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.
Keith Urban scholarship back for a second year, with Tamworth running the search
Keith Urban once busked at the Tamworth festival. Now he’s offering one emerging country artist a ticket to Nashville, his own studio, and the industry’s inner circle. Applications are open.
Man refused bail after Inverell pursuit and Warialda Rail firearms seizure
A police pursuit from Inverell to Gilgai, a car through a fence, and a search at Warialda Rail that allegedly turned up a modified pistol. Now a 24-year-old faces 14 charges.
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.
Local News
Five-year lease secures future of Inverell Homes for the Aged as BEST takes charge
Inverell Homes for the Aged has a new manager and a five-year lease, with BEST Employment taking over the low-cost housing for older residents on Monday, 9 November.
Glen Innes to light up Grey Street for Christmas in the Highlands
Grey Street will be bathed in Christmas lights on Saturday, 28 November, when Christmas in the Highlands – Illuminations turns the Glen Innes CBD into a festive wonderland for one night only.
Crowns and capes as Grand Stroll brings New England villages together
Thrones, crowns, capes, and egg-and-spoon races. New England’s aged care villages went all out for a good cause, and one village walked away with the trophy.
International students face growing uncertainty as study rules tighten
A medical certificate, a missed deadline, and a coordinator on leave. Now one nursing student’s plans are on hold, just as new visa rules make changing course harder than ever.
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
The Sydney Hotshots Live at Codfish hotelEnds: November 11, 2026
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- Sapphire City MarketsEnds: December 6, 2026
Politics
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.
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?
Chaffey says rate rise another blow for Parkes electorate families
Rates at an 18-year high, $450 a month more on a $600,000 loan, and economists putting recession odds at one in two. Jamie Chaffey says families are already at breaking point.
Councils slam developer levy delay
Labor says letting developers pay later will get homes built faster. Councils say it’s a handout that will leave regional towns short of roads, parks, and drainage.
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
Perfect season for Lytras as Gunnedah’s Balcary Park hosts flat track nationals
Not a single race dropped all year. John Lytras sealed a perfect Pro Twins season at Gunnedah, while the Drane brothers traded race wins in the Pro 450s. Who will be crowned on the TT track?
On engage now
Engage is our hub for opinion, letters, comments and ideas.
- Denise’s Desk: Democracy doesn’t run on autopilot
Denise says making civics and citizenship compulsory for year 9 and 10 is a government announcement that deserves more than a passing mention. The post Denise’s Desk: Democracy doesn’t run on autopilot appeared first on New England Times Engage.
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Good News
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.
Tenterfield Show turns 150 with a black-tie ball
A black-tie ball at the Tenterfield Showgrounds will celebrate 150 years of the Tenterfield Show, with 400 tickets now on sale for Saturday, 20 February 2027.
