THIS year was full of ups and downs for the people of Newcastle. We had big acts visit like Sir Paul McCartney and even bigger weather events, from hail damage one month to fires the next. It was also a year of collective heartbreak, as the community learnt of the Hunter Valley bus crash tragedy. Newcastle Herald was there for every moment. Take a look back at what made headlines in the Hunter this year.
JANUARY
The year kicked off with a dramatic foot chase on Honeysuckle Drive, which ended in police arresting two men on the street outside the Lume apartment building.
This pursuit in broad daylight made headlines because the operation included officers from the Organised Crime Squad and the Australian Federal Police. It was also the thread that unravelled a "sophisticated" international crime syndicate that allegedly flew the two Norwegians into Queensland, purchased them expensive scuba gear and then sent them to Newcastle Harbour to retrieve the 82 kilograms cocaine from the ship.
FEBRUARY
What started as a Day on the Green in February, ended as a night in the wind with thousands of fans disappointed as Sting cancelled his Hunter Valley show after just a few songs.
A storm front came through at Bimbadgen Estate not long after the British song icon began his much anticipated performance, My Songs.
Initially, organisers told the crowd the show would be postponed, encouraging those in the front rows to move back as the entire set began to sway in the wind. But within minutes, the show was cancelled, with fans asked to leave the area amid strong winds and incoming rain.
MARCH
In March a huge sinhole caused by subsidence opened up in Fogo Street residents at Wallsend. Initially the hole damaged a roughly 100-square-metre area of the neighbourhood outside the Wallsend Diggers Sports Club, sinking at a rate of eight-millimetres in just 90 minutes.
Police established a 200-metre exclusion zone and some residents were forced to leave their homes. The Sporties club was also forced to close immediately and suffered about $3 million in damage.
APRIL
It was the death of a Newcastle man in a Thai police cell that shocked the Hunter in April.
Matty Winder was found dead in jail after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside a bar in Patong Beach. The Bangkok Post reported that the 31-year-old former Hunter Sports High School student had been acting "wildly" when he was arrested outside an entertainment venue on Bangla Road.
But Mr Winder's partner, Ayla Varoxis, denied many of the allegations and spoke out about the "unbreakable bond" the couple shared.
"We were unbreakable and our time together has ended way too soon to even comprehend," she said at the time.
"You were home to me and you filled a void no one else ever could of. My soul is crushed and I would give anything for one more minute in your arms. Thank you for nothing but beautiful memories and unconditional love."
MAY
More wild weather landed in May as hail pummelled many parts of the Hunter. The hail was so severe the Illuminate festival in Port Stephens was cancelled and the storm caused widespread power outages.
At the time a NSW State Emergency Service spokeswoman said there were more than 200 calls relating to the storms, a figure that had swollen to 320 less than two hours later.
"Most of the calls have been for assistance with damaged sky lights, roof tiles, leaking roofs, and verandas," she said.
Hail fell hardest in suburbs including Merewether, Adamstown, New Lambton and Valentine, before shifting over Mayfield and heading further north.
At Merewether Pump Station, the Bureau of Meteorology recorded 56mm of rain in just one hour.
JUNE
This was a month that forever changed the people of the Hunter.
Ten lives were taken in a horror bus crash on Wine Country Drive on June 11.
Emergency services were called to Greta near the Hunter Expressway off-ramp about 11.30pm to calls a coach, reportedly transporting 37 people from a wedding at Wandin Valley Estate, had rolled.
An 'inspirational coach', a married couple with young children and a beloved doctor were among the people killed in the horror wedding bus crash. Andrew and Lynan Scott, Zachary Bray, Angus Craig, Darcy Bulman, Tori Cowburn, Rebecca Mullen, Nadene and Kyah McBride and Kane Symons became the faces of this terrible tragedy.
Many of them had a presence in the Singleton Roosters AFL Club and most were well-known in their community. The shocking incident prompted an outpouring of support and grief from across the country and will remain in the Hunter's collective memory for many years to come.
JULY
It was another tragic loss of life that had the community reeling in July. A young man went to work and never came home.
The 20 year old died after a steel "reinforcement fell and struck" him at a work site at John Hunter Hospital. The construction site, run by Australian-based construction company Multiplex, was part of the $835 million expansion of John Hunter Hospital.
The young man was Harry Mcwilliam, an apprentice from the Central Coast who was a keen footballer and featured regularly in theatre productions by Gosford Musical Society and Wyong Musical Theatre Company.
AUGUST
In August the Herald audience was introduced to "the sickest man in NSW", or at least that is what a doctor said about local man Adam Smith.
Mr Smith was a healthy and fit 50 year old, but after contracting influenza-A his illness progressed to pneumonia and sepsis.
The Central Coast resident was in an induced coma for three weeks.
He has no feeling in his hands and feet and also suffered kidney failure requiring dialysis.
He made his story public so that people would stop "underestimating influenza" and seek medical helpat the first sign of trouble.
SEPTEMBER
Things were a bit lighter and brighter in September as everyone tuned in to see the Newcastle Knights and their partners walk the red carpet, as their stellar end to their 2023 season was transpiring.
The Herald snapped all of the glitz and glamour at the annual Knights NRL Awards night, where players were recognised at club-level.
OCTOBER
Tensions flared up in lake Macquarie Council this year and it was over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In October an emotional councillor Jason Pauling launched into an unrelenting criticism of the council's decision to publicly stand behind the Voice.
After Australia and the Hunter's decision to resoundingly reject recognising First Nations people in the constitution Liberal Cr Pauling, who is Indigenous, said it was the "most stressed" he's ever been in a council meeting and he was "scared to express" his thoughts for the impact it might have.
NOVEMBER
Newcastle people love a bit of property news and there was one big sale this year that got tongues wagging.
An original 1960s home overlooking Bar Beach fetched the highest price paid for a residential property in the suburb in November.
The five-bedroom property at 2 Bar Beach Avenue has sold for a record-breaking $7.05 million after 28 days on the market listed with selling agent Natalie Tonks at Presence Real Estate.
DECEMBER
Crickey! It was sea snakes for the win on December.
A beach in Newcastle was temporarily closed, after multiple sea snakes were spotted swimming near the shore.
Witness Tina Walker was walking along Dixon Park Beach, just north of the surf club, when she made the shocking discovery.
"My husband was a bit ahead of me and he was pretty close to it, I saw it and I just screamed - I couldn't get my words out well," Ms Walker
"At first we thought it was dead. We stood and watched to see what it would do, and it wasn't moving. A little shore break came through and covered it with water, and it still wasn't moving.
"Then it moved its head and turned around. Another break came through and it swam back in."
