16 News

Today the Australian Government has unveiled a plan to work with the NSW Government and Tomago Aluminium to keep the smelter open beyond 2028.

This joint effort secures thousands of jobs at Tomago and across the Hunter, and positions Australia as a global leader in aluminium produced using renewable energy.

Over the coming months, Tomago Aluminium will work with the Federal and NSW Governments on a long-term renewable energy solution to support the smelter’s viability when its current energy contract expires in 2028.

The partnership aims to deliver a long-term, fixed-price power purchasing agreement for the smelter, along with concessional finance arrangements to accelerate renewable energy generation and storage developments in NSW.

As part of a successful agreement Tomago Aluminium will contribute at least $1 billion in capital and major maintenance investment over the next decade, which includes identifying further decarbonisation opportunities for the smelter.

This represents a significant milestone towards securing the smelter’s ongoing operations.

The Commonwealth Government, NSW Government and Tomago Aluminium are working together to secure more reliable, renewable energy supply for heavy industry in the Hunter region.

The Coalition’s “wasted decade” of energy policies saw 24 of the nation’s 28 coal‑fired power stations announce closures without a plan to replace this energy generation – scaring off investment in regional industries.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese

“We want to ensure that Tomago continues to forge Australia’s prosperity, and it continues to create and sustain good, skilled jobs.

“I want to thank the workers and the Hunter community who have faced uncertainty in recent weeks.

“My government is working together with the NSW State Government and Tomago Aluminium on a new energy agreement that will secure the future of the facility.

“Tomago has a proud place in Australia’s history – and we will ensure it has a central place in Australia’s future”

the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Minister for Science, Tim Ayres

“Tomago Aluminium is a vital facility for the Hunter region, Australia’s aluminium value chain and Australia’s national interest.

“We want the Tomago workers to have as much certainty as possible – and I want to reassure the community that every lever in government is being looked at to secure industry in the Hunter.”

the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen

“Tomago Aluminium has made it clear: to remain competitive and secure its future the smelter needs a reliable and affordable supply of renewable energy, with ageing coal-fired power options being prohibitively expensive.

“While the coalition fight themselves, we’re fighting for the regions and bringing more renewables online faster – so we can deliver the modern and affordable energy grid Australian’s deserve and industry needs.”

the Member for Paterson, Meryl Swanson

“This is about our workers, their families, and our local businesses.

“We’ve worked very hard with our Labor colleagues to find a practical solution using renewable energy.

“I stand with my community and with local manufacturing right here in the Hunter region.”

A man has died following a multi-vehicle crash in the state’s Hunter Region.

About 1.40pm (Friday 12 December 2025), emergency services were called to the New England Highway at Glennies Creek, near Singleton, following reports of a three-vehicle crash.

NSW Ambulance Paramedics treated the driver of a blue Mazda CX5 wagon – a 72-year-old man – however, he died at the scene.

The driver and passengers of a Nissan Navara utility were able to remove themselves from the wreckage of their vehicle. They were also treated at the scene by Ambulance Paramedics, with only a 42-year-old female passenger taken to John Hunter Hospital for further treatment. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The third vehicle involved, a Toyota Tundra, driven by a 41-year-old man, was not injured.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Highway Patrol have commenced an investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

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

City of Newcastle is putting local theatre makers in the spotlight with four dynamic productions as part of the 2026 season of Upstage at the Playhouse. 

Now in its third year, Civic Theatre’s UpStage program will feature works by Newcastle playwrights and theatre companies including two debut productions, with all four shows showcasing the region’s creative strength. 

Cr Jenny Barrie and Executive Manager, Civic Theatre Leonie Wallace join the representatives of each 2026 Upstage production outside the Civic Playhouse.Chair of City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Advisory Committee, Councillor Jenny Barrie, said supporting Newcastle’s grassroots theatre makers is vital for thriving creative communities. 

“Newcastle is alive with talent that we are proud to showcase through this program, which provides a platform to tell local stories that resonate with our community, while offering visitors a new way to connect with Newcastle’s theatre culture,” Cr Barrie said.

