About 2.40am on Saturday 9 September, officers from Newcastle City Police District were patrolling the area.

They were flagged down by members of the public who provided information about two males who had allegedly broken into several cars nearby.

A short time later, police stopped two men on Minmi Road, Wallsend.

Following a search, they seized tools, coins, six mobile phones, keys, medication, syringes, a box of ammunition, ID documents, letters and two knives.

Officers will allege the items had been taken during the car break-ins.

The males were then taken to Waratah Police Station.

The younger man was charged with four counts of goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, larceny, enter vehicle or boat without consent of owner/occupier, enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, possess housebreaking implements, and custody of knife in public place.

The older male was charged with goods in custody suspected being stolen, larceny, and enter vehicle or boat without consent of owner/occupier.

Both were refused bail to a appear before Newcastle Local Court on Monday 11 September.

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Over two stages, the 12 Rose Point playing surfaces will be upgraded with asphalt, posts and line-marking to replace the courts damaged by long periods of rain and flooding in 2021 and 2022.

Singleton Council’s director infrastructure and planning services Justin Fitzpatrick-Barr said the reconstruction was necessary to not only improve player safety but to ensure Singleton remains one of the region’s leading sports destinations.

“The impact heavy bouts of rain and flooding has had on the netball courts can be clearly seen on all of the playing surfaces,” he explained.

“There are cracks across courts one to six and bumping and rippling in the asphalt on courts seven to 12.

“The current condition of these well-used courts is not what we, and visitors to our town, expect from our sports facilities and why it is a priority to repair the courts that we can and replace the others.

“Council has worked with Singleton Netball Association to deliver these works in a way that will have as minimal of an impact as possible on their seasonal schedule.

“By staging the project, we’ll be able to upgrade half the courts while the other half can still be used by the association and the wider community.”

The $1.2 million development has been funded through the NSW Government’s Essential Community Sport Assets Program.

Stage one of the works will see courts 7-12 demolished and new asphalt courts installed with new posts and fresh line-marking.

These works are underway now and are due to be completed in December, weather permitting.

Stage two will include the same works for courts 1-6. These works are due to begin in December and be completed mid-March 2024, weather permitting.

A new concrete edge will also be installed around the outside of the courts to assist with protecting the new asphalt courts.

Mr Fitzpatrick-Barr said the project was just one of many sporting infrastructure upgrades scheduled for the 2023/24 financial year, with almost $10 million being invested in upgrading lighting, seating, playing surfaces and clubhouses across the Singleton local government area.

The netball court upgrade is also one in a suite of improvements being made to Cook Park to further cement the precinct as a premier sporting location in Singleton and surrounds.

Other works currently underway include the installation of tiered spectator seating and the construction of a new $1.25million athletics amenities building.

Scheduled works include the $2.2 million extension of the Singleton Roosters AFL Clubhouse and upgrades to the athletics and junior rugby league sports field lighting.

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Earlier this month, officers attached to the Port Stephens-Hunter Proactive Crime Team began an investigation relating to a number of offences, including the supply of drugs, in the area.

Following inquiries, officers executed a search warrant at a property on Champion Crescent, Gillieston Heights, about 8.30am on 6 September.

It allegedly revealed several items of interest including two firearms, an extendible baton, 119g of GHB and 16.6g methamphetamine.

The firearms and drugs were seized, along with electronic devices, prescribed restricted substances and an amount of cash.

Two male occupants were arrested before being taken to Maitland Police Station.

The younger man was charged with 10 offences including two counts of supply prohibited drug – indictable quantity, two counts of possess/attempt to prescribed restricted substance, two counts of possess unauthorised pistol, possess prohibited drug, and goods suspected stolen in/on premises.

The older male was charged with hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty.

Both were refused bail to appear before Maitland Local Court on Thursday 7 September.

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Curated by Maitland City Council’s Opened Minds Digitisation team, this captivating exhibit celebrates history and invites visitors to explore the past through a unique lens.  

