Category: Newcastle News

City of Newcastle hopes the growing impact of the Newcastle Fringe Festival will inspire more people to find creative ways to promote and celebrate suburban business precincts.

Supported by the Special Business Rates (SBR) program, the 2026 edition of Fringe injected around $1.25 million into Newcastle’s economy through a record attendance of more than 18,000, with over 40% of people travelling from outside the LGA.

Image © Daina Marie Photography. Fringe Feast in Hamilton 2026

The latest round of SBR funding opens on 1 June for creative and innovative projects that can activate and promote the suburbs of Hamilton, Wallsend and New Lambton.

City of Newcastle’s Executive Manager Media Engagement Economy & Corporate Affairs Nick Kaiser said SBR funding directly benefits local businesses by increasing visitation and enhancing the precinct.

“An independent assessment has shown Newcastle Fringe Festival attracted 4,000 more attendees than last year and generated $1.25 million for the local economy,” Mr Kaiser said.

“More than 85% of local businesses said the festival’s opening night, Fringe Feast in Hamilton’s Beaumont Street, led to an increase in foot traffic, with 62% reporting it resulted in new customers.

“Besides a strong local turnout, the event also attracted 830 visitors who booked an average of three nights’ accommodation for the 12-day festival, culminating in a total spend of more than $540,000.

“The event showcased our wonderful community spirit with the number of volunteers rising from 70 to 110, as they supported 15 venues across the city.

“We’re also proud of the support the festival provides to local artists, with more than $243,000 earned by performers, representing a substantial increase from $188,000 in 2025.

“The positive impacts of the Newcastle Fringe Festival are testament to the value of the SBR program and its support of initiatives that deliver real, measurable benefits for our business precincts.

“We hope this example inspires other to put forward their own proposals for SBR funding, which will showcase what our suburbs have to offer and activate them in a unique way.” 

Aside from supporting the Newcastle Fringe Festival, the previous round of SBR funding also assisted the successful Greening Beaumont Street project, a 12-month community-led initiative to replant, clean and care for the mosaic planter boxes in the heart of Hamilton.

In Wallsend, the Full Circle Collective received funding for the Op Shop Trail, which included walking tours with lunch, two community clothes swaps and a repair café, while Curious Legends created the Halloween-themed event, Wallsend Frights, a safe and inclusive event for families.

The SBR Suburban program will open for applications from 1 June and close at midnight on 30 June 2026.

Businesses in the smaller precinct of New Lambton will have the chance to apply for SBR funding for the first time since 2023.

Previous examples of projects supported by SBR funding include the creation of a mural on New Lambton Library, standalone smart gardening systems on local shopfronts and a free family event known as the Little Festival New Lambton.

Individuals and groups interested in learning more about this year’s funding program can attend an online information session on Thursday 28 May at 10am. The session will provide details on eligibility criteria, assessment criteria and the application process, as well as offering the chance to ask questions.

More information about the SBR program and a link to register for the information session can be found on City of Newcastle’s website.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the state’s Lake Macquarie’s region.

Evan Davies, aged 55, was last seen at Speers Point, about 5pm last Friday (22 May 2026).

When he was unable to be located or contacted officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified yesterday (Monday 25 May 2026) and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

There are serious concerns for Evan’s welfare.

Evan is described as Caucasian appearance, 185cm tall, medium build, bald, unshaven and brown eyes.

It was not know what he maybe wearing.

Evan is known to frequent the Speers Point and Sydney metropolitan area.

He maybe driving a white 1990 Volkswagen panel van bearing NSW registration RLH993.

Anyone with information into Evan’s whereabouts is urged to contact Belmont Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A free recycling drop-off event is giving Newcastle residents the chance to clean out their linen presses while doing their bit for the environment.  

Old towels, sheets and other household fabrics can be dropped off at Newcastle TAFE carpark in Tighes Hill this Saturday 30 May from 9am as part of Newcastle’s second Give a Sheet for the Planet textile recycling event.  

Almost 400 people dropped off a combined four and a half tonnes at the last Give a Sheet event in Newcastle, held in 2024.

Through a partnership with Australian clean‑technology company Blocktexx, donated items like bed linen and bath towels will be broken down into their cotton and polyester components and transformed into new products including hydromulch, textiles, and building and construction materials. 

Managing Director Waste Services, David Witherdin, said City of Newcastle’s Sustainable Waste Strategy is helping to develop a circular economy.  

