By Joseph RICHARDS
BRIDGE FUTURE
By Joseph RICHARDS
q Men’s Shed members (L-R) Ron Jones, Steve Jones, Russ Steer and John Pryde, with beloved dog Gabby.
BRIDGE FUTURE
approaches and footpaths.
contend with a structure that no longer meets all of our needs,” Dungog Shire Mayor Digby Rayward said.
“So, the sooner we can deliver the new bridge, the sooner we can improve access and reliability for everyone.”
The new bridge will have two lanes, a pedestrian walkway, and upgraded road
Clarence Town Progress Association President John Moyes said, “The new bridge is long overdue, temporary girders have been on it for around 20 years.
“The bridge has only held up due to continued maintenance.
“Limeburners Creek Road has not been seen as a regional road and therefore
Greens announce candidate for Lyne
LORNE resident Tom Ferrier has been endorsed as the Greens candidate for Lyne in the upcoming Federal election.
Mr Ferrier highlights lowering the cost of living, improving health care, and environmental protection as central to his campaign.
“Australians are hard hit by housing costs, whether mortgage or rent,” said Mr Ferrier.
“First home buyers are locked out of the housing market by a system that favours investors.
“The Greens will cap rents, and phase out negative gearing and capital gains concessions.
“The Greens pressure has recently secured an additional $3 billion in
has not had priority.”
The Brig O’Johnston Bridge upgrade will take up to 24 months to complete but will remain open to traffic during construction.
It is hoped that the bridge upgrades will streamline heavy vehicle access to Clarence Town.
Currently, trucks travelling through Limeburners Creek Road have to detour through Seaham or Glen Martin.
funding for public and community housing.”
Mr Ferrier is also supportive of increasing subsidies for renewable energy.
“Study after study has shown the cheapest energy comes from renewables, especially solar and wind,” he said.
“It makes sense to increase subsidies for renewables like rooftop solar to bring household power bills down – paid for by ending subsidies for fossil fuels.”
Health care is another key tenet of his platform.
“Health care affects every Australian, and includes aged care, dental and mental health care,” he said.
“It’s vital we restore
free GP visits, and include preventative dental care as part of Medicare.
“Older Australians need quality, affordable aged care, whether at home or in residential care.
“This should be provided on a not-for-profit basis.”
Additionally Mr Ferrier is advocating for a tightening of environmental protections
and greater support for emergency services.
“Everyone is aware of the increase in extreme weather events,” he said.
“We need to properly resource our emergency services for fire and floods.
“Our Federal environmental protection laws are not working to protect native forests and threatened wildlife.
“The Greens have negotiated with the current government to overhaul these laws.
“They are yet to be passed by parliament.”
CORRECTION
NEWS Of The Area wishes to offer correction to information printed in our Wednesday, 29 January edition.
In the story “Dive into Aboriginal stories” on page 4, it was stated that Reconciliation Dungog Book Club meetings take place every two months on a Saturday morning. The meetings in fact will take place at 2pm.
q A render of the proposed upgrades. Image: Dungog Shire Council.
q The current bridge.
q Tom Ferrier will contest the seat of Lyne for the Greens in the 2025 Federal election.
Community consultation opens on renewable energy zone
an online webinar on Thursday 6 February. Visit https://yoursay.
Free pet microchipping day
By Shannon BENTON
LOCAL pet owners will have the chance to get their furry friends microchipped for free at a special event this weekend.
On Saturday, 8 February, Dungog Shire Council is hosting a Pop-Up Microchipping Day at the Doug Walters Pavilion from 10am to 2pm.
No bookings are required, and the process is quick, easy, and virtually painless for pets.
Microchipping is a vital part of responsible pet ownership.
It helps to reunite lost pets
with their owners.
In NSW, it is a legal requirement for all cats and dogs to be microchipped by twelve weeks of age, or before they are sold or rehomed.
To participate, pet owners must provide proof of Dungog Shire residency, such as a driver’s license or utility bill.
Dogs must be on a lead, and cats must be secured in a carrier.
Council is also reassuring residents that no fines will be issued at this event, even if their pet is overdue for microchipping.
Pet owners with more than three animals to microchip or those with aggressive pets are asked to contact Dungog Shire Council in advance to arrange
assistance.
Local primary producers with working dogs should also take note, as working dogs are eligible for free registration.
However, if a working dog is not microchipped and ends up in the pound, it may lose its working dog status.
“This initiative is all about keeping pets safe and giving owners peace of mind,” a Council spokesperson said.
“If your pet ever gets lost, a microchip dramatically increases the chances of them making it back home.”
For more information, visit the Dungog Shire Council website or call Council on 02 4995 7777.
ausgrid.com.au/hccrez for further details.
In December 2024 Ausgrid was announced as the preferred network operator for the HunterCentral Coast REZ, to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the network infrastructure.
By 2028, the HCC REZ aims to add one gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy to the grid, enhancing energy stability and supporting NSW's shift to sustainable energy.
The project involves upgrading existing overhead line corridors with higher capacity sub-transmission lines and building new substations.
This includes two new substations, upgrades to two existing substations, and approximately 85km of upgraded sub-transmission lines.
Additional enhancements to primary, secondary, and telecommunications systems at various sites will aim to ensure seamless integration with the new infrastructure.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny
Sharpe said the project is “powering ahead”.
"This will be the first renewable energy zone to replace lower-capacity power lines with higher-capacity ones – we’re essentially putting fatter lines on the poles – which will reduce the impact on the community and the environment.
"The start of community consultation is another milestone in the transformation of the state’s energy system.
“It’s great to be in the region to see how this project will deliver critical energy for NSW households and businesses."
Ausgrid’s Group Executive Transmission Development and Growth, Kelly Wood said, “Ausgrid is committed to working with landholders and EnergyCo to finalise details of the design, with the aim of minimising impacts and maximising benefits for the local communities.
"We are proud to see our people bringing this project to life, supporting the communities they and their families live in.”
Men's Shed looking for new ideas
FROM Page 1
ways they have supported men’s mental health.
President John Pryde said, “Some of our members mightn’t have many people they can turn to as their wives might have sadly passed away [so] we provide a space where they can come have some tea, learn something new and socialise.
“It’s okay for men to just come for the tea and a chat and go home too.”
According to the Australian Institute Of Health And Welfare,
18 percent of males are experiencing social isolation.
In what has been called “a male loneliness epidemic”, charities like the Men’s Shed are set up to combat this.
The Dungog Branch of the Men’s Shed is located in Simmonds Lane in an ex-Hunter Water works depot.
Entering its seventeenth year, the group possesses a wide variety of equipment and tools so that members can participate in multidisciplinary work.
There are tools for leatherworking, blacksmithing, metalworking, and woodworking. If anyone is interested in joining they can contact secretary Russ Steer on 0405368084.
ENERGY Minister Penny Sharpe visited an electrical substation slated for upgrades under the Hunter-
Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (HCC REZ) last week, as Ausgrid kicks off community consultation in
the region.
After drop-in sessions in Singleton and Muswellbrook last Friday and Saturday,
Ausgrid will hold
q Pets can be microchipped for free this Saturday. Photo: file.
q Energy Minister Penny Sharpe poses for a selfie with Ausgrid employees.
