Newcastle News – 16 News

$1 million funding boost to support new life for Lambton Park cafe

A renovation of a former café site at one of the city’s most popular parks will kick off later this year as City of Newcastle breathes new life into the historic Lambton Park building.

Constructed in the 1940s as a baby health centre, the building will be modernised into an accessible café designed to become a hub for social connection and inclusion.

Lambton Park cafe project City of Newcastle’s Executive Director of Corporate Services David Clarke, Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery and Chair of City of Newcastle’s Infrastructure Strategic Advisory Committee, Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz outside the former baby health centre, which will be transformed this year by City of Newcastle into a new café.

A development application for the upgrade was given the green light in March, with the project now receiving a $1 million boost through the NSW Government’s Crown Reserves Improvement Fund.

City of Newcastle’s Executive Director of Corporate Services David Clarke said the project will enhance the community’s use and enjoyment of the popular Lambton Park precinct.

“We are committed to delivering a range of projects that nurture connected, inclusive communities,” Mr Clarke said.

“We thank the NSW Government for its significant investment into this project, which will help City of Newcastle deliver the first major adaptive reuse of this historic building since it’s construction more than 80 years ago.

“The café upgrades will not only enhance the use of the building as an accessible and inclusive space but also encourage use of the wider park area and amenities.”

NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the NSW Government was committed to delivering much needed upgrades to communities across the state.

“The grant to improve Lambton Park is part of $11 million that is being offered by the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund statewide to support community-focused projects,” Mr Kamper said.

“The NSW Government is focused on building better communities and these projects will keep our public reserves safe and healthy and support industry and the cultural, sporting and recreational life of communities to benefit many thousands of people.”

Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery said the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund provides grants to maintain and upgrade reserves and community facilities on Crown land.

“Lambton Park is an important space for our community and this funding from City of Newcastle and the NSW Government will enable the community to continue to use this historic site,” Ms Hornery said.

“The Tea Rooms were a fantastic addition to the Elder Street commercial area and I’m looking forward to seeing what the new café site will bring to the Lambton community.”

An artist’s impression of the façade of the new café.

The upgrade will include the installation of a new commercial kitchen, accessible bathroom facilities and the reconfiguration of the building into a more attractive and accessible open plan design.

Bi-fold doors from the café space will open onto a new rear deck extension overlooking the nearby children’s playground, which will provide accessible ramp access for parents with prams and people with mobility issues.

A preferred tenderer for the construction of the project is expected to be confirmed mid this year, with work on the upgrade to begin in the final quarter of 2025.

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Infrastructure Strategic Advisory Committee, Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz, said the project will breathe new life into a currently unused building.

“Lambton Park is a cherished community hub offering a range of active and passive recreational opportunities that are popular with local residents and visitors,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“This building has long been a space for social connection, from its original use as a baby health clinic to its reinvention as tea rooms in 2017.

“We look forward to its revitalisation as a cafe, which will complement the surrounding community facilities and contribute to the role Lambton Park plays in meeting the recreational and social needs of our local residents.”

Newcastle Museum exhibition highlights history of German-speakers in the Hunter

Margarete Ritchie was just three years old when she and her family left Austria in 1955 to make a new life on the other side of the world.

Their journey across the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to Australia is just one of the stories woven into the rich tapestry of memory in Newcastle Museum’s new exhibition, Heimat in the Hunter, which opens to the public tomorrow.

Hedy Fairbairn, Associate Professor Julie McIntyre, Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge, Julie Baird, Dr Sacha Davis, Tim Crakanthorp and Dr Jaime Hunt take a look at the new Heimat in the Hunter exhibition, which opens at Newcastle Museum tomorrow.

Developed in partnership with the University of Newcastle and drawing on the academic research of Dr Sacha Davis, Dr Jaime Hunt and Associate Professor Julie McIntyre, the free exhibition reveals the history and experiences of German-speakers in the Hunter region.

