Category: Newcastle News

A girl remains in a critical condition after being found in a vehicle in the Port Stephens area this afternoon.
Police from Port Stephens – Hunter Police District attended a home in Tanilba Bay about 4.30pm (Tuesday 26 November 2019), after reports a five-year-old girl was found inside a car parked in the driveway of the family home.
The girl was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation by detectives from Port Stephens.
No further information available at this time.

City of Newcastle has welcomed the NSW Government’s approval of its application to secure funding to deliver 5,500 tonnes of sand to the southern end of Stockton Beach as a short-term measure.
The work will see sand trucked in south of the Lexie’s Cafe accessway before the Christmas school holidays as the first of a two-stage project.

Additional sand will be deposited north of the accessway, adjacent to the Surf Club, as part of stage two in the New Year, subject to further approvals from the NSW Government.
The initial $350,000 project (funded 50:50 by City of Newcastle and the NSW Government) will restore the beach’s amenity and also allow the City to monitor sand movements along the Stockton Coast.
“I would like to thank our staff at the City who have worked tirelessly on short and medium-term measures of our Coastal Zone Management Plan, from dune stabilisation and sand scraping to beach renourishment, for many years,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Our staff have worked hard to address immediate risk from recent erosion events and now, with another successful grant application, the NSW Government has agreed to jointly fund a one-off beach nourishment project. These funds will allow City of Newcastle to proceed with the trial restoration of the section of Stockton Beach from the holiday park to Lexie’s Cafe in the short term.
“The project aims to re-instate the amenity of the beach previously enjoyed by locals and visitors this summer. This work is not a preventative measure. A long-term solution to erosion is still required.
“The City continues to work with the community and NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment on long-term solutions, with investigation of multiple options, including offshore sand extraction for more substantive nourishment programs.
“Discussions to date with the Deputy Premier have been very positive. He understands the issue and that a solution similar to how the Gold Coast ensures the sustainability of its beaches is possible under the Minerals Act.
“I thank the Stockton community and particularly the Stockton Liaison Committee for their support and expertise as we secure both a short and long-term solution to coastal erosion.”
The replacement sand will be sourced from a local commercial quarry and require hundreds of truck movements to Stockton Beach.
Due to the presence of heavy machinery required to perform the work, access to parts of the beach will be restricted over coming weeks.
 

Detectives investigating the disappearance – and suspected murder – of three Lake Macquarie teenage girls have released an image of a vehicle which is similar to the one they believe may be linked to two of the cases.
In April 2019, Lake Macquarie detectives established Strike Force Arapaima to re-examine the investigation into the unsolved disappearances and suspected murders of Robyn Hickie, Amanda Robinson and Gordana Kotevski.
Robyn Hickie, aged 18, left her home around 7.15pm on Saturday 7 April 1979, and was last seen standing at a bus stop on the Pacific Highway, Belmont North.
A fortnight later, Amanda Robinson, aged 14, was last seen on Saturday 21 April 1979, also near a bus stop on Lake Road, Swansea, after attending a dance at her high school in Gateshead.
About 9pm on Thursday 24 November 1994, Gordana Kotevski, aged 16, was forced into a vehicle on Powell Street, Charlestown, while walking from Charlestown Square Shopping Centre to her aunt’s home on the same road.
Despite extensive investigations at the time, and over the years, none of the girls have been located.
A subsequent Coronial Inquest into their disappearances found that the girls were deceased, most likely as a result of foul play.
As part of ongoing investigations, strike force detectives have identified a vehicle which they believe may be linked to the disappearance and suspected murder of both Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson.
They have released an image of a similar vehicle, which is described as a distinct green-coloured, mid-1970s four-door Holden Torana sedan.
Lake Macquarie Police District Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector Greg Thomas, said this is a significant new lead in the investigation of these cases.
“We are hoping anyone who was living in the Lake Macquarie region in the late 1970s may have a recollection of this Holden Torana, in particular in the month of April 1979.
“We understand it’s been 40 years since Robyn and Amanda’s disappearances, however, we are seeking assistance from anyone who may even have moved to a different state or who may have some memory of this vehicle to come forward to police – you can remain anonymous through Crime Stoppers if you wish.
“It may seem like small or insignificant information from decades past – but it could help investigators solve these cases,” Det Ch Insp Thomas said.
Investigations under Strike Force Arapaima continue.
Anyone with information about any of these cold cases is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