Doug
Council seeks amendments to transport plan
DUNGOG Shire Council will make a submission to Transport for NSW regarding recommendations for updating the draft Hunter Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan.
In December 2024, Transport for NSW released the draft Hunter Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan (draft transport plan) for public exhibition to 28 February 2025.
It aims to streamline the transport project planning process and provide regional stakeholders and communities an understanding of short to mediumterm transport priorities for the Hunter.
To better support Dungog Shire and the objectives in the draft transport plan, Council will recommend the plan be amended to include:
- a short-term initiative for increasing passenger rail services on the Dungog corridor, rather than deferring this consideration to the medium term. Council says this adjustment would reflect the importance of both corridors of the Hunter Line and align with
efforts to shift trips to rail through fast, frequent, and reliable services.
Council would also seek the duplication of the rail line between Dungog and Telarah to reduce capacity constraints;
- Council will urge Transport for NSW to prioritise increased bus service frequency, expanded operating hours, and additional day-return services for Dungog, Clarence Town, Paterson, Vacy, and Gresford/East Gresford in the medium term to improve commuter services;
- That the proposed new day return coach service between Gloucester and Broadmeadow along Bucketts Way should include utilising Limeburners Creek Road to provide a stop at Clarence Town - particularly if the additional service may arrive in Broadmeadow at just after 9am on a weekday;
- Adding to the component regarding Chichester dam access to be considered for future state road classification.
Transgrid partners NSW
Gov on transmission project
TRANSGRID has been announced as the preferred network operator of the Hunter Transmission Project (HTP), signing a commitment deed with the NSW Government’s EnergyCo.
The project, considered by the state government as “critical for NSW’s energy security”, involves building a new above-ground 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line of around 100 kilometres between Bayswater in the Upper Hunter and Olney in the Lower Hunter to connect the state’s existing 500 kV transmission lines.
When complete, the high-voltage line will transport electricity from the state’s largest renewable energy zones to homes and businesses across NSW.
Following the signing of the agreement, Transgrid will work with EnergyCo as the project is developed and as design and construction contractors are procured.
According to EnergyCo, the project will be delivered
with a “Hunter-first policy”.
“Opportunities will be created to build on the Hunter region’s diverse economic skill base and grow local jobs,” a statement from the state-owned energy authority said.
“Around 700 people will be needed during construction including labourers, engineers and electricians.”
EnergyCo is finalising tender documents to be issued to shortlisted contractors.
Energy Co Chief Executive Hannah McCaughey said the Hunter Transmission Project must be delivered to “unlock reliable energy supply to power the state”.
“The commitment deed is a significant milestone that allows EnergyCo
and Transgrid to work collaboratively on project planning and approvals.
“By creating a new 500 kV transmission line and connecting it to existing infrastructure, the HTP will form the backbone of NSW’s future electricity grid.
“This will enable the Hunter region to play a key role in our renewable energy future while driving
Clarence Town plan on public exhibition
DUNGOG Shire Councillors have endorsed placing the draft Clarence Town Structure Plan and Streetscape Master Plan on public exhibition.
The draft Plan outlines a strategic vision for sustainable growth, improved liveability, and enhanced public spaces in Clarence Town.
“The documents guide development, infrastructure upgrades, and environmental preservation over the next 30 years, aligning with community aspirations and regional objectives,” a Council spokesperson said.
“The Plans are recommended for public exhibition to incorporate feedback before finalisation and subsequent adoption by Council.”
The draft Clarence Town Structure Plan and Streetscape Master Plan will be placed on public exhibition from Wednesday, 12 February 2025 to Wednesday, 12 March 2025 and will be available for the community to view and comment on Council’s website.
renewable energy zones and helping to provide energy security for the state as coalfired power stations retire.
economic growth.
“The announcement of seven shortlisted tenderers for the project marks a significant milestone in delivering critical infrastructure to secure NSW’s energy needs.”
Transgrid CEO Brett Redman said the HTP is one of the state’s most critical energy projects, unlocking generation from new
“We welcome EnergyCo’s vote of confidence in Transgrid as it plans this critical transmission link, which will help accelerate the clean energy transition and provide access to cleaner and cheaper energy to households and businesses,” he said.
“The Hunter has been at the heart of our energy industry for decades and we look forward to continuing to work with the local community as the region continues to play an important role in the state’s clean energy transition.”
q The project involves building a new
500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line of around 100 kilometres between Bayswater in the Upper Hunter and Olney in the Lower Hunter to connect the state’s existing 500 kV transmission lines.
Cheap loans to keep emission-busting farmers profitable
By Marion RAE and Poppy JOHNSTON, AAP
FARMERS could save more than $50,000 a year on interest costs for hybrid, electric and hydrogenpowered utes and methanereducing feed for their herds under a new tranche of cheap loans.
The nation's federal green bank on Friday announced $100 million would go to farmers as part of a $300 million green finance incentives package open to agribusinesses and equipment purchasers.
Farmers for Climate Action chief executive Natalie Collard welcomed the government "using the carrot rather than the stick" so farmers could choose how they wanted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while remaining profitable.
"This is exactly the sort of program our 8400 farmer members have been calling for ... credit where credit is due," Ms Collard said.
"Farmers know why we need to reduce emissionsthis year's bushfires remind us that climate change is hurting farmers now," she said.
The commitment from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation offers farmers discounts on interest rates of 1.15 percent for eligible borrowers through the National Australia Bank.
Farmers can opt to keep the saving or reinvest it in low-emissions fertilisers and methane-reducing livestock feed additives, such as the red seaweed product developed by the CSIRO.
The announcement has been made alongside a new CSIRO-developed tool known as the pathfinder to help farmers understand the carbon footprint of their properties and explore ways to cut emissions.
Loans under the Emissions Reduction Incentive program are expected to range from $1 million to $5 million.
Businesses now recognise the opportunities of going green, NAB Group executive for business and private banking Rachel Slade said.
"Providing lower-cost, green finance makes it easier
for Australian businesses to invest in technologies and practices that reduce emissions and operating costs, drive long-term business growth and enhance their competitiveness," Ms Slade said.
The announcement follows federal green bank the Clean Energy Finance Corporation arranging with Rabobank to offer concessional loans to landowners for the upfront
cost of planting native trees to attract carbon credits.
"The agriculture sector is at the heart of the net-zero transition, with challenging climate conditions impacting Australia-wide," the corporation's head of natural capital Heechung Sung said.
"In lowering their carbon footprint, farmers can become more resilient to climate change while also lifting the appeal of their produce, as consumers increasingly preference sustainable products," she said.
Investments in recycling facilities, manufacturing
solar, wind and battery components or making lowemission cars, trucks, buggies and earthmoving equipment will attract a 0.5 percent interest rate discount.
Customer loans for investments through the $200 million NAB Green Finance for Vehicles and Equipment program are expected to range from $10,000 to $5 million.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is a specialist net-zero investor with access to more than $30 billion from the federal government.
