Category: Newcastle News

Eight students from the Hunter / Central Coast are among only 149 students statewide chosen to perform as featured artists and dancers at the Schools Spectacular’s 40^th anniversary show, ‘Fabulous’.

The students went through a rigorous audition process before being chosen from more than 900 nominations to be part of the largest performing arts event in the southern hemisphere.

They are:

• Hunter School of the Performing Arts: Shanaya Buddingh and Willem Szabo (Dance), Jorden Leggett (Instrumental), Georgia Dully and Symphony Riley (Vocal)
• Rutherford Technology High School: Josie McIntosh (Dance)
• Terrigal High School: Maddi Johnson and Sydney Mickle (Dance)

Executive producer Richard Spiewak said the Schools Spectacular was one of the most anticipated events on the public school calendar.

“To be chosen to perform at this world-class event is not only testament to their talent, but also an opportunity for students to nurture their love for performing while working alongside some of the finest talents in the entertainment industry,” Mr Spiewak said.

“The featured artists are some of our brightest stars and, alongside all this year’s performers, they will put on a spectacular show that highlights the incredible talent within our public schools.

“We’ve already seen a sneak peek of their talent during the recent rehearsals, and I can guarantee that this year’s show is going to be fabulous.”

This year’s featured artists range in age from 11 to 18 years and will join more than 5,000 performers drawn from public schools across the state for this year’s live performances at Qudos Bank Arena on 24 and 25 November 2023.

The world’s largest annual variety show will also include an 80-piece symphony orchestra, a stage band, 2,600-voice choir, 2,300 dancers, the D’Arts Ensemble for students with disability, the Aboriginal Dance Ensemble, featured dancers and specialist performers – all under the guidance of more than 600 teachers.

Rehearsals for Schools Spectacular began during the school holidays, where 57 featured artists from schools across the state came together for the first time in Sydney to prepare for the November shows.

They included singers, dancers, musicians and co-hosts who spent the first week of the school holidays immersed in intensive rehearsals at the Department of Education’s Arts Unit in Lewisham.

During the week-long rehearsals, students practiced their songs and segments, engaged in one-on-one vocal workshops, underwent styling and costume fittings, and participated in wellbeing sessions. 

The theme this year is ‘Fabulous’ and celebrates a show that has wowed its audiences for 40 years since its first performance to celebrate the opening of the Entertainment Centre in Darling Harbour in 1983.

The Schools Spectacular is proudly supported by sponsors and supporters: Telstra, NSW Teachers Federation, School Bytes, RØDE, Smartsalary, Teachers Health, Colmed Group, Steinway Australia, Sony Australia and Event Partners: Qudos Bank Arena, Seven Network and Ticketek.

Tickets for the 2023 Schools Spectacular are on sale now through Ticketek.

A man has died after a single-vehicle motorcycle crash near Hunter Valley.

About 11am on Tuesday (17 October 2023), emergency services were called to Bylong Valley Way, Kerrabee, following reports of a single-vehicle crash.

The rider, a 69-year-old man – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the scene before being airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the crash.

On Wednesday (18 October 2023) the man died as a result of his injuries.

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

I thank the people of Newcastle for voting YES, for answering the call of First Nations people for recognition, listening and a better future for all Australians. Newcastle has recorded the highest yes vote outside of capital cities, at current count.
 
I am enormously grateful to the hundreds of volunteers in Newcastle who knocked on doors, made phone calls, ran street stalls and community events. Novocastrians showed up in their thousands to walk for YES and they had conversations with their families, friends, neighbours and work mates. The YES result in Newcastle is testament to this massive effort.
 
I especially want to pay tribute to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait leaders who have given so much of themselves to bring fellow Australians on this journey. It’s been a long road, across some very difficult terrain. The people of Newcastle stand with you.
 
I know that many Novocastrians will be feeling disheartened by the national results, but this is not the start or end of the struggle for First Nations justice.
 
We will take some time to pause and reflect as a community, but then regather, because our commitment and conviction for a better future for Australia’s First people is no less urgent today than yesterday. Together we will forge a new path. I know we can do this.

A man has been charged following a 45-hour police operation in the Lake Macquarie region.

Officers from the Hunter Region Enforcement Squad attended a home on Lake Road, Swansea, about 3pm Wednesday (11 October 2023), and attempted to speak with a 33-year-old man.

