Picture by Michael HartshornUpdate: South Newcastle has postponed Saturday's game against Kurri Kurri Bulldog until Saturday All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePreviouslyKurri Kurri welcomes back key recruits Mitch Garbutt Connagh Takairangi and Kye Hopwood for their round four clash against South Newcastle at Townson Oval on Saturday Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer said the Bulldogs would be at full strength after having the bye over the Anzac Day weekend Kye Hopwood got the plaster off his arm on Monday and should be right," Stringer said "Connagh Takairangi had his foot in the boot and he'll be right to play "We'll have the full complement of players They had a two-point loss against Maitland and it will be a tough game." Takairangi and Garbutt both missed the 34-6 round two loss against Lakes United while Hopwood will be lining up for his first game since joining the Bulldogs Garbutt lasted just 20 minutes in the Bulldogs drought-breaking win against Northern Hawks in round one Takairangi who played the rest of the match after coming on to replace Garbutt was among the team's best Stringer took the unusual step of apologising to the Bulldogs fans on Facebook for the second-half performance against Lakes promising to continue to improve and be better in the future "We were a bit short on troops against Lakes We had a few out injured and I gave a couple of local kids a run we competed very well in the first half," he said and then we completed at just 60 per cent in the second half and gave them too much cheap footy so when you hand over so much footy to them our defence broke and they scored four late tries against us." Stringer said going forward the team needed to adopt its game to maximise the strength of their forward pack "We've got to play teams down the middle and move them from either side of the goal posts," he said "We've got to pass the footy a lot more rather than just one-out runs." and the forwards are all good with the football as well We need to move the ball and play eyes up football." Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers. We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. 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View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders by 19 March 2025 The annual Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival is all about Rock n Roll It’s the coolest place to be in the Hunter Valley attracting fans & lovers of all things ‘nostalgia’ from all over Australia to join in the atmosphere as the town centre is transformed into all the glory of a bygone 50’s and 60’s era There’s Shannon’s Show & Shineshowcasing all the classic cars & bikes of yesteryear retro market stalls kitting you out with all the gear you need before hitting the dance floor lots of free entertainment all weekend as well as a selection of ticketed events Plus nightly events with lots of great ‘rock n roll’ and ‘rockabilly’ dances at local venues The festival is free to enter and tickets to indoor shows may be purchased online or through the Kurri Kurri Visitor Information Centre Retro Market Place will be operating in Kurri Kurri’s Rotary Park from 8.30am to 4pm on both Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 March 2025 The Retro Market Place brings together some of the biggest and best nostalgia themed retro and vintage market stalls from across the country collectables and plenty for the car enthusiasts With up to 100 vehicles on Saturday and up to 500 vehicles on Sunday Kurri Kurri with a shuttle bus available & disabled parking / shuttle at Booth Park Tag / invite your friends & share the post Sidewalk Stage – in front of Kurri Kurri Library https://www.kurrikurrinostalgiafestival.com.au/whats-on/event-program/ NOTE: Please note that events listed on this site are subject to change by the artist Every effort is made to ensure that the event information listed on this site is accurate should you be concerned please contact the specified venue for verification We encourage you to contact the venue before making plans Privacy Policy Our simplified product lineup offers bespoke and affordable advertising options designed to capture the attention of our hyper-local audience We create original and engaging media to tell your story sell your tickets and get people through the doors If it’s on in Newcastle, it’s on Newcastle Live – the Hunter’s source of entertainment and lifestyle news and information. We’re devoted to all the great things happening in the region. We’ll keep you up to date with what’s on in Newcastle and across the Hunter region. I felt like I didn't fit into the way the school system was built. I found it hard to focus for extended periods and struggled to make friends. Pop saw how much I was struggling. He suggested I spent more time painting. I have no trouble focusing while I'm mastering a new skill. It's a way to express myself when I don't necessarily have the words. I'm a Kamilaroi girl. But I didn't know much about my culture. I'm driven and self-motivated when I'm interested in something. So I started educating myself, researching my mob's traditional symbols. My favourite things to paint are eagles, dolphins, and meeting places. These symbols to me represent courage, consistency, and a bright future.   Aunty Renee runs the Dream Together program. It's my safe space at school and a place where I can connect with my culture. I owe a lot to her.   I connected with other artists on Instagram to ask about what paints to use and how to set up a business. I found a balance between my style of art, and what I'd learnt about my culture. I have gotten to paint surfboards for the winners at Surfest and am currently working on the artwork for the Port of Newcastle reconciliation action plan. But I wouldn't be able to do it without my support system. Mum is a single mum. She's strong, sacrifices a lot and always shows up. She makes me see that my goal to be a professional Aboriginal artist is possible. I'm balancing school, part time work and art. My boss Helaina has taught me to see the bigger picture, and always reminds me that I can achieve so much more than what I think I can. I want to go into communities and teach cultural art and show our younger generation just how beautiful our culture is. I've already started by painting a mural for my local Kurri Kurri community centre with the help of 30 local primary school kids. It represents community, courage and growth. I would like to teach children to use art as an outlet, like me, and to use it to tell stories, like how our elders and ancestors did. A Kurri Kurri man has admitted his $1 million Weekday Windfall bounty left him with an unusual side effect The Lower Hunter resident held the only division one winning entry nationally in this week’s draw when an official from The Lott called with the life-changing news he shared he’d been “feeling sick with excitement” “I’ve been playing forever… and I’ve always used the same numbers since I started,” he explained “I can’t quite remember the significance of them all anymore “We’ve always said if we ever won anything “We’ll take a trip somewhere nice just for us.” the longtime player couldn’t help but shed a tear “He’s such a hard worker and has such a big heart “We’re going to celebrate now with some non-alcoholic beers.” His 10-game marked entry was purchased via The Lott app The successful numbers in Weekday Windfall draw 4504 on Thursday 6 February were 2 The Lott’s division one winning tally has now reached 306 so far in FY25 including 81 won by NSW Lotteries customers Weekday Windfall (formerly Monday and Wednesday Lotto) created 99 millionaires across Australia there were 109 division one winning Weekday Windfall entries nationally Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here Click through to read our latest Issue of Newcastle Weekly Subscribe to Newcastle Weekly. News, Community, Lifestyle, Property delivered direct to your inbox! 100% Local, 100% Free. All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Department of Climate Change the Environment and Water has approved land clearing provided McCloy Group steers clear of parts of the river-flat eucalypt forest Kurri sand swamp woodland and animal habitats McCloy Group managing director Shane Boslem said there were still state government approvals that needed to be resolved before clearing could begin "Some areas in Sydney have this sort of bilateral agreement whereby if you gain a state environmental approval you get your federal environmental approval," he said "That's a real pain for us because we've got to go through both those approval processes Plans for the 2000-hectare site have been under way since the smelter ended operations in 2012 and shut permanently in May 2014. The smelter was a significant employer in the region and Hydro, which sold the site to property and residential land developers Stevens Group and McCloy Group, has been preparing the land as part of the Regrowth Kurri Kurri project. McCloy Group managing director Shane Boslem, developers John Stevens and Jeff McCloy and Hydro Aluminium's Kurri Kurri head Richard Brown. File pictureDemolition and remediation is complete and the site is now being repurposed for commercial, industrial and residential development. The centrally located site benefits from its proximity to the Hunter Expressway and the Hart Road interchange. At the Maitland end of the site, about 600 blocks of residential land have approval and McCloy Group hopes the first 120 of those will be built by the end of the year. Mr Boslem said the biggest land use at the