Government’s Community
For more information: www.nsw.gov.au/projects/community-building-partnership
Authorised by Dave Layzell MP,
q Farmers are being offered discounted loans for emission-lowering initiatives like new cow feed. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
Record renewables share in grid as power demand climbs
By Poppy JOHNSTON, AAP
THE share of solar and wind powering Australia's main grid has reached a new high while coal power's contribution dipped below 50 percent for the first time.
Renewable energy supplied a record 46 percent of the national energy market's electricity in the three months to December, driving emissions to record low levels.
The Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) report shows coal's dominance in the grid is slipping as power plants become less reliable and continue to close, and more solar and wind comes online.
Investors were installing renewables because solar and wind were the lowest-cost forms of new generation, said Johanna Bowyer, lead analyst for Australian electricity at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
"It was really interesting
to see such high renewables levels," she told AAP.
"It's generally not that well understood by people that renewables actually do provide such a large proportion of the energy supply in the national electricity market."
Despite record contributions from clean energy, power prices were still higher compared with the same time last year.
The market operator chalked this up to coal plant outages leading to greater reliance on gas - the most expensive form of generation - as well as warmer-thanusual weather prompting households to fire up their air conditioners and fans and push up power demand.
Transmission constraints also played a role, hampering the sharing of low-cost renewable energy across the grid, said AEMO executive general manager of reform delivery Violette Mouchaileh.
"Recent operating conditions highlight the role new transmission projects
under way - such as VNI West, Project EnergyConnect and HumeLink - will play in sharing the lowest-cost energy throughout the NEM (National Electricity Market)," Ms Mouchaileh said.
Ms Bowyer said southern states of South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania were better able to share low-cost renewables around while transmission lines to NSW and Queensland experienced constraints.
Wholesale prices in Queensland and NSW were almost double their southern counterparts, reflecting restricted transmission as well as higher demand and the northern states' reliance on black coal stations, which experienced a number of unplanned outages.
Across the entire grid, wholesale electricity prices averaged $88 per megawatt hour in the December quarter, rising 83 percent from a "very mild" last three months of 2023.
Average prices were still 26 percent lower than the
previous quarter, however.
Ms Bowyer said the market operator was reporting an increasingly extreme "duck curve" - that is, low prices in the middle of the day while solar is generating and high prices in the evening as air-conditioners are fired up to keep cool during warmer nights.
"The duck curve is getting duckier," she said.
Solar generation during the day helped push prices towards zero or into negatives 23.1 percent of the time, representing a new quarterly record.
"We know that storage will help a lot, because it can soak up that low-cost renewable power in the middle of the
day and then release it in the evening, and that will actually smooth out those prices in the evening," she said.
Shifting demand to the middle of the day would also help prevent peaky evening prices, she added.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Thursday's update confirmed the energy system was evolving as expected.
"The data confirms what we know - unreliable coal is having a negative impact on energy prices, more renewables in the system bring wholesale prices down, and new transmission infrastructure is critical to keeping prices lower," he said.
"We are building an energy grid so everyone,
everywhere has access to the cheapest form of energy at any given time."
Australia's 18 remaining coal-fired power stations in the national electricity market were fast approaching their use-by date, Clean Energy Council national spokesperson Chris O'Keefe said, while driving up energy prices.
"The economics and the engineering don't lierenewables, firmed by more storage such as batteries and pumped hydro, gas, as well as upgraded transmission, are the only feasible pathway towards building a cleaner, lower cost energy system for all Australians, sooner."
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
Authorised by David Gillespie, Cnr Cameron St and Oxley Hwy, Wauchope NSW 2446
ADVERTISEMENT
q Renewable energy contributed a record share to the national grid in the three months to December. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS.
BEST ON THE BOX
FRIDAY
MONTY DON’S SPANISH GARDENS
ABC TV, 7.35pm
Globetrotting gardener Monty Don (pictured above) turns his attention to sunny Spain for this three-part series that profiles the country’s many horticultural highlights. Visiting private plots, city parks and community projects during his journey, Monty barely has time to stop for a refreshing glass of sangria before he moves on to the next striking destination. In tonight’s premiere, he is in El Escorial, an imposing palace located an hour northwest of Madrid, that’s the biggest Renaissance building in the world. Then, he wraps up this part of his eye-opening trek in Valencia.
FRIDAY, February 7
6.30 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day. 7.35 Monty Don’s Spanish Gardens. (Premiere) Monty Don visits Spain. 8.35 Silent Witness. (Mav) The team investigates a body discocered in a flat after being dead for a year.
10.20 Optics. (Ml, R)
10.50 Hard Quiz. (PG, R) 11.20 ABC Late News.
11.40 Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee (NZ) (PG, R)
12.25 Grand Designs. (R)
1.10 Rage New Music. (MA15+adhlnsv) 5.00 Rage. (PG)
7.35 Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. 7.50 Teen Titans Go! 8.00 Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? 8.25 BTN Newsbreak. 8.30 Mythbusters “There’s Your Problem!”. 8.55 Robot Wars. 9.55
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Costa Concordia: Why She Sank. (Mal, R) 8.30 Ray Martin: Mysteries Of The Outback. (Ml, R)
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Bonn. (MA15+s) 11.45 Sisi. (MA15+av, R)
2.50 Barkley Manor. (R)
3.20 Inside The Modelling Agency. (Ml, R)
MONDAY
ST. DENIS MEDICAL
SEVEN, 9.10pm
This medical mockumentary from Superstore’s Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin is a riotous comedy that takes the best of Scrubs
Office, then turns the volume up to 11. Set in a chronically underfunded hospital in Oregon, it’s chaos as the beleaguered staff try their best to treat patients and maintain their own sanity. Aussie Josh Lawson (pictured right surgeon Bruce, Bridesmaids McLendon-Covey is hospital director Joyce and Women Kill standout Allison Tolman is supervising nurse Alex. Tonight, Bruce tries to demonstrate his work’s value, while emergency doc Ron (David Alan Grier) thinks a patient has a crush on him.
TUESDAY
DR KARL’S HOW THINGS WORK
Intrepid investigator
enthusiast Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (pictured ) leaves no stone unturned in this entertaining and educational series.
In Tuesday’s season finale, the good doctor tackles one of the great mysteries of the universe: unravelling the secrets of how string cheese works. Going behind the doors of the Bega factory in Yuin Monaro, New South Wales, which produces 25 million slices of cheddar a week, Dr Karl meets the dairy devotees and mozzarella masters who make the magic happen –following the precise, hi-tech process from beginning to end.
4.15 Peer To Peer. (a, R) 4.45 Destination Flavour: Singapore Bitesize. (PGa, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Better Homes And Gardens Summer. Johanna Griggs learns recycling secrets with Lottie Dalziel. Colin Fassnidge bakes spiced stone fruit.
8.30 Australian Idol. (PGl, R) A nationwide search for Australia’s next singing superstar returns with big voices, surprises and star talent. Hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie, with judges Amy Shark, Kyle Sandilands and Marcia Hines.
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Million Dollar Minute. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 5.00 NBC Today. News and current affairs.
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Taronga: Who’s Who In The Zoo. (PG)
8.30 MOVIE: The Equalizer. (2014, MA15+lv, R) A former black-ops agent, who faked his death, comes out of retirement to rescue a girl. Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz.
