Time to end the year with the Macleay Argus' Top 10 list of your favourite local news stories

Crime, court and accident reports, and weather warnings and events, will always be our most important news articles, and central to our committment to keep you informed.

But excluding most of our breaking news, we've come up with a Top 10 list of the stories that had you clicking, scrolling and liking in 2022. And it's a mixed bag.

Kempsey nurses take to the streets as part of statewide strike (February) Kempsey nurses joined the first of several statewide strikes and protest actions in February. By the end of the year, there was still no resolution to their claims for more support to end what has become crippling under-resourcing of our hospitals.

Kempsey Council pays tribute to long serving councillor Jennifer Anne Sproule (January) Flags were flown at half-mast to remember Kempsey Shire Councill Jenny Sproule who died in January.

Amanda O'Dell's case features on playing cards given to inmates in initiative to generate leads in cold cases (July). Hopes of solving the 2006 death of Amanda O'Dell were given a boost with the Unsolved Homicide Unit and Corrective Services NSW introducing playing cards into the state's jails, which featured cold cases on them - including Amanda's.

Kempsey Shire Councillor Alexandra Wyatt speaks out on Supreme Court decision The decision by the Supreme Court to send Kempsey Shire residents back to the polls after a voting glitch, shocked and dismayed councillors - some of whom withdrew or were replaced in the second poll.

Lyn Knight's legacy to live on in the Macleay Valley (September). The Macleay Valley mourned the loss of dedicated teacher Lyn Knight, who was remembered for putting her heart and soul into her teaching.

72-year-old woman rescued from flood waters north of Kempsey (July) The dramatic police rescue of an elderly woman, which was captured on video, was a sobering reminder of the dangers of crossing flooded roads.

Shane Davis-Caldwell selected in NSW Country under-18 team for clash with NSW City under-18s (April). Davis-Caldwell's decision to answer a random phone call delivered the welcome news that the Macleay Valley Mustangs player had been selected in the NSW Country under-18 team.

Young tourist bitten by shark at Crescent Head, in a stable condition (December) While not as dramatic as some news organisations made out, a teenager's holiday shark bite at Crescent Head proved a nasty scare.

South West Rocks remembers world-class surfer and troubled soul Chris 'Davo' Davidson (September). The death of former competitive surfer Chris Davidson after an alleged assault came as a shock to the South West Rocks community, and made international headlines.

Our most-read story of 2022: Scone trained Hit The Target wins the 2022 Akubra Kempsey Cup (November). Hit the Target's cup win was newsworthy but we reckon it was Scott Calvin's and Mardi Borg's Fashions on the Field photo galleries that made this our most popular story of 2022. Clearly we weren't the only ones happy to be out of trakkies and back in our finest!