Police have praised the good behaviour of tens of thousands of race goers following a high-visibility operation at this year’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500.
Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 commenced last Thursday (21 November 2019), to ensure the safety and security of competitors, officials and spectators throughout the event.
General duties officers from Newcastle City Police District and across Northern Region, the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Groups (OSG), Dog Unit, PolAir, Licensing Police, Bicycle Unit, Youth Command (PCYC), Marine Area Command, Police Transport Command and Traffic & Highway Patrol Command were involved in the operation.
Of note, officers attached to Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 arrested four males on Saturday 23 November about 3.30pm following an incident inside the precinct near Watt and Scott Streets. All four were charged for a range of offences including drink liquor in ticketed area, offensive behaviour, use offensive language and resist arrest. They were all conditionally bailed to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 12 December 2019.
Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM, said he was extremely pleased to see the majority of spectators behave appropriately and enjoy themselves at the event over the weekend.
“Dozens of officers were out in force across the event footprint, focusing on road safety, crowd behaviour, and minimising the impact of the event on the local community,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
“We were quite happy with the behaviour of most people who attended the race, and it was great to see so many families return to the city this year in support of the Newcastle 500.
“Despite the forecast wet weather yesterday, spectators turned out in the thousands and enjoyed the Supercars finale while knowing their limits and respecting others around them.
“Police worked closely with Supercars, the City of Newcastle and Transport NSW before and during the event to create a safe and family-friendly atmosphere.
“There were a small number of race goers who engaged in anti-social behaviour and didn’t listen to the warnings. They tried to spoil the fun for others, but they were identified and quickly dealt with by officers, security and Supercars officials,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
Road safety was another focus of the operation, with police conducting 913 random breath tests and issuing 108 traffic infringement notices for offences including speeding, using a mobile phone whilst driving and not wearing a seatbelt.
“We will continue our presence on the roads in and around Newcastle and the Hunter today to ensure everyone’s journey home is a safe one,” Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell said.
“Our Traffic and Highway Patrol officers have done an excellent job this weekend, reminding drivers of the dangers of speeding, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“With the festive season just around the corner, we are reminding the public to leave the racing to the professionals on the track.
“We do not want to see any more tragedies on our roads and those that choose to engage in risky driver behaviour will face the full force of the law,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
Special event clearways and road closures will remain in place throughout the week. Motorists are urged to visit www.livetraffic.com for more information.

A police officer has received a knife wound while arresting a juvenile following a pursuit in Toronto this morning.
About 5.20am (Saturday 23 November 2019), police attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were patrolling Nita Street when the noticed a Subaru station wagon.
The car matched the description of a vehicle that had just been circulated by police radio as being allegedly stolen at knife point moments before.
A police pursuit was initiated and when the car reached Straight Drive, the driver continued across a reserve, through a fence and crashed into a footbridge bollard.
The driver, a 15-year-old boy, ran from the car and was tackled to the ground by police.
Police struggled with the teen who was holding his arms towards his chest. As police were able to force his arms to the rear, a knife which was allegedly secreted in the boy’s T-shirt, penetrated one of the officer’s bicep.
The young person was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with robbery while armed, police pursuit – Skye’s Law, wound officer executing duty recklessly causing actual bodily harm, assault police, and unlicensed.
He was refused bail and is expected to appear in a children’s court tomorrow (Sunday 24 November 2019).
The injured officer, a senior constable, was taken to Belmont Hospital and received three sutures for his wound.

Newcastle’s driverless shuttle will be available for racegoers and locals to test-ride in Wheeler Place this weekend.
Newcastle’s very own Aussie Racing Cars driver Charlotte Poynting joined Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes for the announcement today which comes at the same time as the release of City of Newcastle’s first mobile app.

“The driverless shuttle moves a bit slower than I will be around the track this weekend, but it’s just as exciting that this futuristic transport technology is being used in Newcastle,” Ms Poynting said.
“Newcastle is my home-town and it’s great to see the way the city is changing and embracing technology like never before.”
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the driverless shuttle will be operating in full driverless mode in Wheeler Place as part of a busy weekend of activities and events planned in Newcastle.
“Community members and racegoers keen to take a ride can turn up to Wheeler Place from 10am both Saturday and Sunday to experience driverless technology,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Keolis Downer staff including driverless shuttle specialists and trained chaperones will be onsite to answer people’s questions around the trial.”
The City has also developed a mobile app to make doing business with the City and finding key points of interest easier in line with its Smart City Strategy.
Improving the cultural experience for locals and visitors alike, the app will provide information on current and upcoming events, including late-breaking City-related news, feature attractions, accommodation and hospitality offerings
“A big part of making the city more attractive to visitors and prospective businesses is making its offerings and attractions more accessible,” Cr Nelmes said.
“And this app does just that. We are actively packaging information and data to make life easier in the City for residents, visitors and workers.
Wayfinding and a portal to report issues to the City for fixing are also among the new efficiencies offered by the app.
In future, it is expected to offer augmented reality content to enrich experiences, such as guided walking tours, and help improve awareness of Newcastle’s history and heritage buildings.
Business that would like to be included in the app can upload their relevant information to the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, the same data source used in the newly refreshed Visit Newcastle website.
The City of Newcastle App is available for download via the Apple store and Google Play.