11.10 MOVIE: The Founder. (2016, Ml, R)
1.15 Innovation Nation.
1.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Postcards. (PG, R)
6.00 Deal Or No Deal. (R) Hosted by Grant Denyer. 6.30 The Project. A look at the day’s news. 7.30 AACTA Awards 2025. (Ml) The AACTA Awards honour Australian television creatives and performers for their achievements over the past year. 10.00 10’s Late News. Coverage of news, sport and weather.
The Graham Norton Show. (PGal, R)
6.00
SATURDAY, February 8
6.00 WorldWatch. 9.00 Britain’s Great Outdoors. (R) 10.00 BBC News At Ten. 10.30 ABC World News Tonight. 11.00 PBS News. 12.00 Cycling. ProVelo Super League. Round 2. Melbourne To Warrnambool
6.30 SBS World News.
6.00 Australian Story: Unfiltered
– Celeste Barber. (R)
6.30 Back Roads: Outback Way, NT Pt 1. (R) Presented by Lisa Millar.
7.00 ABC News. A look at the top stories of the day.
7.30 Beyond Paradise. (Final, PG) Humphrey investigates an inexplicable crime.
8.30 Vera. (PGadlv, R) DCI Vera Stanhope investigates after the body of a woman is washed up on the banks of the River Tyne.
10.05 The Newsreader. (Ml, R) Helen and Dale are forced into competition. 11.00 Unforgotten. (Madl, R) 11.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 5.45pm Hey Duggee. 5.55 Paddington. 6.05 Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes. 6.20 Bluey. 6.25 Octonauts. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Riley Rocket. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Kids BBQ Championship. 8.15 Chopped Junior. 9.05 Fresh Off The Boat. 9.50 Speechless. 10.10 Officially Amazing. 10.40 Late Programs.
7.30 Sandi Toksvig’s Woodland Restoration. (Premiere, Ml)
8.25 Scotland The New Wild. (PG)
9.25 Great Australian Walks With Julia Zemiro. (PGa, R)
10.25 Beautiful Lakes Of Northern Italy. (R)
11.15 Home Jacking. (Premiere, Mlv)
12.35 The Man Who Died. (MA15+as, R)
2.25 Love Your Garden. (R) 3.20 Inside The Modelling Agency. (Ml, R) 4.15 Peer To Peer. (a, R) 4.45 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
VICELAND (31)
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Border Security: Australia’s Front Line. (PG, R) Narrated by Grant Bowler.
7.30 MOVIE: The Bourne Identity. (2002, Mlv, R) A man sets out to discover his identity after being hauled from the ocean with amnesia. Matt Damon, Franka Potente.
10.00 MOVIE: Taken. (2008, MA15+av, R)
A former spy’s daughter is kidnapped. Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace.
12.00 Dr Harry’s Animal Encounters. (PGa, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 It’s Academic. (R)
5.00 My Greek Odyssey. (PG, R)
7TWO (62)
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Space Invaders. (Return, PGa)
8.30 MOVIE: The Blind Side. (2009, PGdlv, R) A homeless teenager becomes a gridiron player. Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw.
11.10 MOVIE: Stronger. (2017, MA15+l, R)
1.20 Destination WA. (PG, R)
1.50 Garden Gurus Moments. (R)
2.00 The Incredible Journey Presents. (PG)
2.30 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
4.30 Global Shop. (R)
5.00 TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
5.30 Helping Hands. (PG, R)
9GEM (82)
6.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Narrated by Mark Coles Smith. 7.30 Love It Or List It Australia. (Premiere) Hosted by Neale Whitaker and Andrew Winter. 8.30 The Dog House Australia. (PGa, R) Follows the staff at the Animal Welfare League as it tries to find the right fit for a man with dog-attack trauma. 9.30 Ambulance Australia. (Ma, R) NSW Ambulance delivers a baby and saves a four-year-old with a critical heart condition. 10.30 Ambulance UK. (Mal, R) 1.00 Home Shopping. (R) 5.00 Hour Of Power.
6am Whisky
Galore. Continued. (2016, PG) 6.50 Arthur And The Two Worlds War. (2010, PG) 8.45 Hacker. (2019, PG, Danish) 10.30 Kompromat. (2022, M, French) 12.50pm We Are Still Here. (2022, M) 2.30 Whina. (2022, PG, Maori) 4.35 Summerland. (2020, PG) 6.30 The Magic Of Belle Isle. (2012, PG) 8.30 Breath. (2017, M) 10.45 Mothering Sunday. (2021, MA15+) 12.45am Late Programs.
SUNDAY, February 9
Gardening Aust. (R) 2.25 Monty Don’s Spanish Gardens. (R) 3.25 Long Lost Family. (Final, PG, R) 4.15 Extraordinary Escapes. (PG, R) 5.00 Maggie Beer’s Big Mission. (R)
6.00 Antiques Roadshow. (R)
7.00 ABC News.
7.30 Muster Dogs: Collies And Kelpies. The puppies settle into their new homes.
8.30 The Newsreader. (Ml) News of an Alaskan oil spill breaks.
9.20 Love Me. (Mls) Peter and Clara have his ex over for dinner.
10.10 MOVIE: BMX Bandits. (1983, PG, R) Nicole Kidman.
11.40 You Can’t Ask That. (R)
12.05 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv)
3.00 Australia Remastered. (PG, R)
4.00 Gardening Australia. (R)
5.00 Insiders. (R)
ABC FAMILY (22)
6am Children’s Programs. 5.45pm Hey Duggee. 5.55 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’s Little Kingdom. 7.00 Supertato. 7.05 Riley Rocket. 7.20 Bluey. 7.30 Shaun The Sheep. 7.35 Moominvalley. 8.00 Horrible Histories. 8.30 Fresh Off The Boat. 9.10 Speechless. 9.55 Merlin. 10.40 Late Programs.
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Mysteries Of Loch Ness. (PG)
9.20 Legends Of The Pharaohs. (Mas, R)
10.25 Great British Landmark Fixers. (R)
11.15 Miniseries: The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family. (Mas, R)
2.40 Love Your Garden. (PGa, R)
3.35 Inside The Modelling Agency. (PGl, R)
4.30 Peer To Peer. (PGa, R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.15 France 24 Feature. 5.30 Al Jazeera News.
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Sports. 5.45 Domino Masters. 6.40 Abandoned Engineering. 8.30 The UnXplained With William Shatner. 10.10 WWE Legends. (Return) 11.45 Hoarders. 12.40am The X-Files. 4.20 NHK World
SBS MOVIES (32)
6am The Magic Of Belle Isle. Continued. (2012, PG) 7.00 Goddess. (2013, PG) 8.55 Mr Blake At Your Service! (2023, French) 11.00 Maigret. (2022, M, French) 12.40pm A Mermaid In Paris. (2020, M, French) 2.40 Viceroy’s House. (2017, PG) 4.40 The Lunchbox. (2013, PG, Hindi) 6.40 Clue. (1985, PG) 8.30 Reservoir Dogs. (1992, MA15+) 10.20 A Thousand Lines. (2022, M, German) 12.05am Late Programs.