Kurri Kurri project is conservation, with 700 hectares of land dedicated as a biodiversity stewardship site. "It's got a whole range of different native species within it, both ecosystems and species. So that's our biggest land use that the actual development land uses," he said. "So all of the sort of urban land uses probably total somewhere around about 350 hectares of land, where the environmental uses of the site are over 700 hectares of land. "Our offset ratio is somewhere around about for every square meter of vegetation that we impact on we offset it with eight square meters." To mitigate harm to koalas, the developer will need to ensure a qualified field ecologist inspects all potential koala foraging habitats within 48 hours before clearing. If a koala is identified in the area, the ecologist will use non-invasive techniques to encourage them to leave the tree. Looking south-west to the smelter with environmental wetlands to the right, and land to be developed for housing between Gillieston Heights in the foreground, and Cliftleigh, closer to the smelter. File pictureThe field ecologist will have the power to stop clearing to relocate koalas to an appropriate nearby habitat. Clearing will not start again until the field ecologist is satisfied any koalas in the area have been safely moved. McCloy Group will need to make sure a biodiversity stewardship site is secure to compensate for residual impacts of clearing on the river-flat eucalypt forest, Kurri sand swamp woodland and bird, flying-fox and koala habitats before any clearing takes place. Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters Don't miss your weekly Knights update Get the latest property and development news here tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords by 17 February 2025 Kurri Kurri is set to become the epicentre of mullet appreciation once again when Mulletfest rolls into town this weekend Competitors of all ages and backgrounds will gather at the Chelmsford Hotel in Kurri Kurri to showcase their mullets in a friendly yet fierce contest Whether participants have sported the hairstyle for decades or are new to the mullet lifestyle the event promises an unforgettable celebration of individuality and community spirit The competition is about more than just aesthetics stage presence can be the deciding factor in securing a win every contestant is welcomed with open arms regardless of whether they have felt out of place elsewhere Winners of the Kurri Kurri heat will earn a place in the grand final this December where the best mullets from across Australia will battle for ultimate bragging rights Mulletfest has a charitable heart supporting Mulletfest is also teaming up with the Black Dog Institute for Mullets for Mental Health an initiative dedicated to raising awareness and funds for mental health research With suicide being the leading cause of death for Australian men aged 15-44 and one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness annually the campaign aims to drive meaningful change Mulletfest is happening on Saturday, 22 February at Chelmsford Hotel in Kurri Kurri. If you’re keen to enter head to mulletfest.com.au to find out how it’s on Newcastle Live – the Hunter’s source of entertainment and lifestyle news and information We’re devoted to all the great things happening in the region We’ll keep you up to date with what’s on in Newcastle and across the Hunter region Join Heather Ewart and guest presenters as they discover remarkable stories and inspiring people you'll never forget HostHeather EwartABC iview HomeWatch all your favourite ABC programs on ABC iview. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. testing water quality and with a painting created by his late wife Marcia fileColin 'Col' Maybury will be remembered in many ways - environmental warrior All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBut to Kim Simpson, he was dad, and she has reflected proudly on her father's life after his death on April 22 He spent time employed in the mines worked in a Kodak factory and eventually started a business an idea came to him to start his own business," Ms Simpson said but then he put through something like 25 or 30 apprentices and it was called Northern Instrument Services Col as Santa at David Jones with grandchildren Carley It included a midnight callout when the Sygna ran aground at Stockton and keeping the gas company at Hamilton running "There was really nowhere else," Ms Simpson said were involved in and guides for the famous Kurri Kurri murals and he was also an instrumental part of the Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival His passion for the environment led him to found Kurri Kurri Landcare after the Cessnock mayor asked him to help fix a bad acid spill from an old mine "He was always terrifying me," Ms Simpson said "'I'm trying to fix the acid dam wash that's coming out of the blah blah.' What about chemicals leaching into your skin?' I would always worry about him." who worked to clean up contamination in many waterways.Astronomy was another major interest of Mr Maybury and he served as president of the Astronomical Society of the Hunter "Him and Marcia wanted to go to Ceduna to see an eclipse," he said "He was really interested in the stars and he bought a telescope "Living at Kurri Kurri and having a beautiful vista with no lights he was able to see the stars like he'd never seen them before "And then Ceduna came up and they joined this big group and they all went to Ceduna to see the stars "They had to live in less-than-suitable accommodation because Ceduna had never had anything before "I remember ringing them and saying 'You have literally put Ceduna on the map'." Mr Maybury also worked to have the name 'Nobbys Head' recognised on a geological feature on the planet Mars 'A new law's just been passed and anything that you've used an Anglo-Saxon name for you now have to follow it up with the original name' 'I need to add this name to Nobby Headland on Mars because my daughter said that I've got to do that' "He thought 'if that's what I've got to do This was the way Mr Maybury approached most things "He fought the good fight," Ms Simpson said "When you think of someone trying to do something and a brick wall comes up Col was also passionate about astronomy."He would go let's go left and see if we can get around let's dig a tunnel because we can't get round Ms Simpson said her dad was even able to pick himself back up and find a new lease on life after losing his beloved wife "He moved into Oak Tree Village at Boolaroo," she said You don't have to go and be a Landcare expert Everybody thought that they were so lucky to have him there because he was such an expert on everything "He did all these other different things to get the boys engaged." with friends and family invited to honour his life at Weston Workers Club at 2pm Sage Swinton is a news reporter who was born and bred in the Hunter. She has been with the Newcastle Herald since June 2020. The Kurri Kurri gas power plant’s cost has now more than doubled… to over a billion dollars… and construction is STILL underway Exactly when the site will produce power has also been pushed back – but the government is still backing the project The wait is almost over… Kurri Kurri’s netballers will soon be the proud recipients of a new $10 million complex Cessnock City Council has officially started construction on the state-of-the-art facility – featuring 12 floodlit Plexipave surfaced courts and a multipurpose half court – at Booth Park which replaces the existing courts at the Molly Worthington Netball Centre was designed to meet the growing demands for modern sporting infrastructure in the town and surrounding areas “It’s incredibly exciting to see this important project underway,” Cessnock City mayor Dan Watton said “While we are still in the early stages of construction I’ve no doubt this netball facility is going to be a welcome addition and a well-loved sporting hub for residents “I look forward to seeing it brought to life for our community to enjoy for many years to come.” contracted to Glascott Landscape and Civil is expected to be completed and open to the public by December the facility received funding from the Australian Government’s Priority Community Infrastructure Program ($7.5m) the NSW Government’s Level Playing Field Program 2023/24 ($1.9m) and developer assistance “I am pleased work is beginning… as facilities like the new Kurri Kurri netball courts are important in encouraging more people to get involved in sport,” Cessnock MP Clayton Barr said “The facility will feature significant upgrades to meet growing demand and provide modern sporting infrastructure for the community.” NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper agreed “The NSW Government is committed to providing equitable and accessible sporting infrastructure across the state,” he said “Everyone should be able to participate in sport and active recreation in an environment that makes them feel safe and supported better meeting the needs of the whole community and providing increased participation opportunities.” visit https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/Works/Major-works/Kurri-Kurri-Netball-Facility which ripped through a furniture factory in Kurri Kurri overnight including Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews from as far as Toronto and Berkeley Vale were called to Northcotte Street just after 11pm on Thursday 10 October More than 60 firefighters and 15 trucks – from Greater Hunter Region Command MN3 Paxton and Rutherford – then attacked the inferno saving a storage facility on the west side from any damage They finally controlled the fire about 3.15am on Friday 11 October One firefighter was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for heat exhaustion Specialists from FRNSW Hazmat were also on the scene to monitor air quality and protect the environment from firefighting water run-off the aerial appliances from Fire and Rescue NSW were also called to help fight the blaze from above,” a FRNSW spokesperson said “The situation was made more difficult after the roof of the building collapsed “Crews are still there this morning (Friday) trying to extinguish and render the area safe.” An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway but it appears it may have started from outside the property Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here More than 60 firefighters have battled for hours to contain a huge blaze, in a plastic recycling factory in the Hunter Valley. Police believe the fire – at Kurri Kurri – is suspicious… and while they hunt for whoever is responsible, the business owners have been left shattered. The new power station at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter is on track to be switched-on by December, despite construction delays caused by wet weather. But the COST of the project has almost doubled since it was first announced – and plans to operate on gas and hydrogen have been pushed back. Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Snowy Hydro will have to run the first unit at its new Kurri Kurri power station in NSW on diesel instead of gas for at least two months once it comes online and has no schedule for introducing green hydrogen into the fuel mix A commitment to run the fast-start 660-megawatt generator on green hydrogen was central to the Albanese government’s support for the project which began under the Coalition and was initially opposed by Labor when the party was in opposition SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. In the search for the world’s best mullet more than 100 finalists from across the globe will gather in Kurri Kurri for 2024 Mulletfest this weekend It comes after a lengthy elimination process across 12 events with each producing what they believe is the best in each category they will all go head-to-head in a final deciding round to find the greatest mullet of all The concept for Mulletfest was pitched in 2017 by Kurri Kurri local Laura Johnson who wanted to create some clean family fun and tourism for the country town Deciding to throw the festival at the Chelmsford Hotel of which she was the licensee of at the time focused celebration of interesting hairdos It was an instant success with the first Mulletfest in 2018 receiving 114 applications and more than 4,000 spectators After a close friend of hers was diagnosed with brain cancer Laura decided to raise money through the event for the Mark Hughes Foundation a local non-for-profit providing support for those undergoing cancer treatment “We just wanted people to make people smile and have fun,” said Laura as well as cementing itself as an international sensation Now mullet-havers from across the world are gearing up for the biggest event yet set to take place at Hebburn Motorsport Park on Saturday 7 December The day will feature a world of fun activities including The Bogan Games and Show & Shine vehicles performing burnouts and skids on the field Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here Picture by Michael HartshornIt's "been a long time coming" and in typical Bulldog-style proud warrior Ben Edwards summed up the feeling All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue"All the hard work and belief The Bulldogs are coming," Edwards declared proudly through tears of joy "The club has been through so much over the past few years To finally get that win is amazing," he said The Kurri Kurri Bulldogs belted out the team song loud and proud at No.1 Sportsground on Saturday after recording the club's first win since 2022 The emotional dam burst for players such as Ben Edwards Kicking off Newcastle Rugby League's season-opening Magic Round the Bulldogs defeated Northern Hawks 38-20 which started after Kurri's 12-10 victory over Wyong on May 28 almost a full three years ago and stretched across campaigns in both 2023 and 2024 A draw last year was the only result posted by the Bulldogs during that period Jack Tamburrini and Ben Edwards have experienced those lows and stayed loyal to the Coalfields club that whole time it's special," centre Linnane said after full-time "Especially after around two-and-a-half years now to finally get a win We've got a good thing going here with everyone "It's been a long time coming since I won a game and it's good to finally get one." Second-rower Tamburrini echoed those sentiments To come out like that was unreal," he said View +21 PhotosPictures by Jonathan Carroll and Michael HartshornFrom the start of the pre-season there has been a real belief in each other We knew were were going to be a different team this season." marked Kurri's first fixture under new coach Paul Stringer first with marquee Mitch Garbutt and first welcoming home Reid Alchin fresh back from playing in France and rejoining the Bulldogs after a successful stint at neighbouring Maitland my old man bleeds Kurri and my brother as well who ended the encounter sidelined with a calf issue described it as a "reward for hard work" during the pre-season Kurri led 12-10 at half-time and extended that advantage to 12 points early in the second stanza The Hawks hit back on the hour mark to make it 22-16 but it was the Bulldogs who finished stronger coaching staff and club faithful gathered in the dressing sheds for a boisterous rendition of the club's victory song Picture by Michael HartshornStringer said he wasn't shocked by the win but delighted with how much it meant to all the people involved in the club "I know what we've got here and I know we are going to be better," he said The tries we let in were kind of one-on-one tackles and stuff we can fix up All the one per centers we are doing well." Stringer said the boys in the middle laid an excellent platform highlighting the effort of Connagh Takairangi who came off the bench when Mitch Garbutt suffered a calf injury in the 18th minute "Connagh Takairangi hadn't played a game of football for two years He came on when Mitch was hurt and practically played the entire game off the bench," he said "I was very impressed with him and Brae Verheyen Our two halves (Jordi Madden and Matt Woolnough) were fantastic and my son (Jack) doesn't stop in the middle I thought Reid Alchin was very good on that edge He busted them open a couple of times and scored two tries "Josh Moffit at the back was really good." The Bulldogs have a short turn around facing They host Lakes United under lights on Thursday night at Kurri Kurri Sportsground journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald Josh CallinanSports Journalist, Newcastle HeraldMy name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCars started rolling in from 7am on Sunday There will be live music throughout the day hundreds of cars are entered for the show & shine and the retro markets and the best dressed competition will be in full swing street stage at the top of Lang Street from 10am to 2pm and sidewalk stage n front of Kurri Kurri Library Check out the program at kurrikurrinostalgiafestival.com.au The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts for Sunday is cloudy.with a high chance of showers along the coastal fringe Picture suppliedA Kurri Kurri man has experienced tears of joy and happy nausea Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe man was the only division one winning entry in the Weekday Windfall draw When an official from The Lott called with the life changing news the man shared he'd been playing the same numbers for decades "I'm feeling sick with excitement," he said The man who has been playing Lotto for what he described as forever said he has always used the same numbers since the beginning "I can't quite remember the significance of them all anymore he said the plan is to take some time to think about how to spend his new fortune so I think we might need a holiday," he said it was happy tears all round for the hardworking man He's such a hard worker and has such a big heart His winning 10-game marked entry was purchased via The Lott app The winning numbers in Weekday Windfall draw 4504 were 2 while the supplementary numbers were 44 and 11 Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy. Play Duration: 10 minutes 34 seconds10m Brought to you by The historic town of Kurri Kurri is in the coalfields, but in the heart of the community is not the black rock but a green space. A community garden has taken root, attracting people from all walks of life and helping feed the town. The ABC’s Scott Bevan is shown around the garden by Kurri Kurri local and Men’s Shed member Bill Holland. Kurri Kurri local Bill Holland in the town's community garden.