A fish farm for Port Stephens, leadfoot drivers, a mystery fatal air crash and Nelson Bay’s first traffic lights was making headlines in the Examiner in 1998.
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Each week, the Examiner will ‘throw back’ to an edition published during its 124 year history and highlight what was making news at that time.
For this week’s “from the archives”, Examiner staff randomly selected a year but picked an edition that fell in line with the Easter break.
In the April 15 edition of the Examiner in 1998, a fish farm and speeding were the two topics that making news.
Coincidentally, 19 years later, those two topics are still making April news in the Examiner.
The front page of the Port Stephens Examiner that was published on April 15, 1998 featured three stories:
$30m fish farm plan for Port
Story brief: This story was about a $30 million plan to make Port Stephens a leader in fish farming, and provide up to 100 news jobs at Taylors Beach.
Newcastle-based firm Tilligerry Pastoral Company put forward the plan for a “world-class facility” that would “showcase” the future of aquaculture.
Almost half speeding
Story brief: Volunteer police with radars were conducting random speed checks around Port Stephens. Speeds detected were shown on electronic boards, warning drivers to slow down. The results suggested about 40 per cent of cars were speeding in built-up areas.
Bid to improve bin use
Story brief: Problems with the community’s use of recycling bins forced Port Stephens Council to step up its education program. Only 40 per cent of the Port’s garbage was being recycled.
Additionally
This edition of the Examiner also covered Nelson Bay’s first set of traffic lights and a fatal air crash that killed two Medowie men.
Bay’s first traffic lights
Story brief: Nelson Bay Chamber of Commerce gave the green light to the town’s first set of traffic lights at the intersection of Stockton and Donald Streets.
The controversial proposal was part of the traffic and parking strategy for the Nelson Bay Business and Foreshore district.
Mystery of fatal air crash
Story brief: Two Medowie men, Eric West and Roy Emmerton, died when an ultra light plane they were travelling in crashed at Singleton on April 10, 1998. The crash was subject to a coroner’s inquest.