“Newcastle is growing, which means the amount of waste we generate is growing, and City of Newcastle is always exploring how we can get more value out of unwanted items,” Mr Witherdin said. 

“When we last held a Give a Sheet event in November 2024, almost 400 people dropped off a combined four and a half tonnes of textile recycling, which prevented the equivalent of 134,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions from entering our atmosphere. 

“We’re committed as part of our Sustainable Waste Strategy to reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and changing the way we return, reuse, repair and recycle resources. 

“Events like Give a Sheet for the Planet give residents access to practical and sustainable solutions for recycling items that would otherwise end up being thrown out.” 

Newcastle residents can drop off clean, household linen that is made from 100% cotton and/or polyester only, commonly found across items like face washers, hand and beach towels, bedsheets and doona covers, tea towels and tablecloths. 

View the full list of accepted items and find out more information about the event by visiting City of Newcastle’s website. 

The NSW Government and NSW Police Force have announced a $1 million reward for information relating to the murder of Susan Kay and Joanne Teterin.

Shortly before midday on Wednesday 17 May 2000, police forced their way into a home on Doran Street in Carrington, where they found the bodies of 32-year-old Susan Kay and 37-year-old Joanne Teterin.

It was established the women were last known to be alive on Thursday 11 May 2000 before they were allegedly bludgeoned to death and discovered a week later.

At the time, detectives attached to Homicide and Serious Crime Agencies assisted Newcastle Police with the investigation; however, no arrests or charges laid over the murders.

Following a 2003 coronial inquest, the matter was referred to the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Unit for review and assessment.

During this time, detectives also announced a $100,000 reward for information into their deaths.

In 2025, the review was finalised and unearthed fresh forensic opportunities that have since become the focus of police inquiries.

As inquiries continue, police will today announce a reward for information into any person or persons responsible for the murder of Susan Kay and Joanne Teterin, has increased to $1 million.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the increased reward reflects the ongoing determination to secure answers for the families of the two women, who have endured years of uncertainty and grief.

Our police do not walk away from cases like this. Detectives have spent years chasing every lead, revisiting every detail and refusing to let these women become forgotten victims and today’s reward is a clear message that this investigation is far from over.”

Someone out there knows something. It might be a conversation they overheard, something they saw years ago, or a detail they never thought mattered – but it could be the missing piece police need.”

These families have lived with unimaginable grief and unanswered questions for far too long. If you have information, no matter how small, come forward now and help police finally deliver the answers they deserve.”

Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said he has confidence that someone in the community has information that can help.

It has now been 26 years since Susan Kay and Joanne Teterin were found deceased. These women were loved, they were valued, and they were taken from their families in the most violent way,” Det Supt Doueihi said.

Over that period, detectives have continued to review material, re-test exhibits and pursue new lines of inquiry – avenues that have only become possible with the passage of time.

We’re now hoping that same passage of time may encourage someone to come forward with information.

We are appealing to the community to help us give their families the answers, the accountability and the closure they deserve.”

Susan’s daughter Samantha Kay said her family has carried the unbearable pain of losing her mum for 26 years.

My mother was brutally taken from us on Mother’s Day, 2000. I was only nine years old when I was told the person I loved most in the world was never coming home. In an instant, my childhood was shattered. Every milestone, every birthday, every hard moment in life has been lived with the ache of her absence,” Samantha said.

While we have spent decades grieving, searching for answers and trying to rebuild what was broken, the person responsible has remained free. Somewhere, someone knows what happened to Mum.”

After all these years, we are simply asking for the truth – so my mum can finally have justice, and our family can finally have peace.’

Susan’s sister Desiree expressed her hope that this reward will motivate someone to speak.

Susan is so much more than a news headline – she is a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and she has grandsons and great nieces and nephews she never got to meet. She remains very much loved, often spoken about, and very much missed,” Desiree said.

Anyone who knows, or even suspects something, to come forward and help us have a resolution to this aspect of our grief at last.”

We also hope that today’s announcement makes the person responsible realise that this has not gone away, that it will never go away, and that there will never be a time they can relax.”

Anyone with information about the murders of Susan Kay and Joanne Teterin is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a man missing from that state’s Hunter Region.

Nicholas Mowbray, aged 43, was last seen about 9pm on Wednesday 20 May 2026, near Chinatown in Haymarket, Sydney.

When he was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

There are concerns for Nicholas’s welfare.

Nicholas is described as being of Mediterranean / Middle Eastern appearance, about 175cm tall, of medium build, with black hair, brown eyes and unshaven.

