warriewood’s debts, major development is still possible, as SSD status is based on the development proposed, not the applicant.

A spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) told the Mid North Coaster that the site’s SSD status remains “unchanged”.

• “The development described in the SSD declaration can proceed through the environmental impact statement preparation and assessment process under a different applicant,” they said. 

  
  “The Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) are only valid for nine months from the date of issue.”

Due to the date of SEARs lodgement, an SSD application would need to be lodged by 2 January 2027 unless a request is granted for an extension.

Something to celebrate: Port Macquarie Hastings councillor Nik Lipovac told the Mid North Coaster the news was positive for local residents. 

• “At this point in time I think it's a win for the community, who are happy to see affordable housing built, but not an 18-storey skyscraper on the edge of town,” he said. 

• “If this project falls over because of what's happening with the ownership, I think that's good news.” 

Councillor Lipovac posed a number of alternate uses for the site, including additional parkland, extended car parking areas and a shuttle bus service, noting the price would have to be “very reasonable” if council was to consider a purchase. 

Drug policy researchers say recently-announced medicinal cannabis reforms are a positive step, however certain details have the potential to cause “significant disruption and harm”.

The local lens: Mid North Coast drivers holding a valid medicinal cannabis prescription will be able to legally drive with a level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their system under new reforms being introduced by the NSW Government.

THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis.

Catch up: Currently, those caught driving with THC in their system - whether via prescription or not - face automatic penalties, including licence suspensions and fines.

The government’s reforms would establish a legal threshold for THC.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the changes strike a “careful balance” between a more practical approach for medicinal cannabis users and the maintenance of strong road safety protections.

Who is eligible?: According to the NSW Government there are an estimated 300,000 medicinal cannabis users across the state. 

• Under the proposed system, drivers will be required to enrol with Transport for NSW (TfNSW), provide proof of prescription and complete an online education program.
  
  Learner and P-plate drivers, as well as commercial drivers, have been excluded from the changes. 

How will it work?: Registered users will still be roadside drug tested, and will receive an immediate 24-hour driving ban if they return a positive result, while the sample is sent for laboratory testing.

If the secondary result shows THC levels below the maximum threshold, there will be no further action.

If the result shows THC at or above the threshold, the driver will receive a warning letter for a first or second detection within two years.

A third detection above the threshold within that period will result in penalties, including a fine of $704 and a minimum three-month licence suspension.

The new system will be reviewed after a year of implementation.

Historic reform: Associate Professor Michael Fitzharris, from the Monash University Accident Research Centre, said setting a “world first” roadside THC limit was a “profound change, analogous to the introduction of the blood alcohol limit”.

• “As planned, a review of the impacts on both road safety and mobility at the 12-month mark will be essential to determine whether any refinements are needed, including to the THC concentration threshold that has been set.” 

Less impressed: Drug policy researcher Rhys Cohen, from the Penington Institute, said the reforms have significant flaws, criticising the proposed suspension of drivers while awaiting results. 

• “The presence of THC in someone’s saliva is not a good indication of whether that person is impaired,” he said.
  
  “There is currently limited evidence to support using the presence or amount of THC in saliva to determine impairment.

  
  “Under the proposed reform, all patients who test positive for any amount of THC will receive a 24-hour suspension despite having done nothing wrong.
  
  “Automatically suspending a patient's license for 24 hours will cause significant disruption and harm.”

Registration worries: Hunter-based cannabis campaigner Andrew Fenwick said the need for registration with TfNSW would be another sticking point for some users.

• “With trust in government and police at all time lows people are genuinely concerned about being targeted by police for ‘random’ testing,” Fenwick said. 

  “People are concerned about their number plate becoming a bullseye for such attention.” 

In response to such concerns, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said:  

• “Registering with Transport will be voluntary but will be the only way that a driver who uses medical cannabis could benefit from the new approach. 

  “Registration status will be recorded on a driver’s licence record and their digital driver licence. License plates will not be linked.

  
  “Transport has commenced discussion with the NSW Privacy Commissioner as part of developing the law and processes for the reform.”

Some change is better than none: Bonny Hills resident Miles Hunt, a policy officer and former Senate candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Party (LCP), said while not perfect, the reforms would reduce fears for medicinal cannabis users on the road. 

