Manning Valley U3A looks forward to welcoming members to Term 3 activities, with active and exciting events planned.  

Online enrolments commence on Tuesday 15th July 2025.

Support enrolment day/ general interest will be held at the Manning Uniting Church, Taree (GAA Room) on Tuesday 15th July 2025, 10-12 noon.  

Enrolments close 22nd July 2025

Term commences Monday 28th July.

The University of the Third Age (U3A) is an international association established in 1972 which offers a way for older people to use their leisure time to teach and learn together. Any person who is retired or semi-retired and interested in learning may become a member and/or course leader. No formal qualifications are required, and no examinations are set.

Manning Valley U3A offers courses for seniors in the Manning Valley in a friendly, relaxed environment. Social connection and learning go hand in hand with members being course leaders and also learners. Course Leaders are volunteers and fees are kept to a minimum.

CONFIDENCE & CONNECTION – WINTER ADVENTURE PROGRAM 

Forster | Taree | Port Macquarie

 7th – 18th July 2025 | School Holidays

 These holidays are about to go next level.

Forget screens. Forget boredom. This is two weeks of pure outdoor awesomeness designed to spark confidence, build connections, and unleash your inner legend.

Here’s what’s waiting for you 

 MONDAY – Surf’s up & snorkels on! Dive into the ocean and start your week the wild way

 TUESDAY – Get messy with Weird n’ Wild Science Experiments (supported by Rotary NSW & Lions International!)

 WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY – The Ultimate Confidence & Connection Winter Camp

– 3 days of surfing, fishing, snorkelling, coastline exploration, campfire yarns, crystal hunting, epic development games and so much more.

It’s connection. It’s growth. It’s nature, mateship, and memories for life.

 MONDAY – Buckle up! Newcastle Road Trip featuring go-karting and exploring the coastline

 TUESDAY – All aboard for sailing & fishing adventures – rods, reels & salty thrills

 WEDNESDAY – The Great Amazing Race! Navigation, orienteering & adrenaline-fueled fun (cheers VRA NSW!)

 THURSDAY – Saddle up for a full day on the farm: horse riding, dressage, and hands-on animal care

 FRIDAY – Bush survival games, wild cooking, and stories ‘round the fire to finish strong

 This isn’t just a school holiday program —

it’s a circuit breaker from the chaos, a reset for the soul, and a confidence boost you didn’t know you needed.

 Running in Forster, Taree & Port Macquarie

 Hit the link https://www.trybooking.com/DCUHD to lock in your spot – they’re going fast!

Let’s get wild these holidays!

The best whale watching spots along the Barrington Coast of   NSW.

With whale numbers booming in recent years, the Barrington Coast is the perfect place to watch the passing parade. Here are our top spots for whale watching: lookouts, headlands and cruises.

On land or at sea, pick any spot on this list and you'll be mesmerised by these gentle giants.

When is whale watching season in New South Wales?

Whale watching season is an annual event where whales migrate north to give birth to calves in warmer waters. We start seeing whales as they head north from about May to July. Whales then start returning to the rich southern feeding grounds in the Antarctic from about August to early November. The later the season, the greater chance you'll see calves heading south with their mothers... a truly beautiful sight as these marine mammals recover in numbers.

1. Cape Hawke Lookout at Forster

Just five minutes from Forster, Cape Hawke Lookout offers spectacular 360-degree views along the coast from the top of a dedicated tower, perfect for whale watching. Positioned right at the northern end of the national park, this superb lookout is worth every step of the 500m hike through regenerating littoral rainforest. Pull on your walking shoes and bring some binoculars and a camera – after approximately 420 steps you’ll reach an 8.4m tower with 360-degree views of the surrounding area.

2. Bennetts Head Lookout at Forster

Prefer an easy drive and no walking? Then drive to Bennetts Head at the end of Bennetts Head Road. This spot is easily accessible with car parking at the lookout and you can park right next to the edge.

Or if you don't mind the short walk then the famous sand dune at One Mile Beach is the next-best spot for feeling like a sea eagle watching the whales. 360-degree views can be enjoyed while listening to the gentle crash of the waves on the cliffs below.

3. One Mile Beach sand dune at Forster

One Mile Beach is located in the residential area of Forster and is extremely popular with surfers and families. The sand dune at the northern end is an incredible vantage point to spot waving fins and water spouts out to sea. If the kids get bored, bring along a boogie board for some sand dune downhill racing.

4. Booti Hill at Pacific Palms

Starting at The Ruins Campground, walk out to the stunning Seven Mile Beach and look for the signpost for the Booti Hill walking track – this climbs up the northern side of Booti Hill through twisted eucalypts. There are rest spots along the way, and a small opening with a scenic view of Seagull Point right before you enter some refreshing rainforest. Eventually the track emerges onto the ridge above Lindemans Cove and joins a fire trail that leads to a small clearing. Go straight ahead for Elizabeth Beach and a terrific opportunity for an ocean dip, otherwise get the binoculars out and start looking for those flapping fins! There are also tables and a barbecue just 100m along the trail, so don’t forget your picnic.

5. Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse at Seal Rocks

Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse stands on a dramatic headland east of Seal Rocks village. Sugarloaf Point is a top spot for watching whales as they migrate on their journey along the coast. There’s a dedicated grassy lookout point behind one of the cottages, with chairs to relax and take in the view. Or climb all the way to the top of the point and observe out over the cliffs below from the lighthouse itself.

6. Yacaaba Headland at Hawks Nest

Yacaaba Headland offers spectacular views. The final section of the walk to the top is very steep and unformed, its more suitable for experienced walkers. There is no formal lookout but the top is marked by an old trigonometrical survey point. The walking track begins from Bennetts Beach (also called Hawks Nest Beach) and the initial section is a well-formed path, winding its way through a tall open forest. You'll walk 6 km in total and ascend 228 metres above the glittering waters of the Pacific Ocean and Port Stephens. Allow three hours for a return journey.

7. Tuncurry Beach viewing platform

Accessed from the most northern beach access track from the Tuncurry Rock Pool carpark, this small platform is a relaxing place to soak up the vastness of Nine Mile Beach while watching the passing whales and playful dolphins.

8. Black Head viewing platform

This is one of the best purpose-built vantage points along the Barrington Coast. The Black Head viewing platform is solid timber and stands 4 metres tall to ensure the protection of its littoral rainforest surrounds. Access the platform via the walking trail through the forest on the headland reserve at the end of Main Street, just behind the Black Head Surf Life Saving Club.

9. Crowdy Head Lighthouse

The panoramic views at historic Crowdy Head Lighthouse are breathtaking. Looking north you can see beyond Diamond Head and the Three Brothers mountains. To the south you can see as far as Seal Rocks. This is a great spot for whale watching as Crowdy Head has a great easterly position and you can drive right up to the carpark next to the reserve.

10. Diamond Head Loop Track

At the northern boundary of the Barrington Coast you'll find Diamond Head Loop Track. This option combines the best of bushland hiking and spectacular coastal views to make it the perfect vantage point for whale watching.

If you're searching for Migaloo swimming past our coastline, this 4.3 km track combined with Diamond Head Campground as a base, is the way to go.

Entries are OPEN for the 2025 Coastline Bank

MidCoast Business Awards!

MidCoast Businesses are invited to submit their entries for the 2025 Coastline Bank MidCoast Business Awards.

Following a successful event in 2024 with over 120 entries received this years awards are set to be bigger, better and more glamourous than ever! The calibre of our local businesses is incredible and this is the perfect way to showcase and celebrate our thriving local business community. Businesses from across the MidCoast region are encouraged to enter as a means of measuring progress, celebrating success and identifying future key opportunities.

To be recognised as a finalist and winner brings great kudos and prestige for our local businesses to promote their achievements and success as leaders in their field.

Don’t delay! Go to midcoastbusinessawards.com to register and start your application. Note: applications can be saved as you go. All entries are judged by out of area judge experienced out-of-area judges.

Eligible applications will also be entered directly into the Mid North Coast Regional Business Awards.

Lets celebrate business success at the glamourous Winter Wonderland Gala Dinner to toast not only the finalist and winners but all the amazing businesses that call the MidCoast home.

All details are on the website and updates posted in Facebook.

www.midcoastbusinessawards.com

Key Dates

Entries are now open!

Applications Close: Sunday 1 June

Finalists Announced: Monday 7th July

Gala Diner: Saturday 2nd August at Club Old Bar

2025 Award Categories

Business of the Year*

Hall Of Fame

Outstanding Business Leader

Outstanding Community Organisation

Employer of Choice

Outstanding Employee

Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion

Best Construction, Industry or Manufacturing Business

Best Education and Training Business

Best Professional Services

Best Retail Business

Best Trade Business

Best Hospitality Business

Best Health & Wellbeing Business

Best Innovation Business

Best Personal Services Business

Best Sustainability Business

Best Visitor Experience (Tourism Business)

Outstanding New Business

Best Customer Service

*Eligible category winners will automatically be entered for the overall Business of the Year Award.

Media Enquiries can be directed to:

Jessica Gray          Email: jessica@smartcoast.com.au   Mobile: 0414 740 373

Jessica is available for interview/comment on request

The hackathon was a district wide collaborative effort to support local koala populations. Hosted at Taree Universities Campus, aimed to connect our youth with country and inspire them to think big when it comes to the future of koala conservation across the MidCoast region.

With over 60 students from 6 schools across the region, we saw 9 teams pitch their ideas, which included infrared sensors, drones, artificial intelligence, Pokemon Go style apps, education campaigns and koala corridors connecting habitat.

From the simple to the advanced, it was amazing to see the creativity and imagination of our young people. We look forward to seeing their ideas brought to life.

