Relationships Australia NSW (RANSW) is expanding its Men’s Behaviour Change Program (MBCP) to two new locations, thanks to an additional $1.6 million investment from the NSW Government.
RANSW CEO Elisabeth Shaw said RANSW will be bringing its extensive experience in delivering MBCPs to the Blacktown and Maitland communities from February 2025.
“Relationship Australia NSW’s program supports men in taking responsibility for their abusive behaviour, while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of victim survivors,” Ms Shaw said.
“Our MBCP provides men with a unique opportunity, outside of the criminal justice system, to interrupt destructive patterns of behaviour through intensive casework and an 18-week group program.
“For those who engage and commit to the process, considerable change is possible, especially when they continue addressing their issues through our counselling and group work programs.”
“Through the program, women and children also separately receive vital education and support to strengthen their capacity to manage safety and wellbeing, ensuring a more holistic approach to addressing domestic and family violence.”
The funding will provide support to approximately 280 people per year.
“On behalf of RANSW, I’d like to thank the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Jodie Harrison and the NSW Government for this investment in the safety of women and children across our state,” Ms Shaw said.
Steven* joined RANSW’s Taking Responsibility Men’s Behaviour Change Program after his children stopped living with him due to safety concerns.
“I see how my partner’s face has changed and when she looks at me, I see love instead of fear,” Steven said.
“My children can now express themselves and I can help them with their big emotions instead of screaming at them and scaring them. I appreciate these relationships so much, and I was so close to losing all of them.”
Steven’s participation in the program brought significant changes. His children were reunited with him and his partner, and both Steven and his partner joined parenting support programs. Steven’s partner also attended RANSW’s Women’s Choice and Change workshop.
RANSW’s MBCP is also available in the Sydney CBD, Illawarra, Hunter and online, with more than 400 people taking part in the program in 2024.
South Newcastle Skate Park will be launched onto the world stage when the Jackalope Block Party rolls into town in November with support from City of Newcastle’s Special Business Rate (SBR) funding.
Being held outside North America for the first time, the iconic festival will feature elite athletes competing for big prizes, skateboarding demonstrations, live DJ sets and food trucks.
But the free community event will also uncover local talent, giving Novocastrians the chance to win a trip to compete in the USA.
The Jackalope Block Party is one of 11 initiatives to share in the latest round of City Centre and Darby Street SBR funding, with almost $900,000 to be used for the promotion, beautification and development of the business precincts.
City of Newcastle Executive Manager Media Engagement Economy and Corporate Affairs Nick Kaiser said SBR funding is distributed through a competitive application process to the most creative and innovative proposals.
“These events are designed to bring people to the city and support local businesses by increasing visitation,” Mr Kaiser said.
“Having already proved to be popular drawcards, some initiatives are returning for another year, such as Shakespeare Under the Stars, Newcastle Food Month and the West Best Bloc Fest, which is held across nine venues, featuring more than 100 local musicians.”
Chair of the Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee Councillor Jenny Barrie said City of Newcastle is hoping new initiatives will prove just as popular.
“Some of the new events include the Darby Street Festival, which will feature live music, performers and family-friendly activities, while Bernie’s Bar will put on a celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Star Hotel,” Cr Barrie said.
“We’re also thrilled to be hosting the Jackalope Block Party at South Newcastle, which will bring international attention to this vibrant coastal facility.
“If it proves successful, we’ll look to secure the tremendous four-day version of the festival, which would include more sports such as bouldering, BMX and surfing.”
Festival organiser Sally Hill from Canvas Events said they’re excited to see local talent take on some of the best in the world.
“Our block parties are run for the community, designed to find raw talent and give away Golden Tickets to the international arm of the Jackalope Festival,” Ms Hill said.
“This is the first time Jackalope will hold an event in Australia and we’re expecting up to 10,000 people to flock to the South Newcastle Beach Skate Park during the two-day festival.
“Jackalope’s social media accounts received more than three million views in 2023 alone so this event will truly showcase Newcastle to the world.
“These events inspire not only physical activity but also a commitment to sustainability by using eco-friendly practices and encouraging participants to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle.”
Founder and CEO Micah Desforges said Jackalope Block Party is all about discovering raw talent and providing opportunities for the next generation to shine.