• “It is an acceptance that the current test is a test for presence, not impairment,” he said.
  
  “There is acknowledgement of that by setting a limit and trying to take into consideration the levels of THC in the system.
  
  “We'll need to see how that test develops, but certainly it’s a positive step for medicinal cannabis users who can't drive at the moment and may be able to drive now (in the future).”

Image credit: 7 News.

A flight from Coffs Harbour to Sydney can cost more than a flight to Asia or the Pacific. 

That's been the reality of residents on the Mid North Coast for years, and two local mayors say it's impacting the region in more ways than financial.

City of Coffs Harbour mayor Nikki Williams told the Mid North Coaster:

• “Almost every second day, you could fly to Hawaii or Singapore for cheaper than you could fly from Sydney to Coffs Harbour.” 

Now, Mid North Coast councils are now backing calls for a coordinated approach to tackling regional aviation challenges.

What’s happening: A policy paper, Keeping Regional NSW Connected: The Future of Our Airports, was launched by Business NSW at Port Macquarie Airport this week, with local government representatives from across the region in tow. 

Growing pressure: The paper highlights ongoing challenges facing the state’s more-than-60 regional airports and aerodromes.

It calls on state and federal governments to implement a slew of recommendations, including:

• The creation of a 10-year NSW Regional Aviation Strategy 

• A dedicated NSW Regional Aviation Infrastructure Fund

• A Regional Aviation Performance Dashboard to improve data transparency and airline accountability. 

Cost challenges: Coffs Harbour had the third largest passenger volume of any airport in regional NSW in FY2024–25, carrying 261,945 passengers, behind Newcastle Airport (1,213,408 passengers) and Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (578,803 passengers). 

However, price pressures remain.

Show me the money: As of Friday, the cheapest prices listed on travel search engine Skyscanner to fly one-way from Coffs Harbour to Melbourne each day in June were between $225 and $486.

Prices from Coffs to Sydney in the same period were between $186 and $305.

Meanwhile, you could fly one-way from Sydney to New Zealand ($174), Fiji ($230), Vanuatu ($288), or Vietnam ($326) for much the same price. 

Not a “nice to have”: City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams said the main challenge facing the local airport was the high cost for consumers driven by a lack of competition.

• “That puts us at a huge disadvantage from a tourism perspective, where we're really relying only on the drive market, but also for a business perspective.
  
  “Airports aren't a ‘nice to have’ for the regions, they are literally the economic driver of the regions, and they are just as important as an airport in Sydney.” 

Airline transparency: Mayor Williams is calling for collaboration between regions on these issues, and is supportive of the proposal to launch a Regional Aviation Performance Dashboard.

• “One of the challenges that we have here is flights constantly being cancelled,” said Williams.
  
  “OK, how do we get the data on that? Are flights being cancelled more in Coffs Harbour? Are they being cancelled for genuine reasons, or is it not full?
  
  “Having that information on a dashboard makes a bit more accountability for airlines, and I think that that's important too.”

Vital but expensive: In Kempsey Shire, Mayor Kinne Ring says maintenance of the small local airport costs ratepayers up to $500,000 a year, despite not offering passenger flights.
It does however provide critical access for emergency services and medical evacuations, particularly in the absence of a helipad at Kempsey hospital.

• “For a smaller regional airport like Kempsey, where you're probably never going to see that passenger flight through, we still really critically need to have that airport open,” Mayor Ring said.
  
  “Long story short, we can't actually close our airport, even though it's costing our ratepayers.  

Airport spreading its wings: To reduce the burden on taxpayers, Kempsey Shire Council is looking at ways to “diversify and activate” the airport facility.

• “Can we look into things like freight, or potentially having aviation maintenance at our airport here in Kempsey?” the Mayor questioned. 

  
  “How can the government support airports to diversify, so we reduce that burden and make those airports more viable for ratepayers? 

  
  “Because at the end of the day, our ratepayers are bearing the brunt of having that airport that was originally owned by the government.”

The Business NSW policy paper can be read here. 

Image credit: Atlantis Creative. 

There are fears of further cuts to journalism in northern NSW, following changes to the delivery of local NBN News bulletins. 

What’s changing: From Saturday June 27, NBN’s locally-produced 6pm weekend news services will be replaced by Nine News bulletins, with a focus on national and international news. 

