Latest News & Updates

The long-awaited upgrade to the Hawks Nest Community Centre is now complete

 and will be opened tomorrow.

It’s been the focal point of the beach at Forster for over 50 years, and now the new multi-million-dollar 2 storey Forster Surf Life Saving Club will be officially opened on Saturday March 1.

 Federal funding of $3.59 million was gained through the former Coalition Government under the Building Better Regions Fund to deliver the project.

Pedestrian safety has now been realised with the opening today of the new shared pathway along a stretch of Ocean Drive at Bonny Hills.

 Federal funding of $1.87 million was gained through the former Coalition Government and allocated from Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program grant to deliver the project.

Funding of $1.75 million through the former Coalition Government’s ‘Black Summer Bushfire Recovery’ Program and ‘’Preparing Australian Communities ‘’ grant has paid dividends with work now completed at Club Old Bar for the opening of their new emergency evacuation centre on Thursday 13th February.

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone across our local community to celebrate Australia Day this Sunday January 26th.

 Australia Day is a time that we celebrate our great nation and the many things we enjoy that make us the lucky country.

The Christmas season is here and is a chance to spend quality time with family and friends, take a break, and reflect on what the year has been.

 The year has provided many challenges for our communities, so this holiday season is the opportunity to rest, relax, unwind, and recharge.

Local volunteer community groups are being encouraged to apply for funding under the Volunteer Grants Program 2024-25.

The Volunteer Grants program is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to assist volunteers and encourage volunteering.

Federal Member for Lyne, The Hon Dr David Gillespie MP will participate with members of Taree Basketball in a “sod-turning” ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of the long-planned Iron Arena project.

In 2020, Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie and the former State Member for Myall Lakes, the late Stephen Bromhead MP, announced funding under the Bushfire local Economic Recovery Fund to deliver the new project replacing the Taree Indoor Sports Stadium formerly known as Saxby’s Stadium.

The newly refurbished Midcoast Veterans’ Wellbeing Centre will officially open today.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said the new centre was part of the Mid North Coast Veterans Community Wellbeing Enhancement Project.

Bulahdelah received some amazing news today that Stroud Community Lodge will purchase and operate Cedar Wharf Lodge Nursing Home.

Locals were left devastated when Anglican Care shut down the facility 2 years ago. It saw the elderly residents moved to other facilities and away from the community they know and love.

Federal Work on the Church Street upgrade in Gloucester is expected to be completed in November.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie recently inspected the works with Mid Coast Council Works Engineer Ruth Hallett.

Some of the worst and winding sections of Lorne Road between Kew and Kendall will be eliminated as part of a major upgrade currently underway.

Local contractor Eire Constructions is undertaking the project on behalf of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.

Construction is planned to begin later next year on a new bridge to replace Steels Bridge at Yippin Creek to provide flood-free access as well as an upgrade of Beechwood Road between Waugh Street and Glenview Drive.

Visiting the site today with State Member for Oxley Michael Kemp and officers from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said the project was critical to cater for the region’s growth, particularly in and around Wauchope, and will see the replacement of an ageing structure that has required regular maintenance.

A sustainable and well-managed native forestry sector is critical to housing affordability according to Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie.

Dr Gillespie has told Parliament the industry is important to regions like the North Coast and the Hunter generating thousands of jobs and supplying materials for housing, infrastructure and everyday products.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie is encouraging residents across the region to support our local forestry industry as part of National Forestry Day.

This week, the forestry industry is showcasing the importance of forestry for the economy, for jobs, affordable everyday products and for the environment.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has addressed Parliament about the need for a freeze on the excise applied to small breweries and distillers, and the industry’s rebate scheme to be indexed to cater for rising production costs.

“There is a very important rebate for these small brewers so they can compete with the big international brewers who are dominating the Australian market now, and that is a remission scheme for the excise. If they're a small-scale brewer, they pay the excise like everyone does, but the first $350 is rebated,” Dr Gillespie told Parliament.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has congratulated Wauchope’s Dr Namira Williams and her team on the opening of DMC Support’s new facilities in Wauchope.

Dr Gillespie officially opened the new office at 2/111 High Street in Wauchope with staff and locals on hand to celebrate the opening of the new facilities in Wauchope.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie is supporting this year’s Early Learning Matters Week organised by Early Childhood Australia (ECA).

From 5 to 9 August, the early learning childhood sector week-long

Construction will begin in the coming months on two new multi-purpose courts at Andrews Park in Wauchope.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie today announced $350,000 from the Federal Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program towards the project.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has received advice regarding Federal funding allocations for Emergency Relief and Food Relief providers servicing the Lyne Electorate.

Dr Gillespie said that although $4.3-million in additional funding had been allocated to 192 Emergency Relief providers recently, the funding was not near enough for the organisations to deliver support to people in need.