“We’re thrilled to bring our first international event to Newcastle, a community that embodies creativity and passion,” Mr Desforges said.
“This is more than just a competition – it’s a chance for local talent to stand out and win a coveted spot at the Jackalope festival in Virginia Beach, USA. We couldn’t think of a better place to launch this exciting new chapter of our journey beyond the USA and Canada.”
Other successful projects supported by this round of City Centre/Darby Street funding include the Kindle Wellbeing Festival, WinterHeat CITYWIDE, the Conscious Couture Festival and ‘Acquist’ presented by Flipside Dance, a series of free professional performances in Civic Park.
SBR City Centre and Darby Street recipients
• Newcastle Food Month
Newcastle Food Month showcases Newcastle’s hospitality offerings through a collaborative event framework during the month of April.
• Conscious Couture Festival
The Conscious Couture Festival is a celebration of vintage fashion, aimed at the Newcastle community and fashion enthusiasts, supporting local retailers and educating the public on the value of sustainable fashion.
• Acquist
A series of free professional dance performances in Civic Park, featuring First Nations performances acknowledging the land, as well as live music.
• WinterHeat CITYWIDE!
The annual winter calendar program of fun and engaging activations brings the city to life in the typically quieter Winter season.
• 100 Years of the Star Hotel
Bernies Bar will put on a celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Star Hotel with a three-day festival.
• Kindle Wellbeing Festival
The Kindle Wellbeing Festival 2025 will be an expanded version of the successful 2024 event, bringing together artists, businesses, and well-being practitioners to deliver a series of events focused on creativity, mental health, and social connection.
• Shakespeare Under the Stars
Whale Chorus will present their annual event Shakespeare Under the Stars Newcastle in summer 2025 and 2026.
• Jackalope Block Party
The Jackalope Block Party is a Skate Festival incorporating demonstrations, competition, music, food and elite athlete appearances at the South Newcastle Skate Park.
• West Best Bloc Fest
West Best Bloc Fest is an annual live music festival held in nine venues in Newcastle featuring more than 100 local musicians across 13 stages, and attracting more than 2,000 attendees.
• 2025 Darby Street Festival
The Darby Street Festival is designed to unite local businesses and residents in a vibrant celebration, transforming the street with live music, performers, and family-friendly activities.
• Reasons to visit Hunter Street Mall and Eastend Village
Ongoing support for City Centre promotions, program of loyalty voucher cards and scheduled events for 2025.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will undertake a hazard reduction burn with support from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) in Tomaree National Park on Wednesday 19 February, weather permitting.
The 3-hectare burn next to Boat Harbour Drive will take advantage of a small window of optimal weather conditions.
By reducing the risk of wildfire, the burn will help protect the Boat Harbour community as well as natural assets in Tomaree National Park.
Firefighters will conduct a low-intensity burn to minimise any impacts to the environment and threatened species, including koalas, which have previously been recorded in Tomaree National Park.
The burn will take place in bushland near Blanch Street, Andrew Close, Emerald Close and Harbour View, with close neighbours receiving written notification. The burn is expected to take a day, while smoke and ground patrols may continue for up to a week pending weather.
Boat Harbour residents should be aware that smoke could carry across most of the suburb
Any motorists using surrounding roads are reminded to be aware of potential smoke hazards, to drive to conditions, and obey traffic management that will be in place.
Public access to a small area of Tomaree National Park will be closed while the burn is underway and will remain closed until firefighters have ensured there are no embers or trees in danger of falling. Check the NPWS website’s Alerts page for updates.
NPWS may conduct more burns in the Port Stephens area in the coming weeks, weather permitting.
People with asthma or who are susceptible to respiratory problems are advised to keep clear of the area or stay indoors with the windows shut.
The NPWS hazard reduction program for 2025 is focused on essential burns to protect park neighbours, park and catchment assets and park values.
All burns across NSW are coordinated with the RFS and FRNSW to ensure any impacts to the community, including from smoke, are assessed at a regional level.
Details on specific burns will be made available in advance on the Rural Fire Service website, Hazards Near Me app, and on NPWS Alerts website.
For health information relating to smoke from bush fires and hazard reduction burning, visit NSW Health or the Asthma Foundation. For up-to-date information on these, and other, planned hazard reduction activities, visit the Rural Fire Service.
A man has been charged following a crash in the Hunter region which resulted in seven people being taken to the John Hunter Hospital.
About 12.05am yesterday (Sunday 16 February 2025), emergency services were called to Bromage Road, Abermain, following reports of a crash involving multiple people.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended and were told a sedan was driving east when it hit two parked vehicles – another sedan and an SUV – causing the SUV to impact with a group of people.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated seven people at the scene, with one airlifted to John Hunter Hospital and the remainder taken by road ambulance.
An eight-year-old girl remains in hospital with suspected internal injuries, while a 10-year-old girl was treated for minor injuries and released.
Two women, aged 25 and 31, also remain in hospital, with the older woman being treated for a head injury.
Two men, aged 24 and 25, were also taken to hospital; the younger man has a fractured leg while the older man was treated for a foot injury and released.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, was treated for facial injuries and has since been released from hospital.
A crime scene was established, and specialist officers attached to the Crash Investigations Unit (CIU) commenced an investigation into the crash.
Officers spoke with the driver after he was discharged from hospital earlier today (Monday 17 February 2025).
Following inquiries, his license was suspended, and he was charged with six offences:
Cause bodily harm by misconduct, in charge of motor vehicle (two counts)
Inquiries are continuing into a crash in the Hunter region which resulted in seven people being taken to John Hunter Hospital this morning.
Emergency services were called to Bromage Road, Abermain, shortly after midnight (Sunday 16 February 2025), following reports of a crash involving multiple people.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended and found a 2003-model blue Subaru Liberty AWD sedan was driving east when it hit two parked vehicles, a white LDV and a champagne-coloured Mazda 6. The AWD then struck a group of people.
NSW Ambulance paramedics treated seven people at the scene, with one airlifted to John Hunter Hospital and the remainder taken by road ambulance.
• An eight-year-old girl remains in hospital with suspected internal injuries, while a 10-year-old girl has been treated for minor injuries and released.
• Two women, aged 25 and 31, also remain in hospital with the older woman being treated for a head injury.
• Two men, aged 24 and 25, were also taken to hospital; the younger man has a fractured leg while the older man has been treated for a foot injury and released.
• The driver, an 18-year-old man, is being treated for facial injuries and remains in hospital under police guard.
A crime scene was established and specialist officers attached to the Crash Investigations Unit (CIU) have commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
An investigation has commenced following a pedestrian crash in the state’s Hunter Valley.
About 12.05am today (Sunday 16 February 2025), emergency services were called to Bromage Road, Abermain, following reports of a crash.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended and were told a vehicle was allegedly performing a burnout in front of a crowd when it lost control – crashed into a parked vehicle – which hit onlookers.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, suffered serious injuries and taken to hospital for further assessment where he remains under police guard.
Two children – aged 5 and 6 – were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Five adults were also injured and were taken to hospital for further treatment.
A crime scene was established and Crash Investigations Unit have commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a girl missing from Raymond Terrace.
Ahleighaa Waters, aged 13, was last seen in Raymond Terrace on the evening of Tuesday 11 February 2025.
When she could not be located or contacted, officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into Ahleighaa’s whereabouts.
Concerns are held for her welfare due to her age.
Ahleighaa is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 135cm tall, of slim build with blonde hair.
She is known to frequent the Tenambit and Raymond Terrace areas.
Anyone who has information on Ahleighaa’s whereabouts is urged to come forward and contact Raymond Terrace Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The NSW Government is being urged to take ownership of a holistic strategy that will buffer Stockton’s coastline from erosion, following a meeting of the Stockton Community Liaison Group this week.
City of Newcastle has been working with the NSW Government and the community to deliver mass sand nourishment as part of the 2020 Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP), which outlines actions to manage, maintain, and preserve the coast between the northern breakwater of the Hunter River and Meredith Street, Stockton.
An extended CMP, which broadens the geographical area from the northern end of Stockton Beach to the Port Stephens Local Government Area boundary, will be considered at this month’s Ordinary Council Meeting before being placed on public exhibition for community comment.
City of Newcastle Executive Director Planning & Environment Michelle Bisson said the extended CMP will establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while simultaneously planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short-term.
