Your Newcastle

Newcastle is entering a new phase of sophistication as an arts and cultural
destination. From prominent walls to hidden laneways, Newcastle’s burgeoning
street art scene will make you feel something. Local muralist and Creative
Director of Playstate, Jordan Lucky, draws on his travels to reflect on how far the
city has come, where we’re headed, and the skill and technique involved in
painting murals to scale to produ...

Ensuring strong protections for our rich built and cultural heritage has been
critical to the ongoing urban renewal, transformation and preservation of
Newcastle’s historic east end. Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Development
Manager at Iris Capital, Jamie Boswell, step us through the East End Village
project, the opening of the QT Hotel, and breathing new life into the Hunter
Street Mall through its careful and consi...

The Albanese Government has committed to holding a referendum to
constitutionally enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the current
parliamentary term, which would establish a representative body allowing
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to have their say on projects and
policies that directly impact them. To succeed, the proposed referendum needs
to win a majority of votes in a majority of state...

Market volatility and the threat of climate change are driving a national energy
crisis. Could widespread electrification in the suburbs be the next frontier in
reducing emissions? Inventor, author, founder, scientist and former climate
advisor to the US White House, Dr Saul Griffith, explains how replacing our cars,
kitchen appliances and heating and cooling systems with energy efficient
alternatives can have a sign...

In anticipation of Newcastle Art Gallery’s $40 million expansion, the gallery’s
entire collection of more than 7,000 artworks was revalued at $126 million, an
$11 million increase. Newcastle Art Gallery Curator, Lisa Kirkpatrick, and
Newcastle Art Gallery Society President, Prue Viggers OAM, distil their thoughts
on some of the most valuable works, making Newcastle’s collection the most
valuable in Australia outside ...

From a convict’s button to larger, iconic pieces from the BHP Newcastle
steelworks, there are treasures abound in the Newcastle Museum collection.
Find out what a day in the life of Curation and Collection Coordinator David
Hampton looks like, and some interesting facts about steam locomotives,
including Australia’s oldest piece of gravity-fed, fishbelly rail, which was
discovered in Newcastle and is on display at th...

City of Newcastle’s Local Centres Program paves the way for neighbourhood
centre upgrades near you, delivering footpath upgrades, tree planting, street
furniture and stormwater infrastructure to activate community hubs. Councillor
Peta Winney-Baartz, Senior Project Planner Sarah Horan and Project Manager
Chris Merlo unpack the latest upgrade to Shortland Local Centre and preview
those nearing completion at Mitchell S...

Greening Newcastle’s streets has never been more important as we face the
challenges of urban heat island effect, population growth and the impacts of
climate change. Street gardens are a simple yet powerful way to transform the
nature strip between your footpath and the road to bring climate, social, biodiversity and stormwater drainage benefits. So, who is eligible to plant one,
and what are the criteria? Find out wit...

Newcastle Art Gallery’s long awaited $40 million expansion is underway, with
the gallery set to double in size with an additional 1,600sqm of exhibition space,
extending its footprint east along Darby and Queen streets. This will allow a far
greater portion of the gallery’s $126 million collection to be permanently
displayed. Gallery Director Lauretta Morton and Newcastle Art Gallery
Foundation Chair Suzie Galwey joi...

City of Newcastle is investing in improved cycleway networks to benefit residents, commuters, and visitors alike, shifting public perception by providing a genuine transport option that is a cheaper, cleaner, and healthier alternative to get from A to B. Successful delivery requires investment in safe, connected infrastructure and thoughtful planning as well as behaviour change, so how do we achieve this whilst taking the community...

Dominating a large share of the Newcastle radio market between their respective breakfast shows, Tanya Wilks (Triple M) and Jess Farchione (Hit 106.9) join host Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes to share how they paved career paths as prominent local women in radio and some of the highlights of the job, including charity work for Lifeline, domestic violence support services and more. Reaching listeners in their homes, cars and workplaces, ...

Born a talented able-bodied triathlete, Lauren Parker’s life was turned upside down during a horrific accident in 2017 when she was training for the Ironman event and her tyres burst, sending her careering into a guard rail at 45km/h. She was told she would never walk again. This is the gruelling and inspiring story of Lauren Parker, whose grit and determination has seen her become a silver Paralympic medallist and a three-ti...

In January 2022, City of Newcastle will welcome 12 new trainees and apprentices under its dedicated Trainees and Apprentices Program. In this episode, host Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes takes five with former Trainee Arts Administrator Yvonne Edwards, who, after two years based at the Civic Theatre, secured a permanent position as Museum Administration Officer at Newcastle Museum. Yvonne shares her experiences and achievements, includi...

Newcastle has a long and proud history of peace activism, with former Lord Mayor the late Joy Cummings AM declaring the City of Newcastle a Nuclear Free Zone on 29 June 1982. In 2021 the peace movement continues, with the City reaffirming this declaration and working with Hunter Peace Group to establish a dedicated Peace Park at Tighes Hill, symbolising that which has been fought for and must continue to be fought for. Attending he...

When the second wave of COVID-19 and lockdowns struck, City of Newcastle acted swiftly to expand its award-winning $5.5 million Community and Economic Response Package to fill the gaps in the State and Federal Governments’ response at a grassroots level. To mobilise immediate on-ground support and help stimulate post-pandemic economic recovery, the City unlocked $1.25 million in Rapid Response Grants, Community Support and In...

The Port of Newcastle is the third-largest in Australia and contributes $1.5 billion to the national GDP. Accounting for 4,400 ship movements per year, the port is currently only operating at 50% capacity, with plenty of scope to embrace the transition to renewable energy under an ambitious diversification plan, backed by a commitment to derive 50% of its revenue from non-coal-related exports by 2030. Leading the conversation local...

Shaped by a diverse, multicultural community, Hamilton is full of rich history. In recent years Beaumont Street has undergone revitalisation, with the City of Newcastle recently completing an upgrade to James Street Plaza, which included the installation of new artworks, lighting and seating to improve the local amenity. 500m away, the City is developing the Gregson Park Masterplan to guide the park’s vision and renewal over ...

Newcastle is facing a tsunami of need for social and affordable housing due to job losses, rent hikes and stagnant wage growth, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest host Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz joins Compass Housing’s Events and Community Relations, Michelle Faithfull, to explore the changing demographics of people experiencing homeless and what that looks like beyond visibility of those sleeping on the streets, ...

Crowned City of Newcastle’s 2021 Young Citizen of the Year, Sam Poolman has called time on her professional netball career, ending on a high with a whirlwind season with the GIANTS that saw everything from interstate travel and lockdowns to COVID tests and quarantine. A trailblazer for women in sport, Poolman shares some of her career highlights spanning 10 years and 104 games at the elite level, including charity work with A...