Category: Newcastle News

Mayfield residents have come together today to celebrate the opening of a new playground at the Avon Street Reserve, which was upgraded as part of City of Newcastle’s annual playground replacement program.

The community event also provided an opportunity for City of Newcastle to plant a tree to mark the coronation of avid environmentalist King Charles III.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes helped plant the Australian red cedar at the Avon Street Reserve today, following the formal ceremony for the newly-crowned British monarch, which was held in London on 6 May.

Tree planting activities have been held around the world to celebrate the coronation, while King Charles III himself recently planted the final tree in Britain’s Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, which saw more than three million trees planted across the United Kingdom in honour of his mother’s reign of more than 70 years.

Cr Nelmes said City of Newcastle is committed to increasing urban forest canopy cover for future generations and for wildlife.

“Late last year City of Newcastle created a living legacy for the long-lasting reign of Queen Elizabeth II by planting a 700m long avenue of native trees in Maryland as part of the Australian Government’s Planting Trees for The Queen’s Jubilee Program,” Cr Nelmes said.

“It seems only fitting to plant a new tree today in honour of the coronation of King Charles III who, like his mother, is well known for his interest in the environment and conservation.

“This Australian Red Cedar will grow into a large feature tree that will add shade to the park and complement this fantastic new playground, which is already being well utilised by the local community.”

The Avon Street Reserve playground was one of five new playgrounds upgraded across Newcastle this year as part of a $750,000 investment into delivering improved recreational opportunities for families across the local government area.

Other new playgrounds have been opened at Loch Ness Drive Park in Fletcher, Waratah Park in Waratah, Harold Myers Park in Birmingham Gardens and Vera Wilson Park in Beresfield.

The talent and creativity of Newcastle’s diverse First Nations people is being celebrated through a new exhibition curated by Newcastle Museum.

Entitled FIRST, the exhibition showcases the work of 16 First Nations creatives who have a link to Newcastle and the Hunter, featuring everything from light projections and videos to paintings, glass work and sculpture.

A surfboard, customised shoes, clothing and even a giant shark extend the creative works beyond more traditional artistic mediums, while the exhibition also features four genre-bending musical works.

City of Newcastle’s Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning Director Julie Baird said the exhibition provides insight into the diverse practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives.

“When Newcastle Museum made a call out for First Nations creatives to be involved in this exhibition, we were overwhelmed by the positive community response. Designers, musicians, artists, and architects have shared their practice and insight for this unusual exhibition, which showcases the creativity in Newcastle’s diverse First Nations people,” Ms Baird said.

“FIRST offers a blank canvas for creatives to shift the mindset on what is usually conceived as having to fit into traditional work while still embodying the creatives’ cultural identity – this is new ideas, ancient legacy and boundless creativity across a wide range of disciplines to demonstrate how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people bring their culture to a variety of creative forms.”

Newcastle Councillor and proud Wiradjuri woman Deahnna Richardson encouraged people to read the stories accompanying each of the works in this free exhibition, which is the first of its kind for Newcastle Museum.

“This exhibition demonstrates Newcastle Museum’s commitment to providing space for First Nations people to share their own stories, amplifying their voices and enriching Newcastle’s cultural offering through temporary exhibitions,” Cr Richardson said.

“By showcasing the extraordinary cultural practices of our First Nations people in contemporary ways, this exhibition will allow us to gain new perspectives and celebrate the work of local emerging and established creatives.”

Gomeroi man and musician Jacob Cummins said it was important for museums and galleries to continue to support First Nations creatives through ongoing opportunities and exhibitions.

“Providing opportunities for younger artists is the biggest investment for the future … not just in a career sense, also just support in maintaining that connection to culture and being able to fly the flag, and display that with the most pride that you possibly can,” he said.

FIRST will be officially opening with a public event at Newcastle Museum from 6pm to 7.30pm tonight and will remain on display until Sunday 6 August. The free exhibition will be accompanied by an online portfolio where visitors can learn more about the artists and their work.

The First Nations creatives featured in the exhibition are Maree Bisby, Virginia McDonald, Shane Dixon, Adam Manning, Wanda Matthews, Wayde Clark (Aléjandro), Kachina Davidson, Gambirra Illume, Maria Tattersall, Jakeob Watson, Timothy Jackson (Timberlina), Ngaire Pakai, Shellie Smith, Jasmine Craciun, Wanjun Carpenter, and Jacob Cummins.

City of Newcastle (CN) hosted a series of workshops today that explored the benefits of investing locally to unlock business growth, local employment and economic development opportunities.