Police have launched a high-visibility operation for this year’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500 to ensure racegoers enjoy the event safely.
The finale of the Supercars Australia Championship Series begins with practice laps tomorrow (Friday 22 November), with the final race taking place at 4.15pm on Sunday (24 November 2019).
Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 has been launched today to ensure the safety and security of more than 150,000 people – including competitors, officials and spectators – expected to descend on Newcastle this weekend.
General duties officers from Newcastle City Police District and across Northern Region, will be assisted by specialist police, from the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Groups (OSG), Dog Unit, PolAir, Licensing Police, Bicycle Unit, Youth Command (PCYC), Police Transport Command and Traffic & Highway Patrol Command throughout the operation.
Operation Newcastle Supercars 2019 Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM, was joined by General Manager of Operations Supercars Australia, Kurt Sakzewski, City of Newcastle councillor, Cr Peta Winney-Baartz, and Keolis Downer Hunter General Manager, Mark Dunlop today to officially launch the operation.
“We want all locals and visitors to have a great time, but our top priority is to ensure all spectators, officials and competitors are safe. There will be a large high-visibility police presence and any anti-social or dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
“The past two years we have been very pleased with crowd behaviour, and we hope we can maintain this standard going forward. Local officers and specialist police will be out in force across the event footprint, focusing on road safety, crowd behaviour, alcohol-related violence, and minimising disruption to the local community.
“With more than 150,000 people expected to attend, police are urging motorists to be patient, remain vigilant with speed and fatigue, and drive to the conditions.
“The message is simple – do not drink to excess and if you’re planning on driving please make sure you have a Plan B,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
Additional Traffic & Highway Patrol officers will also be deployed to ensure racegoers and other motorists make it to and from their destinations safely.
Supercars Australia’s General Manager of Operations, Kurt Sakzewski said the drivers and the Supercars team love concluding their year in Newcastle.
“This is the third time Newcastle has hosted our final round and our teams can’t wait to get back here every year.
“Newcastle does a fantastic job of not only providing a beautiful backdrop to our Championship but is also a great host city to our teams and fans, many of whom bring their families from around Australia to enjoy the event.
“The event continues to evolve as a family-friendly event, with exhilarating racing and a well-coordinated transport system. We’re looking forward to seeing what Newcastle has to offer in 2019,” Mr Sakzewski said.
City of Newcastle Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said the city was excited to host the third consecutive Newcastle 500, with the city continuing to be highlighted on the world stage.
“Newcastle continues to show Australia, and in fact the world, that it is one of the premier locations to host a major event,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.
“We look forward to delivering another safe, inclusive event for residents and visitors alike in 2019.”
For all special event traffic information, including road closures, special event clearways and live traffic reports, visit www.livetraffic.com.
Further information about the event, including venue maps, transport and parking availability, can be found at: www.supercars.com/newcastle/
Plan your trip to and from the venue precinct ahead of time. Extra bus, train, and light rail services have been scheduled, for more visit https://transportnsw.info/events/2019/11/supercars-newcastle-500

A Newcastle man has been charged with an additional 45 sexual assault offences following an eight-month investigation.
In March 2019, detectives attached to Newcastle City Police District commenced an investigation following reports of alleged sexual and indecent assaults occurring between 2005 and 2014.
A 32-year-old man was arrested in August and charged with 10 offences, he remains before the courts on these matters.
Following further inquiries, yesterday (Wednesday 20 November 2019) the same man was taken to Newcastle Police Station and arrested.
He has been charged with a further 45 offences, including:

• Aggravated sexual assault (x26)
• Sexual intercourse without consent
• Aggravated indecent assault (x5)
• Indecent assault (x5)
• Common assault
• Incite person under age of 16 to commit act of indecency (x7)

He remains bail refused to face Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 19 December 2019.
Investigations are continuing.

