Category: Newcastle News

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenager missing from the state’s north.

Alea Picket, aged 14, was last seen on Ford Street, Muswellbrook, about 12.30am yesterday (Thursday 10 October 2024).

When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police hold concerns for her welfare due to her young age.

Alea is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm-170cm tall, of thin build, with blonde hair brown eyes.

She is known to frequent the Muswellbrook area.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Hunter Valley Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Great News!

A 48-year-old woman reported missing from the Hunter Valley yesterday (Thursday 9 October 2024), has been found safe and well today (Thursday 10 October 2024).

Police would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance.

City of Newcastle is inviting Novocastrians to help determine whether the first day of the 2025 Newcastle Show should be declared a local public holiday.

A community survey will gather feedback from people who live, work and run businesses in Newcastle to gauge support for the proposal, with specific questions about the economic and social benefits as well as tourism industry promotion of the region.

Executive Director Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer David Clarke said the community has traditionally supported the idea of a local public holiday.

“City of Newcastle conducted community consultation in 2023 and 84 per cent of respondents supported a local public holiday for the Newcastle Show,” Mr Clarke said.

“The Newcastle Show is an important historical, social and cultural event that dates back to 1901, and visitor numbers have continued to increase since the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As part of the community survey City of Newcastle will consult with chambers of commerce, banks, major employers and schools that would likely to be impacted, should the day be declared a local public holiday.”

“If the day was to be declared a local public holiday it would apply to all employees whose place of work is within the Newcastle Local Government Area.”

Alternatively, a local event day may be declared, as has been the case in recent years. A local event day is not a public holiday, but can be considered as one, for those employees in the area who have agreed to observe the day in their relevant industrial agreement and any other employers who want to participate.

The community survey is now open and will close at 5pm on 5 November.

Feedback will then be presented to Council for consideration, prior to an application being made to the NSW Government. 

You can have your say by completing the online survey here before 5pm on 5 November http://haveyoursay.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Newcastle-regional-show-day-2025

The 2025 Newcastle Show will run from Friday 28 February to Sunday 2 March.

Two teenagers have been charged following a pursuit in the Hunter Valley region overnight.

About 12.20am (Tuesday 8 October 2024), police attached to the Hunter Valley Police District attempted to stop an allegedly stolen vehicle on Deakin Street, Kurri Kurri.

When the vehicle allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit continued through several suburbs before the vehicle came to a stop on Love Street, Cessnock.

Three occupants ran from the vehicle, and with the assistance of the Dog Unit, were located nearby.

The driver, 19-year-old man, and his two passengers, both 16-year-old boys, were arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station.

The man was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, never licensed person drive vehicle on road, possess prohibited drug, take & drive conveyance without consent of owner.

He was refused bail to appear before Cessnock Local Court today (Tuesday 8 October 2024).

A 16-year-old boy was charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse.

He was refused bail to appear before a children’s court later today (Tuesday 8 October 2024).

The other 16-year-old boy was dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

The NSW Electoral Commission has finalised the count for the local government election held on 14 September 2024, with Dr Ross Kerridge elected as Lord Mayor. 

Five new Councillors and seven returning Councillors will form the new 13 person Council. 

Returning councillors include Charlotte McCabe (Ward 1), Declan Clausen (Ward 1), Jennie Barrie (Ward 2), Nuatali Nelmes (Ward 3), Elizabeth Adamczyk (Ward 4), Deahnna Richardson (Ward 4) and Callum Pull (Ward 4). 

They will be joined by new Councillors Peter Gittins (Ward 1), Joel Pringle (Ward 2), Paige Johnson (Ward 2), Sinead Francis-Coan (Ward 3) and Mark Brooker (Ward 3). 