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6am Morning Programs. 1pm Blokesworld. 1.30 On Tour With Allan Border. 2.00 Rides Down Under: Workshop Wars. 3.00 Drag Racing. NDRC Top Doorslammer. Spring Nationals. 4.00 Counting Cars. 5.00 Cricket. Second Test. SL v AUS. Morning. 5.30 Lunch Break. 6.10 Cricket. Second Test. Sri Lanka v Aust. Afternoon. 8.10 SL v AUS: Tea. 8.30 Cricket. Second Test.
6am Children’s Programs. 1.50pm MOVIE: Courage Mountain. (1990, PG) 3.45 Ben Fogle: Starting Up Starting Over. 4.45 Young Sheldon. 5.45 MOVIE: Cats & Dogs. (2001, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988, PG) 9.35 MOVIE: The Full Monty. (1997, M) 11.30 Young Sheldon. 12.30am The Originals. 2.30 Ben Fogle: Starting Up Starting Over. 3.30 Beyblade X. 4.00 Transformers: Prime. 4.30 Late Programs.
Cricket. Second Test. Sri Lanka v Australia. Day 4. Morning session. (Please note: alternative schedule may be shown due to changes to cricket coverage). 5.00 News. 5.30 Weekender.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Australian Idol. (PGs)
8.50 Queen: In Their Own Words. (Mal) The four founding members of the rock band Queen, tell the story of their lives and careers in music.
9.50 Lee Kernaghan: Boy From The Bush. Part concert film and part road movie.
11.55 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.55 Friday Night Lights. (Madsv, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
3.30 Million Dollar Minute. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
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(64) SBS MOVIES (32)
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 Married At First Sight. (PGls) 8.30 60 Minutes. Current affairs program, investigating, analysing and uncovering the issues affecting all Australians. 9.30 9News Late.
10.00 See No Evil: The Big Guy. (Mav) 11.00 The First 48. (Mal) 11.50 Iconic Australia. (Mav, R) 12.50 Destination WA. (R) 1.20 Talking Honey. (PG, R)
TV Shop: Home Shopping. (R)
Believer’s Voice Of Victory. (PGa) 4.30 Fishing Australia. (R)
Today Early News.
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Sabata. (1969, PG) 6.30 M*A*S*H. 8.30 MOVIE: Rambo: First Blood. (1982, M) 10.25 The Closer. 11.25 Late Programs.
6am Children’s Programs. 12.30pm Basketball. WNBL. Southside Flyers v Adelaide. 2.30 Surfing Aust. 3.00 Young Sheldon. 4.00 MOVIE: Bean. (1997, PG) 5.45 MOVIE: Johnny English. (2003, PG) 7.30 MOVIE: Sherlock Holmes. (2009, M) 10.05 MOVIE: The Fast And The Furious. (2001, M) 12.10am Gotham. 1.10 Arrow. 3.00 Teen Titans Go! 3.30 Beyblade X. 4.00 Bakugan. 4.30 Late Programs.
6.00 The Sunday Project. A look at the day’s news.
7.00 I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! (PGals) The celebrities continue to compete in a test of survival in the jungle for the chance to claim the title. 8.30 MOVIE: Rocketman. (2019, Madls, R)
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MONDAY, February 10
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Madrid With Michael Portillo.
8.25 Wilderness With Simon Reeve.
9.35 Inside Sydney Airport. (PGal, R)
10.35 SBS World News Late.
11.05 Wisting. (Return, Mal)
12.50 You Shall Not Lie. (MA15+als, R)
3.00 Barkley Manor. (R)
3.30 Inside The Modelling Agency. (PGln, R)
4.25 Peer To Peer. (PG, 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: Above And Beyond. 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
6.00 NBN News.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PGas)
7.30 Australian Idol. (PGal) Hosted by Ricki-Lee and Scott Tweedie.
9.10 St. Denis Medical. (PGals) After Ron hexes the day to prove superstitions are not real, things at the hospital start getting weird.
10.10 First Dates UK. (PG)
11.15 Lopez Vs. Lopez. (PGadls)
12.15 Friday Night Lights. (Madsv, R)
1.15 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R) 4.00 NBC Today. 5.00 Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
6am The Movie
Show. 6.35 Clue. (1985, PG) 8.25 Summerland. (2020, PG) 10.20 Defunct. (2019, M, Greek) 12.15pm Breath. (2017, M) 2.25 The Magic Of Belle Isle. (2012, PG) 4.25 Diana. (2013, PG) 6.30 Without A Clue. (1988, PG) 8.30 Pulp Fiction. (1994, MA15+) 11.20 Taking Lives. (2004, MA15+) 1.10am The Comeback Trail. (2020, MA15+) 3.05 Reservoir Dogs. (1992, MA15+) 5.00 Late Programs.
TUESDAY, February 11
9.45 Ningaloo Nyinggulu. (Final, R)
ABC Late News. 11.00 The Business. (R) 11.15 Four Corners. (R) 12.00 Media Watch. (PG, R) 12.20 Parliament. 1.20 Grand Designs. (R) 2.10 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.25 Parkinson In Australia. (PG, R) 4.30 Gardening Aust. (R) 5.30 7.30. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Who Do You Think You Are? (PG, R)
8.30 Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. (Malv)
9.45 The Artist’s View: Van Halen. (Ml, R)
10.15 SBS World News Late.
10.45 Beyond Signs. (Final, MA15+av) 11.45 Fargo. (MA15+v, R)
1.30 Barkley Manor. (PG, R) 2.00 Inside The Modelling Agency. (PG, R) 3.50 Bamay. (R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (PG, R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning.
5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
(32) SBS MOVIES (32)
6am Viceroy’s House. Continued. (2017, PG) 7.00 Without A Clue. (1988, PG) 9.00 The Lunchbox. (2013, PG, Hindi) 11.00 A Thousand Lines. (2022, M, German) 12.40pm Ladies Of Steel. (2020, M, Finnish) 2.25 Clue. (1985, PG) 4.15 The Falcons. (2018, PG, Icelandic) 6.10 The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen. (1988, PG) 8.30 Jackie Brown. (1997, MA15+) 11.20 Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Dana enlists help for her next scheme.
7.30 Australian Idol. (PG) As the auditions continue, more hopefuls strive to prove they have what it takes.
9.20 The Hunting Party. (M) The team tracks Clayton Jessup, a deranged killer who targets happy families.
10.20 The Irrational. (Mav) A Wall Street rising star dies. 12.20 Friday Night Lights. (Madsv, R) 2.30 Home Shopping. (R)
NBC Today.
Sunrise Early News. 5.30 Sunrise.
WEDNESDAY, February 12
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 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 BTN Newsbreak. 8.40 Doctor Who. 10.25 Merlin. 11.10 Late Programs.
