Illabo RFS volunteer Tom Norman has completed a 226 km Ironman in Port Macquarie with no prior training. He said he wanted to show that anyone can join the Rural Fire Service. His family has volunteered for the service since 1909, and his grandparents were still responding to callouts until recently. Norman said the race took him over 16 hours, with the bike leg proving the hardest. He hopes his effort will encourage more young people to volunteer.
Family members of Samuel Liszczak have addressed Tyrone Russell in the Sydney Supreme Court as sentencing submissions began. Russell was found guilty of manslaughter in March, and Cory James Glass was found guilty of being an accessory after the manslaughter. Madison Wiggins asked Russell why he did not call Triple Zero and instead pushed Mr Liszczak's body from a moving vehicle. His mother, Dee Lianos, said losing her son had changed how she sees the world. Justice Richard Weinstein described the actions of Russell and Glass as unsophisticated. The sentencing hearing will continue on December 17.
Developer Clifton Lifestyle is launching Clifton Camden Haven, a new over-55s community in Kew, with a limited first release of 13 homes. Homes start from $585,000, subject to change and availability. The Early Access Club launch is on 2 November, with the wider public release on 6 November. The community will include a clubhouse, heated outdoor pool and spa, gym, sauna, pickleball courts and a bowling green. It sits near Laurieton, less than 30 minutes from Port Macquarie. The sales office is open at Haven Plaza, Laurieton.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Rex Airlines will indefinitely suspend its Sydney to Port Macquarie air service from 25 October, citing high aviation fuel costs and falling demand for seats. Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce president Luke Hadfield says the decision will affect businesses across the wider region, including tourism and investment. Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold expressed deep disappointment and warned that passengers may face fewer choices and higher airfares. Rex has described the suspension as temporary but has not said when services might resume. QantasLink will effectively hold a monopoly on scheduled passenger flights from Port Macquarie.
Port Macquarie's Repair Fair, to be held at the Port Macquarie Library on Sunday, 8 November, aims to reduce landfill by giving damaged items a new life. Council innovation manager Rachel Bennett said last year's inaugural event, attended by 1500 people, showed a growing appreciation for repairing rather than replacing. Visitors can learn to patch clothes, maintain bicycles, repair fishing gear, surfboards and leather goods. The fair also includes an Eco Zone, a Car Boot Sale, activities for children and a council Repair Directory listing local services.
Carers in the Port Macquarie Hastings area were invited to film screenings at the local library and a morning tea at The Glasshouse during National Carers Week. Participants shared their experiences as carers, and discussion turned to disability access in town. Guests learned about the NSW Companion Card, which lets people with a disability attend events with a companion at no extra cost. Staff from Carers NSW and Mission Australia offered information and support. Carer Gateway, a national service funded by the Australian Government, also provides help for carers.
Year 12 students across NSW have begun their Higher School Certificate written exams this week. Students from the Port Macquarie campus of Hastings Secondary College are sitting their papers at the Salvation Army Hall in Lord Street. Student leaders Lachlan Browne and Cameron Carson said they felt prepared after the first English paper. Both plan to take a gap year before further study, with Browne aiming for occupational therapy and Carson for diagnostic radiography. The campus has 73 Year 12 students this year.
Motorists travelling the Pacific Highway near Port Macquarie are being urged to plan ahead for road closures and detours on Sunday, 18 October, when Ironman Australia is held. The Blackmans Point Interchange will be closed from 4am to 5pm, and delays are expected throughout the day. Southbound drivers heading to Port Macquarie via Hastings River Drive must continue to the Port Macquarie Interchange and exit onto the Oxley Highway. Transport for NSW urges motorists to take care, follow traffic directions and allow extra travel time.
Port Macquarie is preparing for its biggest annual sporting event this Sunday, when 3000 athletes will swim, cycle and run in the 2026 Ironman 70.3. The event has moved from May to October and marks 20 years in the town. Around 9500 visitors are expected to inject more than $11 million into the local economy. Road closures will affect the CBD and the race course. Mayor Adam Roberts said major events are central to regional growth and urged residents to support the athletes.
A $250,000 NSW Government grant will allow Port Macquarie charity Deadly Science to run STEM workshops in 50 regional and remote schools across New South Wales. The workshops will reach students from Kindergarten to Year 9, with a focus on Years 4 to 9. They start in 16 regional schools during Term 4 this year and expand across the state in 2027. The program aims to raise awareness of science, technology, engineering and maths careers and address the low representation of women and Aboriginal people in these industries.
