'Pinch-yourself moment': new tug boat's grand Newcastle entrance
Svitzer Barrington, named after Barrington Tops, arrived at its new home at the Port of Newcastle's tug base on Thursday, June 26.
To welcome it, a guard of honour was formed by eight tugs as the new vessel crossed the sand bar of Nobbys Heads.
The tugs then formed a circle for the Barrington to move into the centre and complete donuts as Novocastrians watched on, the sound of horns echoing along the foreshore.
At the helm was fleet training superintendent and tug master Ben Holder, who steered the tug into the harbour in a showcase of its agility.
"It was a real privilege to bring such an innovative tug into Newcastle," Mr Holder said.
"Taking her sideways through the cut at seven knots was a pinch-yourself moment. Despite her size and incredible stability, she handles like a go-kart."
The 32-metre Transverse tug is the first of its kind in Australia. It was built in Turkey and sailed to Australia via the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean.
It is billed as representing a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance.
Svitzer Australia chief operating officer David Phillips said the tug class was purpose-built for versatility and power, making it different to other tug designs by Svitzer.
"It's maintaining high steering and braking forces through a range of movements without losing the dynamism or responsiveness required by marine pilots," he said.
"This includes a patented half-circle towing staple which is able to support advanced towing manoeuvres and a double-ended hull."
"It's a new design with leading-edge technology."
Mr Phillips said Svitzer Barrington was deployed to the Port of Newcastle because "it's one of the busiest ports in Australia".
"[The Port] services a range of large vessel types in complex tidal and weather conditions," he said.
The port hosts more than 4500 vessel visits per year, including large capesize vessels shipping coal, bulk grain and agricultural vessels, container ships, breakbulk freight and cruise vessels.
The demand for tugs to assist these vessels safely in and out of the terminal continues to increase, Mr Phillips said.
"We chose Newcastle because this vessel is built to high specs to demonstrate its capability an,d it's a great opportunity to showcase and support our largest port. We're very excited about it," he said.
A sister tug is expected to join the Port of Newcastle in mid to late August.
WHAT an entrance.
Svitzer Barrington, named after Barrington Tops, arrived at its new home at the Port of Newcastle's tug base on Thursday, June 26.
To welcome it, a guard of honour was formed by eight tugs as the new vessel crossed the sand bar of Nobbys Heads.
The tugs then formed a circle for the Barrington to move into the centre and complete donuts as Novocastrians watched on, the sound of horns echoing along the foreshore.
At the helm was fleet training superintendent and tug master Ben Holder, who steered the tug into the harbour in a showcase of its agility.
"It was a real privilege to bring such an innovative tug into Newcastle," Mr Holder said.
"Taking her sideways through the cut at seven knots was a pinch-yourself moment. Despite her size and incredible stability, she handles like a go-kart."
The 32-metre Transverse tug is the first of its kind in Australia. It was built in Turkey and sailed to Australia via the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean.
It is billed as representing a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance.
Svitzer Australia chief operating officer David Phillips said the tug class was purpose-built for versatility and power, making it different to other tug designs by Svitzer.
"It's maintaining high steering and braking forces through a range of movements without losing the dynamism or responsiveness required by marine pilots," he said.
"This includes a patented half-circle towing staple which is able to support advanced towing manoeuvres and a double-ended hull."
"It's a new design with leading-edge technology."
Mr Phillips said Svitzer Barrington was deployed to the Port of Newcastle because "it's one of the busiest ports in Australia".
"[The Port] services a range of large vessel types in complex tidal and weather conditions," he said.
The port hosts more than 4500 vessel visits per year, including large capesize vessels shipping coal, bulk grain and agricultural vessels, container ships, breakbulk freight and cruise vessels.
The demand for tugs to assist these vessels safely in and out of the terminal continues to increase, Mr Phillips said.
"We chose Newcastle because this vessel is built to high specs to demonstrate its capability an,d it's a great opportunity to showcase and support our largest port. We're very excited about it," he said.
A sister tug is expected to join the Port of Newcastle in mid to late August.
WHAT an entrance.
Svitzer Barrington, named after Barrington Tops, arrived at its new home at the Port of Newcastle's tug base on Thursday, June 26.
To welcome it, a guard of honour was formed by eight tugs as the new vessel crossed the sand bar of Nobbys Heads.
The tugs then formed a circle for the Barrington to move into the centre and complete donuts as Novocastrians watched on, the sound of horns echoing along the foreshore.
At the helm was fleet training superintendent and tug master Ben Holder, who steered the tug into the harbour in a showcase of its agility.
"It was a real privilege to bring such an innovative tug into Newcastle," Mr Holder said.
"Taking her sideways through the cut at seven knots was a pinch-yourself moment. Despite her size and incredible stability, she handles like a go-kart."
The 32-metre Transverse tug is the first of its kind in Australia. It was built in Turkey and sailed to Australia via the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean.
It is billed as representing a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance.