THURSDAY, February 13 6.00
R) 11.05 Great Canal Journeys. (PGa, R) 12.00 WorldWatch. 2.00 Such Was Life. (R) 2.10 History Of Britain. (PGav, R) 3.00 Railway Journeys UK. (PG, R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Britain’s Secret Islands. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R)
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.35 Lord Lucan. (Premiere, M)
8.30 Wonders Of The Sun With Dara Ó Briain. (PG)
9.25 Miniseries: Playing Nice. (Mal)
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Pagan Peak. (MA15+av)
11.50 Rogue Heroes. (MA15+al, R)
12.55 Agent Hamilton. (MA15+v, R)
2.40 Barkley Manor. (R)
3.10 Inside The Modelling Agency. (PGl, R)
4.05 Peer To Peer. (R) 4.35 Bamay. (R) 5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
(Premiere, Mn)
9.20 Grand Designs. (PG, R) 10.10 Dr Karl’s How Things Work. (Final, R) 10.35 News. 10.50 The Business. (R) 11.10 Miriam Margolyes Almost Australian. (Ml, R) 12.10 Grand Designs. (R) 12.55 Parliament. 1.55 Long Lost Family. (PG, R) 2.45 Rage. (MA15+adhlnsv) 3.40 Parkinson In Australia. (PG, R) 4.30 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: Above And Beyond. 6.35 Kiri And Lou. 6.45 Ben And Holly. 7.00
6am The
Adventures Of Baron Munchausen. (1988, PG) 8.20 Diana. (2013, PG) 10.25 Murder By Decree. (1979, M) 12.40pm Aline. (2020, M, French) 3.00 Without A Clue. (1988, PG) 5.00 The Producers. (1967, PG) 6.40 Finding Graceland. (1998, PG) 8.30 Kill Bill: Vol. 1. (2003, MA15+) 10.35 Speed Kills. (2018, M) 12.30am Ladies Of Steel. (2020, M, Finnish) 2.15 Late Programs.
6.00 Morning Programs. 10.10
UK. (PG, R) 3.35 Plat Du Tour. (R) 3.40 The Cook Up. (R) 4.10 Britain’s Secret Islands. (R) 5.05 Jeopardy! (R) 5.30 Letters And Numbers. (R) 6.00
6.00 Seven News.
7.00 Home And Away. (PG) Leah digs her heels in.
7.30 The 1% Club UK. (PG) Hosted by Lee Mack.
8.30 Ludwig. (Mav) Lucy goes undercover. 9.45 Breathtaking. (Premiere, Ma) Follows NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
10.45 The Suspects: True Australian Thrillers. (Mlv, R)
11.45 Autopsy USA. (Ma, R)
12.45 Damnation. (MA15+asv)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
6.00
6.00 NBN News.
7.00 A Current Affair.
7.30 Married At First Sight. (Mls)
9.00 Big Miracles. (Mam)
10.00 9News Late.
10.30 Casualty 24/7. (MA15+m, R)
11.30 The Equalizer. (Mav, R)
12.15 Tipping Point. (PG, R) 1.05 Explore TV. (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)
6am TBA. 6.30 Escape To The Country. 7.30 Harry’s
6.00 Mastermind Australia. (R)
6.30 SBS World News.
7.30 Finding Your Roots. (PG)
8.30 Scotland’s Poshest Train: Alan Cumming. (PG)
9.30 The Darkness. (Malv)
10.20 SBS World News Late.
10.50 Golden Boy. (Premiere, MA15+ds)
11.45 The Allegation. (Mav, R)
2.20 Barkley Manor. (R)
2.50 Living With The Boss. (PG, R)
3.40 Peer To Peer. (R)
4.10 Bamay. (R)
4.50 Destination Flavour China Bitesize. (R)
5.00 NHK World English News Morning. 5.30 ANC Philippines The World Tonight.
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7.35 Big Fat Quiz Of The Year 2024. 9.15 The Flight Attendant Murders. 10.10 Homicide: Life On The Street. 12.55am Criminal Planet. 2.45 Late Programs.
6am Finding Graceland. Continued. (1998, PG) 6.50 The Falcons. (2018, PG, Icelandic) 8.45 The Producers. (1967, PG) 10.25 Real Genius. (1985, M) 12.25pm The Orphanage. (2019, M, Dari) 2.05 The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen. (1988, PG) 4.25 Lara. (2019, PG, German) 6.15 Capricorn One. (1977, PG) 8.30 Kill Bill: Vol. 2. (2004, MA15+) 11.00 Mindscape. (2013, MA15+) 12.50am Late Programs.
6.00 Seven News. 7.00 Home And Away. (PGas) Eden faces Remi.
8.30 MOVIE: Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason. (2004, Mdl, R) Bridget Jones fears her relationship with Mark Darcy is in jeopardy after meeting his glamorous colleague. Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant.
10.45 To Be Advised.
12.15 Damnation. (MA15+asv)
1.15 Travel Oz. (PG, R)
2.00 Home Shopping. (R)
4.00 NBC Today.
5.00 Sunrise Early News.
5.30 Sunrise.
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.
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9GO! (83)
Return Thanks
The Family of the late Colin Weismantel wish to express our thanks to all who shared in the celebration of Colin’s life on 14 January. Thank you for the cards, flowers and expressions of sympathy on our sad bereavement.
Special thanks to the Staff of Stroud Community Lodge who cared for Dad in his final years.
On theCouch
Email Jasminda: media@newsofthearea.com.au
DEAR Jasminda,
MY husband insists on having the car window down whereas I much prefer the aircon.
How can we come to a compromise?
Nina L.
Dear Nina,
I'm not sure how old you are but many readers may be old enough to remember when cars had no air conditioning, just windows that you wound down with a handle.
The only option was to be blasted with hot air or to be cooked from the inside.
Travel was a misery with only a hand-
held fan or misting from a water bottle to relieve the agony.
Looking back, it seems incredible that we survived.
Because of this, I'm with you.
I love the luxury of an air-conditioned car where my hair is gently caressed instead of being whipped across my face, the music is at a comfortable volume, and random objects don't fly through the window. You could let your husband know that his wound-down window is winding you up and the noise it creates does terrible things to your ears.
If you whinge long enough, the noise you create will do terrible things to his ears, and I'm confident he will decide that an air-conditioned car is far preferable to the alternative
Splosh! - This is going to be pigswill! The joke – pig swill instead of pig swell.
Kids Boot Camp 030
Carpe diem, Jasminda.
'Real opportunity' for homebuyers as values bottom out
By Jacob SHTEYMAN, AAP
AS Australian property prices hold firm, now might be the perfect time to purchase before Reserve Bank rate cuts put a rocket under demand.
Home values were flat in January despite declines in the heavyweight markets of Sydney and Melbourne, analysis from property data firm CoreLogic revealed on Monday.
The figures came as some surprise to CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless following a 0.1 percent decline nationally in December.
"They're a little bit more resilient than what I was expecting, actually," he told AAP.
"January is a month of
reasonably low transactions, so a stable outcome probably is the expected outcome, given it's seasonally quite a soft month for activity.
"But the trend leading into the end of last year was clearly one of losing momentum, and it looks like that may have been either interrupted or paused through January with a flat outcome nationally."
Mr Lawless said the downward cycle in housing values appeared to be quite shallow and short-lived, given the prospect that lower interest rates around the corner would drive up borrowing capacity and therefore demand.
While building activity seems to be climbing out of a trough, a lag in new supply coming through the pipeline will continue to keep a floor under home values.
With consumer sentiment rising, buyers might be tempted to get in now to beat the rush, Mr Lawless said.
