Gas companies making plans to drill offshore from Newcastle. Opponents fear the PEP 11 gas exploration permit off the coasts of Sydney and Newcastle will be renewed today by Federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt. The joint venture companies currently holding
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New Bridges Increase Freight Loads Across the Upper Hunter. Three three bridges in the Upper Hunter are being upgraded to allow unrestricted B-double access. Double-B (two bogie) truck. Photo ~ Scott Davis on Wikimedia Dungog Shire Council Mayor John Connors
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Data reveals 2020 was a shocker for gas. Gas generation in Australia’s largest electricity grid fell by 19 percent in 2020 while solar and wind had a record year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. “This latest data clearly shows that gas
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Mayor repeats calls for a better Singleton bypass of the New England Highway to avoid “bittersweet” outcome Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore has again called on the NSW Government to reconsider its plans for the Singleton bypass of the
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World’s Oldest Fermented Drink Brewed in the Hunter. Honey Wines Australia is the only operating meadery in the Hunter Region. What makes Honey Wines Australia significant is that most of its honey comes from their own hives scattered throughout the
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AGL announces suppliers for grid-scale battery plans. AGL said energy storage technology companies Wärtsilä and Fluence are contracted to supply up to 1000MW of grid-scale battery storage. AGL Chief Operating Officer, Markus Brokhof, said Wärtsilä (Finland) and Fluence (USA) were
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Kurri Kurri Wastewater Treatment Works upgrade protecting the environment. Upgrades are finished at the Kurri Kurri Wastewater Treatment Works which will better protect the environment and improve the health of waterways. The works will also provide additional future capacity to
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A second life for coal mines through pumped hydro and renewable energy. Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced it will jointly fund a feasibility study into using the idle Newstan coal mine in a Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) scheme.
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New Foundation aims to secure the Hunter region’s future. The Hunter region is working to establish a new foundation to assist with the creation of jobs and economic growth in response to scheduled power station and thermal mine closures over
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Kurri Kurri selected for Enova Community Energy’s shared community battery. Enova Community Energy’s first shared community battery will be installed at a site in Kurri Kurri in a peer-to-peer solar energy trading initiative known as The Beehive Project. Imagine a
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Water system plans for Blandford, Wingen and Parkville. By Upper Hunter Shire Council Despite drought, Blandford, Wingen and Parkville residents balk at cost of town water. Many prefer to keep private tanks with water filling stations. Following consultation with residents
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Work starts on first leg of City Centre to Merewether cycleway. The cycleway links the City Centre to Merewether Beach. Work starts on Stage 1 of the City Centre to Merewether Cycleway with Councillor Carol Duncan and Newcastle Lord Mayor
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bp Australia said it will end crude refining at its Kwinana Refinery and become a fuel import terminal. The refinery, near Fremantle, has provided fuels for Western Australia for 65 years. Growth of large-scale, export-oriented refineries throughout Asia and the
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Hunter Water partnership delivers two new smart water bubblers in Lake Macquarie. Mayor Kay Fraser with Archie at Belmont Baths’ Hunter Water refill station. Lake Macquarie City Council has partnered with Hunter Water this National Water Week to deliver two
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Australia’s first lithium-ion battery factory calls the Hunter Region home. Energy Renaissance, Australia’s first lithium-ion battery manufacturer, announced today that it will build Renaissance One, a new A$28 million battery manufacturing facility in Tomago. Location announcement ceremony with Senator Hollie
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First stage quad bike safety measures now mandatory. All new and imported second hand quad bikes sold in Australia must now meet the first stage of the government’s mandatory safety standard after it came into effect on 11 October. As
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Heavy lifting reaches major milestone over Newcastle Road. Dozens of workers spent the night installing a 34-metre-long 44 tonne steel truss bridge across Newcastle Road. Newcastle Road pedestrian overpass bridge leaving fabricator J.C. Butko at Wodonga. The complex process was
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Bridges Renewal Program funding. Barnsley Weir Bridge will be replaced Cooranbong Bridge at Freemans Drive, Cooranabong, to be strengthened. At Barnsley near Edgeworth. The weir across Cockle Creek. Both crossings are in poor condition and need to be upgraded, so
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Urgent safety warning about 6,000 Toyota Corollas just added to Takata recall. The ACCC is warning drivers of an urgent safety risk after about 6,000 Toyota Corollas were added to the existing compulsory recall for vehicles fitted with dangerous Takata
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Mentoring program for Newcastle tourism industry. Fifteen local businesses will learn how to create new or expanded tourism offerings as part of a City of Newcastle program designed to grow the visitor economy. Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Reverend Angela
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CIMIC’s Thiess awarded A$340 Million Mt Owen extension. CIMIC Group’s global mining services provider, Thiess, has been awarded a contract extension by Glencore to provide mining services at Mount Owen in the Hunter Valley, Australia. The 18-month contract extension will
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Jemena Reveals Plans to Extend Eastern Gas Pipeline. Newcastle and the Central Coast may soon be further integrated into the east coast gas grid. Energy infrastructure company, Jemena, announced plans to extend its 797km Eastern Gas Pipeline (EGP) from Horsley
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EIS Amendment Report released proposing increase for Belmont drought response desalination plant. Hunter Water’s proposed Drought Response Desalination Plant at Belmont is a step closer to approval with the release of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Amendment Report. Hunter Water
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Nearly all Hunter region councils have committed to sustainable policies. Lake Macquarie City Council, Port Stephens Council, and Cessnock City Council have joined the Cities Power Partnership, Australia’s largest local government environment-friendly network. Seven out of ten local governments in
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Few Australians back Government’s gas-fired plan: national poll. Gas plant at Camden. Photo: Jeremy Buckingham. Only 14% of Australian voters support the Federal Government prioritising taxpayer funds for the gas industry to rebuild the economy. Releasing the YouGov survey results,
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Parkes Bypass named Priority Project in infrastructure-led recovery. Infrastructure Australia has added construction of Parkes Bypass on the New South Wales Newell Highway to the Infrastructure Priority List to support the national infrastructure-led COVID-19 recovery. Township of Parkes, NSW, home
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Mayor demands better than “second-best” Singleton bypass option. New England Highway passing through Singleton – view south through Campbell Street. Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore says she will refuse to settle for a second-best New England Highway bypass. Transport
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With dams almost full and an impending La Nina cycle, Hunter Water has lifted water restrictions. Hunter Water customers will have level 1 water restrictions removed on 1st October, 2020. No spillway flow at Chichester Dam as levels were lowered
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Children report increased anxiety, trauma from Hazelwood mine fire. Hazelwood Power Station Victoria in 2009. Image credit: Mriya On 9 February 2014, the open-cut brown coal mine servicing the Hazelwood power station in the Latrobe Valley caught fire due to
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Breakthrough water treatment plant claims top Newcastle engineering award. Gilgi water treatment under construction. Project Gilghi by Ampcontrol and Aurecon is Newcastle’s top Engineering Excellence Award winner and Sir William Hudson Award finalist. Gilghi takes feed water from a variety
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