From the following Monday, NBN’s 6pm weeknight news bulletins will be shortened from one hour to 30 minutes, and will begin from 5:30pm. 

A Nine News bulletin will follow from 6pm. 

The changes come after Nine sold NBN Television to the WIN Network for $15m in late January, as part of a broader restructuring of media assets.

Job losses expected: NBN News has produced a local news bulletin for more than 60 years.

As a result of the programming changes, NBN staff are expecting significant job losses.

NBN Television currently employs more than 20 news and sport reporters across the Central Coast, Hunter, Mid North Coast, Northern Tablelands and North Coast, plus additional camera operators. 

One source within the organisation, who wishes to protect their anonymity, said staff were told the bulletin changes were a “financial decision to remain viable”.

• “[WIN said] from their research the market wasn’t concerned about it being an hour-long, seven night a week bulletin,” the source told the Mid North Coaster. 

Sign of the times: While mourning the potential loss of “incredibly important” local journalism, former NBN newsreader Gavin Morris - now the Lord Mayor of Newcastle - said the move is a reflection of a “changing climate” for media outlets.

• “Local news is so incredibly important and it's slowly been eroding away now for many years,” Morris said.
  
  “If there's no advertising dollars to support those local news outlets, there's not enough money there to pay the staff, and therefore these reductions have to occur.
  
  “It's very, very sad for the industry.”

Morris, who worked at NBN for 16 years until he was made redundant in 2025, agreed that more job losses are “likely”.

• “You'd have to assume it's all about cost-cutting and continually making these establishments more and more efficient, and sadly that comes at the cost of jobs.” 

The alternative perspective: Rather than a loss for regional journalism, WIN Network Chief Executive Andrew Lancaster said in a statement the changes represent an “important investment” in local news delivery.

• “Regional communities value strong local journalism and local storytelling, and that remains central to our strategy for NBN,” Lancaster said. 

  
  “The changes to our weeknight bulletins are designed to deliver more local content, more local stories and a stronger connection to the communities we serve across Northern New South Wales.”

In a statement, a WIN representative insisted the new 30-minute bulletins would focus "entirely on local news", opposed to a one-hour program including national and international stories. 

Calls for protection: Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has called on WIN management to publicly commit to no forced redundancies and no reductions in local news crews. 

• “WIN now has a responsibility to demonstrate that its acquisition of NBN Television will strengthen local journalism, not weaken it,” Penfold said. 

Image credit: NBN News.

Two rural Mid North Coast schools are at risk of closure, with consultation currently underway between the communities and the NSW Department of Education. 

Families in the rural localities of Bobin and Upper Lansdowne, within the MidCoast local government area, have been informed by the Department their local public schools could be put into “recess” due to low enrolment numbers. 

Pending the outcome of consultation, the schools could become non-operational for a period of two years, before their status is reviewed again. 

Fires, floods and school stress: Faye Raynor-White, whose child is one of seven students enrolled at Bobin Public School, told the Mid North Coaster the potential closure would be “devastating”. 

• “Not only was the school almost entirely burned down by the [Black Summer] fires in 2019, it's also had to deal with droughts and floods as well,” she said.
  
  “Bobin, after everything it has been through, desperately needs to build community, not shut it down… The chance of opening again after a two-year period is minimal.” 

Community focus: Raynor-White said Bobin Public, opened in 1883, serves as a hub for community activities, facilitating occasional services like a mobile preschool and health initiatives, and linking transport routes for more remote areas. 

Projected enrolments, based upon siblings reaching primary school age, would take the school into double figures over the next two years. 

The unique nature of rural schools: May Slater, who has two children at Upper Lansdowne Public, said local residents are determined to keep the doors open.

• “It's been here for more than 130 years, so we have generations of people who've been to the school,” she said. 

With current enrolments at 10, attendance numbers have fluctuated over the years, but Slater fears losing the younger demographic entirely if the closure goes ahead. 

• “There won't be any incentives for young families to move out here,” she said. 

Slater also raised concerns over longer travel times and the loss of small-group learning opportunities presented by rural schools. 

• “Even though these schools are small, they play a really amazing role in public education. 

“For some kids who may otherwise fall through [the cracks], these small schools are incredible.”