International economist Michael H. Shuman led the conversation by sharing his insights into local investment best practice adopted in the USA and Canada, which could potentially be rolled out in Newcastle and the Hunter region. The workshops were attended by Hunter economic development professionals and finance staff, local councils, leaders from major local employers, CN staff and Councillors.

As a leading visionary on community economics, Shuman is also an attorney, author and entrepreneur who assists local governments around the world with local investment tools and supported the development of City of Newcastle’s Economic Development Strategy (EDS).

Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said communities with higher levels of local ownership have more social equality, civic engagement, and higher economic resilience.

“A key component to our City’s Economic Development Strategy advocates for a people-centred and place-led approach to economic development, to build resilient and regenerative communities. To achieve this, increasing levels of local investment is the next frontier for Newcastle and the region,” Cr Clausen said.

“Michael Shuman’s work has been key in shaping our City’s Economic Development Strategy and it’s been wonderful to welcome him to Newcastle to delve into local investment opportunities together with our business community.”

Shuman delivered three workshops in Newcastle titled ‘Unlocking Local Capital: Lessons from the United States, Canada, and elsewhere on how Newcastle can tap local investment for economic development’.

“City of Newcastle has the opportunity to be a global leader in developing a compelling 21st century economic development vision and roadmap that puts people and planet first, unleashes creative entrepreneurship and becomes an enabler, facilitator and partner of social innovation and positive change,” Mr Shuman said.

City of Newcastle (CN) is a proud champion of Privacy Awareness Week NSW 2023 and is committed to safeguarding the personal information of its local citizens.

Privacy Awareness Week is a global campaign that highlights the importance of privacy and raises awareness for public agencies, like City of Newcastle, about how to best protect the personal information of its customers.

The collection, storage, use, disclosure and amendment of personal information that is held securely by CN is managed in accordance with its recently revised Privacy Management Plan and the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 NSW.

All NSW citizens have a right to have their personal information protected. The Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) can also help citizens understand privacy laws in NSW and provides information on how to best protect their personal information.

During Privacy Awareness Week, the IPC has released these basic principles to help citizens to protect their own personal privacy:

Store – store personal documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, pay slips, tax returns, bank statements and bills in a safe place.

Destroy – Destroy or shred personal documents you are throwing away such as bills, receipts, credit card statements and other documents that show your name, address or other personal details.

Limit – Keep the number of documents you carry around on you to a minimum. Don’t leave personal documents in your vehicle or unattended.

Vary – Always use a different password and PIN for different accounts and take care when using public computers to access personal information.

Accurate – Regularly check your records. Make sure your information is correct and up to date.

Secret – Disable auto-connect to public Wi-Fi and never connect to public Wi-Fi on your work account. Use a VPN, incognito mode and/or ad blocking browser extensions, and clear out your cookie caches and browsing history to prevent your data and activity being collected.

Ask – Get permission before you share photos or videos of someone else, and don’t share posts that contain personal information. Never exchange sensitive information over email.

Think – Think before you click links or share posts. Social media platforms have around 20 per cent more methods to scam customers than other websites, including malicious advertisements, share buttons and plug-ins.

Delete – Remove unused apps from your phone, and disable location, camera and microphone access where it’s not required.

To learn more, visit the Information and Privacy Commission’s Privacy Awareness Week webpage or view City of Newcastle’s Privacy Statement.

City of Newcastle is supporting the academic pursuits of three University of Newcastle students by easing their financial burden with scholarships in 2023.

Both the Lord Mayor’s Scholarship and the Lord Mayor’s Women’s Scholarship were established by current Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes to support students experiencing financial hardship whilst studying at the University of Newcastle.

The Lord Mayor’s Scholarship has been awarded to Lara Mackay who is studying a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) whilst Madison Innis has been awarded the Lord Mayor’s Women’s Scholarship in her third year studying Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours).

Second-year Bachelor of Communication student Rhoyce Nova has been named the recipient of the Meg Purser Communications Scholarship in memory of one of Newcastle’s most prominent and community-focused communications businesswomen, Meg Purser, who lost her battle with cancer in January 2021.

The Meg Purser Communications Scholarship was supported by Councillors in 2021 to provide $5,000 to an undergraduate student completing the second year of their Communications degree at the University of Newcastle.

Meg is remembered for her charitable and behind the scenes work for organisations, such as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Hunter Breast Care Foundation and Got Your Back Sister.

Visit The University of Newcastle’s website for more scholarship information.

