Category: Newcastle News

A man has been charged with domestic violence-related offences after allegedly strangling and assaulting a woman until she became unconscious in Singleton.
About 5pm on Monday 18 November 2019, a 29-year-old man allegedly threatened and strangled a 25-year-old woman until she was rendered unconscious at a toilet block in Bridgeman Road, Singleton.
It will also be alleged the man then forcibly placed the woman inside his car, assaulted her and threatened her with a hammer before driving to a nearby fast food restaurant.
The woman then jumped out of the moving vehicle and alerted the restaurant’s staff, who, in turn, contacted police.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and commenced an investigation.
Following extensive inquiries, police attached to the Northern Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Team arrested a 29-year-old man in Hunter Street, Newcastle, just after 7am today (Saturday 7 December 2019).
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he was charged with 10 offences, including:

• three counts of possess prohibited drug,
• unlicensed rider for class,
• choke person with intent to commit indictable offence,
• two counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear of physical harm (DV),
• assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV),
• intentionally choke person without consent (DV), and
• kidnap with intent to commit serious indictable offence occasioning actual bodily harm (DV).

Police will allege in court that the two were known to each other.
The man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Sunday 8 December 2019).

A man will appear in court today charged with intentionally causing a fire and other offences in the Lake Macquarie area.
About 8.15am yesterday (Friday 6 December 2029), a white Ford Falcon Utility was allegedly stolen from Freemans Drive, Freemans Waterhole.
Shortly after 10am, police were alerted to a vehicle, alleged to be the stolen Ford, being driven in a dangerous manner along Renshaw Drive towards Buchanan, north-west of Newcastle.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and observed another car that had allegedly been hit by the Ford on Buchanan Road, however, the driver had failed to stop.
Shortly after, about 10.15am, police located the Ford well alight on a property on Buchanan Road, Buchanan.
Officers attached to the Rural Fire Service attended and extinguished the fire in the vehicle, as well as a small grass fire that had started only metres from bushland.
A 32-year-old man was arrested nearby and was taken to Maitland Hospital for assessment and treatment to injuries to his legs.
Upon release from hospital, the man was taken to Cessnock police station and charged with enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, not give particulars to other driver, damage property by fire, intentionally cause fire and be reckless as to its spread and steal motor vehicle.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 7 December 2019).

Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery at Singleton early this morning.
About 4am today (Thursday 5 December 2019), a 32-year-old male employee was inside a newsagency on John Street, Singleton, when two men entered through the rear door armed with a tomahawk and an iron bar.
The men demanded cash before the 32-year-old became involved in a struggle with the pair and forced them out the door.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended a short time later and established a crime scene.
The man was taken to Singleton Hospital for treatment to minor cuts and grazes to his arms and forehead.
Investigations into the incident are continuing.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area at that time or who may have CCTV or dashcam vision to contact Singleton Police on 6578 7499 or to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man will appear in court today charged with allegedly lighting a grass fire in the Hunter yesterday.
About 9.20pm on Thursday 5 December 2019, police will allege a 40-year-old man was on Elizabeth Street, Telarah, when he allegedly poured accelerant on a vacant block of land and ignited it.
The fire quickly spread towards nearby rail lines, before neighbours and a passing motorist managed to extinguish most of the blaze.
About 10 minutes later, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District and NSW Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene and spoke with the 40-year-old.
He was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with intentionally cause fire and be reckless as to its spread.
He was refused bail to appear at Maitland Local Court today (Friday 6 December 2019).

City of Newcastle will commence community engagement in the new year to develop a masterplan for the Harbour Foreshore Precinct, including an inclusive, regional level playground, water-themed play space and improved cycle amenities along Wharf Road.
The precinct masterplan includes prime community spaces east from Merewether Street and includes the Harbourfront parkland and Joy Cummings Promenade stretching along Wharf Road, former rail sheds, and Foreshore Park’s amphitheatre and parkland near Nobbys Beach.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Foreshore Precinct Masterplan was the next step in revitalising the space as part of the Foreshore Plan of Management, and will be developed in close consultation with the community over the next 12-18 months.
“The community will be involved throughout the process to ensure what is delivered meets community expectations for this important community space,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Foreshore Park and the surrounding harbour precinct is a key attraction among locals and visitors and has important links to the City’s history, so it’s important that people have the opportunity to have their say from the outset.
“As Newcastle continues to evolve as a world-class destination, we must continue to invest in quality, accessible public facilities and event spaces within the heart of the city.
“We must maintain this area as a thriving destination, particularly in light of the accessibility upgrades to Nobbys Beach and Bathers Way.”
Stakeholder engagement and community consultation will be key in the successful delivery of the masterplan project. CN will work with interest groups, schools, residents and local businesses to provide valuable input into the design of the project
“A design reference group will also be established to provide input around technical elements of the playground and water-themed play space, as well as other important features including pedestrian and cylcleway connections and heritage aspects.
The City has received grant funding from Variety – the Children’s Charity, to help fund the design of a ‘Livvi’s Place’ accessible playground for kids of all ages and all abilities. The City has also applied for grant funding from the NSW Government to contribute to a water-themed play space.
Tenders will open Saturday 7 December and close 4 February 2020 for a specialist agency with significant expertise and experience in community engagement practices to develop a comprehensive masterplan for the long-term revitalisation of the Newcastle Foreshore.

Five-and-a-half-thousand tonnes of sand will begin arriving at Stockton Beach on Monday as City of Newcastle commences the anticipated beach nourishment project.
The project is in response to severe erosion at the southern end of Stockton Beach and is also a pilot sand and wave-monitoring project to inform future management of the beach.
City of Newcastle has been planning for the $350,000 project for more than a month after having applied to the NSW Government for funding in early October.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the City had worked quickly to finalise approvals and start trucking sand to Stockton Beach to complete Stage 1 of this project prior to the Christmas holidays.
“It is our priority to have this work completed before the busy Christmas period so locals and holiday makers can enjoy the beach and to limit the disruption caused by hundreds of truck movements and heavy machinery,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Trucking sand to the beach is only a short-term response providing recreational amenity at Stockton Beach, and we’re continuing to work with the NSW Government to prepare the long-term plan for management of the beach.”
Stockton Surf Life Saving Club President Callan Nickerson said the start of the project was good news for his members.
“The Christmas holidays are a big part of our season with volunteer patrols and club members all using the beach so, while it may be short-term, we are looking forward to seeing the results and getting sand back on this stretch of the beach,” Mr Nickerson said.
“While we welcome the start of the project, we are committed to fighting for a long-term solution for Stockton’s erosion problem.”
A second stage involving placement of sand north of the Lexie’s Café accessway, adjacent to the Surf Club, is expected to be undertaken in early 2020 subject to further funding and approvals by the NSW Government in conjunction with maintenance works on the SLSC seawall that have protected Lexie’s café and car park from the impact of coastal erosion.
The Lord Mayor said during the project the southern sections of Stockton Beach will become a work zone and restrictions need to be put in place to ensure public safety and the safety of staff and contractors.
“There will be heavy machinery working on the beach and a stockpile of sand at the end of King Street in addition to the trucks travelling through the area,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We are asking the public to exercise caution while these works are carried out and to comply with directional and safety signage and instructions.”
Up to 50 trucks a day will deliver sand to the eastern part of King Street using Fullerton Street and King Street from Nelson Bay Road. There will be no public access to the southern section of Stockton Beach between the Lexie’s café Accessway and King Street for the duration of the project. King Street will be closed east of the Stockton Swimming Pool carpark.
Interested members of the public may view progress from viewing platform at the SLSC.

Having a car stolen is stressful, inconvenient and costly, particularly during the festive season.
However, it’s the unfortunate reality that many residents across the Lower Hunter will face, with motor vehicle thefts traditionally spiking over summer.
Mayors from the Greater Newcastle Area including Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Port Stephens have joined forces to reduce vehicle thefts in a region-wide initiative that aims to educate people about how to prevent falling victim to thieves.
“One of the biggest factors to motor vehicle theft is home break-ins. It’s common for a home burglar to steal car keys,” City of Newcastle Community Safety Facilitator Lisa Davis said.
“The majority of home burglaries are opportunistic, with burglars targeting houses they perceive as providing the easiest and quickest access points.”
Some simple tips for preventing motor vehicle theft include:
·         Keeping your vehicle keys out of sight when you are at home
·         Never leaving them near doors or windows
·         Do not include your name and address on key ring tags.
In 2017, 50 per cent of stolen motor vehicles had been parked on the street and 37 per cent were taken from residential dwellings in Newcastle.
Getting in the habit of checking your keys are not still in your vehicle after taking the grocery bags inside can also help reduce the risk of your vehicle being stolen.
Historically, televisions and computers were among the items stolen in home burglaries, however vehicles are now the most common target, with keys the sole item stolen in roughly 1-in-4 break and enter cases.
NSW Police has advised this trend for residential addresses is due to a shift in car theft practices, with thieves targeting homes to steal keys of vehicles, rather than pursuing vehicles in public areas as likely to be under surveillance.
City of Newcastle secured $15,000 of funding from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) to roll out a car theft prevention campaign which is supported by surrounding local councils.

Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery at Singleton early this morning.
About 4am today (Thursday 5 December 2019), a 32-year-old male employee was inside a newsagency on John Street, Singleton, when two men entered through the rear door armed with a tomahawk and an iron bar.
The men demanded cash before the 32-year-old became involved in a struggle with the pair and forced them out the door.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended a short time later and established a crime scene.
The man was taken to Singleton Hospital for treatment to minor cuts and grazes to his arms and forehead.
Investigations into the incident are continuing.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area at that time or who may have CCTV or dashcam vision to contact Singleton Police on 6578 7499 or to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

City of Newcastle’s efforts to bring the city up to world-leading environmental standards through initiatives such as a 5MW solar farm, 5,000 new LED street lights and electric vehicle charging stations have earned it the leading prize in Local Government NSW’s (LGNSW) Excellence in the Environment Awards.
LGNSW President Linda Scott said Newcastle led an impressive array of 16 category winners at this year’s awards.
_{James Griffin MP, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment and Veterans, with the City’s Adam Clarke, Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen, Linda Scott and and a Local Government NSW representative.}
“Each year NSW councils invest around $1.7 billion in environmental management and these awards recognise and celebrate their achievements,” she said.
“The City of Newcastle is an outstanding example of the environmental leadership councils provide, implementing a whole-of-council sustainability framework based on leading-edge United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
“They delivered more than $10 million in projects to improve sustainability, using CSIRO-predictive modelling to reduce air conditioning loads on buildings, established a network of sky cameras to predict cloud impact on solar power, created an e-transit hub with a solar car park and built a 5MW solar farm.
“They also planted 1,000 street trees and 100,000 native plants.
“The outcome is a city that is well positioned for environmental sustainability well into the future.”
The initiative also saw the prestigious Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability go to City of Newcastle’s Innovation and Sustainability Coordinator Adam Clarke.
“Adam showed great leadership in driving many of these initiatives through a combination of inspiration, education and enthusiasm, and is a deserving winner of this year’s individual award,” Cr Scott said.
Waverley Council was also a big winner on the day, receiving awards in the Towards Net Zero Emissions, Water Management, Behaviour Change in Waste and Sustainable Infrastructure categories.
Other individual category winners at this year’s awards included:

• Parkes Shire Council’s ‘Water Story’, an effective communications program, including a giant frog mascot, to educate the community on broad water issues and important upgrades to recycled water infrastructure;
• Bayside Council’s Community Recycling Hub, which allows residents to drop off unwanted items at two locations, resulting in the collection of 44 tonnes of community waste, 90 per cent of which was recovered;
• Tweed Shire Council’s Tackling Mosquitoes Together project, which saw collaboration with seven Northern Rivers councils prepare for potential disease vectors in a changing climate such as Asian tiger mosquitoes, known carriers of Dengue fever, through the establishment of rapid response networks.

“NSW councils have a strong environmental record and LGNSW supports their efforts through these awards as well as a range of initiatives,” Cr Scott said.
“We are also joining councils on calling for the NSW Government to fund and help deliver a fresh approach to waste and recycling through our Save Our Recycling campaign.”

City of Newcastle confirmed itself as one of Australia’s most environmentally progressive councils today when it opened a new $6 million resource recovery facility and switched on an $8 million five-megawatt solar farm.
With a 5,000sqm undercover sorting area, the Resource Recovery Centre (RRC) at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre is now offering Newcastle residents the chance to drop off pre-sorted recyclable materials free of charge.
The RRC will increase waste diverted from landfill each year by around 5,700 tonnes, the equivalent of more than 30 Boeing 747s in weight, thanks to a 30,000-tonne processing capacity, with around 20 per cent of materials recycled.
Summerhill’s previous receival centre, by contrast, could process just 10,000-12,000 tonnes a year and saw just three per cent of dropped-off material recycled.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes hailed the environmental win and the incentives offered by the RRC at today’s official opening.
“Residents who separate their waste before arriving at Summerhill will benefit from the new ‘Sort & Save’ drop-off service,” Councillor Nelmes said.
“This allows them to place scrap metals, sorted yellow bin recyclables, paper and cardboard, clean untreated wood and soft plastics directly into the identified stockpiles at no charge.
“Businesses who pre-sort their loads for drop-off at the RRC will also benefit from reduced tip fees. Unsorted waste is also welcome but will continue to be subject to the normal fees that cover staff and equipment needed to extract recyclables from mixed loads.”
While at Summerhill, the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen also inspected a newly completed solar farm built to save ratepayers around $9 million over its 25-year lifespan.
Covering an area the size of five football fields on a capped landfill that was once a coal mine, the solar farm’s 14,500 photovoltaic cells are now producing 7.5 million-kilowatt hours of renewable electricity each year.
“The solar farm is generating enough energy to power the equivalent of 1,300 households, which is a significant environmental gain as well as reducing Council’s electricity costs by millions of dollars,” Councillor Clausen said.
“We will also become the first local government in NSW to move to 100 per cent renewables on January 1 thanks to our recent purchase-power agreement to source electricity from the state’s largest windfarm.
“The solar and wind farm combination will mean enough clean energy will be put into the grid to power every sportsground floodlight, local library, park BBQ and every other facility the City operates.”
The solar farm was partly funded with a $6.5 million loan from Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation and $1 million was granted from the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust, through its Waste Less, Recycle More Initiative, to the RRC.