BY PETER HYSLOP
It’s going to take $200,000 and five weeks to complete a temporary fix on the Red Bluff Boardwalk at Eleebana, with more permanent repairs likely to take more from Council coffers.
The walkway has been closed to the public since May when a houseboat came off its mooring and crashed into the bridge during a storm.
Pedestrians and cyclists have been seen using Macquarie Drive as a detour, which has no shoulder in the bridge stretch.
BY PETER HYSLOP
A man who broadcast threats live on social media and said he wanted his family reunited as he barricaded himself inside a home at Murrurundi, has been arrested without incident overnight.
Tactical officers began arriving just after 9am yesterday which brought traffic trying to get through on the New England Highway to a standstill, some motorists say they couldn’t get through for six hours.
Police negotiators spoke with the man, who on social media said he was probably going to die. The content has since been removed.
The highway has reopened after the man was arrested at about 10:30 last night.
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| Mayne Street / New England Highway was closed at Murrurundi yesterday. Credit: Google Maps |
BY PETER HYSLOP
There have been heavy delays on the Emergency Department at the John Hunter Hospital in what’s being described as a perfect storm by paramedics.
A bad flu season combined with weekend sport injuries and an unusually high number of presentations to the department meant a critical shortage overnight, doctors told the department had -37 beds heading into the evening.
Brendan McIlveen from the paramedic’s union says they’ve been experiencing delays of up to eight hours when ambulances arrive.
“Especially with John Hunter being the major trauma centre for the Hunter, we’ve had [an] increasing flu season, weekend sports as well,” he said.
“Miraculously there’s also been just a very high incidence of people that are generally unwell,” he said.
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| Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
BY JESSICA STEENS
Lake Macquarie Council is calling for Federal support to mitigate the economic fallout which could occur following the closure of Eraring Power Station.
In recent years, the plant has struggled to make profit due to the increasing competitiveness of renewable energy sources.
With a planned 2027 closure date creeping closer, Councillors say the Net Zero Economy Authority will need to step in.
Deputy Mayor Jack Antcliff says failure to prepare for the station's closure could result in economic death by a thousand cuts.
“Lake Macquarie is a city of 14,000 small businesses, we don’t have a single big employer. We don’t have a BHP, we don’t have a Holden. So when we lose businesses, we lose one family business at a time.
“We run the risk if we don’t prepare, in 15 years time we will look back and wonder where all the jobs went” he said.
Council warns the closure is set to cause a loss of 4.5 billion dollars to the local economy and cause 1800 job losses.
Hunter Business CEO Bob Hawes says looking back at previous mining closures, it’s hard to predict the effect on the economy.
“When you look back in history there is certainly some things we have learnt from those experiences and move forward. Sometimes things work out better than you anticipate and sometimes not so” he said.
Eraring Power Station is expected to cease its operations on August 19th, 2027.
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| Image: Wikimedia Commons / CSIRO |
BY PETER HYSLOP
Rising Tide says they’ll still host the People’s Blockade event in November at the Port of Newcastle with or without Newcastle Council’s support.
Councillors will vote on whether to allow activists to use Richardson Park at Hamilton North and Camp Shortland following a briefing with organisers and police tonight.
Results from Newcastle Council’s public call for feedback still haven’t been released, but an independent poll commissioned by Rising Tide shows 66% of around 300 local residents surveyed said they support the event. The poll’s been since criticised by Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull, who says the questions made no mention of illegal activity in previous years.
But Rising Tide spokesperson Alexa Stuart insists the polling can be trusted.
“What’s unique about this polling is that it was a totally random sample … of Newcastle residents,” she said.
“What happens on the water and on the beach isn’t related to the Council application, and it’s happened 12 times in the past because it’s [a] public beach and public water,” she said.
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| Image: Rising Tide |
BY IAN CROUCH
Shovels will be in the ground within weeks, with the state government confirming the much-anticipated Medowie High School has been granted planning approval.
The local community has been calling for a public high school in the area for decades and in 2023, Labor committed $53 million to build the school to be located on 6.6 hectares of land on Abundance Road.
Construction is set to begin in September with the school expected to open for the start of Term One in 2027.
BY PETER HYSLOP
The Red Bluff Boardwalk from Eleebana to Warners Bay has copped significant damage after a houseboat last week crashed into the structure from high winds.
Council says it will remain closed for some time while crews look to determine how to fix the elevated path. It was constructed in 2010 at a cost of $2.5 million.
Council’s Karen Pardington says there’s no timeline on when it will re-open.
“We’re certainly very keen to get out there and assess the damage and hopefully be able to repair it soon.
“It may be some time before we’re able to open it up but we’ll be getting onto it,” she said.
