Category: Newcastle News

A new landfill cell capable of receiving up to three million cubic metres of waste will be built at Summerhill Waste Management Centre to cater for Newcastle’s growing population.

This will be the 10^th cell established at the site, which is one of the largest facilities in NSW and has the capacity to meet the city’s waste disposal needs for more than 100 years.

CEO Jeremy Bath said City of Newcastle was continuing to deliver its long-term waste strategy to ensure Newcastle’s future as a sustainable city.

“The Summerhill Waste Management Centre is a significant asset that allows us to take responsibility for our city’s waste and innovate its management as our population continues to grow,” Mr Bath said.

“The planning and eventual development of the latest landfill cell will provide Newcastle with secure, environmentally responsible waste capacity for another 10 years.

“This will be delivered alongside a range of initiatives and education programs focussed on reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and changing the way we return, reuse, repair and recycle resources.

“The current landfill operates in conjunction with our Resource Recovery Centre, which opened in 2019 and has diverted almost 19,000 tonnes of waste that would otherwise have been destined for landfill.”

City of Newcastle has awarded a tender for the design of the Cell 10 project, which will include planning for site-wide stormwater and contaminated liquid strategies, gas management and detailed geotechnical investigations.

Work will also be completed to update the overall masterplan for the site.

City of Newcastle’s Managing Director Waste Services David Witherdin said Cell 10 will be guided by best-practice environmental controls as part of the long-term operational and environmental sustainability of the site.

“Our modern facilities and best practice landfill operations have replaced the open-air rubbish piles of the past by using the sealed cells as independent containment units,” Mr Witherdin said.

“The cells manage contaminated liquids and allow us to reduce the volume of clean stormwater entering the landfill area and thereby reduces contamination.

“Our landfilling practices manage odour more effectively and increase capture of landfill gas which is converted it into electricity and reduces our carbon impact, while still providing long-term landfill capacity for our city’s predicted population boom.”

The master planning and design work is expected to be completed in 2027 followed by a tender to build Cell 10, with the staged construction program expected to begin in 2028.

A driver has died in hospital after a single-vehicle crash in the Hunter Valley area.

About 3:45pm on Tuesday 10 March 2026, emergency services were called to Leggetts Drive, Pelaw Main (2km south of Kurri Kurri), following reports of a crash.

On arrival, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District located a single vehicle crashed into a power pole.

The driver – an 18-year-old man – was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

Police commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

About 8.15am today (Sunday 15 March 2026), police received notification that the 18-year-old man had passed away in hospital.

Police will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing on the state’s Central Coast.

Brodie Monger, aged 14, was last seen in East Maitland, about 12pm on Sunday 1 March 2026.

When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified yesterday (Thursday 12 March 2026) and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for her welfare due to her age.

Brodie is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 150cm tall, of thin build with blonde hair.

She is known to frequent the Central Coast, Newcastle and East Maitland areas.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Port Stephens-Hunter Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from the State’s north.

Aubree Wray, aged 14, was last seen in Soldiers Point, about 58km north of Newcastle, at 11pm on Thursday 19 February 2026.

Unable to be located or contacted since, officers attached to Port-Stephens Hunter Police District were notified on Sunday 8 March 2026 and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Family and police hold concerns for Aubree’s welfare due to her age.

Aubree is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 150cm tall, of thin build, with dark brown hair.

She is known to frequent the Liverpool, Casula, and Cabramatta areas.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Port-Stephens Hunter Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage boy missing from the Newcastle area.
Callum Schonewille, aged 15, was last seen in Telarah on 18 February 2026.
Unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified on Monday 20 February 2026 and officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.
Inquiries revealed Callum may have been at a chemist on Beaumont Street, Hamilton, about 8:45am on Monday 9 March 2026.
Police hold concerns for Callum’s welfare due to his age.
Callum is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 160cm tall, of slim build, with light brown hair and a blonde rats tail and mullet.
He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts, black slides, black socks, black jumper with TUPAC logo and carrying a black satchel bag.
Callum is believed to frequent the Telarah, Maitland, Edgeworth, Charlestown, Windale and Campsie areas.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages

Allegations that serious risks were downplayed or concealed at the Calvary Mater and that workers who flagged concerns were threatened or pushed out of their roles have been revealed as part of a submission to an inquiry into the hospital’s management.

