Category: Newcastle News

OLSEN ORMANDY: a creative force, a new exhibition from artists Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy, opens at Newcastle Art Gallery on Saturday 17 November.
Featuring a series of more than 50 works of art and sculptures, the exhibition celebrates the pair’s three decades of creative partnership and evolving artistic practice.

This vibrant creative tour de force showcases individual works of art from each artist alongside pieces made in collaboration, drawing on Olsen and Ormandy’s substantial archive, but also incorporating new paintings and large-scale sculptural installations.
“For more than 30 years, Louise and Stephen have built a reputation as the artists behind one of Australia’s most iconic brands – Dinosaur Designs,” said Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton.
“An earlier significant touring exhibition The Art of Dinosaur Designs showcased the couple’s work in the context of their design success. This summer in Newcastle, we will look closer at these two artists and their bodies of work.
“Paintings, tapestries and sculptures in marble, aluminium, wood and resin – many of these new works yet to be exhibited – showcasing new mediums or new directions the artists have been exploring.
“This nationally relevant exhibition tells the next chapter for this artist duo – partners in life, art and work.”
OLSEN ORMANDY: a creative force features joint commissions such as Series 8: Movement (2011), a set of eight disks in dazzling colours commissioned to mark the fifth anniversary of Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), and Collar Bone (2014), a wall hanging characterised by chroma clashes from orange to blue rendered in a painterly application.
A highlight of the exhibition is a new expression of Ormandy’s life-sized totems, rendered in signature resin. First shown at London Design Week 2016, these larger sculptures are formed from interconnected pieces to create extraordinary silhouettes and bold interplays of solid colours. Also on display is a series of mesmerising, never-before-seen watercolours by Olsen, exploring in two dimensions many of the themes of her decades of design and sculpture work.
“I have a fascination with balance and the relationship between being bold and the sensitivity of the delicate,” Olsen said.

“I’m constantly inspired by nature; there is something beautiful about the time things take to evolve and perfect in the natural world. Resin, one of the materials we have worked with in this exhibition, has a wonderful viscous fluidity that allows us to cross the boundaries of sculpture and painting.”
Ormandy said that his work is born of the subconscious mind.
“I’m looking for vibration and rhythm, the play of line creating positive and negative space, searching for tonal balance through contrast or harmony, while developing chroma relationships that hug or repel,” he said.
OLSEN ORMANDY: a creative force is on exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery, 1 Laman Street Newcastle, from 17 November 2018 to 17 February 2019. The Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm (open seven days during school holidays) and entry is free.
Street Party and opening celebration
Join us for a fantastic, artistic street party and outdoor celebration in Laman Street for the opening of OLSEN ORMANDY: A creative force, 5-9pm, Friday 16 November.
Bring your picnic blanket and settle in for a great night. We’ll have art, music, food and wine, and you can get a sneak peek of the exhibition before its official Saturday opening.
ART: The individual and collaborative works of Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy.
MUSIC: Funk, soul, disco and jackin house DJ set by STEPHEN ORMANDY; eclectic blend of heady, dream pop textures from I KNOW LEOPARD; punk-pop-meets-riot-grrrl tunes of BLOODS; and vintage inspired, experimental local act LACHLAN X. MORRIS.
FOOD & WINE: STREET FEAST joins the party with their delicious range of food trucks, sweet treats and alcoholic beverages. An outdoor night food market presented by HUNT & GATHER.
A full event schedule is available online.

Construction on the region’s biggest solar farm has begun after Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes turned the first sod today on a disused landfill site at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre facility.
The City of Newcastle’s single largest investment in a renewable energy project follows eight other solar installations at its Waratah Works Depot , Art Gallery, City, Wallsend and New Lambton libraries, No.1 and No.2 Sportsgrounds and Newcastle Museum.
^{Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Deputy Mayor Declan Clausen turn the furst sod at the solar farm}
The five-megawatt solar arm will increase the City’s renewable energy generation capacity tenfold and save rate payers around $9 million over its 25-year lifespan.
“Today’s sod turning is a major milestone for this City and another exciting step forward in the delivery of renewable energy for our region,” the Lord Mayor said from Summerhill today.
“The solar farm will produce enough energy to run the equivalent of all the City of Newcastle’s facilities during the day, which represents significant environmental returns for ratepayers and millions of dollars in savings.”
Covering an area of around five football fields on a capped landfill once part of the Wallsend Borehole Colliery, the solar farm’s 14,500 photovoltaic solar arrays will help dramatically reduce the city’s $4m annual electricity bill.
The City of Newcastle secured a $6.5 million loan from Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to help build the farm, which will comprise solar panels and infrastructure built by international property and infrastructure group Lendlease and EMC.

