Category: Newcastle News

City of Newcastle is giving Novocastrians the chance to become part of the performance and immerse themselves in this year’s New Annual experience.

Fifteen local dancers took part in a masterclass today, learning new skills with members of the internationally renowned Dancenorth Australia ensemble.

New Annual Senior Producer and Curator Adrian Burnett and Dancenorth’s Associate Artistic Director Amber Haines with members of the Dancenorth Australia ensemble and local dancers at the professional development workshop.The professional development workshop was held in the lead-up to New Annual, which officially kicks off on Friday with 10 days of art, culture and creativity.

New Annual Senior Producer and Curator Adrian Burnett said the immersive program is packed with opportunities to get involved in City of Newcastle’s flagship cultural event.

“Last year Dancenorth blew us away with their performance of Noise, which involved 60 local drummers coming together to accompany their dancers in a powerful, unified performance,” Mr Burnett said.

“This experience became a catalyst when curating this year’s program to build on the aspects of community engagement and participation.

“It is fantastic to once again collaborate with Dancenorth, who delivered today’s professional masterclass and an additional workshop with young up-and-coming dance students, ahead of their official New Annual performance of Wayfinder at the Civic Theatre this weekend.

“I’m also looking forward to seeing Novocastrians join in with a range of other of performances and events, from sharing their stories of hope, power and resilience through Truth to Power Café and Belongings, to becoming truly hands-on through the Scrub Club at artist Megan Cope’s Ngumpi Kinyingarra Oyster House.

“By incorporating a range of fun, interactive opportunities into New Annual, we ensure our community becomes engaged and invested in the program, which encourages them to explore more of what the festival has to offer.”

Dancenorth’s Associate Artistic Director Amber Haines said the dance experiences offered as part of New Annual presented an opportunity for dancers to dive deeper into the richly textured world of Wayfinder.

“Wayfinder is all about reminding people about our capacity for connection, joy and optimism,” Ms Haines said.

“Our dance experiences in Newcastle invited dancers to experience that love and positivity in a more physical way.

“While we hope engaging with dancers will encourage them to come and see our show, it’s also a beautiful way to connect with the communities we visit.

“Dancing and moving with others helps us deepen connection, broaden expression, strengthen communities and bask in the sense of wellness and positivity that can be very easy to overlook in the hustle of everyday life.”

New Annual will run from 27 September to 6 October, offering a vibrant mix of dance, music, circus, visual art and theatre. Visit https://newannual.com/ for more details about the full program. Dancenorth Australia will perform their groundbreaking production, Wayfinder, at the Civic Theatre on Friday 27 September, with tickets on sale now.

We are carrying out emergency repair works on the rock bag structure at the northern end of Barrie Crescent, Stockton, as weather conditions allow.

During the repair works there may be periods of disruption, as well as noise from machinery on site.

We will keep the community informed on progress of this work.

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

Dale Charlesworth, aged 32 was last seen leaving a commercial premises in Thomas Mitchell Drive, Muswellbrook at 9:30am on Wednesday (25 September 2024)

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

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare due to a medical condition.

Dale is described as Caucasian appearance, large build, light brown hair (mullet style) and unshaven.

He has a tattoo on his right hand.

He was last seen wearing a high-vis shirt.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Cessnock Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Nine adults will face court following an unauthorised protest near Newcastle.

About 10am today (Wednesday 25 September 2024), police were called to a rail corridor near Maitland Road, Sandgate after reports of an unauthorised protest.

Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District attended and arrested four men – aged 24, 48, 60 and 69 – and five women – aged 18, 20, 23, 42 and 66.

They were taken to Newcastle Police Station and were all charged with cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, enter enclosed non-agricultural lands with a serious safety risk, and enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without a lawful excuse.

All nine were refused bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 26 September 2024.

Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) residents in the surrounding areas of Newcastle can now access more tailored, timely healthcare in the comfort of their place of residence, thanks to a new Residential Aged Care (RAC) In-reach team which is now seeing patients.

​The geriatric urgent care service will help ease pressure on local emergency departments by responding urgently to the medical and physical health needs of older people in RACFs for non-life-threatening conditions.

Care will be provided within the RACFs by a multidisciplinary team of nurse practitioners, registered nurses, geriatricians, career medical officers and physiotherapists.

Patients are referred to the geriatric urgent care service through an established Aged Care Emergency (ACE) line. RACF calls will be answered by the RAC-In reach team intake registered nurse who will utilise decision support tools to determine the appropriate level of care for the patient. This may include telephone and videocall assessment or an on-site visit from the team.

The service is open from 8am to 4pm, seven days a week, and care provided by the In-Reach team is at no cost to the patient.

The In-reach team will cover the areas for John Hunter, Belmont, Cavalry Mater, Tomaree and Manning hospitals is being rolled out in a staged approach and is expected to be operating in all 65 RACFs in the region by 12 November 2024.

The Newcastle Residential Aged Care-In-reach forms part of the NSW Government’s $124 million commitment over two years to deliver 25 Urgent Care Services in NSW by mid-2025.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“This Urgent Care Service will be enabling residents to receive high quality, expert care without leaving their familiar environment, providing a better patient experience and easing pressure on the region’s busy hospitals.

“I am so pleased to see innovative models of care like this one being introduced to support patients to receive care in the most appropriate setting.”

Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley:

“This service will ensure aged care residents receive quality, accessible and timely medical care right where they live.

“Urgent care clinics help take pressure off our Emergency Departments and local GPs.

“Everyone deserves accessible healthcare and only the NSW Labor Government is delivering this.”

Member for Port Stephens, Kate Washington:

“The new Urgent Care Service team will deliver personalised healthcare directly to Port Stephens residents living in aged care facilities, ensuring they receive timely treatment without having to visit a hospital.

“This is a win-win for our community, improving access to urgent healthcare for our older residents and reducing pressure on Tomaree Community Hospital.”

Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp:

“It’s so important to support Newcastle’s elderly community and this initiative will do just that. Providing the appropriate care and assistance within a familiar environment.

“We all know the pressures on our busy hospitals and this initiative will go a long way to reduce those pressures.”

Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery:

“This will be a great program that will ensure a better-quality patient experience for aged care residents in their familiar settings while taking pressure off our public hospitals.”

Executive Director Operations, Hunter New England Local Health District Susan Heyman:

“We thank the NSW Government for their support in delivering this new service that will be rolled out for our aged care communities.

“Our talented and experienced clinicians will help provide immediate assistance to determine the right level of care required.”

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from the states Hunter Region. 

Bianca Graham, aged 17, was last seen in Cooranbong about 7.30pm last Friday (20 September 2024).

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

Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare due to her living with a medical condition. 

Bianca is described as Caucasian appearance, 160cm, medium build and dyed black hair. 

She was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, black pants and black shoes.

Bianca is known to frequent the Cooranbong, Raymond Terrace, Newcastle, Heatherbrae and Campbelltown areas.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Raymond Terrace Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Cessnock seniors will be ringing in the festive season this November with singing sensations Amy Lehpamer from the musical & Juliet, Arlo Sims, Liz Player and Emily Kate, from The Voice, and Will Skarpona from the Conservatorium of Music.

The stars will feature in two free concerts as part of the NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts taking place at the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock on Thursday 12 December 2024 at 10am and 1pm.

The regional concerts are an annual highlight of the Christmas period and an opportunity for seniors to get together to enjoy a spectacular show and sing along to festive favourites.

Cessnock is one of three regional centres this year to host the NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts, with other shows taking place in Broken Hill and Moree.

The concerts are part of the NSW Government’s wider celebration of seniors and their contributions, that include the annual Seniors Festival, Gala Concerts and Expo. Our vision is that all people in NSW experience the benefits of living longer and enjoy opportunities to participate in, contribute to and be included in their communities.

Free tickets to the NSW Seniors Concerts will be available from Tuesday 15 October 2024. For further information go to: seniorsfestival.info/christmasconcerts

Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said:

“The annual Seniors Christmas Concerts bring the spirit of the festive season to regional NSW, featuring some of our best talent and fresh new faces.

“The NSW Government is proud to deliver these free shows to seniors which are sure to put them in the mood to celebrate the season.

“It’s our thank you for all your contributions, so mark the date in your diaries and get your friends and family together for an entertaining show.”

Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr said:

“It is great to see the NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts coming to Cessnock, Broken Hill and Moree.

“What a great way to spread the Christmas cheer, it wonderful to see the great venue of the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC) host two NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts.”

“I encourage all seniors in the local area to apply for tickets and enjoy this spectacular show and don’t forget to sing along to your favourite Christmas tunes.” 

Performer Will Skarpona said:

“I can’t wait to bring some seasonal cheer to Cessnock with the Seniors Christmas Concerts.

“We have a solid line up of talent performing all the songs seniors know and love in a show that is sure to thrill and delight. The theme of this year’s show is ‘Time to shine’. We cannot wait to see you there.”

Newcastle Museum is hatching a world premiere 145 million years in the making, as Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction showcases the giants and babies of the Cretaceous from the brink of oblivion to the skies of today.

The exhibition of bones, fossils and hands-on discoveries by Gondwana Studios is taking shape behind the scenes and will roam the Museum from Saturday, 28 September.

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries & Learning, Julie Baird gets up close with one of the prehistoric skeletons as the installation of the Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction exhibition continues ahead of its opening at Newcastle Museum on Saturday, 28 September.

With interactive dig pits and touch fossils among more than 100 items that will be on display, Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction tracks the journey from raptor to rosella and the origins of birds today.

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries & Learning, Julie Baird, said the family-friendly exhibition will bring thousands of visitors up close and personal with an entirely new cast of dinosaurs who share a story of survival against the odds.

