There are currently 15,596 registered dogs in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Area, which equates to a dog in just over 50% of households.   The most popular breeds are Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s followed by Jack Russell Terriers.

Recently Port Macquarie-Hastings Council responded to a request from the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) to review its Dogs on Beaches Policy. The review was requested due to the proximity of some permitted beach areas to Nature Reserves and wildlife habitats and the regulatory conflict that exists in these areas.

In light of that consultation, in April Council resolved conduct a public consultation process as part of a review of all current policies in relation to dogs in public open spaces.

Council has established an online discussion forum to help Council understand more clearly the needs of dog owners and ways to integrate these needs with other public space users.

Both dog owners and other open spaces users are invited to provide their advive and comments to Council in our online forum at http://pmhclistening.com.au/dogs.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will help the Wauchope Mens Shed to relocate to the Wauchope Showground. Council has allocated $50,000 from the sale of Timbertown to assist the group following the loss of their former ‘shed’.

Administrator Garry Payne said, “The Mens Shed is a very worthwhile organisation and we are happy to be able to support them with re-establishing their presence in Wauchope. We have been looking at a number of options and believe this is the best outcome for the group with Council helping to contribute to the cost of a replacement Shed in  Wauchope.

Mort Shearer, Chairman of The Hastings Mens Shed said, “It is gratifying to see Mens Sheds being accepted as an important part of our community. The Wauchope Show Society has kindly made land available in the Showground for the replacement Shed and now with the money that Council has given us, we are now able to move forward,” Mr Shearer said.

A new $130,000 winter tourism campaign is set to give Port Macquarie a high media profile in the coming months and will entice visitors with ‘Unseasonably Good Deals’.

The national campaign will run from June to September 2010 and feature a new television commercial that airs in Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle, North Coast and New England from early June through to September, to coincide with the ’Unseasonably Good Deals’ retail tactical campaign.

With a new-look destination website, a dedicated campaign microsite – www.portmacquariedeals.com.au - and 10,000 copies of the Unseasonably Good Deals flier being distributed nationally, the tourism industry is bracing itself for a great response.

Council’s Tourism Manager, Linda Hall, said “The aim of the campaign is to boost the low visitor season by enticing couples and families to ‘put the cold on hold’ and escape for a holiday or short break to our region,” Ms Hall said.