By Shannon BENTON
HUNTER’S HEROES
By Thomas O’KEEFE
Service volunteers at work with local residents in Dungog. Photo: NSW SES.
Flooding clean-up across Dungog Shire
FROM Page 1
By 10:02am on Saturday, 18 January, damaging winds averaging 55-65 kmph, with peak gusts of 100 kmph, were recorded on elevated terrain and exposed coastal areas.
Winds eased later in the day but left a trail of destruction.
Heavy rainfall led to flash flooding, particularly in elevated areas.
Barrington Tops recorded a staggering 116 millimetres of rain in six hours.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of potential sixhourly totals between 70-120 millimetres raising concerns for flash flooding.
The Williams River at Dungog peaked at 7.80 metres on Saturday morning, exceeding the minor flood level of 4.90 metres, leading to closures of multiple bridges and roads.
The NSW SES issued warnings for residents in Dungog, Clarence Town, and Seaham, urging them to stay informed and avoid floodwaters.
Road and bridge closures included Fosterton Road, George Dowling Bridge, and the Thalaba Bridge, among others, while residents of Fosterton and Bandon Grove were advised to prepare for isolation lasting 12-24 hours.
The concrete George Dowling Bridge on Dowling's Road, Bandon Grove was completely destroyed by the fast-moving floodwaters, with
a harrowing video of the scene posted to social media by photographer Sara Dowling. Essential services like power and water were unavailable in various affected areas across multiple days.
In response, Dungog Shire Council provided resources for those impacted.
Charging stations and free WiFi were made available at Dungog Showground, Clarence Town Sporting Reserve, Gresford School of Arts, and Paterson Sportsground.
Dungog Showground also opened its gates for evacuating horses.
As of Tuesday morning, Dungog Shire had yet to be declared a natural disaster zone, despite such declarations for neighbouring Port Stephens and Maitland, with State Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell calling on the government to act.
“Our residents have quite literally been sitting in the dark with food going off in the fridge and they need to be able to access essential supplies and start to repair what has been damaged,” Mr Layzell said.
"I spoke to Minister Dib about the situation and emphasised that the Government cannot sit back and wait for forms to be filled out.
“In natural disasters, people have to come first. I asked the minister to take action immediately for the sake of the whole Hunter/ Central Coast region."
q Seaham Bridge. Photo: Photo: Joseph Richards.
q Williams River, Clarence Town. Photos: Joseph Richards.
q Riverine flooding at Clarence Town. Photo: Joseph Richards.
q Flooding at Stroud Hill Road, Dungog. Photo: Sara Dowling.
q The Williams River at Seaham. Photo: Joseph Richards.
q Vacy Bridge. Photo: Joseph Richards.
q Flooding on Newline Road, which links Seaham to Raymond Terrace. Photos: Joseph Richards.
q The Paterson River bursting at the seams below the Dunmore Bridge in Woodville. Photo: Joseph Richards.
HUNTER’S HEROES
FROM Page 1
Bulahdelah suffered water over roads in numerous spots, made more dangerous by fallen power lines, with further flooding around Stroud, Booral, Girvan, Washpool and virtually everywhere in between.
The Pacific Highway was host to several motor vehicle accidents in the pounding
rain and flash flooding.
Pindimar, Bundabah and North Arm Cove residents were left in the dark for days, while their resident RFS brigades did their best to clear fallen trees all over the villages.
Karuah and Raymond Terrace were also left without power for extended periods, on top of failed telecommunications
infrastructure.
“Many motorists were diverting off the highway before Bulahdelah, following outdated information on otherwise trusted traffic apps, many ended up in trouble on a flooded Booral Rd, or Bucketts Way, and SES was caused to go up those roads, too,” Stroud SES Deputy Commander Greg Snape informed NOTA.
“The message is simple: drive for the conditions, and think about what you have to do, and do you have to do it?
“Also, if you see debris in the water, don’t walk or drive through it.
“Over 10 days the [Stroud] SES received 36 calls for incidents, and two road crash rescue activations with one extrication performed.
“One medical evacuation of an injured camper from Coachwood Campground, which became a five-
hour drive for two teams commencing at 8.30pm, saw multiple trees down blocking roads, roads cut by flooding, torrential rain and thick fog hampering access to the site.”
There was another recovery of a mother and son a week previously in the same area, with trees down blocking roads; their vehicle had become stuck in a dish drain, presenting a very challenging nighttime operation for the SES team.
“Thanks to the MidCoast
Council crews for their help along Bucketts and Myall Ways, Booral Road, and with trees down and roof damage on properties in North Arm Cove, Hawks Nest and other areas,” Deputy Commander Snape said.
“During this event we delivered a two day training course to four of our members and their new skills were immediately used to assist in delivery of service to our community.”
Celebrating Australia Day in Dungog
COUNCIL’S official Australia Day activities kick off early at the James Theatre, Dungog on 26 January.
Dungog Rotary Club will offer breakfast from 8am,
before official proceedings which included a citizenship ceremony and the presentation of the Shire’s Australia Day awards.
Federal Member for Lyne
Dr David Gillespie said the day is a chance to “celebrate our great nation”.
“We are a country more blessed than most, a country that hasn’t just been lucky,
but has made its own luck, through our collective spirit of freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity.
“Through our rich Indigenous heritage, coupled
with successive waves of migrants that have come far and wide to build a better life, we have created a peaceful and prosperous nation.
“This is certainly
something to be proud of and I therefore encourage everyone across our community to celebrate Australia Day this Sunday, 26 January.”
Please join us at our official Australia Day Ceremony, 26 January 2025
8:00am - Breakfast by Dungog Rotary Club 9:00am - Official Ceremony, including; Welcome by Mayor, Cr Digby Rayward Performances by A Twist of Blue Award Presentation and Citizenship Ceremony Concluding with morning tea The James Theatre, Brown Street, Dungog Dungog.nsw.gov.au
heat
Dungog Shire Council is covering the cost of pool entry for all residents, so you can enjoy a refreshing swim at either Clarence Town or Dungog Pools this Australia Day!
q One of many flooded roads blocking a medical evacuation, this one at Main Creek Road, Carowiry Creek, Monkerai. Photo: Stroud SES.
q SES Water Rescue Operators negotiate fallen limbs and sunken obstacles to save those in distress. Photo: Stroud SES.
Lisa WISEMAN 0437 315 191 lisa@newsofthearea.com.au
Shannon BENTON 0400 163 360 benton@newsofthearea.com.au
Doug CONNOR 0431 487 679 doug@newsofthearea.com.au
Wild weather outages
By Thomas O’KEEFE
INFRASTRUCTURE in some parts of the region is still coming back online after suffering critical outages during last week’s wild weather.
Last Wednesday’s electrical storm saw power cut to thousands of homes across the Hunter region.
The NBN and mobile phone networks followed with the rolling blackouts and telecommunications outages continuing into early this week.
As essential workers braved the conditions to restore connections, businesses without access to EFTPOS returned to posting “Cash Only” signs.