Nicholas is known to frequent the Lake Macquarie, Hunter Valley and Newcastle areas.

Anyone with information about Nicholas’s whereabouts is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Hundreds of people hit the courts at an adaptive sports event today to mark the launch of a new community directory highlighting inclusive opportunities across sport, recreation and art. 

The free guide is designed to help people overcome barriers to participation by connecting them to a range of welcoming events and programs from more than a dozen local organisations. 

Councillors Mark Brooker and Elizabeth Adamczyk alongside Community Disability Alliance Hunter Board President Naomi Curry, join participants at the Abilities Unleashed ‘come-and-try’ sports day. City of Newcastle Executive Manager Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy said the community directory sits among a range of initiatives to make Newcastle a more welcoming city. 

“City of Newcastle is committed to finding ways to increase social inclusion and community connections,” Ms Duffy said.

“For the past four years we have partnered with Disability Sports Australia to deliver the Abilities Unleashed program in Newcastle, which has supported more than 1,000 children and adults living with a disability to engage in sport at the annual come-and-try events. 

“The launch of our new online directory today takes this support a step further, highlighting year-round opportunities in sport, recreation and art for a range of community members who may experience barriers to participation, including people with a disability, women, seniors, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally diverse and LGBTQIA+ communities. 

“It includes resources for local organisations to become more inclusive and shares real stories from participants, giving community members confidence to take the first step toward getting involved.” 

The directory showcases a range of local initiatives including Northern NSW Football’s walking football for over-50s with limited mobility, the Newcastle Merfolk group, Society of Artists Newcastle and a modified nippers program at Nobbys Surf Life Saving Club.

It highlights the stories behind the inclusive initiatives, including the establishment of the Shake, Rattle and Roll choir following its founder’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease, and the surf coach who brought together her passion for surfing and work in the disability space to offer free surf lessons for children with autism.

Healthy Change Challenge client Michael Wheatley and Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk celebrate the launch of City of Newcastle’s Inclusive Sport, Arts and Recreation Directory. Chair of City of Newcastle’s Access and Inclusion Committee, Cr Adamczyk said the event and directory are part of a broader effort to make participation more accessible across the city.

“Abilities Unleashed shows what’s possible when barriers are removed, giving everyone the opportunity to try new activities, build confidence and connect with others through sport” Cr Adamczyk said.

“The directory builds on this by making it easier for people to find local programs and spaces that are welcoming and inclusive all year round.

“This work is part of our Disability Inclusion Access Plan, which guides practical improvements to access and inclusion across Council services, facilities and public spaces, and is up for renewal in 2027.

“Community members can help shape the next iteration of the plan by sharing their experiences to highlight what could be improved, and how we can continue to create a more inclusive Newcastle.” 

To access the Inclusive Sports, Arts and Recreation Directory visit City of Newcastle’s Community Directory webpage.

Community members can find out more and make a submission on the Disability Inclusion Access Plan via the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle’s website before Monday 15 June.  

City of Newcastle is working with the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) to finalise a funding package to enable the demolition of properties affected by the New Lambton landslip and compensate residents for the loss of their land.

Residents and landowners were updated on the next stage of recovery at a face-to-face meeting last night as they prepare to mark the one-year anniversary of the event.

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said progress on the recovery phase and discussions with the RA have moved forward significantly since the release of the geotechnical report in February.

“The report proved to be a turning point in our relationship with the RA as it demonstrated the critical severity of the landslip site,” Mr Bath said.

“Residents will soon move from insurance-funded relocation to a 12-month relocation package funded by the NSW Government. It’s important that we recognise and thank the NSW Government for supporting the residents in this way. 

“We continue to work with the RA on behalf of the residents to identify a long-term solution that stabilises the ground. Sadly, these works won’t permit future development on the site.

“Given the complexity of the funding arrangements, which will require State and Federal contributions, and are not committed yet, we believe demolition works at the site aren’t likely to commence until early in 2027.

“While long-term recovery is ultimately the responsibility of the NSW Government, we are committed to collaborating in our support of the affected residents and landowners.”

CEO Kate Fitzgerald said the RA is working closely with City of Newcastle, residents and landowners affected by the New Lambton landslip.

“Recovery from events like this takes time, and progress can at times feel slow, but the RA remains committed to supporting Council and residents as they consider future solutions,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“RA staff continue to work closely with Council and meet regularly as they consider options outlined in the geotechnical report and plan the next steps for recovery.

“I also want to acknowledge the residents directly affected by the landslip and reassure you that we remain here to support the Council and help you navigate the recovery process.”

