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Raw sewage spill causes big stink for tourists

An excavation mishap on Tuesday involving 225,000 litres of raw sewage hasn't just fouled the beach at Port Stephens, it's also delivered a harsh blow to businesses recovering from COVID lockdowns after beaches from Nelson Bay marina to Fly Point had to be closed. 
 

Australia's biggest battery coming to Lake Mac

Origin Energy has unveiled a plan to build a 700-megawatt battery on the site of ageing coal-fired Eraring power station, in a bid to move the company away from fossil fuel power over the next 10 years. When completed the battery will be the largest in Australia, and four times bigger than Tesla's big battery in South Australia.

Anglers call for flathead protection in NSW 

A growing number of anglers are calling for the NSW Government to strengthen its protections around female dusky flathead greater than 70cm. Myall Lakes angler Shane Porter says the trophy fish are in their breeding prime at that size, and new limits will prevent females from being overfished.

Vintage vans take our tourist parks by storm

As COVID-19 puts international travel plans on hold, vintage caravans are in demand here in Australia, with some people paying big bucks to take their slice of history on the road. Some renovated vintage vans are selling for close to $20,000, and Facebook pages are popping up with renovation tips and plans for meet-ups.

Prisoners learn trade skills to avoid re-offending

Demountable classrooms have become a regular fixture on schoolgrounds around NSW, but who is adding the finishing touches may surprise you. Cessnock Correctional Centre has a warehouse where inmates are put to work painting and fitting out the classrooms.

About 20 of the facility’s 650 inmates are completing a TAFE-certified trade throughout the year. Governor Richard Heycock says learning a trade is increasingly becoming a focus for Corrective Services NSW.

Knights skipper steps down, fronts media

NRL star Mitchell Pearce is taking steps to address personal issues after a texting scandal led to him stepping down as Newcastle Knights captain. At a media conference, the tearful 31-year-old said: "I love this club and I love my family and I've committed to working as hard as I can to be the best man I can be both on and off the field."

What else made news this week?

Hunter coal slump: The Port of Newcastle reported a 4 per cent decline in overall coal exports last year and trade to China was halved. Port Waratah Coal Services said it loaded 106 million tonnes of coal last year, a drop of 4.2 per cent on 2019. It blamed the pandemic for the small overall decline, rather than a drop in Chinese demand.

Jets play on: Venues NSW has blocked football fans from the Northern Zone of the Northern Beaches and selected postcodes in Western Sydney from purchasing tickets to this week's Newcastle Jets games at Hunter Stadium. Due to COVID restrictions the stadium has limited capacity to half and strongly encouraged attendees to wear a mask.

Cardiff charity robbed: A Lake Macquarie charity supporting victims of domestic violence has re-opened after its new warehouse was broken into this week. Survivors R Us was due to open at a bigger location in Cardiff due to increased demand for its services, but staff arrived to find the front door smashed with laptops, iPads, jewellery and several other items stolen. 

Shark beach closure: Nobbys and Newcastle beaches were closed on Tuesday due to a shark sighting. Hunter Surf Life Saving said a pair of sharks were spotted off the rocks at Nobbys by lifeguards using a drone. The technology has previously been used at Redhead, Birubi and Tea Gardens, but it is the first season it has been used at Nobbys.

Stabbing arrest: A man was arrested after two women were allegedly stabbed following a confrontation with police in the Hunter on Wednesday. Officers were called to a home on Pacific Way at Muswellbrook around 7pm on Tuesday and found a 27-year-old Macksville man in the front yard allegedly armed with a pair of scissors, carrying a baby.

Cargo delays: Chaos in the shipping industry is causing long delays for imported products and disrupting supply chains in the Hunter. There's been a significant shortage of available shipping containers worldwide for several months as trade rebounded from COVID in the back half of last year. The Hunter Business Chamber says the issue is being felt by many of its members, with some businesses unable to supply customers.

'He can't play video games all day long'

What are the summer jobs from the past and what are the summer jobs of the present? The son of Syrian Australia barber Izzy Ehredeen is only 14, but he is already cutting hair four days a week over summer.

Izzy and his customers talk about current trends in hair, from the mullet (it's back) to the "zero fades" and short back and sides, as well as school holiday jobs past and present.

The Hunter's next generation of Olympians

What do Zorro, Robin Hood and The Three Musketeers have in common? Apart from being daring and flamboyant movie heroes, they were all pretty good at fencing. It's a sport you might only see during the Olympics, but in Newcastle, fencing is attracting some pretty talented athletes.

Jarrod Mullen set to return to rugby league

Former NRL player Jarrod Mullen has signed a one-year deal with the Sunshine Coast Falcons. Mullen's four-year doping ban for steroid use will expire at midnight on Sunday. The 33-year-old will start training with the club on Monday. The Falcons are a feeder team for NRL club the Melbourne Storm.

How's the weekend weather looking?

We're set for a mostly sunny and warm day on Friday with a top temperature of 30 degrees, with more sunny conditions forecast on Saturday and Sunday.

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