A SERVICE of Commemoration to mark Vietnam Veterans Day will be held on Monday, 18 August.
The service will be held at the Macksville War Memorial in River Street, beginning at 11:00am.
Macksville RSL subBranch President Garry McKay will MC the service, with Stuarts Point’s Wayne Mason OAM serving as guest speaker.
Both are veterans of the war in Vietnam.
Veterans, their descendants and families, along with members of the public who wish to
commemorate, are invited to attend.
Vietnam Veterans Day is observed on 18 August, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966.
It is a time to remember those who served, to honour those who died, and to thank the almost 60,000 Australians who served during Australia’s 10-year involvement in the Vietnam War.
Australia’s commitment began with the arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in 1962, and ended in 1972.
During that decade, about 3,000 Australians were wounded, and 524 died during or as a result of their service.
The Battle of Long Tan, fought on 18 August 1966, was one of the fiercest of the war.
In a rubber plantation near the village of Long Tan, the men of Delta Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, faced a force of some 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops.
By the day’s end, 17 Australians had
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q Mr Garry McKay, President of the Macksville RSL sub-Branch, will MC the Service of Commemoration on Vietnam Veterans Day.
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Local projects share in government funding
NAMBUCCA Valley projects have secured $109,325 through the NSW Government’s 2025 Community Building Partnership Program (CBP).
Member for Oxley Michael Kemp last week announced that a total of 20 grassroots projects across the electorate will share in $450,000 of funding to create more welcoming public spaces, and strengthen social inclusion.
“It’s fantastic to see community groups and organisations across our four valleys receiving the support they need to deliver projects that will bring people together and strengthen the community,” Mr Kemp said.
"These are the initiatives that make a real and lasting difference in our communities.
“I congratulate all the successful applicants and look forward to seeing these projects come to life.”
The full list of successful Nambucca Valley projects are:
• Nambucca Valley Council – Repaint and Refresh Amenities Building and Construction of a New Shade Structure – $12,055
• Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club Ltd – Replacement Machinery Shed –$28,000
• Utungun Rural Fire Brigade –Equipment Upgrade – $10,497
• Scotts Head Tennis Club Incorporated – New Kitchen – $33,042
• NSW RFS Scotts Head – Bathroom Renovation and Lockers – $25,731.
q RFS Scotts Head volunteers Grant Ferguson and Adam Cooper with Member for Oxley Michael Kemp.'
Macksville Hospital patients happiest on coast
FROM Page 1
more than nine in 10 patients (92%) rated their experience of overall care as “very good” or “good”.
"The majority of patients were positive about the care they received and ratings for most questions at NSW-level were consistent with the previous year's survey,” she said.
On the Mid-North Coast, 89 percent of patients rated the care they received in hospital as “good” or “very good”.
Macksville patients were
the most positive about their care, with 84 percent rating their care as “very good”, compared to Kempsey (79%), Coffs Harbour (68%) and Port Macquarie (66%).
Mid-North Coast patients’ satisfaction with their public hospital care ranked midrange when compared with other local health districts.
Across the state, 78 percent of patients said the care and treatment they received “definitely” helped them while 80 percent said they “definitely” had confidence and trust in the health professionals who
treated them
Ninety percent of patients said their cultural or religious beliefs were “always” respected by hospital staff, and 88 percent said they were “always” treated with respect and dignity – a key driver of positive overall experiences.
Seventy-four percent of patients said health professionals “always” listened carefully to their views and concerns, which was one of the largest improvements across the survey (up from 72% in 2023).
The survey results
also highlight areas where improvements are needed.
"These insights give health professionals guidance on where they can focus on improving care, to have the most impact on patients' overall experiences,” Ms Rowell said.
One of the largest declines since the previous survey was in the rating of food.
In 2024, only 21 percent of patients said they would rate the food they were served in hospital as “very good” (down from 24% in 2023), with 44% of patients rating the food as just “good”.
The report shows patients admitted to rural hospitals gave significantly higher ratings of care than
q Macksville Hospital.
Changed traffic conditions at Macksville Bridge
MOTORISTS are advised of changed traffic conditions on Giinagay Way to carry out essential bridge repair and maintenance on Macksville Bridge.
The work will be carried out in four stages.
Stage one includes pier strengthening and concrete durability.
Most of stage one will be carried out under the
bridge from a temporary construction jetty.
During stage one, we will be working Monday to Saturday from 7am to 6pm, weather permitting. Some work may be carried out on Sundays and at night.
Between August 2025 and early 2026, there will be intermittent traffic changes on the bridge, which include single lane, alternate traffic
flow arrangements and a 40km/h speed limit.
These traffic changes will be in place sporadically.
There will also be intermittent closures of River Street turning lanes (onto and off bridge).
Motorists should allow up to ten minutes extra travel time during these periods.
Motorists are advised to monitor Variable Message
Macksville to commemorate Vietnam veterans
FROM Page 1
been killed and 25 wounded, one of whom later died.
On Vietnam Veterans Day, we remember all who served in Vietnam, from those who fought in large-scale operations to those in smaller platoon and section-level encounters, as well as the sailors of the Royal Australian Navy and members of the Royal Australian Air Force who played critical roles.
It is also a day to acknowledge the enduring impact of service on veterans themselves and on their families.
patients admitted to urban hospitals, with 72 percent of rural patients rating their overall care as “very good” compared with 66 percent of urban patients.
Patients were nine times more likely to rate their care, overall, as “very good” if it was “very well organised” and three times more likely if they said they were “always”
Some veterans returned home to a muted or absent welcome.
In 1987, the Welcome Home Parade in Sydney gave many the public recognition they had long deserved, with 22,000 veterans marching before a crowd of 100,000.
This year’s service at Macksville is an opportunity for the community to come together, honour the bravery, teamwork and endurance shown by Australians in Vietnam, and to say “thank you”.
treated with respect and dignity.
For many measures, the longer patients stayed in hospital the less likely they were to rate their care positively, particularly for measures relating to communication and involvement in decisionmaking.
Signs (VMS) on bridge approach, which will display the dates of traffic changes.
Intermittent Oversize Overmass (OSOM) restrictions will be in place during the single lane closures for vehicles more than 3.5 metres wide.
Please call the project team on 1800 653 092 at least 24 hours prior to reaching the work site to discuss bridge access.
Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions and follow the directions of signs and traffic control
Concerns over synthetic opiates in vapes
IN an Australian first, the NSW Police Force Drug & Firearms Squad last week charged a man with allegedly supplying nitazene-laced vape liquid.
Inquiries allegedly uncovered evidence of a 20-year-old man running a sophisticated illicit drug distribution model to facilitate the supply of the nitazene in vape liquid vials between March and July 2025.
Detective Superintendent John Watson, Commander of the Drug & Firearms Squad, said the fact these substances are being distributed in vape liquid is deeply concerning.
“Nitazenes are highly addictive, incredibly potent and can be lethal,” Det Supt Watson said.
“By lacing vape liquid with these synthetic opioids, suppliers are deliberately creating dependency – hooking users to ensure repeat business. It’s calculated, dangerous, and entirely profit-driven.
“This is the first time in Australia someone has been charged with supplying nitazene-laced vape liquid, which demonstrates a disturbing evolution in the illicit drug trade.”
NSW Health’s Chief Addiction Medicine Specialist Dr Hester Wilson said NSW Health is concerned about the risk of harm from potent synthetic opioids such as nitazenes.
“We want to remind the community of the dangers of synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, which can be stronger than fentanyl.
"It is important that people recognise the signs of an opioid overdose early and know how to respond.
“Opioid overdose symptoms can include pin-point pupils, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slow breathing/snoring or skin turning blue or grey.”
Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan has renewed calls for new vaping regulation to stem the flow of harmful products and reduce the black-market trade that has continued to surge despite recent policy changes.
“It’s no secret that the sale of illegal vapes has exploded in this country,” he said.
“Where we were once seeing a reduction in the tobacco shop footprint, we are now seeing new stores opening every month.
“Governments at all levels should not be patting themselves on the back for policies designed to make headlines while ignoring the reality of organised crime syndicates that have been allowed to flourish in plain sight.”
