Featured
All we want for Christmas is a new Council?
Polling, submissions and a decade of escalating bureaucracy raise serious questions about financial stewardship
HAWKESBURY’S GRASSROOTS PRIDE NETWORK
Hawkesbury is quietly engineering one of the region’s most powerful movements for social cohesion, safety, and connection, and it’s happening from the ground up. What began as a single Facebook group has grown into a vibrant, community-driven network now spanning five local government areas Hawkesbury, Nepean, Blacktown, The
Bilpin Cider at the Australian Cider Awards
Bilpin Cider Co. has celebrated its strongest results to date at the 2024 Australian Cider Awards, earning accolades across the full range of products and reaffirming Bilpin’s place among Australia’s leading orchard-based cider makers. The highlight of the awards was Bilpin Blush Pink Lady Cider, which took home
Hawkesbury Community Still in the Dark over Compensation Claims for 2019 fires
RFS lack of clarity leaves fire-affected Hawkesbury communities without answers as compensation deadline nears
All we want for Christmas is a new Council?
Polling, submissions and a decade of escalating bureaucracy raise serious questions about financial stewardship
Gas connection fees signals shift toward electrification
Households building new homes across the Hawkesbury and wider NSW will soon face upfront gas connection fees of more than $2,000, following a major rule change aimed at reducing long-term energy costs. The decision, handed down by the Australian Energy Market Commission, will apply from October next year across
Community warned to avoid contact with bats as deadly virus risk rises
Residents across the Hawkesbury region are being urged to steer clear of bats this summer, with health authorities warning that injured or distressed bats can carry a potentially fatal virus. Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), a close relative of rabies, has been detected in both fruit bats (flying foxes) and insect-eating
Hawkesbury Council Makes History by Voting for RAP
This week Hawkesbury Council passed a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with a vote of 10 councillors for and 2 against. RAP is a formal commitment by an organisation (company, school, council, government agency, non-profit, etc.) to take practical actions that support reconciliation, improve relationships, and foster respect and opportunities for
Historic Federal Childcare Pay Rise but Hawkesbury still faces a Childcare Crisis
The nationwide pay rise for early-childhood educators is welcome news but for many families in the Hawkesbury, it arrives against the backdrop of a deepening childcare shortage and controversial Council rent hikes that threaten existing services. What’s new nationally: a pay increase for ECEC workers A government-backed wage boost
Windsor Ten Pin Bowling Strikes 40 Years in the Community
Windsor Ten Pin marks 40 years as Hawkesbury’s retro bowling hub—keeping free-fall pins, league spirit, and local memories rolling.
Bilpin’s Harvest Farms: Growing Organics the Right Way
By Phil Burkitt For many years, Aaron Brocken has been quietly leading the way in organic vegetable production in the Bilpin district. His farm, Harvest Farms, has become a local landmark of organic vegetable production, where innovation and hard work go hand in hand. Aaron’s operation stretches across several
Tumbling Triumphs for Hawkesbury Athletes
Competing at the 38th FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Pamplona, Spain, Ethan McGuinness secured gold in the Men’s tumbling Final, reaffirming his position as one of Australia’s most accomplished athletes in the discipline.
Kurrajong Pistol Club Marks Nearly Six Decades of Community
By Linda Abdi Kurrajong Heights Tucked beside the Kurrajong Heights Bowling Club on Bells Line of Road sits one of the Hawkesbury’s longest-running sporting institutions: the Kurrajong Pistol Club, a community organisation that has spent almost 60 years promoting safe, skilful, and community-focused pistol shooting. Founded on 27 April
The Lab: Hawkesbury’s Up-and-Coming Basketball Hub
A new state-of-the-art basketball training facility, The Lab, has opened in Mulgrave, quickly gaining attention across the Hawkesbury region. Designed to support athletes of all ages, The Lab provides a space to develop skills and build connections. Its welcoming, community-focused atmosphere encourages every athlete to reach their full potential. Founded
Volunteer grants roll out to 21 local organisations
Making things easier for the volunteers who step up to provide hot meals, groceries, and a friendly face for a chat has been a focus of the Volunteer Grants program, according to Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman. Across the Hawkesbury there are 21 not-for-profit groups who have been supported
The Ritual of the Third Thursday Coffee Club
Every month, around 9 a.m., the men trickle into the Park Mall Café on Richmond’s main street. These men are all former employees of Prospect County Council (PCC), once responsible for the electricity distribution west of the Hawkesbury River.
The Wollemi Pine and its Small Southern Family
By Phil Burkitt Hidden deep within rugged sandstone gorges northwest of Sydney, the Wollemi pine stands as one of Australia’s most remarkable botanical discoveries, a living link to the age of the dinosaurs. Discovered only in 1994 by a bushwalker David Noble in Wollemi National Park, just north of
Colo Student’s Artwork Selected for Prestigious William Wilkins Collection
Colo High School is celebrating a moment of immense pride, with 2024 Year 12 graduate Evangeline Cruz-Tabua (Evie) achieving recognition at the very highest level of HSC Visual Arts. Evie’s HSC major work has been selected for ARTEXPRESS 2025, the annual showcase of exemplary student artworks from across New
Acreage Living With Charm, Comfort and Kurrajong Heights Serenity
Set on just over an acre in peaceful Kurrajong Heights, this captivating family home offers the perfect blend of timeless elegance and modern convenience. Soaring ceilings and generous windows flood the home with natural light, while open plan living creates a warm, welcoming environment ideal for family life, entertaining and
6 Dillwynia Avenue, Cattai.
Exceptional Lifestyle Property on 2 Acres Discover the perfect blend of comfort, luxury, and country living with this beautifully presented and immaculately maintained MAV Built home set on a generous 2-acre parcel. Offering an outstanding lifestyle choice in a scenic location, this property boasts stunning views from nearly every window,
Human Composting as Sustainable End-of-Life Option
Research shows cremation pollutes our air and burial also takes a heavy toll when you consider cemetery maintenance. Consider Earthy Remains?
Editor's Picks
The Hard Talks of Life: From the Sex Talk to the Death Talk
Now, decades later, the roles have reversed. As our parents age, it’s up to us—often their adult children—to initiate another essential, uncomfortable conversation: the death talk.