Category: Newcastle News

City of Newcastle is investing in the future of the historic City Hall clock, investigating an upgrade that will ensure it continues to keep time for generations of Novocastrians.

The Civic timepiece receives regular check-ups from City of Newcastle’s mechanical and electrical services teams, who have identified a range of technical issues currently affecting the operation of the clock and chimes.

City of Newcastle is investing in the future of the historic City Hall clock.

The age of the clock makes repair complex, with specialist advice indicating the mechanism will need to be upgraded to restore accurate timekeeping.

City Hall is listed on the NSW Heritage Register, and City of Newcastle has engaged heritage consultants to explore an upgrade that also preserves the clock’s rich heritage.

City of Newcastle Executive Director City Infrastructure Clint Thomson said the clock tower is an antique structure that needs to be handled with care.

“Newcastle City Hall’s iconic clock tower has been a well-loved landmark at the heart of the historic Civic precinct since the building, designed by acclaimed architect Henry White, opened in 1929,” Mr Thomson said.

“I think anyone who’s appreciated something of this age and importance will understand that sometimes repairs are complex and you can’t rush in and fix it overnight. 

“Given the State Heritage significance of City Hall and its associated clocks and chime, a heritage consultant will advise the most appropriate approach to repair, which will then need to receive approval from the relevant heritage authorities.”

The upgrade will be the latest investment into preserving the landmark building for future generations.

City of Newcastle invested $20 million into a large-scale conservation project on City Hall, which was delivered in stages and completed in 2021. 

The completion of the exterior restoration works was celebrated with a visit from His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (RETD), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley. 

Conservation work was undertaken by Stone Mason and Artist Pty Ltd, who were responsible for the City Hall clock tower restoration.

City Hall will mark its 95th anniversary in December. The building is prized for its sandstone façade, three-metre clockfaces and Roman Doric and Ionic columns.

While the appropriate advice is obtained and subsequent permissions are sought from Heritage NSW, the clock will be set to midnight and the chimes turned off.

Staff in the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) are stopping work for one hour from 3.30pm today, after talks with their employer, the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle (the Diocese), failed to reach agreement on salaries.

CSO staff support the delivery of teaching and learning in Catholic systemic schools across the Diocese. They include administrative and support staff but most are education officers (who are qualified teachers) and school-based psychologists and counsellors.

Staff employed under the CSO Staff Enterprise Agreement have long received the same pay increases as teachers and support staff in Catholic systemic schools, including a decade of just 2.5% due to a direct correlation with the public sector wages cap.

But now the Diocese has refused to pass on the 8% increase paid to school teachers in October 2023 after a hard-fought campaign. The Diocese has offered just 3%.

“The employer’s failure to match pay rises in Catholic schools is a disappointing departure from the long-accepted practice of employees in the CSO receiving the same increases as teachers working in schools,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Assistant Secretary Amanda Hioe.

Salaries for school-based psychologists and counsellors have fallen far behind the salaries of psychologists working in NSW government schools, meaning the Diocese will struggle to retain this critical resource.

In the Protected Action Ballot released by the independent balloting agent on 24 May, an unequivocal 99 per cent of IEU members in the CSO voted in favour of taking stop work action.

“The strong results show IEU members are united in calling for the same increases as their colleagues in schools – they are taking this action today to achieve a just outcome for their salaries and conditions,” Hioe said.

“Employers heard the voice of teachers last year. Now it’s time for them to hear the voice of the CSO staff too.”

A NSW Police civilian employee has been charged with high-range drink driving after being stopped for a random breath test in Lake Macquarie today.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were conducting patrols at Eleebana, when they stopped a Subaru Outback on Burton Road about 1am (Wednesday 5 June 2024).

The driver was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result.

The 33-year-old man, who is attached to a specialist command, was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station where he underwent a breath analysis which returned an alleged reading of 0.151.

He was charged with high-range PCA and is due to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 26 June 2024.

Two teens have been charged after they allegedly broke into a home and led police on a pursuit.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attempted to stop a car about 1.50am today (Wednesday 5 June 2024), as it was being driven through New Lambton.

The driver allegedly failed to stop and police commenced a pursuit.

A short time later, the car was stopped on Campbell Street, Wallsend, with three teens arrested a short time later.

Another 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were taken to Waratah Police Station where they were each charged with,

• Aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence
• Destroy or damage property
• Enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse
• Aggravated break and enter with intent – knowing person there
• Be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner
• Hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, and
• Breach of bail

They were refused bail to appear at Broadmeadow Children’s Court today.

Police will allege in court the car was stolen a short time before the pursuit during a break and enter of a home on Steven Place, Newcastle East.

A third teen, a 15-year-old boy, was taken to John Hunter Hospital.

Inquiries are continuing.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate two teenage girls missing from the Hunter Valley.