“We’ve welcomed the partnership and ongoing support of the NSW Government to deliver amenity sand nourishment via $4.7 million in grant funding from the Federal Government and another $1.5 million from City of Newcastle,” Ms Bisson said.
“But it is crucial we continue to plan for the long-term future of this coastal community, which has already seen the devastating impacts of erosion.
“The Extended Stockton CMP will set a long-term strategy to offset the impacts of the NSW Government-owned Newcastle Harbour infrastructure, including the entrance breakwaters and artificially deepened navigational channel.
“We’re seeking a commitment from the NSW Government to deliver on their $21 million election commitment from 2021 and take the lead on a number of sand nourishment related actions that will ensure a holistic management approach and the seamless delivery and maintenance of mass sand nourishment.
“Delivering the CMP is a complex process, and each action outlined in the plan needs to be championed and funded to be eligible for certification as per the Coastal Management Act 2016.”
A new Stockton Special Advisory Panel, to be chaired by State Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp, was announced by the NSW Government in November 2024.
Stockton Community Liaison Group Chair Barbara Whitcher said that while the initial sand amenity has been beneficial, it is crucial the long-term strategy is committed to by the NSW Government.
“The work undertaken by City of Newcastle and the NSW Government to date has been fantastic in helping to restore sand amenity to Stockton Beach,” Ms Whitcher said.
“But it is clear that there is still so much more to be done to solve Stockton’s coastal erosion issues.
“The 2023 election commitment of $21 million, secured by the Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp, was greatly welcomed by the Stockton community. After the initial mass sand nourishment, it is essential that there is a long-term strategy for keeping sand on Stockton beach. This is a State Government responsibility.
“We trust that the new Stockton Special Advisory Panel will support taking ownership of key actions under the Extended CMP.”
The draft Extended Stockton CMP steps out an expanded list of management actions that support the long-term strategy of mass sand nourishment outlined in the 2020 Stockton CMP.
To ensure certification of a CMP, all actions contained within the program must be allocated to an appropriate agency with funding.
City of Newcastle has introduced a new generation to the benefits of waste minimisation and recycling during a tour designed specifically for children.
More than eighty-five attendees took part in two free visits to Summerhill Waste Management Centre today, allowing children to have a close-up look at the daily operations of a landfill and resource recovery facility.
Kids get an up close look at a garbage truck with Executive Director of Waste Services David Witherdin and Lucinda the Bin at Summerhill Waste Management Centre.
CEO Jeremy Bath said these tours are part of City of Newcastle’s commitment to a sustainable future, which is a 20-year vision focused on reducing unnecessary waste and increasing recycling rates.
“Engaging the community is a priority in the sustainable waste strategy framework and we are delivering this through a range of programs which include community tours of Summerhill,” Mr Bath said.
“City of Newcastle currently diverts around 40 per cent of household waste through recycling efforts and a key part of our success lies within our framework of community education which empowers residents to understand the importance of recycling and reusing.”
The tour of Summerhill was guided by the waste services team and covered various areas of the facility, including the Resource Recovery Centre, Green Waste, Landfill and Solar Farm.
As part of the tours, children also participated in an education session that covered interesting waste facts such as the growing issue of how to properly dispose of batteries found in children’s toys, as well as problem waste such as takeaway coffee cups.
The education session gave children a chance to participate in a rubbish sorting game and build their own bin, before stepping inside a real garbage truck to meet the driver.
Managing Director of Waste Services David Witherdin said the tour is designed to engage and inspire children to be passionate about responsible waste disposal and equip them to make impactful changes.
“We know children are powerful advocates for change and teaching them about proper waste sorting and recycling empowers them to make better choices, which can also positively influence their families,” Mr Witherdin said.
“Our drivers witness the enthusiasm of our younger residents first-hand during kerbside bin collections as kids eagerly wait for the truck to pass their house, and during these tours when they line up patiently to have a chance to have a sneak peek inside the vehicles.
“By building on this natural curiosity, the tour provides an exciting opportunity for children to learn more about how their behaviours can influence positive environmental outcomes.”
Both tours were booked to capacity and follow the success of the first-ever kids tour in September last year which was initiated after families showed a strong interest during City of Newcastle’s regular community tours of Summerhill.
Kids get an up close look at a garbage truck with Executive Director of Waste Services David Witherdin and Lucinda the Bin at Summerhill Waste Management Centre.