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The Maitland region has been the focus of COVID-19 testing and messaging this week, as traces of the virus were found in sewage and case numbers continued to rise in that part of the Hunter. 

And dozens of people who live in an apartment block at Cardiff are now subject to lockdown inside their homes after three residents from the same family tested positive. All the other residents have been swabbed and told to stay in their building pending test results. You can read more about that here.

The message from health authorities has stayed firm, asking us to stay home and to book a vaccine.

In 1979, two weeks apart, Robyn Hickie and Amanda Robinson disappeared from the Lake Macquarie region. This week NSW Police announced two rewards of $1 million, hoping it would lead to new information being shared with investigators.

Watching on from the other side of the world, Khan is heartbroken to see the images and videos coming from his homeland Afghanistan. The Taliban retook control of the capital Kabul this week. Some Hunter families are worried about family members who went for a short visit and are now stuck.

There's a lot of pressure on students as they prepare to sit their HSC. With some schools getting rid of final exams, how else do school leavers get into university?

Meet Ferdinand. He had a rough start to life but things are looking up for this orphan calf. He is now being raised as part of the inmate-run farm at St Heliers Correctional Centre in Muswellbrook.

The water temperature is around 16 or 17 degrees (read: chilly) but Anna Robertson doesn't care. To look after her own mental health and raise $5,000 for Beyond Blue, she's been taking the cool plunge in oceans around the Hunter and Central Coast.

A Hunter family who were supported during drought, fires and floods by families in Sydney have returned the favour. Robert Mackenzie donated 300kg of beef to families in the Cumberland Shire who have been hardest hit by the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

Get out your cable ties and bike helmets. With the wattle bursting into bloom, you know it's only a matter of time before the first magpie dive bombs your face.

What started with a post-summer holiday school assignment ended with one of the most remarkable stories of high sea drama off the Hunter coast. What happened the night after the vessel Helen B Sterling left Newcastle port?

He put on a spectacular show at Merewether Beach earlier in 2021 at the World Surf League and he's preparing to do it again!

Petrol price rise: Have you noticed the price of petrol has gone through the roof? Some Hunter service stations are charging more than $1.90 a litre for standard unleaded. NRMA spokesman John McGowan says petrol is around 10 cents a litre above the yearly average due to higher-than-average demand for global oil.

Judge to ease family law backlog: Newcastle Judge Giles Coakes is coming out of retirement to take on a backlog of family law cases. More than 20 retired judges have offered to work pro-bono or for a minimal fee to help clear 7,000 custody and property cases before next month.

Dollars for local DV service: Hunter domestic violence service Carrie's Place says $90,000 in state funding will allow it to boost capabilities for remote support. Chief executive Jayne Clowes says outdated laptops and technology have limited the ability of staff to offer help during the pandemic.

Concern over mental health in lockdown: A volunteer group in Newcastle says the region's worsening COVID outbreak is taking a toll on many people's mental health. Founder of the Live Free project Chris Jones says it's been especially challenging for vulnerable families. Volunteers have been hitting the phones to reach out to community members feeling stress and anxiety.

Fatal accident investigation: An investigation is underway after a man died in a single vehicle crash in Raymond Terrace. Police were called to Port Stephens Road near Kangaroo Street just after 5pm on Saturday. The 69-year-old male driver could not be resuscitated and died at the scene.

Thanks to David Williams, who sent us this lovely shot of a rainbow over the field in Vacy. It's perfect! You can show everyone what the world looks like where you live by using the hashtag #ABCmyphoto on Instagram or by uploading your photos online here. 

One silver lining in lockdown has been the stunning weather the Hunter has turned on this week. We have good news, it's not going anywhere! Get ready for beautiful late winter days of slightly chilly starts warming up to low 20s across the rest of the week and into your weekend.

And thanks to Stuart from Wangi, who has been enjoying backyard views this week in lockdown.

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ABC Newcastle acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.