Category: Newcastle News

The Mining and Energy Union has welcomed the NSW Independent Planning Commission’s approval of the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project, saying it gives more than 1,500 workers and their families greater certainty about their future.

MEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy District President Robin Williams said workers had made a powerful case for what HVO means to them and the wider Hunter.

This is an enormous relief for HVO workers and their families. They stood up and told the Commission what these jobs mean to them, to local businesses and to towns across the Hunter,” Mr Williams said.

After a long period of uncertainty, workers deserve clear information from HVO about the approval and what happens next.”

MEU General President Grahame Kelly said the Commission had made the right decision and thanked the Minns government for their support of the project.

HVO is an established mine supporting more than 1,500 jobs. Its workers produce coal that customers want to buy, and those jobs support families, local businesses and the NSW economy. This project deserved approval, and the Commission has made the right call,” Mr Kelly said.

Coal remains a backbone of the NSW economy. It and the people who work in the industry are critical to the state. As long as there is demand for our coal, we should be selling it and making sure the workers and communities who produce it share in the benefits.

Workers have waited a long time for this decision. Today they can finally look ahead with more confidence.”

Maritime Union of Australia

Workers at Newcastle’s NCIG coal terminal will rally tomorrow at 12:30pm(Tuesday 29 September) in frustration with pig headed coal terminal bosses who refuse to meet the reasonable and fair demands of their workforce.

Workers at NCIG have patiently engaged in good faith bargaining, but NCIG is using every tired excuse available and crying poor to justify a bad offer that workers have indicated repeatedly will not be acceptable.

NCIG has historically had lower pay and conditions compared to other equivalent worksites, but workers at NCIG are highly skilled, responsive and productive, bringing tremendous experience and skill to their work while delivering significant profits to the company.

“We have tried to land a deal through good faith bargaining but the bosses at NCIG want to provoke further disputation by refusing a good deal on the table and countering with one that they know will be rejected by the workers,” said MUA Newcastle Branch Secretary, Glen Williams.

Workers will walk off the job and establish a community rally outside the terminal’s gates.

“We invite all MUA members and community supporters to join this rally and highlight the failure of these managers to engage in a reasonable, fair and sustainable bargaining process that will deliver a good result both sides can be happy with,” Mr Williams said.

“Unfortunately for NCIG’s customers and stakeholders, the throughput of the terminal will be severely reduced because shareholder value is more important to the management team than the livelihoods of workers or the productivity of the port,” Mr Williams said.

The MUA rally will be held at 12:30pm, NCIG Wharf Facility, Cormorant Road, Kooragang.

Seven new works never seen before will make their national debut in Newcastle as the New Annual festival launches into 10 days of unforgettable art, music and ideas.

Newcastle artist Izabela Pluta and local dance company Catapult are among those taking centre stage with their latest works, which were unveiled at the Canoe Pool today after being commissioned for City of Newcastle’s flagship arts festival.

Festival Director Tory Loudon said New Annual continues to champion the people, places and creative spirit that make Newcastle unique.

“At a time when festivals across the country are being forced to curtail their investment in the industry, New Annual has been cementing itself as a platform for emerging and established artists to perform in front of new audiences,” Ms Loudon said. 

“This year’s festival alone features 402 artists across 40 events and includes seven new works commissioned by New Annual.

“This festival is uniquely shaped by Newcastle, inspired by its coastline, communities, histories and unmistakable character.

“We’re delivering experiences that couldn’t happen anywhere else – and that you won’t see anywhere else – ensuring this year’s New Annual will be an experience to remember.”

The sixth edition of the festival kicks off tomorrow and runs from 25 September to 4 October, with an abundance of free and low-cost ticketed performances for audiences of all ages.

Pluta’s immersive work in the Canoe Pool encourages viewers on land – and in the water – to experience the familiar location in a new way. 

Cavitation: Breathing Ocean uses sea floats collected from coastlines in Far North Queensland to create a beautiful, buoyant installation that shifts with the tides.

Accompanied by an exhibition at The Lock-Up, Cavitation explores how water carries people, objects and histories across places, reflecting the Polish-born artist’s own experience of migration and her connection to water as a swimmer and diver.

Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub will also make the Canoe Pool their stage in At Sea, a new 30-minute performance at the water’s edge that will see dancers move with the tide, wind and sand to an original score by Zackari Watt. 

Shaped by place and performed each morning at 8am, the newly commissioned work will be followed by a public dance workshop that encourages audiences to become part of the experience.

The people and places of Newcastle are also inextricably linked to the third new work making its debut on the festival’s opening weekend, Petite Suite. 