It has been almost 12 months since the site experienced extensive rainfall which culminated in two days of intense rainfall, triggering a natural disaster, now recognised as the largest residential landslip in Australian history.

The New Lambton site remains a declared Danger Area under an active evacuation notice, with residents of 16 properties unable to return home.

Since 23 May 2025, City of Newcastle has undertaken significant work across the emergency response and recovery phases, including site safety measures, fencing, signage, security and site investigations.

Detailed geotechnical investigations and ongoing monitoring instigated by City of Newcastle have helped inform evidence-based decisions about public safety, public infrastructure, site stability and potential long-term recovery options.

Mr Bath said City of Newcastle remains committed to working with the impacted residents, landowners and neighbours as the complex recovery efforts continue.

“City of Newcastle has continued to lead on-the-ground activities, site monitoring and site safety through our employment of a Local Recovery Coordinator,” Mr Bath said.

“We have also coordinated property access, resident communications, legal and technical advice, and ongoing engagement with insurers and government agencies.

“We recognise the hardship faced by residents who have had to leave their homes and will continue to advocate on their behalf and keep them informed while assessments and recovery options are progressed by the RA.

“The cost of this support has been more than $2.5 million dollars so far. I’d like to thank ratepayers for their understanding in permitting us to support the 16 evacuated families with what is effectively, their money.”

Ward Three Councillors Peta Winney-Baartz, Mark Brooker and Siobhan Isherwood will put forward a Notice of Motion at Tuesday’s Council Meeting to reaffirm City of Newcastle’s commitment to supporting residents and working with all relevant agencies to progress the recovery phase.

It will also thank the government and non-government agencies that have assisted residents and City of Newcastle through both the emergency management and recovery phases, including NSW Police, NSW Public Works, Hunter Water, Ausgrid, NSW Health, Local Lands Service and the Red Cross.

City of Newcastle will also mark the one-year anniversary of the landslip by hosting a barbecue to thank SES and community volunteers for their commitment and service during the extreme weather that hit the Hunter in May 2025.

New and rarely seen works by internationally recognised First Nations artist Brian Robinson will be unveiled tomorrow as Newcastle Art Gallery opens the first three exhibitions from its 2026 program.

The new installations will also provide a first look at works donated to the Gallery by leading philanthropists Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM, as well as the debut solo show by Newcastle-based artist Tiyan Baker.

Newcastle-based artist Tiyan Baker, Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM and Torres Strait Island artist Brian Robinson celebrate the launch of their new exhibitions at the Gallery.

This will be the first changeover of exhibitions at the Gallery since it reopened in February as the largest public gallery in NSW outside of Sydney.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said launching the first shows from the 2026 temporary exhibition program was an exciting milestone for the reimagined Gallery.

“The response to the Gallery has been nothing short of remarkable, with more than 80,000 visitors already surpassing our previous annual visitation record,” Ms Morton said.

“Showcasing the breadth and significance of the Gallery’s $145 million collection when we reopened through the Iconic, Loved, Unexpected exhibition was an important way to reintroduce ourselves to the community following the expansion project.

“While the collection works will remain in the ground floor galleries and in three gallery spaces upstairs, we are thrilled to now be moving into our ambitious 2026 program, which will showcase significant exhibitions from local, national and internationally renowned artists.

“The expansion of the Gallery opens up opportunities to explore exhibitions of a size, scale and number that we were previously unable to present due to the limitations of our original building.

“We can’t wait for our community to see what else is in store throughout the 2026 program and beyond.”

Brian Robinson grew up on Waiben (Thursday Island) in the Torres Strait with Maluyligal and Wuthathi cultural heritage and is renowned for weaving ancestral iconography with contemporary popular culture, mythology, personal history and humour. 

Multiverse is a considered survey of Robinson’s practice over the past decade, featuring more than 30 new and rarely seen works including the NSW premiere of the artist’s first immersive installation, Zugubal: The winds and the tides set the pace, and a series of major vinyl cut prints, commissioned by Newcastle Art Gallery and inspired by objects within the University of Newcastle collection.

Robinson said the exhibition speaks to his ongoing fascination with storytelling, cosmology, memory and the ways Indigenous knowledge systems continue to evolve and expand across time.

“To present this exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery this month is incredibly significant. Multiverse represents one of the most considered surveys of my practice to date, and I am honoured to share it with audiences in Newcastle through such a major institutional presentation,” Robinson said.

