The Eraring Power Station in Lake Macquarie will remain open for an additional two years beyond its original 2025 closure date in a deal between Origin and the NSW state government which could cost taxpayers up to $450 million. 

Adam Bray's son Zach was among the 10 victims of last year's crash. He was one of the family members who met with the NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley on Monday morning.

In a case of timing being everything, a group of women were running five minutes late for their weekly knitting catch-up at The Moderne Haberdashery and Fashion shop at Swansea when a high performance car ploughed into it, sending stock flying.

A court has been told former Newcastle Knights star Robbie O'Davis will appeal a conviction for assault.

The barrister for a woman whose husband died by poisoning has vehemently rejected rumour and innuendo that her client killed him.

Tyler Edwin King, 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and has been sentenced to jail, with the deceased's mother sobbing in court, after killing his sister's abusive boyfriend in "excessive self-defence" in 2022.

About 4 billion tonnes of goods are delivered across the country each year, mostly by road, but one train can carry the same freight as 54 trucks. So why doesn't more freight go by rail?

The streaming series Yellowstone has become a worldwide phenomenon, and Australians are not immune as they open up their wallets to buy expensive horses, pushing up the demand for trainers.

Attitudes to death are slowly changing in Australia. More people want to take control of how they die by exploring alternative end-of-life options, like using the service of a doula.

What's your job at ABC Newcastle?
 

I am a producer on the Breakfast show.
 

Where have you come from?
 

I've joined the Newcastle team after maternity leave, but previously worked with the ABC Western Plains team for five years, based in Dubbo but covering a huge swathe of western NSW.
 

What's the most interesting thing you've done (OR) most interesting place you've been and why?
 

I had a fantastic time working in western NSW, going on adventures everywhere from the red dirt country out the back of Bourke to the beautiful wineries of Mudgee and many farms and towns in between! I travelled along the Darling-Baaka River as water finally arrived in the bone-dry river after the crippling drought from 2017-2020 and it was so special seeing the communities come out to celebrate and have a splash. I also covered the mouse plague and the dust storms which were awful, but very interesting!
 

What do you love about Newcastle/the Hunter Valley?
 

I'm so excited to come back to be closer to family with my one-year-old and have so many opportunities and new adventures. From the beach to the harbour, amazing cultural experiences and exciting performances, so many eateries to enjoy — all while being so close to jump on the highway to see some green, open spaces again!

Listen to regional storytelling at its finest, with season three of the Expanse podcast delving into the murky world of espionage, lies, and secrets surrounding the Pine Gap spy base in Australia's red centre.

A morning in the gardens: ABC Newcastle Saturday Breakfast presenter Scott Bevan broadcast live from the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens at the weekend to mark World Botanic Gardens Day. Guests included the gardens' patron, Emeritus Professor of Biology and Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle, Tim Roberts.
 

Photo: Pictured from left, Tim Roberts, Scott Bevan, operations coordinator Bruce Williams and Saturday Breakfast producer Cara O'Brien. Image credit: ABC News/Keely Johnson
 

Transitioning from coal: The New South Wales government has announced its proposed model for a new authority called the Future Jobs and Investment Authority to help coal workers and communities like the Hunter transition from the industry. The government says more than 125,000 workers are either directly or indirectly employed in coal mining and coal-fired power stations across the state. However by 2040, all four of the state's coal-fired power stations and 32 of its 39 coal mines are expected to close. A new model to help safeguard affected workers and communities has been released. Consultations for the model are open now and comments can be made via the NSW government website. Meanwhile a meltdown in the NSW electricity market has prompted warnings that Australia's energy transition is off course.
 

Future plan for Broadmeadow: Newcastle City Council has released its future vision for Broadmeadow, including the land the state government will rezone where 20,000 new homes can be built. The draft plan looks at the needs of the suburb over the next 30 years, and in addition to new housing, supports the creation of around 15,000 jobs, while retaining Broadmeadow as Newcastle's premier sport and entertainment destination. The state government has welcomed the strategy and says it will release rezoning plans in the coming weeks to support the new housing supply.
 

More EV charging points: The Newcastle City Council says it will triple the number of electric vehicle charging stations across the city in the next 12 months. Thirty-two ports will be installed at 11 new locations to cater for the growing number of EV owners who live in and visit the region. Newcastle's Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen says many local EV owners don't have off-street parking to charge their cars.
 

Jobs to accelerate battery projects: The New South Wales government has committed $8.4 million to accelerate the completion of four major battery projects across the state. The funding have been awarded to Transgrid and the Australian Energy Market Operator to hire more engineers to fast-track grid connections for projects including the Liddell Battery Energy Storage System and the Waratah Super Battery at Lake Munmorah. The funding is set to bring forward completion dates of these projects by as much as 12 months, helping to decrease current reliability risks to consumers across the Hunter.
 

Muswellbrook mental health support: A new Medicare mental health centre will open in Muswellbrook in July in a federal government initiative to improve access for people in regional areas. Nurses, peer workers and social workers will be at the centre on weekdays. It is one of 61 that will roll out across Australia.
 

Hunter DV fundraiser: A Hunter domestic violence group is calling for more community events to help connect people to service providers. More than 200 people attended a family-friendly event at the weekend to help raise money for the Maitland Against Domestic Abuse organisation. The event included a group run followed by music, activities and speeches. Committee president Jenna Nadiotis says these events can help destigmatise talking about violent relationships.
 

Dive site upgrade: Work to rectify a popular dive site in Nelson Bay is set to begin this week. Access to the Pipeline Dive Site at Teramby Road was affected by a significant landslip during the March 2021 floods. The Port Stephens Council says upgrades include building an 80-metre retaining wall for stability, enhanced storm water drainage, and a new pedestrian pathway leading to the site.
 

Crowd record set to be broken: A record crowd is anticipated for game two of the women's State of Origin series in Newcastle next week. More than 26,000 tickets have already been sold for the match at Hunter Stadium on June 6. The NSW Blues beat the Maroons 22 to 12 in Queensland in game one in front of a record women's Origin crowd of more than 25,000 spectators.
 

Double for Jets striker: Newcastle Jets striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos scored a double in the A-League men's All Stars's thrashing of Newcastle United. The English Premier League side fielded a young side for the friendly in Melbourne. The Australian team won 8-nil.