Monique Rowland, 12, and Emily Rowland, 13, were last seen at a home on Skelltar Stock Route, Muswellbrook, on Sunday (2 June 2024).

When they were unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into their whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for Monique and Emily’s welfare due to their age.

Monique is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 150cm tall, thin build, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Emily is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 140cm tall, thin build, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information into their whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the Newcastle area.

Tyrus Reseck, aged 17, was last seen on Thursday 23 May 2024, leaving a unit on Platt Street, Waratah and was dropped off at Waratah railway station.

When he failed to return home and was unable to be located, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare.

Tyrus is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 160cm tall, of solid build, with short red/ginger hair and blue eyes.

Tyrus is known to frequent the Hamilton, Islington, Mayfield and Cameron Park areas.

Anyone with information into the whereabouts of Tyrus is urged to contact Newcastle Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man has died after falling from an e-scooter in the Newcastle area today.

About 12.15pm (Sunday 2 June 2024), emergency services were called to Appletree Road, West Wallsend, following reports of a crash.

Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District arrived to find the rider of an electric scooter had fallen, impacting with the roadway.

Despite the efforts of NSW Ambulance Paramedics and first responders, the man died at the scene.

The man, believed to be aged in his 30s, is yet to be formally identified.

The driver of a Toyota Hilux was taken to John Hunter Hospital for mandatory testing.

A crime scene was established and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this crash has commenced.

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

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from Newcastle area.

Parris Valentine, aged 47, was last seen at Newcastle Railway Station, on Tuesday (21 May 2024).

When she was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified on Friday (31 May 2024) and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for Parris’ welfare.

She is described as being of Caucasian appearance, of a large build, with short blonde hair and black eyes.

Parris is known to frequent the Bankstown and Newcastle areas.

Anyone with information into Parris’ whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A man has died following a crash in the state’s Hunter region overnight.

About 10.45pm yesterday (Friday 31 May 2024), emergency services were called to Carnley Avenue, Kotara, following reports of a single-vehicle crash.

Officers from Newcastle City Police District arrived to find the driver and only occupant of a black Kia Rio hatchback had left the roadway and collided with a tree.

Despite the efforts of Ambulance Paramedics and first responders, the man died at the scene.

The man, believed to be aged in his 60s, is yet to be formally identified.

A crime scene was established and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this crash has commenced.

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

As inquiries continue, anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage in relation to this incident is urged to contact Newcastle City Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

In a major step for the state’s renewables sector, the NSW Government has given planning approval to a $207.6 million hydrogen hub in the Hunter.

The State Significant Development at Kooragang Island led by Origin Future Fuels is expected tobegin construction in mid-2025.  The hub will initially deliver approximately 55 megawatts of electrolyser capacity by 2026, with an aim to scale up to over 1 gigawatt of capacity over the next decade.

Green hydrogen is created through electrolysis (splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen) which can be used as a feedstock in industrial processes and as a fuel source in the transport sector. 

The development will support the hydrogen industry in NSW by establishing a commercial-scale green hydrogen supply chain and a hydrogen refuelling network for the Hunter Region and NSW. 

It will be used by industry, with the majority going to Orica’s nearby ammonium nitrate manufacturing facility to help decarbonise its operations with green hydrogen and made available to transport customers through onsite and satellite refuelling stations.

The development will save the equivalent of more than 52,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year from Orica’s facility.

The project will create 160 construction jobs with 10 ongoing roles.

It has been funded by $45 million from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and $70 million from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

For more information visit here.  

Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe:

“This facility will be a regional cornerstone of the hydrogen industry, accelerating NSW’s shift towards clean technologies and net zero.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

“The Minns Government is committed to seeing viable renewable projects move through the planning system efficiently to make sure we are working towards our goal of Net Zero by 2050.

“Without a supportive or efficient planning system in NSW we are not going to have the investment we need to decarbonise our industries and support job growth in our regions.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley:

“NSW has the potential to be a leading producer of green hydrogen and so does the Hunter as the country’s largest regional economy.

“The Hub offers us an opportunity to bring back work lost when the former government shipped manufacturing jobs offshore.

“The approval of the Hub follows this week’s announcement of the Future Jobs and Investment Authority.

“It is a clear sign that the NSW Government is investing in the future of the Hunter, shoring up our energy grid and unleashing the Hunter’s potential to once again be a manufacturing powerhouse.

“Workers expect the NSW Government to be making investments to unlock new industry in the Hunter and ensure our region has stable, good paying jobs well into the future.    

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the NSW Government is ambitious about our community’s future.”

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon:

“Green hydrogen will play a critical role in Australia’s transformation to net zero. I am pleased to see this important project progressing, following the $70 million investment from the Commonwealth Government.

“The Albanese Labor Government is committed to supporting carbon intensive regions like ours to take advantage of the economic and job opportunities that come with more affordable and reliable renewable energy.”