There’s something quietly extraordinary about a festival that not only survives but thrives - growing year after year without losing its soul. In a landscape where even major events have fallen by the wayside, The Gum Ball has done the opposite. It has deepened, expanded, and embedded itself into the cultural fabric of regional New South Wales, located in the bush, on the property of Dashville in Lower Belford.

Tickets for the Burton Automotive Hunter Valley Steamfest 2026 are on sale now, with two of New South Wales’ most celebrated steam locomotives confirmed to headline this year’s ARTC Rail Program.

Clyde St Arts is strengthening its commitment to sustainability and community collaboration with the launch of a monthly Repair Café, inviting locals to rediscover the value of repairing, sharing skills, and reducing waste.

Young people from the Place Based Abilities Program share their knowledge, curiosity, and passion for the natural world.

The chill in the air means the action is only heating up at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, where world-class ice hockey and unforgettable skating sessions come together under one roof to keep the Hunter Region entertained all season long.

Discover what's happening in your local community this April...

Discover what's written in the stars for you this month with the April horoscopes!

My grandmother was born in 1936 in a small country town in western New South Wales. She was one of the smartest women I’ve ever known, which is even more impressive because she never got to go to high school. She trained as a nurse and married my grandfather when she was 18. They had two children soon after.

Chipmunks Playland & Café Belmont is a large indoor children’s play centre located at 1 High Street, Belmont, on the site of the former Belmont Bowling Club. The venue was fully repurposed and refurbished into a two-level indoor playland and café, designed for children aged 0–11 years.

As Newcastle Fringe Festival rolls into its second decade, something has quietly shifted. This is no longer a homegrown, determined start-up proving its worth. Nor is it a novelty on the cultural calendar. Newcastle Fringe has grown up, and in doing so, it has become something rarer and more powerful: a festival the city can genuinely claim as its own.

Entering its fourth year, the Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival has evolved into a vibrant celebration of fresh storytelling, with playwrights contributing new work from across Lake Macquarie and the wider Hunter region, as well as America, New Zealand and beyond - all competing for a share of the $1,900 prize pool.

Hunter Drama is set to start its 2026 season with a bang and a whole lot of glitter. Once Upon A One More Time brings together rebellious princesses, girl-power storytelling, and the irresistible hits of pop superstar Britney Spears for a night of theatrical fun at the Playhouse, Civic Theatre Newcastle, from 9–19 April.

March is shaping up to be a month of colour, creativity and connection at Allettare Dezigns — Newcastle's favourite creative destination.

There’s something energising about listening to young people talk about the stories that shape them. In the latest episode of The Placed to Speak podcast, produced through the Place Based Abilities Program, a group of passionate participants explore where “good writing meets great fantasy and visual media”. What unfolds is thoughtful, funny and surprisingly insightful.

I honestly feel a bit embarrassed admitting this. I like to think of myself as a smart woman. I make good decisions at work every day, and I’ve raised a daughter who values herself and treats others with kindness and empathy. Even though I hold those values close and promise myself every year that I won’t get drawn in, here I am, sitting in front of the TV, watching MAFS again. I hate-watch it, but I still watch.