Moree Plains Shire councillor Kelly James livestreamed her removal by police from a council meeting in northern NSW. Police were called after she refused to stop filming or leave the chamber, and the meeting was adjourned for about 40 minutes. James said she filmed to protect herself from changes to the minutes and claimed her removal had been anticipated. The council said she refused to make an unreserved apology for comments about staff and that she had been fifth expelled this year. The Office of Local Government said councillors must uphold high standards of conduct.
Moree Plains Shire Council is accepting applications for its last Small Business Fund round of 2026, which offers up to $5,000 each to four successful applicants. Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday 25 October 2026. The fund targets businesses in the shire with up to 20 staff that have traded for at least six months, and applicants need an Australian Business Number or Australian Company Number. Eligible spending includes signage, painting, websites, advertising, staff training and trialling new concepts, while wages, stock and ordinary operating costs are excluded.
Moree Plains Shire has 184 poker machines across six clubs and hotels, but official figures do not show how much money is lost locally. Government figures group Moree Plains with neighbouring shires. GambleAware Hunter and New England team leader Thomas O'Donnell said warning signs include falling behind on bills and selling personal items. He urged families to start open conversations and said free, confidential counselling is available, including over the phone or online.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Students from Moree Secondary College and Narrabri High School took part in a podcasting workshop at Social Co House in Moree on Friday, October 16. Guided by journalist and educator Stephanie Aceglav, they chose their own subjects, from fashion and football to American history. They planned episodes, wrote scripts, recorded and edited their work. The workshop was organised through the NSW Department of Education's Educational Pathways Program. Organisers say it aims to introduce regional students to careers they might not otherwise consider.
More than 3,000 clothing and accessory items have been delivered to women in Tamworth, Narrabri, Moree and Gunnedah. The Iris Foundation's Frockin' The Outback initiative also delivered 750 packets of sanitary products. Volunteers travelled 1,750 kilometres and partnered with six service providers to reach 385 women across five towns, with Coonamble also on the route. In Gunnedah, a local provider ran an outreach event where women could access donated items and connect with services. Iris Foundation CEO Sue Liptrott thanked volunteers, sponsors and donors for making the project possible.
Business owners in Moree spoke about the personal pressures of running local firms at a Chamber of Commerce evening held during Small Business Month. Helena Doran, who runs Bella Santé Skin & Body Centre, described exhaustion and pain before learning to set limits. Georgie King, who runs Print Anything and Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety North West, said finding staff had forced her to look beyond Moree. She urged residents to give local businesses a chance. Toby Osmond, who runs Yaama Ganu Gallery, said local shops were where people checked in on each other.
A memorial to Aunty Heather Boney has been unveiled at Wales Park in Moree, 25 years after her death. Family members marked the 25th anniversary of her death on Saturday 17 October 2026. Those who spoke remembered her generosity, her Christian faith and her fundraising for families in need. Blossom Pitt, who campaigned for the memorial, said Aunty Heather gave her guidance during a difficult childhood. The plaque carries Aunty Heather's portrait, her dates and a verse from the kids of South Side Moree.
Moree Plains Shire Council is advising residents with severe asthma or breathing difficulties to avoid the Moree Waste Facility. Green waste mulching at the site from Thursday 15 October is expected to run for seven to ten days and is generating significant dust. Anyone with breathing difficulties who must visit should wear a suitable P2 or P3 face mask. The council has apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Sydney investor Kaisser Khater, 38, has bought three houses in regional New South Wales for $340,000 over the past six months. He paid cash for homes in Moree, Cobar and Bourke, which were found off-market through buyers agency Charlies Properties. Local tradespeople are renovating the properties before they are rented out long term. Khater said Sydney no longer made sense for investors because of high interest rates, negative gearing and changes to capital gains tax. He also raised concerns that recent tax changes could make it harder for ordinary Australians to build retirement investment portfolios.
Moree Arts Community Centre will celebrate its third birthday with an exhibition of member pottery and other work, opening Friday 13 November from 6pm to 8pm. Pieces are for sale, with proceeds returning to the volunteer-run centre. Entry is a gold coin donation, and workshops and an open studio are planned over the weekend. Member Jenny Elsley, who joined hoping to paint, now makes pottery and says her work is becoming reasonable. The centre, established in November 2023, has about 25 active members and operates from a shed at 397 Gosport Street.
Severe thunderstorms are moving east from Central Australia towards NSW and Queensland, bringing heavy rain, large hail and strong winds. Flash flooding has already hit northern NSW, and the State Emergency Service received more than 220 call-outs in 24 hours, mostly for fallen trees and damaged roofs. Several people were rescued from floodwaters in Greater Sydney. In Alice Springs, storms left about 3000 homes without power on Wednesday, and Power and Water NT says restoration in some areas could take several days. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast damaging wind gusts for central Queensland.
Moree Plains Shire Council has awarded $20,000 to Moree Caledonian Pipes and Drums to replace ageing drums and upgrade uniforms. Boomi Community Co-Operative will receive the remaining $10,379 for a mural on the Birds of Boomi amenities block. The awards, announced on 13 October 2026, are funded by a donation from Moree Solar Farm. Mayor Susannah Pearse said the fund helps strengthen the community. The pipe band teaches children and adults for free each week and will perform at The Great Sydney Highland Fair and the NSW State Pipe Band Championships.