The highly anticipated experience, which has been created by Sydney arts organisation Brand X and is already sold out, will transform Cooks Hill’s much-loved Oriental Hotel into an immersive performance space.

“Hotel Manager” Drew Fairley will invite participants to step into unexpected worlds within seven of the hotel’s rooms and become part of the surprising performances by local and national artists and collectives.

The remaining new commissions will make their debuts throughout the rest of the festival, however there’s plenty more to see on the opening weekend, with a packed program of art, music, theatre and hands-on creativity.

Laman Street will be closed to traffic on Friday 25 September for the free First Night Art Party featuring powerhouse female performers Aleksiah, Djanaba, and Ngaiire, while Newcastle-based Samoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia launches her new exhibition Muse inside Newcastle Art Gallery.

The Civic precinct will come alive throughout the weekend, with exhibitions and performances at Civic Park (Loca Vida at the Spiegeltent), The Playhouse (Truck Driver), Newcastle Museum (Framed in Sound: selected works of Tony Mott) and Museum Park (Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff).

Watt Space Gallery will host the Night Flowers exhibition showcasing more than 100 images from University of Newcastle alumni Damien Frost, which were captured over a decade in London and extended for New Annual with new portraits of Newcastle’s queer and alternative communities. Frost’s work has also inspired a one-night-only after-dark art party taking over Bartholomews on 26 September. 

The opening weekend includes the highly anticipated return of the free SOAK sunset music sessions at the Newcastle Ocean Baths, with ARIA award-winning electronic music pioneers Hermitude pairing up with Newcastle-based DJ Claire O’Brien on 26 September, followed by a night celebrating Newcastle’s thriving jazz culture on 27 September. 

Newcastle’s coastline will also set the scene for Sea Stories, inviting audiences to grab a headset and enjoy a communal listening experience as the sun rises over Dixon Park Beach. 

Created by Melbourne theatre maker Roslyn Oades, the audio journey was inspired by interviews with extraordinary water-loving Novocastrians who explain how the ocean has been a transformative force in the face of life’s challenges.

Visitors to Dixon Park Beach can also check out the work of Newcastle’s award-winning ocean and coast-life photographer Penelope Green, whose series of captivating photographs will be displayed along the promenade fence, celebrating the city’s ocean swimming community. 

New Annual is delivered by City of Newcastle and proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, Multicultural NSW, Transport for NSW and Create NSW. The University of Newcastle returns as a presenting partner for the 2026 event.

Visit the New Annual website for all the details. 

New commissions premiering at New Annual

• Cavitation (25 Sept – 4 Oct) at the Canoe Pool: Izabela Pluta’s monumental art installation, with an accompanying exhibition at The Lock-Up Gallery
• Petite Suite (25-27 Sept) at the Oriental Hotel: Brand X transforms seven hotel rooms into seven intimate theatrical encounters inspired by one of Newcastle’s most beloved pubs
• At Sea (26-29 Sept, 1-4 Oct) at the Canoe Pool: free daily 8am performance performed at the water’s edge by Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub to an original score by Zackari Watt.
• Triceratop (30 Sept – 4 Oct) at University House: a wildly inventive one-person gay dinosaur love story with climate change in its sights.
• Lenny’s Country (30 Sept) at the Carrington Foreshore: a joyful community celebration of local Indigenous culture led by Curious Legends at Nan’s Place
• Bizarre Newcastle (1 Oct) at King Street: newly commissioned film by Stories of Our Town uncovering 10 extraordinary local tales, followed by live cabaret and music from Steve Abbott (Sandman), Christa Hughes, DJ Maynard, Pucko and host Chit Chat
• Press Play (1-3 Oct) at the Playhouse: celebrating 50 years of Tantrum Youth Arts with an interactive theatrical adventure for young imaginations

The expanded Newcastle Art Gallery is flexing its curatorial muscle, unveiling two Australian premieres today including its first international exhibition since reopening in February.

The new exhibitions feature the work of globally recognised Newcastle-based artist Angela Tiatia, and Tokyo and London based art duo A.A.Murakami.

Artist Angela Tiatia and Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM celebrate the launch of Angela Tiatia: Muse.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said City of Newcastle’s expansion of the gallery was about more than just gaining additional exhibition space.

“The expansion gave us physical scale, but the real transformation came from expanding our thinking about what our state-of-the-art institution should offer,” Ms Morton said.

“We celebrate local and national   artists and champion artists of global impact, creating world-class exhibitions that engage people with the transformational power of art.

“Angela Tiatia is one of the most vital voices in contemporary Australian art, and we’re incredibly proud to present the first major survey of her career here in Newcastle, the city she currently calls home. 