Svitzer Australia chief operating officer David Phillips said the tug class was purpose-built for versatility and power, making it different to other tug designs by Svitzer.
"It's maintaining high steering and braking forces through a range of movements without losing the dynamism or responsiveness required by marine pilots," he said.
"This includes a patented half-circle towing staple which is able to support advanced towing manoeuvres and a double-ended hull."
"It's a new design with leading-edge technology."
Mr Phillips said Svitzer Barrington was deployed to the Port of Newcastle because "it's one of the busiest ports in Australia".
"[The Port] services a range of large vessel types in complex tidal and weather conditions," he said.
The port hosts more than 4500 vessel visits per year, including large capesize vessels shipping coal, bulk grain and agricultural vessels, container ships, breakbulk freight and cruise vessels.
The demand for tugs to assist these vessels safely in and out of the terminal continues to increase, Mr Phillips said.
"We chose Newcastle because this vessel is built to high specs to demonstrate its capability an,d it's a great opportunity to showcase and support our largest port. We're very excited about it," he said.
A sister tug is expected to join the Port of Newcastle in mid to late August.
WHAT an entrance.
Svitzer Barrington, named after Barrington Tops, arrived at its new home at the Port of Newcastle's tug base on Thursday, June 26.
To welcome it, a guard of honour was formed by eight tugs as the new vessel crossed the sand bar of Nobbys Heads.
The tugs then formed a circle for the Barrington to move into the centre and complete donuts as Novocastrians watched on, the sound of horns echoing along the foreshore.
At the helm was fleet training superintendent and tug master Ben Holder, who steered the tug into the harbour in a showcase of its agility.
"It was a real privilege to bring such an innovative tug into Newcastle," Mr Holder said.
"Taking her sideways through the cut at seven knots was a pinch-yourself moment. Despite her size and incredible stability, she handles like a go-kart."
The 32-metre Transverse tug is the first of its kind in Australia. It was built in Turkey and sailed to Australia via the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean.
It is billed as representing a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance.
Svitzer Australia chief operating officer David Phillips said the tug class was purpose-built for versatility and power, making it different to other tug designs by Svitzer.
"It's maintaining high steering and braking forces through a range of movements without losing the dynamism or responsiveness required by marine pilots," he said.
"This includes a patented half-circle towing staple which is able to support advanced towing manoeuvres and a double-ended hull."
"It's a new design with leading-edge technology."
Mr Phillips said Svitzer Barrington was deployed to the Port of Newcastle because "it's one of the busiest ports in Australia".
"[The Port] services a range of large vessel types in complex tidal and weather conditions," he said.
The port hosts more than 4500 vessel visits per year, including large capesize vessels shipping coal, bulk grain and agricultural vessels, container ships, breakbulk freight and cruise vessels.
The demand for tugs to assist these vessels safely in and out of the terminal continues to increase, Mr Phillips said.
"We chose Newcastle because this vessel is built to high specs to demonstrate its capability an,d it's a great opportunity to showcase and support our largest port. We're very excited about it," he said.
A sister tug is expected to join the Port of Newcastle in mid to late August.
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From the ritz to the rubble: Queens Wharf building through the years
As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike. As far as grand openings go, Queens Wharf enjoyed an auspicious welcome into the world. Queen Elizabeth II opened the harbourside building on Saturday, May 7, 1988, alongside her husband, Prince Philip, after sailing overnight from Sydney on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It marked the end of the waterfront precinct's industrial past (it was once known as Kings Wharf) and the beginning of an embrace of tourism and recreation. The Queens Wharf's opening was arguably the highlight of the British monarch's fourth and final visit to Newcastle. Marty Adnum, the managing director of Newcastle marketing agency Out Of The Square, was among the crowd at Queens Wharf as a 19-year-old when the Queen opened the building. He said for several decades, the precinct served the city well. "In the early days, it was our first on-water eating experience," Mr Adnum said. "Going back to then, it was a great benefit to us. But we've evolved so much as a city." For the next 30 years, the Queens Wharf white building served as a meeting place for Novocastrians and visitors. Its spectacular views of the harbour across to Stockton and Nobbys Lighthouse guarantee a prime position in any tourist's itinerary. It also became a popular dining precinct and hosted weddings and corporate functions, and offered a prime vantage spot for the harbour's New Year's Eve fireworks. The Queens Wharf building's most infamous section, the phallic-shaped observation tower, was demolished in 2018 due to its lack of wheelchair access and $1.6 million maintenance bill. Countless Novocastrians climbed the Queens Wharf Tower's 180 steps across three decades, but Newcastle Herald columnist Paul Scott reflected in a 2021 editorial that it was hardly remembered with nostalgia. "Whenever I smell the stale stench of urine in the empty shop fronts of Hunter Street - which is most days - I recall the QWT," Scott wrote. Then interim City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath was also pleased to see the 30-metre structure chopped in 2018. "There really is no other way to describe the Queens Wharf Tower other than as an embarrassment to the city," Mr Bath said. "I look forward to not having to answer the inevitable question of 'why' from guests and visitors when they first see the tower." In typical Novocastrian fashion, the tower didn't come down with a whimper. The tower was immortalised as a bottle opener in 2018 with the words "what goes up must come down" by Out Of The Square. Almost 3000 bottle openers were sold, raising $22,193 for the Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance. Mr Adnum said the infamous tower still holds a quirky place in the hearts of Novocastrians. "They sold like hot cakes," he said. "As much as it's the whole penis-tower thing, it's fondly remembered." The rest of the Queens Wharf building continued for another two years before a fire broke out in the kitchen of bar and restaurant Six Degrees in May 2020. Since then, the once-proud entertainment hotspot has been left to rack and ruin. The Newcastle Herald revealed last October that squatters had moved in, and the building was abandoned to graffiti, broken windows, and rubbish. The City of Newcastle last week invited the community to provide their feedback on the future redevelopment of the Queens Wharf building, which has sparked many conversations about the precinct. Whatever the future holds, its prime position in the heart of Newcastle Harbour will continue to fascinate locals and visitors alike.
