Category: Newcastle News

A second man will face court today after allegedly stealing an Aboriginal flag from Maitland Police Station earlier this month.

On Wednesday 24 August 2022, a representative from the Mindaribba Aboriginal Land Council laid a floral arrangement and an Aboriginal flag at Maitland Police Station as a tribute to Chief Inspector Tony Townsend – who passed away that week – and his dedication to serving the community.

The flag was displayed at the front of the station along with the floral tribute until it was stolen on Thursday 1 September 2022.

A review of CCTV revealed two men attended the station about 6.45pmand one of the men went inside while the other removed the flag from display and allegedly concealed it in his jacket before they both left the area.

Following extensive inquiries, a 60-year-old man was arrested by officers attached to Port Stephens/Hunter Police District just before 3pm on Thursday (8 September 2022) at Victoria Street Train Station.

He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station, where he was charged with larceny.

The East Maitland man was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court yesterday (Friday 9 September 2022) where he was granted conditional bail to re-appear at Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 26 October 2022.

About 7.50pm yesterday (Friday 9 September 2022) – as a result of further investigations – a 36-year-old man from East Maitland, was arrested at Maitland Police Station.

He was charged with larceny and breach of bail. The man was refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court later today (Saturday 10 October 2022).

The Aboriginal flag has since been recovered and will be returned to display in due course.

A man will face court today after allegedly stealing an Aboriginal flag from Maitland Police Station earlier this month.

On Wednesday 24 August 2022, a representative from the Mindaribba Aboriginal Land Council laid a floral arrangement and an Aboriginal flag at Maitland Police Station as a tribute to Chief Inspector Tony Townsend – who passed away that week – and his dedication to serving the community.

The flag was displayed at the front of the station along with the floral tribute until it was stolen on Thursday 1 September 2022.

A review of CCTV revealed two men attended the station about 6.45pmand one of the men went inside while the other removed the flag from display and allegedly concealed it in his jacket before they both left the area.

Following extensive inquiries, a 60-year-old man was arrested by officers attached to Port Stephens/Hunter Police District just before 3pm yesterday (Thursday 8 September 2022) at Victoria Street Train Station.

He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station, where he was charged with larceny.

The East Maitland man has been refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court today (Friday 9 September 2022).

The Aboriginal flag has since been recovered and will be returned to display in due course.

Inquiries are continuing.

A third man has been charged after a joint investigation by detectives from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad and Lake Macquarie Police District into an alleged home invasion and public place shooting in Lake Macquarie earlier this year.

Police had been told a 24-year-old woman attended John Hunter Hospital about 11pm on Tuesday 8 March 2022 suffering a laceration to her leg and head, after two men allegedly forced entry to her home in Edgeworth and slashed her with a machete.

Local police later attended the Laurel Avenue home and commenced inquiries, which were later taken carriage by detectives from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad under Strike Force Jigsaw.

Then about 9.10pm on Friday 8 April 2022, emergency services responded to reports of a public place shooting at a carpark on Arnott Street, Edgeworth. 

A 27-year-old man was found suffering gunshot wounds to the right leg and was taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.

Detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District commenced investigations into the shooting under Strike Force Undola.

Initial investigations led detectives to believe the incidents were linked and allegedly involved members of the Nomads Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

Two people – a 42-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man – have since been charged for their alleged roles in the incidents, they both remain before the courts.

Following further inquiries, strike force detectives attended a correctional centre at Nowra, where they arrested a 47-year-old man yesterday (Wednesday 7 September 2022).

He was charged with 10 offences, including special aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, fire firearm in or near public place, discharge firearm intend cause grievous bodily harm, possess unauthorised firearm, and knowingly direct activities of criminal group.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Toronto Local Court tomorrow (Friday 9 September 2022).

City of Newcastle welcomed more than 220 new Australian citizens from 51 countries today in what was the city’s largest face-to-face Citizenship Ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Azerbaijan and the Ukraine, Newcastle’s newest citizens, their families and friends joined with dignitaries to make the pledge of commitment to Australia at the iconic Civic Theatre.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Newcastle is a diverse and inclusive community that embraced new citizens from all cultures and religious backgrounds.

“Newcastle has a long and proud history as a progressive, welcoming city in which 14 per cent of residents were born overseas and 134 different languages other than English are spoken at home,” Cr Nelmes said.

“It is an honour to welcome our city’s largest cohort of new citizens face-to-face since before the start of the pandemic and wish them well on their journey to a bright new beginning.

“City of Newcastle has gained more than 160 new Australian citizens this year, and today’s cohort takes that tally to more than 380. Our new citizens are now able to enrol to vote in elections, exercising their democratic rights, apply for an Australian passport and seek broader employment opportunities.”

Among those taking the pledge today was Olha Hoshko from the Ukraine, who settled in Stockton in 2016 after meeting her Novocastrian-born husband and has since gone on to receive her Certificate III in Childcare.

“This is a happy yet sad time for me as I lost my mother in the Ukraine last year and my family are unable to travel due to the war to be here to celebrate with me today,” Mrs Hoshko said.

“I love Newcastle. I’ve visited Sydney and Melbourne and only wanted to move to Newcastle as it’s a smaller city and reminds me of home, Lviv, in western Ukraine.

“I’ve also recently started working for the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) on a helpline called Witness to War as a Ukrainian bi-cultural support worker.”

Today’s ceremony featured a traditional didgeridoo performance by the Deadly Callaghan Yidaki Group, as well as musical items by The Grainery Church.