(ABC Newcastle: Scott Bevan) Published: 25 Apr 2025Fri 25 Apr 2025 at 8:00pm Published: 18 Apr 2025Fri 18 Apr 2025 at 8:00pm Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio The Kurri Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club is set to host the newest event on the motorcycling calendar at Loxford Park Raceway this weekend (March 15-16). One senior and one junior rider will become the first names inscribed on the Kurri Kurri Masters trophy as they battle for top honours across two days of competition. Sunday’s racing will conclude with the crowning of the King of Kurri Kurri in the Senior Pro Open class, while the Prince of Kurri Kurri title will go to the winner of the Juniors 13 to Under 16s class. Among the senior contenders, past performances suggest Connor Ryan, Cody Lewis, Luke Bush, and the ever-improving Brayden Gay will be strong challengers. Former Australian champion Rodney McDonald will also return to local competition after years of racing overseas, adding further excitement to the event. The junior competition is expected to be fiercely contested, especially with the 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships just five weeks away at the same venue. Riders from Queensland, the ACT, and across New South Wales will use this weekend as vital preparation for the national championship over the Easter weekend. In the battle for the Prince of Kurri Kurri, interstate riders Jake Paige and Cooper Archibald from Queensland, along with Canberra’s Thomas Gotts, will take on a strong local challenge led by Max Earl. The younger age brackets have also drawn impressive entries, with tightly contested racing expected on the smaller-capacity machines. Classes with larger entry lists will culminate in a final after four rounds of heats, while others will be decided over five point-scoring rounds. Loxford Park Raceway is located on Dickson Road, Loxford. Practice starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday, with racing kicking off at the same time on Sunday. Spectators can enjoy two full days of racing with an admission fee of $10 per vehicle, and full canteen facilities will be available. File picture by Marina NeilKurri Kurri fans may have been cheering a last-minute converted try win against South Newcastle but new Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer was far from satisfied with his team's performance All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueStringer had his team watch 45 minutes of video from the game at training on Tuesday night highlighting their inability to defend against errors and penalties which left them trailing 24-6 at the main break The Bulldogs take on last season's runners-up at Kurri Kurri Sportsground on Saturday from 2.30pm and are on notice to defend their errors we didn't play that well at all," Stringer said this week of Saturday's trial win "We had a lot of the ball in the first half but Souths went down our end four times and scored four times "Our resilience after giving away a penalty or making an error wasn't good "Our defence was really good 90 per cent of the time but the 10 per cent was really bad and let tries in and you can't be winning footy games doing that Stringer said he could understand the fans' excitement at winning a game after a tough few years But he said given the amount of possession they had in both the first and second half the Bulldogs should never have been in a position when they had to come from behind in the dying seconds to win and I'm trying to coach the boys to be the best we can," he said "We spent about 45 minutes watching footage last night before training "Four of the six tries they scored were on last tackle." Stringer said the second-half performance was much better and he was particularly pleased with the performance of a number of reserve players who brought real energy to the team but we had a whole new forward pack out there with 25 minutes to go," he said who backed up from reserve grade that I threw out there and we capitalised from it and scored some tries getting to our kicks and playing down their end most of the second half but I also couldn't say anyone stood out." Stringer urged Bulldogs fans to get along to the game on Saturday as the club hopes to unveil a couple more new signings Kurri Kurri kick off their season against Northern Hawks at Magic Round at Newcastle No.1 Sportsground on Saturday Pictures by Peter Lorimer and Jonathan CarrollAdmirers of all things 1950s and 60s will come from near and far to be transported back in time at the Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueNow in its 21st year the festival celebrates all things rock 'n' roll with plenty of entertainment and things to see on the program Rotary Park will transform into a retro market place Lang Street and Barton Street will be filled with an incredible display of classic cars in the show and shine and free live entertainment is on every day The event is run by a group of dedicated volunteers at Towns With Heart Towns With Heart secretary Sharon Dyson-Smith said the festival is very much a fun-fest with lots of retro stalls and beautiful cars to see She hopes attendees will get good enjoyment and good fun out of the festival "They will be able to take away lots of ideas for retro and how people lived in the '50s and '60s," she said "This year we've got quite a few food stalls and also some of the show and shine entries are really highlighting the differences between the modern... and having everything almost immediate when we ask for it to the old-fashioned time when it was a very slow time and you had to wait for something to arrive." Ms Dyson-Smith said there's lots of great music to see and she's hoping herself she can sneak away from the visitor's centre to watch the Aaron Mansfield Elvis tribute (on Sunday 12pm and 2.15pm at Rotary Park) with so many vendors wanting to attend this year that some missed out and have been put to the top of the list for next year "Everyone's encouraged to join in and really become a part of our community for the weekend because our community is very tight-knit and it's a community that enjoys welcoming visitors," Ms Dyson-Smith said March 28 there will be an evening of rock 'n' roll with Jumpin Jukebox at Col Brown Rotary Park and free entertainment at Kuri Kurri Bowling Club see acts like DJ Gav who will be bringing the '50s sound View the full program at www.kurrikurrinostalgiafestival.com.au Chloe Coleman is a journalist covering news in the Lower Hunter. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA Kurri Kurri junior the 19-year-old half will join the Auckland club later this year until the end of the 2028 season He's an exceptional talent and a terrific young man," Warriors general manager Andrew McFadden said "His outstanding qualities as a player are his running game and his speed "We look forward to developing him in our system and giving him every opportunity." Linnane, who is on a development contract at the Knights, cruelly ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in January almost a year after sustaining the same long-term injury in his other knee Picture by Jonathan CarrollTraining full-time with the NRL squad over summer he had been on track to feature in Newcastle's pre-season trials Linnane faces a tough road back but the Warriors have banked on him picking up where he left off The Knights have signed Dylan Brown on a 10-year mega deal has transitioned to the halves and is contracted for a further three seasons NRL playmakers Jack Cogger and Tyson Gamble also remain on the roster for 2026 who will be part of the Warriors' top-30 roster has risen right through Newcastle's development system over recent years He also represented the under-18 NSW Country side in 2023 Linnane's dad and other relatives had success playing locally for Kurri Kurri also played 18 games for the Knights in 1991 Max McKinney is a sports reporter with the Newcastle Herald. He previously worked in news, covering mainly local government and transport. Max mostly reports on the Newcastle Knights, but also covers a mix of local sport. All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Kurri Kurri Bulldogs belted out the team song loud and proud at No.1 Sportsground on Saturday Kurri Kurri teammates Tyran Cowling and Logan Sipple embrace after Saturday's drought-breaking win at No.1 Sportsground Picture by Jonathan CarrollThis snapped a winless streak of 43 games View +3 PhotosPictures by Jonathan CarrollREAD MORE: Newcastle Rugby League season preview 2025 it's special," centre Linnane told ACM after full-time File pictureKurri Kurri coach Paul Stringer is excited about unveiling his new-look squad to Bulldogs fans in a trial match against South Newcastle to coincide with Nostalgia Festival on Saturday All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueKick-off has been delayed until 5.30pm so people can walk down from the festivities in the CBD to the Graveyard for the clash which will feature several of the Bulldogs 2025 signings The key recruits include former NRL and Super League prop Mitch Garbutt who has played lock with the Wyong Roos and was part of the Newcastle Rebels team until work commitments forced him to withdraw and halves Matt Woolnough and Jordi Madden Woolnough is from Belconnen United Sharks in Canberra and has played rep footy while Madden is from Group 11 power club Dubbo Cyms Fishies and is related to the Linnane family The club is also expected to announce another couple of key recruits in the coming weeks who was sidelined last year with an ACL injury and back-rower and local junior Jared Anderson is returning to the club "I'm really impressed with the level we are training at from where we started to where we are now," said Stringer a former NRL forward with an extensive coaching resume within the NRL system Stringer said getting his son Jack across from Wyong had been a tremendous boost He is just one of those guys who does everything you ask and does it to 100 per cent maximum," he said the boys know they've been tackled when they get tackled by him and stuff like that "We do a lot of scrimmage work and scenario stuff at training The boys are throwing themselves at each other