“Combine this with A.A.Murakami’s beautiful, immersive sculptural installation, which is on display for the first time in Australia, and you’ve got a truly unforgettable experience at Newcastle Art Gallery.”

Featuring video, photography and installation, Angela Tiatia: Muse will bring together the artist’s most significant works across two decades.

The ticketed exhibition traces the arc of the Sāmoan/Australian artist’s multi-disciplinary career, from her earliest practice in which she turned the camera on herself as subject, through to grander-scale works incorporating larger, ensemble casts.

Alongside Muse, Newcastle Art Gallery will also present the first gallery showing of The Matildas, 2025 outside the National Portrait Gallery, which commissioned the work. 

Filmed across three continents, five cities and seven shoots, the 23-minute video portrait captures the presence, emotion and mental focus of all 23 players from the CommBank Matildas FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Squad, including Newcastle’s own Emily van Egmond and Clare Wheeler.

Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Chair Suzie Galwey and Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM take a first look at A.A.Murakami: New Spring.

The Gallery’s premieres continue with the presentation of A.A.Murakami’s New Spring, on display for the first time in Australia thanks to the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation as the major global exhibition supporter.

The multisensory work was created by Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves as part of their ephemeral technology series, in which the artists make their own machines to recreate natural phenomena. 

The installation will see luminous mist-filled bubbles bloom and fall like flowers from three tree-like sculptures during the course of the exhibition.

Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Chair Suzie Galwey said the Foundation was thrilled to help bring such an important international exhibition to Newcastle.

“As the Gallery’s major philanthropic supporter, the Foundation is delighted to support the activation of our wonderful new Gallery and bring ambitious international exhibitions to our community,” Ms Galwey said.

“We are incredibly proud to play a part in making this possible, and I would like to sincerely thank our donors for their unwavering generosity and support. Their commitment enables the Gallery to deliver extraordinary experiences for the Newcastle community and beyond.”

Capping off the new works of art on display at the Gallery is the installation of the second window commission in the Learning Studio, which faces onto Darby Street.

It showcases Hunter-based artist Indeah Clark, whose large-scale graphic depicts a network of faces, reflecting the people and places that shape our sense of self and belonging.

Tickets for Angela Tiatia: Muse are on sale via the Newcastle Art Gallery website. Entry to The Matildas, 2025 is free to the public, with both exhibitions running from 26 September 2026 to 7 February 2027.

New Spring will be on display from 26 September 2026 to 31 January 2027 with free entry to the public, while Clarke’s window commission will remain in place until 26 September 2027.

The new exhibitions are opening alongside City of Newcastle’s flagship multi-arts festival, New Annual, which features 10 days of art, music, theatre and performance from 25 September to 4 October 2026.

The full program for New Annual is available at www.newannual.com.

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

Stephen Hanks, aged 57, was last seen in East Maitland, about 8am on Monday 21 September 2026.

When he was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for Stephen’s welfare, as his disappearance is out of character.

Stephen is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm tall, of slim build, with brown hair.

He is known to frequent the East Maitland, Maitalnd and Stroud areas.

Stephen may also be driving a grey 2019 Isuzu MU-X with NSW registration plates HANK5.

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

The Minns Labor Government will fully fund a CCTV trial on Beaumont Street in Hamilton, helping make one of Newcastle’s busiest precincts safer for local residents and business owners.

The Government will provide $230,000 in funding to City of Newcastle Council to enable the installation of CCTV cameras along Beaumont Street as part of a three-year trial.

The trial will address concerns from police following incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Those concerns have been felt particularly strongly following the tragic death of 22-year-old James Callahan, who was killed on Beaumont Street in November 2024.

City of Newcastle will lead the trial including installation of the cameras which are intended to deter crime, enhance public safety and provide reassurance to the local community.

They will also be an important tool to assist police in responding to incidents and in investigations, as well as informing targeted strategies to prevent crime in the area.

All NSW grants are awarded in accordance with eligibility criteria and program guidelines.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

There is nothing more important than community safety.

If there are tools we can provide to police to help keep our streets safe, we will absolutely do it.

Tim Crakanthorp has been pushing hard for this on behalf of his community, and we’ve listened to him, local residents, businesses and police.

Beaumont Street is an important part of Newcastle. Local businesses have had enough of anti-social behaviour on their doorstep and residents deserve to feel safe in their own neighbourhood.

We can’t promise cameras will stop every crime, but we can give police every reasonable tool we can to keep people safe and hold offenders to account.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:

This week in Parliament I’ve been knocking on doors, telling everyone how badly we need CCTV on Beaumont Street, including the Premier.

I am pleased to have secured this commitment for the Hamilton community.

