Nominations are now open for the New South Wales Government's Hidden Treasures Honour Roll, which recognises women and girls who volunteer in regional, rural and remote communities. The program is run by the New South Wales Rural Women's Network. Every eligible nominee is placed on the Honour Roll and receives a certificate of service. Women aged 18 and over can self-nominate or be nominated by others, while a parent or guardian must submit nominations for girls under 18. Submissions for the 2026 Honour Roll close on 31 December.
Nearly one in four regional households, 23 per cent, experienced severe food insecurity, compared with 18 per cent in capital cities, according to the Foodbank Hunger Report 2026. Overall, 3.6 million Australian households, or one in three, experienced food insecurity over the past 12 months, up by 100,000 on 2025. Foodbank chief executive Kylea Tink said hunger is now affecting middle-income and working families. The organisation is lobbying governments for a national minimum standard for school breakfast programs by 2030. It welcomed a $700,000 federal surge funding commitment announced on October 11.
A high-tech Farms of the Future learning bus has travelled more than 10,000 kilometres across NSW, taking agricultural technology to farmers. Almost 1,200 people have tried its virtual reality technology and demonstrations. More than 1,500 producers have completed its Agtech Fundamentals training. The bus is due to appear at the Australian National Field Days in Orange in October. Councils, schools and producer groups can register interest in hosting a visit.
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Median house prices in regional New South Wales are still higher than a year ago, despite slipping 1.2 per cent to $820,000 in the September quarter. Dungog recorded a 26.9 per cent annual rise, while Inverell and Broken Hill also climbed sharply. Investors seeking cheaper homes have driven some of the growth, but their buying has slowed after recent federal budget changes to investor taxes and high mortgage costs. Local agents in Dungog and Inverell say demand has eased recently, although buyers continue to arrive from the city.
NSW Parliament has passed laws creating the Future Jobs and Investment Authority to support coal-producing regions, including the Hunter, Central West and North West. The work is backed by $29.7 million in ongoing funding and more than $170 million under a new fund. Local Divisions in each region will include workers, industry, councils and community representatives. The government has also secured 400 jobs at the Mount Pleasant coal mine, with MACH Energy agreeing to a Jobs Guarantee until 2032. New rules will require mine operators to give notice of closures and plan support for workers.
A mobile office called the Mobile Learning Centre will bring agricultural technology to farmers across regional New South Wales. The New South Wales Government-backed bus will attend the Australian National Field Days this weekend. It will then visit Agtech Discovery Days in Orange on 5 November and Cowra on 19 November. State Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said farmers can see technology in action and ask experts questions. More than 1500 farmers have already visited the bus, which focuses on agriculture and horticulture technology.
Yass-based disability advocate Sam Longmore has been named a finalist for the 2027 NSW Australian of the Year Local Hero Award. She is one of four finalists, and the winner will be announced at a Sydney ceremony on November 4. Earlier this year, Longmore completed an eight-day wheelchair journey from Corowa to Yass, raising more than $200,000 for rural mental health. Three other finalists were also named, including Broken Hill mental health advocate Brendan Cullen.
Molong Early Learning Centre is urgently recruiting qualified educators to fill several vacancies, with more than 70 children on its waiting list. Service director Shanie Duncan said the not-for-profit centre is not at risk of closing, but ongoing staffing shortages could force it to reduce enrolments if mandatory educator-to-child ratios cannot be met. Ms Duncan said workforce shortages across the sector, along with travel distances and fuel costs in regional areas, have made recruitment harder. The centre, established in 1972, is Molong's only long day care facility and plans to introduce a trainee in the coming year.
A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry has recommended that the state government reject plans to burn Sydney's waste in regional communities, including proposed incinerators at Tarago and Parkes. The select committee made 22 recommendations after seven hearings across 2025 and 2026. Committee chair Nichole Overall, a Nationals MLC, cited a lack of community acceptance, including from local councils and Aboriginal land councils. Greater Sydney's landfill capacity is expected to run out by 2030. Veolia and the Parkes Energy Recovery project have both put forward proposals, which are before the NSW Planning Department.
The Man Walk, a charity offering free weekly walks for men, will hold its NSW Man Walker Camp in Crookwell on Saturday 14 November. Founder Mark Burns says the group has grown from one walk in Kiama to 106 locations across Australia and overseas. The camp begins with a 5 km walk at 8:30 am and includes activities, music and a spit roast dinner. Attendance costs $50, which Mr Burns says goes towards meals, activities and ongoing walks in regional areas. Partners, children and friends are welcome.
Two men have died after a kit-built light plane crashed shortly after take-off near Scone Aerodrome in the New South Wales Upper Hunter on Friday afternoon. Revel Downing, 58, was one of the men, and the other was a 63-year-old. The pair had travelled from Western Australia to inspect and buy the aircraft, which is understood to be worth about $38,000. Emergency services were called to Bunnan Road just before 2pm, and both men died at the scene.
More than 3,000 homes and businesses in Glen Innes are now eligible for full fibre broadband upgrades, and more than 550 properties have already switched from copper connections. Full fibre offers download speeds of up to 2,000 Mbps through participating providers. Glen Innes Severn Council Mayor Margot Davis welcomed the investment, saying better connections will help residents work, study and access healthcare. Nbn representatives will be available at Glen Innes Newsagency and Gifts from 9am to 2pm on 20, 21 and 22 October to discuss eligibility and upgrades.
Arthur and Alison Chapman, who left Forster-Tuncurry more than three years ago, say they have fallen in love with Cabonne and plan to stay a while longer. The couple travel slowly, spending time researching local history and heritage, including the Fairbridge Children's Memorial and the villages of Cargo and Cudal. They share their discoveries through Facebook posts and YouTube videos, which often prompt viewers to share their own family connections to the towns. Mr Chapman praised the quiet country towns and said most of their stays are free camping.
Asking rents for houses in regional New South Wales have risen over the past year, led by smaller towns, according to Domain data. The median weekly rent reached $640 in the September quarter, up 4.9 per cent. Berrigan recorded the steepest rise at 18.5 per cent, followed by Bellingen at 18.2 per cent. Experts say tenants priced out of nearby areas are moving further afield, while new workers and limited housing supply add pressure. Local agents report strong demand and few available rentals.