every session so we're going to be ready for that side of the game Young centre Brodie Linnane is set for a big season Picture by Marina Neil"A couple of the other young guys who have been at Kurri have really stepped forward "They haven't won a game for a couple of years there's going to be some real good young players out there on show this season He stood up and made me take notice of him he'll be playing in our back three for sure." Stringer is impressed with how the new halves pair are coming together with Woolnough named captain for this season and really combines well with Matt Woolnough," he said He's like our leader; he gets us around the park He really fits into the culture and that we got there Stringer said Brodie Linnane and Jack Tamburrini had led the way among the young Bulldogs embracing what he and the more experienced recruits aimed to bring to the club He's just going to be one of those players who will be better with better people around him One of the local kids that have really embraced what I'm trying to do and I'm looking forward to him taking the field in his first game since ACL on the weekend." The former Coalition government announced the project in 2020 with $600 million price tag Snowy Hydro said in September 2023 that delays and cost increases had taken the cost of construction to $950 million But former senior energy executive Ted Woodley has challenged this figure and estimated that the project's total cost is now closer to $2 billion and it was formally registered with the Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) market management system this week It is expected that the peaking plant, which will only be used for about five per cent of the time, will be fully operational by the middle of the year. Powering up: $2billion Kurri gas plant finally registered on energy gridAlso this week, the Australian Energy Regulator issued a draft decision to classify the 21-kilometre pipeline that runs from Killingworth to Kurri as a transmission pipeline It is estimated the project's construction has created 600 direct jobs and provided skill development opportunities in high-demand trades Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, along with Hunter MPs, committed an additional $700 million towards the green hydrogen project on the eve of the 2022 federal election. Labor had hoped to commence running the plant on 30 per cent green hydrogen from day one and ramp up to 100 per cent by 2030 While the plant's open-cycle gas turbines have been designed to allow for a 15 per cent hydrogen-gas blend it quickly became apparent the green hydrogen dream was technically impossible within the proposed timeframe Mr Albanese conceded in January that the green hydrogen vision had not gone to plan, however, he had not given up on eventually using green hydrogen in the plant. He did not put a timeline on the project, Mr Albanese confirmed the government's $700 million green hydrogen commitment remained. "We think it's an important vital project for Kurri and we'll continue to work those issues through," he said. "Our funding is set, it's there in the system. "It won't require extra taxpayers' input, but we think that (Kurri), along with other projects, is important." In his response to the federal budget this week Opposition leader Peter Dutton promised to bring down power bills by pumping more gas into the energy grid and set up a domestic reserve for the east coast to protect against international price spikes. "The only way to drive down power prices quickly is to ramp up domestic gas production," he said. "Across the economy, it's costing more to grow food, produce goods, and deliver services and those costs are passed on to Australian consumers." Gas will be added to the capacity investment scheme, which underwrites funds in renewable energy projects such as wind, solar and batteries, and $1 billion will be earmarked for a gas infrastructure fund to pay for pipelines and storage. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. Get the latest property and development news here. Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! The project, announced by the former Coalition government in 2020, was originally due to be open in time to compensate for the loss of Liddell Power Station last year However sustained wet weather and cost blow-outs have delayed the project Snowy Hydro chief executive Dennis Barnes said the focus of the next few months would be the handover of the control and fuel systems and a water treatment plant prior to the commencement of testing "We need to connect gas turbine number one to all of those control systems By mid-December we will introduce fuel to the plant and start to synchronise it to the grid," Mr Barnes said during a site visit on Tuesday The gas-fired power station will have a capacity of up to 750 megawatts with 660 megawatts supplied to the grid initially While the plant will be capable of generating a limited amount of power in December testing and commissioning is not expected to be completed until early next year "We won't have full on-demand generation in December but in an extreme weather event during summer we will be able to stop construction and move into operation mode temporarily," Mr Barnes said It was initially expected the plant would run on diesel for six months while a 21-kilometre gas lateral between Killingworth and Kurri was completed it is now expected the lateral will be connected to the plant in February The federal government committed a further $700 million during the last election campaign to allow the plant to eventually run on a blend of green hydrogen and gas. The plant's turbines will be capable of running on a blend of 15 per cent hydrogen from the commencement of operations, however, this can be increased to 30 per cent with some modification. While the plant will be 'hydrogen ready' Mr Barnes said the scope of the construction works did not include the production of hydrogen. "We are not involved in that side of it. We see ourselves as a user of hydrogen, not a producer," he said. Construction of the Hunter Power Project at Kurri has created 600 direct jobs and provided skill development opportunities in high-demand trades. The number of apprentices on site are also rising, with Snowy Hydro working with principal contractor UGL to provide an additional 12 apprenticeship positions in June. It included three female and two First Nations apprentices. The positions include a boilermaker, nine electricians, and two mechanical fitters. Mr Barnes said the jobs boost would continue long after construction of the $950 million project was completed. "We are proud of our contribution to the construction, engineering, and infrastructure sector here in the Hunter, especially given the current tradespeople shortages in Australia," he said. Local youngsters could receive an early Christmas present with construction starting on major upgrades to the Birralee Park Playground in Kurri Kurri Work includes the removal of outdated play equipment to make way for new apparatus Cessnock City Council’s director of works and infrastructure Paul McLachlan said the enhancements would create a safer more engaging environment for children and families “We’re excited to bring these much-needed upgrades to Birralee Park,” he stated “This project underscores council’s ongoing commitment to expanding the infrastructure available for young people in our local area “We’re confident the new playspace will provide a fantastic experience for everyone in Kurri Kurri we are encouraging children and families to utilise play equipment at nearby Booth Park while facilities are closed through the construction period.” The Birralee Park upgrade was designed by Moduplay Group known for its innovative and high-quality playground solutions People power has helped Kurri Kurri’s Loxford Park Speedway roar back to life – with bikes completing laps for the first time in more than 12 months. Yesterday afternoon’s track day – a big step in helping to keep the sport alive in the Hunter. Picture by Melbourn StormKurri Kurri Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer has the toughest coaching gig in the Newcastle RL but he relishes the challenge of lifting the proud Coalfields club off the bottom of the ladder All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePutting the pieces of the puzzle together within the constraints of the league's player points system makes it more difficult but with an experienced team alongside him including assistants Steve Kidds and Jamie Davis and reserves coach Kurt Taylor The Bulldogs are back on the track with marquee signing former NRL and Super League prop Mitchell Garbutt leading the way but Stringer knows while he has additional player points this year he must still be astute in recruiting talented personnel to fill key roles Garbutt is an astute signing as marquee with the Hunter junior having family in the region and a key big-man to build a side around Garbutt played with Melbourne Storm (2013-14) and Brisbane Broncos (2015) in the NRL before a successful 10-year career in the UK and France where he played Super League with Leeds Rhinos and Hull Kingson Rovers through to 2020 before seasons with Toulouse Olympique "Mitch has got a bit of experience about him and he is a big bloke We are looking forward to bringing that experience to share with the young fellas we have already," Stringer said He has started work and has been at all the training runs Garbutt will be the cornerstone of the forward pack and the Bulldogs welcome back a very fit Jack Tamburrini and talented back-rower and local junior Jared