Parramatta Lanes returns to the city centre from Wednesday, 21 October, for four nights of food, live music, street art and entertainment. More than 400,000 visitors are expected. Food vendors, performers and artists will take over streets, laneways and car parks. Highlights include DimSimLim serving dumplings, noodles and tanghulu, professional skateboarders at Parramatta Square, and Latin music and salsa dancing. The festival runs across the city centre each evening.
Ten-year-old Ivy Belcastro, from Glenmore Park, has qualified to compete at the 2026 National Swimming Championships in Melbourne next month. She will swim in the Multi Class category for New South Wales. Ivy was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child and was told she may never walk, but she took her first steps at age two. She has broken three records at the recent NSW PSSA Swimming Championships. Her family and friends plan to travel to Melbourne to watch her compete.
Keeping children entertained need not be expensive. Five family days out in and around Sydney are suggested, including Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park at Doonside and Sydney Zoo at Bungarribee. Taronga Zoo can be combined with a harbour ferry ride, and Luna Park entry is free with only rides paid for. Booking attractions in advance through Klook, bundling attractions and watching for sales can help the budget go further.
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University of Sydney staff are striking on Thursday, 22 October, over pay, job security and protections on the use of artificial intelligence. The strike is led by the university branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, which is seeking changes to its enterprise agreement. Strikers will picket the Main Gate on Parramatta Road. The university says most classes will run online and that it is encouraging staff and students to work or study from home where possible. A few labs may be cancelled. The university says it will not change how it negotiates in response to the strike.
Parramatta Aquatic Centre's health club has been named Health Club of the Year at the NSW Aquatic & Recreation Institute Awards. The award recognises its inclusive fitness programmes, member experience and commitment to community wellbeing. The club offers Reformer Pilates, yoga, aqua fitness, cycling, boxing, Les Mills classes, personal training and programmes for older residents. City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cameron MacLean said the award reflected the team's efforts to make the facility welcoming. The centre has now recorded three ARI wins across the 2024 and 2025 awards.
Shane Danes, a 64-year-old Goondiwindi man with brain and spinal cord injuries, has had his National Disability Insurance Scheme funding reduced twice since October 2025. His support provider, Michelle Doughty, said a morning gap in his care left him vomiting on April 21, and she feared he could have died without her there. His 90-year-old parents now provide two hours of support each evening, and his sister Tracy Sullivan says the family cannot keep this up. The National Disability Insurance Agency said participant safety is its priority.
Six design teams have been shortlisted for an international competition to transform Bays West into Sydney's newest waterfront suburb. The plan includes 8,500 new homes and a harbour foreshore open to the public for the first time in more than 100 years. Each shortlisted team will develop an Urban Framework for the site, with designs expected to be publicly exhibited in early 2027. Community members and Greens MP Kobi Shetty have criticised the process, arguing that the plan lacks proper consultation and enough public and social housing.
James Tedesco will return to the Kangaroos for his first Test in three years when Australia face Fiji in Brisbane on Sunday. He was overlooked for Reece Walsh in the World Cup-opening win over New Zealand. Walsh scored a long-range try and made a major tackle on Kalyn Ponga in that match. Tedesco said it is not a competition and that he is focused on his role. Mitchell Moses is out of the tournament through injury, and Tom Dearden and Sam Walker will form a new halves pairing.
Western Sydney residents can explore the Blue Mountains beyond the usual lookouts. Scenic World tickets cover the Skyway, Cableway and Scenic Railway, plus a rainforest walkway. A 90-minute stargazing experience at Wentworth Falls uses telescopes to view Saturn, Jupiter and the Orion Nebula. A hop-on-hop-off bus pass lets visitors see main attractions at their own pace. Small-group waterfall tours and tours combining the mountains with harbour cruises are also offered.
The inaugural Lawrence Hargrave Oration will be held at Corrimal RSL Club on Saturday, 28 November, at 6.30 pm. The Lawrence Hargrave Society and the Powerhouse Museum are presenting the event. Historical Aircraft Restoration Society president Bob De La Hunty OAM will deliver the oration, which celebrates Hargrave's contribution to flight. Powerhouse Museum curator Andrew Jacob will give an overview of Hargrave's work. Tickets cost $85 and include a three-course meal.