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What would it take for house prices to drop in Australia?
Homeowners and property investors may rub their hands together at Australia's ever-increasing house prices. However, for the growing number of Australians who have yet to secure a foothold in the property market, the great Aussie dream can feel increasingly out of reach. A parliamentary report released in May found rising house prices in Australia have seen home ownership decline from 70 per cent in 1981 to 67 per cent in 2021. The decline is particularly apparent among young people. For those aged 25-34, home ownership has decreased from 61 per cent to 43 per cent. In comparison, for those aged 55-64 home ownership has decreased from 81 per cent to 76 per cent. More than one type of home Ben Phillips, an associate professor from the ANU's Centre for Social Policy Research, says home purchase affordability is a substantial issue in Australia. He says that with more interest rate cuts expected this year and housing supply not keeping up with demand, it could be an issue for some time to come. Loading content... "The problem is clearly not unique to Australia, but house prices relative to income are very high in Australia and higher than most other developed nations," he says. However, he argues there are some policy reforms that could put the brakes on runaway house prices. "The main policies that would potentially improve affordability would be, firstly, supply-side reforms, particularly around zoning. "These reforms would increase the supply of new dwellings in well-located areas, particularly inner and middle-ring regions of major cities and towns," Mr Phillips says. He argues they would improve the efficiency of Australia's housing market with better located and less expensive housing styles, such as more townhouses and units and splitting large blocks into multiple dwellings. Help or hindrance Mr Phillips also argues that removing first home buyer grants and stamp duty discounts could ease house price growth. "While first home buyer grants do help some new buyers, it is also true that they likely lead to increases in house prices and may largely help those who were going to purchase anyway," he says. "Perhaps they purchase earlier than otherwise or buy a larger or better dwelling. "Stamp duty discounts also work in a similar way when directed toward first home buyers," Mr Phillips says. Independent property researcher and View economic expert Cameron Kusher agrees. "One of the reasons we've continued to see housing prices rise over recent decades is due to the type of support that governments, both state and federal, offer to first home buyers," Mr Kusher says. He argues the easiest way in which government could assist first home buyers to enter the housing market is to have cheaper housing. "But pretty much all of the incentives that are offered to assist first home buyers enter into the housing market... lead to further increases in property prices," he argues. "The assistance provided to first home buyers keeps getting larger and more creative and is more about helping first home buyers to enter the market at high prices and stimulate further price growth rather than to genuinely improve housing affordability," he says. Is regional housing the answer? Greater inter-connectivity between cities and to regional areas and increasing the supply of housing would also slow house price growth according to Mr Kusher. "What if we built faster rail from each of our larger capital cities to surrounding areas where housing is cheaper?" he proposes. "What if in Sydney you could commute within an hour and a half to Cessnock, Lithgow or Bathurst or within two hours to places like Goulburn and Canberra? What if in Melbourne you could commute much more quickly to Shepparton, Morwell, Bendigo or Ballarat? "I have no doubt that the much lower cost of housing in these areas and the fact that housing is available on larger lot sizes than new housing in the capital cities would see many choose to move to these areas," Mr Kusher argues, noting the approach would also require greater investment in new housing and infrastructure in regional areas. He says that an increase in the supply of housing could bring house prices down and could be facilitated in several ways. "This would include relaxing zoning restrictions and upzoning more sites for development, limiting heritage listing of properties, making the development application process more streamlined, speeding up the development approval process and investing in key infrastructure to enable more housing development," he says. Despite home ownership rates continuing to trend lower due to rising house prices, Mr Kusher argues that the issue of housing affordability is problematic for governments and policy makers.
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Plans to expand GST will cause the ‘least economic harm'
The Motley Fool Chief Investment Officer Scott Phillips says GST is 'the best' tax to have in an economy. Mr Phillips told Sky News Australia that GST causes the 'least economic harm'. 'If you do need more revenue … then it makes perfect sense.'