City of Newcastle will shine a light on some of Australia’s finest bird illustrations as part of a new exhibition from its rare book collection.

Gould – Treasures of the Hunter celebrates the legacy of renowned British ornithologist John Gould and his talented artist wife Elizabeth, whose strikingly beautiful lithographs helped bring her husband’s seminal work, The Birds of Australia, to life in the mid-19^th-century.

Rare original copies of John’s books form the centrepiece of the exhibition, surrounded by a selection of Elizabeth’s vibrant illustrations, which have been digitally reproduced and enlarged to highlight the finely-detailed nature of the hand-drawn works.

Newcastle Councillor Carol Duncan said the Gould – Treasures of the Hunter exhibition provides an insight into our local connection to the Goulds.

“City of Newcastle are the custodians of one of the country’s largest collections of John Gould’s Birds of Australia publications, which were donated to the city in 1945 by Dr Roland Pope and are a treasured part of the Newcastle Libraries collection,” Cr Duncan said.

“What people may not know, however, is that the Goulds visited Newcastle and the Hunter in 1839 as part of their project to publish this first comprehensive record of Australia’s birds, spending time on Ash and Mosquito islands before travelling via paddle steamer up the Hunter River to visit Elizabeth’s brother in the Upper Hunter.

“Many of the illustrations in the much-loved Birds of Australia books were based on sketches Elizabeth produced during their two-year trip around the country, including their time spent in the Hunter.”

The Birds of Australia featured descriptions of more than 681 species of birds, including 328 that were new to science and were first described by John Gould. The books included more than 600 hand-coloured lithographed plates of Australian birds, which are regarded as among the finest examples of bird illustrations ever published.

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning, Julie Baird, said City of Newcastle’s cultural institutions played an important role in preserving local history and sharing the stories of our region.

“This exhibition demonstrates Newcastle Libraries commitment to telling stories of and for the people of Newcastle and the wider Hunter Region, enriching Newcastle’s cultural offering through its annual temporary and touring exhibition program,” Ms Baird said.

“It explores a fascinating chapter in our local history, displaying examples of the collection’s rare, beautiful and much-loved volumes of Birds of Australia with additional images and maps drawn from the library’s historic archives.”

Ms Baird said the Library’s exhibition provided the perfect complement to the Australian Museum’s multimedia Birds of Australia Storybox installation, which is currently on display in the Newcastle Museum forecourt until 12 June.

Gould – Treasures of the Hunter exhibition will run from 1 May to 21 October in the Local History Lounge at Newcastle City Library.

Helping Hunter Valley landholders better understand the state’s complex water laws will be the focus for the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) at this year’s Tocal Field Days. 

Data gathered by NRAR in 2022 highlighted that some Hunter Valley water users struggled to comply with the rules. The most common issue related to carrying out illegal activities on waterfront land. Alleged offences around taking too much water, not having a correct water meter, or having illegal dams were the next most common. 

More than 250 alleged breaches of water laws have been detected in the region since data collection began in mid 2019. 

Staff from NRAR will be at site number 395 to chat to water users about typical problem areas – including basic landholder rights, water meter requirements, where to get water licence and approval advice, and what can and cannot be done on waterfront land. 

NRAR Director Education and Engagement, Keeley Reynolds, said helping and encouraging people to voluntarily comply with NSW water laws was fundamental to the way NRAR approached regulation.  

“We believe the most effective way to deter breaches of these laws is to make compliance as easy as it can be. Our staff work hard to reduce the complexity of water law by providing plain English information tailored to the circumstances of individual water users,” Ms Reynolds said. 

During the 2022-23 financial year, NRAR sought to speak directly with people in a variety of ways. Setting up at field days like Tocal means we can provide the chance for water users to have face-to-face discussions about compliance. 

“Last year we attended nine field days, chalking up 95 hours of face-to-face education with 900 people who popped into our site at a field day. We answered more than 300 questions for them or referred them to the right agency to help them.” 

NRAR recently adopted four new focus areas for its activities in the 2023-24 financial year 

Irrigated agriculture: NRAR will prioritise the monitoring and regulating of water use in irrigated agriculture, with a particular focus on harvestable rights dams and unlicensed storages in the Murrumbidgee and Murray regions.  

Floodplain harvesting: Floodplain harvesting accounts for a large amount of surface water take in NSW and it’s NRAR’s responsibility to monitor, manage and regulate that water take.  Entitlements have been issued in a few regions (Gwydir, Border Rivers, Barwon Darling and the Macquarie Valleys) with the Namoi Valley expected to soon follow.  

Non-urban metering: This is a continuing priority area for NRAR as the rollout across the state continues. It’s one of the most significant reforms to water management in the past decade and the next phase will ensure the northern and southern inland are compliant with the new rules. 

Water use in mining and extractive industries: A standardised framework is needed to provide clear requirements for these operations and industries to record and report their water take. This priority carries over from last year to ensure water take is accurately measured, modelled and accounted for. 

 “If people have any questions about these, or other issues, we urge them to come down to site 395 – just near the food and lifestyle precinct – and we’ll be happy to help.” 

Tocal Field Days runs May 5 to 7, 2023, in the grounds of Tocal Agricultural College. 

A body, believed to be that of a man reported missing from Muswellbrook, has been located.

The 66-year-old was last seen about 6.30pm on Tuesday 4 April 2023 at Muswellbrook Hospital.

When he could not be located or contacted, the man was reported missing to officers from Hunter Valley Police District who commenced inquiries to locate him.

About 3.35pm today (Friday 28 April 2023), police were searching for the man in bushland at Muswellbrook, when a body was located.

While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the 66-year-old man.

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

A member of the Bandido outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) has been charged following an alleged brawl at a hotel in the Hunter region.

About 5.30pm on Tuesday (25 April 2023), emergency services were called to Cessnock Road, Weston, following reports of an affray.

Police will allege in court that a 33-year-old man entered the hotel and abused other patrons before assaulting a 58-year-old man.

It will be further alleged that the younger man became involved in a brawl before picking up a bar stool and throwing it towards the older man.

The older man suffered facial injuries and was treated on scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics.

Officers from Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene, with investigators from State Crime Command’s Raptor North commencing an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Following inquiries, investigators arrested a 33-year-old man at Cessnock Police Station about 9am yesterday (Thursday 27 April 2023).

The man, who police allege is a member of the Bandidos OMCG, was charged with affray, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear at Kurri Kurri Local Court on Tuesday 23 May 2023.

Inquiries are continuing.

The second stage of the Newcastle Art Gallery expansion will begin next month after councillors last night unanimously awarded the $43.8 million contract for the main construction works to Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd.

The appointment is a major milestone towards the delivery of an expanded and upgraded Art Gallery of international standing, which will become a fitting home for City of Newcastle’s nationally significant $126 million collection.

Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd has completed significant infrastructure projects in NSW and Australia in recent years, including HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast and locally, the new Maitland Council Administration Centre.

An 18-month program of work will begin with site establishment in May while grouting of the historic mine tunnels, 80 metres below the building, continues.

Almost 12,000 cubic metres of grout has been placed so far in the Borehole and Dudley seams, with the mine remediation to ensure the safety of the site ahead of the main expansion works now nearing completion.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said she was looking forward to being able to welcome the community back into the reimagined Art Gallery, with construction scheduled for completion in late 2024.

“The expansion of Newcastle Art Gallery will consolidate the Hunter’s reputation as an active and vibrant centre for the arts and culture, providing a significant cultural tourism opportunity for NSW,” Cr Nelmes said.

“By more than doubling the size of the Gallery and delivering a suite of modern facilities, the expansion will provide greater access to our nationally significant collection and a wider range of prominent exhibitions.”

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon welcomed the progress of the expansion project.

“This is a significant day for the upgrade of the Newcastle Art Gallery. I am delighted to see progress being made on the expansion of this major cultural asset,” Ms Claydon said.

“This project will further put Newcastle on the map as a cultural tourism destination, boost the economy and create jobs for locals.”

Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation Chair Suzie Galwey said excitement was building amongst its members and donors as the project reaches the next phase.

“We are delighted to see the expansion project reach this important milestone and look forward to construction commencing as soon as possible on this flagship cultural asset for our region,” Ms Galwey said.

“The Foundation thanks its members and donors for their generosity and unwavering support for this project over many years. We believe today’s announcement will inspire additional excitement and community support as the Foundation works towards its ambitious $13 million philanthropic goal.”

Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation is an independent charity which exists to provide philanthropic support for Newcastle Art Gallery.

The expansion project is supported by $5 million from the Australian Government under the Regional Recovery Partnerships program and $5 million from the New South Wales Government, as well as $10.5 million from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation made possible through the Valerie and John Ryan bequest, Margaret Olley Trust, and community fundraising over many years. A further $2.5 million is being sought through the Foundation’s public fundraising campaign.