One couple were walking around the Nobbys foreshore area and asked "where are all the trees?" Another couple were on the mismatched footpath (pavers, concrete, tar and sandstone) at the Customs House bus stop. They were staring at the large removable tar and concrete roundabout (removed for the Supercars race), and were looking across at The Station area. They said "this place is very barren."

Modern city revitalisations around the world increase green spaces.

Scientific research has shown that people who live in cities with trees and gardens, have better mental and physical health than those who live in areas of tar and concrete ('Seeing the urban forest for the trees', Topics 29/7).

"Vegetation keeps our cities cool, improves air quality, reduces storm water runoff and reduces stress - it makes a huge difference in citizens' well-being," says Lorien Nesbitt, of University of British Columbia's Department of Forest Resources Management

If City of Newcastle wants to attract people to the CBD to live, work, shop and dine, creating a boost to current businesses, I believe more effort needs to be made to reduce the grey appearance of the streets. Relying totally on the attraction of the ocean is not enough.

I look forward to seeing council's plans to improve the city streets with attractive paving and plantings. Linking these green streets to more green spaces around the harbour high-rise developments, would create a truly modern revitalised city.

ALEX Greenwich is chairing a committee into the transition from the coal industry in the Hunter. I would have it noted that this was an issue in the last federal election, and it was one especially played out in the contest for the federal seat of Hunter (''Scare campaign behind swing'', Herald 20/5).

When given a choice between the Nationals supporting the continuation of the industry or Labor's proposed transition away from the industry, the people of the valley voted en masse against this. Mining is so important to the economy of the valley, contributing over 60,000 indirect and direct jobs plus $4.3 billion to the economy.

While people and parties from outside the area continue to push their agendas to threaten the livelihood of people, I believe it is important to back those who continue to support us in the valley like the Nationals.

A HOLIDAY in October is on the cards, but I cannot find somewhere to go without potentially being blown up, shot or robbed.

Turkey, Spain, Egypt, anywhere in North Africa, Bali, Paris and even Melbourne are out. That leaves London or the USA, but if I get sick in the latter I will be bankrupt after a day or two in hospital. Even the Kimberley would cost over $10,000 each for two weeks in a bumpy four-wheel drive.

So, Sydney or Pokolbin are it. For two weeks I will live like a king with no waiting for aeroplanes. No wonder overseas tourists are coming here.

YOU would think that in the third year that John Hudson (Letters, 23/8) and the rest of the East End whinging community would get it right. They should all know by now that the real reason for the wristbands for the residents is so that volunteers and security personnel can quickly and easily identify them as residents and not members of the general public. It is not a way for Supercars to inflate attendance numbers as Mr Hudson argued.

I would like to know if Mr Hudson and his fellow whingers would like everybody access to their homes during the event, or would they like to have some say on who cannot come in.

It seems that it does not matter what anybody does, it would not be any good for these people. My frustration is that they don't come up with any better solutions, they can only complain about what happens at this event.

IF the National Party wants the inland railway from Melbourne to Brisbane to be named the Fischer Line, I believe it would be an insult to Tim Fischer's memory.

That railway is being built in the wrong place, way out to the west, where it can never make a profit and where it will be periodically washed away. The right place to build it in my opinion is through New England, where it would be profitable and where it would last forever.

The reason it's being put in the wrong place is because the leader of the National Party at the time of the decision was Barnaby Joyce. That's right, the member for New England decided that his own electorate could not have something which, just for once, was the right thing to do ('Barnaby Joyce says no conflict of interest between inland rail and properties', Guardian 21/2/18)

No-one could imagine the late Nationals leader Tim Fischer making sure that the Melbourne-Sydney freeway went through Hay, not Albury. Mr Fischer would never have betrayed both his electorate and the nation by committing such a wasteful, nonsensical folly.

I believe naming Barnaby Joyce's train line after Tim Fischer would be a mockery which Fischer never did anything to deserve.

I THINK I already know the answer to this question. Has the state government thought about the infrastructure that could be put in place prior to allowing thousands of dwellings to be built at the former Pasminco site? Maybe some planning would have Cockle Creek rail station relocated to the rear of Argenton, closer to the industrial and proposed residential area. A multi-level car park could be incorporated and take some of the pressure off Cardiff streets. Who knows, workers at the nearby industrial area might embrace it.

This will only happen with the right planning, which would include pathways and cycleways between the businesses for access. How about it, or is this a case of it's not in the State of Sydney or it's not worth the trouble for rusted-on Labor voters? Sydney escapees are moving here, so your voters are up here as well.

THE pen goes to Aaron Buman for his letter on the John Hunter Hospital.