Category: Newcastle News

A man has died after a car struck a tree in the state’s north this afternoon.

About 2.45pm (Wednesday 10 June 2026), emergency services were called to the New England Highway, near Milperra Drive, Muswellbrook, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended and found a car had left the roadway and hit a tree, trapping the driver inside the vehicle.

The driver – a 73-year-old man – was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he could not be revived and died at the scene.

Police have established a crime scene and officers attached to Crash Investigation Unit commenced an investigation into the cause of the crash.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl reported missing from the Hunter region.

Latanah Widders, aged 14, was last seen on Bousfield Street, Wallsend, on Tuesday 26 May 2026.

When she could not be located, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District were notified yesterday (Monday 8 June 2026) and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

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

Inquiries indicate Latanah may have been at Liverpool Train Station about 1am on Thursday 4 June 2026.

She is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 130cm tall with a thin to medium build and dyed black/burgundy hair. 

She was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, black track suit pants and black and white Nike slides.

Latanah is known to use public transport to travel.

She is known to frequent the Liverpool area.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Singleton Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the states north.

Kye Jacobs, aged 29, was last seen in Muswellbrook on Thursday 14 May 2026.

When he was unable to be located or contacted officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District were notified yesterday (Thursday 4 June 2026) and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police hold concerns for Kye’s welfare.

Kye is described as Caucasian appearance, 170cm, medium build, with short brown hair and brown eyes.

Kye is known to frequent the Muswellbrook and Newcastle areas.

Five illegal tobacconists have been closed for 90 days, and over $260,000 worth of illicit tobacco and vapes have been seized during a joint agency operation in the Hunter region this week.
Operation SLOANE was established in October 2025 under the NSW Illicit Tobacco Taskforce which is a partnership between NSW Police and NSW Health targeting illicit tobacco activity in the retail sector.
Following inquiries, about 11am last Wednesday (3 June 2026), police officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District and NSW Health inspectors conducted inspections at six businesses in the Cessnock CBD.
As a result of the operation, NSW Health issued short-term closure orders to five businesses for 90 days.
In total, NSW Health inspectors – with the assistance of NSW Police – located and seized 208,745 cigarettes, more than 39kg of loose tobacco leaf, 852 vapes, and 35 nicotine pouches, with an estimated street value of approximately $260,500.
During the inspections, crime scenes were declared at two of the businesses with police seizing $33,000 in cash.
Investigations as part of Operation Sloane are continuing, and additional enforcement action, including prosecution, may take place. .
NSW Health actively enforces tobacco retailing legislation using an information and intelligence led risk-based approach. A closure of premises is one regulatory tool available.
NSW Health draws on multiple intelligence sources, including reports from the public, information from law enforcement partners, and its own compliance holdings, to inform both targeted and broad enforcement activities across the state.
As of Friday 29 May 2026, NSW Health has issued 279 short-term closure orders. A full list of current tobacco closures can be found on the NSW Health website.: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/closure-register.aspx
Retailers who are found to be non-compliant with closure orders may be subject to further enforcement action, including licence sanctions, long term closure orders, and prosecution.
Members of the public can lodge complaints about retailers they believe are doing the wrong thing via the reporting portal on the NSW Health website.: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/tobacco/Pages/let-us-know-reports-complaints.aspx

Two teenage boys have been charged following an assault in the Hunter region last week.

Around 9pm on Saturday 30 May 2026, officers attached to Police Transport Command – Northern Satellite were patrolling the Newcastle Interchange area were notified of an assault on Stewart Avenue, Newcastle West.

Police located a 13-year-old boy with facial injuries and were told two unknown people had assaulted the teenager before leaving the area on foot.

Despite extensive inquiries in the area, those involved were unable to be located.

The boy attended hospital for assessment.

About 8am yesterday (Wednesday 3 June 2026), officers attended a unit in Stockton and arrested a 16-year-old boy. He was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with shoplifting, assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, and breach of bail.

He was refused bail to appear at a children’s court yesterday (Wednesday 3 June 2026) where he was granted conditional bail to reappear on Monday 22 June 2026.

About 5pm yesterday (Wednesday 3 June 2026), officers arrested a 17-year-old boy in Broadmeadow. He was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with shoplifting and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on Monday 13 July 2026.