With the two communities given just weeks to prepare evidence for the consultation process, Slater has called on the Department to give the schools a “fair go”.

Does recess mean closure?: According to Department policy, a school may be placed in recess when its “ongoing viability is in question” or when an “alternative educational provision offers significant advantages”. 

A school’s status is reviewed at least every two years. 

Once recessed, the feasibility of reopening a school is evaluated when there is a “strong indication from demographic trends that there will be a viable and sustained increase” in enrolments. 

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Mid North Coaster: 

• “A sustained decline in enrolments can lead to consultation regarding a school’s future educational provision… Key to any decision is consideration of the best educational interests of students, including access to curriculum offerings.”

The Department notes that no decisions have been made at this time.

The fight continues: Parliamentary petitions have been launched by both communities, receiving considerable support from the broader region.

• “The school’s way more than just an educational space, it is the heart of the community, and we really need it,” Raynor-White said. 

Every few months, music-lovers gather at South West Rocks’ historic School of Arts Hall to hear performing artists from across the Macleay Valley and beyond. 

The unique grassroots musical movement involves local artists taking the stage to perform, with the odd classic rock cover sandwiched between the centuries-old sound of bodhrán drums, the crisp timbre of vintage bowl-back mandolins, and the rhythmic chanting of sea shanties traditionally used to coordinate work on sailing ships.

A salute to uniqueness: Known as the Trial Bay Folk Club, the gatherings serve as an informal celebration of acoustic music from times gone by and from lands far away.

🗣️: “We wanted to build something where people who play instruments or sing can come together and collaborate musically in a relaxed, supportive and welcoming environment,” club spokesperson Steve Connor told the Mid North Coaster.

“We also want to celebrate those instruments and genres from across the globe that may have been somewhat forgotten by modern society.”

Culture on the coast: Club committee member Lianne Chandler said the musical events have filled a cultural gap in the Macleay Valley. 

• “I love coming here and listening to all the different genres of music,” Chandler told the Mid North Coaster.

  “[We are] actually seeing people develop and improve and get more confidence each time we see them.

  “It is just fun to get a crowd together enjoying music.” 

Formed in 2025 the club has proven popular, with crowds of up to 80 heading to the Hall to hear local artists take the stage, generally on a Saturday afternoon.

The club also offers workshops and educational activities, house concerts, as well as poetry, dancing and other forms of creative expression.

The NSW government has announced a $30 million investment into Summervilles and Gordonville roads, with road widening, resurfacing, drainage upgrades, roadside barriers and clearer line markings all on the agenda.

The funds come months after both Summervilles and Gordonville roads became detour routes for commuters who would usually use Waterfall Way to travel between Bellingen and Dorrigo.

Waterfall Way was reopened in late March, though the rebuild continues.

Catch up: A 250-tonne landslip closed Waterfall Way in January between Horseshoe Road and Boggy Creek Road. The incident was the fourth time the major stretch of road had been closed in the previous 12 months.

• Severe rainfall and flooding has caused ongoing issues across the Mid North Coast’s roads.

Look into it: Following the latest incident, the NSW government began a detailed assessment of Waterfall Way and surrounding roads looking at short term fixes and long-term upgrades. This funding is part of the result of that assessment.

• Since 2021, works on Waterfall Way have cost the state government $100 million. More than $50 million of that has been spent on the stretch of road between Bellingen and Dorrigo.

Businesses suffer: In March, Bellingen business owners told the Mid North Coaster the landslip had greatly impacted the flow of foot traffic to the town.

• Alex Caminer, co-owner of Alternatives Bookshop on Bellingen’s High Street, said businesses had been “just basically trying to stay open” as confusion continued around how accessible the town was by car.

• “It’s a major arterial road”, he said. “… Everything has to come down that Dorrigo mountain off the plateau to get to the coast. It’s been very difficult for businesses up there.”

Money for the pain: The federal government had initially committed $3.8 million towards the construction of two timber bridges on Summervilles Road.

What they said: Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said the $30 million commitment would strengthen the roads, improve safety and ensure the detour strips can more readily handle increased traffic.

“This is about responding to more than one event”, she said. “And instead ensuring the region is better prepared for future weather impacts and unexpected closures”.

Steve Allen, the Mayor of Bellingen Shire, said the funding was “vital” while long-term solutions for the corridor continue to be pursued.

