Category: Newcastle News

Homicide Squad detectives have released an image of a man and CCTV footage of a vehicle, as they continue to investigate the fatal shooting of a man in the state’s Hunter region late last year.

About 10.50pm on Tuesday 27 December 2022, emergency services responded to reports of a man being shot at a home on Traders Way, Heddon Greta, about 20km east of Cessnock.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man; however he died at the scene.

He has since been identified as 25-year-old Zachery ‘Zac’ Davies-Scott, known to many in the area as ‘Donnie’.

Local police from Hunter Valley Police District conducted initial investigations, before the matter was referred to the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad under Strike Force Roslyn.

Police have been told a number of people forced entry to the home before Mr Scott was shot. The group then left the scene in a white SUV.

As investigations continue, strike force detectives have released CCTV footage of a white SUV seen driving erratically along Main Road, Heddon Greta, shortly after 10.50pm.

Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, said police are examining Zac’s associates and interactions in the days and weeks leading up to his death.

“From our investigations, it appears he was better known as ‘Donnie’ to his friends and associates.

“We are treating this murder as a targeted attack, with detectives canvassing if Zac had any ongoing conflicts or issues.

“The footage we have released shows a white SUV driving on Main Road in a very erratic manner immediately after the murder, overtaking a van on the inside shoulder of a single lane road.

“We are in the Hunter again today to continue asking all of these questions, canvassing for more witnesses and CCTV, and continuing to piece together who Zac was and how he came to be a victim of an horrific crime,” Det Supt Doherty said.

City of Newcastle has welcomed this morning’s announcement by the Deputy Premier Paul Toole, that NSW Public Works will be charged with project managing key activities to enable sand nourishment for Stockton Beach.

In October 2022, the NSW Government was successful in obtaining a $6.2 million grant through the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program, which includes $4.7 million from the Federal Government and $1.5 million from the City of Newcastle.

CN supported the NSW Government’s application on the basis that the Hunter & Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) would undertake the project management services for the sand nourishment as part of the grant, including the work to obtain all remaining licences and approvals for the project, as outlined in the NSW Government’s grant application.

The NSW Government applied for the funding on the basis that it is the sole landowner of Stockton Beach (and the coastal waters from which offshore sandmining would occur).

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes welcomed the Deputy Premier’s announcement, affirming the importance of working together to deliver solutions for Stockton Beach.

“This morning’s announcement is an important step, and is the logical way to move forward given that the NSW Government’s grant application nominated a NSW Government entity to coordinate this important work,” Cr Nelmes said.

“It is appropriate that the NSW Government be tangibly involved in a solution for Stockton Beach, as it is their infrastructure, namely the breakwater and deepwater navigation channel of the Port of Newcastle, that has been proven as the primary cause of ongoing erosion at Stockton Beach, which it also owns.

City of Newcastle’s Executive Manager Planning and Environment Michelle Bisson said mass sand nourishment remained the long-term solution to protecting Stockton Beach.

“The long-term plan is to secure the 2.4 million cubic metres of sand needed for initial mass nourishment, as outlined in the Stockton Coastal Management Program endorsed by the NSW Government in 2020,” Ms Bisson said.

The grant will fund the investigations and approvals needed to secure multiple sand sources – from the north arm of the Hunter River, as well as suitable bodies of sand in the Stockton Bight, which were identified in the NSW Government’s 2021 Stockton Offshore Sand Exploration Project.

“Securing multiple sand sources builds flexibility into the mass-nourishment strategy, ensuring the longevity of sand supply to Stockton Beach, building necessary resilience and future-proofing the project,” Ms Bisson said.

Last year City of Newcastle progressed the design work for sand placement and anticipate having the associated environmental approvals finalised over the next few months. The new placement plans are informed by the most recent sand movement study and will ensure that sand sourced for Stockton is placed in the most effective location.

These new plans are intended to accommodate the receipt of any and all sources of sand, regardless of the quantity. This means that the smaller volumes of sand sourced from the Port of Newcastle’s maintenance dredging activities, through to large volumes that could be sourced through dredging needed for future infrastructure development in the Port area, can be placed effectively at Stockton.

Council committed $27.5 million to respond to the immediate risks to Stockton’s coastline in the 2020 Coastal Management Program with $9.5 million already invested. A further $21 million is needed from the State Government to fund the long-term solution of mass sand nourishment.