NAB executive for home ownership Andy Kerr said the increase in listings and
Defib funding
SIX organisations across the Upper Hunter Electorate have secured funding for defibrillators.
The NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program provides up to $3,000 for the purchase, installation and training in new automated external defibrillators.
These portable devices detect and analyse a person’s heart activity and, if needed, deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart.
Latest recipients
include Gloucester Junior Cricket Association and Gloucester’s 1831 Sports Club, Dungog Memorial Bowling Club, Maitland Rugby Union Football Club, Putty Community Association and Aberdeen Sports and Recreation Club.
Organisations can register their interest for the 2025-26 round of the program and will be advised of the opening of the round: www.sport. nsw.gov.au/grants/localsport-defibrillator-grantprogram
decline in Melbourne and Sydney presented a "real opportunity" for those looking to enter the market.
"This is especially true in New South Wales, where we are seeing the biggest increase in first homebuyer loans," he said.
"With inflation easing, there's growing confidence that interest rate cuts are on the horizon. Historically, when rates start to fall, we see confidence and activity lift in the market."
Melbourne and Sydney declined 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent over the month, respectively, while Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide continued to strengthen.
Another narrative emerging from the data is a second wind for regional markets.
After the initial pandemic jump in regional home values deflated, combined regional prices are once again outpacing combined capitals.
That was due to a return of the affordability advantage of regions, where prices are still coming off a lower base, as well as a rebound in internal migration trends away from cities, Mr Lawless said.
"But interestingly, when we look at the top performers across regional markets over the past 12 months, they aren't your commutable markets - your Newcastles or Wollongongs or Gold Coast - they tend to be much
more rural markets," he said. Townsville in North Queensland had experienced the strongest growth over the past 12 months, while Central Queensland towns of Gladstone and Rockhampton were close behind.
"To some extent, this seems to be driven by areas that have a predominance of either resource-related infrastructure activity or mining activity," Mr Lawless said.
q
Flat home values in January came as a little bit of a surprise for CoreLogic's Tim Lawless. Photo: Glenn Hunt/AAP PHOTOS.
Storms and heatwaves
By Thomas O’KEEFE
SEVERE weather has continued to lash the Hunter region, with multiple heatwave and storm warnings released over the past week.
Separate heatwave warnings were issued by NSW Ambulance on Saturday 25, Monday 27, and Tuesday 28 January, followed by fierce electrical storms each time.
As of Monday 3 February, the Bureau of Meteorology
(BOM) was predicting a lowintensity heatwave for much of the Hunter region for the coming three day period.
These first several weeks of 2025 have developed into a familiar seasonal pattern, that of very hot weather with rampant humidity, culminating in severe electrical storms, and the infrastructural issues that inevitably eventuate.
NSW Ambulance urges people to prepare, and keep an eye on the BOM forecasts.
“Prepare now by identifying cool areas in your home, avoid any strenuous activity outside in the hottest part of the day and make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water,” said NSW Ambulance Acting Chief Superintendent Anna Hunter.
The advice from NSW Ambulance is as follows:
Keep cool - seek airconditioned buildings, draw your blinds, use a fan, take cool showers and dress in light and loose clothing made
The Big Screen
By Lindsay HALL
“CINEMATIC Sentences” returns for a massive screen dump at the start of Oscar season.
Love Hurts promotes beloved Ke Huy Quan (Everything, Everywhere All at Once) to leading man in this action-comedy from first time stuntman-turneddirector Jonathan Eusebio.
The movie is about a
realtor who is drawn back into a criminal conflict from his past as a mob enforcer. Presence is a new film from Stephen Soderbergh in which he continues to impress with incredible visual flair.
It is about a dysfunctional family parented by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, who are contending with their own issues as well as an entity inhabiting their new home.
This entity becomes invested in their daughter.
Daniel Craig “burns a hole in the screen” in Queer, an adaptation of the WIlliam S. Burroughs novella from Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, in which the author stand-in wrestles with addiction, sobriety, sexuality and identity in Mexico City, 1950.
September 5 is a historical drama account of
of natural fabrics.
Avoid the heat - schedule activities in the coolest part of the day and avoid exercising in the heat.
Check in on vulnerable people - some people are at greater risk of heat-related health problems, including those aged 65 years and older, babies and young children, and people with some medical conditions.
Never leave children or pets in a vehicle – this can be fatal, as the temperature inside a parked car can double in minutes.
Signs of heat-related
the terrorist incident at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, in which eleven members of the Israeli team were held hostage and tragically executed by militant radicals.
The event is seen from the vantage of the ABC Sports broadcast teams that televised the horrific affair to the world.
For the wine connoisseurs, Widow Cliquot is inspired by the true story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, who assumed control over a vast vineyard enterprise following the death of her husband in
illness can include headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and cramps.
People with these symptoms should move out of the sun and seek shade or use a fan or air conditioning, take a cool shower or bath if possible and take sips of water.
People who do not respond to these steps or who show symptoms suggesting a more severe illness, including a sudden rise in body temperature, who are no longer sweating, showing aggressive or strange behaviour or who are fitting,
1805.
She overcomes societal prejudice to build an impressive dynasty.
Long running anime series Attack on Titan gets the cinematic treatment by releasing the most recent specials as The Last Attack, carrying on the story of a post-apocalyptic world beset by giants who devour and destroy the surviving pockets of humanity.
Dark Nuns is a Korean horror film in which a duo of young nuns must face opposition from the church
should seek urgent medical attention or call Triple Zero (000).
It is significant to note that an individual who appears not to be sweating may already be entering a more severe health state.
For further information, updates and advice go to the NSW Ambulance website or follow NSW Ambulance on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
For the latest weather forecasts and heatwave warnings go to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) website.
in their efforts to perform an exorcism on a young boy before an evil spirit overcomes them all.
Finally for the rock fans, Becoming Led Zeppelin, the long-awaited music documentary charting the formation of the legendary band, arrives from renowned music-history documentarian Bernard MacMahon (American Epic).
It draws on input from band members Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham and Robert Plant.
Curtain call: basic energy upgrades may save households
By Jennifer DUDLEYNICHOLSON, AAP
AUSTRALIAN households
could knock more than $1500 off their energy bills with some basic home upgrades - and almost twice as much by investing in renewable energy technology.
But the potential savings identified in a study - which add up to more than $23.6 billion nationwide - are unlikely to be unlocked without financial help from the federal government.
A collection of 65 environment groups, unions and community organisations known as Renew Australia for All, issued the findings last Wednesday as it released the analysis of energy bills by Springmount Advisory.
Their call to action came one day after federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen revealed he directed the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to accelerate solar projects, including investments in household solar panels and batteries.
While Australia leads the world in household solar panel installations, figures from analysis revealed seven million homes remained without solar panels, and 10.7 million homes operated without battery storage.
Seven in every 10 Australian homes also fell short of the seven-star
minimum standard for energy efficiency, instead reaching three stars or lower.
Making greater investments in renewable energy for households could save consumers significantly on household bills, Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said, and needed to be a higher priority for governments.
"Improving home efficiency and giving people access to solar and batteries is the fastest, best way to slash household power bills for good," he said.
"This should be a nobrainer for governments dealing with a cost-of-living crisis."