We
“Over 3300 Essential Energy customers across the regions of Myall Lakes, Dungog and Bulahdelah experienced unplanned power outages following the ferocious storms that swept through the area
on 15 and 16 January,” an Essential Energy spokesperson told News Of The Area.
“Safety equipment was [activated] following faults being detected on the electricity network, keeping customers safe until crews could investigate.
“Crews worked into the evening, making safe and repairing damage where possible.”
Many of the 5G smallcell transponders draw their power directly from mains, while larger installations are meant to have an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) as back-up.
However, they could not withstand the power of the storms.
“Our network sites have back-up power systems, which kept services running for as long as they could,” a Telstra spokesperson told NOTA.
“We have teams on the ground who will continue to work… to access affected sites."
The NBN has some in-built power resiliency but cannot guarantee connection during a blackout.
“NBN Co is working closely with power networks to restore services to communities impacted by outages as quickly as it is safe to do so,” an NBNCo spokesperson told NOTA.
“If your service is [still] down and no outages are reported in your area, we recommend restarting your inhome NBN equipment, including the connection box and Wi-Fi router.
“Should your services still be unavailable, please reach out to your internet provider for further assistance.
“Our top priority is to restore connectivity for those who are still
Storm scams warning
By Thomas O’KEEFE
SCAMMERS are attempting to take advantage of the recent storms and the community’s increased vulnerability.
The National Broadband Network (nbn) is one of the companies urging everyone to remain vigilant for unsolicited phone calls or messages.
“nbn has been made aware… that some residents have received phone calls from scammers impersonating nbn and asking for funds to expedite the restoration of their service,” a representative told News Of The Area.
“It is unthinkable that scammers would use this as an opportunity to target people and communities.”
“Please be aware [that] nbn will never contact customers
asking for payment or any other financial information, and we urge anyone who receives one of these calls to hang up and report it to ScamWatch immediately at scamwatch.gov.au.”
The nbn website - nbnco. com.au/learn/protectyourself-from-scams - is loaded with alert information and a list of red flags to look out for, advising that immediate action be taken if anyone believes they have been scammed.
“Do not share your bank or personal details with an unsolicited caller or with people who door-knock claiming to be from nbn trying to sell you an nbn service or seeking payment for related services, and never give an unsolicited caller remote
access to your computer or mobile phone.
“Be aware that your devices can be accessed by people externally through the installation of Remote Desktop Access websites, programs or applications including, but not limited to, TeamViewer, AnyDesk, QuickSupport, Ultra Viewer, Splashtop Streamer, Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop, Windows Quick Assist, Supremo, AnyConnect, or Anyplace control.”
A common scammer technique is simple, yet horrifyingly effective: they call during a time of distress, heighten their victim’s panic by telling them they have a significant problem, then offer a quick and easy way to solve it.
Proudly
These “quick fixes” usually involve the handing over of personal information, such as credit/debit card numbers, bank access details, personal login information.
“And scammers will happily employ highpressure tactics to force people into a state of panic to cloud their judgement.”
affected due to damage to NBN infrastructure."
In the event of more storms, Essential Energy reminds everyone to stay at least eight metres away from fallen powerlines or damaged electricity infrastructure and to call 13 20 80, or if lifethreatening Triple Zero (000). More information on storm safety is available at essentialenergy.com. au/storms.
The ACCC’s ScamWatch, the Federal Government’s main body for dealing with scammer activity, has an easy, three-word slogan that helps citizens remember what to do - “Stop. Check. Protect.”
If, for example, you receive an unsolicited call from someone claiming to work for NBNCo, or any other telco company, “Stop. Check. Protect.” would look like this:
- Stop by hanging up the call immediately, and do not give any personal information.
- Check by locating the supposed company’s official contact details, either from a known website, or from your household’s original sign-up paperwork. Call them directly to ask if they have tried to contact you.
- Protect yourself, and others, by reporting any suspected scam action to the relevant bank or financial institution, the Police, or to the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
q The weather radar showing the extent of the rain over the region. q Stop. Check.
PM energised as Nats use nuclear to hunt coal-rich seat
By Dominic GIANNINI and Andrew BROWN, AAP
EARLY campaigning ahead of a federal election is giving insight into what voters will be pitched, with energy and leadership quality dominating the discussion.
The political tussle last week largely focused on respective energy policies with Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton each painting themselves as the best chance to take Australia forward and address the cost of living.
"The next election will be about Labor with costof-living relief and a plan to build Australia's future, Peter Dutton costing people more and taking Australia backwards," Mr Albanese said.
"I am not sure what he does about energy security in the 2030s because he has got no answer to it before some fantasy of a nuclear reactor comes on in the 2040s."
The coalition plans to
build seven nuclear reactors across the nation if elected, and increase reliance on coal and gas in the transition period.
One of the plants would be at the Liddell power station in the Hunter region of NSW, which Nationals leader David Littleproud called a "must-win seat" as he unveiled Sue Gilroy as the party's candidate.
The coal-rich seat is held by Labor's former miner and Olympic shooter Dan Repacholi on a four percent margin.
Ms Gilroy is using her background as a businesswoman to spruik the need for nuclear to bring down power prices.
But the coalition's $330 billion nuclear power plan has been questioned by energy experts who point to renewable energy being the cheapest form of power.
Mr Littleproud said Labor had demonised coal and gas as it transitions to renewable energy "despite these
crucial industries forming the backbone of the Hunter and employing thousands of locals".
Independent MP Zoe Daniel said nuclear energy was too expensive and too slow for Australia, which should take advantage of its wind and solar resources.
The coalition is trying to win back her seat of Goldstein.
"The biggest issue with the nuclear conversation is stalling investment in renewable energy, prolonging the future of fossil fuels," Ms Daniel, who ran on a climate action platform, told ABC Radio.
Mr Albanese visited Gilmore on the NSW South Coast last Tuesday to announce $5 million for the Nowra Riverfront Precinct. Held by Labor, it's one of two of Australia's most marginal seats at 0.2 percent.
He attempted to stir fear about a potential nuclear power site being moved to the area after pointing to the
Hunter being earthquakeprone and unsuitable for nuclear.
Mr Dutton hit back, arguing "the prime minister couldn't tell you what he has achieved in this term of parliament".
"If he had a good story to tell about what they've achieved as a government over the last three years, he'd be spruiking that but, of course, he has no story to tell," Mr Dutton told reporters in Ipswich.
Mr Dutton claimed the prime minister had forgotten
working-class Australians and had pandered to union bosses as he campaigned in Blair, a Queensland seat held by Labor on a five per cent margin.
He pledged to reunite Australians, vowing to force local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day after Labor granted more leeway on when they could be held.
"We owe it to people who have served in uniform to defend our values to celebrate Australia Day, make sure as Australians we are
proud of it," Mr Dutton said.
Asked whether he was comfortable with forcing councils to hold the ceremonies on a day painful to many Indigenous Australians, Mr Albanese said he'd be attending a national ceremony in Canberra and called for Mr Dutton to do the same.
"Every year it's inspirational and I look forward to celebrating Australia Day," he said.
The federal election must be held by late May.
q Campaigning by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is heating up. Photo: Diego Fedele, Dominic Giannini/AAP PHOTOS.