Lord Mayor: 

Dr Ross Kerridge 

Ward 1: 

Charlotte McCabe (Greens) 

Declan Clausen (Labor) 

Peter Gittins (Independent) 

Ward 2: 

Joel Pringle (Greens) 

Jenny Barrie (Liberal) 

Paige Johnson (Labor) 

Ward 3: 

Sinead Francis-Coan (Greens) 

Nuatali Nelmes (Labor) 

Mark Brooker (Independent) 

Ward 4: 

Elizabeth Adamczyk (Labor) 

Deahnna Richardson (Labor) 

Callum Pull (Liberal) 

A nine-metre-tall version of the traditional playground swing will give locals and visitors a new perspective on Newcastle as part of the final weekend of New Annual.

The wheelchair accessible, free public art installation will be a feature of the festival in Wheeler Place from Friday to Sunday, allowing people over 10 years of age the chance to strap in and soar through the air in the heart of the city.

Senior Producer and Curator Adrian Burnett with SWING creator Ian Pidd in Wheeler Place.Over the weekend, Wheeler Place will also be home to the collaborative sculpture which has been created by participants at the Morphology workshops during this year’s festival.

On Saturday thousands of people are expected to flock to Museum Park for Global Gathering, a celebration of diverse traditions, food, art forms, and cultural expressions that unite people from various backgrounds.

The free community event will showcase incredible artists such as Newcastle’s very own Greek/Australian singer Maria Maroulis and the internationally renowned Jin Wu Koon dance troupe who perform their daring dragon and lion dancing on poles up to three metres high and two metres apart, utilising fire hoops and high wires.

The evening concludes with world music favourites Ghana Road Show who fuse circus acts with traditional African dance and rhythmic drumbeats, while Worlds Collide delivers a blend of seven cultures utilising hip hop rhymes, melodic hooks, languages and genres.

Senior Producer and Curator Adrian Burnett said New Annual is dedicated to amplifying diverse and multicultural voices and creativity.

“City of Newcastle’s New Annual is all about helping to foster a sense of community,” Mr Burnett said.

“Last year almost 5000 people packed into Museum Park for Global Gathering to experience the immersive and joyful atmosphere.

“As part of our support for local arts performances five artists were selected from 55 submissions to share in almost $100,000 worth of funding to present as part of New Annual 2024.

“Art Thinking received a grant for their experimental interactive experience called INTRA Human x INTER Digital that explores the way platforms for communication influence social cohesion and can highlight, celebrate, or welcome diversity.”

Art Thinking will conduct two-hour masterclasses on Saturday and Sunday at 6 Stewart Avenue, Newcastle West, providing a deep dive into the world of interactive media art.

At the University of Newcastle’s Conservatorium of Music seven unique artists from diverse cultural backgrounds will take centre stage tonight and tomorrow night as part of The Cord.

The provocative new contemporary dance work by acclaimed First Nations choreographer Jasmin Sheppard is told through cross–cultural perspectives using physical theatre, found and verbatim text, ultimately what ties us all together.

Also tomorrow night Jeremy Goldstein will present his inspirational and award-winning performance event at City Hall known as Truth to Power Café.

The profound theatrical reflection on loss, hope, and resistance is told through image, film, poetry, music, and authentic stories in response to the question: ‘Who has power over you and what do you want to say to them?’

Honeysuckle Marina remains a hive of activity, offering a program of native food workshops, language workshops and knowledge sharing across the weekend as part of Ngiarrenumba Burrai (Our Country).

Ngumpi Kinyingarra Oyster House will continue to host Megan Cope’s daily ‘Scrub Club’ where audiences are invited to pick up a brush and contribute oyster shells for Cope’s future oyster reef art projects.

The venue will be transformed into an outdoor dance party with a live laser light show when the Newcastle Art Gallery presents Friday Night Sounds with local DJ Jun Wan, who brings two decades of dedication to the world of electronic music.

Australian classical super-group, Omega Ensemble, will perform Concertante at City Hall on Saturday night in a raw and revealing arrangement for just ten musicians, unlocking surprising new emotive power and virtuosity.

City of Newcastle’s UpStage at the Playhouse program continues at the Civic Theatre for the next three nights with Karma Kafé, with a large all-singing, all-dancing cast, live music, and the scent of roasted coffee, celebrating Newcastle’s lively café culture, centred around Darby Street’s legendary establishment, Goldbergs.

