Walka Water Works Pumphouse and site was classified by the The National Trust in 1976, and is also classified by NSW Heritage Council.

Walka Water Works supplied the Lower Hunter with domestic water from 1882 to 1931 and for a short period in the early 1940s. Newcastle was relying on water wells up until that time. This also was creating health problems for the people.

Walka Pumphouse internal museum was home to a working model - 1/10 working scale of one of the original 3 steam operated beam engines. The working model was constructed by Hunter Water Apprentices and Tafe Students.

The museum also featured many photos of internal workings of the pumphouse - it also featured coloured sketches of Chichester workers lining up on pay day, also the pipeline to the Lower Hunter. Paintings and photos were supplied by Hunter Water Inc.

An outdoor museum was also established with all equipment supplied by Hunter Water Inc. With information on what each was used for. Both museums were used as a tourist attraction.

As an added interest for visitors to the indoor museum there was a continuous showing of Maitland 1955 flood film. A mini rail over three kilometres was constructed around the Walka Lake shoreline that has proved popular.

I believe it would be a very worthy museum project for council and Hunter Water.

I welcome the announcement by NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet that Boxing Day trading will continue across NSW after it was welcomed by consumers, business owners and employees during a two-year trial.

The NSW Government announced it will legislate to allow Boxing Day trade to continue in all parts of NSW, in accordance with the findings of an independent review by Professor Percy Allan AM which considered feedback from retailers, employees and shoppers.

Until the two-year trial commenced, Hunter shoppers were restricted to Port Stephens or had to travel to Wyong.

Over the last two years , I have had only strong positive feedback for Boxing Day trading in those Hunter LGAs that didn't previously enjoy shopping.  It has benefited Hunter businesses, supported local retail jobs including giving many young people a chance to earn holiday money. It has kept shoppers in the region.

Supposing Donald Trump goes through with what he refers to as a loaded and locked military solution in response to North Korea, it places himself as the protector of America and its allies.

It's contradictory to the stands taken by him in regards to the many lives that will be lost due to his no action stance towards the climate change. It continues to adversely affect the environment and over time will cause many more deaths and destruction than a couple of bombs!

A draft that was published by the New York Times, where the findings of 13 Federal Agencies' on climate change were leaked. It conclude; that the rise in temperatures is unequivocally man's fault. According to the article, the Ministry of Agriculture suggested to its leaders not to use “climate change”, but refer to it as an “extreme weather situation”.

Tthese protesters are all hypocrites, bet they use electricity in their houses and drive cars using petrol.