The net portal will be a convenient, useful and informative place to start surfing the web and offer a much needed database of local news and events.

Yourguide (www.yourguide.com.au) is expected to launch its Southern Highlands News arm mid-October, publishing all local and national news, sport, entertainment, club news, weather and letters.

It is expected the new site will be launched mid October and is one of the many Rural Press sites around the state that will publish their content on-line.

The local web portal will also offer all local non-profit groups a free web space on the site, which can be accessed and updated externally.

Southern Highland News On-line Editor Paul McMillan claimed the site would be Chr(39)the best thing that ever happened to the Highlands on-lineChr(39).

"YourGuide will provide an excellent opportunity for the community to get involved in a well-structured web portal," he said.

Not only will you be able to access local news on-line but community groups will all be able to publish their local news and events on the site."

The site will be updated with all local news at least three times per week, and will also have a breaking news section to keep you informed on local news as it is happening.

A letters to the editor link will also make it easier for you to get in contact with the News and be up to date with relevant issues to the community.

Advertisers will also be able to buy a space on the new site.

The entertainment section will feature reviews on books and films, especially including books with a local focus.

Although the entire Southern Highland News will not publish absolutely everything that is seen in the paper, the site will contain the majority of news seen in the News pages.

For more information about getting your community non-profit group to be a part of this new web site, contact Paul at the Southern Highland News on 4861 2333 or via email at editorial.highlandnews@ruralpress .com.