TOPICS: Port’s Greek guests

Economic woes aside, they never seem to run out of food, boats or public holidays, do they? The Greek commercial fleet includes hundreds of the bulk carriers queued on the Newcastle horizon, and it’s that volume of traffic that’s drawn the lenses of an SBS documentary team.

Greeks of the Sea is due to hit our screens later this year, and borrows Newcastle as a setting for one of its episodes.

“The picturesque and busy Port of Newcastle was an ideal backdrop to film a part of this moving segment of our story,” said the doco’s co-executive producer,  Peter Pentz.

They worked closely with harbourmaster Peter Dwyer, as well as Newcastle Maritime Centre president Peter Morris.

And if you’re thinking you haven’t seen many Greek ships pull into the harbour, you’re right; they often sail under flags of convenience and are run by foreign companies. 

The documentary makers faced a nightmare tracing each one ship back to its true owner.

TO swat, or not to swat? That was the question facing shadow communications minister Jason Clare as he was assailed by a mozzie in Mayfield.

At a press conference in Webb Park slamming the government’s stance on broadband this week, Mr Clare summoned reserves of composure beyond most of us as a giant mosquito landed on his lip.

‘‘Unfortunately, Newcastle is one of the biggest victims of the decision to pull the plug on the NBN,’’ he said, ignoring the fact that he  was rapidly losing blood.

Novocastrians can sympathise; we’ve been eaten alive recently.

 This thing was the size of a Cessna and refused to budge from the honourable member’s face, prompting twitches from the watching media. Unperturbed, he pressed on, showing why he’s tipped as a future leader.

STAYING in Webb Park, it ain’t a thing of beauty – unless you appreciate the finer points of graffiti and syringes.

But that could be about to change. A giant, intricate mural will be unveiled today on one of the park’s walls, and those backing it hope locals start to see the place as their ‘‘village green’’.

The painting was overseen by University of Newcastle student Bronwyn Greive, with the natural history illustration department. As you can see, they draw a better frog than you or I. The Mayfield Business Association supported the whole thing.

‘‘The 55-metre wall at Webb Park has been a target for graffiti for many years, dulling the beauty of the small but lovely inner-city green space,’’ the association’s Rita Dixon said.

‘‘The mural is a long-term addition to the streetscape of Mayfield.’’

Now. Nobody ruin it. Let’s prove we can have nice things.