Farmers back labour hire crackdown, but warn shearers and harvesters must not be caught
Labor wants every labour hire firm in NSW licensed. Farmers agree rogue operators must go, but warn the shearing team and harvest contractor could get caught in the net.
Eight Tamworth and Gunnedah shops shut in illegal tobacco and vape blitz
Six Peel and Brisbane Street shops in Tamworth and two in Gunnedah’s Conadilly Street are shut for 90 days after raids uncovered 250,000 illicit cigarettes. And landlords could be next.
Angry Bull Trails lands $1.5m for Tenterfield stage and pavilion
Live music, festivals, and cycling events could soon have a new home in Tenterfield. Angry Bull Trails has landed $1.5 million, and 16 other New England projects are sharing the rest.
Narrabri and Moree groups invited to chase share of $100,000 port grants
There’s $100,000 on the table and Narrabri and Moree are named on the invitation list. Local charities have just over two weeks to get their applications in.
Local News
Cleaner heating switch delivers benefits for Armidale households
Armidale households are reporting cleaner homes, improved comfort and easier heating after replacing wood heaters with reverse-cycle air conditioning.
SBM26: Fit, fabulous, and yum
Today we’re celebrating three local businesses that add a little extra to life, from a personal trainer with a difference, to a great place to stay, and a great take away to keep in mind for your next visit to Coffs.
Armidale’s Czinner and Neilson named in NSW Pride Hockey One squads
Armidale’s Nathan Czinner and Lily Neilson, plus Farrer’s Jack Marshall, are in the NSW Pride squads for Hockey One. And they’ll be sharing the turf with some of the world’s best.
New England Highway to close for giant transformer Friday
A 402-tonne load, 72 metres long, is about to crawl over the Moonbi Range. Here’s when the New England Highway will close on Friday, and where to watch it roll into Uralla.
What's On
LONG READ >
No bed, no way home: the aged care logjam reaching New England hospitals
WEEKEND LONG READ: Medically ready to leave, but nowhere to go. Older people are stranded in New England hospitals, while families are left footing the bill, and politicians squabble.
Events
Railway MarketsEnds: October 3, 2026
Tingha Community MarketsEnds: October 3, 2026
Sapphire City MarketsEnds: October 4, 2026
Annual Human Rights LectureEnds: October 15, 2026- Sapphire City MarketsEnds: October 18, 2026
The New England Community ShowcaseEnds: October 21, 2026
Politics
100,000 first home buyers in a year
Clare O’Neil, Anthony Albanese, David Shoebridge, Barbara Pocock, Housing Australia, Australian Greens
Eric Noakes stands down after a decade as Walcha’s mayor
Eric Noakes has handed Walcha’s mayoralty to Hyde Thomson, as his deputy steps aside amid questions over a tourism venture.
Chaffey says backpacker visa cuts leave tourism operators short-staffed
Motels, cafes, and tourist attractions across the north west could be short of staff this summer. The local MP says backpacker visa cuts are to blame, and industry figures put the cost at $1.65 billion.
Please explain: One Nation donations diverted to a liquor company
$56,000 of One Nation money. A shed on James Ashby’s private land. A distillery owned by Ashby and Pauline Hanson. Now the party is rushing to explain itself to members.
Glen Innes Severn Council sacks GM, takes control of PIO
Glen Innes Severn Council has sacked its general manager, and the Mayor says councillors will now hold the organisation to account. Here’s what else changed at a pivotal meeting.
Landholders encouraged to report plague locust sightings
Landholders across NSW are being urged to report signs of Australian plague locusts as authorities monitor activity across the state.
Business coaching to help New England farmers build resilience
New England farmers can access tailored business coaching to strengthen financial planning, manage risk and better prepare for drought.
Energy and Environment
Origin walks away from Skye Ridge wind farm near Walcha
Origin has walked away from its 870MW Skye Ridge wind farm near Walcha, effective immediately, to double down on its Northern Tablelands project west of Armidale. But the move was no surprise.
Inverell waste strategy opens for public feedback
Inverell Shire residents are being invited to help shape the region’s waste and resource recovery services for the next decade.
BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT >
Primary Health Network continues to support and invest in the Glen Innes community
Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network (HNECC PHN) has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to Glen Innes through continued investment in local healthcare services, community programs and innovative models of…
Have your say on the future name of Killean
New owners of McLean Care want your help in naming the main home, and have put up $5000 to make it worth your while to have your say. Vote now!
BUSINESS
NSW small businesses go digital
Smaller teams, bigger reach, and nearly half now using AI. New research shows how NSW small businesses are changing, and why regional owners stand apart.
INDIGENOUS
Gunnedah petition demands Aboriginal flag in Council chamber
Gunnedah’s deputy mayor warned of “a reverse type of apartheid” before councillors voted to hang just one flag in the chamber. Now Aboriginal community members are fighting back with a petition.
SPORT
Bundarra races rally community behind local health care push
Bundarra’s race weekend is about more than horses crossing the finish line this year, with locals using the event to help bring much-needed health services closer to home.
On engage now
Engage is our hub for opinion, letters, comments and ideas.
- Planting for frost on the New England tablelands: tips for spring
Isaac from Nursery Near Me has some tips for spring planting on the tablelands, and says you should keep it simple, and choose natives from the cold country, not the coast. The post Planting for frost on the New England tablelands: tips for spring appeared first on New England Times Engage.
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Good News
Inverell Library selected for expanded LitUp program
Inverell Library will welcome an Australian author or illustrator for local library and school events after being selected for the 2027 LitUp program.
Tamworth CBD to light up for inaugural City of Lights Festival
Tamworth will transform into an after-dark spectacle this weekend as the city’s CBD hosts the inaugural City of Lights Festival, a free, family-friendly event celebrating the region’s history as a pioneer of electric street lighting.
