Marine Rescue Newcastle Takes Important Step To New Home

 BY IAN CROUCH

Plans to relocate the Newcastle Marine Rescue base to Stockton have taken another step forward.

At Tuesday night's meeting, Newcastle Council voted to enter into a 21-year lease with Marine Rescue NSW on vacant land in King Street, adjacent to the waterfront on the site of the former Girl Guides Hall.

It will allow for construction of a new permanent operations centre on the site.

Council will lease the land for a peppercorn amount of just $1 a year.

The former Marine Rescue base at Shepherd's Hill was damaged during the 2015 storms and volunteers have been working out of temporary accommodation at Warabrook.

The former Marine Rescue Base at Shepherd's Hill

BREAKING! Fishing Trawler Sinks In Swansea Channel

BY IAN CROUCH

A salvage operation is expected to get under way this morning after a fishing trawler sank in Swansea Channel.

The skipper of the 52 foot trawler, who was the only person board, radioed Lake Macquarie Marine Rescue at about midnight to report electrical problems, with the vessel taking on water.

He asked for directions to navigate the channel so he could get the trawler to safety, but the vessel ran aground on Swansea bar and sank..

Marine Rescue Operations Manager, Steve Raymond says the fisherman was safely brought to shore.

"From all reports he's fine. He was taken off the boat by our crew at about half past one this morning and taken back to land, so no injuries, he's well, " he said.

Meanwhile Marine Rescue Newcastle is taking delivery of a brand new ocean-going vessel today.

The half million dollar 10 metre vessel will be put into the water at 7am and will undergo sea trials before going into service.

It replaces a catamaran which has been in service for more than 10 years.