“The exhibition includes my first immersive installation, Zugubal: The winds and the tides set the pace, alongside a new series of major vinyl cut prints commissioned by the Gallery and inspired by some objects within the University of Newcastle collection that exist somewhere between magic, invention, and scientific curiosity. 

“Together, these works create a space where cultural knowledge, imagination, and transformation converge – a place where past, present, and future continue to move in rhythm with one another.”

The Mordant Family Gift presents 25 works across paintings, photography, textiles, installations, prints and sculptures by Australian and international artists Ian Abdulla, María Fernanda Cardoso, Brent Harris, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, Janet Laurence, Hiroyuki Kita, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Jamie North, Raquel Ormella, Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Tim Silver, Gemma Smith, Yuken Teruya, Brendan Van Hek and John Young. 

The exhibition celebrates the significance of the gift to the Gallery, the largest number of works the Mordant family has ever donated to one institution, and marks the first time these works will be presented collectively to the public.

Newcastle-based artist Tiyan Baker’s first institutional solo exhibition Mouth Mnemonica centres around a newly commissioned video work that engages with the endangered language Bukar, spoken by her mother and other Bukar Bidayǔh people of south-western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. 

Blending poetic verse, memory, and historical record, the exhibition draws together moving image, sound and sculptural elements to explore language as a living vessel for intergenerational cultural knowledge.

Baker said it is an honour to share her family’s stories and culture through this exhibition.

“This new body of work combines my poetic verse and my mum’s with found records of our oral poetry culture before colonisation, creating an intergenerational poem about forgetting, remembering and what we pass down over generations,” Baker said. 

“Through this I hope to give new life to our endangered language and the knowledge it holds.

“I’m incredibly honoured to have my work, my research and my deeply personal stories about our family and our land premiere in some of the first programming for the new Newcastle Art Gallery.”

Art lovers are invited to attend a special launch party at the gallery tonight from 5.30pm, before the exhibitions officially open to the public tomorrow. Tickets for the launch can be purchased via the Art Gallery’s website.

Multiverse will run from 23 May – 30 August 2026, with tickets on sale now. Brian Robinson will take part in an artist talk at the Gallery from 11am on Saturday 23 May, taking audiences behind the scenes of his artistic practice, processes and the stories that shape his work. 

Entry to The Mordant Family Gift (23 May – 8 November 2026) and Mouth Mnemonica (23 May – 6 September 2026) is free. Tiyan Baker will share the ideas, processes and stories behind her groundbreaking exhibition with a free artist talk at the Gallery from 2pm on Sunday 24 May.

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a teenage girl missing from the Lake Macquarie region.
Taylah Douglas, age 15, was last seen about 4am yesterday (Saturday 23 May 2026) on Shelley Street in Toronto.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.
Family and police hold concerns for Taylah’s welfare due to her age.
Taylah is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of slim build with brown and red hair.
She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with text on the front, black shorts, grey tracksuit pants, and black sneakers.
Taylah is known to frequent the Dora Creek, Cessnock, and Kurri Kurri areas.
Anyone with information about Taylah’s whereabouts is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man has been charged over multiple alleged armed robberies across the Newcastle region this month.

Between Wednesday 13 May 2026 and yesterday (Saturday 23 May 2026), a number of items were allegedly stolen during robberies at multiple businesses across the Newcastle area.
About 5:40pm on Wednesday 13 May 2026, a 30-year-old man attended a shopping centre in Newcastle West and allegedly removed an electronic device from the store without paying for it.
About 8.20am on Saturday 16 May 2026, the man attended a shopping centre in Newcastle West and allegedly produced a knife towards the shop assistant before stealing a two electronic devices.
About 3.00pm on Sunday 17 May 2026 the man attended a restaurant on Hunter Street, Newcastle West, where he allegedly threatened staff with scissors before stealing an amount of cash.
About 9.15pm on Friday 22 May 2026 the same man attended a restaurant in Jesmond, where he allegedly demanded money from the shop assistant before stealing an amount of cash.
About 11.10am on Saturday 23 May 2026 the man attended a restaurant on Bluegum Road, Jesmond, allegedly armed with a knife where he threatened staff before stealing cash.

Following extensive inquiries, about 7am today (Sunday 24 May 2026) police attended a premises on Bluegum Road, Jesmond, where they arrested the 30-year-old before taking him to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with:
Robbery with Offensive Weapon (three counts)
Demand money with menace (one count)
Shoplifting (one count)

He was refused bail to appear before Bail Court Division 2 tomorrow (Monday 25 May 2026).