Catherine James

Sydney

Currently reporting for ABC News from the NSW Western Plains. Producer and writer for *The Watch Or The Time* - a doco about the West in Afghanistan. Link below

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Articles

Dubbo Show 'stabbing list' not connected to CBD incident, NSW Police say

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Catherine James

A "stabbing list" posted to social media before a local show in western NSW is not related to an alleged stabbing in the same town over the weekend, NSW Police say. The now-deleted anonymous post titled "Dubbo Show stabbing list 2025" was shared on Tuesday last week in a Dubbo community forum on Facebook ahead of the city's three-day event from Friday. Sixteen individuals were named in what police are treating as a threat.
Healing from inherited trauma as a Stolen Generations descendant

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Catherine James

An unexpected personal loss was the catalyst for Laura Jones to explore how her grief could be connected to traumatic events that happened before she was even born. The 23-year-old does not like to speak about the troubled time, but said with the support of her nan, her great-grandmother's younger sister Aunty Lorraine Peeters, she began to understand her pain could be connected to deeper generational wounds.
Coonabarabran community in shock after death of two boys aged 6 and 7

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Zaarkacha Marlan |Catherine James |Bruce MacKenzie |Bruce Mackenzie

A small community in in north-west New South Wales remains in shock today after two young boys were found dead inside a home at Coonabarabran. Police went to the house yesterday afternoon after receiving a "concern for welfare" report. They discovered the bodies of two boys aged six and seven. A 66-year-old woman who was at the house and who the ABC understands is their grandmother was arrested at the scene and remains in hospital under police guard. The news has rocked the close-knit community.
Floodwater passes historic record levels in western NSW

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Zaarkacha Marlan |Catherine James

Historic flooding has cut off communities in western NSW, with the Paroo River surpassing its 1990 record. The river reached 5.13 metres at Wanaaring at 8am on Tuesday, overtaking the previous record of 4.88 metres. It was predicted to peak at 5.3 metres on Tuesday afternoon. Slow-moving floodwater heading south from Queensland was expected to keep the remote community of Wanaaring isolated for six to 10 weeks.
NSW Police to target youth crime 'ringleaders' with rapid-response strategy

Mar 18, 2025 | abc.net.au | Bruce MacKenzie |Bruce Mackenzie |Catherine James |Zaarkacha Marlan

Up to 100 young "ringleaders" committing violent crimes in the state's north and west will be the target of a new rapid-response strategy revealed by NSW Police today. Operation Soteria will involve 60 officers and rapid response units targeting offenders aged between 11 and 16 in nine designated areas. The regional trouble spots identified are Moree, Tamworth, Dubbo, Orange, Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Taree, and Newcastle.
Fears chemical spray drift is affecting trees, but proving it is complicated

Jan 28, 2025 | abc.net.au | Catherine James

Something strange keeps happening to the huge peppercorn tree on Harry Barclay's farm. For at least a decade, he has seen the evergreen shed most of its leaves around March and April. He believes it is linked to spraying nearby cotton crops with a defoliant for harvest. "As soon as the cotton defoliation goes on, the peppercorn drops most of its leaves a day or two after and then slowly loses the rest over three or four weeks," Mr Barclay says. "It's not a deciduous tree.
The Making of Hershey's

Jan 28, 2025 | citylifestyle.com | Catherine James

This Valentine's Day, loved ones across the country will receive boxes of smooth, silky confections donning names like Cadbury, Godiva, Ghiradelli, Ferrero, Lindt and the like. But only one can take credit for America's chocolate obsession, paving the way for dozens more to earn their rightful place on grocery store shelves in centuries to come. That name is Hershey. But chocolatier Milton Hershey is responsible for more than the rise of delicious milk chocolate.
Western NSW children join sport waiting lists as Dubbo sport hub plan axed

Dec 19, 2024 | abc.net.au | Catherine James

Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty has axed $48.6 million in funding promised under the previous government for an indoor sports hub in Dubbo. Sporting teams and players have criticised the decision as a failure to understand the region. A petition has been launched for the funding to be restored. Cohen Weir fears more of his friends will leave their home town in western New South Wales after a state government decision to axe funding for an indoor sports precinct.
Canadian pilot Rick Roberts flies large air tanker to fight NSW bushfires

Dec 13, 2024 | abc.net.au | Catherine James

Captain Rick Roberts keeps a cool head when he flies to "bomb" a bushfire. The Canadian pilots a large air tanker (LAT) retrofitted with an 11,356-litre tank for fire retardant that hugs the plane like a hotdog bun. While firebombing seems synonymous with danger, Cpt Roberts says it is a high-discipline job rather than a high-risk one. "I wouldn't do it if it was high risk. There's no heroism here," the 69-year-old says.
Council candidate shortage sees 14 NSW local government areas have no vote on September 14

Sep 13, 2024 | abc.net.au | Catherine James

A government where representatives are elected without a vote may not sound like a democracy, but in some regional New South Wales local governments that is what is happening. When NSW council elections are held on Saturday, September 14, a lack of candidates will mean 14 councils out of 128 will appoint nominees unopposed. All but one of the affected councils is in regional NSW. It is a big shift from 25 years ago when only one council went uncontested in the 1999 election.