Farmers welcome plans to attract more vets to regional NSW
THE state’s peak farm body has welcomed a new government initiative to address acute shortages of vets across rural NSW.
Under the NSW Government’s Welcome Experience program, vets, vet nurses, vet technicians and their families are now eligible to receive assistance with sourcing housing, childcare and other services when moving to rural NSW.
NSW Farmers' Member Dr Robyn Alders AO said news of the initiative had been warmly welcomed by
farming communities across the state, as they continued to grapple with critical workforce shortages.
“Farmers know that healthy animals are productive animals and it’s in their best interests to care for their livestock – but the reality is they need to have access to vets if they are to successfully protect animal health on-farm,” Dr Alders said.
“Effective surveillance, detection and response to animal disease is also reliant on a strong veterinary sector,
and this has been proven time and time again during recent outbreaks of exotic animal disease in southern Australia, and detections of notifiable animal disease in NSW.
“We need our vets, and it’s great to see our government recognise this.”
However, Dr Alders warned further solutions to address the shortage of veterinary workers were still necessary, with mentoring, training and incentive programs just some of the solutions proposed by NSW Farmers in a recent inquiry
into vet shortages last year.
“If we want to build a sustainable veterinary workforce here in rural NSW, then we need a range of solutions that address the complex challenges that have caused this shortage in the first place,” Dr Alders said.
“Incentives such as waiving student debt for graduate vets who take up work in rural NSW would make a real difference in attracting vets to rural communities, as would more partnerships between the public and private vet sectors in support of rapid exotic animal disease detection and control in NSW.
“Around the world governments are supporting a range of initiatives to ensure the availability of appropriate, affordable veterinary services to livestock producers, and it’s critical our government does the same.”
ADVERTISEMENT
I’ve known Alison Penfold a long time and I’m supporting her because I know she will listen, care and deliver like I have.
Alison will stand up for you when others won’t. She will fight for policies to get Australia back on track and bring down the cost of living.
Dr DAVID GILLESPIE MP Member for Lyne
ALISON PENFOLD
THE NATIONALS for Lyne
THE 2025 Weed Control Calendar is now available from local offices of Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) or from your local council weeds officer.
Hunter-relevant weeds are the focus according to the month of their control or easy to identify stage as well as weeds that you may not recognise.
The Weeds Calendar has previously led to high priority weed infestations being reported from the community.
Hunter LLS also has Giant Parramatta Grass in its sights with a new video series on controls, management and issues.
Dungog’s Jim Tickle
provides a landholder perspective discussing his experience with Giant Parramatta Grass (GPG) and shares practical information he uses for control and management of this invasive species.
Hunter LLS is rolling out three new videos covering everything from how to identify GPG to effective control strategies and tips for working with neighbouring properties to manage GPG populations.
Tune in for expert advice and valuable insights that could make all the difference for your land at: www.facebook. com/HunterLLS.
Authorised by David Gillespie, Cnr Cameron St and Oxley Hwy, Wauchope NSW 2446
q Giant Parramatta Grass.
q Under the program, vets are now eligible to receive assistance with sourcing housing, childcare and other services when moving to rural NSW. Photos: supplied.
BEST ON THE BOX
FRIDAY SILENT WITNESS
ABC TV, 8.30pm
Debuting all the way back in 1996, this venerable British crime drama returns with its 27th edition tonight. Longtime star Emilia Fox (pictuted), who has now been with the show for 20 seasons, is back as forensic pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander. This week, Nikki and colleague Jack Hodgson (David Caves, pictured with Fox) are called in when a body is found with all the hallmarks of being an infamous serial killer’s latest victim. Along for the ride in this two-part episode is the superb John Hannah, who steals the show as a former coroner whose wife believed to be a victim of the same killer.
FRIDAY, January 24
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Monty Don’s History Of The British Garden: The 19th Century. (R) 8.30 Silent Witness. (Return, Mal) Nikki and Jack investigate a murder.
10.15 You Can’t Ask That: Short-Statured. (Mls, R) An insight into people’s lives.
10.35 Live At The Malthouse. (Mal, R)
11.40 ABC Late News.
11.55 Grand Designs: Wyre Forest. (R)
12.45 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R)
1.30 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv)
5.00 Rage. (PG)
SATURDAY
GUY MONTGOMERY’S GUY MONT SPELLING BEE (NZ)
ABC ENTERTAINS, 8pm
Loosely based on a classic spelling bee format, and wholly an excuse for Kiwi stand-up Guy Montgomery (pictured) to rib, taunt and infuriate his comedian pals on television, the Australian edition of this comedy panel show created quite the buzz for the ABC when it premiered last year. However, what some might not know is that there’s plenty more where that came from. It’s a red-letter day for fans: Montgomery’s homegrown seasons of the Spelling Bee are here, where he’s assisted by the delightfully deadpan Sanjay Patel. Tonight’s premiere sees Hayley Sproull, Abby Howells, Matt Heath and Josh Thomson prove their spelling prowess (or lack thereof).
WEDNESDAY
OPTICS
ABC TV, 8.30pm
It’s a match made in Australian satire heaven: this biting new sitcom combines the talents of ’s Jenna Owen (pictured) and Vic Zerbst minds behind Stan Christmas Nugget is Dead) with the brilliance of The ’s Charles Firth. It’s set in the offices of public relations firm Fritz & Randell, where colleagues Greta (Zerbst) and Nicole (Owen) are trying spin a disgraced AFL player’s antics while their heir-apparent colleague Ian (Firth) sits in an all-male corporate strategy meeting. When the CEO suddenly passes away, the company’s billionaire owner (Claude Jabbour, Last King of the Cross) suggests two surprising successors.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 MOVIE: The Goldfinch. (2019, Madlv, R) 10.10 The Day The Rock Star Died: Michael Hutchence. (Ma)
10.40 SBS World News Late.
11.10 De Gaulle. (PG)
12.10 Kin. (MA15+l, R)
2.55 Home Is Where The Art Is. (PG, R)
3.45 Peer To Peer. (PG, R)
4.45 Destination Flavour Down Under Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. The Challenger. 10.30 Big Bash League Post-Game. Post-match coverage of The Challenger. 11.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. (R) Johanna Griggs learns pickling. 12.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Men’s. Stage 4. Highlights. 1.30 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Hosted by Greg Grainger.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 5.00 NBC Today.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Reviews, previews, interviews, highlights and opinions from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
7.30 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 13. 11.00 MOVIE: Those Who Wish Me Dead. (2021, MA15+lv, R) A survival expert tries to save a teenage boy. Angelina Jolie.
1.00 Customs. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R) Mark rides in a horse race.
4.30 Global Shop. (R) Home shopping.
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Drive TV. (R)
Your Problem!”. 8.50 Robot Wars. 9.50 Doctor Who. 10.40 Late Programs. ABC FAMILY (22) 6am Children’s Programs. Noon Hart Of Dixie. 1.00 Bewitched. 1.30 I Dream Of
6.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer.
