Two young members of Byron Bay Surf Lifesaving Club have delivered outstanding performances at the Paddle NSW State Sprint Championships, held at the Penrith International Regatta Centre over the weekend.

The Small SHIFT: I Will Survive event where seven women, spanning seven decades, tell their story in seven minutes, is back for the fourth year running on Thursday, 5 November.

Over spring and summer koalas are on the move as they search for food, territory and mates.

The newly opened Veteran and Family Hub at Tweed Heads will be backed by a renewed $3.8 million commitment from RSL NSW to sponsor veteran and family services, delivered by partner charity RSL LifeCare.

Environmental protections and tighter housing controls are proposed for a disputed Hastings Point development site, following a court decision allowing its subdivision.

The arts are an essential industry. We need artists as much as we need accountants. We need dancers as much as we need doctors. We need comedians as much as we need civil engineers. We need filmmakers as much as we need financial planners. We need musicians as much as we need ministers.