Category: Newcastle News

From a stirring salute to the Hunter’s frontline health workers to the city’s largest simultaneous pool party, there will be plenty of COVID safe activities to enjoy across Newcastle on 26 January.
City of Newcastle is bringing the Australia Day fun to the suburbs this year, delivering a range of diverse events spread across the Local Government Area that will allow families to enjoy the day closer to home.
Newcastle Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said due to COVID precautions and awareness, localised events across the city provided the ideal way for the community to safely come together.
City of Newcastle’s traditional Australia Day citizenship ceremony, which in the past has been one of the largest in the state, will also become a COVID safe event this year, with the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor holding simultaneous ceremonies via Zoom to allow our newest citizens to make their pledge to Australia in a COVID safe environment.
“Throughout the pandemic, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our community has been our highest priority,” the Deputy Lord Mayor said.
“Our Australia Day program of events, much like our New Year’s festivities, has been designed to provide opportunities for Novocastrians to get involved in activities within their surrounding neighbourhoods and at some of our city’s most iconic locations.
“Smaller gatherings with dispersed crowds offer a safer way for people to come together and connect on 26 January, whether they’re packing a blanket and heading down to enjoy the produce stalls, food trucks and family-friendly entertainment at Richley Reserve, or cooling off at the city’s largest simultaneous pool party with inflatable fun and roving entertainment.
“Fort Scratchley will also use 26 January to provide a fitting salute to healthcare workers at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, with 24 of those frontline staff given the opportunity to fire the Fort’s historic guns at 1pm.”
Fort Scratchley will offer a day full of activities, with a flag raising accompanied by the stirring sounds of the City of Newcastle RSL Pipe and Drums at 11am followed by the first of three gun firing ceremonies on the day (also at 1pm and 3pm).
Morse code demonstrations and a sausage sizzle hosted by the Lions Club will add to the atmosphere, while visitors are able to explore the Fort’s historic museum exhibition rooms or enjoy a picnic on the grassed headland with spectacular views of the ocean and harbour.
Sports enthusiasts can enjoy the final day’s action of the Beach 5s Rugby Tournament at Nobbys Beach, which showcases an entertaining and fast-paced hybrid game using modified rugby league, rugby union and touch football rules.
The teams-based competition has been hosted in Queensland previously but will have its first showing in Newcastle on 24-26 January, with former professional players Lote Tuqiri, Danny Buderus, Willie Mason and Robbie O’Davis headlining the City of Newcastle-supported event.
Locals looking for other family-friendly options for Australia Day can also check out the current exhibitions on offer at the city’s key cultural facilities including Colour by Questacon and 1×4 at Newcastle Museum and We Can Be Heroes: a backstage pass at Newcastle Art Gallery.
Australia Day celebrations
Food Market
Richley Reserve
10am to 4pm
Food-based market stalls, food trucks, roving entertainment, reptile shows and activities for children.
Pool Parties
Beresfield, Mayfield, Stockton and Wallsend pools
10am to 4pm
Activations include inflatables and roving entertainment.
Historical activities
Fort Scratchley
10am – 4pm
City of Newcastle RSL Pipe and Drums performance and flag raising (11am), firing of the Fort guns at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, Lions Club sausage sizzle, museum exhibition rooms, morse code demonstration.
Beach 5s Rugby
Nobbys Beach
24-26 January
Former professional players Lote Tuqiri, Danny Buderus, Willie Mason and Robbie O’Davis will be headlining the Beach 5s Rugby Festival presented City of Newcastle, which will see men’s, women’s and youth teams contest five-a-side sand-based matches based on modified rules of rugby union, rugby league and touch football
Colour exhibition
Newcastle Museum
10am – 5pm
Engage with more than 20 scientific experiences and see colour as you’ve never seen it before in this exhibition developed by Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre and presented by Newcastle Museum.
We Can Be Heroes: a backstage pass exhibition
Newcastle Art Gallery
10am – 5pm
Music lovers will be given a backstage pass to some of the biggest bands and gigs in the world through this exhibition, which showcases rarely seen and previously unreleased photographs of Australian and international musicians.

Police are appealing for information after reports of a child approach in the Hunter region today.
About 2pm (Friday 15 January 2021), a teenage boy was at a skate park on Milbrodale Road, Broke, when he was approached by a man driving a white van.
Police have been told the man spoke to the boy, aged 13, before offering to give him lollies if he got into the vehicle.
The boy declined and began walking along Wollombi Road. He noticed the van following him before running home and informing a family member.
The incident was reported to police and an investigation commenced by officers from Hunter Valley Police District.
As inquiries continue, police would like to speak to a man who may be able to assist with inquiries.
He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his 40s, with long black hair, a beard and was dressed in all black.
Police are also appealing for anyone who may have seen a white van or may have been driving in the area with a dashcam around the time of the incident, to come forward.