6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news. 7.30 MOVIE: Catch Me If You Can. (2002, Mls, R) An FBI agent chases a young con man. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks. 10.20 10’s Late News. Comprehensive coverage of local, national and international news, as well as the latest sport and weather. 10.45 The Project. (R) The hosts and guest panellists take a look at the day’s news, events and hot topics. 11.50 The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (PG) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R)
6.00
SATURDAY, January 25
6.30 Back Roads: Theodore, Queensland. (PG, R) Guest presented by Anna Daniels.
7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.
7.30 Australian Of The Year 2025. (PG) Hosted by Leigh Sales.
8.45 Beyond Paradise. (PG) Humphrey investigates the death of an unidentified man found in the centre of a crop circle.
9.45 Vera. (Mv, R) Vera investigates a daring robbery, but uncovers a web of intrigue when it turns out to be an inside job.
11.15 Miniseries: Until I Kill You. (Malv, R)
12.50 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Magical Train Journeys In Switzerland.
8.30 Cotswolds And Beyond With Pam Ayres. (PGa, R)
9.20 Great Australian Walks With Julia Zemiro. (PGa, R)
10.15 Ruby Wax: Castaway. (Mal, R)
11.10 Ralph And Katie. (PGal, R)
2.30 Home Is Where The Art Is. (PG, R)
3.25 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R)
4.20 Peer To Peer. (R)
4.50 Destination Flavour. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. The Women’s Ashes. Twenty20 International Series. Australia v England. Game 3.
10.30 MOVIE: Dracula Untold. (2014, Mh, R) After his kingdom is threatened by invaders, a young prince becomes a monster to protect his people. Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper.
12.30 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Men’s. Stage 5. Highlights. 1.30 Travel Oz. (PG, R) Presented by Greg Grainger.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 It’s Academic. (R)
5.00 My Greek Odyssey. (PG, R)
6.00 NBN News.
6.30 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Reviews, previews, interviews, highlights and opinions from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
7.30 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 14. 12.00 MOVIE: Red Dog. (2011, PGals, R) A dog unites a remote outback community. Josh Lucas.
2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PG) Religious program.
2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R) Home shopping.
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Helping Hands Summer Series. (PG, R)
6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Dr Chris Brown. 8.30 The Dog House. (PGa, R) A spaniel may have founds its soul sister. An excitable lurcher puppy meets a husky. 9.30 Ambulance Australia. (Ma, R) Follows NSW Ambulance on the longest night of the year, the end of daylight saving, as they deal with a diabetic coma, a rescue from a burning car, a child in anaphylaxis and an explosion in Chinatown. 10.30 Ambulance UK. (Ma, R) Ambulance crews attend a number of emotionally charged category one emergencies. 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
6am I Capture
The Castle. (2003, PG) 7.05 All Roads Lead To Rome. (2015, PG) 8.45 The Importance Of Being Earnest. (2002) 10.25 Haywire. (2011, M) 12.05pm Infinite Storm. (2022, M) 1.55 The Man Who Knew Infinity. (2015, PG) 3.55 The Cup. (2011, PG) 5.55 The Scarlet And The Black. (1983, PG) 8.30 Harry Brown. (2009, MA15+) 10.25 The Handmaiden. (2016, MA15+, Korean) 1.05am Late Programs.
SUNDAY, January 26
6.55 Governor-General’s Australia Day Message. An address to the nation.
7.00 ABC News. Takes a look at the top stories of the day, including coverage of developing stories and events.
7.30 Australia Day Live. A celebration of music, lights and fireworks.
9.30 MOVIE: Shine. (1996, PGav, R) An eccentric pianist suffers a nervous breakdown as he pursues a career in music. Geoffrey Rush, Sonia Todd. 11.15 To Be Advised.
12.40 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
3.10 Australia Remastered. (R)
4.05 Gardening Australia. (R)
5.05 The Great Acceleration. (PG, R)
6am Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts: Above And Beyond. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Riley Rocket. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Good Game Spawn Point. 7.55 MOVIE: Gangsta Granny. (2013) 9.00 Fresh Off The Boat. 9.45 Speechless. 10.05 Officially Amazing. 10.35 Late Programs. 6am Children’s Programs. 10.00 Tiddler. 10.25 Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Riley Rocket. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Moominvalley. 8.00 The Secret Life Of Our Pets. 8.50 Fresh Off The Boat. 9.35 Speechless.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 MOVIE: Bran Nue
Dae. (2009, PGlsv, R)
9.05 The Lost City Of Melbourne. (Md, R)
10.40 Bettany Hughes: Treasures Of Jordan. (PGa, R)
11.35 Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey.
2.00 Home Is Where The Art Is. (R)
2.55 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R)
3.50 Make Me A Dealer. (R)
4.40 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 Al Jazeera.
That Built The World. 6.40 Abandoned Engineering. 8.30 The UnXplained With William Shatner. 10.10 Deadly Funny 2024. 11.40 WWE Legends. 1.15am The X-Files. 3.05 Late Programs. 6am Shopping. 8.30 Better
The Scarlet And The Black. Continued. (1983, PG) 8.10 The Farewell. (2019, PG) 10.00 Man Up. (2015, M) 11.40 Mother Couch. (2023) 1.40pm Skies Of Lebanon. (2020, PG, Italian) 3.25 All Roads Lead To Rome. (2015, PG) 5.05 Emu Runner. (2018, PG) 6.55 Wide Open Sky. (2015) 8.30 Sweet As. (2022) 10.05 Tobacco Barns. (2022, M, Spanish) Midnight The Comeback Trail. (2020, MA15+) 1.55 Late Programs.
6am Morning Programs. 9.00 America’s Game. 10.00
6am Children’s Programs. 1pm MOVIE: The Red Shoes: Next Step. (2023, PG) 3.20 MOVIE: The Choice. (2016, PG) 5.30 MOVIE: 17 Again. (2009, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore. (2022, M) 10.35 MOVIE: The Mechanic. (2011, MA15+) 12.30am The Originals. 2.30 Surfing Aust. 3.00 Teen Titans Go! 3.30 Beyblade X. 4.00 Transformers: Prime. 4.30 Pokémon: XYZ. 4.50 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG)
7.30 John Farnham: Finding The Voice. (Mal, R)
9.30 An Audience With Kylie Minogue. (PG, R)
10.45 The British Airways Killer. (Mav, R)
12.50 Cycling. Santos Tour Down Under. Men’s. Stage 6. Highlights.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise 5am News.
5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 NBN News. 6.30 Australian Open Tennis Pre-Show. Hosted by Tony Jones.
7.30 Tennis. Australian Open. Night 15. From Melbourne Park. Hosted by James Bracey. 12.00 The First 48: Inside The Tape Special #9. (MA15+a) A body is discovered in a bridge.
1.00 Customs. (PG, R) Follows customs officers at work.
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa)
The Road To The Open: A New Chapter. (R)
Today Early News.