Moree businesswoman Helena Doran will lead the Business Beyond Burnout panel, hosted by the Moree Chamber of Commerce during Small Business Month. Doran, owner of Bella Santé, has experienced burnout herself and says she has found a way to manage it. She plans to share her story at the event, which brings local business owners together to discuss the pressures of starting, running and growing a business. The evening will be held at the Bank Art Museum Moree on Friday, October 16, from 6pm to 9pm. Tickets cost $50 per person.
Optus has switched on 5G at Moree's two main mobile towers, which went live in September 2026. The company says the upgrade improves speed, capacity and reliability, and should ease congestion during busy periods. Optus Local General Manager Glenn Hamilton said the work reflects Moree's role as a regional centre for farming, business, schools and essential services. Seven more towers are on the company's roadmap for the next financial year, covering the Moree Plains up to Mungindi and Garah. Moree's 5G service is already live, and further district works are still to come.
New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has defended the state's gun buyback scheme after 150 applications were lodged in its first hours. Bookings opened on Monday, and the government plans to remove up to 274,000 firearms from the community. Catley said fewer guns in circulation would make the community safer, pointing to firearms stolen across the state. Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has criticised the scheme, arguing it focuses too heavily on licensed owners rather than illegal guns used by organised criminals.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
An 88-year-old woman has died in hospital after she was struck by a car in Pyree, in the NSW Shoalhaven region. Police were called to Pyree Lane at about 1:45 pm on Saturday, 24 October, after reports of a pedestrian being hit. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was flown to St George Hospital in a critical condition. Police were told on Sunday, 25 October, that she had died. The 43-year-old driver returned a negative result on a roadside breath test and was taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital for mandatory testing.
A whale calf carcass has washed ashore at Malabar Beach in Sydney, the third landing spot for the same animal. Randwick Council workers moved the remains up the sand, roped off the area and closed the beach on Tuesday. Council said strong currents moved the carcass from Lurline Bay and that it will be removed and disposed of on Tuesday 27 October. Earlier, Coogee and Maroubra beaches were shut after the carcass became stuck against rocks at Lurline Bay.
Kiama Community Radio is hosting Blues in the Night, a fundraising event on Saturday 7 November at Kiama Leagues Club. The station, run by volunteers, is seeking support to fund its equipment, technology and facilities. Headliner Frank Sultana will perform alongside Shane Flew and Matt Ross, and Jr and the Jewel-Tones, which includes Kiama musician Dave Shaw. Doors open at 5 pm. Tickets cost $50, or $40 for station members, plus a booking fee. Every ticket sold supports the station, which has operated since 2020.
Police are searching for a man in a balaclava after a suspected arson attack on a house in Abbotsford, in Sydney's inner west. Four people were taken to hospital. An 88-year-old woman was rescued by a 49-year-old man who climbed a ladder. A neighbour confronted the man while he was allegedly setting the house alight. Police believe he fled in a red Holden Astra and had suffered burns. About 40 firefighters attended the blaze, which spread to an adjoining house.
Mini has unveiled the Lucky 13 Edition, an Australian-exclusive limited-run model based on the John Cooper Works three-door hatch. It honours the 1966 Bathurst 500 victory by Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden in a factory-backed Morris Mini Cooper S. The special edition's name comes from Mr Holden drawing number 13 from a hat and adopting it as his lucky number. Design cues include white bonnet stripes, a white roof and circular 13 decals. Just 26 cars will be built for Australia, with arrival expected in the first quarter of 2027. Pricing starts at $71,990 before on-road costs.
Will Lee has served 56 years with the NSW Rural Fire Service, which he began after helping fight a major fire in the northern Illawarra in 1968. He joined the Austinmer Bushfire Brigade in 1970 and went on to hold several leadership roles, including Group Captain. He was recognised with a National Medal with a fourth clasp at a recent ceremony, where his daughter Belinda Lee also received a 40-year Long Service Medal. Will now focuses on training young firefighters. He says the job of an old firefighter is to teach young firefighters to become old firefighters.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern will lecture and mentor at the University of Sydney, beginning this month. Her work will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Based in the school of public health, she will host guest lectures and masterclasses, although the university says it is not a full-time teaching role. Vice-chancellor Mark Scott praised Ardern's leadership, saying empathy and resolve can strengthen each other. Ardern moved to Australia earlier this year.
Sexual assault complainants could face less distressing questioning in court under proposed changes. Wollongong District Court is one of three NSW courts chosen to trial new rules on how long questioning can last and what topics can be covered. The trial would run from 2027 to 2030 if passed by NSW Parliament. The Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre has welcomed the reforms, backed by $4.8 million in government funding. Attorney General Michael Daley said the changes would minimise trauma for complainants.
Local Government NSW is calling for a $5 billion interest-free loan scheme to help councils build roads, drainage and other infrastructure needed for housing. Councils would repay the loans through developer contributions as development progresses. The peak body says thousands of homes are being delayed by inadequate infrastructure, particularly in outer metropolitan Sydney and regional areas. LGNSW president Darcy Byrne urged all political parties to back the proposal ahead of the state election. The plan also includes $3 billion in upfront state and regional infrastructure funding and allows developer contributions to fund community facilities.
