⏱️ The 68th edition of our newsletter is a six-minute read.

🙋‍♀️ Hi there, it’s Ellie here – your reporter for the Mid North Coaster.

🥳 We’ve done it! We’ve surpassed 15K subscribers!! Welcome all new readers, and thanks to everyone following along.

I hope you all had a lovely long weekend and enjoyed the warm weather. I visited Old Bar with friends for the Beach Festival – It was really wholesome and a lot of fun.

We spent time in Saltwater National Park, bought avocados from the side of the road and a bunch of goodies from the markets, and checked out Old Bar Tavern on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the live music with a cold beverage in the sun. Which brings me to the story of the day: Best Beer Gardens on the MNC.

I’ll share my list below. If your favourite isn’t featured, let me know. Simply reply to this email. And remember you can always get in touch with feedback, an upcoming event, or a story pitch.

Today’s video is with farmer David Duff. This time, he shares his thoughts on how the RFS can attract more young volunteers.

If you missed it, here’s my article on the ageing population of volunteer firefighters across the region.

ℹ️ I’ll be posting the answer to this question this afternoon, so if you haven’t had a crack at the most recent quiz, click the video below to comment.

Before we dive into some outdoor spaces and a second hand bookshop to add to your list, I have an apology to make. The story I shared in the last newsletter had a couple of errors - Jennifer Schoelpple’s off-grid home’s deck is made of fibreglass, her concrete water tanks are above ground, and the Hibiscus Tiliaceus’ canopy does not allow growth at the base.

If you missed this story about people on the Mid North Coast trying to fire-proof their properties, check it out on our website – it might inspire you, as it did me, especially now we are officially in bushfire season.

Speaking of bushfires, I hope everyone and their homes are okay after Monday’s fire in Collombatti near Kempsey. My partner and I were driving to visit my folks and spotted the smoke and a big air tanker, which helped to get the fire under control.

📚 Meeting the man behind Flynn’s Book and Record Cafe

Our contributor, Mel Mantle, has been visiting this venue for many years. Mel met the owner Pete to learn more about his story. Watch the video interview ⬇️

Thanks for reading and watching! I’ll be back on Friday morning with another newsie.

Remember, to keep up to date follow our Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, or check the website.

👋 Ellie