History Week, a statewide celebration organised by the History Council of NSW, will take place between now and Sunday 10 September.  

Maitland City Library is joining this celebration by presenting the Voices of the Past exhibition, which will run until Thursday 14 September.  

Maitland Libraries coordinator of community participation Carol Edmonds expressed her excitement about the exhibition’s role in celebrating History Week.  

“This exhibition invites you to enter a world where history comes to life through Voices of the Past,” she said.

“We’re showcasing a remarkable collection of carte-de-visite photographic cards, each carrying a piece of unknown history within its frame.”

The cards on display will provide a poignant glimpse into the lives of individuals from bygone eras, capturing moments and inspiring stories that resonate through time.  

At the heart of the exhibition is an invitation for visitors to become active participants in history. 

Participants can engage with the enigmatic sitters captured in the photographs through a creative writing activity, encouraging them to lend their voices to unknown people in history and contribute their narratives and perspectives.  

“This exhibition encourages us to connect with the past in a personal and meaningful way,” Ms Edmonds said.  

“Voices of the Past is not just an exhibition; it’s an opportunity to imagine the narrative, to honour those who came before us, and to celebrate the stories that define our collective identity.”

In line with History Week, Maitland City Library will host two other events including the Riverside Crime Walk facilitated by Dark Stories and launch the Maitland Library Oral History Project 2023.  

The Maitland Library Oral History Project opens on Thursday 7 September at 2pm.  

Curated by the Opened Minds Digitisation team, this product involves an interactive display of the spoken histories of individuals, families and community members who have either experienced flooding or, whose lives are impacted by the threat of reoccurring flooding in the Maitland region.  

On Friday 8 September, Dark Stories will guide you along the riverside walk taking a deep dive into the underbelly of Maitland’s dark past.  

Tickets to the Riverside Crime Walk are limited and priced at $15. 

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They’ll also show support for action, to prevent it, at Lifeline Hunter’s Out of the Shadows Walk to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 8 September.

The event, from Dixon Beach to Merewether Baths, starts at 6.30am.

Lifeline Hunter CEO Rob Sams said the walk was a powerful and heart-warming way to reflect on lived experiences relating to suicide or suicide attempts.

“Hopefully, it will help reduce the stigma that surrounds it, too,” he explained.

“We call the walk Out of the Shadows because it assists the community to keep the important conversation about suicide prevention into the light.

“By coming together as a community, we can learn from other people’s experiences and be inspired by others’ actions.

“We can also support people impacted by suicide or suicide attempts.”

He said Lifeline was still receiving about 25% more calls to its 13 11 14 service than prior to the pandemic as people dealt with cost-of-living pressures, loneliness and other trauma.

“Our message on the day, and every day, is that Lifeline is here to listen to those in times of crisis and to offer hope,” Mr Sams adds.

The free event is again being supported by Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG).

Aunty Cheryl Smith will welcome those gathered to Awabakal and Worimi country, while there’ll be a coffee cart and breakfast thanks to Medowie Lions Club.

Despite rain, more than 500 people participated in last year’s walk – the first since 2019 because of COVID-19 restrictions.

World Suicide Prevention Day is 10 September.

The theme for this year is “creating hope through action”.

Mr Sams said everyone was welcome at the event.

“But, it helps with planning if people attending register at Sticky Tickets or via the link at lifelinehunter.org.au,” he stated.

Nine Australians die every day by suicide and more than 65,000 Australians make an annually.

It’s the leading cause of death for Aussies between the ages of 15 and 44.

Lifeline is Australia’s leading suicide prevention service offering crisis support, individual counselling, bereavement support groups, suicide prevention training, and other community programs. 

Lifeline support

• Telephone: 13 11 14 l Text: 0477 13 11 14 l Chat online: www.lifeline.org.au
• Face-to-face and video counselling bookings: 1300 152 854

If this story raises issues for you, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 13 Yarn on 13 92 76.

