For more than 30 years, the Westlakes Athletic Club has provided a safe and encouraging haven for anyone and everyone interested in athletics, regardless of age or ability, at the Wangi Oval. This spirit of inclusiveness and community values recently saw the club secure the 2025 Lake Macquarie Community Group Award in recognition of the positive

While all teachers are amazing individuals, I make special mention of Stephen Hindmarsh, Head of Secondary at Heritage College Lake Macquarie, who goes above and beyond for his students. Recently Stephen played a pivotal role in helping students to complete the gruelling Action for Agape Ride. The 250 kilometre, five-day mountain bike ride spans

Members of The Hunter Mountain Bike Association have, once again, ridden the path to success when they represented the Hunter region at the recent Cannonball MTB Festival in Thredbo. Over five days, riders competed in five thrilling events: All Mountain Enduro, Flow, Dual Slalom, Pump Track, and the Cannonball Downhill track. By all accounts, it

Racism and the lasting impact it has on individuals and communities is an ugly and deeply important issue. Recently, I was blown away by the sheer talent of 2024 HSC Visual Arts student Joelle Coutet-Roberts from Charlton Christian College, who managed to encapsulate this topic through her work 'A Bag is a Bag; Wrapped in Plastic, Held in Fear'.

I acknowledge the extraordinary talent of Ken Young, a student from Toronto High School, whose remarkable HSC artwork has earned him a place in the prestigious "First Class 24" exhibition at the Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie. This exhibition showcases the very best of last year's HSC Visual Arts cohort. Ken's triptych,

Today I recognise the extraordinary efforts of 16-year-old Nate Fullerton, 15-year-old Samuel Terry and 15-year-old Hamish Chalmers from Heritage College Lake Macquarie, who last month pushed their bodies and minds to the limit to raise desperately needed funds for Majimoto Secondary School in Kenya. The teenage trio took part in the gruelling Action

I acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of Jess Ward, a talented student from Avondale School, whose HSC artwork, Simply Being, has been selected for the prestigious First Class 24 exhibition at the Museum of Art and Culture. Simply Being, a deeply moving piece created with charcoal and soft pastels on paper, portrays three significant people

I acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of Jess Ward, a talented student from Avondale School, whose HSC artwork, Simply Being, has been selected for the prestigious First Class 24 exhibition at the Museum of Art and Culture. Simply Being, a deeply moving piece created with charcoal and soft pastels on paper, portrays three significant people

I would like to acknowledge the exemplary career of Alan Robinson who has recently retired from the NSW Rural Fire Service after nearly 60 years. Alan joined the Blaxland Volunteer NSW Bush Fire Brigades in 1967. He has been involved in many campaign fires and significant fire seasons, including the 1968 Blue Mountains bushfires, 1974 to 1975 bushfire

17-year-old Makaylah Fenwick from Awaba really has secured gold at the end of a rainbow. Makaylah is an extremely talented horse rider, and in January rode her eight-year-old gelding, Rainbow Man, to victory taking out the Off the Track Cup at the Magic Millions Showjumping and Polo event held in Queensland.