Mid North News

The fight to protect koalas on the Mid North Coast rages on as the Greens announce today they will introduce amendments to the Government’s National Park Estate (Reservations) Bill to be debated in Parliament next week. MPs are pushing for the establishment of a Great Koala National Park in the region.

The New South Wales SES held its annual open day in Taree today inviting the community to observe how to deal with emergency situations. The main theme centered around preparing for the current storm season and staying safe in dangerous situations.  

A 62-year-old Newcastle man has died after a motorcycle crash four kilometres north of Ulmarra, near Grafton. Police are urging drivers to adjust to the road conditions on Mid North Coast roads to avoid further tragedy, as the school holidays come to an end.

Police are appealing for information about a suspicious house fire in Port Macquarie. Emergency services were called to an Ocean View Terrace home around 6.30 on Wednesday night following reports of a fire causing major damage. Police say they’re searching for two people with a ‘buzz-cut’ hairstyle who may be able to assist with their investigation. (AUDIO IN PARTS)

Work on the new Port Macquarie Airport is underway. The gateway to the Hastings will receive a major makeover inside and out, causing some minor inconvenience to travellers over the coming months.  

A motorcyclist has died, after crashing into a parked car just north of Grafton. The man, believed to be in his 60s, was riding on the Pacific Highway at Ulmarra at around 9:30 this morning when his bike hit the parked vehicle. He died at the scene. An investigation is underway.

A truck driver has had a lucky escape after crashing into bushland on the Pacific Highway south of Port Macquarie. The B-Double was in the southbound lane when it veered off the road, travelling more than 100 metres before crashing into a tree. The incident happened at around 7:30 this morning.

One of Australia’s most notorious paedophile priests has been found guilty of sex offences against another victim. John Sidney Denham is convicted of four offences against a young boy at Taree in the late 1970s after a judge-alone trial in Port Macquarie. It means Denham has now been found guilty of child sex crimes against 58 boys, aged 5 to 17, between 1968 and 1986. (VISION ONLY)

The countdown is on and preparations are being finalised, ahead of the 70th Camden Haven Show. Organisers have expanded the popular program, with a particular focus on making it family-oriented, fun and affordable.

An additional $4.5-million facelift has been announced for Manning Base Hospital. The money will be spent upgrading the hospital’s exterior and air conditioning system.