Good morning, Newcastle. Welcome back to the Newcastle Digest. I hope you have had an excellent long weekend and start to your week.

I found a large chunk of people who had subscribed but were stuck in the abyss of Facebook / Instagram and did not make it to the mailing list. You are here now, and I apologise that you have not received the last couple of editions.

Table of Contents

• Eats

• Events

• Activities

• Business Blast

Quick hits

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Eats

Date night diary

This is part 3 of the date night diary series, where my partner and I rate our date night spots on a 5 point scoring system.

The showcase today is the Asian diner Light Years.

Light Years boasts an Asian fusion menu with a large range of meals and an extensive drink / cocktail menu.

The diner features a well-lit dining area with multiple seating options. We noticed it was quite loud at times, maybe not suitable for an intimate experience.

The food and drinks, however, were of excellent quality. Our entree consisted of pork belly bao buns and the ‘mud crab, prawn & scallop’ dumplings. We shared a main of the Singapore Chili Prawns, accompanied by the steamed jasmine rice which were exceptional when paired together. Drinks were also top quality (however, I have forgotten the exact names, but I definitely remember them being nice and refreshing).

The only downside is the price, which is on the expensive side, but the quality is well worth it.

Overall, we would definitely recommend and return.

Leaderboard

1. Blanca: 7.75

2. Light Years: 7.6

3. Oh My Papa: 7.5

Events

Thursday 10 October

Friday 11 October

Saturday 12 October

Sunday 13 October

Activities

School holiday specials

9 October

• Spooky Storytime - Charlestown Library, Cnr Smith & Ridley St, Charlestown

• Woven Bookmarks & Library Bags - Toronto Library, Cnr Brighton Ave & Pemell St, Toronto

• Mountains Beginner Acrylic Workshop - 8 Frederick St, Charlestown

• Fish Beginner Watercolour Workshop - 8 Frederick St, Charlestown

• Switch Gaming – Super Smash Bros - 30 Bunn St, Wallsend

• Recycled Paper Butterflies - Newcastle Library, 15 Laman St, Newcastle

• Taylor Swift Full Day Singing & Musical Theatre Workshop - 8 Frederick St, Charlestown

10 October

• Design your own projector lamp - Multi Arts Pavilion (MAP mima), 96 Creek Reserve Rd, Speers Point

• Crafty Kids: Monster Masks - Windale Hub, 20 Lake St, Windale

• Puppy Full Day Creative Camp - 8 Frederick St, Charlestown

• Spring Flower Crown - Newcastle Library, 15 Laman St, Newcastle

• Teddy Bears Storytime - Wallsend Library, 30 Bunn St, Wallsend

11 October

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship for kids - Toronto Library, Cnr Brighton Ave & Pemell St, Toronto

• Book Launch & Storytime: The Mosaic - Belmont Library, 19 Ernest St, Belmont

• STEAM & Makers – Marbling & Marble Painting - Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle

• Board Games Day - Wallsend Library, 30 Bunn St, Wallsend

• Excellent Engineers – Marble Run & Marble Mazes - Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle

Ongoing

• Spring School Holidays at Hunter Valley Gardens (until 13 Oct)

• Spark Magic with Westfield Kotara (until 13 Oct)

• Custom Kicks Workshops (until 11 Oct)

• Disney's The Little Mermaid JR (until 2 Nov)

• Inflatables on the green - Club Lambton (Until 11 Oct)

Business Blast

Airport Secures Funding Boost to Attract New Routes and Boost Regional Economy

Newcastle Airport has secured a Memorandum of Understanding with Destination NSW, providing access to the Aviation Attraction Fund. This initiative offers airline incentives and marketing assistance to attract new international and domestic routes. CEO Dr Peter Cock welcomed the funding, emphasising its importance for regional airports and economies. With terminal upgrades set for mid-2025 and plans for an Aerospace East Precinct, the airport aims to become a global gateway, potentially contributing $12.7B to the regional NSW economy over the next 20 years.

Hunter Water Powers Up: Major Solar Farm Energises Water Supply and Sustainability Goals

Hunter Water has activated its largest solar installation to date at Balickera Water Pump Station, marking a significant step in its renewable energy initiative. The 3.1MW solar farm, comprising 5,500 ground-mounted panels, is expected to generate annual savings of $700,000 and power critical water supply assets. This project increases Hunter Water's total renewable energy generation to over 6 megawatts, reducing operational costs and carbon emissions. The installation included extensive environmental rehabilitation, with over 3,000 trees and plants being added to the site. Additional solar projects totalling 900kW across multiple locations are also in progress, further advancing Hunter Water's commitment to sustainability. Read more here