Visit www.newannual.com for more details about the full program.

City of Newcastle is ready to celebrate the completion of the $3.5 million playground upgrade at Gregson Park with a family friendly community event. 

With fences coming down ahead of the long weekend, City of Newcastle will welcome the community back into the space with a fun-filled event on Tuesday 8 October with free activities and entertainment for all to enjoy. 

Celebrating Indigenous traditions, the area includes a bush tucker garden and yarning circle to encourage knowledge sharing, in addition to traditional play equipment, a range of accessible and nature-based play options, and an upgraded, accessible amenities building. 

The new play space includes equipment for a range of ages and abilities, including a six-metre-high climbing tower, trampolines and a balance obstacle course, as well as a softfall mound with slides, rope and rock-climbing elements. 

Gregson Park’s renewed playspaceOther features include a seesaw rocker, swing set and sandpit with waterplay feature, along with an accessible carousel and whizzers. 

Opportunities for passive and active recreation have been created to re-activate the much-loved park, with additional shade, formal and informal seating, footbridges, a new covered picnic area, while exercise equipment delivers an outdoor gym experience. 

Maddie’s bench continues to be treasured within the heart of the new playspace for the community to use as a space to rest, reflect and enjoy the surroundings of Maddie’s favourite park.  

City of Newcastle is proud to have delivered accessible infrastructure for everyday activities, with various pieces of equipment that will be suitable for everyone, including those with limited mobility. 

City of Newcastle invites the community to celebrate this renewed playspace with family friendly activities being held between 10am to noon on Tuesday 8 October. 

The event will feature free face painting, an ice cream truck and coffee cart, roving entertainment and music. City of Newcastle’s Environment team will also host fun nature-based activities to keep children busy and engaged.  

For the latest information about the free community event visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/gregsonparkplayspace 

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from the Newcastle region.

Lara Sutton, aged 12, was last seen at a public pool on Durham Road, Lambton, about 11.30am on Thursday (3 October 2024).

When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for her welfare due her age.

Lara is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 160cm-165cm tall, thin build, with brown hair and blue eyes.

She is known to frequent the Waratah West, Woodrising and Toronto areas.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Newcastle City Police District or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

City of Newcastle is dropping into history to support Paralympian Paul Nunnari activate NSW’s first wheelchair-accessible skate bowl as part of a $20,000 boost for local inclusive sports events.

Eight initiatives will share in the pool of funding from City of Newcastle, which was allocated as part of the Inclusive Sports Pitch Night at this year’s Count Us In Sport festival.

Paralympian Paul Nunnari at City of Newcastle’s wheelchair accessible skate bowl. The grants will allow community-based sporting organisations and recreation providers to deliver events and activities designed to increase the participation of people with a disability in sport.

This includes a “come and see” wheelchair motocross (WCMX) demonstration hosted by Mr Nunnari, which will showcase how wheelchair users can fully engage with the inclusive skate bowl and terrain park at South Newcastle Beach delivered through City of Newcastle’s multi-faceted Bathers Way project.
 
The event aims to promote the physical and social benefits of being involved in sport and highlight the importance of inclusive sports facilities.

City of Newcastle Executive Director of Creative and Community Services Alissa Jones said these grants contribute to ensuring everyone has access to the benefits of sport.
 
“The funding awarded to these eight organisations represents our commitment to changing the narrative for people with a disability in Newcastle,” Ms Jones said.

“These initiatives not only open doors for participation but also inspire a more inclusive sporting community.”

Mr Nunnari said he is proud to be a part of an initiative that will open up new possibilities for wheelchair users.

“This skate bowl is more than just a facility, it’s a space where everyone has dignified, equitable access and can thrive and have fun,” Mr Nunnari said.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase how accessible skate facilities can showcase the skills of wheelchair users (WCMX) and the broader disability community. This is the first of its kind in NSW, and I know it will set a benchmark for other communities to create similar inclusive spaces.”