A former Drug Squad Detective, Conaghan has long been vocal on the realities of the illegal vape trade.
“The current ban and enforcement model is blind to the true scale of the problem and scale of the manpower required to follow it through,” he said.
“Currently, the responsibility for enforcing financial penalties lies with NSW Health Inspectors who are expected to visit retailers and check compliance with tobacco retailing laws.
“This includes checking if illicit tobacco, illegal vaping goods or other illegal products containing nicotine are being sold.
“Police are only able to confiscate goods and shut stores for a finite period of time.
“With that in mind, we need to be looking at better regulations of these products to reduce their attractiveness for organised crime gangs.
“If regulated products that meet a set of safety criteria and are packaged with warnings and information are available for those aged 18 and over, the illicit trade stronghold would be significantly diminished.”
q Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan, a former Drug Squad Detective, pictured with Coffs/Clarence Police District Superintendent Joanne Schultz APM. Photo: Pat Conaghan MP FB.
Call for more Lifeline volunteers
By Andrea FERRARI
LIFELINE North Coast (NSW) needs call centre volunteers.
Across Australia the service takes over one million calls a year.
According to Coffs Harbourbased trainer and Centre Supervisor Lyn Anderson, one of the main reasons people shy away from this type of volunteering is fear, and the thought of not being able to cope.
She said having doubts is understandable when considering a role such as this, but it is worthwhile.
“The skills we gain we can take out into our home life and our community,” she told News Of The Area.
“I started as a volunteer and then moved into part-time; from there I have been given many skills and hope to be able to continue with Lifeline into the future.”
The type of calls a volunteer may be faced with can relate to relationships, work, world events, mental health, local issues, addiction and loneliness.
“We do have people call who are suicidal, but these are in the minority.
“The training gives us the skills to support these people so that many of these callers are able to carry on.
“We check everyone’s safety, so people know if they do have
thoughts of suicide they can call Lifeline.”
“Occasionally, emergency services are contacted but this is a decision made by a supervisor, not a volunteer.
“Most people who call with suicidal thoughts don’t really want to die but they can see no way out of the emotional pain they are experiencing.”
As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Lifeline offers individual accreditation.
The training consists of eLearning then face-to-face workshops, leading to several “real life” phone shifts with a mentor before taking calls solo.
There is always a supervisor ready to support the volunteer.
Ms Anderson believes that being a Lifeline volunteer certainly requires commitment.
“[It’s] a commitment I believe is very worthwhile”, she said.
“The feelings of connection one gets when speaking to many people is wonderful and of course it is satisfying.
“I think this is important because people would not continue volunteering if they did not get something out of it.
“The team of volunteers I work with are all special people and there is a wonderful feeling within the organisation.
q Lifeline call centre volunteer Lyn on the phone.
No previous experience is needed.
There is no typical volunteer; they can be male or female, young, old or middle-aged.
“At the moment we have the youngest at about 21 and the oldest at 83 and they come from all walks of life.”
“The qualities we look for are caring for others and a willingness to listen.”
If interested call Lifeline Training on 6651 4093, email 131114@ lifelinenc.org.au or go to the Lifeline North Coast Home page or Lifeline North Coast Facebook page.
“Lifeline gives so much support to the Australian community. Anyone can call 24/7.”
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Final call for Beyond Jazz Weekender
THE inaugural Beyond Jazz Weekender will transform Bellingen Memorial Hall into a three-day playground of live jazz, club culture, dance, art and wellbeing from 15–17 August.
More than a festival, Beyond Jazz revives the Weekender tradition — a term first used for Northern Soul Weekender dance events in 1970s UK, when fans travelled for multi-day gatherings centered on music, dancing and community.
Think cutting-edge jazz, funk, soul, big dancefloor energy, and some of the best food and drink in the region, all in one welcoming, bohemian riverside town.
Dancers, this one’s for you.
Across the weekend, join dance workshops for all levels, then put your new moves into action at the Saturday Night Social, a live band driven dance-athon designed to keep you moving well into the night.
On stage, expect national jazz trailblazers joining forces with local legends in The House Band Sessions, plus a DJ soundtrack all weekend that blurs the lines between jazz, funk, and club grooves. In every corner of the Hall, you’ll find roving performers, cabaret turns, immersive art experiences, and spaces to connect with old friends and new.
Sunday eases you into the week ahead with a Wellness-meets-Day-Rave.
Start with yoga and sound healing, then shift into an uplifting afternoon of
• Paul Kelly
• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
• Fanny Lumsden
Return air-conditioning coach transport, H2O, 1 x A or B Reserve seat, 1 x night @ ibis Sydney, Thornleigh, 1 x breakfast
Day 1: Departing Port Bus around 09:00 we commence our pickups. Our lunch top is at Heatherbrae (choose between Heatherbrae Pies, Hungry Jacks, KFC or Guzman & Gomez own cost). Checking into the ibis around 15:00. Heading to the stadium at 16:45 to allow plenty of time to grab dinner and get seated. Show time is 19:00.
Day 2: After breakfast we will check out and depart by 09:30. Lunch stop @ Heatherbrae before heading home. Drop offs should commence by 15:00.
Paul Kelly is set to undertake his biggest shows in Australia to date, and his only live shows for 2025. Kelly’s new album, titled Fever Longing Still, is his first album of new original material since 2018’s Nature.
A RESERVE
$478 pp twin | $572 pp single (limited) | Dep $155 pp
B RESERVE
$424
q Put your moves into action at the Saturday Night Social Photo: Dance Makers Collective.
Hospital Auxiliary celebrates record year
By Mick BIRTLES
THE BowraMacksville
Branch of the United Hospital
Auxiliaries held its Annual General Meeting at the Macksville Ex-Services Club on 1 August, marking a year of impressive achievements and tireless volunteer effort.
A strong turnout of members gathered to reflect on the Branch’s contributions over the past financial year, which saw a record $107,031.38 worth of essential medical equipment
donated to Macksville Hospital.
This outstanding figure is the highest to date, continuing a rising trend of generosity following $102,789.67 donated in 2023/24 and $99,717.70 in 2022/23.
In total, the past three years have delivered a remarkable $309,538.75 in equipment to the hospital.
Branch Treasurer Dee Hunter congratulated volunteers on their continued dedication, noting that most of the funds were raised
through the Auxiliary’s café at the hospital.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, the café is renowned for its coffee, home-baked cakes, muffins, slices, BLTs, burgers, salads, and quiches.
The café not only nourishes hospital visitors and staff but directly supports patient care through its fundraising.
Dee Hunter also highlighted other communitybased initiatives that contribute to the fundraising
total, including raffles, trivia nights, recycling efforts, and 100s clubs.
Mark Tyler, Deputy Director of Nursing at Macksville Hospital, praised the Auxiliary’s work, describing the UHA café as the hub of the hospital.
He commended the volunteers for their warmth and generosity, adding that the medical equipment they help fund significantly improves hospital operations and outcomes for patients.
Mark Tyler also
acknowledged the popular trivia nights run by the Auxiliary and supported by the Island Golf Club.
The next trivia event is scheduled for 30 August.
A highlight of the AGM was the recognition of Betty Allen, a long-serving volunteer who was awarded Branch Life Membership.
Betty joined the Auxiliary in 1992 and played a key role in founding the original Car Park Café in the old hospital grounds in 2008.
She served as President
of the Bowraville Branch for many years prior to its amalgamation with Macksville in 2017, and she remains actively involved through fundraising and meetings.
The BowraMacksville Branch welcomes new volunteers.
Anyone interested in contributing to this vital community service is encouraged to contact Heather Edwards on 0403 800 262.
Female pilots won't let gendered headwinds divert them
By Maeve BANNISTER, AAP
A GROWING number of female pilots are making their mark in one of the most male-dominated industries in Australia, saying more women should fly planes.
"The aircraft doesn't care what gender you are. It responds to skill and judgment," pilot Amelia Johnson tells AAP.
"The feeling of flying yourself for the first time is unlike anything I've ever experienced."
Ms Johnson decided to make a mid-career switch in her mid-30s - from owning a business in the events industry to taking a seat in the cockpit.
She traded in Sydney's northern beaches for the rural Hunter region to make a dream she'd had since finishing high school a reality.
"(Flying) was something I
was always interested in as a young girl but when I looked at it as a career option in year 12, I was a bit intimidated and decided not to pursue it," she said.
"When we moved to the Hunter, I didn't even know if I'd been accepted into flight school or if I could actually afford it, so there were a lot of unknowns."
Ms Johnson moved to the region with her young son, who has since earned his pilot's licence - before qualifying for his driver's licence.
Seven years on, Ms Johnson is now a lead instructor at Aerohunter Flight Training in the upper Hunter, where she trains the next generation of pilots.
She also mentors young women hoping to break into the industry.
Her students include 17-year-old Ava Boras, who wants to fly commercially
internationally for a major airline one day.
Ms Boras has worked multiple jobs to put herself through flight school - her qualifications have so far cost her about $22,000 - but has taken a break from flying and working to focus on her HSC.
The male-dominated nature of the aviation industry has not put her off her goal of becoming a pilot.
"At the end of the day we're all human, just trying to do the job, and it doesn't matter if you're male or female because it's all down to skill and what you know," Ms Boras said.
"But it would be nice to see more female faces around the airport."
According to Qantas' 2025 gender pay gap statement, only 7.5 percent of pilots are women, which is higher than the global average of four percent.
Yet female pilots might outperform their male colleagues, a study conducted by Canada's University of Waterloo found.
Despite male and female pilots having almost identical visual attention patterns and flight experience, the study found female pilots tended to make fewer flight control errors in high-stress situations.
While both paid attention to the same information during a flight, women's responses were more consistent and accurate.
Ms Johnson said it was satisfying to see more women coming through the Hunter flight school.
"The human factors in flying are what women are quite skilled at naturally: great communicators, can perform under pressure and we're good at being risk aware and making difficult decisions," she said. "You don't have to be fearless, just willing."
q Amelia Johnson made a midcareer switch to become an aviator and now mentors young female pilots. Photo: supplied.
q Betty Allen (left) is presented with her Life Member Certificate by Branch Treasurer Dee Hunter.
Members of the BowraMacksville Branch of the United Hospital Auxiliaries at their AGM last week.
‘My First Speech’ competition
THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Milton Dick MP, has launched the “My First Speech" competition for high school students across Australia.
Students from across the Cowper electorate are encouraged to take part in this unique opportunity to learn more about Parliament and public speaking.
“The My First Speech competition challenges students in years 10, 11 and 12 to envision themselves as newlyelected Members of the House of Representatives and write a 90-second speech, focusing on a topic of their choosing,” Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan said.
“The winning entrant from each year group, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be flown to Canberra to deliver their speeches live at Parliament House and participate in an engaging program tailored to deepen their understanding of the legislative process.”
In addition to presenting their speeches, winners will participate in a tour of Parliament House, observe Question Time, receive a prize pack from the Parliament Shop, and engage in an immersive education program.
Entries close at 11.59 pm AEST on Monday 15 September 2025 and can be submitted via the competition’s official website: mfs. houseofrepresentatives.gov.au.
New programs at libraries
FOUR new programs are set to commence at Nambucca Valley Council libraries this month.
For younger community members, “Little Lego Lovers” sessions will be held on Thursdays at Macksville Library and Fridays at Nambucca Library, both from 3:30-4:30pm.
“Lego attracts both young girls and boys into the library,” said Libraries Team Leader Rowena Sierant.
“It promotes creativity, storytelling and literacy skills.
“It is a great way for children to interact with each other and their carers as well as having lots of fun.”
For adults, the libraries have just launched “Book Club Kits”.
Groups of up to 10 members can join together, while individuals can put in an expression of interest to be matched with others who would like to join a group.
Visit or contact your local library to get your group set up.
For senior members of the community, the “Boardgame Café” will begin at Nambucca Library on the last Thursday of the month from 10:30am to 12:30pm. This is a time to connect with others, bring a friend, learn new games, play familiar games, and enjoy a cuppa.
Finally, Nambucca Valley Council has secured Tech Savvy Senior funding from the NSW government, in partnership with Telstra and the NSW State Library.
This program aims to support older people develop their confidence to thrive in a digital world.
The libraries will deliver fortnightly one on one, dropin or pre-booked sessions to assist community members with tasks such as emailing, printing, social media, and using and installing apps.
Visit or call your library to book: Macksville (02 6565 1422) or Nambucca (02 6568 6906).
q Milton Dick is the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Perseids: nature’s most dazzling night show
By Dave RENEKE, Astronomer
EVERY year around midAugust, the sky puts on one of its most spectacular performances - the Perseid meteor shower.
A favourite for stargazers and amateur astronomers alike, the Perseids are famous for their brilliance, speed, and sheer number of meteors.
This isn’t just a quiet trickle of falling stars - it’s a fireworks show written in the stars themselves.
So, what causes this celestial spectacle?
It all starts with Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, a massive, icy traveller that
orbits the Sun once every 133 years.
As this ancient comet loops around the Sun, it leaves a dusty trail of debris in its wake - tiny particles no bigger than a grain of sand.
Once a year, like cosmic clockwork, Earth ploughs through this debris field, and when those particles hit our atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, creating streaks of light we call meteors.
That’s the Perseid meteor shower in a nutshell.
And this year, it’s already underway but more active from July 17 to August 24.
The meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus, hence the name “Perseids”.
Some of the best viewing opportunities may come before dawn on August 17, when the Moon is less of a bother and the shower could still be quite active.
Those pre-dawn hours from midnight to around 4am are your golden hours - literally - as Earth rotates to face directly into the comet’s debris trail, giving you a front-row seat to the meteor magic.
What makes the Perseids so thrilling?
Speed, brightness, and colour.
These meteors travel at around 59 km per second and are often brilliant enough to be seen even in semi-lit skies.
Some leave glowing trails that linger.
Others burst as fireballs, sudden, intense flashes that briefly outshine everything else in the sky.
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And unlike the typical white streaks of most meteors, Perseids can flash in yellow, orange, red, or even blue, depending on the minerals they contain.
Here are some quick tips to make your Perseid meteor viewing truly unforgettable: aim for the magic hours between midnight and dawn, when the sky is at its darkest and
the meteor radiant is high overhead.
Escape the glare of city lights and seek out a dark, open spot; think countryside paddocks or coastal headlands.
If the moon’s up, sneak it behind a tree or building to cut the glare.
Ditch your phone (yes, really!) and give your eyes a good 20–30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
Bring a reclining chair or cosy blanket, rug up
against the chill, and maybe bring a thermos of hot chocolate or a glass of wine. It’s the perfect recipe for a night of shooting stars and sky-bound wonder.
Despite the bright moon, the Perseids still promise a stunning show. So, step outside, look up, and enjoy the magic. After all, who wouldn’t want to see the sky come alive with ancient comet dust dancing in our atmosphere?
Full house for SustainaBellingen
By Andrea FERRARI
THE inaugural SustainaBellingen showcase played to packed houses at the Bellingen CWA Rooms over the weekend of 9 and 10 August.
Organised by the Bellinger River Agricultural Society, after the annual show was cancelled owing to wet weather, the showcase was set up as a two-day fringe event.
"This showcase represents everything our community values; practical solutions, expert knowledge, and the collaborative spirit that builds real resilience in uncertain times," said outgoing Bellingen Show President Susan Lumsdaine as she officially opened the event.
Curator Liz Jeremy, supported by volunteers from the community and Bellingen River Agricultural Show Society, convened the wideranging program.
The Bellingen Show has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by initially focusing on waste reduction, cutting volumes from 16 cubic metres to only five in just two years.
The standout sessions were riveting panel
q A full house for SustainaBellingen.
discussions featuring climate change hypotheticals and resilience scenarios.
These interactive forums facilitated by Dominic King sparked deep conversations about personal agency, community connection, and our relationship with the natural world.
The climate panel addressed questions including weather misconceptions versus reality, locked-in climate changes for the Mid North Coast, what exceeding 1.5 degrees means for seasonal patterns, and practical steps for building community weather resilience.
Audiences expressed great interest in hearing about the Bellinger River snapping turtle recovery.
After a 2015 virus devastated 90 percent of the population within six weeks, collaborative efforts between the NSW Government, Taronga Zoo, and Symbio Wildlife Park, enabled successful releases back into the river.
Paula Flack from the National Parks Association presented on the proposed Great Koala National Park, recognising the extensive campaigning by numerous community groups and
individuals.
She discussed the history of advocacy efforts and how local communities continue to wait for the government to announce the park, a State Labor election commitment.
“The event balanced local and external expertise brilliantly,” Ms Lumsdaine said.
Former ABC weatherman turned farmer and author Graham Creed, shared practical insights, while Professor David Lindenmayer delivered forest conservation revelations, exposing how logging intensifies bushfire risks while most harvested timber becomes paper and cardboard, subsidised by taxpayers.
Environmental scientist Jennie Fenton facilitated a groundbreaking panel discussion around inclusion called “What have you always wanted to know about disability?”
Joined by her daughter Mala and friends, the discussion emphasised belonging and living life to the fullest.
Andrew (the Bird Guy) Turbill captivated audiences with backyard wildlife haven insights.
Meaghan Burkett highlighted place-based
community capital as the critical enabler, positioning Bellingen to journey toward transformation.
q A climate and weather
The Bellingen Alternatives Bookshop operated a popular pop-up shop providing sustainability resources.
"It was great to see our community's embrace of SustainaBellingen," said curator Liz Jeremy.
"We presented a program that looks deeply at sustainability and building resilience with the objective of taking that discussion further over time through building community knowledge, understanding and capacity.
“This was made possible by the fact that every one of our presenters donated their time and investment into the Bellingen community, and for that we are truly thankful."
Older women’s return-to-work program
By Andrea FERRARI
THE Older Women’s Network (OWN) is offering a program for women aged over 50 addressing the potential barriers they can face when looking to re-enter the workforce.
An information workshop about the program’s content takes place at Coffs Harbour’s Cavanbah Centre on Tuesday 27 August from 10am-11.30am, hosted by EmpowerPath Employment Services coordinator Sharon Stone.
OWN is an advocacy organisation advocating for the rights, dignity and financial wellbeing of older women.
This funded program provides personalised, wrap-
around support, including coaching in career direction, resume writing, interviews, and confidence building.
“This tailored program is designed to work closely with each person one-on-one, to facilitate an older person’s re-entry and appropriate placement in the workforce, specifically providing support in resume writing, interview coaching, job search strategies, and confidencebuilding,” Ms Stone said.
“While our program is relatively new, we’ve already assisted several women in securing employment.
“The only requirement for entry is that you’re over 50 and reside in NSW and ACT with a desire to rejoin the workforce.”
Ms Stone will talk through
the program structure and discuss the current job market, including the unique challenges older women face when seeking employment.
There will also be a Q&A session so you can ask questions and hear from others in a similar situation.
Women who are interested in joining the program will be able to register on the day and discuss their situations with Ms Stone.
“This is a welcoming and supportive space for women ready to take the next step toward meaningful work.”
To find out more call Sharon Stone on 0492 829 795 or register at https:// events.humanitix.com/ employment-pathwaysinformation-session
panel discussion with Graham Creed, Andrew Turbill and Kev Doye.
q Paula Flack (NSW National Parks Association) talks about the proposed Great Koala National Park.
q Jennie Fenton and her daughter Mala Colmer addressing inclusion.
GEOFF Goesch has the perfect golf handicap as well as his name ticking alliteration boxes.
With the allowance of one error per hole, the 18-marker romped home to win the Midcoast Trucks Div 2 medley stableford at the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course on Thursday, 7 August.
Goesch's rollercoaster round included five pars and back-to-back triples on 11 and 12.
Runner-up was ever steady John Buganey (21 handicap) who turned in 50 and sizzled home in 43 for 33 points.
In Div 1, Smashton Herbert (2) ran riot with nine pars and three birds for a tidy 72 off the stick - 35 points - and the win from runner-up the cagey, smiling assassin Kenny Klem (7) on 33.
The ball run went down to 29 points with Bowraville's Kevin Wilson the last to collect.
The legend last in need of a stubbie holder, bottlo owner Peter Bush, took the Ecomist longest putt on the 1st. Pins were grabbed by
Stephen McNeil on 5, Mark Bird on 7, Wilson on 8 and Herbert on 15.
Bruce Fleming will enjoy a gourmet feed courtesy of Pizza This Pizza That after hitting it close on 13 and Peter Farrell took the $50 Pro Pin on the last.
Urunga's Dianne O'Leary (14) had the best nett of the day with 74 to salute in Div 1 of the women's monthly medal on 6 August.
Her card of 88 off the bat included three pars and a bird on the shortened (but not for long, hopefully) 16th.
Jennifer Johnston (24) swept Div 2 with 76 nett and Fiona Chaffey owned Div 3 with 81.
Pins on the 8th were claimed by Chaffey and Deidre Fletcher. Henny Oldenhove was nearest on 13 and Kerrie Eichorn pocketed $27 for the Pro Pin on 18.
Denise Paluch won the putting and the gross prizes were taken by Eichorn in Div 1, Johnston in Div 2 and Chaffey in Div 3.
Showers sorted the weapons from the wimps on a heavy track in the Midcoast Trucks medley stableford on Saturday, 9 August,
Nambucca Women’s Bowls Report
By Tina RYAN
JULY. The Nambucca Heads Women’s Bowl have been busy with Championships, Competitions and Social Bowls this month, there were a few changes for social bowls this month which were enjoyed by all participants. Welcome to our new Vice President: Kim Porter Minor Singles 2025: Winner: Margaret Duffus defeated Sharon Watt 25/ Triples Championship 2025: Arlene Duffus, Karen Liddell and Gloria Richardson defeated Mel Legend, Deb Mann and Sandra Seckold 20/15 Women’s Club Player of the year 2025: Elaine Fleming Women's Social Bowls 31/7 The women played secret ends today, the scoring was done by secret draw on certain ends and only those winning ends
were counted, it was close by all means with only 1 point between 1st , 2nd and 3rd, Winners: Arlene Duffus, Manor Smith and Karen Liddell Runners Up: Joan Haigh, Kerrie Dale and Michelle Fredericks 24/7 another great day at social today with 18 players, a big welcome to our lovely visitor Barbara. Lucky winner: Sharon Watt, Alma Reid and Rosemary Dugdale Lucky loser: Joan, Manor and Tina Lucky bowler: Sharon Watt 17/7Women's Social Bowls 18 players today, the ladies loved playing using the measuring system of the yard stick, scores were close on all rinks. Lucky Winners: Janice Cedelland, Pam James and Margaret Duffus Lucky losers: Joan Haigh, Bev Jones and Elaine Fleming Lucky Bowler: Pat Fletcher.
Bowra Bowls Report
By Buncha KEYS
which was also the first round of the Handiskins competition.
12-marker Peter Ryan had just enough with 31 points for the victory, to head home Graham Watson (2) and John Morgan (12) by a shot, from Chris Knight (6) and
Stephen McNeil (13) on 29. It was a tough day at the office, even for the rain pigs, and Ashton Herbert finished his round abruptly, with three 3-irons in his bag - one traditional and a 6-iron which is now a two-piece. Pro Paul will be pleased.
Herbert won the pin on 5, Morgan on 15. Knight diced the pizza on 13 and Daniel Wren was closest on 8 and 18, pocketing a salmon on the latter for the Pro Pin.
Nambucca Bowls Report
By Charlie POTTER
WEDNESDAY Aug 6. A good field of 34 bowlers in the Selected Triples. Winners were Peter and Muzz Lott and K Tennick, Jenny Shepherd, Peter Meehan and Bob Shepherd were second and Ben Hoitink, Debby Mann and Doug Cedelland third. Lucky Losers went to a pairs team ... T Messink and A Alibone. Alan Cosgrave was the Lucky Bowler who left the $90 Jackpot unscathed. Fri Aug 8. Nick Kirby, Darren Jones and Joe Franck were the day's winners. John McCollum, Darcy Rostron and Adam Davies were second and Owen Smith, Brendon Ruane and Dallas Nancarrow third. The Lucky Losers were Todd Ryan, Michael Thomas and Red
Laird and Ken Tennich (Hobart), who also won the Lucky Bowler money and also took the Bar Voucher Award.
Dog Ward. Owen Smith drew his rink as Lucky Bowler and shared the $600 with Owen and Brendon and his opposition team who was not mentioned in the diary - but I know Peter Meehan was one! And did anyone notice the deliberate mistake in Friday's results?
A Topsy Turvey Turnaround Triples event is planned for 16th Oct to 27th Nov (no play Nov 13Pelican Pots of Gold) with $3720 in prize-money, sponsored by Trisleys. Single Entries only at $10 each of the 6 rounds, to be played 6.15pm. 14 seeded skips will be selected then 2 players drawn for each from the barrel. Round 1 and 4 format is 2 Bowls, 18 ends or 2 hours with round 4 turnaround positions. Rounds 2 and 5 are 3 bowls Pairs
and 4 bowls Singles, 21 up or 2 hours. Change singles and pairs skip for round 5. Round 3 and 6 are the same as Round 2, with each bowler to play singles and skip pairs at least once.
There is a pairs entry sheet also on the board for bowler's arm players but no dates or further information available. And the Minor Pairs entries are closing so be quick if you are going to participate. And well done Ben Ford on winning his first two games of the Rookies 2025/26 Singles at Urunga. Unfortunately lost his semi 10-17 but a great effort. Special mentions to Mel on winning one game and Lisa, not quite so fortunate but it is all good experience.
Winners were Julie Townsend, Storky and Ida Down. Runners up prizes went to Wayne Brown, Lloyd
SOCIAL Bowls results for Thursday 7th August attracted a great number of keen bowlers to the undercover green at the Hub. Although rain persisted during the day great bowls were witnessed. Thanks to the Macksville guys for attending and a couple of visitors from Hobart were also showing their skills.
The draw for the Minor Pairs is on the notice board with round 1 to be played oj August 29th. Semifinals are set down for August 30th with the final to be played on Saturday September 6th.
A huge day of bowls at the Hub this week-end with the northern section of the Mid North Coast Zone 14 Reserve Singles to be played Saturday and Sunday. P)layers from
The vastness of space
DEAR News Of The Area,
I VERY much enjoy the regular Stargazing articles in NOTA.
We are lucky to live in a part of the world where there is not too much light pollution and we can experience the awe and wonder of the night sky as humans have done for thousands of years.
However, the last article that asked how far is it to the nearest
star rubbed me up the wrong way with some faulty arithmetic. Trying to relate the vast distances of space to a human scale is a fraught task and I will not bore readers with a pedantic mathematical correction of the article.
Instead, let me attempt to recast the relationship in a relatable way.
Imagine trying to fit the solar system in one's house.
If you had a large room, 6x6
metres, you could put the Sun at the centre and the orbit of Neptune would just touch the four walls.
The sun would be a pin head in the middle of the room at less than one millimetre in diameter.
Close in size to a grain of sand.
The Earth is only 109th the diameter of the sun and so, in our room, would be a speck of dust, at 8.5 thousandths of a millimetre in diameter and 10mm from the sun.
Hat Head to Woolgoolga including Urunga, Stuarts Point, Sawtell, South West Rocks, Park Beach, Nambucca and Bowra will be testing their skills with 12 games at 9am and 12 games starting at 1pm. Sunday (Round 3) will see 16 players continue in the morning and 8 players (Round 4) in the afternoon.
The Southern Section will be played at North Haven this week-end (also undercover) with the Quarter Finals set down for September at Kempsey RSL Bowlo.
It would be invisible to the naked eye.
So, where would the nearest star, Proxima Centauri, be from our sand grain sized sun?
The 4.24 light-year distance would scale to 26.85km, or the distance from Valla Beach to Sawtell.
With the distances between stars in mind it is not hard to realise that two galaxies could collide without any stars crashing into each other.
They would pass through each other without touching although the
gravitational effects would cause the shapes of the galaxies to be very distorted.
To quote Douglas Adams, the late author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.”
Regards, Peter SOBEY, Valla.
q Peter Ryan (right) was all smiles on being congratulated for his win at the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club by Captain Ray Guiana.
q Kevin Anderson was just loving being back on the course playing with mates after a spell.
HYPOTHETICAL
By Manny WOOD
Artificial intelligence not so smart
ROBERT is not happy with the result that he obtains in the Supreme Court, where he claimed an interest in real estate after the failure of a joint endeavour with a friend.
His application was dismissed and he was ordered to pay the whole of the legal costs involved.
Robert cannot afford legal representation and after conducting “deep research” through a popular Artificial Intelligence (‘AI”) platform, he decides to appeal the Judge’s findings.
The Court of Appeal, consists of a hearing before three Judges, who made a number of observations regarding Robert’s reliance on AI at the hearing.
The Court notes that a prior judgement that Robert refers to “had absolutely nothing to do with the legal issues in dispute” and another cited case “was wholly out of place and inappropriate to any factual or legal issues in dispute” and yet another, “had nothing remotely to do with the issues”.
One of the Judges was particularly concerned about how “Generative AI produce apparently credible citations to non-existent cases and somehow provides paragraph references to such cases” and further observed that “such tools can produce apparently coherent and plausible responses to prompts, but those coherent and plausible responses may turn out to be entirely incorrect” creating a “dilemma” when used by a person without legal training or otherwise “not familiar with or unable to discern both the relevance and accuracy of what Generative AI may produce”.
Additional concerns identified how the use of AI may introduce added cost and complexity to the proceedings and, where unverified, add to the burden of other parties and the Court in responding to it.
In dismissing the appeal, the Court states how the present case “illustrates the need for judicial vigilance in the use of AI, especially but not only by unrepresented litigants”.
Robert was also ordered to pay the other party’s substantial legal costs in defending his ill-fated appeal.
Generative AI was not used in the writing of this column.
Email Manny Wood, Principal Solicitor and Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates at TB Law at manny@tblaw.net. au or call him on (02) 66 487 487. This fictional column is not legal advice.
The reality of beach 4WD use in Nambucca Shire
IN response to Peter Sobey's letter of 8 August, the Schlacer study he refers to compared beaches that have 250,000 cars per year with no car access beaches.
Dorin’s Draws By Paul DORIN On theCouch
GKNP will bring economic boom
DEAR News Of The Area,
I AM writing to you as a Bellingen Shire Councillor, former Mayor, Environmental Scientist and Geography Teacher who has been involved in the campaign for the Great Koala National Park (GKNP) for the last 10 years.
It’s been nearly two and a half years since the state election where the GKNP was promised to the people of NSW if Labor won.
Yet we continue to see the systematic destruction of the large tracts of the biodiverse, rich forests contained within the boundaries of the proposed GKNP.
The industrial logging of these precious forests provides very little benefit to the people of NSW and costs the taxpayer around 19 million dollars a year for it to continue.
We know the GKNP concept will bring an economic boom to this region and will help our endangered species have a better chance of survival.
In addition, these intact forests
will protect us from the worsening impacts of climate charged fires, floods, droughts and storms.
The increase in weather extremes in Australia and around the globe demonstrates that we are now in a worsening climate heating phase and we need to change our relationship to our natural assets and the ecosystems services they provide.
The days of industrial logging of our diminishing forest estate need to stop and we need to listen to the global scientific consensus around how to manage our forests for the future.
I implore the Premier to implement the full 176,000ha assessment area of the GKNP and leave a legacy that will live well beyond his time leading the state of NSW.
Regards, Dominic KING, Kalang.
Social media ban just the start
DEAR News Of The Area,
THE social media ban set to begin in December is a welcome and muchneeded step to reduce the growing impact of digital distractions on children’s wellbeing.
But while it marks progress, it’s only part of the solution.
We also need to look closely at school excursions, where mobile phone use is still largely unrestricted and often gets in the way of the social and educational value these trips are meant to provide.
When students are glued to their screens - even in places designed to spark connection, independence, and real-world learning - something important is being lost.
Today’s children are growing up in a world where being online is often prioritised over building life skills, and that’s a trend we can’t afford to ignore outside the classroom.
Not surprisingly that volume of cars did have a negative environmental impact.
Beach 4WD use in Nambucca Shire is a tiny fraction of that number.
Anyone familiar with our beaches would see that storm events are having a much greater impact through direct erosion and raw sewage overflows.
He also mentioned turtle
DEAR Jasminda,
MY partner wants to go travelling around Australia, camping along the way.
While this sounds great in theory, I'm wondering if the reality will be feasible.
We both have jobs that are about 70 percent office-based.
Rachael O
Dear Rachael,
It sounds like the most wonderful adventure. What an experience.
'Sounds' being the operative word.
When your partner says 'camping' you need to be very clear about what that definition means.
For some, camping is buying a Zone RV Summit worth the average parliamentarian's annual salary, fully decked out with every mod con so that it doesn't actually feel like camping, but instead residing in a mobile luxury apartment complete with mixer taps, a separate shower and ensuite, and an upholstered bedhead.
For others, camping involves going back to nature and doing it tough. This type of camping is more like an episode of Alone (but without the audiovisual gear and with no guarantee of being collected in a fast rescue boat if injury and/or malnutrition and or insanity kicks in).
Living off the land is not for the faint hearted (quite literally).
If your partner has visions of you setting off with nothing more than a head torch, some bracken fern for ant bites, two pairs of undies, a hunting knife, and a banjo, you are not going travelling around Australia, you are on a survival expedition.
This is not compatible with your office bodies that are used to being within walking distance of a Barista Express coffee machine, a flushing toilet, a Spotify playlist, and an office assistant named Max who can fix just about any issue including a migraine and/or an existential crisis.
Rachael, I suggest you do a trial run (no more than two hours from where you live) just to make sure you are both on the same page. This will help you decide whether you like the sort of camping your partner is interested in, and also whether you can be around each other for an extended period of time.
Nowhere was this disconnect more obvious than during a recent stay on Cockatoo Island.
At one of Australia’s most unique and historic camping grounds, a school group had set up camp.
Yet instead of the usual buzz of student activity, there was an eerie stillness.
The real hub of activity was revealed inside the bathroom, where five girls were huddled around the mirrors, completely absorbed in filming TikTok videos.
The other students were likely in their tents, equally absorbed in their phones.
The vast open space, the rich stories embedded in the island’s sandstone, and the iconic backdrop of Sydney Harbour were all being overlooked - outshone by a phone screen.
Where one might imagine excursion bus rides filled with chatter, games, or even singing, there is now often silence - each student absorbed in their own device.
hatchling impacts which are not relevant in Nambucca Shire.
We are a rural shire with outdoor activities like fishing, dog walking and surfing vital to our way of life and 4WD beach access in the current limited areas helps less able people have access.
Sensitive environmental areas in our shire are already off limits as are the most used beach areas at
'Camping' for these people also means staying in high-end caravan parks with all the other campers who have used up their superannuation and the kids' inheritance to get back to their youth, but without any of the youthful associations such as being stone-broke and having no mobility issues.
During these journeys, opportunities to build social confidence and form friendships are missed, leaving students disconnected despite being physically together.
The impact continues during the activities themselves.
Sporting trips are no exception.
On a recent rugby excursion, a student sent real-time match updates to a parent who relayed the information in a group chat.
By the time the team returned, their families already knew the scores, the highlights, and had seen the medals.
The players had nothing left to share.
Scotts Head, Shelly Beach, Valla Beach and Main Beach.
Council Ranger statistics indicate compliance with the rules is high and the 4WD permit fees collected pay for all the access track maintenance including for emergency vehicles.
If the answer to both those questions is yes, and if you can afford to take a year off work, then go well my friend (and take a Personal Locator Beacon with you if you find that your partner is more Bear Grylls than Paris Hilton).
Carpe diem, Jasminda.
The story - the joy of retelling it, the anticipation of surprise - was gone.
The social media ban is an important first step toward helping our children be fully present - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
However, schools also play an important role in helping children focus on what truly matters - making real friendships, enjoying hands-on experiences, and developing a true connection to the world around them.
Excluding devices from school excursions can better support these vital opportunities.
Regards, Lee GRIGG, Mid North Coast.
Let's share the beaches with respect, keep our freedom to enjoy the outdoors and have a little tolerance for each other.
Regards, James SAKKER, Nambucca Shire Council Beach Access Committee.
Motorcycles
WELSH
Carole Rita
25.9.39 - 12.8.25
Carole passed away peacefully at Macksville Hospital, late of Autumn Lodge and Nambucca Heads and Valla. Aged 85 years.
Dearly beloved wife of Allan (dec’d), loving mother of Wayne and Wanda, Wendy (dec’d), grandmother of Bill and Kelly Childs, and loving sister to Warren and Kay.
MARIA
Leading renoun psychic medium. 45yrs exp. Avail for phone consult, group booking, charity events.
Personals
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Carole’s life on Monday 25 August, 2025 at 10.30am at the Bernard Laverty Chapel, Macksville then for burial at Macksville Cemetery. Livestream details can be found on the Bernard Laverty website. Bernard Laverty Funerals Tel: 6568 1555 Classifieds 4981
ODYSSEY 2004 Genuine off road camper, regular services and well maintained inside & out. Light weight, easy to tow Awnings, annexe and walls. Rego Dec 25 NSW Q89051 $24,500 02 6569 5905
Zen is a 1-year-old
slow introductions. A meet and greet will be required if you own other dogs. Secure fencing must also be provided. Adoption fee for 2024/2025 is $220, and this includes microchipping, vaccination, desexing and lifetime registration.
Please visit Council’s website to view the full list of animals lost or available for adoption. For any adoption enquiries, please complete the Adoption Enquiry Form on Council’s website.
BEST ON THE BOX
FRIDAY
PROFESSOR T
ABC TV, 8.30pm
This very solid British crime drama stars Ben Miller (pictured) as the titular Professor, who teaches Criminology at Cambridge University. Professor Jasper Tempest has obsessive-compulsive disorder, so his life is one of cleanliness and order – and it’s about to be completely upended when one of his former students, DS Lisa Donckers (Emma Naomi), ropes him into an investigation. In Friday’s premiere, when a student is sexually assaulted at the university, something about the offender’s MO seems familiar to Donckers – so she reaches out to the professor for help.
FRIDAY, August 15
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Gardening Australia.
8.30 Professor T. (Premiere, Mav) A criminologist at a university is persuaded by a former student turned detective to help her investigate a serial rapist.
9.15 Hard Quiz. (PG, R)
9.50 Shaun Micallef’s Eve Of Destruction. (PG, R) Hosted by Shaun Micallef.
12.10 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)
TUESDAY
HOME AND AWAY
SEVEN, 7pm
It’s never easy saying goodbye, especially when you’re part of the furniture like Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger, pictured) is in Summer Bay. But after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Irene knows it’s now or never if she wants to see the world. She has called the Bay home for more than three decades – maturing from a despicable drunk into a down-to-earth matriarch –so you can bet this is going to be an emotional farewell for all concerned. None more so than for McGranger herself, whose time playing Irene made her the longestserving female actress on Aussie TV – and finally scored her Gold and Silver Logies earlier this month. Worth a watch, even if you haven’t tuned in for years.
THURSDAY
NATIONAL PARKS FROM ABOVE: IRELAND
Britain’s favourite Irishman, comedian Dara Ó Briain narrates this three-part docuseries which offers a birds-eye of Ireland’s six stunning national parks. In tonight’s first instalment, we visit Killarney, which became the country’s first national park when it was created in 1932. Down in the southwest of Ireland, Killarney National Park is known for its beautiful lakes and wild woodlands and is home to Ireland’s highest peak. Then, we head north to Burren National Park (pictured), which couldn’t be more different from Killarney if it tried. Its star attraction is Mullaghmore, barren landscape of swirling rock and hardy, low-growing plants – and this stark landscape is every bit as interesting as its verdant cousin.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News. 7.35 The Good Ship Murder. (Mv)
8.25 The Royals: A History Of Scandals.
9.25 Britain’s Most Luxurious Train Journeys. (R)
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Catch Me A Killer. (Malv)
11.40 The Shelter. (Ma, R)
1.20 Romulus. (MA15+av, R)
3.15 Curious Traveller. (R)
4.15 Great Irish Interiors. (R)
4.45 Destination Flavour. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Better Homes And Gardens. Lynne McGranger takes Johanna Griggs back stage of her new theatre show TheGrandparentsClub
8.30 The Voice. (PGal, R) Contestants set out to prove they have what it takes to be a singing sensation and claim the prize. Hosted by Sonia Kruger, with coaches Melanie C, Ronan O’Brien, Kate Miller-Heidke and Richard Marx.
7.30 Rugby League. NRL. Round 24. Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs.
9.55 Golden Point. A wrap-up of the Sydney Roosters versus Canterbury Bulldogs match, with news and analysis.
10.45 MOVIE: Man On A Ledge. (2012, Mlv, R) A suicidal man distracts authorities. Sam Worthington.
12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Postcards. (PG, R)
7.05 Gardening Australia Junior. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Good Game Spawn Point. 7.55 Teen Titans Go! 8.05 Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! 8.25 BTN Newsbreak. 8.35 MythBusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 9.00 Robot Wars. 10.00 Merlin. 10.45 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s Programs. 8.00 Surfing Australia. 8.30 Nanny. 9.30 Addams Family. 10.00 Bewitched. 10.30 Jeannie. 11.00 The West Wing. Noon Innovation Nation. 12.10 MOVIE: Everything In Between. (2022, M) 2.00 Golden Girls. 2.30 Nanny. 3.30 Seinfeld. 4.30 Addams Family. 5.00
6.00 10 News+. 7.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R)
7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (R) Hosted by Neale Whitaker and Andrew Winter. 8.40 Have You Been Paying Attention? (Malns, R) Celebrity panellists compete to see who can remember the most about events of the week. 9.40 The Graham Norton Show. (Mal, R) Highlights from the recent series. 10.50 10’s Late News. 11.15 10 News+. (R) 12.10 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R)
7.30 Grantchester. (Final, Ma) Alphy and Geordie investigate a murder.
8.20 Midsomer Murders. (Mav, R) Barnaby must uncover whether a myth has become a murderous reality after a man is murdered.
9.50 The Family Next Door. (Ml, R) A stranger arrives in a Victorian coastal town.
10.40 Miss Austen. (R) 11.35 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Great British Cities With Susan Calman. (PG)
8.20 Leonardo Da Vinci. (Final, PG)
9.25 Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy. (PGl, R)
10.15 Great Australian Walks. (PG, R)
11.10 Homicide: Life On The Street. (Mav, R)
2.50 24 Hours In A&E. (Ma, R)
3.45 Curious Traveller. (R)
4.45 Destination Flavour: Japan Bitesize. (R) 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 The Great Outdoors. (PG) The team visits a record-breaking city.
7.30 Ron Iddles: The Good Cop: Marafiote Murders. (Madlv, R) Revisits the murder of Dominic Marafiote.
8.35 MOVIE: The Martian. (2015, Mal, R) Believed to be dead by his crew, an astronaut is stranded on Mars and has to rely on his ingenuity to survive. Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels.
11.30 The Voice. (PGal, R)
1.20 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 It’s Academic. (R)
5.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 Rugby League. NRL. Round 24. South Sydney Rabbitohs v Parramatta Eels.
9.25 Soccer. English Premier League. Matchweek 1. Aston Villa v Newcastle United.
11.30 Law & Order: Organized Crime. (MA15+av, R)
12.30 Space Invaders. (PGa, R)
1.30 The Garden Gurus. (R)
2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PG)
2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)
6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Dr Chris Brown. 7.30 Selling Houses Australia. Steve’s house has been on the market for seven months.
8.30 Ambulance Australia. (Mal, R) Follow two first responders as they help a patient in need of urgent care after an incident involving a car.
9.40 Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service. (PGl, R) Gordon Ramsay works to save a legendary café. 10.40 Elsbeth. (PGv, R) 11.35 Watson. (Mm, R) 12.30 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
6am It All Began
When I Met You. Continued. (2013, PG, Japanese) 7.50 First Cow. (2019, PG) 10.00 Nobody Has To Know. (2021) 11.55 T-34. (2018, M, Russian) 1.55pm The Movie Show. 2.30 Spitfire. (2018, PG) 4.25 The Movie Show. 5.00 Percy Vs Goliath. (2020, PG) 6.55 Gambit. (2012, PG) 8.30 The Prestige. (2006, M) 10.50 Everyone Else. (2009, MA15+, German) 1.05am Late Programs.
SUNDAY, August 17
Griff’s Great American South. (PG, R) 3.15 Nigella Bites. (R) 3.40 Martin Clunes: Islands Of The Pacific. (PGa, R) 4.30 Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure. (PG, R) 5.30
6.30 Compass.
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Austin. (PG) Austin fakes pop culture tastes to sell books.
8.00 The Family Next Door. (Mls) Essie finds a new friend in Isabelle.
8.55 Miss Austen. (Final, PG) Cassandra prepares to leave Kintbury.
11.15 Take 5 With Zan Rowe. (PG, R) 11.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
1.40 Under The Vines. (PG, R)
4.00 Gardening Australia. (R)
5.00 Insiders. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Colosseum Rise And Fall. (Premiere, Mav)
9.25 Pompeii’s Secret Underworld. (Mav, R)
10.20 Tutankhamun: Secrets Of The Toxic Tomb. (PG, R)
11.15 Eva Longoria: Searching For Mexico. (PGad, R)
1.35 24 Hours In Emergency. (PGa, R)
3.25 Wuthering Harlots: Pride And Prostitution. (MA15+as, R)
4.20 J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. (R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 APAC Weekly.
SBS MOVIES (32) SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The Movie Show. 6.10 Percy Vs Goliath. (2020, PG) 8.00 The Movie Show. 8.30 Gambit. (2012, PG) 10.05 The Prestige. (2006, M) 12.25pm To Leslie. (2022, M) 2.35 First Cow. (2019, PG) 4.50 The Legend Of Longwood. (2014, PG) 6.40 Bring It On. (2000, PG) 8.30 Boogie Nights. (1997, MA15+) 11.20 3/19. (2021, M, Italian) 1.30am Everyone Else. (2009, MA15+, German) 3.45 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 The Voice. (PGl) Hosted by Sonia Kruger. 8.40 7NEWS Spotlight. Presented by Michael Usher.
9.40 24 Hours In Police Custody: Sex And Corruption. (MA15+as, R) A man in Luton reports he is being blackmailed.
10.40 Crime Investigation Australia: Most Infamous. (Mav, R)
12.00 Jamestown. (MA15+av)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
(64) 7MATE (64)
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 The Block. (PGl)
8.40 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians. 9.40 9News Late. 10.10 Body In The Suitcase. (Mav) Looks at the murder of Deborah Chong. 11.10 The First 48. (Mal) 12.05 The Gulf. (Madlsv, R)
Destination WA.
TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa)
Fishing Australia. (R)
Today Early News. 5.30 Today.
6.00 10 News+. Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.
7.00 Survivor: Australia V The World. (Return, PGa) Fourteen returning contestants head to Samoa. 8.45 Watson. (PGals) Watson treats a sickle cell patient with an unorthodox surgery. The team faces their own dilemma with a young woman. 9.45 FBI. (Mv, R) The team investigates when a federal judge is gunned down execution-style in broad daylight. 10.45 10 News+. (R) Hosted by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace. 12.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.30 CBS Mornings.
6am Children’s Programs. 6pm Octonauts. 6.10 PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.30 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Isadora Moon. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Dr Ann’s Secret Lives. 8.35 BTN Newsbreak. 8.40 Contraption Masters. 9.25 The Crystal Maze. 10.15 Merlin. 11.00 Late Programs.
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.00
A
(PGv, R) 11.10 Rick Steves’ Europe. (R) 12.10 WorldWatch. 2.00 Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell To Hughes. 3.10 Grand Tours Of Scotland’s Rivers. (R) 3.45 The Cook Up. (PG,
SBS World News.