Opened 186 years ago, what is now known as the Beach House in Port Macquarie was originally called the Royal Hotel.

Over the years, clientele has evolved from oyster farmers, fishermen and tree loggers, to school children (when it briefly operated as a boarding school) and the watering hole for Australia’s first Prime Minister.

Burning down entirely in 1886, the Beach House has been rebuilt, renamed and reborn multiple times throughout its life.

Watch the video below for the full story.

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Noshtalgia Cafe, in Port Macquarie, has been serving up tasty, healthy, friendly meals for years.

Owner and head chef Andrew Norman runs the cafe with his wife, Andrea.

“I can do really good home cooked food… the menu’s quite extensive,” said Norman.

“We have a very, very regular local clientele… I was actually sitting over here with an older gentleman who lost his wife unexpectedly and he doesn’t know how to cook. We actually get quite a few of them.”

“We’ve been to people’s houses; we’ve taken food to them when we’re sick.”

Watch the full profile of Noshtalgia Cafe below:

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Amy Taylor from Amyl and the Sniffers is giving Blue Wiggle Anthony Field the twin middle fingers as she screams - or maybe laughs? - at him.

Field, looking smooth in his skivvy and reflector sunnies, is paying Taylor no mind, however original Red Wiggle Murray Cook is looking on, seemingly amused.

That's not a snake - That's a snake by Simon Schneider.

In the Bald Archies - a humorous take on the Archibald Prize, on exhibition in Coffs Harbour until May 24 - pretty much anything goes as caricature and modern art meet the Australian penchant for taking the piss out of everything.

Something to stir: As a collection of art, it’s not particularly earth-shattering in its technique and creativity, but it is brutal and funny, and may give viewers occasional pause for thought.

The acrylic painting Amyl and the Wiggles by Kate Bowditch (100cm X 75cm, $750) was inspired by “an unexpected collaboration at the 2025 ARIA Awards that we didn't know we needed”. The result, the artist says, “blurring the line between childhood nostalgia and punk rebellion”.

It's a long way to the shop (if you want a sausage roll) by Gabriella Brehm.

Other faces in the Bald Archies exhibition include You Am I’s Tim Rogers, AC/DC’s Angus Young (above, shuffling to the shops for a sausage roll), mushroom killer Erin Patterson (below) and wildlife enthusiast Robert Irwin (above, in a painting paying homage to his underwear ads).

Not mushroom in gaol by Duncan Sutherland.

Then there are the politicians, among them Anthony Albanese, Tanya Plibersek, Barnaby Joyce, Pauline Hanson, Peter Dutton, Anika Wells, Gladys Berejiklian, Kevin Rudd and Bob Katter.

I Want To Punch Your Face by Megan Chung.

Katter - the famously excitable renegade from Queensland - features in a number of artworks that made the final cut. 

In one, I Want To Punch Your Face, Katter is portrayed as an angry Lego style figurine, with a cockatoo and a boxing kangaroo on his back.

The acrylic on canvas piece by Megan Chung, inspired by Katter losing his temper last year at a reporter who asked about his Lebanese heritage, is 61cm x 76cm and is selling for $2,200.

The same brouhaha also led to artist Mark Bernard’s Katter's Fried Kaftas (acrylic paint and markers, aerosol on cotton canvas, 50cm x 70cm, $200), a pop art rendering of a Colonel-style bucket of “mouth punchin’ flavour”.

Mark Bernard’s Katter's Fried Kaftas. 

The exaggerated caricature technique is used on paintings of musicians Paul Kelly and Bon Scott, wildlife enthusiast Robert Irwin with a big snake, Barnaby Joyce with a big steak, TV wit Luke McGregor and soccer player Sally Shipard.

One caricature, The Dutt Plug by Scott Marsh (spray paint, acrylic, enamel on canvas; 100cm x 165cm, $5,800) pushes the bounds of good taste, with former opposition leader Peter Dutton portrayed as … a sex toy.

Annika Wells’ Private Limo by Louise Sweeney.

Labor minister Anika Wells may not appreciate Louise Sweeney’s Anika Wells’ Private Limo Girl (above, gouache on paper, 29.7cm x 42cm, $450).

