Category: Newcastle News

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the Port Stephens area.

Jack Taylor, aged 14, was last seen on Schank Drive, Metford, about 8.25am today (Thursday 19 February 2026).

When he failed to return home and could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for Jack’s welfare as he lives with a number of medical conditions which require regular medication.

Jack is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of slim build, with short brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a school uniform consisting of black shorts, a white shirt, and black shoes.

Jack was last seen heading in the direction of Metford Railway Station and is known to frequent the Thornton shopping centre.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the Hunter region.

Benjamin Potroz, aged 34, was last seen in Thornton, about 10:30pm yesterday (Wednesday 18 February 2026).

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified today (Thursday 19 February 2026) and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare.

Benjamin is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall, of thin build, with brown hair.

He may be travelling in a 2021 model silver Subaru sedan with NSW registration ESW07S.

He is known to frequent the Thornton, Newcastle and New Lambton areas.

Legendary rock band Foo Fighters have been confirmed to headline Foocastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium on November 12 as part of their Take Cover Tour, in a major coup for Newcastle and the Hunter’s booming visitor economy.

In honour of their first ever visit to Newcastle, the city is getting ready to welcome the 15-time Grammy Award winners with a Hollywood inspired attraction. The hill overlooking Newcastle’s famous Nobbys Beach will feature a giant FOOCASTLE sign today to celebrate the Foo Fighters’ first concert in the Hunter.

Foo Fighters fever will take over Foocastle in the lead up to the show, with the city to come alive with activations and tailored experiences to welcome fans from all over the state, country and world.  

Foocastle is the band’s fourth stop on their Australian tour, with a show also confirmed for Sydney’s Accor Stadium.  

World-class events like the Foo Fighters tour and global aviation links with the recent opening of the Newcastle International Airport are transforming Newcastle into a powerhouse for the regional visitor economy, creating jobs, backing local businesses and showcasing the Hunter to the world.

The Foo Fighters are the fourth major touring artist to visit Newcastle, following the success of Elton John, Paul McCartney and P!nk – the first concerts at McDonald Jones Stadium in over three decades, which delivered enormous economic benefits for local hotels, restaurants and small businesses.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to growing in regional NSW tourism and having major events, such as Foo Fighters, that attract visitors year-round, will deliver real economic benefits to local communities.

Minister for Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“Foo Fighters are one of the world’s biggest bands who will transform Foocastle and bring the Hunter to life.

“We are focused on transforming Newcastle into a major event destination with the Foo Fighters adding to a growing list of international touring artists and sporting events, with the Women’s State of Origin, the 2026 Rugby League World Cup and the 2027 Rugby World Cup to come.

“Foo Fighters tour landing in Newcastle reinforces the Hunter’s rapid rise as one of Australia’s premier regional event destinations, with major global acts choosing the harbour city for headline shows alongside major international capitals.

“This momentum is being supercharged through the new Newcastle International Terminal and our NSW Take Off Fund, which has unlocked Newcastle as a global gateway for tourism, trade and investment.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said: 

“The Hunter is back in the spotlight. International flights are landing, global superstars are arriving and the world is finally catching on to what we’ve known all along – that centre stage belongs to the Hunter.

“As the Foo Fighters roll into Newcastle, we’re rolling out the welcome mat to Australia and the world. Come and see for yourself why the Hunter is our state’s best-kept secret… not for much longer.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:

“Newcastle will put on a show for the Foo Fighters and their fans.

“We can’t wait to welcome all to Foocastle – home of the Foo Fighters for one night only.

“Foo Fighters will be one of the biggest events we’ve ever hosted in Newcastle, and we’ll be making sure it will be an unforgettable night for the band and all who come to see the legendary rockstars in action.”

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said:

“Major events don’t come much bigger or louder, than the Foo Fighters.

“Having Foo Fighters for a stadium show is a huge coup for Newcastle and once again puts our city up in lights on the international stage.

“Novocastrians and visitors will no doubt pack out the stadium for what will be a night to remember. As someone who has seen his fair share of Foo Fighters concerts, the good news is even if you miss out on a ticket, pretty much all of Newcastle will still be able to hear it!”

Frontier Touring CEO Dion Brant said: 

“The Foo Fighters tour of Australia will see the band visit seven cities, and we’re delighted that Newcastle fans would be treated to their first ever visit from the legendary rockers.”