Newcastle community members tied up their laces and showed up in force last weekend for the 2026 Newcastle Memory Walk & Jog – throwing their support behind people impacted by dementia whilst getting active to improve their brain health.
 
More than 890 people walked, ran and jogged to the finish line to raise an impressive total of $123,788.
 
Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan extended her gratitude to all who participated, volunteered and raised vital funds for the cause.
 
“There was an incredible turnout from the Newcastle community this year yet again, in support of the many people impacted by dementia across the country,” Professor Buchanan said.
 
“It’s been really moving and encouraging to see the community supporting Dementia Australia’s vital work by raising funds and awareness, as well as moving for their brain health – which research shows can help reduce our risk of dementia.”
 
Professor Buchanan also acknowledged everyone who volunteered at the Newcastle Memory Walk & Jog. 
 
“The day was only possible through the hard work of our wonderful volunteers, who always make Memory Walk & Jog a safe, fun and memorable experience for everyone who takes part”.
 
This event was one of 14 Memory Walk & Jog events held across Australia in 2026. Each event offers a wonderful opportunity for people impacted by dementia and their supporters to come together, walk or run, at any fitness level, and to raise money and share stories.
  

City of Newcastle has revealed a sneak peek of New Annual’s 2026 program, including the return of live music at Newcastle Ocean Baths and a TWISTED art party celebrating self-expression.

The events offer the first taste of what’s to come from the sixth edition of City of Newcastle’s flagship arts festival, which will run from 25 September to 4 October.

Newcastle band Dust performed in front of thousands of people at the Newcastle Ocean Baths in 2025 for New Annual’s SOAK Live at the Baths sessions. Photo by Ange Maloney

Festival Director Tory Loudon said after record-breaking attendances in 2025, people were eagerly awaiting this year’s program.

“Last year’s festival was a testament to the strength of Newcastle’s creative community and the city’s growing reputation as a cultural destination,” Ms Loudon said. 

“Anticipation is running high for this year’s festival, which will once again see Newcastle’s coastline and civic spaces reimagined as vibrant stages for art, performance and community connection.”

One of the stand-out hits of 2025 was the introduction of SOAK, a series of free sunset sessions that transformed the Newcastle Ocean Baths into the city’s hottest new live music venue.

It will return this year with a four-night program featuring local and globally renowned artists.

“We were blown away by the response to SOAK last year,” Ms Loudon said.

“People came out in droves to soak up the atmosphere, soak up the setting and soak up the incredible talent on show during those live music sessions and I’m thrilled to be bringing it back.”

Lolo Brow at Torture Garden – Electrowerkz, London, 2023. Photo by Damien Frost.

The transformations will continue across the city, with Newcastle nightspot Bartholomew’s blooming for one night only into an immersive art party venue inspired by the darkly evocative work of former Newcastle artist Damien Frost.

The photographer has spent the past 14 years documenting London’s alternative queer nightlife through his acclaimed photographic series Night Flowers.

He will return to his “spiritual home” of Newcastle to present a collection of those images at Watt Space Gallery. The exhibition will also premiere new portraits captured for New Annual of Newcastle’s queer and alternative communities.

The exhibition will be complemented by the TWISTED: Night Flowers Party at Bartholomew’s, with guests invited to explore and celebrate their identities through costume, music and performance.

As one of the original founders of Newcastle arts organisation Octopod in the late 1990s, Frost said his work was influenced by his time in the city.

“Although the work centres on personal expression, it is just as much about community and chosen family – ideas I became deeply engaged with during the years I lived in Newcastle,” Frost said.

“There, I was actively involved in community arts projects and was struck by the strong sense of belonging and solidarity within both the broader city and its subcultures.”

Entry to the SOAK sessions and Night Flowers exhibition at Watt Space Gallery will be free, with tickets for TWISTED on sale from tomorrow, Thursday 4 June.

New Annual’s full 2026 program will be announced in coming months, showcasing local people, places and performances alongside some of the best theatre, art and music from Australia and overseas.

Councillor Jenny Barrie, Chair of City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee, said New Annual is a festival for the entire community.

“New Annual offers a fantastic platform for new works and unique collaborations that takes art to audiences, presenting many of Newcastle’s most loved locations in an entirely unexpected light,” Cr Barrie said.

