Crews Contain Separate Grass Fires At Pokolbin

 BY IAN CROUCH

Quick work by Rural Fire Service volunteers has contained a grass fire at Pokolbin early Monday morning.

Crews from the Pokolbin brigade were called to Marrowbone Road at about 3.00am to find two separate fires and called for further assistance.

The fires were quickly brought under control.

Crews will continue to patrol the fire throughout the day ahead of hot and windy conditions forecast today and tomorrow.

Crews on  scene at two separate grass fires at Pokolbin early Monday morning Picture: Pokolbin RFS

Fire Destroys Restaurant at Tamburlaine Winery

BY OLIVIA DILLON

RFS and Fire and Rescue crews have spent the night battling a structure fire at a winery at Pokolbin.

Emergency Services were called to Tamburlaine Winery on McDonalds Road at about 9:30pm, following reports a fire had broken-out in the restaurant area near the property's dam.

It's reported part of the building has collapsed, and it took more than 20 trucks over four hours to contain the blaze.

No one was injured however NSW Ambulance Services were also on-site, and investigations are now underway as to the cause of the fire.

 

 

 

Four Charged Over Alleged Hunter Valley Police Pursuit

BY OLIVIA DILLON

 

Four people will face court today after allegedly leading police on a pursuit through the Hunter yesterday.

At about 9:00am, Traffic and Highway Patrol officers detected a Toyota Hilux allegedly travelling at high speed on Broke Road at Pokolbin.

When the driver failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated through Wollombi, with road spikes successfully deployed at Paynes Crossing.

The vehicle stopped at a nearby property and the four occupants fled, before allegedly stealing a Nissan ute parked nearby and driving off.

Police deployed road spikes again a short time later, stopping the vehicle at Sweetmans Creek, where the occupants fled into bushland.

Following an extensive foot pursuit, a 37-year-old woman and three men were arrested and taken to Cessnock Police Station. 

They've been charged with a combined 43 offences, including using a weapon to avoid apprehension.

Four people hospitalised after head-on crash at Pokolbin

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Four people have been taken to the John Hunter after a head-on crash at Pokolbin on Monday evening.

Emergency services were called to Hermitage Road at 6:20pm after a car and a van collided.

No one was trapped, but paramedics treated four patients at the scene.

A man in his 40s had facial injuries and a broken leg, and a woman in her 40s also suffered a broken leg.

A man and a woman in their 80s had minor injuries.

Man Facing Court Over Violent Incident At Pokolbin Hotel

 BY IAN CROUCH

More charges have been laid over a violent incident at a Pokolbin pub last month.

Police say three men lashed out at hotel staff after being refused entry, with one of the men kicking and punching an employee.

A 32-year-old man was arrested at Kurri Kurri on Thursday.

He's due to face Cessnock Court today (Friday 10 December, 2021) charged with affray, intimidate police, failing to leave and remaining in the vicinity of licensed premises.

A second man is already before the courts.

 

BREAKING! Firefighters Called To Brokenwood Wines At Pokolbin

 BY IAN CROUCH

Firefighters have been called to reports of a fire at a major Hunter Valley winery.

Newcastle Fire Command say they received a triple-oh call from a security guard at 3.40am on Tuesday who noticed smoke coming from the roof of a two storey building at Brokenwood Wines on McDonalds Road at Pokolbin.

Six fire trucks and several RFS crews are at the scene.

Crews report steam coming from a cooling tower.

A ladder platform from Newcastle Fire Station was called in to assist with an inspection of the roof space and all crews have since been stood down and returned to their stations.

Fire Destroys Home At Pokolbin

BY IAN CROUCH

An electrical fault is being blamed for a fire which destroyed a house at Pokolbin overnight.

Firefighters were called to the home on Gillards Road at about 5.20 yesterday afternoon to find the property engulfed in flames.

The occupants of the home, a 68-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman, escaped unharmed.

It took several hours to fully extinguish the blaze which guttered the home and its contents.

Police say it appears the fire started in a circuit board in the laundry.

UPDATE! Firefighters Called To Large Grass Fire At Pokolbin

BY IAN CROUCH

Fire crews are mopping up a large grass fire which at one stage threatened to cross Wine Country Drive at Pokolbin.

The fire broke out near McDonalds Road at about 9.30am on Thursday and quickly spread, fanned by strong winds.

Several RFS and NSW Fire and Rescue crews were sent to fight the blaze along with a water-bombing helicopter.

It's taken around an hour to bring under control after burning through 8 hectares.

EARLIER:

Several RFS crews have been called to a large grass fire at Pokolbin.

Firefighters arrived in Wine Country Drive just after 9.30 to find a fast moving fire heading towards the road.

It's already burnt through about 5 hectares after breaking out near McDonalds Road and motorists are being advised to avoid Wine Country Drive due to a large amount of smoke across the road.

Extra resources are on the way including a water bombing helicopter.

The RFS says no properties are under threat at this stage.

Automated Vehicle Trial in Wine Country

BY ARIANA GATTI

If you thought touring the Hunter's wine region is an experience and-a-half, how do driverless vehicles sound?

Singleton Council has joined forces with HMI Technologies, Professional Data Kinetics and Around Hermitage Association to produce an expression of interest for the new vehicle trial to proceed.

The expression is hoped to be presented to NSW Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, and gain approval for the automated shuttle network to be pushed around the Hunter Valley and Pokolbin area.

The driverless shuttle is planned to deliver customers between the famous wineries, restaurants and accommodation across a 6 Kilometer drive.

The route will cross along Hermitage Road, set against the Brokenback Mountain Range and the surrounds.

Mayor of Singleton, Sue Moore, believes this new service has the potential to bring more job and economic opportunities to the area, with levels of interest, thought to peak as a result of the innovative vehicle service.

"The reality is, a driverless network is a perfect solution for visitors to Hermitage Road to experience the food and wine, craft beer, olive groves and day spas our region is famous for," says Moore.

The trial is expected to introduce two new technical-related jobs, aiming to support additional job prospects in tourism and engineering.

Moore says, "It'll be safe, comfortable, and most importantly it will support the local economy."

Image sourced: https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g255328-d318294-i80329546-Mount_Pleasant_Wines-Pokolbin_Greater_Newcastle_New_South_Wales.html