Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to celebrate one of Newcastle's true environmental treasures, the Hunter Wetlands Centre, and its recent feature on the ABC's iconic television program Gardening Australia. For Novocastrians, the wetlands centre is much more than just a beautiful natural space; it's a place of remarkable regeneration, an important industrial and urban buffer and a vital place of education, conservation, community and connection. Built on formerly industrial land, it stands as a powerful example of environmental restoration done right, proof that nature can thrive when communities come together with vision and determination. The national spotlight from Gardening Australia showcased not only the incredible biodiversity of the wetlands but also the dedication of the staff, volunteers and environmental advocates who care for this remarkable place each and every day. Visitors from across the country now have the chance to see what locals have known for years—that the Hunter Wetlands Centre is one of Australia's great urban wetlands and a sanctuary for wildlife right in the heart of our region. To everyone involved with the centre, thank you for protecting this special place not just for today but also for future generations and for continuing to make Newcastle proud.

Today I want to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of Rosemarie Milsom, who, after 14 years of leading the Newcastle Writers Festival, has been appointed as the new director of Adelaide Writers' Week. For more than a decade, Rosemarie has shaped Newcastle into one of Australia's great literary cities through the founding and leadership of the Newcastle Writers Festival. What began as a bold local idea when Rosemarie was a full-time journalist at the Newcastle Herald has grown into one of the nation's most respected literary festivals, bringing world-class writers, thinkers and storytellers to our city while nurturing local voices and fostering a lifelong love of reading and ideas.

Rosemarie's appointment to the Adelaide Writers' Week is a richly deserved recognition of her talent, her integrity and her vision. It's also a testament to the strength of Newcastle's creative and cultural sectors that one of our own has been chosen to lead one of the world's most celebrated literary events. And while we will certainly miss Rosemarie's leadership at the Newcastle Writers Festival, we know that she will not only play an important role in the transition of that leadership but she will be bringing the same passion, intelligence and generosity that she showed to Newcastle down to Adelaide. On behalf of the people of Newcastle, I thank Rosemarie for being such an outstanding advocate for the writers and for her strong understanding of the cultural conversation shaping Australia today. I wish her every success in this exciting new chapter.