Lifeline World Suicide Prevention Day Walk

• What: Lifeline Hunter’s Out of the Shadows Walk to mark World Suicide Prevention Day
• When: Friday 8 September at 6am for a 6.30am start
• Where: Dixon Beach car park. Walk to Merewether Baths and back

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The Scone-based mentor believes the four-year-old is coming along exactly as he would like in readiness for the $2 million feature over 1200m on 14 October.

“I couldn’t be happier with her,” Pepper said.

“She’s in terrific order. After every prep she’s gone out for a spell and come back bigger and stronger.

“So, I’m really looking forward to seeing her race again.”

But, Pepper will wait until the big day of her main target race before that happens, because Opal Ridge has a history of racing very well fresh.

She won at her very first start in a race, in January 2022, and again at the start of her second and third campaigns in July 2022 and February 2023.

And, the past two Kosciuszkos have been won by horses racing first-up – Front Page last year and Art Cadeau in 2021.

Members of the public can buy $5 tickets in the slot draw for The Kosciuszko via the TAB App or from their local pub, club or TAB agency, or at race meetings.

The 14 winning slot-holders will be drawn on 8 September and they can then negotiate an agreement on a prizemoney share with the connections of a NSW county-trained or ACT-trained galloper and have that horse run for them.

Opal Ridge is the equal favourite with Far Too Easy at $4.50 in TAB Fixed Odds betting on The Kosciuszko.

“She’s been dynamite first-up all along,” Pepper said.

“It’s just a proven formula with her, something that she’s always been able to do – race great fresh – so I’ve got no qualms about running first-up in The Kosciuszko.

“It’s not like she was out in the paddock for a hell of long time either.

“She just had a nice freshen-up from her winter carnival campaign in Brisbane and she carried through a bit of residual fitness from that.

“So, everything’s on track. She was looking for a break by the end of her Brisbane campaign and she’s had that now.

“She’ll run in a barrier trial at Randwick on 22 September and that’ll give us three weeks to tighten the screws and have her ready to rock in the big race.

“She’s never been a horse that takes a lot of work to get her fit.

“Opal Ridge’s incredibly well-winded and very easy to train.

“We just try to keep her happy and she usually responds very well to that approach.”

Pepper says the quality of The Kosciuszko as a race continues on an upward spiral.

“I think it’s a credit to those trainers who produced the horses to win the past couple of Kosciuszkos first-up,” he said.

“I believe it’s a credit to all of the country trainers who get their horses to this race.

“The standard has gone up.

“We’ve had to get better horses and be better trainers and it’s races like this and the level of competition that is involved that has made those things happen.

“Front Page and Art Cadeau are class horses.

“It may be a race for country horses, but it’s definitely strong and not easy to win.”

• Greg Prichard

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Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said the platform meant anglers of all abilities, including those in wheelchairs, could safely and easily wet a line in one of the best estuaries for fishing on the NSW coast. 

“The idea for an accessible fishing platform was raised about five years ago,” she said. 

“We listened to those requests, sought a grant from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust and have now completed construction on what will be a wonderful facility for our community.” 

Bolton Point was identified as a suitable location due to its large concentrations of fish, and the presence of an existing wharf upon which the platform could be built. 

“The wharf has been widened to cater for wheelchairs and other support aids for people with limited mobility who want to get out over the water and fish,” Cr Fraser said. 

The northern side of the wharf remains available for boats to berth alongside using mooring cleats, while the southern side is now dedicated to fishing. 

Two disabled parking spaces have also been added to the adjoining car park as part of the project, along with new signage informing the community of the new shared fishing space. 

Let’s Fish Lake Mac organiser and keen local angler Michael Guest said fishing was a social and recreational outlet for hundreds of thousands of Australians of all ages and abilities. 

“Providing better access and more access for everyone to enjoy the lake is just a fantastic thing to do in the first place,” he said. 

“And building things like this that allow people of all abilities to enjoy Australia’s biggest pastime – that can’t be a bad thing.” 

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In July 2023, the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District Property and Drug Crime Team set up Strike Force Cared.

