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February is shaping up to be a wonderful celebration of stories, people and places that make the Hawkesbury such a special place to live.
Our front cover this month shines a spotlight on Library Lovers Week( 12 – 19 February), with Windsor Central and Richmond Libraries hosting book sales, author talks, Sydney Writers’ Festival live streams and more. Libraries today are vibrant community hubs – places of learning, creativity and connection – and we’ re proud to highlight the many ways they continue to evolve and support our community.
We also congratulate the nine outstanding recipients of the 2026 Hawkesbury Australia Day Awards, recognised for their incredible dedication, generosity and service. From Citizen of the Year Bruce Earle’ s lifelong commitment to the Rural Fire Service, to young achievers, environmental champions and local heroes, these award winners remind us that community spirit is alive and well in the Hawkesbury.
This month’ s Hawkesbury’ s Finest profile features powerhouse strongwoman and gym owner Lauren McMillen, whose achievements on the national and world stage are matched by her passion for empowering local women through her Women’ s Fitness Collective in Richmond. You’ ll also meet master craftsman Darren Oates, whose journey from fine furniture to sculptural artistry proves it’ s never too late to discover a new creative path.
We take a fascinating look at a new bushfire detection camera tower at Kurrajong Heights, a game-changer for early fire spotting, and explore the challenges and opportunities facing live music in Western Sydney in an in-depth feature that continues next month.
As always, we round out the issue with local history, lifestyle, giveaways and plenty of community news.
Thank you to our readers, contributors and advertisers for continuing to support truly local media. Enjoy Issue 189 – and we’ ll see you out and about in the community.
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Issue 189 | February 2026 Phone 4588 5055 | e: info @ hdinews. com. au theindependentmagazine. com. au
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We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. The Independent is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
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THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 189 // FEBRUARY 2026 3