Police are appealing for information to help locate Samuel Fallshaw who was reported missing from Sydney’s west in 2024.

Now aged 50, Samuel was last seen at Penrith Train Station about 3pm on Tuesday 28 May 2024.

On Saturday 1 June 2024, Samuel’s father contacted police requesting a welfare check on Samuel as his car had been at the intersection of Warks Hill Road and Bells Line of Road in Kurrajong Heights for about five days.

Despite extensive inquiries by Nepean Police Area Command and the Missing Persons Registry to locate Samuel – including three separate public appeals for assistance – no one has seen or heard from him since.

Following extensive inquiries, police have information to suggest Samuel may be in the Newcastle area.

Police believe he may be frequenting the Nobbys Beach, the Telford Street area, and surrounding areas.

Samuel is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 180cm tall, of large build with brown medium-length hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information on Samuel’s disappearance is urged to contact Triple Zero or Crime Stoppers.

City of Newcastle has kicked off 2026 with a $500,000 boost from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation as final preparations occur before the opening of the $48 million expansion project.

The donation is the result of community fundraising by the Foundation and follows the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with City of Newcastle.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM, City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath and Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Deputy Chair Ian Andrews celebrate the ongoing relationship between the organisations.

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said the organisations were dedicated to the future of the expanded Gallery, which will celebrate its full reopening next week.

“Since being established in 1977 the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation has played an integral role in supporting the growth and success of the Gallery through advocacy, fundraising and contributions to its nationally significant collection,” Mr Bath said.

“This $500,000 donation follows $12.5 million raised over many years for the Gallery’s expansion and demonstrates the Foundation’s ongoing dedication to its success, which is reinforced by a memorandum of understanding between our two organisations.

“We look forward to gathering together with the Foundation and our community next week to celebrate the full reopening of the Gallery, which will mark the completion of the largest capital works project and most significant commitment to cultural infrastructure in City of Newcastle’s history.”

Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Deputy Chair Ian Andrews said the community contribution via the Foundation was the catalyst for securing support from all levels of government. 

“The initial $10 million commitment in 2020 was made possible through the Valerie and John Ryan Bequest, together with community fundraising over many years, and we are proud to have raised more than $2.5 million since launching the expansion fundraising campaign in early 2022,” Mr Andrews said.

“Thanks to the prudent investment of donor funds over several years, the Foundation is pleased to be able to contribute a further $500,000 to honour its $13 million goal.

“The Foundation would like to acknowledge the donors and supporters for their unwavering generosity and commitment. With the signing of the MoU, we now look forward to continuing to work together as a community to help our new Gallery realise its full potential.”

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM witnesses the signing of the MoU by City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath and Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Deputy Chair Ian Andrews.

The elected Council and members of the Foundation’s Board unanimously endorsed the new MoU at their respective meetings in December last year.

The MoU recognises the historical and cultural importance of the Gallery as custodian of the most valuable public art collection in Australia outside of a capital city, which provides a time capsule of Australian art dating back more than 200 years and is worth $145 million.

It acknowledges the work undertaken by City of Newcastle and the Foundation to preserve and promote the Gallery and reflects the shared strategic priorities of the two organisations, including financial support of exhibitions and programming, and the long-term sustainability of the Gallery as a leading cultural institution.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said the Foundation’s contribution to the expansion project and the Gallery’s collection has been invaluable.

“For almost 50 years, the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation has championed the growth of the Gallery, enriching its collection by contributing to the acquisition of more than 335 significant works of art,” Ms Morton said.

“Their support for the expansion project and their ongoing contributions to the future success of the Gallery are essential as we embark on a new era for the reimagined Gallery that will see us present more of our works, collaborate with leading artists nationwide and host major Australian and international exhibitions.”

The expansion and reopening of the Newcastle Art Gallery will be celebrated with a range of events and activities from 27 February to 1 March, including an opening night street party in Laman Street on the Friday and the launch of its major collection exhibition, Iconic Loved Unexpected, on 28 February.

Visit https://newcastleartgallery.nsw.gov.au/ to stay up to date with the Newcastle Art Gallery expansion project and full reopening program.

The expansion project is supported by $5 million from the Australian Government under the Regional Recovery Partnerships and $5 million from the New South Wales Government under the Regional Recovery Package, as well as $13 million from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation.

The NSW Government has provided funding of $2 million to City of Newcastle for a DA approval process that has seen the council slash its DA times by more than 50%.

