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City of Newcastle has completed a $2.4 million upgrade of Joslin Street, Kotara with a safe and welcoming new public space created at the heart of the renewal.
The upgrade saw the replacement of drainage infrastructure, footpaths and road surfaces, installation of new street furniture and street planting, alongside pedestrian safety improvements including a pedestrian refuge to enable a safer crossing between Rae Crescent and the busy local shopping area.
The public open space at the corner of Joslin Street and Rae Crescent features a playful sandstone stack, stepping logs for children to explore and relax, seating areas, a drinking fountain and a dog drinking bowl.
The space was unveiled by Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, who encouraged the local community to visit the space and the nearby local businesses.
“When we spoke to the community about upgrading this busy local centre we heard of the desire for a safer, more vibrant space to gather and shop,” the Lord Mayor said.
“With $2.4 million invested to completely overhaul the entire local centre, we’ve delivered a more modern and safe public space for local residents and visitors to Kotara.”
“We’re particularly proud of the new, innovative open space which is a great place to catch up with friends over a coffee or bite to eat from the fantastic local businesses.”
The Lord Mayor said that the local community had significantly shaped the new public spaces by providing the City with invaluable feedback through detailed community consultation.
“Input from the community and local business-owners has been critical in making these improvements to the area, which we hope will benefit the Kotara community both now and into the future.”
Sami Mamalis, owner of Joslin Street’s Schnitty City said the project has improved safety in the area, and that locals are enjoying the new space.
“This is great for Joslin Street, it’s good to see people using the space and it gives our customers and visitors somewhere to sit and enjoy the area.”
Future plans for the space include a collaboration with nearby Kotara South Public School to gather themes and ideas for the decoration of an interactive artwork to be installed in the public open space – bringing a climbable caterpillar sculpture to life with colour and character created by local school children.
“We want the community to interact with the new space and key to this is ensuring that local children from Kotara South Public School will get to see their ideas and designs for the new interactive public art come to life,” the Lord Mayor said.
The Joslin Street upgrade was delivered under the City’s Local Centres program, which is delivering upgrades to suburban centres across the local government area including the recently commenced upgrade of Mitchell Street, Stockton, and upgrades due for delivery later this year at Shortland and at James Street Plaza, Hamilton.

With its spectacular ocean views, importance to Newcastle’s traditional custodians the Awabakal people, penal and defence history and timeless appeal for picnics and recreation, King Edward Park holds enormous significance to Newcastle.
Its heritage value is set to be highlighted, with Councillors endorsing a nomination to list Newcastle Recreation Reserve on the NSW State Heritage Register (SHR). The decision whether to apply heritage listing to the site will be made by the NSW Government’s Special Minister for State, Don Harwin.
The Reserve includes King Edward Park, Obelisk Park and tennis courts, Arcadia Park, Shepherds Hill Defence Reserve Military Installations, the Bogey Hole baths and the cliffside above South Newcastle Beach.
It excludes the King Edward Headland Reserve (the former Newcastle Bowling Club site), which is owned by the local Aboriginal community through the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council following a successful claim in 2018 under the 1983 Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the heritage listing of Newcastle Recreation Reserve, which is being considered by the Heritage Council of NSW, recognises the significance of the area.
“Newcastle Recreation Reserve is a site of considerable cultural, historic and heritage significance to the people of NSW,” Cr Nelmes said.
“The Reserve includes sites of known cultural significance to the Awabakal people, and was the scene of important early interactions with Europeans.
“It was declared a recreation reserve in 1863 and is a rare example in NSW of a comparatively undeveloped inner-city landscape.
“King Edward Park’s Victorian rotunda is an iconic local landmark, while countless Novocastrians have admired the bright annual flower displays that fill the sunken garden with a rainbow of colour each spring.
“The Reserve also possesses coastal native grasslands, including Themeda grass, which is an endangered ecological community threatened by coastal development and weed invasion.
“Listing the Newcastle Recreation Reserve on the State Heritage Register would support City of Newcastle’s commitment under the 2030 Community Strategic Plan and Heritage Strategy 2020-2030 to celebrate, protect and promote our city’s unique built and cultural heritage.”
Cr Nelmes said a listing on the State Heritage Register would put City of Newcastle in a stronger position to obtain funding for heritage projects at the site and also acknowledged that the Minister responsible for heritage determined not to list the Newcastle Recreation Reserve on the State Heritage Register in 2020.