6.00 The Sunday Project. A look at the day’s news. 7.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGals) Hosted by Julia Morris and Robert Irwin. 8.30 MOVIE: Gemini Man. (2019, Mlv, R) An aging assassin finds himself being chased by someone with the ability to predict his
6am Children’s Programs. 1.30pm MOVIE: Nanny McPhee. (2005, PG) 3.30 MOVIE: Hating Alison Ashley. (2005, PG) 5.30 MOVIE: How To Train Your Dragon 2. (2014, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: War With Grandpa. (2020, PG) 9.30 MOVIE: Lethal Weapon 3. (1992, M) Midnight Gotham. 1.00 Arrow. 3.00 Teen Titans Go! 3.30 Beyblade X. 4.00 Bakugan: Legends. 4.30 Late Programs.
MONDAY, January 27
6.00
6am Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 The Deep. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Dr Karl’s How Things Work. 8.35 Hard Quiz Kids. 9.05 The Wonderful World Of Puppies. 9.50 Doctor Who. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (PG, R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Hunt For Truth: Tasmanian Tiger. (Final, Ml, R)
8.35 Jimmy Carr’s I Literally Just Told You. (M)
9.30 Inside Sydney Airport. (PGal, R)
10.30 SBS World News Late.
11.00 Clean Sweep. (MA15+s)
11.55 Wisting. (Madlv, R)
12.50 You Shall Not Lie. (MA15+als, R)
2.45 Home Is Where The Art Is. (R) 3.35 Make Me A Dealer. (R) 4.25 Peer To Peer. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Cricket. Big Bash League. Final. 10.30 Big Bash League Post-Game. Post-match coverage of the Big Bash League Final. 11.00 Motorway Patrol. (Ma) A good samaritan helps out at a crash.
11.30 Highway Cops. (PGa)
A truckie’s seatbelt saves his neck.
12.00 Friday Night Lights. (Madsv, R)
A gridiron team strives for victory.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise 5am News. The latest news, sport and weather. 5.30 Sunrise. News, sport and weather.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Return, Mls) The social experiment begins. 9.30 To Be Advised. 10.30 9News Late.
11.00 Chicago Med. (MA15+amv)
11.50 Casualty 24/7. (Mm, R)
12.40 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
2.30 Global Shop. (R)
3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa) 4.30 A Current Affair. (R)
Today Early News. 5.30 Today.
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The Importance Of Being Earnest. (2002) 7.40 Emu Runner. (2018, PG) 9.30 A Handful Of Dust. (1988, PG) 11.35 Zama. (2017, M, Spanish) 1.50pm The Scarlet And The Black. (1983, PG) 4.25 Minari. (2020, PG, Korean) 6.35 Where Is Anne Frank. (2021, PG) 8.30 Drunken Tai Chi. (1984, M, Cantonese) 10.10 Broker. (2022, M, Korean) 12.30am Late Programs.
TUESDAY, January 28
Gardening Aust. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Children’s
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? (PGa, R)
8.35 Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends Of Pop. (Final, Ml, R)
9.50 Video Killed The Radio Star. (Mlns, R)
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Beyond Signs. (MA15+a)
11.50 Christian. (Malv, R)
2.50 Home Is Where The Art Is. (PG, R)
3.40 21 Kids And Counting. (PGal, R)
4.35 Bamay. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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6am Morning Programs. 10.30 NFL.
IN
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The Farewell. (2019, PG) 7.55 Minari. (2020, PG, Korean) 10.05 Sweet As. (2022) 11.45 The Emigrants. (2021, M, Swedish) 2.25pm Wide Open Sky. (2015) 4.00 A Handful Of Dust. (1988, PG) 6.10 Ride On. (2023, PG, Mandarin) 8.30 Hero. (2002, M, Mandarin) 10.25 Wet Season. (2019, MA15+) 12.20am Hunt. (2022, MA15+, Korean) 2.40 Broker. (2022, M, Korean) 5.00 A Handful Of Dust. (1988, PG)
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PG)
7.30 The 1% Club. (PGls) Hosted by Jim Jefferies.
8.35 MOVIE: The Equalizer 2. (2018, MA15+v, R) A retired CIA black ops operative is forced back into action when his friend is murdered. Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal.
11.05 MOVIE: Skyscraper. (2018, lv, R) Dwayne Johnson.
1.00 Friday Night Lights. (Madsv, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise 5am News.
5.30 Sunrise.
6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair. 7.30 Married At First Sight.
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WEDNESDAY, January 29
6.00 News. 9.00 News. 10.00 The Way We Wore. (Final, PG, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 News. 12.30 Press Club. 1.50 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.00 Forever Summer With Nigella. (R) 3.25 Grand Designs. (PG, R) 4.15 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.20 Confucius Was A Foodie. (R) 11.00 China On Stage. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Such Was Life. (PG, R) 2.10 Amazing Railway Adventures. (PGav, R) 3.00 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.05 Destination Flavour China. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Who The Bloody Hell Are We? (PGav, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Aust. (PG, R) 6.30 News.
7.35 The Real Crown: Inside The House Of Windsor. (PG, R)
8.30 Wonders Of The Moon With Dara Ó Briain. (PGa)
9.25 Miniseries: Playing Nice. (Premiere, M)
10.20 SBS World News Late. 10.50 Pagan Peak. (Mav) 11.40 Rogue Heroes. (MA15+v, R) 12.50 Agent Hamilton. (Mav, R) 2.30 Home Is Where The Art Is. (R) 3.20 22 Kids And Counting. (R) 4.15 Bamay. (R) 4.55 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6am Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 The Deep. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Operation Ouch! 8.35 Doctor Who. 10.30 Mythbusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 10.55 Late Programs.
VICELAND (31)
THURSDAY, January 30
6.00 News. 9.00 News. 10.00 Eat The Invaders. (PG, R) 10.30 Back Roads. (PG, R) 11.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R) 12.00 News. 1.00 Australian Of The Year 2025. (PG, R) 2.15 Fake Or Fortune? (R) 3.25 Grand Designs. (R) 4.15 Long Lost Family: What Happened Next. (PG, R) 5.00 A Bite To Eat. (R) 5.30 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
6am Morning
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 MOVIE: Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts. (2017, PGav) 3.00 The Chase. (R) 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Kirby holds a strategy meeting.
7.30 The 1% Club UK. (Return, PG) Hosted by Lee Mack.
8.30 Ludwig. (Premiere, Ma) A man investigates his twin’s disappearance.
9.45 Breathtaking. (Premiere, Ma)
10.45 The Suspects: True Australian Thrillers. (M, R)
11.45 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.45 Black-ish. (PGa)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise 5am News.
5.30 Sunrise.
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6.00 Today. 9.00 Today Extra. (PG) 11.30 9News Morning. 12.00 MOVIE: Uptown Girls.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls)
9.00 MOVIE: Unbreakable: Jelena Dokic Story. (2024, Mal) The story of Jelena Dokic. Jelena Dokic, Pam Shriver.
11.15 9News Late.