The Accelerated Development Application (ADA) system significantly reduces assessment times for low-risk, decision-ready development applications, cutting the average turnaround to less than 10 days.

The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has awarded City of Newcastle $2 million to develop a framework for the rollout of the ADA model, beginning with a trial phase at several councils seeking to speed up determination of DAs.

City of Newcastle’s Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Bath said the NSW Government was to be congratulated for looking to his council for advice on how to help other councils whose DA processing times are just too slow.

“City of Newcastle has developed an innovative process for fast tracking determination times for DAs without compromising quality or increasing staffing numbers,” Mr Bath said. 

Executive Director of Planning and Environment Michelle Bisson said the program’s success is built on collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to improving the development approval process.

“City of Newcastle is leading the way in innovating development assessments to set a state-best benchmark recognised by the NSW Government for its efficiencies and broader potential,” Ms Bisson said. 

“Since creating and implementing the ADA in 2022, City of Newcastle has been consistently ranked the fastest-performing council in the state for DA determinations.

“For low-risk applications such as minor home renovations, councils can now issue approvals in less than two weeks. The system allows planning teams to dedicate more time to complex projects, improving overall turnaround times.

“The ADA system has already been successfully implemented at Muswellbrook Shire Council and Upper Hunter Shire Council through a $1 million joint grant from the NSW Government, demonstrating its scalability and impact.

“We’re proud to see ADA recognised as a model for reform across NSW, reflecting the hard work and innovation of our planning team and the benefits it brings to applicants, councils, and communities.

“With this rollout, Newcastle’s planning innovation is set to shape the future of development assessment across NSW, delivering faster approvals, smarter processes, and stronger outcomes for communities.”

Since its launch in 2022, City of Newcastle’s ADA system has processed more than 1,300 applications, reducing undetermined DAs by 52 per cent with an average of less than 10 days to process many low-risk applications.

City of Newcastle’s ADA pathway covers 10 types of developments. Most applications determined are residential, including alterations and additions, single dwellings and secondary dwellings. 

The system improves the quality of information lodged and uses an eligibility checker to quickly determine if an application can be assessed through ADA. 

The higher efficiency frees up council staff for more complex DAs, increasing capacity for merit assessment and responding to site constraints. This results in improved development outcomes and timeframes.

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

Douglas Nicholls, aged 20, was last seen in Morisset, about 1.10pm last Friday (13 February 2026).

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for Douglas’s welfare as he lives with a number of medical conditions.

Douglas is described as Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, thin build, 165cm tall, short black hair and clean shaven.

He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black shorts and black sneakers.

Douglas is known to frequent the Morisset and Newcastle areas.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Toronto Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A group of junior football players have kicked off a community art project designed to strengthen Newcastle residents’ relationships with their local waterways.

The Kotara South players took part in hands-on clay making and photography-based activities at Upper Styx Creek today, working with professional artists to create environmentally inspired artworks that will form part of a future exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery.

Deputy Lord Mayor Charlotte McCabe joins Ellie Hannon and Future Creek workshop facilitators Therese Keogh, Chris Brown and Holly Macdonald as they prepare for the first workshop in Kotara South on Styx Creek. The Future Creek project is one of eight initiatives supported through City of Newcastle’s most recent round of environment grants, providing more than $65,000 to support activities that strengthen local biodiversity, environmental educational, habitat restoration and connection to place. 

Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Charlotte McCabe said the grants highlight the valuable role the community plays in caring for the local environment. 

“City of Newcastle is proud to support community-led environmental projects that empower people to learn, create and take action,” Cr McCabe said.

“Our grants help residents connect with nature, protect biodiversity and celebrate the green spaces that make our city unique. 

“These eight funded projects showcase the creativity and care that exist across Newcastle, from habitat restoration and native beehive installation to the creation of multicultural gardening spaces, the delivery of community workshops and the imaginative exploration of Styx Creek through art.” 

The Future Creek project is being delivered by Newcastle artist Ellie Hannon, who will use four seasonal workshops to explore community relationships with Styx Creek from the headwaters at Nesbitt Park to its outlet near the harbour. Participants will take part in clay work, photography, printmaking, letterpress and place-based cultural learning. 

An evolving moveable fabric structure known as the Future Creek Canopy will be set up at each of the workshops to act as a meeting point and will be incorporated into the final exhibition alongside artworks created during the program. 

