Like what we do in this newsletter? Why not invite your friends to sign up and join us?

Hunter Valley property sold for first time in 165 years

The historic Hunter Valley homestead property Bickham, at Blandford near Scone, has been sold for the first time in 165 years. The grand homestead features seven bedrooms and four bathrooms, set on a 133-hectare grazing property that also has a winery. 

Coalition promises Singleton bypass upgrade amid Upper Hunter by-election

Two days after saying the Upper Hunter by-election would not be a cash splash, the Coalition has promised a major upgrade of the Singleton bypass. Construction on the bypass was set to begin in 2023 and would not include a full interchange at Putty Road. But that all changed last week when Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced the bypass would now include the full interchange.

Prince Philip funeral singer Miriam Allan's father 'over the moon' as daughter performs

Miriam Allan stood out as the only female in a four-person choir that sang at Prince Philip's scaled-back funeral at the weekend, but that was no surprise to her father, who was watching proudly from home in Newcastle. Chris Allan had to hold his tongue after finding out his daughter would be singing at Prince Philip's funeral. The proud dad says Miriam had been a "musically precocious" child who had been performing since she was little.

One Nation and Greens candidates named for Upper Hunter by-election

Singleton local Dale McNamara has been named as One Nation's pick for the Upper Hunter by-election. The miner-turned-businessman said protecting coal jobs would be his priority. At the opposite end of the political spectrum, Scone resident and Upper Hunter Shire councillor Sue Abbott will run for the NSW Greens.

Sue Gilroy says Nationals' website campaign tactic 'low blow'

A website set up by the Nationals to discredit Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Sue Gilroy is being run by the state office, not the local candidate, a campaign spokesman says. But Ms Gilroy says the move reflects badly on candidate David Layzell and further undermines the National Party's brand in the Upper Hunter.

NSW Nationals backflip on 'dirty tactic' during Upper Hunter by-election

Later in the week, The Nationals state director said the website domain names "would be relinquished" after the criticism. The NSW Deputy Labor leader had called on the Nationals to scrap what she has described as "dirty tactics" being used against rival political candidates.

Melissa Hunt murder investigation continues

Forensic police searched a Newcastle house this week as detectives try to crack the 27-year-old cold case murder of Melissa Hunt. Police divers also conducted another search at the dam at Stockrington where Ms Hunt's body was found in April 1994.

Home owners asked to rent holiday properties as NSW faces housing shortage

When family psychologist Terra Harrison decided to take the plunge and move from Newcastle to the sleepy seaside town of Eden on the NSW Far South Coast, she realised some "out of the box" thinking was needed to find a place to live.

Ms Harrison said she was lucky to have one holiday home owner open his doors to the family for a short-term lease, after learning that only two viable rental options were on the market when she was trying to move.

Virtual reality used to train midwives of the future

After months of planning, when you actually have your baby, things can change quickly. How then do midwives train to be ready to tackle anything? That's where technology is changing the game, as Dr Jessica Wood, associate lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Newcastle, tells Kia Handley.

How life's a drag in a good way!

"I got pulled up on stage and did the splits three times and people started throwing money at me, and I thought I could make money doing this," says Tim Jackson. The ABC's Christine Sheridan spoke to Tim about his life and how he paved his path in drag.

How can the Hunter Valley become Australia's happiest place?

What is happiness? And if we are all happy together, how does that change the community you live in? Declan Edwards wants to make the Hunter the happiest community in Australia (maybe even the world).

What else made news this week?

Anzac Day in the Hunter: Novocastrians are being encouraged to find alternative ways to get involved with Anzac Day events on Sunday, with many services being toned down this year. The traditional march in the city isn't going ahead, and the Merewether-Hamilton-Adamstown RSL branch won't be hosting separate services. President Phil Winney says they will be live-streaming a members-only breakfast on the day to make others feel involved. And ABC Newcastle Breakfast presenter Jenny Marchant will be broadcasting live the local dawn service from Fort Scratchley between 5am and 6am. The ABC also will be providing Anzac Day coverage across television, local radio, iView, social media and the Listen app. Full details here.

King Street hotel expansion: Newcastle Council on Monday considered an application for King Street hotel to expand into two adjoining buildings, boosting the number of patrons from 780 to more than 1,300. Licensee Russell Richardson says it will generate employment and he's confident additional security measures will address police concerns about crime. John Dickenson from the New West community group says the residents also generate income for the city and deserve a say.

Newcastle league: Knights coach Adam O'Brien has made just one change to his winning team due to an injury. Winger Hymel Hunt is sidelined with a hamstring injury, which forced him from the field in the win over the Sharks last week. Starford T'oa will take his place for Thursday night's clash with Penrith. Forward Lachlan Fitzgibbon hasn't been named in the squad, after hopes he could have come back from a shoulder injury.

Back on campus: The University of Newcastle's deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Mark Hoffman, says the level of isolation caused by online learning has been a key driver for his push to fast-track a return to face to face learning. Thousands of students at the university's Callaghan and Ourimbah campuses were forced online as the COVID-19 crisis worsened last year. Professor Hoffman says there are 1,066 courses across all campuses and all but 12 are now being taught face to face. 

Dine and discover: A Hunter business lobby group says there is a strong case for extending the State Government's Dine and Discover Voucher scheme, with 90 per cent of the vouchers still unspent. There are concerns regional areas in particular are not benefiting from the scheme as much as city areas, and there are just two months left to redeem the vouchers. Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes says he's hoping local businesses get more proactive in reminding customers to make use of them.

James Street plaza: The City of Newcastle says a transformation of James Street Plaza in Hamilton will happen sooner than first planned. The upgrade includes new paving, street furniture, landscaping, as well as artworks and ground etchings that acknowledge the suburb's history. Work is underway and expected to be finished by the middle of the year.

Deaf Games preparation: Dozens of Newcastle Council staff will be trained in sign language to ensure the city is well prepared to host next year's Australian Deaf Games. The games will be held in April, with more than 1,000 athletes competing in 20 sports at facilities across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. A "silent" game of touch football was played in the city yesterday for the launch of the games. 

The best photos from around the country

Don't you hate it when the perfect wave comes through and someone's already on it? These dolphins decided to join in the fun at Newcastle Beach recently! The amazing photo was captured by @nordy5 and sent to us via #ABCmyphoto on Instagram. 

The #ABCmyphoto team is always on the lookout for the best photos from around Australia. You can show us what the world looks like where you are by using the hashtag on Instagram, or by uploading your photos online here. Let's make sure more photos from the Hunter are featured across the ABC! 

How's the weekend weather looking?

The sun's out this Saturday with a top of 22 degrees before cooling down on Sunday. A high chance of showers is expected for Sunday.

How are we doing?
To produce the best newsletter we can, we need to hear from you. Are you enjoying this newsletter? Are we offering you stories you want to read? How can we improve? 🤔 Send us your feedback

And in other news... 

Missed the local news on-air? Listen to the latest bulletin.

Tune in to ABC Newcastle? Stream us live now.

Got something to say?  Send us an email.