“City of Newcastle is proud to support each of these production companies through this program, which has been embraced by the local community, with over two and a half thousand tickets sold across the four productions delivered during 2025.”

Upstage at the Playhouse was developed by the Civic Theatre to deepen engagement with the local theatre community by co-presenting and supporting works that showcase the talent, creativity, and diversity of the Newcastle region. 

Each of the selected shows will be given a two-week placement in the atmospheric 195-seat Playhouse, which is co-located in the same building as the iconic Civic Theatre.

Local writer Mikaela Corrigan will be debuting her play She, Her and I with Cats in the Cupboard Productions, established in 2023. The play tells the story of three sisters who reunite after 20 years at their family home in Bar Beach to care for their sickly mother. 

Using visual media and local beach scenes to evoke memory and belonging, She, Her and I is a deeply cathartic and humorous story that will connect audiences to Newcastle’s coastline and the complexity of family dynamics.

Daniel Cottier Productions was established in 2024 and will make its debut with Occasional Combustible Disaster. Set in Karuah, the play follows a young teen who faces a life-altering decision days before finishing his HSC, and is packed with humour, heartbreak and an exploration of the nuclear family.

The Whisper is a dark comedy drama by Carl Caulfield, premiering with Stray Dogs Theatre Company. When a stranger moves into a family home as a lodger, he bears an uncanny resemblance to the family’s deceased son. As unsettling similarities emerge, household tensions begin to spiral. 

HER Productions will be staging Stephen Jeffery’s provocative portrait of the notorious poet John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester. The Libertine explores genius corrupted by excess, hypocrisy and the longing for authenticity. 

Executive Manager, Civic Theatre Leonie Wallace said the program reflects Newcastle’s growing reputation as a hub for original theatre.

“The Upstage program aims to amplify the work of both emerging and established creatives, giving them visibility within our community and beyond,” Ms Wallace said.

“By supporting works from emerging theatre companies alongside seasoned theatre practitioners, Civic Theatre is creating a platform that strengthens our city’s cultural identity and positions Newcastle as a hub for original Australian theatre.”

Occasional Combustible Disaster will be showing in March followed by The Libertine in July, The Whisper in August and She, Her and I in November.

For tickets and more information visit: civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/upstage

Newcastle Museum will delve into one the city’s most intriguing pieces of coastal history as part of a new exhibition exploring the rise and disappearance of the iconic World Pool.

Newcastle’s Lost World features rarely seen photographs, community-loaned objects and large-scale historic images that illuminate a much-loved chapter of Newcastle’s past.

Young Mariners’ Pool, Rose Stereograph co negative, c. 1937 is among the historic photos being displayed in the Newcastle’s Lost World exhibition at Newcastle Museum, courtesy of Greg and Sylvia Ray

The World Pool, also historically referred to as the Young Mariner’s Pool, was located adjacent to the Newcastle Ocean Baths and is better known to many Novocastrians today as the Canoe Pool.

It was built in 1937 as Newcastle’s first dedicated children’s paddling and model yacht pool and featured red and green coloured concrete continents to represent a map of the world. 

Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said the free exhibition reflects the community’s long-standing fascination with the coastal asset.

“The World Pool holds a special place in Newcastle’s collective memory and people have been talking about it for generations,” Ms Baird said.

“This exhibition delves into why the pool was created, how it captivated the city and the ways Novocastrians used and connected with our coastal swimming spaces from the 1930s to the 1970s. 

“This exhibition reconnects our community with a unique piece of our coastal story and celebrates the Novocastrians who have kept its history alive. We invite visitors to wander through and gain a new perspective on a site that continues to spark curiosity and nostalgia.”

While the map was a popular feature of the pool, damage from sand washing in during storms and increasing maintenance demands led to its gradual deconstruction through the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Small remnants of the continents remain today and can occasionally be seen when enough sand is naturally washed out of the pool.

The exhibition includes images sourced through passionate Newcastle historians Greg and Sylvia Ray, founders of the Photo Time Tunnel and custodians of one of the region’s most significant photographic archives.

