Tamworth’s Sanctuary Inn to become 90-room Holiday Inn
A well-known Tamworth hotel is about to get a new name, a full refurb, and 30 extra rooms. Find out which one, and when the doors open under the new sign.
NarraBRIGHT 2027 to light up Narrabri Creek with nature theme
Maitland Street stays open and the creek takes centre stage. NarraBRIGHT 2027 has a brand-new layout and a theme inspired by the natural world. Here’s what’s changing.
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.
Free breast screening van parks in Inverell until December
Nine in 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. A free screen takes less than 20 minutes, and the BreastScreen NSW van is in Inverell until 18 December.
Local 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.
Tamworth Return and Earn depot hits 50 million containers
Three in four people seeking help from Vinnies in Tamworth needed food. Now locals’ bottles and cans have hit a 50 million milestone, and every one has helped.
Six national titles up for grabs at Gunnedah flat track finale
Six national titles, eight Pro 450 races, and a points leader who says he’s not nervous at all. The Aussie Flat Track Nationals finale hits Gunnedah’s Balcary Park this weekend.
Uralla’s Pioneer Park a step closer to becoming Fibonacci Park
Two, three, five, eight. Uralla’s postcode is hidden in a famous mathematical pattern, and now locals have backed giving Pioneer Park a name to match.
What's On
LONG READ >
Camps in the paddock: the REZ housing legacy that isn’t
WEEKEND LONG READ: New England was promised worker housing that would stay behind as homes. The REZ EIS delivers 2,060 beds in five temporary camps on paddocks a long way from anywhere.
Events
Twilight Tales at Calala Cottage Museum – Garden Picnic and Museum ToursEnds: November 7, 2026
Twilight Tales at Calala Cottage Museum – Garden Picnic and Museum ToursEnds: November 7, 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
Politics
Democrats, Trump face off after blue tsunami splits US
Democrats and Republicans are squaring up for what could be two years of deadlock in Washington, with the resurgent Democrats vowing to use their resounding midterm election victory to rein in President Donald Trump
Stamp duty relief pledged for family trusts
Thousands of family businesses run through trusts have been left wondering if a federal tax change would trigger a state stamp duty bill. Labor says, if re-elected, it won’t.
By-elections loom for Walcha and Tenterfield after councillors resign
Two New England councils are down a councillor. Walcha has locked in a January by-election, while Tenterfield waits on advice about how to fill its empty A Ward seat.
Nationals blast buyback starting before the rules
The firearms buyback starts 2 November, and Grafton Police Station is one of the first collection points. The Nationals say the rules aren’t even written yet, and Tamworth’s music festival is in the way.
Chaffey urges kindness after Haines attack
Parkes MP Jamie Chaffey says words can hurt and words can heal, as parliament pays tribute to Dr Helen Haines. His message to Australians after the attack: “Let’s continue with kindness.”
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.
Phosphine rules delayed until 2028
Harvest is here and grain growers have dodged a curveball. New phosphine exposure rules won’t kick in until 2028, giving the industry time to find practical answers.
Crop margins stay tight, but yields help
Rabobank says crop margins stay squeezed into 2027. Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia are cushioned by strong yields, but dry Queensland and northern NSW growers are more exposed.
Energy and Environment
Tenterfield Dam full, water restrictions lifted
The rain has done its job. Tenterfield Dam is full to the brim and Level 2 water restrictions are gone, but Council has one request before you turn on the hose.
Downstream councils vow to fight Keepit Dam pipeline to Tamworth
Tamworth wants a pipeline from Keepit Dam. Seven councils downstream, from Gunnedah to Walgett, say it would leave their towns exposed in the next drought, and they’re vowing to fight it.
Camps in the paddock: the REZ housing legacy that isn’t
WEEKEND LONG READ: New England was promised worker housing that would stay behind as homes. The REZ EIS delivers 2,060 beds in five temporary camps on paddocks a long way from anywhere.
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
Point Of Law wins Melbourne Cup
Favourite Point Of Law has run down frontrunner Royal Supremacy to win the $10 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington
On engage now
Engage is our hub for opinion, letters, comments and ideas.
- Opinion: Does time on social media make teens anxious and depressed? The evidence is not so clear
Parents are understandably worried about the impact of social media on the mental health of their children. In the last two decades, mental health disorders have significantly increased among 16-to-24-year-old Australians, affecting 39% in 2022, up from 26% in 2007. Over the same period, smartphones have given young people continuous access to social media. But The post Opinion: Does time on social media make teens anxious and depressed? The evidence is not so clear appeared first on New England Times Engage.
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Good News
Moree Plains Shire Council names new general manager
Moree Plains Shire Council has found its new general manager. Meet the man who says the shire has “enormous potential”.
SBM26: Road-ready support, inclusive opportunities and a helping hand
Today for Small Business Month, we’re celebrating three businesses and organisations making life easier for their communities: a Tamworth towing and caravan specialist offering personal service from purchase to repairs, an Inverell not-for-profit creating opportunities and independence for people with disability, and a Coffs Coast family business helping households and businesses clear clutter, move furniture…
