A service station employee in his 30s has died days after a ute ran over him at a petrol station in east Coffs Harbour on the NSW Mid North Coast. The incident happened on Tuesday evening, around 7pm, on the forecourt of a United Petroleum outlet. Police and paramedics attended, and the man was taken to hospital in critical condition before his death. Police allege a 44-year-old woman, who had just paid for fuel, drove off while he was checking the tanks and became pinned beneath the vehicle.
Coffs Harbour radio host Michael Moffett will leave the Triple M Coffs Coast breakfast show on Friday, 6 November. He is moving to Canberra to host Forever Classic Workdays on 2CA, starting in mid-November. He replaces Rob Duckworth, who has been filling several on-air roles across the network. Capital Radio Network content director Mike Byrne praised Moffett for his work in local radio. Local political and civic leaders, including Cowper MP Pat Conaghan and Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams, have paid tribute to him. No replacement for the Coffs Harbour breakfast spot has been named.
Coffs Harbour voters will go to the polls on Saturday 12 December to fill a single councillor role. The NSW Electoral Commission will run the by-election after Paul Amos resigned from the council. Voting is compulsory, and residents are urged to check their enrolment details online, especially if they have recently moved. Mayor Nikki Williams said the community will choose a candidate to represent them on council. Early voting opens on 5 December, and results are due on 31 December.
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A Coffs Harbour couple held the first wedding ever staged at the Big Banana sculpture, which has stood for 62 years. Historian Angie Derrett and partner Corey Murtagh married there on Saturday 17 October 2026. The bride and bridesmaids arrived in garbage trucks, and guests wore costumes for an Alice in Wonderland meets Willy Wonka theme. Around 100 family and friends attended the reception, where the decorations and croquet sticks were made by family and friends at Marian Grove. Derrett said the couple wanted a celebration of their love and of Coffs Harbour.
Three Mid North Coast players were part of the Oztag Tagaroos team that won the International Tag Federation World Cup in Coffs Harbour last weekend. The Tagaroos beat Great Britain in the final after the match finished one all and went to extra time. Di Mascord and Claire Thurlow made their debuts for Australia, while Natalie West was playing for her nation for the second time. The team won despite muddy grounds and only two group practice sessions beforehand.
Prospective candidates for a Coffs Harbour City Council by-election can attend an information session on Wednesday, 28 October, from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the River Oak Room, Yarrila Place. The session will cover the responsibilities of councillors and the decisions they make. General Manager Murray Wood urged anyone considering running to attend and ask questions. The by-election fills the seat left vacant by Paul Amos's resignation, with polling day on Saturday, 12 December. The new councillor will serve until the September 2028 general election. Candidates do not need prior local government experience.
A 36-year-old service station attendant was critically injured on Tuesday evening at a Coffs Harbour fuel station on the NSW Mid North Coast. Police allege he was pinned under a ute while checking a fuel tank's levels on the forecourt around 7pm. SES and Fire and Rescue NSW crews freed him before paramedics took him to Coffs Harbour Hospital, and he was later flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. A 44-year-old woman allegedly driving the vehicle has been charged with negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm and breaching bail.
The City of Coffs Harbour is stepping up its campaign to win a Youth Foyer, which would make it only the third place in NSW to have one. Each Foyer houses about 40 young people aged 16 to 24 for up to two years, with independent units and communal spaces. Council has committed $100,000 in the current budget to the campaign and to start a Youth Strategy. The City has received 130 letters of support, and it is lining up partners, assessing possible sites and building a business case.
Five Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour volunteers have been recognised for a combined 120 years of service with Marine Rescue NSW long-service clasps. The clasps were presented at a ceremony at the unit last week by the local member and the city mayor. Unit Commander Rob Kasmarik praised the volunteers, including skippers, a radio operator and a fundraiser, for their commitment. He said volunteers can take on radio work, fundraising or vessel crew roles, and that training is free and nationally recognised.
Artworks featuring big tops, clowns, trapeze artists and a dog fired from a cannon are on show at the Coffs Harbour Creative Arts Group's new exhibition, The Circus. Club president Sue Roberts opened the exhibition on Sunday 11 October at the Coffs Showground Art Gallery and Studios. Maxine Kohlhagen won the People's Choice award from the previous member exhibition for her coloured-pencil work, The Watchful One. A solo exhibition of work by long-time member Ken Pay opens on Saturday 21 November. The Circus runs until November 18, and the gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 2.00pm.
A citizenship ceremony in Coffs Harbour welcomed 120 new Australian citizens from 36 countries last week. Officiated by Mayor Nikki Williams and local MP Gurmesh Singh, the event drew more than 400 family and friends. Speakers encouraged the new citizens to volunteer and give back to the community. Among them was Sien Tedjo, who from Indonesia helps newcomers settle into local life through a monthly multicultural lunch at Jetty Park. Other new citizens shared their reasons for making Coffs Harbour home.
Coffs Harbour mechanic and custom car builder Mike Camilleri will display his handcrafted replica Batmobile at the Coffs City Rotary Motor Show. The event runs on Sunday 25 October at Park Beach Plaza. Visitors can also see motorbikes, trophies and prizes. Kids and families can have a photo with the vehicle for a gold coin donation to Rotary, from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Mr Camilleri has been building the 6.6-metre vehicle since 2017 and has performed as Batman for more than 15 years, often alongside local artist Jasmine Winter as Batgirl.
A one-night stage production about tennis great John Newcombe will be performed at the Jetty Memorial Theatre in Coffs Harbour on Thursday 29 October at 7pm. Titled NEWK, the play is written by Kieran Carroll and performed by Paul Armstrong. It is set around Newcombe's 80th birthday and looks at his drive and competitiveness, the pressures on his family, and the move from amateur to professional tennis. It also revisits his advertising work, including campaigns for Cinzano, bananas and Canon cameras.
Long-serving Coffs Harbour councillor and former mayor Paul Amos has officially stepped down, ending nearly a decade in local government. His resignation took effect on Wednesday, 14 October. Amos served as mayor until 2024 and oversaw the opening of several major community facilities. Council staff and Mayor Nikki Williams thanked him for his service. The NSW Electoral Commission will oversee a by-election to replace him, generally held within three months.
Coffs Harbour resident Ian Hogbin has written to News Of The Area asking for planning of the Jetty Foreshore Precinct to cover the whole site, including the Jetty restaurant strip. He wants concepts, costs, funding models and timelines set out before further physical redevelopment proceeds. His letter raises concerns about traffic through the existing level crossing, the Jetty restaurant strip's need for renewal, parking and the plan for 250 residences. He also calls for funding from all levels of government, with Council possibly using a Special Rate for its share.