“The program is deliberately low-cost or free, providing local audiences with opportunities to engage with a range of arts while attracting cultural tourism to the city.”

New Annual is delivered by City of Newcastle with funding from the NSW Government in association with a Multicultural NSW Stronger Together grant, Transport for NSW Permit/Plug/Play pilot program and Create NSW. The University of Newcastle is a presenting partner for the 2026 event.

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said events such as New Annual help celebrate the vibrant cultural diversity of local communities while also driving economic growth.

“The NSW Government is proud to support New Annual in its sixth year, cementing the event as a mainstay in Newcastle’s cultural calendar and enriching the local arts scene,” Mr Crakanthorp said.

“New Annual gets better and better every year. Through our investment across Create NSW, Transport for NSW, and Multicultural NSW, the State Government is ensuring that locals and visitors alike can experience vibrant public spaces, world-class art and unforgettable live performances for free or low cost.”

To keep up to date with the latest festival news visit www.newannual.com

Tickets for TWISTED will be on sale from 9am on Thursday 4 June via https://newannual.com/twisted-party

NSW Police has expanded its DV Awareness Cup initiative into the Hunter region using rugby league to engage students and the wider community in conversations about domestic and family violence prevention.

In 2023, the South Coast Police District’s Crime Prevention Unit established the Domestic Violence Awareness Cup and this year it has expanded to two other locations in the Hunter region and St George area.

The Cup aims to raise awareness and inform students, families, and the broader community about domestic and family violence, while fostering safe avenues for engagement and support.

The Cup will be held at Lakeside Sports Complex, Raymond Terrace, on Thursday 4 June 2026 at 9am.

The events are community-driven rugby league gala days for about 150 students aged 15 and 16 from Callaghan College, Cardiff High School, Francis Greenway High School, Hunter River High School, Mount View High School, and Rutherford Technology High School.

The day – which is supported by the NRL, DrinkWise and the local Liquor Accord – consists of a round-robin style competition for students, with community stalls offering information and resources from support agencies.

Newcastle Knights NRLW player Yasmin Meakes and NRL legend and welfare officer Andrew Ryan will also attend to support the day.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said sport was a powerful platform to bring domestic violence prevention into the open.

Sport brings people together like little else – it’s where we can have honest conversations about respect and healthy relationships, especially with young people watching,” Minister Catley said.

NSW Police is responding to domestic violence at record levels, but just as important is stopping it before it starts – in schools, clubs and communities.

When young people see police as partners in prevention, not just response, it builds trust and reinforces that violence is never acceptable.

Domestic violence is no longer hidden in the shadows the way it once was, and it shouldn’t be. As a community, we’re more willing to name it, confront it and stop it in its tracks. Today, we continue that work.”

Northern Region Commander and Corporate Sponsor for Alcohol Related Crime, Assistant Commissioner David Waddell, said the sporting event provided a safe and welcoming environment to bring together young people, community agencies and the police to start conversations about being responsible and seeking help.

The community event aims to educate young people about making the right decisions and the impact of making poor choices, with the support from other agencies who can talk to teenagers about help that is available,” Assistant Commissioner Waddell said.

Police are working to educate young people about the repercussions of alcohol use and acts of violence, particularly family violence.

Education and early intervention can be vital, because being a teenager can often be a difficult time in their development. We want young people to know police are there to help them.”

Port Stephens-Hunter Police District Superintendent, Wayne Humphrey, welcomed the DV Awareness Cup being held in Raymond Terrace.

By using the game of rugby league we are able to give local students information about building healthy relationships and empower them to speak up and take a stand against domestic and family violence,” Supt Humphrey said.

By starting with awareness and early intervention, we are promoting respect and challenging negative behaviours that contribute to violence.”

DrinkWise Chief Executive Officer, Simon Strahan, said DrinkWise was proud to support an initiative that used the power of sport to help drive important conversations within local communities.

The NSW Police DV Awareness Cup is an example of how sport can bring people together while also creating opportunities to educate, connect and support young people and their families,” Mr Strahan said.

We’re proud to stand alongside NSW Police and the wider community to support an initiative focused on respect, positive behaviours and strengthening support networks.

“Creating safer communities starts with conversations, education and people coming together, and that’s exactly what this event is helping to achieve.”

