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A powerful swell hit local beaches, causing widespread erosion and some damage. At Redhead waves hit the surf club, and in Stockton water came on to residential streets.

The latest heavy seas sent waves up to six metres high crashing onto Stockton Beach for the second time in weeks. Locals say the erosion crisis needs action, rather than talk.

A bypass to divert New England Highway traffic, including thousands of freight trucks per day, away from the heart of Muswellbrook is promised to see the light of day by 2027.

For 50 years, this local landmark has been helping to power our homes. The first of four coal-fired turbines at Liddell Power Station has been shut down, ahead of its full closure in April 2023.

Shock, denial, stress, anger. Some workers are struggling to comprehend the early closure of Eraring, the country's largest coal-fired power station.

A union survey reveals one in five aged care staff are considering leaving the sector in the next 12 months. Nursing home chief executives aren't surprised, but they've met to brainstorm what can be done about it.

A 4.5-hectare property at Wyong Creek is home to the state's first Aboriginal community-controlled women's drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation centre. It's a 20-bed facility that will help up to 100 women a year.

Incoming men's Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has reportedly met with Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga. NRL immortal Andrew Johns is a consultant for the Newcastle Knights.

Doing some home renovations, spring cleaning or moving house? If you live in Lake Macquarie, you'll be able to choose when your bulk waste is collected, twice a year.

We're still learning a lot about COVID-19. New strains make it hard for scientists to look at the long-term implications.

Do you get sidetracked by those social media posts of animals that are unlikely buddies, like a dog and a bird?

You might have played tug of war at a party or in the schoolyard, but it's serious business for a team from the Hunter. The Maitland Tug of War team competes in events around Australia

The latest Mark Hughes Foundation fundraising challenge will take local legends to the Top End. They'll be testing their endurance by riding, trekking and paddling through national parks.

Jacko wins Surfest: Merewether's Jackson Baker has become the first local man to win Surfest. Baker is also midway through his debut season on the World Surf League's Championship Tour. He almost didn't enter the Newcastle Pro event, which is part of the qualifying series. He's now preparing for the next WSL event at Bells Beach.

Steamfest postponed: Steamfest, which was due to bring thousands of people to Maitland this weekend, has been put on hold. Maitland City Council says there's a lot of water on the rally ground, and some vintage trains are stranded in other regions. Organisers say the event will now be held on July 30 and 31.

Nurses rally: Nurses and midwives rallied in the Hunter, calling for better staff-to-patient ratios and an improved pay deal. One gathering was told that a large number of young nurses are leaving the profession because of exhaustion.

Rain fills dams: Weeks of rain have brought a silver lining to water storage levels across the Hunter. Most dams are sitting close to 100 per cent or even higher.

Singleton election timing: The Supreme Court has ruled that another local government election must be held in Singleton before August 3. Singleton is one of three council areas in NSW where some residents couldn't use the electronic iVote system in last December's elections. Those results will be officially declared void in early May, and each council will then have three months to hold a new election.

What a gorgeous shot of Catherine Hill Bay bathed in pinks and purples! It was submitted by Jennah Haddock and shared via #ABCmyphoto on Instagram. You can show everyone what the world looks like where you live by using the hashtag on Instagram or by uploading your photos online here. 

The last few days of sunshine have been a great break from the severe weather, but more potentially heavy rain is on the way. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a warning that we might see some flash flooding and river level rises during the next few days. The wet weather will last until the weekend, when it will clear a little, but remain cloudy with some possible showers. Temperatures won't get any higher than the mid-20s.

This amazing image was submitted via #ABCmyphoto by Shane Wallwork. Shane says it was taken on Saturday when those huge seas were pounding our coastline.

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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.