Lake Macquarie Man Fined $2,000 for Illegal Tyre Dumping

 By SAMUEL BARTLETT

A 43-year-old man from Bolton point has suffered a $2,000 fine for dumping nine tyres at Killingworth in early March.

Investigators from the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Squad detected the offence using covert surveillance cameras.

RID Squad Coordinator Rob Robertson explained, "we regularly use covert cameras to combat illegal dumping on Council land, or any other land where we have the owners or managers permission. 

More fines could be on the way as Mr. Robertson said, "we are still seeking a person for a second dump which was captured at this same location."

Tyres are seen as a particularly difficult type of waste which don't break down or perish and cause long running environmental problems when left.

Mr Robertson warned its much safer to pay the fee at a waste facility rather than suffer the fines for dumping.

"If you are caught illegally dumping, you will receive an on the spot fine of between $2,000 and $8,000. you must then remove and pay for the lawful disposal of the waste anyway," he said.

Larger amounts of waste dumping can result in a court appearance where fines reach over $100,000 for individuals.

"Don't put yourself in the position where you are regretting a poor choice regarding disposal of waste," Mr Robertson says.

Preserving the History of 'Doggyville' Lambton Shanty Town

 By SAMUEL BARTLETT

New stages of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass are expected to cut through what was once the Lambton Camp, a shanty town which housed up to 130 residents from the Great Depression until 1960.

Little remains of the shanty town also known as 'Hollywood' or 'Doggyville,' but Transport NSW is calling on residents to share their experiences to preserve the sites history, despite the new upgrades.

Transport NSW Regional Director, Anna Zycki says the camp was built alongside what used to be the Newcastle to Wallsend tramline.

"We want to know more about the living conditions in this camp, who the residents were or what their daily lives were like," Ms Zycki says.

"We also welcome contributions from historians with information or pictures they'd like to share," she says.

Transport NSW is employing a specialist archaeological team to investigate and recover whatever artifacts remain on the site which will then be documented and stored.

Ms Zycki says the information will be recorded in an archaeological excavation report and "it will be available to students and historians via Newcastle City Council, local libraries and the local historical society."

The build team will dig further into the site over a number of months to create a thorough historical recollection of the area.

Ms Zycki also says the historical work won't impact the completion date of the major upgrades as this research has always been part of the planning for the project.

To make a contribution to the Hollywood Heritage Project, contact specialist archaeologist Kylie Seretis by Monday 5 April, via email at kylie.seretis@caseyandlower.com.au or by phone on 0450 909 483

Portion of an aerial photograph from 1944 that shows the “Hollywood” settlement (left; Newcastle Library, Local Studies. [Run 5, Image 01465]) compared to Google Earth images as of 2014 (right)

Hunter Residents Can Now Use their $100 Dine and Discover Vouchers

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Hunter residents can now apply for and use their Dine and Discover vouchers from the State Government. 

NSW residents aged 18 and over can apply for 4 x $25 vouchers broken down into:

• 2 x $25 Dine NSW Vouchers to be used for dining in at restaurants, cafés, bars, wineries, pubs or clubs. These can be used from Monday to Thursday.
• 2 x $25 Discover NSW Vouchers to be used for entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues. These can be used 7 days a week.

The vouchers will be able to be redeemed through the use of a QR code on the Service NSW app.

Customers may present this to businesses as a digital voucher on their mobile device, or as a printed voucher. Both are valid. 

They can be used at businesses participating in the scheme, but cannot be used on public holidays. All vouchers expire on 30 June 2021.

They cannot be used for products or services involving alcohol, gambling or tobacco, cash, even if the full value of the voucher is not redeemed and online-only services, takeaway and food delivery orders. Apply online and search for participating businesses via Service NSW at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/dine-discover-nsw.

Anyone who cannot apply online can visit a Service NSW centre with two forms of ID or call 13 77 88.

Researchers Find Strong Link Between Number of Fast Food Outlets and Heart Attacks in Hunter Areas

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Local researchers say they've discovered an strong correlation between the number of fast food outlets and the rate of heart attacks in Hunter areas. 

The team, comprised of researchers from the Hunter Medical Research Institute, the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health, compared heart attack rates in local government areas across the Hunter with the number of fast food outlets.

By focusing on the top ten most popular fast food restaurants, researchers were also able to compare these statistics with population data to come up with a metric known as the fast food outlet density.

The study concluded that for every new fast food outlet, the number of heart attacks per 100,000 people increased by four.

Professor Andrew Boyle, a cardiologist and co-author, said while the data pointed to an association and not a cause and effect, policymakers could not afford to ignore the study's significance.

"The statistical correlation was quite strong, so we adjusted it for all the other risk factors of heart disease - smoking rates in each town, cholesterol levels, activity levels - and still that correlation was strong," Prof Boyle said.

The findings open the door for further research into fast food outlet density as a predicting factor for heart attack risk.

"We hope this can inform town planning as we go forward to consider the number of fast food outlets that are allowed in every town based on the population for patient's health," Prof Boyle said. 

Police Believe Missing Port Macquarie Woman May Have Travelled To The Hunter

 BY IAN CROUCH

Port Stephens Police are appealing for help to find a missing woman who may have travelled to the region from her home on the mid north coast.

