Category: Newcastle News

An app that allows everyday people to help local businesses struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic has been launched today.
‘Lean In Newy’ connects organisations that need support, with people wanting to help, while providing added encouragement through $50,000 in vouchers and discounts redeemable at local businesses.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Novocastrians have been brimming with community spirit in response to COVID-19 and Lean In Newy would direct people’s desire to help where it’s most needed.
“COVID-19 has had an unprecedented effect on our community, with older people experiencing increased isolation and businesses suffering a downturn in trade, while other people have found themselves suddenly with more time on their hands,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We have been hearing from many people in the community wanting to help but not knowing how. Lean In Newy is the answer to those asking, ‘How can I help?’.
“Charitable organisations like OzHarvest, Dog Rescue Newcastle and Take 3 For The Sea have registered with Lean In Newy to put out a call for volunteering opportunities, and those who put their hand up will be rewarded with incentives like a free coffee at a local café.
“There are already 23 businesses and 11 not-for-profits signed up, with more in talks, and City of Newcastle is funding the discounts or incentives offered through businesses during the COVID-19 recovery phase.
“Lean In Newy is a fantastic way for us to play our part in helping local businesses and community organisations get back on their feet.”
Family Support Newcastle is one of those community organisations. CEO Sue Hellier said the organisation’s role in promoting the wellbeing of children and their families, individuals and communities was more vital than ever in light of recent hardship caused by COVID-19.
“Many of our activity groups and face-to-face support services have been impacted by COVID-19, but our mission remains the same. There are still ways the community can assist, like purchasing items and assembling kids’ activity or sanitisation packs at home and dropping them off at our Waratah centre,” Ms Hellier said.
“Lean In Newy will be a great help for organisations like us that need more support during this challenging time, and we’re very thankful to City of Newcastle for developing this initiative.”
^{(L-R): Family Support Newcastle CEO Sue Hellier, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Zebra Finch owner Kate McNally assemble kids’ activity packs.}
Likewise, local business owner Kate McNally, who operates Zebra Finch at Marketown and Kotara, said she was grateful for the helping hand to encourage customers back to the stores.
“As a small business, we have felt the impacts of COVID-19 closures and social distancing measures quite profoundly, with a significant downturn in trade,” Mrs McNally said.
“It’s a relief to have the City’s support to help get back on track.”
Download Lean In Newy from the App Store or Google Play or visit leaninnewy.com.au.

Blackbutt Reserve’s animal exhibit boardwalk will reopen to the public today.
Animal encounters, wildlife exhibits and shows remain on hold under the current social distancing and public gathering restrictions, while the kiosk also remains closed.

“Blackbutt Reserve is one of our City’s most popular attractions and we’re pleased people can once again enjoy the boardwalk and see some of the 60 species of animals that live there,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Safety is our priority and when you visit Blackbutt Reserve, you can expect social distancing measures in place to protect visitors and our staff.
“Novocastrians have done a fantastic job of limiting the spread of COVID-19, and as we reopen facilities to the public, we encourage everyone to keep up the good work including practising good hygiene and staying home if you’re unwell.”
During the Reserve’s closure, Blackbutt’s koalas became social media stars with a 360-degree live stream of feeding time, allowing young and old to join them daily for lunch.
“Over seven days, the stream of feeding time with koalas attracted 30,000 views on Facebook proving just how popular and loved our animals are.”
Adding to the experience at Blackbutt Reserve, playgrounds, walking trails, open spaces, shelters and barbecues are open.

A man will face court today, charged after a commercial quantity of anabolic steroids was allegedly seized at a Maitland home yesterday.
Last month, officers from the Port Stephens-Hunter Drug Unit commenced an investigation into the supply of anabolic steroids in the Maitland area.
Following extensive inquires, investigators executed a warrant at a home on Lapwing Street, in the Maitland suburb of Aberglasslyn, yesterday (Monday 1 June 2020).
During a search of the home, officers allegedly located and seized 233 vials, containing 2.3 litres of anabolic steroids, along with 5.2 litres of liquid believed to be anabolic steroids, glassware and chemicals.
These items will be forensically examined.
A 31-year-old man was arrested at the home and taken to Maitland Police Station, where he was charged with supply prohibited drug – commercial quantity.
The man has been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 2 June 2020).