Police will allege in court the man instead entered the house and refused to leave.

A perimeter was established and specialist police, including negotiators, were called to the scene.

Attempts to negotiate with the man continued until about 12.10pm today (Friday 13 October 2023), when the man was taken into custody by officers from the Tactical Operations Unit (TOU).

Police seized eight firearms from the home including a sawn-off rifle, a shotgun, a lever action rifle and five pistols.

He was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with 35 offences including:

• Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention
• Armed with intention to commit indictable offence
• Three counts of possess unauthorised firearm
• Two counts of possess unregistered firearm not pistol or prohibited firearm
• Three counts of not keep firearm safely not pistol or prohibited firearm
• Possess unregistered firearm prohibited firearm
• Two counts of possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit
• Goods suspected stolen in or on premises
• Six counts of possess ammunition without holding licence or permit or authority
• Five counts of possess unauthorised pistol
• Three counts of not keep firearm safely pistol
• Three counts of possess unregistered firearm pistol
• Possess less than three unregistered firearms, one is prohibited or pistol
• Two counts of possess prohibited drug
• Supply prohibited drug commercial quantity

He has been refused bail to appear in Newcastle Bail Court tomorrow (Saturday 14 October 2023).

Novocastrians have the chance to help a local champion become a legend, with nominations now open for City of Newcastle’s 2024 Citizen of the Year Awards.

Categories include Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year, within the Newcastle Local Government Area.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the annual award program celebrates a diverse range of people from all walks of life.

“We all know Newcastle is a great place to live and it’s the people in our community who continue to make the city better each year,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Now is the time to nominate someone who’s made a difference in Newcastle. It doesn’t have to be a familiar name or a high-profile achiever, it could be a friend or neighbour, colleague, or a local group.

“This is your chance to tell us about an unsung hero whose efforts deserve formal recognition.”

As the University of Newcastle’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Leadership, 2023 Citizen of the Year Nathan Towney says winning the award has given him a greater profile at a significant time in the national discourse on Indigenous affairs.

“As a proud Wiradjuri man, I was honoured to be given this award and have the chance to encourage more discussion around the issues facing First Nations people,” Mr Towney said.

“I’m very grateful to those people who have done a lot of hard work in this region and this city and I want to acknowledge them. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do in this space without the foundations that have been laid before me.

“I want to encourage everyone in Newcastle to think about nominating someone who is fighting for a worthy cause.”

The career of last year’s Young Citizen of the Year Dominic May has gone from strength to strength during the past 12 months, with his business CoastXP, a unique coastal sightseeing experience, named as a finalist for this year’s NSW Tourism Awards.

Tireless work with all levels of government to tackle coastal erosion saw the Stockton Community Group named the 2023 Community Group of the Year.

Members of the group recently had another win when it was announced that a contract has been awarded by the State Government to obtain and place 100,000 cubic metres of sand along the Stockton coastline in October, the first step in the broader Coastal Management Plan.

Citizen of the Year Award nominations are now open at newcastle.nsw.gov.au/citizenoftheyear

Nominations close 19 November 2023 and will be judged by the City of Newcastle Award Panel.

A man has died after a two-vehicle crash in Hunter Valley region.

Just after 6.15am on Friday (13 October 2023), emergency services were called to the Bayswater Creek Bridge, on the New England Highway at Ravensworth, following reports of a two-vehicle crash.

On arrival, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District found a truck and a ute had collided head-on.

The driver of the ute – a 22-year-old man – was assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he died at the scene.

The driver of the truck – a 27-year-old man – was treated at the scene with injuries in his muscle and leg before being taken to Singleton Hospital for mandatory testing in a stable condition.

He is assisting police with their inquiries.

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

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

Newcastle’s cycling network continues to grow, with City of Newcastle seeking community feedback on the second stage of the Hunter Street Trial Cycleway project.

The proposed cycleway between National Park Street and Ivy Street will run on both sides of Hunter Street, separated from other traffic.

The project follows successful completion of the Stage 1 Hunter Street trial cycleway between Worth Place and National Park Street in 2021.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said this project is part of an ongoing effort to deliver safe, connected and convenient cycleways across the city.

“By prioritising our investment in cycleway infrastructure, we want to provide connections for people of all ages and abilities to ride along safely and confidently, giving everyone the choice to incorporate cycling into their lives,” Cr Nelmes said.

