Bulahdelah Bikie Charged As Part Of Operation Morpheus

BY OLIVIA DILLON

 

A man from Bulahdelah is one of 74 people arrested in NSW, as part of a five-day national crack-down on outlaw motorcycle gang activities.

Raptor Squad Detectives took part in Operation Morpheus last week, which involved officers from every state and territory in Australia.

Among those arrested was the 49-year-old from Bulahdelah, who was allegedly found in possession of three guns, two replica firearms, ammunition, a crossbow, knives and Comancheros paraphernalia.

Police also uncovered cannabis plants, 5kg of dried marijuana, and cannabis products inside two tents at the man's home.

He's been charged with 19 weapons and drug supply counts. 

 

Image: NSW Police

 

 

 

BREAKING! Former Convent At Bulahdelah Destroyed By Fire

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police have launched an investigation after the former convent at St Joseph's Primary School at Bulahdelah was destroyed by fire overnight.

Two Fire and Rescue crews from Tea Gardens along with five RFS crews were called to the property on Bulahdelah Way just after midnight to find the former nun's residence well alight.

It's taken firefighters almost 2 hours to get the fire under control.

Police say a tenant who was leasing the convent building from the Catholic Diocese of Maitland Newcastle was not at home and no-one was injured.

The fire was contained to the building and the school has not been impacted by the blaze.

Forensic crews will be called in to determine the cause of the fire.

Soldiers Praised For Life Saving Rescue At Nerong

 BY IAN CROUCH

The Ambulance Service is praising the efforts of off-duty special forces soldiers who saved the life of woman trapped in a crash near Bulahdelah.

The woman in her 50's suffered a significant arm injury when her campervan rolled on the Pacific Highway at Nerong on Monday morning.

Initially, the woman was inaccessible, but soldiers carrying a professional first aid kit managed to squeeze through a gap in the wreckage to apply a tourniquet which helped stem significant blood loss.

Fire crews arrived and cut the roof off the campervan and the woman was flown to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

A spokesperson for NSW Ambulance says the efforts of the soldiers most likely saved the woman's life.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter at the crash scene on Monday. Picture Westpac Rescue Helicopter

Bulahdelah man charged over alleged sexual abuse of two children

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A Bulahdelah man has been charged following an investigation into alleged sexual touching offences in the Manning Great Lakes area.

Officers with the Hunter Child Abuse Squad began investigations earlier this week, after receiving a report, two girls aged 11 and 14, had been sexually assaulted by a man known to them.

A 31-year-old man was arrested a Bulahdelah home around 2:45pm on Tuesday afternoon.

He was charged with three counts of intentionally sexually touch child, two counts of have sexual intercourse with child, and one count of aggravated indecent assault – victim under the age of 16 years.

The man was refused bail to appear before Taree Local Court on Wednesday.

Firefighters Tackling Highly Visible Bushfire On Bulahdelah Mountain

BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters are working to contain a bushfire about 1 kilometre east of Bulahdelah.

The fire broke out on Mount Alum around 7.00pm on Wednesday and is very visible to motorists on the Pacific Highway, prompting dozens of calls to triple zero.

The fire is listed at Advice level and is not posing any threat to property.

James Morris from the RFS says it could take some time to bring the fire under control as it's burning in hard to reach terrain.

"Firefighters are working to identify containment strategies and will continue to do so today, given the remote location and the fact we've got some westerly winds predicted for today. That's likely to push that fire in an east to southeast direction into some fairly inaccessible country," he said.

The RFS is also reminding people to check their website, social media pages or the Fires Near Me app before calling triple zero and to only call the emergency number when there's an unattended fire.

Meanwhile, a bushwalker reported missing in the area overnight has since been found and is safe and well.

The bushfire is clearly visible from the Pacific Highway and Bulahdelah township Picture: Joanne Rose

Semi-Trailer Up In Flames On The Pacific Highway At Bulahdelah

BY IAN CROUCH

Northbound traffic on the Pacific Highway at Bulahdelah is down to one lane after an overnight truck fire.

A semi-trailer loaded with general freight clipped power lines at the roundabout on Bulahdelah Way and Lee Street at about 8 last night which fell onto the rig and caught fire.

Around 40 firefighters from as far away as Cardiff took six-and-a-half hours to extinguish the blaze which destroyed the b-double and its contents.

It's understood the driver escaped injury.

A salvage operation is continuing with traffic down to one lane past the scene at a reduced speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour.