It has been a tough 12 months for Oz Tukka owner Linda Dipper.
Not only did her partner in life and business, Ray Kochel, pass away unexpectedly in January 2025, she has been fighting pancreatic cancer for the past six months.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Oz Tukka has a new owner: Corey Grech, the founder of Native Botanical Brewery at Toukley on the Central Coast. He also hosts Salt & Pepperberry, a monthly native Australian degustation dinner.
And Dipper? She's taking some time out for the first time in years, giving her body "a chance to heal".
"Ray and I always said if we ever sold Oz Tukka, we wanted it to be First Nations-owned," she said.
"Corey is the right person. We've known him a long time and sold his products for many years. His non-alcoholic ginger beer with lemon myrtle is our best-selling product.
"Corey will take Oz Tukka's food and gourmet range, and the wholesale and retail range, and I'll keep doing my bush food education program at schools and preschools."
Dipper was diagnosed with cancer in August, had surgery in October, and has been undergoing chemotherapy since December.
She has two sessions to go and is counting the days.
"The chemo has absolutely knocked me ... I have just been constantly sick," she said.
"It all started when I had a bellyache, like indigestion, and thought it was weird because Ray was the one who used to get indigestion. So I made myself go to the doctor and he sent me for an ultrasound for suspected gall bladder.
"It turned out there was nothing wrong with my gall bladder but there was a mass on my pancreas. When I heard that, my heart just sank. It turned out to be malignant cancer, in the very early stages. So they operated in September and I shut Oz Tukka for eight weeks.
"They took part of my tummy, part of my bowel, my gall bladder, my spleen, and the head of the pancreas where the tumour was. It was a nine-hour surgery and my whole digestive system has been re-plumbed.
"I've lost 55 kilograms and most of my hair. I hardly recognise myself! The loss of muscle mass - because I lost weight so quickly - means I am very weak. I had already been struggling to run the business from January to August without Ray, working seven days with no time off. The cancer diagnosis was a change-of-life moment."
Under Grech, Oz Tukka's home base will be moving from Redhead to Toukley.
One side of the Main Road building is a manufacturing and packaging area for native herbs and spices. The other is being transformed into a shopfront which will also host pop-up dinners and other cultural events.
Oz Tukka will continue to visit Newcastle City Farmers Market and attend events in the Newcastle area.
"I've had the brewery for eight years now. Oz Tukka provides some diversity for us," Grech said.
"We're a small family business and we're branching out into catering too. Our lemon myrtle ginger beer and strawberry gum lemonade keep selling out. Over the past three weeks we've gone through way more stock than ever before, close to 300 cartons.
"I think our brand is getting more awareness, and there's generally more interest. People want to buy from First Nations businesses; they actually ring and ask if we're First Nations."
As for Dipper, she is keen to continue educating the public about native Australian tucker.
"Native Australian food was introduced to the school food-tech curriculum just before COVID, and we started getting teachers coming in to see us at Oz Tukka, asking us for advice," she said.
"Then they started asking us to come to their schools to teach some classes. When COVID shut everything down it gave me time to think about it, and I developed the program. It's going gangbusters. I've got close to 40 schools waiting to book me in."
Dipper is feeling positive about her health and future.
"I am really lucky that they found the cancer early. I believe Ray gave me that bellyache, in fact, I'm sure he did. And I'm forever grateful for the support Ray and I have had since taking on Oz Tukka 12 years ago. Thanks, Newcastle."
Regional renewable energy projects are attracting industry leaders, government agencies, manufacturers, researchers and investors to Newcastle in the coming days for Hunter New Energy Week (May 27 and 28).
The event is a timely one. Billions of dollars of renewable energy, transmission and industrial investment is moving from the approval stage into delivery across the Hunter Region.
"The Hunter's energy transition is no longer theoretical. Transmission corridors are progressing, renewable infrastructure is moving toward delivery and billions of dollars of investment are flowing into the region," Hunter New Energy co-lead Boris Novak said.
"Construction has commenced on the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone and major network upgrades are underway to unlock new renewable generation and storage.
"Across the region, solar farms, wind projects, battery storage systems and the repurposing of former mine and industrial sites for new energy industry development is progressing."
Novak said the hardest challenge was ensuring the Hunter secured long-term value from the projects being developed across the region.
"The Hunter cannot afford to become a construction site for somebody else's economy," he said.
"We need to ensure local manufacturers, engineering firms, contractors and suppliers can fully participate in the projects being delivered across the region."
Financial adviser Paul Howden has won the 2026 Astrum Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated sustained leadership and contributed to the structural development of the financial advice industry.
As a co-founder of Crest Financial Services more than 25 years ago, Howden has been instrumental in expanding the firm's footprint across Newcastle and Maitland. His tenure has seen the business navigate significant regulatory reform and technological shifts, evolving from a boutique practice into a multidisciplinary firm offering integrated financial and accounting services.
"I feel incredibly honoured to receive this recognition. It has been a privilege to work in an industry where you can make a real difference in people's lives," Howden said.
"This award is also a reflection of the many people I have worked with over the years, including our team and our clients, who have all been part of this journey."
Beyond firm management, Howden has overseen the professional development of numerous advisers and paraplanners, many of whom have transitioned into senior leadership roles.
