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NSW braces for bird flu as Victorian death toll climbs

A Hunter Valley chicken farmer has been reassured by steps that have been taken by the NSW Government to prevent an outbreak of bird flu. The country's worst-ever avian influenza outbreak is happening in Victoria, with more than 460,000 birds destroyed so far.

While outbreaks in New South Wales are rare, there was an outbreak in Maitland in 2012, when about 50,000 layer hens were destroyed and quarantine zones were put in place.

Key Hunter projects fail to make the cut in federal budget

If you're wondering how the Hunter fared in this week's federal budget, think swings and roundabouts. Funding was allocated for the Singleton and Newcastle inner-city bypass, but several projects missed out, including the Newcastle Airport runway expansion.

What will it take to get a faster train from Sydney to Newcastle?

You couldn't pose the question any clearer than Kia Handley did this week: "How nice would it be if you could get to Sydney from the Hunter, on a train, in less time?" But it's a simple question that seems to have been made too difficult for far too long. 

Associate Professor Philip Laird joined Kia for a candid talk about how and why such a delay has taken place and what the latest Federal Government pledge — a $15 million fund to further investigate the fast train concept — might mean for many frustrated commuters.

Mother concerned lessons not learnt from her son's death

A mother whose 13-year-old son died after his appendix burst in 2017 is concerned more children could suffer the same fate if guidelines for checking vital signs aren't updated. She says if her son's vital signs had been taken and recorded on either of the occasions he was taken to a GP when he was ill, his "body would have told them what was happening".

Financial crisis grips Central Coast Council

Central Coast Council is staring down the barrel of financial ruin, after revelations of serious liquidity issues and allegations of budget mismanagement. It's been revealed that an expected budget deficit of $41 million has now more than doubled, but one councillor claims the actual figure will be far higher.

More mozzies in your summer cozzies

Well, here's something that isn't great news! According to leading mosquito expert Cameron Webb, mozzies don't take holidays. And this summer's La Nina weather pattern will probably mean more mosquitoes than over last year's Christmas break.

Dr Webb told Drive's Paul Turton that local mosquito-borne diseases like Ross River fever are still a concern, and he helped solve a mystery that we've all thought about before — why do we get bitten more in the summer months? 

Can Kooragang Island's baby black swans survive without a parent?

Have you seen the Kooragang swans? The dangerous positioning of the swans' nest alongside the highway, running past the coal loaders, has concerned and fascinated locals this year. And now we've been told there's another reason to worry.

The baby swans, or cygnets, have recently lost one of their parents after it encountered a passing car. A local woman who is particularly concerned for the safety of the cygnets is Hunter Wildlife Rescue vice president Anne Williams. She's shared some of her insights into this unusual little family with Drive's Paul Turton.

What else made news this week?

Road closure: One of Newcastle's busiest roads will be closed in both directions on Saturday night for the installation of a new pedestrian bridge. Newcastle Road between Croudace St and the Jesmond roundabout will close from 9pm Saturday until 10am Sunday while the work is completed. Detours will be in place. The 34m bridge is part of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass project and will be shared by pedestrians and cyclists. A crane will be used to lift it into place.

Worker injured: Emergency crews were called to the Baiada plant at Beresfield just before 9am on Tuesday after a worker's hand was severed. An ambulance spokesman says a 30-year-old man was treated for a severe hand injury and taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition. Processing operations have been suspended and Baiada says it has contacted all relevant authorities and will be conducting a thorough internal investigation. SafeWork NSW is investigating.

Protection push: A campaign is underway to protect the Upper Hunter town's Wilson Memorial hospital building, earmarked for demolition when Murrundi's new hospital is complete. Hunter New England Health says the demolition is necessary to allow ambulances to access the new building. But heritage consultant Ray Hynes says the site should be considered significant, particularly given the government architect who worked on the building also designed the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. 

Cattle duffing: Hunter Valley Rural Crime Prevention Team investigators are seeking information in relation to the theft of 45 Black Baldy cows and their calves and one apricot Limousin bull from a property on the Golden Highway, Merriwa. The estimated loss is $130,000 worth of stock.

Volunteer shortage: Hunter Volunteer Centre chief executive Tony Ross says a large number of people have stopped volunteering this year due to coronavirus worries, and many haven't returned. Now, there's a shortage of volunteers in the Hunter that's impacting the ability of charities to deliver services, just when people need them most. 

Knights out and about: It was a week on the field perhaps best not spoken of for the Knights. But the players are out of the bubble and no longer face the biosecurity measures they had due to COVID-19. Knights chief executive Phil Gardner says he's reminded players to behave and act appropriately. 

Things that go slither in the night...

Worst. Nightmare. Ever. A Central Coast family got the shock of their lives when these unwelcome visitors dropped in unexpectedly earlier this week. The five diamond pythons crashed through the ceiling of the Mangrove Creek home and landed on mum's bed ... luckily before she had retired for the night!

Ryan Howard says he managed to usher four of the snakes away from his mum's room, but had to go to bed with one still on the loose. "I got the last one out (the 7-foot-long mum) from under the bed today, wrapped around a broom handle that almost broke ... so mum will sleep easy tonight!"

Game changer for stroke victims

Have you or any of your friends and family been impacted by stroke? It's a health concern at the forefront of many of our minds and any positive news in this space is always a welcome development. Now, as Breakfast's Dan Cox found out on Friday, some of that good news has arrived.

Newcastle University neuroscientist Dr Rebecca Hood is one of the brains behind the Tactics VR Project, a virtual technology aimed at training frontline staff in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke victims. The VR technology also can easily be deployed to rural and regional areas, which is even better news!

How's the weekend weather looking?

The weather won't be that great for ducks, with sunny days and temps in the high 20s on Sunday. We don't imagine that will ruffle too many feathers! 

And have you ever seen a cuter photo than this one? Mel Gray took it at Swansea. Aww...

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