A range of other sports including water polo, soccer, dance, lawn bowls, tennis and surfing will also be made more accessible to the community thanks to the City of Newcastle grants.
 
Rachel Pond will continue to facilitate weekly sports activities through her organisation, Wheelchair Sports for Kids at the Newcastle PCYC. After identifying a need for age-appropriate accessible sessions for her two-year-old, Rachel developed this program for wheelchair users aged 12 and under.

The New Lambton Eagles Football Club, known for their longstanding support of footballers with disabilities, will install soft cushioning around their synthetic multi-sport playing surfaces to enhance the safety for those who have less balance or are at higher risk of falling.

Local hubs will be created at Bar Beach and District Park Tennis Courts to provide opportunities for people to learn and play standing adaptive tennis, while Learn to Surf Newcastle will host five group learning opportunities for people with a disability.

The Fun Fit water polo initiative, supported by NSW Water Polo, aims to create an inclusive space for participants of all abilities, including those with disabilities, to play in a non-contact and non-competitive environment.

Greater Newcastle Bowls will trial an all-abilities program to make lawn bowls more inclusive. While accessible bowling exists nationally and internationally, this initiative will create pathways for local players to participate and engage at these levels.

City of Newcastle’s annual Count Us In Sport festival was held from August 8-15 to champion the importance of making sport accessible for all.

The program featured a range of events and activities designed in consultation with City of Newcastle’s Access Inclusion Advisory Committee and community members with lived experience of disability, including a “come and try” sports day and an inclusive sports forum featuring former Newcastle Knight Alex McKinnon and Paralympian Rae Anderson.

With beaches that attract over one million swimmers and sunseekers each year, City of Newcastle is calling for high-school aged trainee lifeguards to patrol our coastline alongside our professional lifeguards.

For the fourth year running, City of Newcastle is investing in upskilling Hunter Surf Lifesavers under its Trainee Lifeguard program.

City of Newcastle trainee lifeguards Blake Cook, Xavier Coates, Andie Widseth, Lily Forbes, and Zara Campbell.Executive Manager Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy said as a coastal city experiencing a growth in population and visitors, it is vital City of Newcastle continues to develop and grow its professional lifeguard team.

“Our Trainee Lifeguard Program offers successful applicants an opportunity to shadow City of Newcastle lifeguards who support the community so they can safely enjoy the city’s beaches and ocean baths,” Ms Duffy said.

“The program involves weekday shifts of up to 24 hours per week throughout the summer school holidays and offers invaluable mentorship from our professional lifeguards.

City of Newcastle invites the community to Dixon Park on Friday 11 October between 6am and 9am to speak to our team of lifeguards including the 2024 Australian Open Ironman Champion Dan Collins, and previous trainees.

“Interested locals will be able to ask questions about water safety, learn about the six-week trainee program and the unique career opportunities within their own backyard,” Ms Duffy said.

Since City of Newcastle launched the program in 2021, the traineeship has helped kickstart the careers of 13 lifeguards, who are now regularly patrolling our beaches during the summer months.

Zara Campbell, who undertook the traineeship in the 2023/24 season and will shortly commence work as a City of Newcastle casual lifeguard this summer, said the program provided her with a breadth of knowledge and insight into what it takes to be a beach lifeguard. 

“The traineeship has offered me new skills that I can transfer into my day-to-day life,” Ms Campbell said.

“The work environment was so welcoming which allowed me to make the most of the experience alongside a great team of lifeguards. I am extremely excited to commence as a causal lifeguard and use these new skills I have gained,” 

“I highly recommend the traineeship to high school students who are interested in becoming a professional lifeguard. The learning experience was fun, it is a great summer job, and you work alongside great individuals who make a huge contribution towards keeping Newcastle’s beaches safe.”

Applications open Wednesday 2 October and close on Sunday 20 October, with successful trainees beginning the program on 23 December 2024.

Visit City of Newcastle’s Employment Opportunities webpage for more information.