This isn’t a nice to have, it’s a must have. We know how important this is for public safety and for the community.

I want to thank the Premier for not only hearing my calls but going above and beyond to fully fund this project.”

Work to rebuild train manufacturing in the Hunter is underway, with the expression of interest now open for manufacturing firms to design and build the next fleet of NSW suburban passenger trains.
This kickstarts the Minns Labor Government’s $12 billion program to build a state-owned train manufacturing facility, which will shore up a 30-year pipeline of domestic train manufacturing in the Hunter, supporting hundreds of local jobs and rebuilding a capability that was sent offshore by the former government.
The program comes as the future of local train manufacturing again emerges as a clear policy difference in NSW. One Nation’s NSW leader Mike Newman has attacked the Government’s $12 billion investment and proposed an alternative model involving overseas technology partners and foreign state financing.
The Minns Labor Government’s plan is clear. Build trains here, rebuild the local workforce and supply chain, and create the certainty industry needs to invest in NSW for decades to come.
The new generation of trains will be the most advanced fleet ever built in NSW, featuring next-generation control system, advanced communication systems, remote diagnostics and fleet monitoring, enhanced interiors and accessibility, real-time journey updates, connection information and travel guidance.
Passengers can expect to see the first new locally built suburban trains, which will replace the famous Tangaras, operating in the early 2030s followed by the replacement of the Millennium and OSCAR fleets into the 2040s, and the Waratah fleet in the 2050s.
All manufacturers, local or international, will be required to support local manufacturing and jobs in accordance with the Minns Labor Government’s 50 per cent local content for rolling stock contracts.
The Hunter has a history of train manufacturing that dates back before federation. That history ended when the former Liberal government ordered all three of their fleets entirely from overseas.
The government is progressing assessments of the potential locations for the new state-owned train production facility, including a former coal mine at Teralba and the Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot near where the original Tangara fleet was manufactured. A final decision is expected before years end.
The Future Fleet Program is expected to support up to 780 workers in construction and approximately 550 ongoing jobs in the facility and supply chains.
Transport for NSW has actively engaged with the rail industry leading up to the EOI release, including at events this year in Sydney and Newcastle, to help businesses prepare for upcoming opportunities to reinvigorate local rail manufacturing.
The Government is already building capacity in the train manufacturing workforce in the Hunter with work on the Tangara Life Extension Program underway at the Cardiff rail facility, as well as in Sydney. This employs 100 new qualified workers and 20 apprentices.
The EOI is open until 10 November and is available here.: https://buy.nsw.gov.au/
Premier Chris Minns said:
“For a more than a century highly skilled workers built trains in the Hunter.
“There is a long and proud history of manufacturing trains here, and we’re ensuring that the next generation of Tangaras, Millenium, OSCAR and Waratah trains will be built right here in NSW.
“This EOI is the next step in bringing back hundreds of skilled jobs, boosting our domestic manufacturing capability and keeping billions of dollars in the pockets of workers and businesses right here in NSW.”
Minister for Transport John Graham said:
“This is the beginning of 30 years of train building in the Hunter, and the decades of skilled jobs that will come with it.
“The Liberals said we were no good at building trains in NSW. History proves they were wrong, and so will the future.
“Labor is the only party that will bring these jobs back to the Hunter. The Liberals offshored them in the first place and One Nation’s knocking the plan to bring them back.”
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
“The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job of bringing local manufacturing back to where it belongs, today releasing an Expression of Interest, where we ask manufacturers to show us what they can do.
“We’ve built high-quality trains in the Hunter for decades. We have the workers, we have the skills and we have the industrial capability which is why we’re creating a pipeline of work and securing our standing as a manufacturing powerhouse once again.
“The Liberals said we were no good at building trains and sent the jobs overseas. We’re bringing jobs back to the Hunter and proving them wrong.”
Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said:
“We’ve committed $12 billion to bring train manufacturing back to the Hunter and this is the next big step in making that a reality.
“The Hunter has a proud history of building trains, which is why we are incredibly pleased to be returning it to where it rightly belongs.
“This is not a one-off investment. This is the next chapter of a long-term pipeline of train building in NSW, and giving the next generation of Hunter workers the same opportunity those before them had.”
Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos said:
“Our Minns Labor Government is re-building domestic manufacturing in NSW and bringing train manufacturing back to the Hunter is a crucial part of our plan.” 
“This is an important step in rebuilding our sovereign manufacturing capability. The capability will support local jobs and businesses, and deliver long-term economic benefits for NSW. 
“We are committed to leveraging our precious procurement dollars to support local content, local workers, and their communities.”
Transport Deputy Secretary Raquel Rubalcaba said:
“This Expression of Interest is a major milestone in delivering the NSW Government’s commitment to rebuild a sustainable rail manufacturing industry in New South Wales.”
“We are creating a decades-long pipeline of work that will support skilled jobs, strengthen local supply chains and provide certainty for industry to invest in capability and growth.”
“The strong engagement we have seen from industry demonstrates there is real appetite to be part of this transformational program, and we look forward to progressing the next stage of procurement.”
Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland said:
“The first of these new suburban trains are expected to enter service in the early to mid 2030s, providing passengers with a modern fleet that is more reliable, accessible and comfortable.
“Having these trains designed, built and maintained in New South Wales will deliver long-term benefits for passengers and the network. It means we can draw on local expertise, respond more quickly to issues and ensure maintenance and parts support are readily available throughout the life of the fleet.”
“Building trains closer to where they operate creates a stronger connection between manufacturers, maintainers and operators, helping us continuously improve performance and reliability.”
“This program is an investment not only in the trains themselves, but in the capability needed to keep Sydney’s rail network running reliably for decades to come.”