City of Newcastle today welcomed 200 new Australian citizens at its first citizenship ceremony for 2023 at the Civic Theatre.

In a historic first, the ceremony was held on 25 January following changes by the Federal Government to allow Councils to hold the mandated annual ceremony “on or around” 26 January.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the community had called for the ceremony to be moved to a more culturally inclusive date.

“This is one of the most special days in many new citizens’ lives, remembered for years to come,” Cr Nelmes said.

“City of Newcastle prides itself on social and cultural inclusivity and is pleased to embrace and facilitate this change for the community.”

The ceremony featured traditional performances and an Acknowledgement of Country by the Deadly Callaghan Yidaki Group and celebrated Newcastle’s rich multicultural community, with 53 birth countries represented, from Brazil to Norway to Vietnam.

Among the new citizens to make the pledge of commitment were City of Newcastle Project Manager, Daniel Elia, his wife Mabel and their 11-year-old daughter, Danibel.

The Elermore Vale family of four are now all proudly Australian citizens, after their 18-year-old son, John, was granted an expedited online ceremony as a student at the height of COVID-19 restrictions in October 2021.

Ecuadorian-born Daniel and Filipino-born Mabel met working at an engineering firm in Dubai, where they married in 2002. Sixteen years later, they began their journey to Australia, first settling in Sydney for two years before relocating to Newcastle.

Some of the projects Mr Elia has worked on include erosion protection works in various locations at Stockton Beach and renovations at Blackbutt Reserve, while this year he is involved in upgrades to City Hall and Civic Theatre, the very building he received his citizenship in.

Mr Elia said he was proud to call Newcastle home and was thrilled to become an Australian citizen.

“I like Newcastle because it’s so accessible, wherever you want to go you can get there in 15 minutes. There’s no traffic and it’s peaceful,” he said.

“It feels like I’m becoming part of the community and I’m fully integrated with the people here, living in peace and harmony with everyone. It’s a nice, safe place that embraces people from all over the world with fairness and equality. Even in the office I can speak to people in French, Spanish; it’s so diverse.”

Family-friendly entertainment options on 26 January, include the Beach 5s Rugby Festival at Nobbys Beach and the iconic Newcastle Harbour Swim.

Beach Rugby 5s is an exciting and fast-paced mixture of rugby union and rugby league. CN has worked collaboratively with Hickey Sports Management to develop the inclusive program for the event, which will be held at Nobbys Beach on Thursday 26, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January.

A special “Legends Match” will kick off at 1pm on 26 January.

Nobbys Beach offers an idyllic vantage point for spectators to soak up all the excitement of the Australia Day long weekend tournament.

CN is also supporting the 2023 Australia Day Newcastle Harbour Swim, which is the only legal swim across our amazing working harbour.

Expressions of Interest are now open to community members looking to participate in the Community Reference Group (CRG) for the upgrade of the next section of the iconic Bathers Way shared path running through King Edward Park.

CRG members will act as a consultative body providing insights to the project team on current usage and opportunities for improvement, and also providing feedback on the design. CRG members play a vital role in sharing information to other members of the community, including the stakeholder groups they represent.

The project will transform the section of Bathers Way between Strzelecki Lookout and South Newcastle Beach, creating a more accessible shared path through the state heritage-listed King Edward Park, and affirming the Bathers Way’s status as a drawcard destination for locals and tourists.

Tenders for a principal design consultant to build upon an existing concept layout for the upgrade will close on 31 January, with renewed concept designs expected to be completed mid-year.

The upgrade will include renewal of King Edward Park’s amenities building, and improvements to connections between the lawn, rotunda and the popular Garside Gardens area of the Park.

A key feature of the project is the construction of an Aboriginal art installation, which seeks to educate visitors on the Aboriginal significance of the site – while more comfortable viewing areas will enhance the overall visitor experience with the addition of more shade and seating.

Applications for the CRG close at 5pm Wednesday 15 February 2023. To find out more and to submit your application, please visit here

Artists from across Australia are being invited to make their mark on the expansion of Newcastle Art Gallery as the project takes the next step towards construction.

Newcastle Art Gallery will commission four new works of art to be displayed on the hoarding (temporary fencing) erected around the site for the duration of the construction work, which is on track to begin mid-year.

An expression of interest for artists was launched by Newcastle Art Gallery today, coinciding with City of Newcastle opening a tender for the four contractors shortlisted to complete the main construction works.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said these steps were a positive sign of things to come for the Art Gallery.