In its submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into management, maintenance and operational issues at the Calvary Mater Hospital, the Health Services Union has included staff reports of a “sweep it under the rug” culture as part of the private maintenance contract which the Novacare consortium is responsible for.

After years of failures under the Public Private Partnership model, the HSU is using its submission to call for a full review of the contract compliance and greater accountability and transparency amongst the public private arrangements in the state health system.

Staff have been reporting issues with the hospital maintenance going back almost a decade. Whistleblowers have revealed they were pressured to water down findings of failings, and that some quality and performance reports were altered to downplay the seriousness of safety risks,” HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes said.

Our members have reported facing intimidation and harassment, including being threatened with the loss of their job if they escalated concerns. It’s disturbing behaviour from a contractor that puts profit over people, creating unsafe conditions for staff and patients.

HSU members are working at full capacity at Calvary Mater. They simply want to come to work and deliver the best and safest services possible to the community, but the current environment is preventing them from doing that” Gerard Hayes said.

Maintenance failures have been well reported at the hospital, ranging from mould to potable water issues. HSU’s submission highlights rectification of the potable water issue at the hospital was delayed on cost grounds, with SafeWork and the Health Minister eventually stepping in to take over control of critical repair works.

Public Private Partnerships put staff and the public at risk and undermine trust. By allowing companies to make a profit from our public health facilities, everyone except those companies loses,” Gerard Hayes said.

HSU has used its submission to urge the state government to launch an independent investigation into the alleged bullying, harassment and reported retaliation by Honeywell, (part of the Novarcare consortium and responsible for “hard facilities management”) and Novacare management, including providing protections for current and former workers what have raised concerns.

It also calls for the maintenance and rectification works claimed by Novacare to be independently audited, and to fully assess the building’s conditions, as well as creating a safe and accessible escalation pathway for healthcare workers to report unsafe conditions without compromising their jobs.

Following is a summary of resolutions from the Ordinary Council meeting of Tuesday 10 March (items adjourned from 24 February 2026). NB: it is not a full record of resolutions. 

Ordinary business 

Committee for the Hunter membership

Council voted unanimously for City of Newcastle to join the Committee for the Hunter, which will help foster strategic partnerships, influence region-shaping policy and priorities, and demonstrate leadership in the long-term social and economic development of the Hunter.

Newcastle Maritime Museum Society Collection (recommitted motion from 24 February 2026)

Council voted unanimously for City of Newcastle CEO to engage urgently with Venues NSW to seek a short-term extension of the existing storage lease at the Newcastle Showground for the Newcastle Maritime Museum Society collection beyond its current expiry on 20 March 2026. This follows in principle support from the NSW Government regarding temporary storage of the collection at the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, while a long-term plan to get the collection back on public display is developed by the Society and its stakeholders.

Urban Design Review Panel Annual Report 2025

Council received the Urban Design Review Annual Report 2025. 

Notices of Motion 

Community petition – Scholey Street, Mayfield

Council unanimously supported a notice of motion to accept a petition from residents of Scholey Street, Mayfield and request the Chief Executive Officer provide an assessment on the conditions in Scholey Street and respond to the petition organiser. Council will provide traffic data speed and volume information to the NSW Police to assist with enforcement in the area. 

Opal gates Hamilton Railway Station

Council supported a notice of motion to write to the NSW Minister for Transport and government officials to request the installation of Opal fare gates at Hamilton Railway Station. 

Council support for the return of the Newcastle 500 Supercars event

Council unanimously supported an amended notice of motion to reaffirm City of Newcastle’s previous resolutions of October and November 2023 that Council supports retaining Supercars in the Hunter region through a regional model. The motion confirmed that Council does not support reinstating the Newcastle 500 street circuit in Newcastle. 