By virtue of its title and description (“Jet setting around the world is so quiche”) it’s clear that this piece is linking Wells with Chris Lilley’s comic creation Ja’ime. And not in a nice way.

The Bald Archies is at the National Cartoon Gallery until May 24. More information here.

Lighthouse Plaza, in Port Macquarie, has had a fair amount of empty shopfronts for quite some time.

Developed in 1996, the centre has experienced multiple names, designs, and boom-and-bust cycles.

So what’s next?

Mid North Coaster reporter Mel Mantle has the story. Watch below:

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The new owner of the Ibis Budget motel in Coffs Harbour will continue operating the property as is, despite the sale including a DA for a nine-storey mixed development.

Sold off-market, the site was bought by Sydney-based motel investor Iqbal Singh.

Location, location: The 70-room motel - operated by accommodation giant Accor under the Ibis brand - is set on a 3,205-square-metre block on the Pacific Highway and comes with a pool and breakfast room.

It is at the entry-level end of the motel market. A single room for next Friday night (May 1) on a flexible rate with breakfast included is $108.

An artist impression of the nine-storey tower. Image: Supplied.

The Ibis Budget Coffs Harbour was sold by Iris Capital, which owns numerous hospitality venues in Australia including pubs, hotels and casinos.

Accor sell-off: Iris Capital had bought the Coffs Harbour property in 2021 as part of a suite of 17 Accor motels.

A campaign by hotel brokers JLL in 2023 to sell the Ibis Budget Coffs Harbour on behalf of Iris Capital ended without a new buyer. “We couldn’t quite get there,” Greg Jeloudev, JLL Senior Vice President, Hotels & Hospitality, told the Mid North Coaster.

The motel remained off the market, however in 2026 a new buyer emerged in the form of Iqbal Singh, and a deal was signed off on last week.

High occupancy: Jeloudev said he was unable to disclose the sale price, but that it set a record for a regional Ibis motel. Asked what the previous record was, he said he was not at liberty to reveal, but that the Coffs Harbour motel had “a very sharp yield”. In a LinkedIn post he said the occupancy rate was 84 percent.

The breakfast room at the Ibis Budget Coffs Harbour. Image: Supplied.

The motel was sold with vacant possession, meaning Singh is free to rebrand the property, or demolish it with a view to constructing a nine-storey tower with nearly 100 apartments, parking and retail.

As of Friday afternoon the Iris Capital website was still listing the Ibis Budget in Coffs Harbour as one of its properties. A webpage with artist impressions of the nine-storey block states: “Coming soon - luxury residential development.”

Despite this webpage on the former owner’s site, new owner Iqbal Singh is in no rush to demolish Ibis Budget Coffs Harbour and build a residential tower.

However, Jeloudev said Singh - who he described as a “private bloke” - was in no rush to develop the site.

The Mid North Coast will receive more than $56 million in additional state and federal funding to support communities still recovering from the severe storms and flooding of May 2025.

Announced on Tuesday, the $56.3 million package is focused on waterways, environmental damage and direct financial relief for local businesses.

How we got here: More than 50,000 people and at least 10,000 properties were impacted by record-breaking floods hitting across the Mid North Coast in May 2025.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which swept along the East Coast, resulted in $1.5 billion in insured losses.

What they’re saying: NSW Premier Chris Minns said the funding would provide “practical on the ground support”.

“We know recovery doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and requires governments of all levels to work together to ensure communities are getting the right support they need to move forward.”

What it looks like: Launched in the coming weeks, the funding will include:

• $26.2 million for clean up and waste removal, targeted at hazardous debris in riverbanks and on land.

• $8.8 million for repairing riverbanks and coastal areas.

• $5.6 million for small business grants, specifically for businesses and not-for-profit organisations that suffered direct damage during the May storms.

• $7.2 million for community recovery and “resilience activities”.

• $1.9 million for disaster legal services.

• $4.2 million for mental health disaster recovery support.

More information, and instructions on how to apply for grants, can be found here.

Kristy McBain, the Minister for Emergency Management, said “recovery is a long haul; it is not days and weeks, it is months and years”.

NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said the funding would help with heavy-duty clean-up and mental health support.

“Small business owners have been clear about what they need to move forward. This funding is specifically designed to help replace damaged equipment and repair shopfronts to ensure local traders can complete their rebuilds and focus on the future.”