Police Release CCTV Images Following Assault At Shoal Bay

BY JORDAN REGNIS

Police have released CCTV images as they continue to investigate an assault at Shoal Bay.

They're calling on the public to help identify two females, following the incident on Sunday, July 28.

Anyone with information is urged to contact crime stoppers: 1800 333 000.

UPDATE! Woman Missing At Port Stephens Found Alive

BY IAN CROUCH

 A woman missing overnight at Port Stephens has been found alive after an intensive search by authorities.

57-year-old Madeline Woods could not be contacted after making a phone call to family at about 6.30pm on Wednesday while going for a beach walk at Fingal  Bay.

Just before 11.00am on Thursday police located Madeline at Boulder Bay - police say she appears to have suffered possible broken bones and lacerations after tumbling down an embankment.

The Toll helicopter is on the way from Sydney to winch her to safety.

EARLIER:

Port Stephens Police are appealing for help to find a woman who's gone missing from Shoal Bay overnight.

57-year-old Madeline Woods told her family she was walking in the Fingal Bay area at about 6.00pm on Wednesday.

Police say they know she was near a beach in the area at about 6.30pm but has since been un-contactable.

Madeline is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, with a thin build, fair complexion, blonde hair and brown eyes.

Police hold serious concerns for her welfare due as she was not warmly dressed for a night out in the cold.

If you've seen Madeline or know where she is call Nelson Bay Police or Crime Stoppers.

Madeline Woods

Two Men Lose Their Lives In Coastal Waters Off Port Stephens

 BY IAN CROUCH

It's been a tragic weekend in coastal waters around Port Stephens, with two men found dead in the apace of two hours.

Police were called to Wreck Beach near Shoal Bay at about 7.40am on Saturday after a man failed to return from surfing.

They arrived to find the body of a man believed to aged in his 50's in the surf.

Then just after 9am, witnesses spotted the body of a man about 60 metres offshore in Swan Bay.

While the man's body is yet to be formally identified, it's believed to that of a 44-year-old.

Reports are being prepared for the Coroner.  

Trio charged over cocaine supply at Shoal Bay

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Three people have been charged as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged supply of drugs in Shoal Bay under Strike Force Goondi. 

The strike force was established in February to investigate the alleged drug supply at a licenced premises on Shoal Bay Road.  

Following extensive investigations, about 8.30am on Thursday, two men and a woman were arrested at Nelson Bay Police Station. 

One 42-year-old man was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug (cocaine), while another 42-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman each face one count of the same charge

They were granted strict conditional bail to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court in August.

Controversial Parklets To Be Removed From Shoal Bay Shopfront

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Port Stephens Council has passed a motion to remove controversial public furniture from the Shoal Bay shopping strip.

More than 600 people signed a petition to have the parklets removed and five parking spaces restored.

Helen Love, owner of The Body Spot massage, says she and other community members and business owners were thrilled by the news.

"We're absolutely ecstatic, we thought it was fantastic," Ms Love said.

"We've been consistently at council since January this year and so the whole community is really pleased, and it's good to know that you can actually have a voice."

Locals complained the parklets were impacting business access and made it difficult for elderly shoppers to park.

"Most of the community is an aging community, and so they rely being able to actually pop to the shops and have easy access to the shops," Ms Love said.

"But they took away the main street parking, and they're also doing a lot of works on the foreshore at the moment, so that's reduced parking as well."

The parklets are set to be removed by the end of the month.

But Ms Love says the parklets are only in the "wrong spot".

"We never really had an opposition to the parklets as per se," Ms Love said.

"We've mentioned to them a few other areas around Port Stephens where we think they can be actually installed, so we're just leaving that up to council to figure that out."

Image credit: https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/

BREAKING! Yacht In Distress At Shoal Bay

BY IAN CROUCH

Marine Rescue at Port Stephens has been called to a vessel in distress at Shoal Bay.

It's understood the skipper of a 35 foot yacht called for help at about 4.00am on Friday when the vessel slipped it's mooring in strong winds.

The man is the only person on board and had apparently spent the night on his yacht.

A police patrol is keeping an eye on the vessel from shore as a Marine Rescue boat heads to the scene.

Alleged Drunk Driver Hospitalised Over Shoal Bay Crash

BY IAN CROUCH

Police expect to lay charges over a single vehicle crash at Shoal Bay overnight.

A 22-year-old man was driving a burgundy coloured Ford Falcon on Tomaree Road just after 10.00pm on Wednesday when he lost control of the car, crashing through a fence and into a tree.

It's alleged a roadside breath test returned a reading of 0.289, more than five times over the legal limit.

The man suffered minor cuts to his head in the crash and was taken to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.

He's undergone mandatory tests in hospital.