Anderson Critically Anderson is a zero-point club junior and Stringer and his coaching team are looking for more Bulldogs juniors playing in the Newcastle and other comps to return to the club and Trent Blomgren are among those who have already returned although he would not disclose the club's targets at this stage.' Other signings include halves Matt Woolnough and Jordi Madden and outside back Loan Sipple while Madden is from Group 11 power club Dubbo Cyms Fishies played for the Entrance Tigers and Malta in the 23-24 season Picture by Chloe RyanTiming can be everything in success and it certainly favoured the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs when they were looking for the right player to fill their marquee position All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBulldogs stalwart Pete MacDonald learned that former NRL and Super League prop Mitch Garbutt's three-year contract in France had fallen over at the last moment and was quickly on the phone MacDonald had known Garbutt since he was a kid in Newcastle and coming through the Knights junior ranks and he knew Garbutt was the ideal candidate for the all-important marquee role at the Bulldogs "We ended up having to make a decision to move back to Australia a little bit earlier than we thought We had to make the decision to move back because of visas and things like that had all finished," said Garbutt "And then the opportunity came to join Kurri I've known Peter McDonald for a long time and he got in contact with me "Then (coach) Paul Stringer gave me a call just everything kind of added up pretty well to make the decision to come back." Garbutt has the physical attributes to fit the marquee role but it is his willingness to take on tough challenges and courage to take up opportunities that mark him as the man for the job Garbutt said a pivotal moment in his career and life came when he was playing for Wests Rosellas in 2011 after his two-year stint with the Newcastle Knights NYC ended and the chance to sign a one-year deal with the Melbourne Storm came along It may not have paid off in the conventional NRL dream has put together an enviable professional career across three countries including stints with Melbourne and Brisbane Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR in Super League and four years in France I probably could have easily just played another five or six seasons in Newcastle comp and then that would have been it," Garbutt said and it's probably the best thing I ever did." Garbutt moved to the Leeds Rhinos in 2015 and won the League Leaders Challenge Cup and Grand Final treble in his first year "The Rhinos had a really strong support base They were getting packed houses every week and you couldn't buy a ticket for your mortgage," he said Kurri Kurri Bulldogs signing Mitch Garbutt in his Melbourn Storm playing days Picture by Melbourn Storm"Going back to the stadium on open-top buses after we won was awesome It's hard to imagine and such special memories." Garbutt won another championship with Leeds in 2017 and stayed for four years at the club before moving to Hull KR Another pivotal move came in 2021 when he moved to Toulouse Olympique in France and was part of the club's promotion to Super League "One of the best things I ever did was to move to France to Toulouse and helping them get promoted," Garbutt said "Seeing what that meant to the town and the club and the people that have been there for 14 or 15 years trying to get this big city into Super League and getting opportunities to become a professional captain "To spend all my time focusing on a team and how to manage players and how I can help people get the best out of themselves "It was a baptism of fire when I agreed to take over as a coach at one of the clubs So there was a lot of preparation for each training session the family will undoubtedly move back to France Garbutt's focus is on lifting the Bulldogs back to prominence after several poor seasons particularly in the forwards with Brae Verhayen Jack Stringer and Connagh Takairangi coming into the team," he said "Those are all guys who have played NSW Cup at some point in their careers you don't play at that level if you're not a good footballer we've got the two young halves Matt Woolnough and Jordy Madden that we've brought in it only takes three or four players to change your team but the recruits and existing players have gelled together well "The boys that were there in the last three or four years that's something that they've really commented on How well these guys have come in and just kind of become part of the club," he said "They are part of the club and there to help what the club wants to achieve "I think the recruitment has been really good I think Paul Stringer and Pete MacDonald need to take a lot of credit for that." Garbutt said he was confident Stringer had the knowledge and passion to lead the Bulldogs back up the ladder He's a really passionate guy who also achieved a lot in the game," he said And when you have a guy who's passionate and has good intentions it's quite easy to get a squad to play for him." but he has the kind of natural charm that late-night talk show guests could only hope for like when he offers his age as "52 minus 40" or flips his sunglasses upside down and mugs for the camera Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTo be around Blake and his family is to be swept up by him - to feel like you're trailing a few steps behind a cheeky smile and a lightning wit that's racing ahead of even himself as he turns it on You would never know that he's fighting for his life and older brother Kane at Mulletfest on Saturday Picture by Simon McCarthyBlake has lived with a terminal genetic disease that randomly affects about one in every 100,000 children since he was born The cells in his body cannot break down sugar molecules affecting how they work in ways that threaten his life but he has had more invasive surgeries than most adults will have in their lifetime: bone marrow transplants plates have been inserted in both of his knees he will need to have his spine realigned and his teeth replaced because the chemotherapy degrades them But you wouldn't know because he is too busy teasing his older brother Kane who has a lick of straight rusty-blonde hair at the back of his head to Blake's cascade of brunette curls He has been growing it since the chemotherapy started And like so many of the mullets who have come and gone through the doors of the old Chelmsford Hotel at Kurri Kurri - arguably the spiritual home of the hairstyle - his hair is an extension of himself of his innate resistance to a world that has challenged him in ways most people could not imagine; a symbol of his rebellion Max Bakewell will head to the Mulletfest grand final later in the year after winning his age category in the Kurri Kurri heat of the national event tour on Saturday Picture by Simon McCarthyIan Johnson's fish thongs at the fourth Mulletfest tour heat in Kurri Kurri on February 22 Picture by Simon McCarthyThe often-derided national hairstyle which has sparked a renegade renaissance in Kurri Kurri since the first Mulletfest was staged on little more than a dare in 2018 resists categorisation as if resistance was baked into every follicle To call it an organised culture is to inspire a sense of insistent individuality among those who wear it - they are not like everyone else and the mullets will show you that what they have runs deeper than blood and bone and still water and the mullets will insist on their own immortality At the edges of a culture where the weird and the wonderful, the forgotten and the unforgettable, the bold and the restless are so often relegated, the mullets find a culture of their own - one that leans into the kitschy denunciation of style and winks at the absurdity of the status quo Rylan Henderson from Abermain at the Kurri Kurri heat for Mulletfest 2025 on Saturday Picture by Simon McCarthyTo wear a mullet is to be both the set-up and the punchline of your own joke and in the smallest hours of the loneliest nights it is to look into the darkness and laugh at it "He started growing his mullet because he loves it," Blake's dad, Matt, said at the weekend after watching his son compete in the fourth heat of what has become a rolling national tour of Mulletfest on Saturday Mr Small smiles in the stiff way that a father tends to smile when he is trying to hold things together he was punched in the back of the head as he left a pub in Charlestown It left him with a traumatic brain injury and no sense of smell or taste He was a commercial fisherman and had just started his own business even as his young family was battling to come to terms with Blake's illness "But 12 months of learning how to walk and talk again for me is nothing compared to what Blake has to go through." He stopped for barely a breath: "You just have to keep going." Olav Adamsroed from Norway had been in the country for only a week and was due to leave again on Monday Aside from cutting it for a job interview and the occasional misjudged snip at home it has become a semi-permanent style for him he jokes on stage that there are not many mullets back home and he has taken credit for starting a trend I'm no longer taken as seriously as I was before "My friends wish they had that kind of confidence." Scenes from the fourth Mulletfest heat in the 2025 national tour in Kurri Kurri on February 22 Picture by Simon McCarthyMr Adamsroed competed in the international category alongside a Balinese challenger who is in the country until the end of the year he vowed that it was his "last chance" to win Mulletfest before he had to return home As the adults prepared to shake their locks for the judges on stage 11-13-year-old category winner Max Bakewell had a simple answer to why he grew out his hair HomeTributes & FuneralsView PhotoFuneral NoticesAustin, Ronald "Ron"2025 • Kurri Kurri, 2327 Beloved husband of Isabel (dec'd). Loving father and father-in-law to James and Michele, and Louise. A proud grandad to Jake. A much-loved member of the AUSTIN families. Family and friends of RON are warmly invited to attend his Funeral Service in The Chapel of C.R. Smyth & Son, Kurri Kurri this THURSDAY 27.03.2025 at 2pm; thence for interment in The Kurri Kurri Lawn Cemetery.  All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA Kurri Kurri junior Local senior rider Harrison Ryan and ACT junior Thomas Gotts have etched their names into the history books as the first-ever winners of the 2025 Kurri Kurri Masters. Ryan was crowned King of Kurri Kurri, while Gotts secured the Prince of Kurri Kurri title, marking a thrilling conclusion to two days of intense racing at Loxford Park Raceway on March 15-16. Harrison Ryan made a late decision to enter the Pro Open class but proved it was the right call. After four rounds of racing determined gate picks, Ryan stormed to a commanding victory in the six-lap final, leading home Cody Lewis, Luke Bush, Connor Ryan, and Brayden Gay. Outside of the top five, Logan Davis and Jack Griffin impressed with strong performances, showcasing major improvements throughout the event. Earlier in the Pro 450 class, Luke Bush emerged as the overall winner, claiming two race victories and three third-place finishes across five rounds. Brayden Gay (two wins) and Connor Ryan (one win) completed the podium, while Cody Lewis’ title hopes were dashed by an early crash in the opening race. “The day wasn’t too bad but that crash in one of the 450 heats set me back a little,” Lewis lamented. “I had been struggling to get the bike set up right and we were trying some things on the run, but after the crash, we got a pretty good direction, and things improved from there.” In the Pro 250 class, Rory Hutchinson dominated with a clean sweep, leading home Harry Wright in every round. Matilda Heaton-New, newly stepping into senior competition, secured third place. The Pro Open Women’s class saw Bree-Anna Etheridge prove too strong for Matilda Heaton-New, while Jason Griffin secured a perfect run in the Over 35s division. The battle for the junior Prince of Kurri Kurri title was just as intense. Canberra’s Thomas Gotts topped qualifying and led from start to finish in the final. Behind him, Queensland’s Cooper Archibald put in a determined ride to take second place after winning the repechage following a crash in his last heat. Jake Paige rounded out the podium, followed by Nate Jaeger and Lenny Duggan. Unfortunately, two riders missed the final after a dramatic multi-rider crash in the 2-Stroke final. Local rider Max Earl was taken to hospital with a serious head gash, while Hugh Hope-Hodgetts suffered a hand injury. In the re-run of the 2-Stroke final, Cooper Archibald was unstoppable, completing an unbeaten run to take the victory ahead of Thomas Gotts and Zac Brady. Quinn’s Double Victory Highlights Junior Racing The standout performer in the junior classes was Cooper Quinn, who dominated both the 50cc and 65cc divisions with an unblemished record, winning every race. Other junior class winners included Jake Paige, Hugo Holmes, Kaiden Lantry, and Braxsen Anderson, with close battles throughout the weekend setting the stage for an exciting 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships, which will be held at Loxford Park over Easter. With the depth of talent on display, the future of Australian dirt track racing looks bright. Many of these junior competitors are likely to make their mark at the senior level in the coming years, continuing the strong legacy of the sport. Two days of thrilling competition at the 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships once again showcased the impressive depth of talent coming through the junior ranks and proved that youth dirt track racing is every bit as entertaining as the senior scene. Held over the Easter weekend at the Kurri Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club’s Loxford Park Raceway, spectators were treated to action-packed racing as nine championship classes were decided. Three riders successfully defended their 2024 titles, two Queenslanders claimed dual victories, and two host club members also took home championship wins. While some finals produced clear winners, the battles for the minor placings were often intense, adding to the spectacle. Notably, in every class decided by a final after four rounds of heats, only once did the eventual winner not come into the race as at least the equal top scorer. The older junior classes, particularly the 13–U/16s category, drew plenty of attention—and didn’t disappoint. Jake Paige, representing the Mike Hatcher club and hailing from the Gold Coast, won the 85cc 2-stroke / 150cc 4-stroke class after dropping just one heat. He then delivered a dominant ride in the final, leading home a hard-fought scrap for the podium between local Bodie Cardinale and Preston Craft. Paige then made it a double, claiming the 200–250cc 4-stroke class final, despite qualifying only seventh behind unbeaten top qualifier and defending champion Neiko Donovan. While Paige quickly took the lead, Donovan fought his way back from a slow start to finish second in a thrilling race that also featured Jed Fyffe, Thomas Gotts, and Hugh Hope-Hodgetts in the mix. Jed Fyffe, flying the flag for Albury-Wodonga, was in top form as he controlled the 100–150cc 2-stroke class final, leading home Neiko Donovan, Thomas Gotts, Hamish Bibby, and Tommy Wright in a high-calibre showdown. The younger age groups produced the other dual-class winner in Cooper Quinn, also from the Mike Hatcher club, who went undefeated in both the 50cc Auto 6–U/9 and 65cc 7–U/9 classes. The 50cc win marked his second consecutive title in that category. Oscar Borella from Albury-Wodonga and Hudson McConnell from the Gold Coast each took a second-place finish, while Ryder Smith of Townsville claimed third in both classes. The host club had reason to celebrate too, with two Kurri Kurri riders going unbeaten in their championship classes. One of those was Ruby James, who continued her dominance of the 150cc 2-stroke / 250cc 4-stroke 13–U/16 Girls class. Although Mia Blackford of Townsville led her in some heats, James always had the pace to come through when it mattered. In the 85cc 2-stroke / 150cc 4-stroke 9–U/13 class, Kaiden Lantry was one of two riders undefeated through the heats, but he was the one to carry that form into the final, finishing ahead of clubmate Braxsen Anderson and Jye French of Griffith. Hugo Holmes from Gunnedah added another title to his name, successfully defending his 2024 crown in the 85cc 4-stroke Modified 7–U/12 class. He won all but one heat to edge out Flynn Beard from the Panorama club and Mason Wild of Forbes. The final title of the weekend went to Kru Tulloch of Ipswich, who emerged on top in the 65cc 9–U/13 class after qualifying equal top. He led home Braxsen Anderson and 2024 champion Riley Holder of the Macleay club in a tight final. With a mix of returning champions, first-time winners, and fierce racing across the board, the 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships once again confirmed the bright future of dirt track racing in Australia. Picture supplied.Local senior rider Harrison Ryan and ACT junior Thomas Gotts will be the first names inscribed on the honour roll of winners of the Kurri Kurri Masters Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe crowning of these riders as the King and Prince of Kurri Kurri respectively came as the culmination of two days of exciting action when the Kurri Kurri Junior Motor Cycle Club staged the first Masters meeting at its Loxford Park Raceway on the weekend Ryan only made a late call to join the Pro Open class which saw four rounds of racing which served to determine the order of selecting gate positions for the one-off six lap decider Ryan led the 'big five' who always looked likely to provide the winner and he rode away to a comfortable win in the decider ahead of Cody Lewis the next in line Logan Davis and Jack Griffin both deserve a mention as they stepped up with vastly improved showings the Pro 450 class was decided on points over five rounds with Luke Bush a deserving winner with two race wins and three third placings Brayden Gay with two race wins and Connor Ryan with one win were next in line after Cody Lewis ruined his hopes in the first race when he fell and failed to score Rory Hutchinson dominated the Pro 250 class leading home Harry Wright in each round The more experienced Bree-Anna Etheridge proved too strong for Matilda Heaton-New in the Pro Open Women's while Jason Griffin also scored a clean-sweep in the Over 35s class The battle for the Prince of Kurri Kurri crown was just as intense as in the seniors Canberra rider Thomas Gotts was the top qualifier and led all the way in the six-lap final while two Queenslanders had an intense battle behind him with Cooper Archibald awarded second (after needing to win the repechage after a fall in his last heat) with Jake Paige third ahead of Nate Jaeger and Lenny Duggan after an alarming crash in the final of the 2-stroke class where local Max Earl came down in the opening lap with several riders caught up in the melee as well Max Earl was taken to hospital but latest reports