A teenager has died while swimming in a public pool in the Hunter region this afternoon.
About 3.30pm today (Friday 15 January 2021), emergency services were called to an aquatic centre on Les Darcy Drive, Maitland, following reports a teenager was in trouble in the water.
A 13-year old girl, yet to be formally identified, was pulled from the water and lifeguards commenced CPR.
NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and continued CPR before transferring her to John Hunter Hospital, however, she later died.
Officers attached to Port Stephen-Hunter Police District attended and have commenced inquiries.
A report will be provided for the information of the coroner.

Two men will appear at court today charged over alleged drug offences in the Lake Macquarie area.
Officers from the Lake Macquarie Police District have been investigating the alleged supply of prohibited drugs, mainly methylamphetamine, in the Windale and Gateshead areas.
As a result of ongoing inquiries, police were conducting patrols of the Gateshead area when they stopped and spoke with a 38-year-old man on Coral Crescent about 10.40am yesterday (Thursday 14 January 2021).
During a person search, officers allegedly located methylamphetamine.
He was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.
About 4.40pm that same day, detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Coral Crescent and arrested a 54-year-old man.
During the search, police located and seized methylamphetamine, cannabis, and more than $20,000 in cash.
Both men were taken to Belmont Police Station, where the older man was charged with five offences, including supply indictable quantity prohibited drug, recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime and possess prohibited drug.
The younger man was charged with supply indictable quantity prohibited drug and possess prohibited drug.
Both men were refused bail to appear at Belmont Local Court today (Friday 15 January 2021).

Community members looking to drop off common household problem waste at Summerhill Waste Management Centre are being encouraged to postpone their visit following the temporary closure of the Community Recycling Centre (CRC).
The CRC provides a free drop-off point for waste items that can’t be placed in kerbside waste and recycling collection bins, including household quantities of paint and paint-related products, motor oils and cooking oils, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, car and household batteries, smoke detectors, fluorescent light globes and tubes as well as printer cartridges and X-rays.
However, high demand over the Christmas period has seen the centre’s storage limits temporarily approaching capacity, ahead of its scheduled fortnightly collection.
Community members unable to postpone their visit can make free use of the neighbouring CRC facilities at Awaba, Cessnock and Salamander Bay. Residents should avoid choosing Maitland’s facility as an alternate drop-off as it is also experiencing higher than usual demand and is nearing its capacity limit as well.
Locations and operating hours are available at cleanout.com.au.
This is the first time Summerhill has had to temporarily close the facility since the CRC opened. Regular operation of the site will recommence as soon as possible.
All other services at Summerhill Waste Management Centre are operating as usual, including the Sort and Save service for Newcastle residents.
Community Recycling Centres are an initiative of the NSW Environment Protection Authority in partnership with local councils.

A missing teenage girl from Newcastle has been located safe and well.
The 12-year-old was last seen in Newcastle on Wednesday 23 December 2020.
Following extensive inquiries, she was located at a Woodberry property about 7.50pm yesterday (Wednesday 14 January 2021).
Police would like to thank the media and the public for their assistance.

A man will face court today charged over alleged property offences in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Sometime between 3pm on Sunday (10 January) and 7.30am on Monday (11 January 2021), police will allege two businesses on Pendlebury Road at Cardiff were broken into, with laptops, iPads, power tools and other industrial equipment taken.
Following extensive inquiries by the Lake Macquarie Police District Proactive Crime Team, officers stopped a Mazda 6 on Minmi Road, Fletcher, about 1.30pm yesterday (Wednesday 14 January 2021) and spoke with a 31-year-old man.
Police conducted a search of the vehicle where they allegedly located items believed to be stolen from the above premises as well as methylamphetamine and housebreaking implements.
The man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station, where he was charged with 10 offences, including:

• Enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse
• Larceny
• Destroy/damage property (x2)
• Aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal
• Aggravated break and enter commit indictable offence-in company-steal
• Possess housebreaking implements
• Possess prohibited drug
• Goods in personal custody suspected being stolen

Police will allege in court the Birmingham Gardens man was involved in property offences around the Newcastle area in December 2020.
He was refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Thursday 14 January 2021).