“Regardless of its inclusion on the State Heritage Register, any future development of the Headland Reserve will need to be consistent with the City’s zoning and planning controls. Any future development application will need to address and respond to both onsite heritage and the heritage values of adjoining parcels,” Cr Nelmes said

“Ultimately this matter will be resolved by recommendation of the Heritage Council to the Minister for determination.”

Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Rob Russell welcomed City of Newcastle’s decision to support the nomination in its current format, which excludes the King Edward Headland Reserve from the potential heritage listing.

“The central purpose of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act of 1983 is to provide Aboriginal people with economic independence, to alleviate disadvantage and to compensate for past injustices,” Mr Russell said.
“That is why land grants such as the former Newcastle Bowling Club site are so important and so valuable.
“Heritage listing of this land would have a negative impact on the Awabakal Land Council’s capacity to achieve any financial reward to share with the community from the granting of this land claim, it would disincentivise proposals for any future development.
“The former Newcastle Bowling Club site provides tenuous evidence of significance or heritage value – decades of use as a bowling club have disturbed and destroyed any remnant of Aboriginal cultural heritage.
“However, future development of the site will ultimately allow us to return Aboriginal culture to King Edward Park as part of any operational facility. To take Aboriginal culture back to this great location and realise its potential for contemporary Aboriginal people and all Novocastrians.”

Today, as a consequence of a negotiated outcome, the NSW Court of Appeal upheld part of City of Newcastle’s (CN) appeal regarding the termination of Jill Gaynor’s employment.
The appeal was upheld in relation to an important aspect of what CN argued was a significant error in the District Court’s decision last year. In short, the Court today confirmed CN had a lawful right to terminate Ms Gaynor’s employment and reduced the damages payable to her. Further, error was also acknowledged with respect to the judge of the District Court who heard this matter in that he failed to have regard to CN’s evidence which gave rise to CN’s right to terminate Ms Gaynor’s employment.
CN took the view in 2018, following an extensive independent review, that Ms Gaynor’s conduct in managing Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) was not to the standard required, and made the decision to terminate her employment accordingly.
This decision to terminate Ms Gaynor’s employment was, in part, as a consequence of Ms Gaynor, between 2015 and 2018, approving the release of significant amounts of Special Business Rate funding to Newcastle Now despite the absence of a Business Plan at any time during the 3 years.
Financial statements provided by Newcastle Now for the period 2015/16 to 2017/18 reveal that the BIA spent $1,384,488.95 on wages and a further $287,799.70 on administration, representing 56% of its total income. Such expenditure was never the purpose of the Special Purpose Levy.
CN sets a high standard for its senior staff, especially in ensuring public money is administered appropriately and as required by law. Today’s outcome in the Court of Appeal confirmed CN’s right to bring Ms Gaynor’s employment to an end prior to the completion of her senior staff contract term.
CN takes very seriously its obligations to ratepayers with respect to accounting for levied funds and their divestment. Compliance with the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) was at the very core of CN’s concern with the District Court decision, and the reason it pursued this matter to the Court of Appeal.
Following the termination of Ms Gaynor’s employment and, in light of the above, CN has taken significant steps to ensure its processes regarding the expenditure of ratepayer funds are transparent and accountable. CN looks forward to the continued successful management of its new BIA structure and notes the many fruitful projects already delivered across the Local Government Area, as well as the Hamilton BIA being awarded the 2021 Community Group of the Year.