City of Newcastle has its sights on establishing a cultural festival with nation-wide appeal in 2020 and is looking to the community to help make it uniquely Novocastrian.
The flagship event is planned to launch in late 2020 and will be shaped by engagement with residents across the local government area along with visual artists, musicians and performers.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the festival would mark another milestone in Newcastle’s transformation and demonstrate the City’s commitments to the arts.
“Through culture and the creative arts, we tell our city’s story, share our histories and understand our identity,” the Lord Mayor said.
“A key part of the process is listening to our community to ensure Novocastrians shape how this event looks and feels.
“We want a festival that will foster and support our existing grassroots arts and cultural scene while having broad appeal and the ability to attract new audiences.
“The community’s feedback will play a vital part in launching this new cultural initiative in 2020.”
Early consultation with the arts sector has identified that access to free events hosted at independent spaces as well as our City’s cultural institutions are important elements to consider, as is the need for a diversity of options.
The desire to host events in unique and iconic locations in Newcastle not usually associated with cultural events has also emerged as an exciting concept.
The festival will cater for all ages and have a mix of events that will be both free of charge and ticketed.
People are invited to have their say now to help shape art and culture in our city.
Step 1: Complete the survey
Step 2: Vote on the cultural experience wall
Consultation closes 5pm Wednesday 15 January, 2020.
For more information visit our Have Your Say page.
Australia’s flagship cultural events

Dark Mofo – Launceston Tasmania Sydney Festival – NSW Adelaide Festival – South Australia Vivid Festival Sydney – NSW Adelaide Fringe Festival – South Australia

Melbourne International Comedy Festival – Victoria Perth Festival – Western Australia Brisbane Festival – Queensland Garma Festival – Northern Territory

Councillors will be asked to support the City’s first new library since 2006, when they meet next Tuesday evening.
A $2.8 million Digital Library inside the entry to the City’s new Council Administration Centre in Newcastle West is expected to attract 50,000 people in its first year, and would be twice the size of existing libraries in Stockton, Lambton, Beresfield, Adamstown, Mayfield and the City Local History branch.
A programable robot, podcasting studio, virtual reality equipment, interactive digital storywall and 3D printer are just some of the technologies that will be available to the community within the Digital Library.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Digital Library takes the best elements of traditional libraries and enhances the experience with modern technology.
“The Digital Library experience provides cutting edge digital experiences combined with the most popular elements of the traditional library space. It aims to create opportunities to experience emerging technologies and spark innovation, while still being a flexible place for people to learn, relax and collaborate.
“The 510m2 Digital Library will be the largest ever after only the City and Wallsend libraries. It will create unique digital experiences that will be a first for the city and region, while still meeting the core principles of connecting communities through sharing knowledge and information.
“Earlier this year Council unanimously supported our 2019 Library Strategy, which included digital inclusion, creativity and innovation as an updated vision for our library network.
“Our Library Strategy involved consulting with more than 1,300 people on what services they want and need in 2019 and beyond from our libraries.
“Additionally, the feedback from the community since we first went public with the concept of a Digital Library has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The $2.8 million cost of the Digital Library will largely be funded using the $2 million proceeds of the 2015 sale of the historic School of Arts building on Hunter Street. A condition of the sale was that the proceeds could only be used for future library infrastructure.
“Building the Library inside the entry to our Council Administration Centre also means we will avoid about $3.2 million in costs that would have been incurred had we proceeded to build a standalone Digital Library in the local area,” she said.
Manager Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said Newcastle West is the perfect location for the region’s first Digital Library.
“Earlier this year, Councillors were presented data showing that the recent boom in population in Newcastle West, Wickham and Honeysuckle had created a critical need in the area for a new library service.
“The Digital Library will be located opposite the Newcastle Interchange, which means it’s convenient to train, light rail, bus, bicycle and kiss-and-ride transport modes.
“The Digital Library has been designed so that it can be quickly placed into onsite storage to allow the space to also act as the Council Chamber when meetings occur several times each month,” she said.
Major elements of the Digital Library include:
·       A Robot to create a unique user experience and participate as the source of community coding workshops
·       VR – virtual reality equipment to showcase new technologies
·       An Interactive digital story wall – inspired by the Christchurch City Library, telling stories of Newcastle’s heritage, inviting customers to  explore online exhibitions and displaying vision from key city attractions such as Blackbutt Reserve and the Anzac Memorial Walk
·       A digital “green” room with podcast equipment will be bookable by the public
·       Programming activities for all ages focussed on science and technology, such as coding, podcast or VR workshops
·       A digital ‘Magic Box’ that replicates pages from any of the digitised items from the City’s Rare Book collection
·       A 3D printer alongside a multifunction print and scan device for public use
·       The ability to borrow from the retail styled collections of the latest bestsellers through the self-loan kiosk and return your items on the self-return shelves
·       Access to thousands of digital collection titles to complement the modest collection for adults and children
·       A dedicated Pressreader table with access to 6,000 newspaper and magazine titles
·       Hublets – tablets available to borrow in the library – useful for those without devices
·       Ereaders for loan
·       Targeted digital inclusion support for eGov services
·       Automated print and payment system, which allows members to pay for printing, copying, fines and services both online and onsite by using credit on their library cards.