11.45 The Equalizer. (MA15+v, R)
12.35 Tipping Point. (PG, R)
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
2.30 Global Shop. (R)
3.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa)
4.30 A Current Affair. (R)
5.00 Today Early News.
5.30 Today.
Parkinson In Australia. (PG, R)
Gardening Aust. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6am Children’s Programs. 5.55pm Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00 The Deep. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 The Inbestigators. 8.05 Operation Ouch! 8.35
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.25 Confucius Was A Foodie. (R) 11.05 China On Stage. 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Hold Up. (Mv, R) 2.10 Amazing Railway Adventures. (PGa, R) 3.00 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.05 Destination Flavour China. (R) 3.35 The Cook Up. (R) 4.05 Australia
Uncovered: Our African Roots. (PGa, R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Finding Your Roots. (Return)
8.30 Silk Road From Above. (PG, R) The aerial journey concludes. 9.30 The Darkness. (MA15+a) 10.25 SBS World News Late.
10.55 Divided We Stand. (Mal)
12.50 Blanca. (Malv, R)
2.45 Home Is Where The Art Is. (R)
3.35 22 Kids And Counting. (PGl, R)
4.30 Peer To Peer. (PG, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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7.35 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. 8.30 The Curse Of Oak Island. 10.10 Homicide: Life On The Street. 12.55am Criminal Planet. 2.40 NHK World English News. 5.00 Al Jazeera. 6am TBA. 6.30 Escape
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Programs. 9.15 Where Is Anne Frank. (2021, PG) 11.10 Drunken Tai Chi. (1984, M, Cantonese) 12.50pm The Way Way Back. (2013, M) 2.45 Minari. (2020, PG, Korean) 4.55 Sissi: The Fateful Years. (1957, PG, German) 6.55 The Eagle Huntress. (2016, PG, Kazakh) 8.30 The Big Boss. (1971, M, Cantonese) 10.30 Too Cool To Kill. (2022, M, Mandarin) 12.30am Late Programs. 6am Morning Programs. 8.35 Ride On. (2023, PG, Mandarin) 10.55 Hero. (2002, M, Mandarin) 12.50pm Stage Mother. (2020, M) 2.30 The Man Who Invented Christmas. (2017, PG) 4.25 Much Ado About Nothing. (1993, PG) 6.30 Kung Fu Yoga. (2017, PG) 8.30 Ip Man: Kung Fu Master. (2019, MA15+, Mandarin) 10.05 Noryang: Deadly Sea. (2023, MA15+, Korean) 12.50am Late Programs.
6.00 Sunrise. 9.00 The Morning Show. (PG) 12.00 Seven’s National News At Noon. 1.00 Air Crash Investigations: The Accident Files. (PGa, R) 2.00 The Women’s Ashes Pre-Game Show. 2.30 Cricket. The Women’s Ashes. Test Match. Australia v England. Day 1. Afternoon session. 4.00 Seven News At 4. 5.00 The Chase Australia.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Eden wants answers from Cash.
7.30 Highway Patrol. (PGa)
8.30 MOVIE: Bridget Jones’s Diary. (2001, Mlv, R) A woman documents a year of her life through her diary. Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth.
10.35 Pam & Tommy. (Final, MA15+alns)
11.35 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.30 Black-ish. (PGa, R)
1.30 Harry’s Practice. (R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise 5am News.
5.30 Sunrise.
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6.00 NBN News. 7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls) 9.00 Becoming Madonna. (MA15+als) A retelling of Madonna’s journey. 11.00
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Send News Of The Area your sports club’s results each week by Sunday evening for publication on a Wednesday. Bowls, golf, tennis, kayaking, cycling, cross country, athletics, fishing etc - you name it, we can publish it in our dedicated weekly Sports Results section. Email your results, relevant photos and captions to media@newsofthearea.com.au.
BOLD
9GO! (83)
9GO! (83)
On theCouch
Email Jasminda: media@newsofthearea.com.au
DEAR Jasminda,
There has been a lot of angst about people setting up their cabanas on beaches lately.
A good friend of mine thinks they ruin the beach, but we got one for Christmas which makes going to the beach with her a bit uncomfortable.
How do I handle this?
Karen Q.
Dear Karen,
Ah, summer on the beach. The deafening trill of cicadas, sand in every orifice of the car, (and body) children screaming
out from beyond the flags on flimsy inflatable rings, the marcasite glint coming off the ocean. It is such an evocative time, and one that can make us nostalgic for the good old days when there was an unencumbered view of the ocean and we cooked ourselves like well-done steaks, encouraging the baking process by smearing baby oil over every body part not covered by an itsybitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini (and that was just the men).
Thankfully we have evolved in many ways and people are now far more sun safe than they were. Unfortunately, those of us who were sun worshippers in the 80s and 90s, are now getting basal cell carcinomas chopped out of our bodies and there is nothing sexy about that.
Cabanas and umbrellas are one way to mitigate the impact of the sun and some families don't
have the luxury of living a short drive from the beach, so they have to come prepared for the day.
After being told my my dermatologist to only sunbake at night, I avoid the heat of the day and usually only go to the beach when most of the crowds have left, but if I was there at midday with delicate-skinned children in tow, I'd be putting up everything I could to offer a bit more protection from the sun (of course a cabana isn't enough - hats, rashies and SPF50+ sunscreen are mandatory too in our harsh climate). If the view upsets your friend, get her to move down to the shoreline where she will have a clear view of the ocean, or suggest to her that she swim first thing in the morning or last thing in the afternoon.
Then all she will have to worry about is an unpatrolled beach, rips and sharks.
Asia,
= Africa,
= Antarctica, 4 = Australia, 5 = Europe,
North America and 7 = South America. Iran is in Asia.
Kids Boot Camp 029
Carpe diem, Jasminda.
Global oud virtuoso brings world-class music to Dungog
By Shannon BENTON
WORLD-renowned oud
virtuoso Joseph Tawadros is set to captivate audiences in Dungog with a rare and intimate performance at the Royal Hotel on Saturday, January 25, as part of the Australia Day long weekend celebrations.
A celebrated performer and composer, Tawadros has toured the globe,
playing alongside major orchestras and collaborating with musical legends like Béla Fleck, Neil Finn, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Known for blending ancient Middle Eastern sounds with contemporary music, his performances are both technically dazzling and emotionally moving.
This event promises to bring a fresh and
extraordinary twist to Dungog’s Australia Day festivities.
With his trademark wit and an infectious energy, Tawadros will deliver an unforgettable evening of entertainment.
At just 32, Tawadros has achieved remarkable acclaim, including a historic hat-trick of ARIA Awards for Best World Music Album in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
His mastery of the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument, has not only expanded its recognition in Western music but also earned him a spot on the global stage, with performances across Europe, the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. Visit dungogroyalhotel. com.au for ticket details.
Royal Hotel reigns as most popular pub name
THE most popular names for NSW pubs have been revealed, with Royal Hotel taking the top spot as the most common watering hole in 2025.
The latest data from Liquor & Gaming NSW shows that 73 out of the state’s 2,112 licensed hotels share this prestigious name, reflecting its iconic status in Aussie pub culture.
From the bustling streets of Sydney to the quiet charm of the bush, you are never too far from a Royal Hotel, with 12 located in metropolitan hubs and 51 spread across regional NSW.
Variations such as Royal Oak, Royal Exchange, and Royal Mail bring the total number of ‘Royal’ pubs to an impressive 111.
