Newcastle News

A man has died when the car he was driving collided with a truck, on the New England Highway near Muswellbrook. Emergency services were called to the scene near the intersection of Sandy Creek Road at around 10:30 this morning, after reports a Mazda had collided with a horse transport truck. The driver of the sedan, a 78-year-old man, died at the scene, while the truck driver was uninjured. A horse sustained a minor injury. The New England Highway was blocked in both directions for several hours, but has since reopened. MUSWELLBROOK: All lanes of the New England Highway are now open after an earlier truck and car crash near Sandy Creek Road. Traffic conditions are back to normal. — Live Traffic NSW (@LiveTrafficNSW) May 22, 2018

JUST IN: Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson has been found GUILTY of concealing child sex offences in a Newcastle courtroom this morning. He is the highest catholic in Australia to be convicted of the charge. BREAKING: Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson has been found GUILTY of concealing child sex offences. Is the highest catholic in Australia to be convicted of the charge @nbnnews — Tyson Cottrill (@TysonCottrill) May 21, 2018 Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson leaving Newcastle Local court after being found guilty of concealing child sex offences @nbnnews pic.twitter.com/swaH7NlAQV — Tyson Cottrill (@TysonCottrill) May 22, 2018 More to come.

Merewether’s Jackson Baker has made a great start to his campaign at the 6,000-point Qualifying Series event in Japan. He set the tone with the opening wave of his heat. It was – an eight point three to be exact, giving him a healthy lead. His second wave ended up being his second best score. Baker won by almost two points to advance to round two and a match-up with the likes of Brazil’s Alex Ribeiro and fellow Aussie, Mitch Coleborn. Merewether’s Ryan Callinan will begin his campaign in round two.

Another part of Newcastle’s CBD has closed due to the light rail build. For the next three weeks, the intersection of Watt and Scott streets will be off-limits to traffic. During that time, the city’s park and ride service won’t stop at Customs House, Queens Wharf or Honeysuckle. While public bus services will also be impacted for more information please check the website   No Audio

Travelling around Newcastle – and parking – is far from easy right now. But today, officials were pedalling what they hope will be a new era of travel – Australia’s first-ever electric bike sharing scheme.

Bad news tonight regarding Newcastle’s Maritime Museum, with the facility to close on Wednesday after members of the Museum Society today voted to wind up operations. It follows weeks of uncertainty about its future. The museum will vacate its heritage-listed building in Honeysuckle, with landowner, the Hunter Development Corporation, agreeing to help find proper storage facilities for its historical items.

Support for the Mark Hughes Foundation reached new heights today, with McDonald Jones agreeing to temporarily rename the Knights’ home ground ‘Beanie for Brain Cancer Stadium’, ahead of the clash with Cronulla on Sunday. “Bill McDonald, Nathan Thurston and the team, they just can’t do enough for us. They just get local community, they just want to help and I’m a very proud Knights ambassador. Phil Gardiner and all the Knights are right behind this.” Beanies will be on sale at the ground, while the Knights will wear special jerseys, which will be auctioned off to raise money for the foundation. “We have a brain cancer care nurse at John Hunter and she does a wonderful job assisting families and patients.” “We’re setting up two brain cancer hubs in Newcastle and one in Sydney that are going to give researchers …

Energy giant AGL has refused an offer from Alinta Energy to buy the ageing Liddell Power Station, in the Hunter Valley. The energy giant’s board assessed the $250 million bid, however it says the deal significantly undervalues future cash flow from the site. “The AGL board has determined that the offer is not in the best interests of AGL or its shareholders.” Just last month AGL announced it will spend up to $400 million, to build a new gas-fired power station at Tomago near Newcastle, to address a shortfall in energy supply when the Hunter Valley power station shuts its doors. Liddell is currently scheduled to close in 2022.

They have plenty to sing about, and the D-Majors Choir sure were in full voice today – and for good reason. Made up of women who’ve been touched by cancer, the D-Majors celebrated their fifth-anniversary with a lunchtime concert. As well as raising money and awareness – the D-Majors also provide music, fun and friendship for women affected by breast cancer.  

More than a thousand people have come together…for Dementia Australia’s annual Memory Walk and jog at Speers Point. More than $60,000 has been raised so far with counting still underway. Audio in parts (****)