German is the tenth most common language other than English spoken in Newcastle and the Hunter.

Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said exhibitions such as Heimat in the Hunter offer a valuable insight into the history of our city.

“It is important to share and preserve stories of the communities and residents who have made Newcastle what it is today,” Cr Kerridge said.

“I commend the work of Newcastle Museum and the University of Newcastle on this wonderful exhibition, which will hopefully promote better understanding of the city’s many migrant community experiences.”

City of Newcastle’s Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning, Julie Baird, said partnerships between Newcastle Museum and research institutions like the University of Newcastle offer new ways to connect the public with contemporary historical research.

“This is a history not just of German-speaking migrants, but of courage, creativity and connection, where objects become anchors for memory, cultural continuity and the migrant experience,” Ms Baird said.

“Heimat in the Hunter brings together humble objects, images and interviews that reveal extraordinary stories and the importance of home and connecting world events to our shared local stories.”

The exhibition showcases items from the Museum’s collection as well as treasured family heirlooms generously loaned by members of the community.

Margarete’s story is brought to life through the remarkable travel album created by her father, Franz Ranzenbacher, which is filled with descriptions and photographs of their journey as well as a hand-drawn map of their migration route.

Travelling with her mother, father and eight-year-old sister, Margarete set off from Genoa aboard the MS Aurelia and sailed through the Suez Canal to Columbo in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), before docking in Fremantle and then finally Sydney, where they caught a train to the Greta Migrant Camp.

“I am quite honoured to have my parent’s quest to make a good home for their family in Australia, far from the turmoil in Europe in the early to mid-1950s, included in this exhibition,” Mrs Ritchie said.

A beautiful wool dinner suit tailored by Franz Schwaller helps tell the story of Viennese migrant Ernst Baumwald, who left war-torn Europe in 1939 to make a new life in Newcastle.

With strict limitations on what he could bring with him, Ernst arrived in Australia with little more than some clothing, a collection of German-language engineering books and his precious slide rule, which are among the items loaned to the exhibition by his daughter Hedy Fairbairn.

“Ernst was a civil engineer and spent the larger part of his working life at Newcastle’s State Dockyard. He was responsible for the design of the turntable on the Southern Hemisphere’s first drive-on-drive-off passenger ship, Princess of Tasmania,” Mrs Fairbairn said.

“Two vital items came with him from Vienna: his technical books/manuals and his slide rule. He relied on those books all his working life. Every calculation and computation for his design work was made with that slide rule. Later in life he purchased a pocket calculator, but the slide rule was never truly replaced.”

University of Newcastle Discipline Lead for History, Dr. Sacha Davis, said German-speaking migrants form an important element in the rich history of the Newcastle and Hunter region.

“Their experiences on the one hand are individual and specific, and on the other hand speak to the story of migration to the region more broadly. Yet German-speaking migration to the region has frequently been overlooked,” Dr Davis said.

“The great strength of this exhibition has been the passionate and generous involvement of the community in the telling of these stories.”

Visitors to the exhibition are also encouraged to share their stories via a QR code as part of the University of Newcastle’s current research project, German as a Heritage Language and Culture in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, led by Dr Hunt.

This exhibition has been supported by the NSW Government, through Create NSW, the University of Newcastle Copley Bequest Pilot Research Fund, and the Australian Linguistic Society.

Heimat in the Hunter opens on Tuesday 17 June and will be on display until Sunday 21 September.

New residential drug rehab program launched for Hunter New England youth

Young people in the Hunter region and across NSW have access to a new, intensive alcohol and other drug rehabilitation service, with the official launch of Palm Youth Rehab by the Ted Noffs Foundation (Noffs) in Newcastle.

Palm Youth Rehab is a three-month, residential withdrawal management and rehabilitation program specific to adolescents aged 12 to 17. Taking a holistic, harm-reduction approach, the program supports young people through complex trauma, alcohol and other drug use, and behavioural challenges, helping them safely move forward in their lives.