“It’s wonderful to kick off the new year with two important milestones for this much-anticipated project continuing on time towards the planned completion of our reimagined Newcastle Art Gallery at the end of 2024,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The expansion will provide greater access to our nationally significant collection and a wider range of prominent exhibitions.

“In the meantime, however, it is important to give our community as many avenues as possible to stay connected to the Newcastle Art Gallery including an outreach program at local schools, our Night Galleries digital displays throughout the city, and a new six-part podcast series, Conversations from the Collection.

“Given the site’s prominent location in the heart of our city, the construction hoarding project offers a unique opportunity for established or emerging artists to reach new audiences while also improving the external view of the work zone.

“I can’t wait to see the calibre of concepts proposed by artists during this expression of interest period, and also look forward to the successful construction company and timelines being confirmed at a future Council meeting following the tender process.”

Local and national artists and collectives working in all mediums are invited to apply for this project, with the chosen works of art to be digitally reproduced for display on the construction hoarding.

For more information visit www.nag.org.au/

The street hoarding project is being supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

The $40 million expansion project is supported by $5 million from the Australian Government under the Regional Recovery Partnerships program and $5 million from the New South Wales Government, as well as $10.5 million from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation made possible through the Valerie and John Ryan bequest, Margaret Olley Trust, and community fundraising over many years. A further $2.5 million is being sought through the Foundation’s public fundraising campaign.

A teenager reported missing from Newcastle has been located safe and well.

The 16-year-old boy was last seen leaving a hospital at New Lambton Heights on Jacaranda Street, about 9.30pm last night (Friday 20 January 2023).

When he could not be located, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District were notified and immediately commenced inquiries to locate him.

Following inquiries, a geo-targeting SMS was sent out to the local area and a member of the public located the boy safe and well this afternoon (Saturday 21 January 2023). He has since been reunited with his family.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

The Civic Theatre has set a new box office record less than a month out from the Newcastle debut of the hit Broadway musical Come From Away.

More than 11,000 tickets have already been sold for the critically acclaimed production, and three new dates have been added in an extended season that will now open at the Civic Theatre on Wednesday 15 February.

Come From Away shares the incredible real-life story of the 7,000 air passengers from around the world who were grounded in Canada in the wake of 9/11, and the small Newfoundland community that welcomed the ‘come from aways’ into their lives.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said strong ticket sales indicate there is an appetite for Broadway theatre amongst Novocastrians and visitors seeking to have a good time following three years of pandemic-induced disruptions.

“It’s been 30 years since an international touring Broadway production landed in Newcastle and it’s clear that as a city, we are ready to welcome a live musical theatre production of this calibre,” Cr Nelmes said.

“With its remarkable true story about kindness and humanity, Come From Away is sure to enhance the cultural life of our city with Novocastrians and visitors ready to get back out there and enjoy themselves in 2023.

“Come From Away joins a stellar line-up on Newcastle’s 2023 major events calendar, which kicked off with Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which attracted more than 50,000 people to the city and injected more than $12 million into the local visitor economy.

“Major events are a clear economic driver and Come From Away is another significant drawcard for our city that will provide considerable benefits for Newcastle’s visitor economy.”

Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said Come From Away has already smashed the ticket sales of previous live musical theatre performances.

“With four weeks still to go, ticket sales have exceeded our expectations and previous ticket sales records held at Civic Theatre,” Ms Wallace said.

“Tickets sales have been recorded across a wide geographical area, with Newcastle-based purchases complemented by sales from as far away as Tasmania, Brisbane, Armidale, Narrabri and Coffs Harbour.

“Come From Away is also attracting new audiences to the Civic Theatre, with more than 45 per cent of bookings from first-time customers.

“Due to popular demand, we’ve added another three performances to the extended run of Come From Away and look forward to seeing this spectacular production come to life on stage with our theatre’s iconic proscenium arch, grand tiered seating and incredible atmosphere.”

Come From Away is showing at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre from 15 February until 5 March 2023.

The production runs for 100 minutes and is recommended for ages 10 and older.

Tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au

A passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has been selected as Newcastle’s 2023 Citizen of the Year.

Nathan Towney was crowned Citizen of the Year at an award ceremony on Wednesday, in recognition of his leadership as The University of Newcastle’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Leadership.