The summer cleaning schedule at Newcastle Ocean Baths and Merewether Ocean Baths, and the cleaning hours for staff at the baths, have not been reduced.
During the past month, a number of factors have contributed to the cleanliness of Newcastle Ocean Baths. The recent wet weather has impacted ocean water quality, which in turn impacts the water quality of the baths.
The already larger summer visitor numbers at Newcastle Ocean Baths increased this week due to shark sightings, which forced the closure of Nobbys and Newcastle Beaches for two consecutive days.
Newcastle Ocean Baths and Merewether Ocean Baths have also been the target of antisocial behaviour including vandalism to the facilities and rubbish and objects thrown into the pool.
Cleaning crews conducted a routine weekly clean at Newcastle Ocean Baths today to ensure that the baths are in the best condition possible ahead of the forecasted high temperatures and low-high tides both today and Thursday.
While City of Newcastle schedules weekly cleaning of Newcastle Ocean Baths and Merewether Ocean Baths, the ability to clean the pool is highly dependent on surf conditions, tidal heights and the weather. The onsite pumps can assist in controlling cleanliness, however they can only operate during mid to high tides and as such are unfortunately not always able to be used.
Additionally, water quality is heavily influenced by the naturally occurring water quality of the ocean and the debris present. During summer, warmer water accelerates algae growth resulting in a build-up on the walls. Although this results in the appearance of an unclean pool, regular testing indicates that the water quality is acceptable for public swimming.
City of Newcastle will continue to investigate and trial options to increase water quality lifecycles, while attempting to minimise pool cleaning shutdowns of the Ocean Baths to achieve a balance between availability and cleanliness.

A man will face court today after allegedly stabbing two women in the Hunter Valley overnight.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District were called to a home on the Pacific Way at Muswellbrook about 7pm (Tuesday 12 January 2021), and found a 27-year-old man in the front yard allegedly armed with a pair of scissors, carrying a baby.
Officers repeatedly directed the man to release the child; however, he allegedly refused.
As the man briefly put the 11-month-old girl on the ground, police deployed a Taser to affect his arrest.
A 30-year-old Macksville woman was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, while a 28-year-old Muswellbrook woman was taken to Muswellbrook Hospital for treatment.
Five children aged between 11-months and seven were at the home at the time but were not physically injured.
The Macksville man was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station where he has been charged with two counts of wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He was refused bail to face Muswellbrook Local Court today (Wednesday 13 January 2021).
Police will allege in court the man stabbed a 30-year-old woman several times to the abdomen and right eye, before stabbing a 28-year-old woman to the upper arm and face.

An intimate art gallery performance by a renowned Australian musician, an augmented reality experience celebrating indigenous culture and a discussion on women in leadership with Australia’s first female Prime Minister feature in the second program announcement for City of Newcastle’s inaugural arts festival, New Annual.
With one month until the 10-day event kicks off on February 12, tickets have gone on sale and the full program has been revealed, with more than 50 events set to showcase over 100 visual and performing artists.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said New Annual provided an opportunity for locals and visitors to discover new work, new perspectives and new performance spaces across the city.
“New Annual represents Newcastle’s time to shine – through our local artists, through our city’s creative spaces and most importantly, through rich and engaging stories,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Supporting and delivering cultural and community programs, events and live music is key to progressing our vision of Newcastle as a smart, liveable and sustainable global city.
“The festival will feature local and visiting artists sharing music, dance, contemporary performance and visual art, showcasing our community’s journey of self-expression, resilience and recovery, and highlighting Newcastle’s identity as a creative hub with a vibrant cultural heritage.”
Highlights of the program include an event presented by Newcastle Writers Festival, which will see former Prime Minister Julia Gillard discuss her latest book and the lessons that can be learned from women leaders.
Fans of iconic Australian singer songwriter and lead singer of much-loved band Something For Kate, Paul Dempsey, will get to see him like never before during an up-close-and-personal performance at Newcastle Art Gallery, while a range of Indigenous cultural items at Newcastle Museum will be enhanced via an augmented reality experience incorporating music, narration, animation and storytelling.

Newcastle’s iconic Hazy Cosmic Jive recording studio will provide a musical showcase of homegrown talent, while various street art activations will bring key outdoor locations to life. An open artist studio trail featuring some of Newcastle’s most dynamic independent art spaces will also offer a hands-on insight into the creative processes of a visual artist.
These events complement major commissions from local artists and companies revealed during the first program announcement in October last year. Feature performances from Curious Legends and Catapult Choreographic Hub and pop-up venues and installations in Civic Park and Wheeler Place will showcase the best of Newcastle’s creative arts, while visiting artists like Feras Shaheen and Omega Ensemble will deliver a range of compelling works.
Cr Nelmes said New Annual has an eclectic and ambitious program designed to inspire, delight and encourage contemplation as it explores both light-hearted and more serious themes.
“New Annual is the catalyst for Newcastle’s cultural events sector to take centre stage alongside leading national events,” Cr Nelmes said.
“It will shine a spotlight on Newcastle’s reputation as a creative city where ambitious and accessible contemporary art and culture grow and thrive within a prosperous, diverse and resilient community.
“Over time the festival will grow to become a significant generator of cultural tourism, using arts and culture to share the city’s stories with the world.”
New Annual’s program has been designed with the flexibility to operate as a COVID-19 Safe event depending on Public Health Orders. To find out more visit www.newannual.com.