On arrival 98% of students said they knew a little about how to help Koalas in our local environment. At the end of the day 92% of students said they knew a lot about how to help koalas locally.

Congratulations to the winning team on the day – The Koala Quest Team from Great Lakes College.

For more information you can watch the Youtube video: https://youtu.be/XuPcIuFgE6o

MidCoast Council processed 230 development determinations from 1 July to 30 September this year, representing millions of dollars in local investment.

Director of Liveable Communities, Paul De Szell said that these development determinations showed that developers and homeowners remain confident in the region.

Council staff also dealt with 1,623 individual customer requests in relation to development assessment and building certification. 

MidCoast Council’s average DA processing time is 88 days, compared to other regional Councils where the average is 99 days.

“While our processing times compare favourably with other regional Councils, we are not resting on our laurels. We will continue to implement our process improvement work, including the implementation of the 53 actions outlined in the Housing Barriers Report,” explained Mr De Szell.

“In particular, we are working to improve efficiency in our triaging of the more complex assessments we receive.

“We know that navigating the NSW Planning system can be stressful. We’re working behind the scenes to introduce efficiencies and supports to further speed up approvals and help the community better understand Council’s role in the system”.

The NSW Government’s ‘Planning Council League Table’ shows that MidCoast Council had more development applications lodged (219) and more applications processed (230) than any other regional Council in NSW during the first quarter of the 2024-25 financial year.

Ecologists on the NSW mid-north coast were surprised and delighted to find that the land around the local water supply dam is home to over 60 wild koalas, with several also spotted.

With the iconic koala declared an endangered species along much of the east coast of Australia, MidCoast Council ecologists have been mapping koala populations in the wild as part of the NSW Government funded Koala Safe Spaces program.

Thermal drone surveys revealed more than 60 koalas using the Bootawa Dam site. That equates to about one koala for every 2.5-hectares of land. While koala density in the wild varies, the koala population on the dam compound is about seven times higher than the average density found within the MidCoast and looks to be acting as a koala safe space.

“We are investigating the area to better understand why the dam holds such a large koala population and how this knowledge could be applied,” said MidCoast Council Manager of Natural Systems, Gerard Tuckerman.  

“We know there’s a lot more work to do so that koalas can thrive in the area. In particular, we are working with local landholders to create corridors so that koalas can move safely between habitats. But the existence of a safe space at Bootawa is a very encouraging start.”

The Bootawa dam is within an area known as the Kiwarrak Area of Regional Koala Significance. There were already a number of trees on the property that are favoured by koalas, including tallowwood, grey gum, forest red gum, and grey box. Council has been enhancing the land for koalas by weed removal and selective tree planting as well as progressively replacing some former hardwood plantation areas with diverse native forest dominated by koala feed trees.

“This recent data find will allow us to track changes in the population over time and measure the success of our conservation actions as well as the impacts of major events such as drought or fire,” explained Mr Tuckerman.

“People in the area have a strong affinity with koalas, especially the traditional owners of the land, the Biripi people. The projects we are undertaking have built on and supported work that was being done in the area by community members.”

Landholders with dams are especially encouraged to consider planting and or protecting koala food trees. Planting appropriate trees in suitable locations can support koalas and benefit landholders.

MidCoast Council is happy to share its experience with government agencies in NSW and other states and territories. As a regional partner under the NSW Koala Strategy, Council can assist local landholders in koala habitat areas to access support for on-the-ground work such as appropriate tree planting, control of environmental weeds, and stock fencing. For more information, visit https://haveyoursay.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/koala-safe-spaces-program.

Photo credit: Erin Masters

Barrington Coast, MidCoast Council’s destination brand was one of only three destinations in Australia to make the Top 100 Green Destinations list.

The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories is an annual competition that collects and celebrates initiatives from destinations globally, inspiring responsible tourism leadership.

The competition celebrates destinations leading the way in sustainable tourism and leadership and recognises innovative sustainable measures for both community and visitors.

Our story - Barrington Coast: The place where the leaves touch the waters, from the mountains to the sea focuses on Council’s Destination Management Plan. This recognises the intrinsic values of our region’s natural and cultural assets and management of visitor numbers.

MidCoast Council Mayor Claire Pontin said this recognition was a clear sign MidCoast Council was on the right path with its Destination Management Plan.

“As we work towards obtaining our ECO Destination Certification with EcoTourism Australia, the Green Destinations Top 100 list spotlights our progress towards a more sustainable tourism industry, while creating more attractive experiences for locals and visitors,” she said.

“I encourage everyone to have a look at the Barrington Coast story which outlines our aims, goals and directions to make our region on of the best green destinations in the world.”

The opportunity to enter the Top 100 was made possible through a partnership with MidCoast Council and Ecotourism Australia, as part of the ECO Destination Certification program.

The successful Top 100 destinations were announced on 15 October 2024, with the official ceremony to take place in Chile, South America at the Green Destinations 2024 Conference.

Check out the Barrington Coast Story here: https://lnkd.in/gqGx3yVS.