The free exhibition Newcastle’s Lost World is now on show at Newcastle Museum

Many of the photographs, captured by former Newcastle Herald photographers and digitised from the original negatives, have never been displayed publicly as enlarged exhibition prints.

Objects loaned by community members and groups further enrich the exhibition, including women’s swimwear from the 1930s, model pond yachts, postcards and letters from the early to mid-1900s.

Newcastle’s Lost World is now open and will remain on display at Newcastle Museum until 15 February 2026. Entry is free.

Visit https://newcastlemuseum.com.au/ for more information.

City of Newcastle will transform Laman Street into a temporary sculpture park and street party on Friday 27 February to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery.

The Gallery will take art to the street for one night only as it kicks off a three-day celebration of the reopening, and the launch of its major exhibition Iconic Loved Unexpected on 28 February.

Exterior of the expanded Newcastle Art Gallery building at First Night First Look event, 26 September 2025. Photo: Lachlan Matheson.

CEO Jeremy Bath said the reopening of Newcastle Art Gallery represents a landmark moment for City of Newcastle and the city’s cultural landscape. 

“This will mark the completion of the largest capital works project and most significant commitment to cultural infrastructure in City of Newcastle’s history, a feat achieved on the back of more than 16 years of fundraising and perseverance,” Mr Bath said.

“Featuring a total of 13 galleries and an additional 1,600 square metres of exhibition space, the Gallery will be the largest public art institution in New South Wales outside Sydney.

“We are proud to have supported Newcastle Art Gallery to become a striking celebration of art for our city, state and country, and a fitting home for our nationally significant $145 million collection. 

“We look forward to welcoming the community into the expanded Gallery next February as we launch a new era of cultural tourism in Newcastle.”

The expansion sympathetically builds on the original Gallery’s brutalist architecture to more than double its footprint on the corner of Laman and Darby streets.

It includes a secure international standard loading dock, a new café, retail shop, multi-purpose program space and learning studio.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said the redevelopment enables the Gallery to present long-term displays of its world-class permanent collection for the first time, alongside ambitious Australian and international exhibitions.

“February’s full reopening will mark a transformative moment for the Gallery. With the expansion nearing completion, we are preparing to share more of our collection – one of the country’s most significant public art collections – with a level of ambition and visibility that reflects its importance,” Ms Morton said.

“The reimagined Gallery allows us to present more of our works, collaborate with leading artists nationwide and host major Australian and international exhibitions that were previously beyond our reach.

“Iconic, Loved, Unexpected has been curated to celebrate this milestone and to signal what comes next. As we open our doors on 28 February 2026, we look forward to welcoming visitors from across Australia and abroad into this exciting new chapter.”

Celebrations for the reopening commence on Friday 27 February with Friday Night Sounds, a free after-hours street party that will transform Laman Street into a temporary sculpture park created by local artists from the Gallery’s collection. The precinct will come alive with interactive family spaces, roving performances, live music and DJs, food trucks, a pop-up bar and lighting installations. Inside, visitors will have the opportunity to preview the Iconic, Loved, Unexpected exhibition through a series of events activating the gallery spaces.

The opening weekend will also feature a dynamic program of artist talks, a collaborative community artmaking project and live performances spanning music, dance, poetry and performance art, offering an immersive and celebratory welcome into the new building.

The Iconic, Loved, Unexpected exhibition will span two levels of the gallery, bringing together icons, favourites and unexpected gems, including never-before and rarely seen works.

More than 500 works by local, national and international artists from the early nineteenth century to today will be showcased, including artists with strong local ties such as Joseph Lycett, William Dobell, Margaret Olley, John Olsen, Nell and Lottie Consalvo; leading First Nations artists Emily Kam Kngwarray, Sally Gabori, Tracey Moffatt, Archie Moore and Albert Namatjira; and global figures from Auguste Rodin to avant-garde ceramicist Kazuo Yagi.

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 $12.5 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 $500,000 is currently being sought through the Foundation’s public fundraising campaign.