“We’re applying a human-centred approach to our planning that promotes sustainability and liveability. As a result, we are making a significant investment in new, safe cycleways with almost $5 million being allocated to cycleways projects under the 2023/24 capital works budget.”

Councillor Charlotte McCabe invited the community to embrace the opportunity to discover the joy of riding more in our beautiful city.

“As population growth puts pressure on our roads and streets, providing additional space for cars is not the answer, but re-evaluating how we use these spaces will help to support and enrich our daily lives and lead to a healthier, greener and more connected Newcastle,” Cr McCabe said.

Stage 2 of the trial cycleway proposes a reduction to one travel lane on each side of the road to improve pedestrian safety and allow for parking to be retained, new treatments at all intersections and at the rail bridge, and safe buffer zones with plastic separators.

Once linked with Stage 1, this 2km long dedicated lane for cyclists will connect commuters, residents and visitors from the suburbs of Islington and Tighes Hill into the city.

President of the Newcastle Cycleways Movement Sam Reich said the project aims to address the need for safer active transport networks.

“The Hunter Street Cycleway builds towards the current best practice approach by providing a safe separated bicycle lane in each direction, between the parked cars and the footpath,” Mr Reich said.

“Since the installation of the separated cycleway as part of stage one of this trial, we’ve seen an increase in the number of cyclists using Hunter Street.

“By connecting it to this second stage of the project, it will help encourage people in Mayfield, Islington, Hamilton and Wickham to take up bike riding for at least some of their short to medium trips into the city, thereby reducing traffic volumes and congestion and freeing up car parks whilst undertaking enjoyable exercise.”

City of Newcastle received $1.5 million from Transport for NSW under the NSW Government’s Get NSW Active Program to complete this important cycleway connection.

Community feedback on the proposed concept plans for Hunter Street Trial Cycleway Stage 2 is open until 5pm, Wednesday 8 November 2023. Visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/yoursay, to complete the online survey.

To find out more information on City of Newcastle’s current and future cycleways projects visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/cycleways

A $5 million project to reduce the risk of flooding on a major Newcastle roadway has been completed by City of Newcastle.

The work will significantly decrease the likelihood of University Drive at Waratah West flooding due to heavy rain by improving the flow of water through Boatman Creek.

The low section of this busy road, which is a major thoroughfare to the Mater Hospital and University of Newcastle, was notorious for flooding during major wet weather events, causing road closures and damage to nearby properties. In 2020, ten people were rescued by the SES after a bus entered floodwaters at this location.

A 100-year-old brick arch culvert that was restricting the capacity of Boatman Creek and posing a blockage risk has now been replaced with a new sandstone channel. The upstream creek has also been rehabilitated to maximise flow capacity and channel durability.

A new cycleway pedestrian bridge located above the stormwater channel was also constructed as part of the project to maintain access for students and the community.

While the new upgrades won’t entirely flood-proof the area, the project will mean less disruption to traffic on this important road by reducing flooding frequency.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle is continuing to invest in projects across the city that deliver modern infrastructure to help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events.

“We are committed to delivering largescale stormwater infrastructure upgrades that ensure the safety of community and property now and into the future,” Cr Nelmes said.

“By replacing the culvert, upgrading the channel in Boatman Creek, and moving water away from people and properties, this work will reduce the impacts of flooding on lives, homes and businesses.”

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said that the upgrade will make a meaningful difference in the lives of those living and working in the area.

“The construction of a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the embankment has also ensured the project maintains access to the University for students and continues to be an important link in our city’s wider cycleway network,” Cr Clausen said.

A man is due in Newcastle court today charged with 45 offences after allegedly exposing himself to school children.

Officers from Newcastle City Police District established Strike Force Fitzwater to investigate multiple reports of a man exposing his genitals to children in the Merewether and Cooks Hill area.

As part of inquiries, detectives were patrolling the Cooks Hill area yesterday (Friday 6 October 2023), when they followed a vehicle to Robey Street, Merewether, and arrested the 65-year-old driver.

The man was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he has now been charged with 45 offences,

Intentionally do sexual act towards child between 10 to 16 years (21 counts)
Stalk person intent to cause physical or mental harm (22 counts)
Intentionally sexually touch child 10 years or older and under 16 years, and
Carry out sexual act with another without consent.
He has been refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 7 October 2023).

A number of items have been seized for further examination from both the vehicle and a home in the Newcastle area.