The Minns Labor Government is calling on manufacturers across the Hunter to apply for a share of $225 million to create more local jobs and help NSW build the products and materials needed for the industries of the future.
 
The Hunter is one of NSW’s great manufacturing regions, with the skills, industrial base and supply chains needed to play a leading role in the next generation of low-carbon manufacturing.
The $225 million grant round will support commercial and construction-ready projects that can expand local production, attract private investment and create skilled jobs.
 
As global demand grows for clean energy and low-carbon products, the Minns Labor Government is backing NSW businesses to seize this global opportunity by manufacturing more of these products here at home, including:
 
· renewable energy components such as wind towers, solar panels, batteries and transmission cables
· low-carbon products such as blended cement, cross-laminated timber and biofuels
· emerging clean technologies such as new-generation renewables and storage, AI-driven agricultural systems and lithium battery recycling.
 
This funding builds on the success of the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative grants, which are already backing more than 40 projects creating around 1,000 new jobs.
 
In the Hunter, that funding has supported projects including Hunter Valley Solar Foundry’s new large-scale solar panel manufacturing facility in Black Hill, which received $20 million and is expected to create 300 jobs.
 
Other Hunter projects backed through the first round include $4.85 million for FPR Energy Limited in Mayfield West to scale renewable heat and power technology, $1.1 million for Renewable Metals Pty Ltd in Muswellbrook to support development of NSW’s first lithium battery recycling refinery, and funding for Orica Australia Pty Ltd in Kooragang to explore industrial carbon capture and reuse.
 
This next round of funding is an opportunity for more Hunter manufacturers to expand, diversify and help build the industries that will support the region’s economic future.
 
Successful projects will need to attract significant private investment to NSW, with grant recipients required to match or exceed NSW Government funding dollar-for-dollar.
 
The investment will create jobs, further the transformation of the state’s energy system, and support NSW’s legislated targets to cut emissions by 70 per cent by 2035 and reach net zero by 2050.
 
Applications open today. For more information, visit: www.energy.nsw.gov.au/NetZeroManufacturing: http://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/NetZeroManufacturing
 
Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe said:
 
“Our investment in low-carbon manufacturing has already supported the creation of around 1,000 jobs, and this boost will power the next wave of industry and opportunity in the Hunter and across NSW.
 
“This additional funding will help ensure NSW does not just import technology, but builds more of it locally to benefit communities and workers.”
 
Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley said:
 
“The Hunter has always been an industrial powerhouse for NSW, and this funding is about making sure the region is at the centre of the next generation of manufacturing.
 
“There is a huge global opportunity in clean energy and low-carbon products, and we want Hunter businesses and workers to be in the box seat.”
 
Member for Port Stephens, Minister Kate Washington said:
 
“Our local industries are perfectly placed to seize this opportunity to become the leader in low-emissions manufacturing, benefiting local workers, their families and our communities in the Hunter.”
 
Member for Maitland, Minister Jenny Aitchison said:
 
“People in the Hunter are some of the most resilient Australians. We have always adapted, innovated and worked hard to deliver for NSW – from energy to commodities to heavy and advanced manufacturing.
 
“The Minns Labor Government is investing in our region to ensure the Hunter continues to offer secure, skilled and cutting-edge manufacturing jobs close to home, to support the generations of workers who have built this state and our nation.”
 
Member for Charlestown, Minister Jodie Harrison said:
 
“This funding will support local workers and manufacturers as the Hunter continues to transition to a low-carbon future.”
 
Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp said:
 
“Newcastle is leading the charge in the transition to net zero industries. We have already seen great Newcastle-based net zero manufacturers receive funding from the NSW Labor Government, and the Government is ready to support even more!
 
“The Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at Tighes Hill TAFE is inspiring and educating the manufacturers of the future. Grant programs like this back in the innovative ideas coming out of the Centre of Excellence.”
 
Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery said:
 
“This welcome funding will create important jobs in low-carbon manufacturing across the Hunter, supporting local workers and a cleaner, more sustainable economy.”
 
Member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr said:
 
“The Hunter has a proud manufacturing history and is well placed to play a leading role in NSW’s clean energy future.

This grant funding will help local businesses expand production, attract investment and create skilled jobs across the region.”