suggest a huge gash to his head may be the worst outcome while Hugh Hope-Hodgetts was out with a hand injury Cooper Archibald dominated the 2-stroke class unbeaten in the heats and then winning the re-run of the final ahead of Thomas Gotts and Zac Brady Only one rider scored wins in two classes - and Cooper Quinn did it in style with a clean-sweep of all his races in both the 50cc and 65cc classes Other junior class winners were Jake Paige Prince of Kurri Kurri winner Thomas Gotts (centre) second Cooper Archibald and third Jake Paige Picture suppliedAll the junior action was hard-fought with constant close battles and it augers well for the Easter weekend when the 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships will be staged at the same venue There is no doubt that junior racing is certainly worth watching and it comes with the added bonus of wondering where these riders will be in the years ahead as history shows that many currently in the junior ranks will progress to highly TAFE Digital has been a constant companion in Paige Tierney’s career From her maiden post-school qualification to helping her upskill to her first management role to a life-changing volunteer trip to the poverty-stricken streets of Port Moresby The Kurri Kurri 26-year-old completed a Certificate III in Dental Assisting through TAFE Digital after finishing school gaining employment at Happy Tooth Kurri Kurri and going on to study the Certificate IV in Dental Assisting (Radiography) Careers NSW has projected dental assisting jobs will grow by 13.4% to May 2028 underscoring the critical need for more skilled professionals Ms Tierney is one of dozens of TAFE Digital graduates from Happy Tooth to build her practical skills and knowledge with the practice exclusively using it to upskill its staff she’s recently returned from a volunteer outreach trip to Papua New Guinea an opportunity she learned about through her TAFE Digital teacher filling and extracting teeth for children living in poverty and it was an eye-opening Ms Tierney said having the flexibility to study where and when it best suited her through TAFE Digital had been a “godsend” “I was able to study outside of work hours and it was tailored to what I was actually learning on the job,” she added I’d be learning about sterilisations at work and then come home and do an assessment on sterilisations.” Ms Tierney hopes to one day co-own a dental practice and said she had a particular interest in helping remove the fear of dental visits for many children TAFE Digital head teacher of clinical health – dental Cathy Shiel stated the job prospects for dental assisting graduates were exceptional “There is a massive skills shortage for qualified dental assistants,” she said “Paige is a powerful example of the great pathways available in the industry.” Ms Tierney earned credit towards a Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy giving her the qualifications to do many of the tasks dentists do Picture by Broomsticks and Methanol PhotosQueensland shaded New South Wales for honours when the 2025 Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships were hosted by the Kurri Kurri Junior Motor Cycle Club at their Loxford Park Raceway on Saturday and Sunday of the Easter weekend All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAcross the nine championship classes there were three of the 2024 champions who retained their titles two Queenslanders scored two class wins of the five victories for that state while two host club members were among the winners even though in those classes decided by a final after four rounds of heats only once had the eventual winner not been at least the equal top scorer from those heats Two days of exciting action again highlighted the great pool of young talent coming through the dirt track ranks and confirmed that junior racing is a very watchable spectacle The older juniors invariably attract the most attention and the 13-U/16s did not disappoint Mike Hatcher club rider Jake Paige from the Gold Coast won the 85cc 2str./150cc 4str beaten only once in the rounds and then romped away in the final ahead of a great tussle between local Bodie Cardinale and Preston Craft to decide the minor placings Paige went on to make it a double taking out the final of the 200-250cc 4str despite having been the seventh top qualifier behind defending champion and unbeaten top qualifier Neiko Donovan While Paige was soon in the lead Donovan recovered from a not-so-good start to finish second after a great battle with Jed Fyffe Jedd Fyffe flew the Albury-Wodonga flag with a dominant performance to claim the 100-150 2 str Hamish Bibby and Tommy Wright in the decider View +3 PhotosPictures by Broomsticks and Methanol PhotosThe younger age groups provided the other dual winner as Cooper Quinn who claimed the 50cc Auto 6-U/9 and 65cc 7-U/9 classes - the first of them backing up his 2024 victory - both of them with an unbeaten run Oscar Borella from Albury-Wodonga and Hudson McConnell from Gold Coast each grabbed a second place with Townsville rider Ryder Smith third in both The two host club riders who claimed championship wins were both unbeaten throughout one of them making it back-to-back title wins Ruby James continued her domination in the 150cc 2str/250cc 4str 13- /16 Girls class despite having to chase down Townsville rider Mia Blackford in several rounds In the 85cc 2str/150cc 4str 9-U/13 class Kaiden Lantry was one of two riders who were unbeaten in the rounds but he was the one who reproduced that form in the final to lead home clubmate Braxsen Anderson and Griffith rider Jye French Gunnedah rider Hugo Holmes also successfully defended a 2024 victory in the 85cc 4-str Modified 7-U/12 class winning all but one of the rounds to outpoint Flynn Beard from the Panorama club and Mason Wild of Forbes The other champion to be crowned was in the 65cc 9 - U/13 class where Ipswich rider Kru Tulloch who had been one of three equal top qualifiers won the decider ahead of Braxsen Anderson and 2024 winner Riley Holder of the Macleay club Picture by Simone De PeakMITCH Garbutt will lead Kurri Kurri's pack in 2025 while Connor Kirkwood departs for junior club Cessnock next Newcastle Rugby League season All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIncoming Bulldogs coach Paul Stringer confirmed Garbutt's arrival and Kirkwood's exit on Sunday a former NRL and English Super League prop will be a welcome addition for the three-time wooden spooners "I still remember when he [Garbutt] came up the grades playing for Wests when I was coaching Wyong [around 2010]," Stringer told the Newcastle Herald We all had a good catch up and chat when we signed him the other night most of the guys we have are 23 and under." played for Wests in a Newcastle RL grand final in 2011 starting with Melbourne and finishing at Brisbane The front-rower won two English Super League titles in odd years at Leeds between 2015 and 2018 before spending time at both Hull KR (2019-2020) and Toulouse (2021-2022) has played with St Gaudens Bears (2023) and York Knights (2024) one of Kurri's shining lights during a difficult campaign in 2024 The former Cessnock and Macquarie player has now returned to the Goannas where he was named best on ground in the COVID-impacted 2020 grand final "We took Connor's offer off the table on Friday," Stringer said "I would have liked to keep him and I would have liked to coach him and I'm disappointed he won't be there but you can't have everyone and we've just got to get over it and go with it." Cessnock officially revealed the move on Sunday night Stringer will also combine forces with son Jack Kurri, who lost marquee signing Blake Ferguson after one appearance last won a Newcastle RL first-grade game on May 28 Stringer will be the fifth coach at the Bulldogs in as many seasons Aaron Watts (2022) and Mitch Cullen (2021) More from SportNewsletters & AlertsView allDaily The Bulldogs remain winless and dead last in 2024 and have not won a game in more than two years Taylor, with one of the most successful coaching resumes outside NRL level arrived at the club late last year and brought renewed hope with his experience and a long list of players he had previously coached to try and call upon There was plenty of optimism about the campaign ahead after Kurri's season-opening 25-24 loss to Wyong at Magic Round Ferguson played just one game for Kurri. Picture by Jonathan CarrollAn inspired 28-all draw with arch rivals Cessnock is as close as the Bulldogs have come to a victory They've conceded more than 50 points on five occasions and were pumped 68-10 last week by the Goannas in their biggest loss this year "It just wasn't working out for us," Chapman said Asked if it was a club call to move Taylor on or whether the mentor himself made the decision Kurri advertised for a new head coach for 2025 last week and have been pleased with the initial response Chapman said there was local interest and also from further afield Ex-Macquarie mentor Steve Kidd has been mooted as a replacement The club hopes to appoint a new mentor "sooner rather than later" who is stepping up from vice president after Shaun Collingwood vacated the role It doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs of 2024 who host South Newcastle at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground from 3pm on Saturday Maitland are at home to Macquarie and Northern take on Lakes at Tomaree Sports Ground from 5pm Wests return to Harker Oval for the first time since late April to face Cessnock at 3pm while Central meet The Entrance at St John Oval from 3.15pm in a fourth-against-fifth battle