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| Red Bluff Boardwalk. Credit: Lake Macquarie City Council |
BY PETER HYSLOP
The end of an era comes at 9:20pm tonight when the last V Set train leaves Sydney Central Station for Newcastle Interchange, arriving just after midnight.
One feature which will be missed: the reversible seats. The new Mariyung fleet's seats will stay put.
Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison is blaming her predecessors for the lack of flexibility in the new off-the-shelf fleet.
BY PETER HYSLOP
Port Stephens Council will tonight consider a proposal to put an estate near the banks of the Hunter River in the pipeline for future subdivision.
Community consultation has returned mixed responses, some are concerned of flooding impacts- Council says a large majority of the site is elevated and not identified as flood prone land.
The site at 20 Nulla Nulla Lane could provide an additional 25 to 35 houses. The proposal’s been submitted by Patch Planning.
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| Nulla Nulla Lane at Hinton. Credit: Google Maps / Airbus |
BY PETER HYSLOP
The State Government is today announcing a fund to support future economic development in the Hunter region, one responsible for looking at good uses of land after mines close down.
The Future Jobs and Investment Authority would use $27.3 million worth of taxpayer dollars over four years to try and attract investment, and also to figure out ways to spend Government money on post mining land use.
State Finance and Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos says the plan isn’t to get rid of coal mines, just to deal with decommissioned ones.
“We know that coal will continue to have an important role to play particularly here in the Hunter, where we have strong export markets, and I know our key trading partners are watching this closely,” she said.
BY PETER HYSLOP
Lake Macquarie Council says it’s putting final touches on the annual Float Your Boat festival this weekend with thousands of visitors expected.
Entrants from D.I.Y. tinnies to local artists will be taking to the water with lit up vessels, in the running to win a Mayoral prize.
Angela Budden is a local artist entering a giant illuminated seagull stealing a chip
She says it’s been many hours of wrangling with light strips.
“As for the legs, we just need more outlets … we’re in the middle of the build at the moment,” she said.
“I’m hoping to finish it ready for install on Friday,” she said.
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| Local artist Angela Budden |
Mayor Adam Shultz says it’ll be a tourism boost for the region.
“This has been going since 2017, and it’s been building year on year.
“People can vote for their best display, by attending one of those three live sites at Toronto, Belmont or Warners Bay,” he said.
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| Artist Jakeob Watson, Mayor Adam Shultz and artist Angela Budden |
BY PETER HYSLOP
The Nationals are ramping up their calls for the Federal Government to release Category D funding, the highest category of disaster assistance, for flood stricken residents.
The annual conference at the weekend voted to condemn the Federal and State Governments for failing to provide it so far.
The funding must be agreed to by the Prime Minister, he’s currently in Canada for the G7 summit.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says the Government’s waiting for recommendations from officials on the ground.
“Well that will be worked through in the normal course,” he said.
“In relation to what flooding has occurred, the process will be playing out in a way which seeks to deal with this as quickly as we can.
“Obviously we are very mindful of the impact of flooding that has occurred … making sure the appropriate support if provided as quickly as possible,” he said.
Upper Hunter state Nationals MP Dave Layzell says communities in the Hunter and Mid North Coast are struggling.
“Last night people were contacting me sending me photos of their properties completely surrounded in floodwater,” he said.
“People are just really angry about it and we need to get this problem fixed,” he said.
BY PETER HYSLOP
Police have confirmed a house fire at Warners Bay overnight may have been deliberately lit as fire investigators examine the cause.
Emergency services were called to Margaret Street just after 11pm to reports of flames coming from the two-storey residence. It took multiple crews to bring the blaze under control but the home suffered extensive damage.
There were initial reports of a smell of fuel and the dog squad was brought in.
All occupants were evacuated, a crime scene has now been established.
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| House on Margaret Street overnight. Credit: Media Response Newcastle |
BY PETER HYSLOP
Police are appealing for information after a firearm was discharged during a home invasion at Mayfield last week.
Just before 4am on Friday police were called to Bull Street following reports a gunshot had been heard, no one was hurt.
Newcastle City police attended and established a crime scene which was forensically examined. Damage to the front door resembling a bullet was identified.
A further search of the property revealed an unspent bullet, a knife and knuckledusters.
As inquiries continue, anyone with information’s being asked to come forward.
Newcastle Acting Superintendent Steve Benson says police are working to remove any further threat.
“While we do believe it is targeted, we want to ensure the community we are taking this investigation extremely seriously.
“Any crime involving the use of prohibited weapons is an ongoing focus for us,” he said.
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| Newcastle Acting Superintendent Steve Benson |