The enduring popularity of regal-inspired hotels dates back to the mid-20th century, reflecting Australia’s strong cultural ties to the UK.
The late 1950s marked the golden age of the Royal Hotel moniker, with 43 new venues licensed with this name between 1958 and 1960 alone.
Commercial Hotel takes second place, boasting 34 venues across NSW, highlighting the vital role these pubs played as gathering spots for business travellers and centres of local commerce during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Railway Hotel comes in third on the list, with 20 venues across the state.
These pubs emerged alongside the NSW rail network, with the venues providing rest and refreshments for both travellers and railway workers.
Historically, the term "hotel" was used for many
laws, which
NSW’s most popular licensed hotel names
Dungog.
q Joseph with his oud. Photo: supplied.
Ways for consumers to put the 'sun tax' in the shade
By Marion RAE, AAP
FOR those who can afford it, adding a battery could beat the "sun tax" that will further deplete the once-generous rate of return for rooftop solar pioneers.
A third of Australia's households have rooftop solar and almost three quarters of the output has historically been exported into the electricity grid.
But a new tax, or socalled two-way pricing, is already being trialled in NSW as the network attempts to throttle output during hours of too much supply to keep the system stable.
"When we got our first solar we had 60 cents (per kilowatt hour) from the NSW government and an extra six cents from whoever was our
energy provider at the time, and now we get seven cents," economist Nicki Hutley told AAP.
"There will be - during the middle of the day - a sun tax but that's why we need to invest more in household batteries and things like vehicle-to-grid charging," she said.
But getting smarter about charging and using appliances in the middle of the day requires smart meters, which measure energy use in five to 30 minute blocks.
Victoria and Tasmania have accelerated the rollout of smart meters, and the Australian Energy Market Commission in November mandated smart meter deployment across the national electricity market by 2030.
"It's all about setting your dishwasher or whatever to go on at midday so you're maximising your energy use during the day and not exporting back to the grid" at that time,” Ms Hutley said.
"If you've got a sufficiently sized battery in your home, or your car, you can store the energy and then you don't have to pay," she said.
Under the access and pricing rule change, existing solar customers cannot be put on export pricing arrangements until July 1, 2025, unless they elect to do so.
These network tariffs, which providers charge to retailers, are being introduced across NSW, and are proposed for South Australia in 2025 and under development in Victoria for 2026.
Retailers will choose how to package these up into retail offers for customers, along with their other costs to supply electricity.
Leading charities lobbied for the reform because they thought it was unfair that everyone in a network should pay to support those who could afford solar panels.
Meanwhile a federal Community Batteries for Household Solar program is building shared storage for up to 100,000 households.
This is designed to allow more renters who cannot install solar panels to access cheap renewable energy and to absorb excess energy that might cause voltage spikes in the electricity grid.
Ausgrid, which supplies power to more than two million customers in Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter confirmed its twoway pricing was opt-ininitially.
"Yes, there is a 1.2 c/ kWh export charge but only for excess exports above the free threshold (and between 10am and 3pm)", an Ausgrid spokesman said.
"What this means is customers are being paid a tiny fraction less for their electricity exports. They are still being rewarded," he said.
"But key to understanding this, is that there is a 2.4 c/ kWh reward for exports between 4pm and 9pm," he added.
NSW's Endeavour Energy also levies solar exports during the middle of the day and provides a reward for exports during late afternoons and evenings.
For regulators, export reward tariffs - when passed through to customers by retailers - are intended to build a more stable energy supply for the benefit of all electricity users.
The electricity network was not designed for large amounts of energy flowing back in.
This two-way flow of
energy, with peaks in supply during the sunny middle of the day, has been overloading the network in many areas.
This is preventing some home-owners from exporting any solar at all, and also leads to additional network costs to accommodate the increased load.
These costs are currently borne by electricity users unable to access the benefits of solar, such as renters and apartment dwellers, as well as solar households.
"We're encouraging people to start changing their solar habits now," Compare the Market head of energy Meredith O'Brien said.
"Run power-guzzling appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers during the day or charge laptops, mobile phones, tablets and other devices," Ms O'Brien said.
Consider adding a battery to store solar electricity to either use in the evening or export it overnight or in peak demand periods in the late afternoon and early evening when the credit will be larger, she said.
It also pays to read the fine print on retail offers, as what looks like a great rate of return may be wiped out by higher electricity consumption charges.
The days of earning more per kilowatt hour for solar exports than what a household was buying for its own consumption are long
gone. A feed-in tariff, also known as a buyback rate, is a credit received by homes and businesses for electricity sent back to the grid.
For many households, credits build up over summer and can be offset against otherwise unaffordable winter power bills.
Most homes are on a plan with a flat rate, while others have a time-of-use rate with the middle of the day earning very little and a higher payoff in the evening.
There are also so-called block feed-in tariffs, where rooftop solar may attract a certain rate for the first five kWh sent to the grid each day, but half that for the next five.
Early adopters like Ms Hutley were on premium rates that state governments put in place in 2008 to encourage uptake.
NSW slashed the rate in 2010, Victoria's 66c premium feed-in tariff ended in November 2024 and South Australia's 20-year scheme will expire in 2028.
Victoria in January proposed what is effectively a zero-cent minimum rate, which means the state's almost 800,000 solar households must change their behaviour to get more bang for their solar buck.
The minimum flat feedin tariff will drop from 3.3 cents from July 1 under the draft proposal, with a final decision due by February 28.
Weather extremes raise new climate alarms
By Andrew VIVIAN
WILDFIRES in Los Angeles, heavy snow in other parts of the US, floods in Saudi Arabia and heatwaves across Australia have all confirmed the fears of climate scientists.
The Climate Council, an independent organisation formed after the Abbott Government abolished the Climate Commission in 2013, says scientists have confirmed 2024 was the world’s hottest since records began.
It eclipsed the record set in 2023 and raises alarms that burning fossil fuels is leaving the planet “teetering on the brink” of breaking the 1.5°C barrier set by the Paris Agreement.
The Council says coordinated modelling and analysis produced by experts at NASA, the European climate service Copernicus, the US weather service NOAA, the UK Met Office, Berkeley Earth and the World Meteorological Organisation
has found that every year of the past decade is one of the top ten on record.
“These are not the records any climate scientist wants to see broken,” said Climate Councillor Professor David Karoly.
“When it comes to rising temperatures, rising sea levels and rising damage bills from ‘unnatural’ disasters, every fraction of a degree matters.”
A warmer atmosphere also supercharges rain events, like the flooding in Spain that saw cars swept through the streets and, closer to home, the flooding from ex-tropical cyclone Kirrily that became a disaster event in Queensland last January.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and damaging and it’s not just climate scientists who are alarmed.
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said a dangerous combination of “historic” winds and extensive drought
created the “perfect storm” for her city’s raging wildfires.
Early this week, an open letter written by Anjali Sharma, Jess TraversWolf, Hannah Vardy and Daisy Jeffrey, urged the Federal Government to legislate a “Duty of Care” to young people and future generations.