Supporting accessible, healthy and safe open spaces for dogs in Newcastle

Council unanimously supported an amended notice of motion to consider fencing the existing off-leash area at Tarro Reserve as part of the review of the action plan in Dogs in Open Space Plan 2019. Council voted to consider various actions in the upcoming capital works budgets once the review of the Dogs in Open Space Plan 2019 has been completed. 

Supporting greater accessibility of public toilets after hours in Newcastle through the Master Locksmith Access Key scheme

Council unanimously supported a notice of motion to ensure all new accessible public toilets in the Newcastle LGA are able to be fitted with the Master Locksmiths Access Key (MLAK) system as part of infrastructure projects. Council will include a program to increase MLAK toilets across the city in the review of City of Newcastle’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-26 and investigate options to provide the MLAK key free of charge to eligible Newcastle residents in ‘User Rates and Charges’ in future Budgets.

Maintaining current speed zones on Minmi Road

Council supported an amended notice of motion to oppose any attempts by Transport for NSW to make any section of Minmi Road 40 km/hr, with the exception of school zones. 

Exploring the establishment of a special entertainment precinct for midtown Newcastle

Council unanimously supported an amended notice of motion for the CEO to investigate the feasibility, benefits, and implications of establishing a Special Entertainment Precinct, commencing with the Midtown Newcastle precinct. This investigation, where appropriate, will include preliminary targeted stakeholder engagement, with a report to be brought back to Council in 2026 outlining findings, potential boundaries, implementation considerations, resourcing implications, and recommended next steps.

Supporting a trial of increased operating hours at Beresfield Library

Council unanimously supported a notice of motion that City of Newcastle investigate in the 2026-2027 financial year undertaking a six-month trial to increase opening hours and programming at Beresfield Library, in conjunction with findings of the recently completed Library Evaluation Survey and upcoming Library Service Review.

City of Newcastle’s independent urban design experts assessed almost $1 billion in developments during 2025, with a strong emphasis on high quality public domain design.

Across the year, the Urban Design Review Panel undertook 71 individual design sessions in collaboration with City of Newcastle, providing expert advice on projects across the city.  

Fourteen and fifteen storey mixed-use developments with a total of 280 apartments at 5 commercial tenancies at Bull Street Newcastle West.These outcomes are detailed in the 2025 Urban Design Review Panel Annual Report, which was unanimously endorsed at last week’s council meeting.  

City of Newcastle Executive Director Planning and Environment Michelle Bisson said good design is fundamental to creating a welcoming, walkable and liveable city. 

“Our community expects development that enhances local character and the panel is critical in guiding this vision,” Ms Bisson said.  

“The Urban Design Review Panel plays a vital role in guiding development that enhances our public spaces, respects local character and delivers lasting value for our community.

“Their expertise helps ensure that even in a complex planning environment, we continue to see high-quality, thoughtful design outcomes across the city.” 

Residential building with 20 apartments at 237 Wharf Road Newcastle.The Urban Design Review Panel is an independent body comprised of specialists who provide expert advice to City of Newcastle and development applicants to support high-quality design outcomes.

Alongside major civic projects, the Panel reviewed a diverse mix of significant development proposals throughout the year. These ranged from a $2.9 million childcare facility in Tarro to one of the year’s largest projects, a $186.6 million, mixed-use development in Newcastle West featuring 14 and 15-storey towers accommodating 280 apartments and five commercial tenancies. 

Centre-Based Child Care facility on Anderson Drive Tarro.Urban Design Review Panel chairperson Dr Philip Pollard said high-quality design extends beyond the building line. 

“Good design shapes the streets, landscapes and public spaces people use every day,” Dr Pollard said. 

“This year, the panel continued to provide consistent independent advice across an increasingly diverse range of proposals. Our ongoing focus on public domain quality, landscape integration and contextual fit remains central to achieving places the community can be proud of.