^{Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Program Coordinator Adam Clarke, Climate Council representative Cassie Brenmer and Deputy Mayor Declan Clausen}
The new facility builds on one of Australia’s most advanced renewable energy setups at a waste facility — with a 2.2megawatt landfill gas generator and a small wind turbine already located at Summerhill.
The solar farm and the other rooftop installations already installed by the City are part of actions endorsed by the Cities Power Partnership, a Climate Council program in which cities and towns pledge key actions to reduce their climate impact.
“We are building sustainability into everything we do after reiterating our commitment last year to generate 30 per cent of our electricity needs from low-carbon sources and cut overall electricity usage by 30 per cent by 2020,” Cr Nelmes said.

A man has been charged over a carjacking in Newcastle on Friday.
About 1.15am (Friday 9 November 2018), four men who are known to each other were in a Holden Commodore on Hansen Place, Shortland, when the driver stopped and got out of the vehicle.
A 27-year-old man in the passenger seat was then allegedly threatened with a knife by the two other passengers.
The man was forced from the vehicle by the two men, who then drove it from the scene. No injuries were suffered.
Police from Newcastle City Police District commenced an investigation.
About 7pm yesterday (Saturday 10 November 2018), a 23-year-old man was arrested at Speers Point.
He was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with aggravated robbery, possess prohibited drug and disqualified driving.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Sunday 11 November 2018).
Inquiries continue to locate the second offender.

A man has allegedly been caught drink-driving more than five times the legal limit in Belmont yesterday.
Police will allege a man was refused entry about 2.15pm (Friday 9 November 2018), to a licensed premises on the Pacific Highway, Belmont, before he left the area in a Subaru station wagon.
Hotel staff notified police and officers from the Lake Macquarie Highway Patrol Command observed the vehicle a short time later in a carpark on Macquarie Street, Belmont.
After a conversation with the man, he returned a positive reading to a roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.
He underwent a breath analysis and returned an alleged reading of 0.263.
The 34-year-old man was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for the offence of high-range PCA and is due to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 5 December 2018.

Investigations are continuing after a large amount of dried cannabis leaf and 12 cannabis plants were seized from a home in Newcastle.
About 11:15am yesterday (Friday 9 November 2018), officers from Newcastle City Police District executed a search warrant at a house on Teralba Road, Broadmeadow.
During the search, officers located and seized 12 cannabis plants, over 21kg of dried cannabis, a quantity of steroids, ketamine and a large quantity of hydroponic equipment.
No persons were found in the home.
A crime scene was established, and police identified unmetered power sources being used in the operation.
Investigations have commenced, and inquiries continue.

A man will face court next month after being charged with fraud and intimidation offences in the Lake Macquarie area.
Police from Lake Macquarie Police District received a complaint about a fundraising scheme established in July 2018 to benefit drought-stricken farmers.
A donation event was held to raise money and collect goods at a park near Newcastle.
Following the event, police will allege a member involved in the scheme attempted to speak to the organiser about the expenditure of funds and was intimidated.
It will also be alleged personal items were purchased with some of the money raised.
During the course of the investigation, a senior constable was allegedly harassed.
Following inquiries, about 8am today (Friday 9 November 2018), detectives attended a home on Fourth Street, Boolaroo, and arrested a 36-year-old man after he attempted to flee.
He was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with seven offences including dishonestly obtain property by deception (x3), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm, intimidate police officer in execution of duty, obtain personal information about officer, and resist officer in execution of duty.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 5 December 2018.
Investigations are ongoing.

A driverless vehicle will for the first time ever operate on local public roads in 2019.
The City of Newcastle is seeking proposals from qualified operators to trial an autonomous public transport vehicle that can operate safely in traffic.
_{A driverless shuttle used in a Transport for NSW autonomous vehicle trial at Sydney’s Olympic Park. City of Newcastle’s trial will involve a similar vehicle sourced through its tender process.}
Newcastle’s trial will involve a small shuttle carrying about 12 people at a time through some of the city’s most scenic areas including our beaches and harbour front.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the trial will cement Newcastle as a leader for testing emerging technologies, and further confirm our smart city status.
“Our vision is to be a smart, liveable and sustainable global city by 2030,” the Lord Mayor said. “This project provides yet another great opportunity to showcase Newcastle’s smart city initiatives to a national and international audience.
“Automated shuttles and driverless car technologies are at the cutting-edge of transport. This trial will help build our understanding of how the vehicles can fit into existing traffic-dominated cities and connect with existing transport networks.
“City of Newcastle is partnering with a consortium of technology businesses to provide an integrated network for transport, energy and digital infrastructure to transform the city into a living lab.”
The trial will go through a safety testing phase before people can ride the shuttle free of charge.
The City’s tender documents outline a range of outcomes to be delivered during the trial, including:

• Providing an autonomous vehicle for public use
• Demonstrating that autonomous vehicles are suitable for use in urban environments
• Testing the suitability of Newcastle’s smart city infrastructure to support autonomous vehicle operation
• Assisting the development of local, state and federal regulations required to facilitate/accelerate the use of autonomous shuttles in urban public traffic.

