REDHEAD FIRE – Lake Macquarie Added to Disaster Declaration List

 The Federal Government has activated Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements for locals at Redhead, Gateshead, Whitebridge and Dudley, who may have had property damaged or might be in need of essentials.

Measures include assistance to meet emergency accommodation needs, grants for uninsured residents and financial support towards counter disaster activity undertaken by emergency service organisations to keep communities safe.

The fire at Redhead Road has now burned through over 90 hectares, and did threaten homes, but thanks to water bombing aircraft and firefighters on rolling shifts, they were able to keep the fire from spreading to a nearby aged care home.

The Fernleigh Track after the Redhead fire. Credit / Lake Macquarie Council

Truck Loaded With E-Bikes And Batteries Destroyed By Fire At Nerong

 BY IAN CROUCH

Fire crews have worked through the night to extinguish a truck fire at Nerong north of Newcastle.

Newcastle Fire Command says a B-Double with a mixed load which included E-bikes and batteries caught fire in the northbound lanes of the Pacific Highway about 2 kilometres south of the town just after midnight on Tuesday 9 December 2025.

Fire and Rescue crews from Tea Gardens along with a bulk water tanker from Toronto and a Hazmat team from Newcastle were sent to the blaze.

It's taken 5 hours to completely extinguish the fire and make the area safe.

The truck driver wasn't injured and a salvage operation is getting under way.

 

SWANSEA CHANNEL – Community Consultation Underway on 10 Year Plan

 The State Government says it wants to hear from residents on a Review of Environmental Factors for approving dredging works to maintain reliable access through the channel, following the third stage of maintenance dredging completed earlier this year.

Progress is also being made on the $10 million Dredge and Sand Transfer System, which will use excess sand from the channel to deal with erosion at Blacksmiths Beach.

Swansea MP Yasmin Catley says once the plan’s put into action, it will clear up issues with access.

“It will make sure that as we see markers that indicate that there’s [sand banking up], Maritime will be able to go in there and do the dredging programs without us having to wait sometimes more than 12 months for approvals,” she said.

“The construction of the Sand Transfer System will begin in March and it will conclude in May and that’s transferring the dredged sand onto Blacksmiths Beach, just up near the golf course. This will really address the issues that we have over there of severe coastal erosion,” she said.

Credit / Lake Macquarie Council

Newcastle Police Appeal For Help To Find Missing Teenage Boy

 BY IAN CROUCH

Concerns are growing for the welfare of a teenage boy who's gone missing from Hamilton South.

14-year-old Darcey McKay was last seen in the area at about 4.45pm on Friday and police and family hold concerns for his welfare due to his age.

Darcey's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 155cm tall with a thin build and light brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a predominantly black t-shirt with red and white graphics, tan shorts and brown Birkenstock shoes.

He's known to frequent local skate parks, public parks, the Junction Fair, Bar Beach skate park and Newcastle area.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Newcastle Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Missing teen Darcey McKay

 

RFS Positions Resources Ahead of Hot Weekend

 Temperature forecasts of up to 40 degrees on Saturday is not any help to the Rural Fire Service who are stretched battling blazes across the Hunter.

The Buladelah grass fire closed the Pacific Highway on Friday morning from Twelve Mile Creek all the way to Nabiac, causing significant headaches for commuters who have been forced to use The Bucketts Way instead. As of Friday afternoon, it had burned through over 760 hectares.

There are a number of fires crews are keeping an eye on, including at Cedar Creek, the ongoing Milsons Gully fire near Merriwa, and at Upper Rouchel near Scone.

RFS Spokeswoman Victoria Quested says they’re getting help from the ground and the air.

“We’ve seen some strike teams deployed from other areas of the state to come in and assist those local crews. And no doubt people in the area have noticed [a number] of our aircraft operating. So crews are doing a great job,” she said.

“We’ve got high fuel loads right across the state including in the Hunter and as we are now in this period of drying, which we obviously haven’t seen in the last few years, that fuel is very much drying out.

“So under conditions like we’re seeing today and certainly going into tomorrow where we’re expecting those winds to pick up, fires can start very quickly and spread very rapidly,” she said.

Locals are being advised to download the Hazards Near Me app to stay across the latest warnings.

Credit / Buladelah RFB / Facebook

LINK ROAD FOREST – Campaigners Hoping to set up Second Council Motion

 Backlash is continuing against the state significant housing estate proposal for the Link Road Forest at Wallsend, which could see more than 4,000 homes built.

Campaigners are calling on the State Government to instead rezone the land as a national park to protect threatened species.

It’s hoped another motion for writing to the State Government calling for the housing project to be dropped, will pass at next Tuesday’s Council meeting.

Campaign Convener Ian McKenzie says its a vital decision for generations to come.

“I think Council’s generally on side. They’ve already passed a resolution asking the State Government to consider rezoning this area for conservation in perpetuity. But I think the information that we brought them [at this week’s public briefing] strengthened their resolve,” he said.

“It’s important for Newcastle now. It’s important for Newcastle for well into the future.

“If we look back in 30 years’ time, we want to say, ‘yes, that was a good decision. We’ve got something that is valuable for the city’,” he said.

Newcastle Link Road. Credit / Transport for NSW

BREAKING! Massive Reward Offered To Solve Cold Case Death Of Singleton Toddler

 BY IAN CROUCH

The NSW government has announced a massive increase in the reward being offered for information over the suspicious death of a toddler at Singleton 20 years ago.

Jordan William Thompson was just 21 months old in March 2005 when his mother returned home from running errands after leaving him in the care of her then partner, to find him unresponsive in a bedroom.

Police were told Jordan had earlier been found face down in a bathtub.

His mother rushed him across the road to Singleton Base Hospital but he couldn't be revived.

A postmortem later found a lethal dose of prescription medication used to treat depression in his system.

Cecil Kennedy has stood trial twice for manslaughter, however juries were unable to reach unanimous verdicts.

Despite a $100,000 dollar reward offered in 2015, no-one has been convicted over Jordan's death.

It's hoped a new reward of $500,000 will encourage someone to come forward with information which leads to an arrest and conviction.

 

Jordan William Thompson