The new rehabilitation service was funded as part of the Government response to the Ice Inquiry, which aimed to address treatment gaps and improve health and social outcomes, particularly for young people, and people in regional and rural areas. Almost $13 million over four years has been invested in the new service, including capital funding.

Delivered by a multi-disciplinary team trained in trauma-informed care, the program includes individual counselling, group work, family support, education and vocational training, life skills, recreational activities, and in-reach medical care provided by the local health district.

Noffs is one of Australia’s largest providers of youth alcohol and drug treatment services, with a proven track record of reducing drug dependency, crime, and mental health challenges in young people across the country.

The new service operates under the Palm therapeutic community model, which empowers participants to take an active role in the day-to-day running of their community, developing accountability, decision-making skills, and social connection.

Young people are supported beyond the program, with up to three years of post-residential case management offered in their community.

Referrals can be made by general practitioners, health professionals, community workers, family members, and young people can also self-refer. An intake worker is available during business hours to support the process.

For more information or to make a referral, contact Palm Youth Rehab by Noffs.

Regional Health Minister, Ryan Park:

“This new residential rehabilitation program reflects our commitment to delivering targeted, evidence-based support for young people across the state.

“It’s about providing safe, structured care that addresses the root causes of alcohol and drug use, and gives young people the tools to build a healthier future.

“The team at Noffs are known for their dedicated and empowering rehabilitative support, this program will deliver holistic, trauma-informed care and make a tangible impact on the lives of young people in our community.”

Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley:

“This new rehab service is a fresh start for young people doing it tough. With real care, evidence-backed support and a safe space to heal, it’s where recovery begins – a chance to reset, rebuild and rediscover what they’re capable of.

“What makes this place special is the people. Peer workers who’ve lived it, professionals who genuinely care and a team that really gets it. It’s a space where young people can feel connected, understood and hopeful again.

“At the end of the day, it’s about giving young people a place where they feel heard, supported and ready to make real change – something the NSW Government is proud to back.”

Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp:

“The Ted Noffs Foundation are performing vital work across the country, and I welcome this new program in Newcastle.

“By providing a holistic approach to rehabilitation, Noffs can provide long term and meaningful support to vulnerable young people as they move forward in their lives.”

HNELHD District Manager Drug & Alcohol Clinical Services, Kylie Whitford:

“We’re proud to be working with the Ted Noffs Foundation to deliver this vital service for our young people. Through a collaborative model of care, we can provide early, effective, and compassionate support for those experiencing significant challenges.”

“This initiative supports our broader goal of improving access to mental health and alcohol and other drug services across the district, especially for vulnerable populations.”

Matt Noffs, CEO of Ted Noffs Foundation:

“International research done by UNSW has proven that our Youth Rehab significantly reduces drug problems, violent crime and even hospitalisations. We’ve done this for decades and the more treatment we have, the safer and healthier NSW becomes.”

“Most of the young people in our programs have gone through significant trauma in their lives. The reason why we are a large provider of treatment for young people in Australia is that our program replicates a positive family environment and it’s based on over 20 years of evidence and experience.”

“While the core of our work focuses on drugs, crime and suicide, the reason we are successful is because we deal with the underlying trauma. We provide a safe space and help the young people we work with to become productive members of society.”

“The NSW Government have made a significant commitment toward regional areas that are struggling with issues related to young people, drugs and crime. This goes a long way and we are incredibly grateful.”

Buses replace some trains

Wednesday 18 June

From 8am to 1pm, buses replace trains between Newcastle Interchange and Telarah or Muswellbrook.
The 08:29 Newcastle Interchange to Dungog will not run. Catch the 08:48 Newcastle Interchange to Telarah train and change at Maitland for a bus towards Dungog.
Buses also replace the 10:02 Dungog to Newcastle Interchange service.
Replacement buses for trackwork may be affected by driver shortages. We are doing all we can to minimise the impact to your journey and provide a safe service, however cancellations or delays may occur.
Plan your trip before you travel for up-to-date real time information. You can also subscribe to planned trackwork alerts.

