Maureen Shelly has celebrated her 100th birthday in Tea Gardens with fellow Legacy members. She was born in Charlestown in 1926 and grew up on land her family was granted near Warners Bay Road. Her husband Jimmy served in the RAAF during World War II, and the couple later moved to Tea Gardens in 2008. After Jimmy died in 2009, Maureen joined the local Legacy group. The local Legacy members held a lunch for her at The Garden Eatery, with birthday cake for dessert. Maureen says she feels more like 50 than 100.
Members of the Tea Gardens Lions Club are running a 58km Walk for Breast Cancer during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The walk aims to raise awareness and money for research into the disease. The distance reflects an average of 58 people diagnosed with breast cancer each day, according to official statistics. A Lions Fashion Show on 1 November, themed around op shops, will raise money for victims of domestic violence. Proceeds from ticket sales, raffle money and Tim's Bags will support new housing for those victims.
Close to 7,000 signatures have been collected in a renewed push to improve safety at two Pacific Highway intersections, with Bucketts Way and Medowie Road. Petition organiser Leah Veksins says the petition will stay open until it reaches 10,000 signatures. She describes it as the fourth petition seeking improvements, after earlier efforts in 1995, 2005 and 2015. While an overpass is among her preferred options, she is also open to traffic lights or stop controls. The petition asks governments and road authorities to work together on a redesign of both junctions.
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Close to 7,000 signatures have been collected for a renewed petition seeking safety improvements at the Pacific Highway intersections with Bucketts Way and Medowie Road. Organiser Leah Veksins says the petition will stay open until it reaches 10,000 names. She is open to an overpass, traffic lights or stop controls, and wants a redesign of both junctions. Veksins said two friends were seriously injured in a crash at the Bucketts Way intersection. Paper copies are also circulating in several surrounding communities.
Crowds flocked to the two-day Myall University of the Third Age Art Show in Hawks Nest after grey weather sent visitors indoors. Dozens of local artists exhibited more than 300 works in the hall, ranging from first-time creators to long-established painters. Sales began before the show opened, and 33 of 36 artists sold work, including 92-year-old Marilyn at her first exhibition. Sales exceeded last year's figures, with over 130 paintings and 90 smaller items sold. Organisers said more than 650 visitors came through the doors across the two days.
The Probus Club of Hawks Nest and District is celebrating its 15th anniversary in October 2026, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Australian Probus movement. The club, founded by Ray Hosking and Rex Sargeant, has grown to a membership of 160, with a waiting list. Members marked the milestone with a day out at Winda Woppa, featuring a sausage sizzle and a large cake made by Mema’s Bakery. Hosking, a former president of Epping Probus, has been a key figure in the club’s success.