A man has been charged following two pursuits through several Hunter suburbs overnight.
Shortly before 11pm yesterday (Monday 1 June 2020), officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attempted to stop a blue Holden Cruze for the purpose of a random breath test on Trafalgar Street, Nelson Bay.
When the vehicle failed to stop, police commenced patrolling for the vehicle, eventually locating it in Fingal Bay.
Police attempted to stop the Holden a second time on Rocky Point Road, Fingal Bay, before the vehicle allegedly drove off at speed.
Police initiated a pursuit which continued through several suburbs including Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Corlette, Salamander Bay and Anna Bay, allegedly reaching speeds in excess of 150 km/hr in a sign-posted 50km/hr zone.
Officers lost sight of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit.
Further police were deployed when they located the vehicle on Marsh Road, Salt Ash, and initiated a second pursuit.
Road spikes were successfully deployed on Nelson Bay Road, Salt Ash, with police continuing to pursue the Holden along Richardson and Medowie Roads, before the vehicle stopped on the Pacific Highway north of Six Mile Road.
A man and a woman both exited the Holden and fled into nearby bushland.
A short foot pursuit ensued with the assistance of the Dog Unit before police arrested a 31-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman.
Police will further allege they located methylamphetamine during a person search of the man.
Both were taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station where the 31-year-old man was charged with six offences, including police pursuit, supply prohibited drug, drive whilst disqualified and breach of bail.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 2 March 2020), where he was formally refused bail to appear at the same court on Monday 15 June 2020.
The 29-year-old woman was released due to medical reasons and inquiries are continuing.

A woman has been charged with driving offences following inquiries by Crash Investigators into a collision in Lake Macquarie earlier this year.
Two women were critically injured when the cars they were driving collided at the intersection of Ntaba Road and the Pacific Highway, Jewells, about 10.20am on Wednesday 25 March 2020.
A 73-year-old woman, from Jewells, and a 60-year-old woman, from Chain Valley Bay, were taken to John Hunter Hospital.
A crime scene was established by officers from Lake Macquarie Police District, with officers from the Hunter Crash Investigation Unit (CIU) undertaking inquiries.
The younger woman has since been released from hospital and was yesterday (Saturday 30 May 2020), arrested when she attended Newcastle Police Station.
She has now been charged with five offences;
* Dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – drive manner dangerous
* Negligent driving (occasions grievous bodily harm)
* Driver use mobile phone when not permitted
* Drive vehicle, illicit drug present in blood, and
* Not stop at stop line at red light.
She has been granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 30 July 2020.
The older woman remains in hospital in a serious condition, where she continues to be treated for spinal fractures, head and internal injuries.

Newcastle Libraries will resume its home library outreach and begin inviting members to pick up items reserved before COVID-19 restrictions limited operations to digital services.
Resumption of the home library service will help vulnerable members access library items once again, while those who reserved collection items prior to the March closure of branches will be able to collect them after being notified by the library.
Staff will first contact those members awaiting reserved items to advise of the collection point and time.
“Starting with our outreach services only, we are taking a cautious, phased approach to re-opening our libraries to ensure we are able to meet the Public Health Order requirements, which include changes to service delivery and preparing our spaces with additional measures to keep everyone safe,” Manager Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said.
“We will resume our home library service on Monday for existing members while adhering to public health orders that require returned books to be quarantined for 24 hours.”
Libraries staff have made and received more than 6,500 support phone calls over the past two months, produced a host of online programming podcasts and activities and welcomed more than 1,000 new members on the back of a $60,000 e-library expansion.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the public back to our branches very soon, which we hope to announce in the next couple of weeks,” Ms Gately added.
Newcastle Museum remains temporarily closed to the public while a plan for its safe re-opening, mindful of the facility’s interactive attractions and popularity with children, is developed.

Newcastle Art Gallery will re-open Tuesday following the NSW Premier’s announcement that cultural institutions can re-open from 1 June amid easing COVID-19 restrictions.
The Gallery will re-open to visitors with separate, two-hour daily sessions from Tuesday 2 June – 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm.
After first booking their attendance online, up to 40 people per session will be able to view HOMEWARD BOUND: the art and life of Tom Gleghorn and REPEATER: from the collection, an exhibition exploring repetition drawn from the Gallery’s collection.
Visitor numbers will be monitored through a ticketing system and extra cleaning and touch-free hand sanitisers will be provided as part of our focus on keeping our guests and staff safe. Signage and floor decal markers will help ensure social distancing.
“We are delighted to re-open Newcastle Art Gallery in a way that’s safe to the public,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“With regional tourism permitted from 1 June we’re looking forward to safely welcoming visitors back to our Gallery while giving some of the 1,000 people who have viewed our current exhibition online the chance to see Tom Gleghorn’s works of art in person.
“Thanks to our staff who over the past two months have delivered a range of quality online programs, such as virtual exhibition tours, a collection recreation challenge, weekly Art Cart activities, Youth Week programming as well as a collaborative online exhibition with regional Galleries across NSW.”
While public programs remain suspended, the Gallery will continue to share the collection and digital experiences via its website and social media.
Newcastle Museum remains temporarily closed to the public while a plan for its safe re-opening, mindful of the facility’s interactive attractions, is developed.