The study, which used data from the CSIRO and Climateworks Centre, found households could save an average of $1579 a year with basic energy-efficiency upgrades, such as replacing gas with electric hot water systems, hanging heavy curtains, or installing roller shutters.
Investing in solar panels and battery systems could save $3039 per year on average and both upgrades rolled out across the nation could save up to $23.6 billion per year.
The Renew Australia group called for an "urgent $5 billion investment" by the federal government to realise some of the potential savings.
Financial subsidies would
be particularly important for renters and financially disadvantaged households, Uniting NSW advocacy head Alice Salomon said, as they were already struggling with tough decisions over energy bills.
"It is simply unfair to know that many people are making incredibly tough
decisions every day about keeping their house safe and liveable... or feeding their family," she said.
"All Australians, no matter where they live, whether they rent or own their place or whatever their means, should benefit from the energy transition."
More than four million
Australian homes already have solar panels installed, representing 25 gigawatts of energy capacity.
The call for greater investment in household energy comes after Mr Bowen directed ARENA to consider funding solar panels and battery installation projects after striking a deal with
crossbenchers in exchange for their support of Labor's Future Made in Australia legislation.
The agency has been asked to look at funding projects in every state and territory, with pilots modelled on the North Wollongong community electrification testbed.
q More than four million Australian homes have already switched to solar panels.
Photo: Lucy Hughes Jones/AAP PHOTOS.
Warning about public Wi-Fi hacks SPORTS
By Thomas O’KEEFE
PUBLIC Wi-Fi hotspots are ubiquitous.
They are found at local shops, cafes, hotels, and even at some parks.
While they can seem a convenient way to access the internet, especially when mobile reception is poor, safety must remain the paramount concern according to cyber.gov.au, the Australian Government’s cyber crime resource.
“Public Wi-Fi networks often lack adequate security, making them prime targets for hackers, and once hackers gain access to a device, they can infiltrate other connected devices within the home or office network,” said Vidit Sehgal, founder and CEO of V4 IT.
“Free Wi-Fi networks are convenient, but they often have weak security measures that hackers exploit – once inside, the consequences can be severe.”
There are plenty of case studies on cyber.gov.au to show how legitimate owners of hacked devices often remain totally unaware that they have been hacked.
Hackers are able to steal sensitive information, such as passwords and banking details - leading to identity
q Check your Wi-Fi is not connecting automatically and the name of the network is legitimate.
theft - and can also monitor online activity, including emails and messages, to intercept sensitive communications.
In worst cases, hackers can install malware to further infiltrate systems, and even lock files for ransom attacks.
Cyber.gov.au advice has five simple steps to follow:
(1) Check you are connecting to the right hotspot by asking someone
Going nowhere
STORY STARTS on BACK COVER Page 16
the path to a day-four victory by an innings and 242 runstheir biggest win in Asia and the Sri Lankan Test team's worst ever loss.
Khawaja has previously voiced his desire to feature in this summer's home Ashes, during which he will turn 39, and his wish looks set to come true.
"We still think he's got plenty of cricket left in him," McDonald said when asked what Khawaja's doublecentury would do for his Ashes chances.
"Tough summer. (Indian quick Jasprit) Bumrah. I think that's probably where we landed in our summary of that one."
Steve Smith pointed out his long-time mate had spent the India series tackling one of cricket's hardest assignments: facing a fresh Bumrah, the ICC's top-ranked bowler, with the new ball in seam-friendly conditions.
"There's probably not a much bigger threat in world cricket at the moment, or almost ever," Smith said.
"Batting at the top of the order, particularly in
Australia, is as hard as I've seen in my career."
McDonald always had high hopes Khawaja would bounce back when Australia returned to the subcontinent for the first time in two years.
Khawaja had been the top run-scorer on either side when Australia toured India in 2023 - no mean feat given his struggles in Asia earlier in his career.
His subsequent mastery of the conditions were on full show in Galle, with the left-hander bringing out the reverse-sweep to particularly devastating effect.
"He's an important part to the way that we play subcontinent conditions," McDonald said.
"He's been through the wringer here before. (But he has been) able to come through that, to have a method that is successful, whether it be on the flatter side (or) whether it gets extreme.
"The unquantifiable is the conversations he's having with the next generation to get them prepared.
"We value that."
Facing England at home would allow Khawaja to come full circle.
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SPORTS
England's last visit in 2022 marked the beginning of a Test comeback for Khawaja, who had been dropped from the Test team during the previous Ashes in 2019.
He recorded two centuries as Travis Head's COVID-19 replacement in the fourth Ashes Test in 2022, then ousted out-of-form Marcus Harris from the top of the order for the fifth.
Khawaja has been a fixture of the team ever since, averaging 51.4 with eight centuries in that time.
"He's still doing everything right, he's catching well in the slips. He's a senior figure and he's batting really well," said stand-in captain Smith.
"I'm not a selector, but I'm sure as long as he wants to play, I'm happy with him there."
Changes to the Australia batting order appear unlikely for the second Test in Galle given the first featured the team's largest ever total on the subcontinent (6-654 declared).
But McDonald said there would certainly be shifts for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord's in June.
By then, allrounder Cameron Green should have recovered from his back injury well enough to bat,
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Paterson Golf Club
By Ramsey VANE-WOOD
SATURDAY 1st February, Individual Stroke & Monthly Medal
FIELD | 32 members & 4 visitors.
DIVISION 1 (<15) | Winner & Monthly Medal Brodie Thackeray (11) 61 Nett, Runner Up Ramsey Vane-Wood (8) 65 Nett, 3rd Place David Curry (5) 65 Nett
DIVISION 2 (16-36) | Winner Paul Howell (17) 61 Nett, Runner Up Michael Shanley (19) 67 Nett, 3rd Place Noah Bambach (22) 68 Nett
BALL COMP | David Bambach (10) 66 Nett, Paul Langley (15) 67 Nett, Craig Deamer (8) [Sanctuary] 67 Nett, Luke Glendenning (11) [Maitland] 67 Nett, Allan Mckinnon (12) 68 Nett, Brian Rohr (22) 68 Nett, Stephen Pilgrim (17)
69 Nett, Wayne Stedman (8)
70 Nett, Glenn Davies (5) 70 Nett, Shaun Heffernan (3)
while opener Sam Konstas will push for a recall in conditions more similar to home.
70 Nett, James Cowled (11)
70 Nett, Graeme Valentine (10) 70 Nett, Lee Hunt (11)
70 Nett, Benajmin Curry (8) [Wyong] 70 Nett.
MEMBERS DRAW | No.27, Paul Langley (7th/36), $72
MEMBERS EAGLES NEST | Unclaimed - 8 Balls
NEAREST THE PIN | 1st/10th - David Curry (5), 7th/16thLuke Glendenning (11) [Maitland], 9th/18thRobert Richardson (11)
"We'll keep our options open as a general theme," McDonald said. "(But) 100 percent it'll be
a different order to that (the first Sri Lanka Test). What the order looks like will depend on the conditions."
q Div 1 Winner Brodie Thackeray with Div 2 Winner Paul Howell.
By Jasper BRUCE, AAP
