UPDATE! Multiple Truck Crash And Fire Closes M1 Southbound At Wyong

 BY IAN CROUCH

Two road workers have been injured after a semi-trailer crashed into two stationary work vehicles north of Kangy Angy.

Police say a southbound semi-trailer crashed through a work zone at about 3.45am on Tuesday, hitting a two stationary truck which impacted two workmen.

They suffered serious injures and have been taken to hospital for treatment  - one is in a serious condition, the other is stable.

The semi-trailer burst into flames, however the driver was able to free himself unharmed - he's been taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

EARLIER:

A multiple truck crash has closed the southbound lanes of the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wyong.

Three trucks crashed at the Alison Road turnoff at about 3.45am on Tuesday.

Newcastle Fire Command says one of the trucks, a B-Double has gone up in flames.

Numerous emergency services are at the scene.

Southbound traffic is being diverted at Sparks Road.

Emergency Services at the scene of the truck crash on the M1 Picture: Central Coast VRA

Man Charged Over Vandalism Of Several Train Stations Across Hunter and Sydney

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A man is due to face court on Wednesday, charged over several acts of vandalism at train stations across the Hunter, Sydney, and Central Coast transport networks.

Following inquiries, officers from the Police Transport Command executed a search warrant at a home in Blue Haven, Central Coast about 10am on Tuesday.

During the search, investigators located sketch pads, spray paint, a mobile phone, three cannabis plants in a hydroponic setup and 16g of dried cannabis. These items were seized to undergo forensic examination.

A short time later, a 19-year-old man was arrested at the property and taken to Wyong Police Station.

He was charged with 21 offences, including:

• seven counts of malicious damage,
• cultivate prohibited plant,
• possess prohibited drug,
• five counts of face blackened/disguised with intent to commit indictable offence, and
• seven counts of enter/remain on running lines.

Police will allege in court that the man vandalised trains and infrastructure at railway stations in Kingsgrove, Maitland, Campbelltown, Hamilton, Lidcombe, Telarah and Gosford.

It will also be alleged the man then uploaded these acts of vandalism to social media.

The man was refused bail and is due to appear in Wyong Local Court on Wednesday. 

A 35-year-old Newtown man was also charged earlier in July following reports railway infrastructure and trains had been vandalised with graffiti across  Sydney and the Central Coast transport network.

He remains before the courts.

Investigations are continuing.

Coal Projects to Deliver More Than Three Thousand Jobs for the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A new report by the NSW Minerals Council is suggesting mining projects across the Lower and Upper Hunter could generate 3,700 jobs and more than $2.7 billion in capital investment for the region.

The ten coal projects outlined for the Hunter include two brand new underground thermal coal mine developments at Muswellbrook and Wyong, in addition to extensions to existing sites such as Glendell, Mangoola, and Rix's Creek.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee says together with the 22 other projects planned across the state, there is the potential for a total of $13 billion in capital investment and more than 15,500 employment opportunities.

"These are big opportunities for the Hunter Region and for the Hunter economy at a time when we are all looking for economic opportunities to help drive, hopefully, the economic recovery post the Coronavirus pandemic," said Mr Galilee.

The 32 total projects across New South Wales are in various stages of planning and assessment and represent an increase of seven from the sector's last major report released in November 2018

Although all of the projects in the pipeline for the Hunter are thermal or potential coking coal proposals, Mr Galilee says many of the other developments throughout the state have been identified as metal extraction projects.

“While the number of coal projects has risen slightly, the number of proposed metals projects has almost doubled from 6 to 11, representing over 30 percent of all major mining projects proposed in NSW, up from 20 percent 18 months ago," he said.

“This is an opportunity to further build and diversify the NSW mining sector and represents a strong industry response to the release of the NSW Government’s Minerals Strategy in early 2019.”

Image credit: https://www.nswmining.com.au/