A teenage boy has been arrested following the alleged stabbing of a 16-year-old boy while travelling on a train in East Maitland yesterday.
About 7.20pm (Thursday 28 May 2020), two boys aged 16, were travelling on a train between Beresfield and Maitland Railway Station.
The pair, who are known to each other, became involved in a verbal argument that quickly escalated to one of the boys producing a knife and stabbing the other in the abdomen.
The injured boy alighted from the train at Victoria Street Railway Station where he approached a train guard for assistance.
The train doors were locked as the train left the station, and police were called.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District arrived at Maitland Railway Station where they entered the train carriage and arrested the youth.
He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries.
The injured boy was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital for further treatment.
Inquiries continue.

A teenage boy has now been charged following investigations into the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in East Maitland yesterday.
Police will allege the incident occurred about 7.20pm yesterday (Thursday 28 May 2020), when two boys aged 16, were travelling on a train between Beresfield and Maitland Railway Station.
The pair, who are known to each other, became involved in a verbal argument before one of the boys produced a knife and stabbed the other in the abdomen.
The injured boy alighted from the train at Victoria Street Railway Station where he approached a train guard for assistance.
The train doors were locked as the train left the station, and police were called.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District arrived at Maitland Railway Station where they entered the train carriage and arrested the youth.
He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was later charged with wound with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless wounding and having custody of a knife in a public place.
He was bail refused and will appear in Broadmeadow Children’s Court today (Friday 29 May 2020).
The injured boy underwent surgery and remains in a stable condition.

City of Newcastle has welcomed the announcement of a Special Activation Precinct at Williamtown that’s expected to generate jobs and boost the greater Newcastle economy.
The Special Activation Precinct covers up to 10,000 hectares of land in and around Newcastle Airport and RAAF Base Williamtown and means the State Government will tailor infrastructure investment to support local needs.
Essential services that businesses need to operate will be provided by the NSW Government and may include roads and utilities such as water, electricity, stormwater, waste management and digital connectivity.
^{(L-R):  Deputy Mayor Port Stephens Council Chris Doohan, BAE Systems Director Aircraft Sustainment and Training Andrew Chapman, The Hon. Taylor Martin MLC, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Deputy Premier The Hon. John Barilaro and The Hon. Catherine Cusack MLC – Parliamentary Secretary inside a BAE Systems hangar at Williamtown.}
Aligning with the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan, the project could spur upgrades to Newcastle Airport’s runway and terminal, the M1’s extension to Raymond Terrace and new road links to the airport and Port of Newcastle.
“The announcement of a Williamtown Special Activation precinct is great news for Newcastle and the Hunter, bringing thousands of skilled jobs along with unlocking key development lands,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It’s especially welcome at a time when thousands of jobs have been lost in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie due to the coronavirus pandemic, because the Special Activation Precinct will provide direct and indirect jobs for decades to come.
“Special Activation Precincts have a high potential to create significant employment and drive investment in engine industries, those that employ a higher proportion of people in our region compared to others.”
^{Deputy Premier The Hon. John Barilaro co-piloted by Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes.}
The Special Activation Precinct will build on the defence, aviation and technology commercial activity of the Astra Aerolab announced last year.
The 76-hectare site adjoining the airport and Williamtown RAAF Base, home to Australia’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet, will become the country’s pre-eminent space for aviation, defence and aerospace-related manufacturing, maintenance, research and education.
Paralleling the twin aerospace developments will be passenger growth at Newcastle Airport, with a minimum 2.6 million-passenger throughout expected by 2036.
The anticipated growth and expansion of passenger flights will be supported by improved public transport between the airport and city centre, as well as runway surface and freight-handling capacity upgrades.
New employment opportunities will also arise from domestic and defence aircraft maintenance.