Full house as Wests Tamworth reopens after $34 million transformation
West Tamworth League Club was completely full by the time the Melbourne Cup ran on Tuesday, 3 November, as members got their first look at a $34 million transformation that finished on time and just under budget.
Guyra’s Elizabeth Rosser wins 2026 John Winter-Irving Bequest
She’s helped revive Landcare around Guyra and fights for isolated students across rural NSW. Now Elizabeth Rosser has been honoured with the 2026 John Winter-Irving Bequest.
NERAM farewells 2026, and its director, with four new exhibitions tonight
Four new exhibitions, never-before-seen photographs, and one last farewell. NERAM’s final opening night of 2026 is tonight, and it’s director Rachael Parsons’ last before she heads to Newcastle.
Man charged after alleged knife threats and break-in at Armidale service station
Police allege a man threatened a young Armidale service station worker with a knife, then came back days later and smashed his way inside. Now he faces six charges.
Local News
Hometown voices join Handel’s Messiah in Armidale
Two Armidale-raised singers will come home this Sunday to perform Handel’s Messiah, under a conductor who first took up the baton for the work in the 1960s.
Bendemeer to have its say on contested solar farm
More than 100 objections have pushed a 200-megawatt solar farm near Bendemeer to the Independent Planning Commission. Now locals can tell the decision-makers what they think, face to face.
Mechanical wonders still on show in Armidale Mall windows after Creative Streets
A witch on a flying bicycle, twin bearded makers among the clocks, and a cardboard robot built by goblins are still moving in Armidale Mall shop windows, giving locals a last chance to see displays…
Hinton Drive’s Santa Street crown up for grabs as Gunnedah Christmas lights hunt begins
Can anyone knock Hinton Drive off its Santa Street throne? Gunnedah’s Christmas lights battle is on, with Gunny Money up for grabs across six categories. Entries close Monday, 7 December.
What's On
LONG READ >
The pipeline that wasn’t: inside the fight over Keepit water
WEEKEND LONG READ: The Keepit pipeline is dead. Downstream towns are relieved, Tamworth’s mayor calls it political, and the city’s backup is a pipeline that has sat full of stale water for years. What happens in the next drought?
Events
Sapphire City MarketsEnds: November 15, 2026
Tenterfield Job ExpoEnds: November 20, 2026
Sounds of the SessonEnds: November 28, 2026
Stained Glass WorkshopEnds: November 29, 2026
PUBLIC MEETING ON BENDEMEER SOLAR FARMEnds: December 5, 2026- Sapphire City MarketsEnds: December 6, 2026
Politics
Tamworth council moves to close its last after-school care service, but is the decision final?
In April, Tamworth parents were told the South Tamworth centre was still there for them. Now council has begun moves to close it, and the union says the decision is already made.
Farms flooded without consent: Canavan
Water released onto private farms with no permission and no compensation, and the department admits it never sought legal advice. Senator Matthew Canavan says Estimates has exposed a property rights fight.
NSW grain growers gain a national voice
A harvest-time win on phosphine rules was just the start. NSW Farmers and GrainGrowers have made their alliance official, and their leaders say governments will have to listen.
Laptops off the list for primary kids
No more forking out over a thousand dollars for a school laptop. NSW public primary schools are dropping BYOD from 2027, and screen time in class is about to shrink.
Basin review names urgent reforms
One in 10 Australians live and work in the Murray Darling Basin. A major review has named the reforms it needs, and conservationists say the ball is now in politicians’ court.
Coalition taskforce to hunt for new dams
One in six apples, four in 10 blocks of butter, and nearly half our pork could be imported by 2040, the Coalition warns. Its answer is more dams.
North West cotton growers to get new help fighting soilborne disease
Verticillium wilt is a serious threat in long-term irrigated cotton. A new partnership aims to put better soil science in the hands of local growers.
Farmers call for simpler environment laws
Follow every NSW rule and you could still fall foul of federal law. Farmers say the system is broken, and they have built their own tool to help.
Energy and Environment
Going electric saves $4,300 a year
The average household going electric is now $4,300 a year better off. But millions of renters are locked out of the savings. Here’s what the new numbers show.
Tamworth hits 50 million containers as New England joins the cycle for National Recycling Week
Tamworth residents have returned 50 million drink containers through the town’s Return and Earn depot, and the milestone will be marked with a community celebration during National Recycling Week.
Bundarra to Wee Waa: local groups share in $250,000 grants boost
Six New England North West towns are on the list, from Bundarra to Wee Waa. Find out who’s sharing in more than $250,000 for grassroots community projects.
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
Armidale’s only 4.5-star hotel hits the market as mining and REZ demand builds
Armidale’s only 4.5-star hotel is up for sale, with agents pitching Rydges Armidale as a ready-made base for the miners, renewable energy workers, and corporate visitors expected to fill the city’s beds in coming years.
INDIGENOUS
Gunnedah’s Rainbow Serpent restoration wins state award
Crafted by Kamilaroi women, eroded by the western sun, and pieced back together tile by tile. Gunnedah’s Rainbow Serpent has just won a state award, and the judges couldn’t stop praising it.
SPORT
Dunker claims maiden Pro 450 crown at Gunnedah’s Balcary Park
A maiden national title, a championship ring, and a crash in the final race. Cameron Dunker held his nerve at Gunnedah’s Balcary Park to become Pro 450 champion.
On engage now
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- Begin Rant: the big bill of paying people to behave
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Good News
Mick’s frontline farewell after 45 years serving patients in Armidale
After 45 years caring for the people of Armidale, Intensive Care Paramedic Michael Partridge is looking forward to years of uninterrupted sleep, having worked his final shift with his paramedic daughter riding alongside him.
Quirindi’s candlelit Christmas concert returns, with Handel’s Messiah at its heart
More than half the seats are already gone for Quirindi’s candlelit Christmas concert, as Sounds of the Season returns for a second year after its first outing sold out.