The number of female lifeguards on patrol at Newcastle’s beaches and Ocean Baths will reach an all-time high this summer thanks to City of Newcastle’s innovative trainee program.

Lexi Sutherland and Bronte Bowker will become the latest recruits to transition from a traineeship to the professional ranks when the new summer beach patrol season kicks off on Saturday.

Lifeguards Lexi Sutherland and Bronte Bowker at Dixon Park BeachThe pair successfully completed last season’s six-week trainee program, where they worked alongside experienced mentors during the busy summer holidays.

City of Newcastle Executive Manager Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy said the initiative is helping to make a positive change.

“Women now account for around 40% of our lifeguards, with more and more girls applying to be part of the trainee program every year,” Ms Duffy said.

“We know some Councils are struggling to fill lifeguard roles because it’s a seasonal job that requires a unique set of skills. 

“Our program helps us maintain a dedicated team of professional lifeguards who have comprehensive knowledge of our beaches and our procedures.

“The innovative trainee initiative launched in 2021 and so far every participant has come back to City of Newcastle to work as a professional lifeguard in some capacity.

“Applications for this summer’s trainee program close on 6 October, with four high school students being offered the chance to gain hands-on experience.”

The trainee program is delivered in partnership with Hunter Surf Life Saving and was the first program of its kind in NSW.

Currently completing their Higher School Certificates, Lexi Sutherland and Bronte Bowker already have impressive resumes.

Sutherland took out the Under 17 female ironperson title at the NSW Championships in March, while Bowker was part of the team that won the Under 19 ski relay title.

Both lifeguards say they’re excited about the prospect of launching their careers at the beach.

“I wanted to apply for the casual lifeguard role because the trainee program allowed me to create so many valuable friendships,” Ms Sutherland said.

“I developed so many new skills and had amazing learning experiences that I hope to keep building on this season.”

“I decided to apply for the casual position because I really enjoyed my traineeship and working with such a friendly team,” Ms Bowker said.

“I gained valuable insights into the role across morning and afternoon shifts, developing my understanding of beach operations and confidence in handling different situations.”

Lifeguard patrols return to all six Newcastle beaches this Saturday, adding to the year-round patrols that also take place at three beaches and Merewether and Newcastle Ocean Baths.

Ms Duffy said recent tragic incidents in Newcastle and on the Mid North Coast were a reminder to always follow key water safety rules.

“When you’re enjoying our beautiful beaches, you should never swim alone, always swim between the red and yellow flags, ask lifeguards for advice about conditions and if you’re in trouble, put your hand up and yell for help,” Ms Duffy said.

Swimmers will also be welcomed back to City of Newcastle’s inland pools at Wallsend, Mayfield, Stockton and Beresfield on Saturday, following the reopening of Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre in August,

City of Newcastle is expecting another busy season at the pools, which attracted more than 537,000 visits during the 2025/26 season, highlighting their importance as destinations for family-friendly recreation and reinforcing their role in supporting community wellbeing and social connection.

The winter break provided an important period for essential maintenance activity with City of Newcastle completing a range of works across the network including safety upgrades, painting of non-slip surfaces and plumbing repairs.

There was a major service of Lambton’s popular splash park feature and new fencing for the waterslide, playground maintenance and kiosk improvements at Beresfield, while Stockton’s bench seating was replaced.

Security improvements were carried out at Wallsend, while the 50-metre pool was emptied to enable floor tile repairs and the replacement of expansion joints.

A detailed inspection of the pool shell was also carried out, while pipe fittings were replaced to reduce the risk of water leakage during power outages in the plantroom.