Bus routes
1HU Newcastle Interchange, all stations to Telarah and return
4HU Maitland, all stations to Dungog (in that direction only)
7HU Warabrook Station to University shuttle bus
15HU Maitland, all stations to Muswellbrook (in that direction only)
19HU Dungog, all stations to Maitland, Victoria Street, all stations to Beresfield, Warabrook, all stations to Newcastle Interchange (in that direction only)
28HU Muswellbrook, all stations to Maitland, Victoria Street, all stations to Beresfield, Warabrook, all stations to Newcastle Interchange (in that direction only)

NSW Budget delivers major upgrade for Thornton Public School

Maitland students will soon be enjoying new play space and modern classrooms as the Minns Labor Government delivers a multimillion-dollar upgrade for historic Thornton Public School in the 2025-26 Budget.

The major upgrade for the school, which dates back to 1919, will include a new, state-of-the-art building with 16 new contemporary classrooms, a new library, new student and staff bathrooms, additional parking and a covered outdoor learning area (COLA).

Due for completion in 2028, the upgrade will expand the school’s capacity and help cater for the population boom in the local area.

Maitland is one of the fastest-growing areas in NSW, with significant population growth underway southeast of the Maitland city centre. In the Thornton and Chisholm communities, the number of students has already increased from 2,100 in 2018 to 3,000 students in 2025. It’s expected these areas will expand by close to 9,500 people in the coming years.

Despite this rapid population growth, the Liberals and Nationals denied Thornton Public School needed an upgrade, saying the school was dealing with temporary “fluctuations” in enrolments in 2022.

After 12 years of mismanagement and neglect by the Liberals and Nationals, the Minns Labor Government is building a better a better NSW.

We are providing the essential school infrastructure that young families rely on, giving our children a head start and setting our state up for long-term prosperity.

As part of our long-term plan, the Minns Labor Government is delivering better public school facilities for families across the Hunter region.

This includes delivering a new public school and high school at Huntlee, a new high school for Medowie, major school upgrades at Newcastle High School, Hunter River High School and Irrawang High School, and a full redevelopment of Gillieston Public School in Maitland, which will deliver a new co-located public preschool.

These upgrades are part of the Minns Labor Government’s record $9 billion investment over four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across NSW.

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“In recent years, the community in and around Thornton has rapidly grown – but the Liberals and Nationals denied this school needed an expansion.

“The Minns Labor Government, with the leadership of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car and the tireless advocacy of Jenny Aitchison, have listened to the community, and I am delighted to announce we will deliver this long-awaited major upgrade for the Thornton Public School community.

“This new project, as part of the Minns Government’s budget, demonstrates our commitment to continue delivering the vital school infrastructure that Hunter families need.”

Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison said:

“This is a huge win for our community. This area is growing rapidly, and our schools need to grow, too. This upgrade ensures our kids have the learning environment they need.

“This is about future-proofing education in one of NSW’s fastest growing areas.”

Thornton Public School principal Stuart Wylie said:

“Our school community is thrilled to see this project get the green light. We are rapidly growing, and this upgrade will make a real difference to our students and teachers.

“We’re excited to see our school evolve to meet the needs of our growing community while keeping learning on track every step of the way.”

Appeal to locate man missing from Glendale

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the Hunter region.

John Littler, aged 50, was last seen on Labulla Parade, Glendale, about 7:40pm on Sunday 15 June 2025.

Unable to be located or contacted since, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified yesterday (Monday 16 June 2025) and commenced inquiries to locate him.

Police and family members hold serious concerns for John’s welfare as he lives with medical conditions which require medication.

John is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall, of solid build, with short grey hair and a grey beard.

He is known to frequent Redhead Beach and Nobbys Beach/break wall.