Indian community groups held rallies in four Australian cities on October 18, calling on the Albanese government to condemn the repression of youth-led democracy protests in India. The protests followed a voter roll revision that removed about 130 million people from the electoral roll, and they call for the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Speakers in Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide criticised police, with some protesters alleging assault and sexual harassment. Rally numbers ranged from about 30 people in Adelaide to about 200 in Parramatta. A Melbourne rally was disrupted by far-right protesters.
German sportswear company adidas has signed a multi-year deal to supply official apparel to the Parramatta Eels. The agreement starts ahead of the 2027 NRL and NRLW seasons and covers men's, women's and elite academy squads. A documentary-style brand film, Made for Parra, launches the partnership. Product design and retail details will be announced closer to the 2027 season. Club and adidas executives say the deal is a long-term commitment to the club's Western Sydney community.
Parramatta's New Year's Eve celebration has won gold at the Western Sydney Tourism Awards. The City of Parramatta received the award for its 2025 celebrations, its third consecutive win at the regional awards. The event at Parramatta Park drew more than 70,000 people, the largest New Year's Eve crowd in the city so far, and was estimated to generate $13.4 million in local spending. Lord Mayor Cameron MacLean said the win reflected the council's push to make Parramatta a destination for entertainment, festivals and nightlife. The council has not released a breakdown of spending across hospitality, accommodation and retail.
City of Parramatta has opened nominations for its 2027 Citizen of the Year Awards, which recognise people and groups who make a lasting difference through volunteering, leadership, creativity, environmental action and kindness. Residents can nominate a volunteer, community champion, young leader or local group until 5pm on Friday, October 30. Expressions of interest for the judging panel close on Monday, October 26. Recipients will be announced at a January ceremony as part of Council's Australia Day program.
Sydney will host the 2027 Super Netball Grand Final for the first time since the competition began. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors and inject more than $4 million into the NSW visitor economy. The match will be played on Saturday 31 July at Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, and is proposed rather than confirmed. Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said the event would celebrate the sport's passion across New South Wales. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would invest more in netball, one of its biggest participation sports.
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The Rotary Club of West Pennant Hills and Cherrybrook is running its Trees of Joy campaign again this year, aiming to deliver more than 1,000 Christmas gifts. Shoppers choose a gift from a bauble bearing a person's story and wish, then return it to a drop-off point. The club works with more than 10 local charities to reach children and adults who may otherwise go without. Trees are at four shopping centres in Cherrybrook, Westleigh, Pennant Hills and Thornleigh from 2 November until 10 December. Rotary asks people to return gifts early to ease distribution.
Blacktown pilot Aglaya Papadokokolakis flew the first commercial aircraft out of Western Sydney International Airport on Sunday. She said the milestone was a career highlight, launching operations in her home region. Her father is also a pilot, and she encouraged young women to pursue aviation despite its male-dominated reputation. The airport opened after about eight years of construction and is set to run around the clock. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened it at a Sunday morning ceremony, and its first international flight arrived on Monday.
As part of Small Business Month in October, three New England and North Coast businesses are being highlighted. Steve Shaw runs GH Innovations in Thrumster, helping local firms attract customers through online search and sales improvement. Di Wade runs Rawspice Boutique in South West Rocks, offering independent fashion and lifestyle products. Meagan Hudson and Rory Taylor run Beardy Downs in Emmaville, making small-batch tallow and beeswax products through BD Collection.
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.
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.
The NSW Government has committed $6.8 billion to electrify the South Coast rail line between Kiama and Bomaderry and to double tracks at key bottlenecks. Construction is expected to be complete by the mid-to-late 2030s, with detailed planning starting in 2027. The announcement follows the government scrapping timetable changes that were due to take effect in November after community concerns. Premier Chris Minns said the upgrade would deliver faster, more reliable trains. An immediate $621 million will fund upgrades to power, signalling and flood protection ahead of the main works.
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.