It was established to investigate break and enters reported by supermarkets across the Port Stephens-Hunter, Newcastle City and Hunter Valley police districts as they were believed to have been linked.

About 3pm on Thursday 31 August, officers were called to a hardware store on Vincent Street, Cessnock, following reports a man was allegedly attempting to shoplift.

Police arrested a 38-year-old male at the scene before he was taken to Cessnock Police Station.

Following extensive inquiries, the man was charged with six counts of break and enter house etc steal, break and enter dwelling-house etc with intent (steal), and larceny.

He was refused bail to appear before Cessnock Local Court on Friday 1 September.

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While Lambton Swimming Centre recently reopened its doors, Stockton, Mayfield, Wallsend and Beresford will follow suit during the September school holidays.

Over winter, all five complexes underwent safety upgrades, extensive re-painting, and maintenance of the pool tiles and promenades. 

Visitors to Lambton will also notice major progress on the construction of a new grandstand, which is expected to be completed by November.

Three smaller ones have been installed adjacent to the diving pool. 

Permanent tiered seating structures have gone in at Mayfield, Stockton and Wallsend swimming centres, too, giving schools, sporting groups and spectators more shaded seating options when those facilities reopen next month. 

A range of other works are being delivered across the facilities, as well, to enhance the comfort, safety and enjoyment of the community both in and out of the water, including pump replacements for improved water quality, new lane ropes, upgraded play equipment at Beresfield and a new shade sail over the playground at Mayfield Swimming Centre. 

Council’s executive manager community and recreation Lynn Duffy said CN maximised the period during winter as part of its commitment under the Inland Pools Strategy 2043. 

“We’ve invested more than $5 million upgrading and $2 million maintaining the city’s public pool network during the past few years to ensure they continue to meet the expectations and evolving needs of more than 320,000 people who visit them each year,” she explained.

“Our team has completed an extensive program of capital and maintenance works during the past few months.”

Ms Duffy said the pools would continue to be operated by BlueFit while new lease arrangements were finalised.

CN is currently preparing a report for the Minister for Local Government following the recent public notice of the proposed lease. 

“In the meantime, we’ve granted an extension of the current lease with BlueFit to ensure these important community assets can open for the upcoming swimming season,” Ms Duffy said.

“BlueFit will also provide day-to-day management of Beresfield Swimming Centre as it is included in the tender that has been awarded.”

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Lake Macquarie City Council manager waste services Paul Collins said the data demonstrated the significant environmental and economic benefits of shifting to greener ways. 

“We’ve collected 195,000 tonnes of what we call FOGO – food organics and garden organics – since the introduction of the three bins in July 2018,” he said. 

“That has yielded about 94,000 tonnes of compost, returning vital nutrients to the soil, but equally importantly, it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 312,000 tonnes.” 

Mr Collins explained that such a large volume of organic waste created vast amounts of methane, if sent to landfill rather than being composted. 

Food and garden waste is sent to a processing facility at Awaba to become compost, and its diversion from landfill also reduces the amount council must pay in NSW Government waste levies. 

Mr Collins said the five-year levy savings equated to about $28.3 million. 

“Diverting this waste from landfill is also helping us move closer to meeting the NSW Environmental Protection Authority’s waste diversion targets,” he said. 

Council’s waste strategy coordinator Hal Dobbins said while some residents found the change challenging initially, most had since embraced the green bin and realised its benefits. 

“Every little scrap of food and garden waste we collect in the green bin counts,” he said. 

Despite the huge gains, even more can be done. 

Auditing of bins across the city shows food scraps still comprise about 17 per cent of waste going into the garbage bin. 

“It basically means we’re unnecessarily sending more than 6000 tonnes of food waste to landfill each year,” Mr Dobbins said. 

Lake Macquarie City mayor Kay Fraser said residents were doing an amazing job overall. 

“I’m really proud of the way they have risen to the challenge, changed their habits to accommodate the three-bin system and helped us become some of the best food and green waste recyclers in Australia,” she said. 

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