A Wiradjuri man, Mr Towney was pivotal in the successful launch of Ngarrama in 2022 in partnership with Awabakal Ltd and supported by City of Newcastle, and will oversee the event’s return to King Edward Park on Wednesday 25 January 2023.

The free public vigil – the name of which translates to “to sit, listen and know” – is held on the eve of Australia Day to engage the community in meaningful reconciliation through truth telling and historical acceptance, featuring performances and informative talks from local Aboriginal elders.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Mr Towney’s worthy conferral as Citizen of the Year came at a significant time in the national discourse on Indigenous affairs, ahead of the forthcoming referendum to establish a Voice to Parliament.

“Mr Towney is a dedicated community leader who is passionate about building positive relationships and creating greater awareness and understanding of the path to reconciliation,” Cr Nelmes said.

“A member of City of Newcastle’s Gurakai Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Mr Towney freely and generously gives his time and knowledge and is an exceptionally worthy recipient of the Citizen of the Year title.”

Mr Towney said it was an honour to receive the award, which gave weight to the incredible work being done in the community to shift public perceptions and improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“I’m really proud to be part of this community,” Mr Towney said. “Newcastle has been a place of opportunity for Aboriginal people for many years and there are a lot of people who do amazing work across this region. I feel this personal recognition has been made possible by the foundational work of many people who have advocated for Aboriginal people, history and cultures in Newcastle across generations.”

The 2023 Young Citizen of the Year title was awarded to local entrepreneur Dominic May, who founded CoastXP, a unique coastal sightseeing experience.

As well as actively contributing to the diversity of local tourism offerings and Newcastle’s post-pandemic economic recovery, Mr May was lauded for his rescue efforts when the crew onboard the fishing vessel ELLIE-K issued a mayday call off the Newcastle coast in July.

Mr May and a group of whale watchers arrived on scene with seconds to spare as the vessel was taking on water, rescuing the entire crew including the family dog.

In recognition of its work with all levels of government to tackle coastal erosion, Stockton Community Group Inc. was announced as the 2023 Community Group of the Year.

Led by Co-Presidents Alison Rigby and Melanie Taggart, the volunteer group was congratulated on its efforts to highlight erosion at Stockton Beach and call on the NSW State Government to “step up and act” through organised campaigns such as the Red Line Rally in July.

Stockton Community Group Inc. continues to advocate alongside City of Newcastle for the implementation of actions under the Stockton Coastal Management Plan (CMP), which was certified by the NSW Government in August 2020.

Young people will soon be swinging, sliding and climbing around five local playgrounds as City of Newcastle (CN) embarks on a $750,000 replacement program in 2023.

The program is set to include a makeover of Beresfield’s Vera Wilson Park, Loch Ness Drive Park in Fletcher, Harold Myers Park in Birmingham Gardens, Avon Street Reserve in Mayfield, and Waratah Park.

Upgraded equipment will cater for a range of ages, with swings, challenging climbing components, slides and multi-play units – as well as a new stairway at Fletcher and a mini trampoline at Waratah – among the new play attractions.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said up to five of Newcastle’s 134 local playgrounds are replaced each year under a commitment to delivering improved recreational opportunities for families across the local government area.

“We know how much our community values open spaces and playgrounds, which is why City of Newcastle is investing $750,000 to upgrade five local playgrounds this year,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The city’s playgrounds provide children and families with the opportunity to spend more time outdoors and engage in an active and healthy lifestyle.”

City of Newcastle has invested more than $9.5 million in playground projects during the past five years, including the construction of an inclusive playground at Stevenson Park in Mayfield, Stockton Active Hub, and the adventure playground at Richley Reserve.

The Wallsend community also celebrated the recent completion of the $2 million Wallsend Active Hub. Its delivery caps off more than $7.7 million worth of investment by City of Newcastle into four District-level playgrounds across the area during the past five years.

In addition to these planned playground renewals, CN will be constructing a new inclusive playspace and waterpark for the Harbour Foreshore Precinct in Newcastle’s East End as part of the implementation of the Harbour Foreshore Masterplan.

The playspace will include a junior and toddler space based around themes of the beach, as well as a splash pad with interactive water play, tugboats, Awabakal canoes, and water mazes. There will also be a large swing set based on maritime navigation, flying foxes, and purpose-built shade structures.

Visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/works to stay up to date with progress on playgrounds and other projects in your area.