Category: Newcastle News

Beresfield Public School students have pulled on their gardening gloves for a hands-on lesson in urban biodiversity delivered by City of Newcastle to celebrate World Environment Day.

Twenty-five members of the Student Representative Committee helped plant 18 trees, including Smooth-Leaved Quandong and Black Gum, as well as 20sqm of small flowering plants along Boomerang Street, adjacent to their school.

The students learned how street trees can help reduce the impact of heat stress and climate change in urban environments and will continue to care for the plants with the help of their teachers.

Cr Elizabeth Adamczyk, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and City of Newcastle Environmental Education Officer Elise Budden help students from Beresfield Public School plant trees, grasses and small flowering plants.Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said it’s important to teach children about the value of our environment from an early age.

“The theme of this year’s World Environment Day is land restoration, desertification and drought resilience, with the slogan ‘Our land. Our future. We are generation restoration’,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Through events like this we aim to educate students on the importance of street trees and gardens and the biodiversity they support, as well as increasing Newcastle’s urban forest, mitigating urban heat impacts and encouraging community stewardship of public land.

“City of Newcastle has a proud track record when it comes to environmental initiatives and will continue to work with our community to create a legacy for future generations through the implementation of our 10-year Newcastle Environment Strategy.” 

The tree planting was delivered as part of City of Newcastle’s Living Streets and Street Garden programs, which aligns with a key priority of the Newcastle Environment Strategy by helping to increase our community’s connection with the urban forest.

“This month we’ve launched an awareness campaign to support the Strategy, which features residents, community groups and small-to-medium businesses and highlights how everyone in the community can help us reach our goals of net zero emissions, reducing, reusing and repurposing waste; and protecting our local environment,” Cr Nelmes said.

Beresfield students will join forces with other local primary schools to help City of Newcastle plant even more trees in nearby Tarro Reserve on Friday 26 July as part of Schools National Tree Day.

Native species will be planted at Tarro Reserve and students will learn about bush craft and study waterbugs, while also connecting to culture thanks to the visit of a National Parks and Wildlife Aboriginal Ranger.

This will be followed by a community event at the Reserve on Sunday 28 July to celebrate National Tree Day.

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.