More than 50 individuals and organisations signed the letter, including Lucy Turnbull AO, John Hewson, Craig Foster, Peter Doherty, Emma McKeon and Grace Tame.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said, “People worldwide have suffered through ten years of record-breaking temperatures, driving deadly heatwaves, ferocious fires and record breaking flooding.
"We have started to make real progress. Our grid is more renewable than ever, new EVs have hit the market at record rates, and we’ve just had a bumper year for big clean energy and storage
projects.
“It’s time to draw a line in the sand and say ‘no more fossil-fuelled temperature records’.
“Australia has everything we need for this to be the year we set records for all the right reasons, from climate ambition to renewable power
[and] nature restoration to clean transport.
“We can clean up our energy system by the 2030s.”
q For those with solar panels who can afford it, adding a battery could beat the "sun tax". Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
q Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and damaging.
By Jennifer DUDLEYNICHOLSON, AAP
TEN years after the National Broadband Network was declared "fully operational," industry experts expect the project to finally realise its original mission: high-speed internet connections for almost everyone.
The accomplishment is expected in 2030 after the announcement of a $3.8 billion investment to strip more ageing copper connections from the network, replacing them with fibre optics.
Analysts say the result will "roughly" meet the original targets for the network when it was established in 2009, and could deliver hundreds of billions of dollars to the Australian economy.
But they also warn consumers may be missing vital information about the upgrades and how to ensure their homes benefit the most from them.
Prime Minister Anthony
Albanese announced the upgrade to Australia's broadband network on Monday, revealing plans to invest up to $3 billion to remove almost all of its remaining fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) connections.
The technology – one of the slowest NBN options –works by connecting fibre optic cables to a cabinet in the street and using copper wires to connect homes and businesses to it.
The investment comes after a $2.4 billion cash injection to upgrade 1.5 million copper connections in late 2022, and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says it is vital to ensure households are not left behind.
"This funding is necessary and unavoidable to address growing reliability and security issues," she said.
"Removing copper from the FTTN network means we are finally building the NBN that was originally planned."
The financial boost is expected to upgrade 622,000
internet connections by 2030, more than half of which are located in regional areas.
The change could also mean the upgraded network will "roughly" meet the original plan for the NBN when it was announced in 2009, independent telecommunications analyst Paul Budde says.
That plan was to connect most Australian homes and businesses to the internet using fibre-to-the-home technology, with a minority in remote areas using satellite and wireless connections.
"It won't be 100 percent the same but the end result –what it means for customers – will be achieved if this $3 billion delivers what it promises," he told AAP.
"From a user's perspective, they will get what was promised with the original plan."
The path to this point has been bumpy, however, and littered with political U-turns about the technology used in the network.
fill in for Pat Cummins, who is missing the series due to the impending birth of his second child.
If Smith's injury is more serious than first thought, star No.5 Travis Head would be in the box seat to become Australia's 48th Test captain.
Head was named as vice-
captain for the series, with axed allrounder Mitch Marsh also previously appointed as a Test deputy.
Smith is not Australia's only injury concern, with left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann set to miss his first Test opportunity in almost two years after surgery on his fractured right thumb.
Kuhnemann, who played three Tests in India in 2023, was injured playing for the Brisbane Heat in the BBL last Thursday.
He will stay in Australia until his surgical wounds heal, but is planning to start bowling again in the coming days.
Working in his favour, the surgery was on his non-
Ignoring the obvious benefits of using superior fibre optic connections in the network in favour of a faster, cheaper initial rollout was a costly mistake, Mr Budde says, which the recent billiondollar upgrades prove.
The NBN's long rollout should serve as a lesson when designing future infrastructure investments, he said, that all political parties should consult and listen to industry advice.
"When you start with one technology and then you have
The
By Lindsay HALL
A QUIET week for cinemas seems in order given the recent weather, but if you need a break from clearing up after the storms, you can check out a few new tales.
The Brutalist is a period drama film following the harrowing life journey of a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who tries to build a new life for his family in America.
From writer/director Brady Corbet, the film stars Adrien Brody, who reminds us all exactly why he was once the youngest Oscar winner working in Hollywood, alongside Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.
The Holocaust, racism, poverty, classism, abuse, injustice - it’s all explored here as we watch a gifted but downtrodden man try to build a better legacy.
to scrap these fibre-to-thenode boxes to go back to the original plan, all that would have been unnecessary if you had bipartisan support," he said.
"It should have been a non-political decision."
The decision to remove and replace copper connections would not only benefit users, though, RMIT engineering associate professor Mark Gregory says.
The useful life of a copper connection is shorter than alternative technology, he said, and the cost of maintaining the material in the network would continue to escalate.
"The NBN won't be completed until fibre-tothe-node has been replaced simply because having
that copper segment in the network adds to costs," he said.
"This is not just about providing consumers with better connectivity and better speeds, it's also about reducing the costs of maintaining that copper."
But there is a potential catch those receiving NBN upgrades should consider, Mr Gregory says: the upgrade will put fibre connections past premises but not inside them unless the residents request it.
To receive a fibre-to-thehome upgrade, NBN users will need to order a 100 megabit per second internet plan from a service provider, who will organise the installation on their behalf.
Far from light-hearted, this may not be the top pick if you need a laugh this week, but it is a film that challenges us to examine our prejudice.
Not necessarily heartwarming but certain to have broader appeal is A Complete Unknown, the much anticipated biopic of the early career of the legendary Bob Dylan.
Starring Timothée Chalamet as the folk singer/ songwriter, the film charts the artist’s introduction to his own idol, Woody Guthrie, his gradual rise and growing respect among the folk music scene, and how it all nearly fell apart when he chose to use an electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
Director James Mangold (Logan) puts substance over style in this wellcrafted but “un-showy” movie, while the cast all
turn in solid performances as some of the all-time greats in music.
Sure, it’s no substitute for catching the man himself at a live show… but whatever could be?
Finally for big, dumb fun, a new film by Mel Gibson, Flight Risk, premieres this week.
An intriguing thriller starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace, the idea here is that a US Marshall hires a private plane to escort a Mob witness, only to discover that their pilot is a hitman who has been hired to ensure he never makes it to court.
Whether or not this is worth checking out depends on how much you may enjoy Wahlberg, and your tolerance for Gibson’s capacity for filming violence and action.
bowling hand, giving him an outside chance of playing in Sri Lanka.
The first Test begins in Galle on January 29, with the second match from February 6.
Cummins, who was already missing the Tests to be with his growing family, continues to recover from soreness in his left
ankle suffered during the successful Border-Gavaskar home campaign.
A Cricket Australia spokesman said Cummins would "likely require a period of physical preparation and recovery".
Cummins was picked in Australia's preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, with chairman
of selectors George Bailey confident the star quick would be fit and available for the 50-over tournament.
During a press conference last week, Bailey insisted he hadn't asked Cummins about the results of scans on his ankle and was leaving him to deal with preparing for his newest baby.
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q The NBN is finally expected to realise its original mission. Photo: James Ross/ AAP PHOTOS.
q Steve Smith is under a fitness cloud for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka after injuring an elbow.
Photo: Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS.