Mid North News

New tourism branding for a region on the Mid North Coast is creating a lot of discussion – and division. Locals don’t like it – and even the council is split down the middle.  

2010 Australian of the Year Patrick McGorry has praised Coffs Harbour’s Headspace Centre, for its work with young people. In Bonville for a meeting to discuss local health initiatives, Professor McGorry quoted an alarming statistic. “We know that fifty percent of young people in this transition from puberty through to the mid twenties will develop a period of poor mental health and they really have had no-where to go until recently.” Professor McGorry supports a plan to have more mental health specialists available at Headspace.

Returning to the Caparra bush fire now – properties in the area are no longer at risk with the fire sitting at ‘advice level.’ But as strong winds continue many residents are still feeling uneasy.

A 37-year-old man has suffered serious injuries in a car accident in Coffs Harbour early this morning. This ute was travelling north on Hogbin Drive, when the driver lost control, crashing into a tree. Emergency services, including three ambulances, were called to the scene just after 5:30am. The man was trapped for a short time before being freed from the vehicle. The driver was taken to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital in a stable condition.

Port Macquarie residents living near Kooloonbung Creek addressed council last night over a long term flying fox problem. Their voices didn’t fall on deaf ears with council saying it will take further steps to manage the issue.

Four firefighters have been injured after their tanker rolled while they were battling a blaze on the mid north coast. Crews were working to contain a grass fire at Caparra near Taree last night when the truck rolled down a hill. All four men were taken to hospital. Two of them, aged 54 and 20, have since been discharged. A 62-year-old man is in a stable condition and is expected to be released within the coming days. While a 71-year-old man has been taken into surgery for an injury to his hand. Fire and Rescue NSW has wished the men a speedy recovery.

A man has been charged with attempting to procure a child on a train on the state’s mid-north coast. Around 10pm yesterday, an 11-year-old boy was travelling between Taree and Kempsey when he was allegedly handed a note by a 42-year-old man sitting nearby. Police say the letter contained sexual references and threats of violence. The boy told guards on board the train and the man was subsequently arrested after the train stopped at Macksville, and taken into custody. He was refused bail to appear at Macksville Local Court today.

A doctor has been suspended, and four children are without a mother, following the death of a Taree woman. Police are now investigating – the 38-year-old never woke up after having an injection at a local medical centre.

Guide dogs have been changing the lives of vision-impaired Australians for more than 60 years. Today, five new pups were presented with their first harnesses at a ceremony in Port Macquarie.

The bushfire danger period has been brought forward for Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Kempsey and Nambucca to this Friday. It was initially supposed to begin on September 1, but ongoing dry conditions and below average rainfall have increased the risk. “Fires have been getting away and we’ve been able to get on top of those quite quickly which has been good but all it takes is one fire to get away.” Fire permits will be required from midnight on Thursday. “We’re asking people not to panic burn this week we will be issuing permits it’s not a fire ban it’s just that we’ve brought the bush fire danger period in and they do require fire permits.”