Proud Newcastle Aboriginal Elder Aunty Cheryl Smith continued the tradition of her father, the late Uncle Bill Smith, in delivering a Welcome to Country that acknowledged the lifestyles, cultures and spiritual beliefs of the traditional custodians of the land.

City of Newcastle’s next citizenship ceremony will be held in January 2023 at the Civic Theatre.

Police will speak with the media following the death of a man after a shooting in Newcastle overnight.

About 11pm (Tuesday 6 September 2022), emergency services were called to a unit on Fowler Street, Hamilton South, after reports of a shooting.

Upon arrival, police located a 57-year-old man at the front door of a premises suffering a gunshot wound.

The man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, however, he died at the scene.

Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District established a crime scene and have commenced Strike Force Alcheringa to investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

Initial inquiries suggest this is a targeted incident.

A woman missing from the Lower Hunter Valley area has been found safe and well.

The 41-year-old was last seen in the Maitland area in late August 2022. 

Officers from Brisbane Water Police District were notified of her disappearance by family members on Sunday 4 September 2022, after they were unable to contact her. 

Following inquiries, the woman was found safe and well at Darling Harbour about 4pm yesterday (Monday 5 September 2022).

Thank you to everyone who shared our appeal.

City of Newcastle is inviting school students to share their visions for a circular economy as part of an art competition launched today to promote sustainability and resource recovery.

The winning entries will be showcased on two waste collection trucks and numerous public bins across the city, with the art competition designed to encourage conversations around repairing, recycling and reusing resources.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the community will soon be given the opportunity to have their say on City of Newcastle’s own vision for resource recovery, with Councillors to vote this month on placing the draft Our Sustainable Waste Strategy on public exhibition.

“With the Summerhill Waste Management Centre at its heart, Our Sustainable Waste Strategy will provide a model of best practice for waste, recycling and resource recovery while also playing a key role in the region’s ability to address future NSW and Federal government targets,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The draft Strategy focusses on increased diversion and circular economy, envisaging a modernised Summerhill that will become a regional hub in resource recovery to maximise the value of material in residents’ yellow and green bins and decrease what ends up in landfill via their red bins.

“To reduce our impact on the planet, and get more value from limited resources, we need to shift to a circular economy where we return, reuse, repair and recycle to create minimal waste, save water and energy and keep those materials circulating for even longer.

“This school-based art competition is a fantastic way to engage the next generation in these important conversations while also encouraging broader community-wide feedback on Our Sustainable Waste Strategy.”

The competition is open to all schools within the Newcastle Local Government Area, with one primary and one secondary school winner to be awarded an iPad Mini and Apple Pencil each for their creative efforts.

All schools represented in the competition will also be in the running to win a workshop from GoCircular, which will assist the school to become more sustainable by joining the circular economy.

The competition closes on 23 September, with the two winners to be announced later this month.

For more details visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/ClosetheLoop

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from the Lower Hunter Valley area.

Stephanie Norrman (also known as Stephanie MacPherson), aged 41, was last seen in the Maitland area in late August 2022. 

Officers from Brisbane Water Police District were notified of her disappearance by family members yesterday (Sunday 4 September 2022), after they were unable to contact her.

Inquiries have since established that Stephanie spoke with a friend by phone on Wednesday 31 August 2022 and may have been in the Terrigal area at the time.

Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare as she lives with a number of health conditions.

Stephanie is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 160cm tall and of a thin build, and has sandy brown long coloured hair.

It is not known what she was last wearing.

She maybe driving a silver Hyundai i40 sedan bearing registration BU18VL or a black Holden Barina hatchback bearing registration CU28SX

Stephanie is known to frequent the Maitland, Terrigal and Wyong areas.

Anyone with information about Stephanie’s whereabouts is urged to contact Gosford Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Merewether, New Lambton and Mayfield are Newcastle’s top three suburbs when it comes to renovations according to City of Newcastle.

$1.85 billion in new development was assessed by City of Newcastle (CN) during the last 12 months with more than 1,650 development applications (DAs) determined, in addition to state significant developments, which is up 25 per cent from just two years ago.

Homeowners in Merewether, Mayfield and New Lambton are improving their properties with residential alterations and additions, whilst Adamstown ($92.04 million) and Merewether ($61.78 million) lead the way in terms of the highest value DAs approved, including projects like the Merewether Golf Club seniors living redevelopment estimated at $76 million.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes says development in Newcastle is showing no signs of losing momentum despite challenging market conditions.

“Significant levels of residential and commercial development continue to unfold right across our city, which is great news for the local economy, construction industry, and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Newcastle continues to be a hot spot when it comes to homeowners injecting cash into bricks and mortar, despite climbing inflation levels, stagnant wage growth, tighter borrowing conditions, and material and labour shortages.”

City of Newcastle Manager Regulatory, Planning and Assessment Michelle Bisson said Newcastle is growing in popularity as an attractive gateway city to live, work and play, which is driving the development boom.

“Through multiple market cycles, Newcastle is considered a steady growth area to invest in, with ongoing revitalisation transforming the city and making Newcastle a highly desirable location to both homeowners as well as developers and investors,” Ms Bisson said.

“Migration growth in Newcastle has increased seven per cent year-on-year since the start of the pandemic, with more people relocating from Sydney and Melbourne than ever before, and at a faster rate than almost anywhere else in Australia, driving development across the city.

“With millennials making up the vast majority of those relocating to Newcastle, the demand for residential housing remains strong with prices still cheaper than major Australian capital cities.

“The second half of 2022 is tracking just as strongly with some significant developments in the pipeline.”