“One standout project that has been shaped by input from successive design panels over many years, is the newly completed Newcastle Art Gallery. This space now provides a contemporary, purpose-built home for the city’s remarkable art collection and a cultural asset the community can be proud of.

“The panel places strong emphasis on ensuring new developments respond thoughtfully to their context and contribute to a cohesive urban environment for genuine public benefit. Our role helps applicants achieve outcomes that support the people who use these places and enhance their surroundings.” 

The UDRP also acts as a Design Integrity Panel for nominated projects, ensuring design excellence is maintained through to delivery. In 2025, the UDRP provided advice for 17 different applications including major mixed-use, co-living and residential proposals across the CBD, Newcastle West, Mayfield and New Lambton. 

After years working long shifts as a theatre nurse through the COVID pandemic, Speers Point resident Rebecca Hazell reached a turning point. Like many healthcare workers, the experience left her rethinking how she wanted life to look for her young family and how she could feel more connected to the community around her.
 
“I still love nursing, but after those years I really wanted to slow things down a little and feel more connected to people locally. I was looking for something that gave me more flexibility while still feeling part of the community.”
 
Two years ago, while on maternity leave with her second child, Rebecca started a Box Divvy food Hub from her garage in Speers Point – a community-run grocery model where neighbours order food together online and collect it locally each week. There are no membership fees, but members commit to ordering regularly so the group can buy collectively and share the benefits.
 
Today around 50 households collect their groceries from Rebecca’s home every Tuesday. On Hub day, people arrive carrying tubs and boxes to collect their orders. Children play in the driveway – sometimes taking turns on Rebecca’s son’s tiny toy tractor – while parents swap school tips, recipes and local news.
 
Rebecca had already been a member of another local Box Divvy food Hub for several years and was drawn to the idea of neighbours ordering groceries together and sharing the benefits of buying collectively while reducing packaging at the same time.
 
“It’s such a simple system. People order what they need during the week and then pop in to collect it. Some people grab their groceries and head straight home, others stay for a chat. It’s relaxed and it works really well for families.”
 
The response from locals was immediate. Within six months the Hub grew from around 25 members to about 50 households, quickly filling Rebecca’s garage with weekly deliveries of fruit, vegetables and pantry staples.
 
“At one point my husband had to move his boat out of the garage to make room for the deliveries,” she said.
 
Each week members collect their groceries, many bringing their own tubs or boxes so produce can be packed without plastic. For many locals, the appeal goes beyond convenience. Rebecca says members appreciate the freshness of the food, the transparency around pricing and the sense that their shopping is supporting Australian producers rather than large supermarket supply chains.
 
“People really like knowing where their food is coming from and that farmers are being paid fairly,” she said. “There’s very little packaging and everything is really fresh. It just feels like a better way to shop.”
 
Rebecca says the biggest surprise has been how quickly friendships have formed.
 
“We moved here from Sydney before we had kids, so it’s been such a lovely way to meet people in the area. My son loves Hub day – all the kids want a turn driving his little tractor while their parents pick up groceries.”
 
The sense of connection has extended beyond food. Members have organised “kindness boxes” for families going through difficult times and care packages for visiting seafarers staying nearby who rarely have access to fresh produce.
 
“People don’t expect it, but they’re incredibly touched when the community comes together like that.”
 
Rebecca still works two days a week at the hospital, but the Speers Point food Hub has become something special.
 
“It started as a practical way to shop, but it’s turned into something much more. It feels like it’s bringing a bit of community back.”
 
Rebecca’s Speers Point Box Divvy food Hub is almost full, with limited spot for a few more families.
 

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

Beau McDonald, aged 31, was last seen leaving a home on Hakea Way, Metford, in a 1997 white Holden Jackaroo SUV, at about 6.30pm yesterday (Tuesday 10 March 2026).

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police hold concerns for Beau’s welfare as his disappearance is out of character.

Beau is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm – 180cm tall, of medium build, with black hair and brown eyes.

He is believed to frequent the Black Hill, Heddon Greta, Kurri Kurri and Maitland areas.