A team of pain researchers, health professionals and people living with chronic pain will cycle more than 780km from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie in October. The 2026 Pain Revolution Rural Outreach Tour will stop at nine North Coast towns between 15 and 23 October, with free community events sharing evidence-based information on managing persistent pain. The tour is supported by a $50,000 grant from Healthy North Coast. Pain Revolution CEO Professor Lorimer Moseley said chronic pain is often misunderstood and undertreated. Events are free, with full details available at the tour website.
Port Macquarie paddler Yvonne Couper has been named NSW Dragon Boating Senior Athlete of the Year for 2026. The 84-year-old took up dragon boating 21 years ago to support a friend with breast cancer. Couper said she was quickly hooked and has no plans to slow down. Flamin’ Dragons head coach Jenny Higgins said Couper has given 21 years of dedication to the club. Couper represented Australia at the World Championships in Prague in 2009.
The Camden Haven Historical Society will mark the life of aviation pioneer Nancy Bird Walton with an exhibition at the Camden Haven Show at Kendall. The display will include photographs, historical material and an audio-visual presentation, along with paper aeroplane activities for children. A special flyover of Kendall, the showground and Kew is planned for about 10am on Sunday, 25 October, flown by Port Macquarie pilot Michael Murphy in a yellow Tiger Moth. Walton, who was born in Kew in 1915, became the youngest Australian woman to obtain a commercial pilot's licence in 1935.
The new Moorland Public Preschool has opened its doors, giving local children greater access to early childhood education. Port Macquarie MP Robert Dwyer said the facility would help families and support children moving into formal schooling. Dwyer said a preschool connected to a local school can make the move to kindergarten more positive. He said he looked forward to the facility's benefits for Moorland families for years to come.
Rex Airlines will suspend its Sydney to Port Macquarie flights from 25 October, leaving QantasLink as the sole operator of regular passenger flights on the route. Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold has warned that residents who rely on air travel for specialist medical appointments and hospital treatment could face higher airfares and greater difficulty accessing care. Rex blamed high aviation fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict and insufficient passenger demand. The airline describes the suspension as temporary.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Regional Express (Rex) will indefinitely halt flights between Sydney and Port Macquarie, and Sydney and Orange, from October 25. The airline blames high fuel prices, linked to the Middle East conflict, and weak demand. Customers will be offered refunds or re-bookings. Independent MP Andrew Gee called the decision a real shock. Port Macquarie's mayor warned of a significant flow-on effect for the region's visitor economy, and Orange's mayor said his council will seek a meeting with other airlines serving the city.
Rex Airlines has suspended its flights from Port Macquarie and Orange to Sydney from October 25, with no set date for resumption. The airline blamed high aviation fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict and low passenger demand, saying the routes were not commercially viable. Both destinations continue to be served by another carrier. Nationals MP Alison Penfold said she was disappointed and worried about less competition leading to higher fares, and she has written to QantasLink seeking assurance on pricing.
Buyers looking for a new detached house have 28 new projects to consider across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Options include shovel-ready homesites, house-and-land packages and newly completed turnkey homes. Sovereign Hills in New South Wales and Riverlea in South Australia are among the new releases this month. Listed on realestate.com.au over the past month, release status and availability may change, so buyers should confirm details with each project team.
Hundreds of police athletes from Australia and New Zealand have gathered in Port Macquarie for the 46th Australasian Police Basketball Association Championships. The five-day tournament began on Monday, 12 October, with 385 competitors at Port Macquarie Basketball Stadium. Hosted by the NSW Police Basketball Club, it runs until Friday, 16 October, with men's and women's competitions. A Girls in Basketball clinic on Wednesday, 14 October, will offer local young players coaching from participating athletes, including former Olympians. Organisers say the event supports police wellbeing and teamwork.
Applications have opened for Parish Pathways, a new scholarship program from St Agnes' Catholic Parish that helps local students pursue nursing and early childhood education careers. Eligible students can receive up to $12,000 over their degree to help cover tuition fees and other study costs. The program is open to students starting, or planning to start, a Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Education (Birth to Five Years) at Charles Sturt University in Port Macquarie in 2027.