7.35 Portugal With Michael Portillo. (PG)
8.25 Abandoned Railways From Above. (R)
9.20 Britain’s Most Beautiful Road. (R) 10.15 SBS World News Late.
10.45 Classified. (Malv)
11.35 A Criminal Affair. (Mal, R) 1.15 Blackport. (Mln, R) 2.00 Incredible Homes. (PGn, R) 3.00 Curious Traveller. (R) 3.30 Great Irish Interiors. (PG, R) 4.00 J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. (R) 4.30 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGa)
7.30 The Voice. (PGal) Hosted by Sonia Kruger. 8.55 The Rookie. (Return, Mav) Nolan and the team welcome two new rookies and hunt for two dangerous inmates with personal vendettas. 9.55 S.W.A.T. (Return, Mv) The team heads to Mexico.
11.00 The Agenda Setters. 12.00 Gone. (MA15+v, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
7TWO (62)
SBS MOVIES (32)
7MATE (64)
6am The Movie
Show. 6.30 The Legend Of Longwood. (2014, PG)
8.25 Bring It On. (2000, PG) 10.15 Emma. (2017, M, Italian) 12.25pm Knight Of Cups. (2015, M) 2.35 Gambit. (2012, PG) 4.10 Mrs Lowry And Son. (2019, PG) 5.50 Remi Nobody’s Boy. (2018, PG, French) 7.50 Two Many Chefs. (2022, M, Spanish) 9.30 Studs. (2006, M) 11.15 Joe Bell. (2020, M) 12.55am Boogie Nights. (1997, MA15+) 3.40 Late Programs.
FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 6.10pm PJ Masks Power Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.30 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Isadora Moon. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Operation Ouch! 8.35 BTN Newsbreak. 8.40 Deadly 60. 9.10 Expedition With Steve Backshall. 10.00 Merlin. 10.45 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Great Continental Railway Journeys. (PG)
8.30 Insight. 9.30 Dateline. 10.00 SBS World News Late. 10.30 Secret World Of Snacks. (R) 11.25 The Shift. (Ma)
1.05 Everything You Love. (Mals, R)
2.05 Curious Traveller. (R)
3.35 Incredible Homes. (R)
4.35 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The Movie
Show. 6.25 Mrs Lowry And Son. (2019, PG) 8.05
Remi Nobody’s Boy. (2018, PG, French) 10.10 3/19. (2021, M, Italian) 12.20pm Studs. (2006, M) 2.05 The Legend Of Longwood. (2014, PG) 3.55 The Company. (2003, PG) 6.00 Emu Runner. (2018, PG) 7.45 The Fence. (2022, M) 9.30 In Bruges. (2008, MA15+) 11.30 Taking Lives. (2004, MA15+) 1.30am Snowpiercer. (2013, MA15+) 3.50 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 7.30 The Voice. (PGl) Hosted by Sonia Kruger. 8.55 Boyzone: Life, Death And Boybands: When All Is Said And Done. (Final, Mal) With fame, loss and reunion, Boyzone faces highs and heartbreak.
10.00 Kylie Vs Bee Gees. (PG, R) 11.00 The Agenda Setters.
12.00 Fairly Legal. (Mav, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 The Block. (PGl)
8.45 100% Footy. (M)
A Killer Makes A Call. (Mav, R)
Footy Classified. (Ml)
Hello SA. (PG)
7MATE (64)
9GEM
WEDNESDAY, August 20
FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.30 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Isadora Moon. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Operation Ouch! 8.35 BTN Newsbreak. 8.40 Fresh Off The Boat. 9.20 The Mysterious Benedict Society. 10.10 Merlin. 10.55 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Wonders Of Volcanoes With Dara Ó Briain. (PGa)
8.25 Aerial Australia. (PGaw)
9.20 Smilla’s Sense Of Snow. (M)
10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Estonia. (Ma)
12.30 Das Boot. (MA15+av, R)
2.25 Curious Traveller. (R)
3.25 Incredible Homes. (R)
4.20 J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. (PG, R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The
Company. Continued. (2003, PG) 7.35 Emu Runner. (2018, PG) 9.25 The Movie Show. 10.00 Two Many Chefs. (2022, M, Spanish) 11.40 Broker. (2022, M, Korean) 2pm Mrs Lowry And Son. (2019, PG) 3.40 Bicycle Thief. (1948, PG, Italian) 5.15 The Way. (2010, PG) 7.30 The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry. (2023, M) 9.30 Calvary. (2014, MA15+) 11.25 Late Programs.
THURSDAY, August 21
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG)
7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PG) 8.30 The Front Bar. (Ml) Takes a lighter look at all things AFL. 9.30 Unfiltered. (PGa) Hosted by Hamish McLachlan. 10.00 Armed And Dangerous. (Mav, R)
11.30 Border Security: International. (PGadl, R)
12.00 Imposters. (Madlv, R)
1.00 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
The Block. (PGl) 8.40 Clarkson’s Farm: Jobbing. (Ml)
(R)
FAMILY
6am Children’s Programs. 6.20pm Bluey. 6.30 Paddington. 6.40 Hey Duggee. 6.50 Isadora Moon. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Piripenguins. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Operation Ouch! 8.35 BTN Newsbreak. 8.40 Secrets Of The Zoo. 9.25 Teenage Boss: Next Level. 9.50 The Mysterious Benedict Society. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Great Australian Road Trips. (PG)
8.30 National Parks From Above: Ireland. (Premiere, PGa)
9.25 Snowpiercer. (MA15+v)
10.15 SBS World News Late.
10.45 Dopesick. (Mals, R)
11.50 Desperate Measures. (Malv, R)
1.30 Curious Traveller. (R)
2.30 Incredible Homes. (R)
3.30 Great Irish Interiors. (R)
4.00 J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom. (R)
4.30 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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Jeopardy! 7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats. 8.30 The Curse Of Oak Island. 10.10 The UnXplained. 11.00 Homicide. 11.55 Late Programs. 6am Shopping. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Morning
Programs. 7.40 The Way. (2010, PG) 10.00 The Fence. (2022, M) 11.45 The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry. (2023, M) 1.40pm Playground. (2021, M, French) 3.00 The Movie Show. 3.35 The Four Musketeers: Revenge Of Milady. (1974, PG) 5.40 Sidonie In Japan. (2023, PG, French) 7.30 Dog Day Afternoon. (1975, M) 9.45 Perrier’s Bounty. (2009, MA15+) 11.20 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG) 8.30 Clarkson’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire UK. (PG) 9.30 Air Crash Investigations: Firebomber Down. (PGa) 10.30 Soham: Catching A Killer. (Mav, R)
Kick Ons.
(64) 7MATE (64)
Life. (Madv, R)
Travel Oz. (PG, R)
Harry’s Practice. (R)
Home Shopping. (R)
NBC Today.
Sunrise Early News.
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9GO!
Lions Legend
By Aiden BURGESS
REESE Legend has earned prestigious All-Australian honours while representing her state.
The Nambucca Valley Lions junior was named to the Australian team after being recognised as one of the best players at the School Sport Australia - Australian Football Girls 15 Years & Under Championship at Moreton Bay.
She was named as one of the country’s best players in her age group after outstanding performances playing for the NSW All Schools team.
She was also part of the NSW team that won the bronze medal at the National Championship.
The All-Australian member was initially selected to the NSW team after standout performances playing for the North Coast at the NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association- Secondary, Australian Football Girls Championship on the Central Coast.
Legend currently plays for
the Nambucca Valley Lions in AFL North Coast’s Youth Girls 15s competition.
The Lions congratulated their club member on her All-Australian selection.
“Reese has just finished competing at the Australian National Championships, and we are beyond proud to share her achievements,” the club said on social media.
“Her NSW team placed third overall, a massive accomplishment on the national stage.
“But Reese didn’t stop thereshe was named MVP of her finals game and has now been selected in the prestigious All-Australian Team.
“What an amazing honour for a truly deserving young athlete, Reese continues to inspire with her talent, determination, and humble spirit.
“We’ve loved watching her shine, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
“Your Lions family is cheering you on every step of the way, go get ‘em, Legend!”.