“Newcastle Museum knows how to bring dinosaurs to life and we’re seeing it happen right now. Whether you loved Sea Monsters and the Great Baby Dinosaur Show, or you wonder how these creatures connect to the world around us, Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction has something for you,” Ms Baird said.

“What’s being assembled in the Museum is a glimpse of a time when life on Earth was in turmoil. Dinosaurs faced their extinction and, as we know, for most it was the end. But for some, life found a way. 

“Newcastle Museum is committed to bringing engaging, high quality touring exhibitions to the Hunter Region that enrich Newcastle’s cultural offering and give local communities access to national and international exhibitions.

Seeing this world-first display come together is creating a buzz for our wonderful Museum staff and for the city.” 

Ahead of its opening on 28 September, technicians inside Newcastle Museum are busy readying a nine-metre skeleton of an apex carnivore, bones you can touch, dig pits filled with hidden dino clues, baby dinosaurs, and replica dinosaur nests. 

The Cretaceous-period VIPs on display will include the bizarre feathered Utahraptor, the mythical Griffin-inspiring Protoceratops and T-Rex’s Steppe-stomping sibling, Tarbosaurus.

While the end of the Cretaceous period caught many by surprise, Ms Baird said this exhibition would be timed nicely around school holidays.

“This will be a fantastic day out for kids, families and visitors of any age. An encounter with a dinosaur in a museum is a treasured memory for many of us and it’s fantastic that those memories are being made in our Newcastle Museum,” Ms Baird said.

“The setup for Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction is impressive on its own. This is a sensory collection of everything from eggs to full-scale predators, coming together piece by piece before any other city gets to see it. 

“My advice to any up-and-coming palaeontologist is to look out for suspiciously large footprints around Newcastle, which provide more details on this wonderful exhibition.”

Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction opens to the public on 28 September and runs until 2 March 2025.  

Ticket prices start from $7.50 for children, $15 for adults and $40 for a family of four and will be on sale from 28 September at Newcastle Museum. Tickets can also be pre-purchased online from 20 September via newcastlemuseum.com.au

The region’s most innovative engineers and engineering projects have been named at the 2024 Engineers Australia Excellence Awards – People and Projects Newcastle, held at Merewether Surfhouse last night.

“Honouring the trailblazers of the engineering world, the Engineers Australia Excellence Awards celebrate both individual achievements and the broader influence of the profession. By recognising these contributions, we not only elevate their work but also lay the groundwork for the next generation to continue this legacy,” said Engineers Australia General Manager – Newcastle, Helen Link.

Local winners will go on to represent their division at the national awards’ gala dinner on 21 November at the Brisbane City Hall.

Newcastle Project of the Year
Hybrid Power and Propulsion System for Maritime Vessels – Ampcontrol
In collaboration with Ampcontrol, Steber International, and the University of Newcastle, the project designed, constructed, and demonstrated a 600kW hybrid power system for a 43-foot boat. This innovative solution addresses critical challenges in reducing carbon emissions in the maritime sector, supporting the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The project’s collaborative approach and cutting-edge engineering solutions have set a high standard for the maritime industry, with the potential for scalable applications both locally and internationally.

Newcastle Professional Engineer of the Year: 
Amanda Kerr – AECOM

Amanda Kerr is recognised for her impactful career as an environmental engineer and leader. As AECOM’s Area Manager for the Hunter Region, she leads a team of over 100 engineers and scientists, delivering critical projects and driving sustainability initiatives. Her expertise in project management, health and safety, and environmental impact assessments has resulted in the successful completion of projects across various sectors. Amanda’s leadership in AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies strategy and her dedication to diversity and inclusion through volunteer work and outreach programmes have made her a highly deserving recipient of this award.

Newcastle Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year
Cameron Denecker – Aurecon

Cameron Denecker is recognised for his exceptional early-career achievements and leadership in engineering. As an Associate at Aurecon and a Chartered Engineer, he has managed complex projects, including a $90 million programme for the Department of Defence. His work on Aurecon’s modular bridge system has reduced construction risks and costs. His commitment to sustainability and diversity is evident in his projects, where he actively recruits graduates and Indigenous students while promoting inclusive work environments. He was also awarded the 2022 National Future Leader by the Australian Institute of Project Management.

Events like these are not possible without the support of our Excellence Awards category partners: 

•            Edith Cowan University – Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year 

•            Bluebeam – Professional Engineer of the Year 

•            Department of Transport and Main Roads – Engineering Associate of the Year 

•            Metecno – Project of the Year 

Engineers Australia:  As Australia’s national engineering body, we champion our 127,000 plus members, providing resources, connections and growth for high-value work in our communities.

A teenage girl missing in the Newcastle area has been located safe and well.

The 12-year-old was last seen in the Kotara area, about 8pm Sunday (15 September 2024).

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

Following inquiries, she was located at Charlestown yesterday (Monday 16 September 2024).

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