Ellie Hannon said the program aims to spark deeper connections between people and their local waterways through creativity and shared experience. 

“Future Creek is all about connecting community with local waterways through creative, place-based learning. Styx Creek holds so many stories, and bringing young people, artists, ecologists and community members together is a way of building a more caring and reciprocal relationship with the urbanised environment we live in,” Hannon said.

“Each workshop explores the creek at a different moment in the year. As we move downstream, the artworks, conversations and the Future Creek Canopy will evolve with the landscape and I’m excited to see that journey culminate in an exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery.”

Other grant recipients include Kotara’s March Street community garden, which also hosted its first event today in a seasonal series of pollinator workshops led by local artist Gemma Kirschner and environmental scientist Tristan Pintus. Workshops are open to members and the local community, covering topics of different pollinator species in Australia, how to keep them safe and guidance to encourage pollinators. 

Volunteers of Obelisk Hill Arcadia Park Landcare planted 250 native trees on Friday as part of the next stage of their restoration works in Nesca Park, supported by the City of Newcastle grant. This followed a range of recent activities, including weed-clearing and the installation of water points and nesting boxes throughout the par, while climate change plots and educational signage will be placed in coming months to complete the project. 

Other funded projects include a native beehive and student education program at Carrington Public School and the revegetation of 250 square metres on Ash Island led by the Friends of the Schoolmasters House, which will replace non-native grass with local native plants and eliminate the need for machine mowing while creating a habitat for bees, birds and other wildlife.

The grants also support Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre’s improvements to its community garden with new garden beds, a worm farm and compost bin, as well as a new sun shelter at Silsoe Street Community Garden. 

A teenage boy has died following a crash in the state’s Hunter region.

About 8:30pm yesterday (Sunday 15 February 2026), emergency services were called to Wollombi Road, Bishops Bridge (approximately 10km west of Maitland), following reports of a collision between a car and a push bike.

On arrival, officers attached to Port Stephens Hunter Police District found a 15-year-old boy with serious injuries.

He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he died at the sene.

Police established a crime scene and an investigation into the cause of the incident has commenced.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

As inquiries continue, anyone with information about this incident, or CCTV, is urged to contact Maitland Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The colour, characters and locations that have become synonymous with Surfest have inspired a special mural that will celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the iconic event.

Supported by City of Newcastle, the 40 square metre painting is taking shape on the wall of Merewether Surf Life Saving Club thanks to Newcastle artist Mitch ‘Revs’ Resevsky.

Artist Mitch ‘Revs’ Resevsky, Cr Peta Winney-Baartz and Surfest organiser Warren Smith in front of the ‘work in progress’ mural at Merewether.The artwork features big waves being braved by a host of surfers, Merewether Ocean Baths, a surf photographer, hang gliders, local wildlife and a reference to the local Surfboard Club that calls this famous stretch home.

Sports Infrastructure Working Party Chair Cr Peta Winney-Baartz said City of Newcastle has been a proud supporter of Surfest since the beginning.

“City of Newcastle was the foundation sponsor in 1985, with Council contributing the initial funding to help create the contest,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“It’s fitting that Councillors voted in June 2025 to commemorate the 40^th anniversary milestone by commissioning public art at Merewether Beach, the home of Surfest since 2007.

“The event has truly put Newcastle on the map in terms of destination awareness and repeat tourism, making good on its promise to help our city evolve from its industrial roots and promote its beaches to a new audience.

“City of Newcastle’s support over the years has helped Surfest become the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere, championing both men’s and women’s events, junior competitions and the Indigenous Classic.”

Mitch ‘Revs’ Resevsky said he wanted to create a vibrant piece that reflected the fun and excitement of Surfest.

“It features all walks of life doing their thing, surfing, having fun, walking dogs, playing on the rocks, doing family activities,” Mr Revs said.

“Everyone who comes to Newcastle has wonderful things to say about the community and the people here and I think that’s reflected in the mural. 

“I’m looking forward to painting the mural and I really hope the community enjoys it.

“I take my hat off to Warren Smith. He’s been doing this for a long time now and he’s definitely done Newcastle proud with this event.”

Organiser Warren Smith said the mural is part of a four-month festival celebrating 40 years of Surfest.

“We’ve got more than 800 male and female competitors from across the globe competing across nine events throughout February and March,” Mr Smith said.

“The celebrations will culminate with the final stop of the World Surf League’s Challenger Series at Merewether from March 9-15.”