78-year-old Adele Morrison was last seen leaving her Port Macquarie home at about 6 o'clock on Tuesday morning and was heading to Gloucester, but failed to turn up.

Police and her family hold concerns for her welfare due to her age.

Adele is described as being about 150cm to 160cm tall with a medium build, grey hair and hazel eyes.

She's driving a red 2017 Toyota Camry with NSW registration plates DSN 47R.

If you've seen her or know where she is, contact police immediately.

Missing woman Adele Morisson

Adele Morrison is driving a red Camry like this one

Man Charged Over Eleebana Crash Which Left Two Children in Hospital

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A man will face court in April charged over a serious crash in Lake Macquarie. 

Around 9.15pm on October 19 2020, emergency services were called to Bareki Road, Eleebana.

There were reports a Honda Civic travelling north and a Ford Mondeo travelling south collided at the intersection of Eleebana Road.

Two children in the Ford – aged five and six-weeks-old – suffered serious head injuries and were taken to John Hunter Hospital. They have since been released from hospital.

The male driver of the Ford, aged 36, and his female passenger, aged 31, were uninjured during the crash.

The driver of the Honda – a 46-year-old man from Abermain – was trapped for a short time before being taken to John Hunter Hospital with serious internal injuries.

Following extensive inquiries, police attended a home on Cessnock Road, Abermain, and spoke with the 46-year-old man.

He was issued with a future court attendance notice for the following offences:

• Dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – drive manner dangerous
• Cause bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle (x2)
• Negligent driving (occasioning grievous bodily harm)
• Negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm)
• Drive vehicle illicit drug present in blood
• Not keep left of dividing line-not class B/C vehicle

He is due to appear at Belmont Local Court on April 21. 

The 33 Hunter GP's Rolling Out the AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine from Monday

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Eligible Hunter residents can now make a booking to receive their AstraZeneca COVID shot, with the roll out at Hunter GP clinics starting on Monday. 

33 medical providers are currently signed up to administer the vaccine across the region from March 22, under Phase 1B of the roll out. 

Phase 1B includes people aged 70 or older, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 or older, critical or high risk workers, other healthcare workers not included in the previous phase, and adults with certain medical conditions.

More than 6 million Australians are expected to receive at least one dose in this phase.

People hoping to get the jab will have to check they fit the bill via an online eligibility checker before making an appointment.

You can find the participating GPs closest to you in the table below.

Brunker Road General Practice	Adamstown	2289
Ochre Health Medical Centre Bonnells Bay	Bonnells Bay	2264
Broadmeadow Medical Centre	Broadmeadow	2292
University Health Service	Callaghan	2308
Appletree Family Practice	Charlestown	2290
Charlestown Medical & Dental Centre	Charlestown	2290
Charlestown Square Medical Centre	Charlestown	2290
Smith St Medical Centre	Charlestown	2290
Elermore Vale General Practice	Elermore Vale	2287
Jewells Medical Centre	Jewells	2280
Community Healthcare Kurri Kurri	Kurri Kurri	2327
Family Medical Centre	Kurri Kurri	2327
Hamilton Doctors	Hamilton	2303
Mount Hutton Medical Practice	Mount Hutton	2290
Blackbutt Doctors Surgery	New Lambton	2305
Westlakes Medical Centre	Rathmines	2283
Rutherford Family Medical Practice	Rutherford	2320
Rutherford Medical Centre	Rutherford	2320
Salamander Medical Centre	Salamander Bay	2320
Soldiers Point Medical Centre	Salamander Bay	2317
Scone Medical Practice	Scone	2337
Singleton Heights Medical Practice	Singleton Heights	2330
Stockton Surgery	Stockton	2295
Swansea Medical Centre	Swansea	2281
Tilligerry Medical Centre	Tanilba Bay	2319
Ochre Health Medical Centre Tea Gardens	Tea Gardens	2324
Providence Medical Thornton	Thornton	2322
The Boulevarde Family Practice	Toronto	2283
Toronto Doctors	Toronto	2283
Valentine Family Medical Practice	Valentine	2280
Andrew Nash Clinic	Wallsend	2287
Providence Medical Warners Bay	Warners Bay	2282
Central Health Alliance	Williamtown	2318

FAQ

Where do I go and how do I book in?

Go to Department of Health website. Using the Eligibility Checker, you can find out which phase of the rollout you are in. If you are eligible, you will be able to view vaccination clinics and book an appointment online or via phone. If you are not yet eligible, you will be able to register your interest so that you can be notified when you are able to book.

If you prefer not to use the online option, you can call the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 1800 020 080.

 Will I be able to choose where I can book?

You will be able to view and select clinic locations based on the postcode you enter.

 What happens if there are no clinics or appointments in my area?

A list of Commonwealth vaccination clinics, participating General Practices, and state and territory vaccination clinics will be made available as they come online.  

Do I have to use the Eligibility Checker in order to book?

The checker is a helpful tool to help you find out if you are currently eligible to book.

The checker will guide you through to a simple way to find and book vaccine appointments, or help you register to be notified if you are part of a later phase. If you prefer to book appointments directly at a participating general practice or Commonwealth state vaccination clinic, you can contact them directly to do so.