The trial will run for at least a year as part of the Newcastle Smart City Strategy, which received $5m funding through the Federal Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs program last year.
Autonomous vehicles are being tested around the world as cities, governments and communities embrace the emergence of driverless technology.
Newcastle will join a select number of Australian cities trialling autonomous vehicles in public settings and full urban traffic. Legislation around autonomous vehicles in New South Wales currently requires a trained human operator to always be on board the vehicle.

A man will face court today after he was arrested following a wilful and obscene exposure incident at The Entrance yesterday.
Just after 10.30pm (Tuesday 6 November 2018), police attended the ocean baths at The Entrance after receiving information about a man allegedly conducting an indecent act in view of several women.
Police located a man nearby and he was arrested and taken to Wyong Police Station.
The 34-year-old man was charged with an act of indecency and wilful and obscene exposure in a public place.
He was refused bail and will appear in Wyong Local Court today (Tuesday 6 November 2018).
Inquiries are continuing.

Novocastrians are invited to the unveiling of the City’s first Eternal Flame at Civic Park this Sunday in celebration of the centenary of Armistice Day.
The new monument, housed in a stone plinth and built of the same granite as the adjacent Word War Two cenotaph, will occupy a special place in the heart of many Novocastrians, whose late and living relatives will be honoured by the permanent memorial.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the flame – which will be ignited for the first time during the ceremony – would honour all war veterans – past, present and future. It will be surrounded by new paving etched with the solemn words of the Ode of Remembrance and four new nine-metre flagpoles, from which the Australian, Aboriginal, British and the City of Newcastle flags will fly.
“It will be a great honour to unveil this amazing tribute on Sunday,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We are a city steeped in war history, and it’s important for us to continue to pass the stories and memories down to future generations through important public ceremonies and memorials.”

Armistice Day – also known as Remembrance Day – closed the chapter on four years of continuous fighting along the Western front, after millions of men and women had lost their lives. Sunday will mark 100 years since the ceasefire between the Allies and the German Army.
“We have been working closely with the Newcastle Veterans community and the Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon MP to deliver this significant and lasting tribute to Novocastrians who have served our country in times of war,” Cr Nelmes said.
“To see it come to fruition on this milestone day in war history is a true testament to the respect and admiration we hold for our past and present war heroes.”
Newcastle now stands alongside some of the great cities that have memorials with an Eternal Flame. Iconic monuments such as the Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, Washington DC’s Kennedy Memorial and Australia’s very own War Memorial in Canberra.
The project is a joint initiative by the City of Newcastle and the Australian Government, following a successful Lord Mayoral Minute and grant application through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
The public is invited to gather at Civic Park from 10:15am before the official ceremony at 10:30am.

The City of Newcastle’s popular Park and Ride service turns one today after taking 20,000 cars off inner-city streets since it was first introduced in November last year.
A total of 21,389 passengers have taken the Park and Ride from McDonald Jones stadium to the City following its introduction during the light rail construction.
Monthly users have since more than doubled, with October recording the highest rate of commuters (2,500).

_{Lambton commuter Jordan May, 22, loves how affordable the Park and Ride service is.}
On its first anniversary today, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the City was pleased to see such a high uptake of the service.
“There’s been a 111 per cent increase in usage, and 20,000 cars taken off the road, in the year since the service was opened to commuters,” the Lord Mayor said.
“I encourage people to continue parking and riding, and ask them to sign up there colleagues and friends. With a return fare of just $2.20, the park and ride offers a fast and convenient trip for commuters to the city, as well as a significant financial daily saving.”


The Park and Ride service was introduced last year in response to light rail construction and had more services introduced earlier this year to accommodate earlier commuters in the afternoon.
For Lambton commuter Jordan May the Park and Ride journey is a convenient, cost-saving mode of transport that she ‘loves’ taking every day.
“The reason why I love the Park and Ride service is I can catch it and I don’t have to pay $15 for parking in town every day,” she said.
“It’s really simple, comes every 15 minutes, is really really convenient and I absolutely love it.”
Buses make the return trip from the CBD to McDonald Jones stadium every 15 minutes from 7am – 9am and 3pm to 6.30pm, with CBD stops designed a few minutes’ walk to wherever you need to go.
“The Park and Ride fare will remain at just $2.20, which for those that work 48 weeks in a year, means a reduction in parking costs of more than $1,000,” Cr Nelmes said.
“It also helps free up valuable car parking for the customers that keep our city businesses ticking.”
More information on the service, visit http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/parkandride