Landslip incident

NSW Police, NSW Fire & Rescue and NSW SES have responded to a landslip incident that occurred in the early morning of 23 May 2025 at 126 Russell Road, New Lambton.

The Newcastle Local Emergency Operations Centre has been activated to provide a central location to coordinate the emergency response, led by the Local Emergency Operations Controller (LEOCON) who is a senior member of Newcastle Police. City of Newcastle are one of several agencies supporting the response. 

Last update - 13 June 2025, 3.40pm

This afternoon, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) met with the NSW Regional Recovery Coordinator for the Hunter and Mid-North Coast. The discussion centred on advocating for continued support for displaced residents, clarifying agency responsibilities, and seeking guidance on the transition from the current Response phase, to Recovery with the finalisation of the EOC. 

The Regional Recovery Coordinator has committed to seeking formal advice from the NSW Reconstruction Authority on how recovery efforts may be coordinated moving forward and whether the Authority will take a lead role in that process. The formal response is expected as early as next week.

Emergency remediation works are being planned under the direction of the LEOCON. These works are planned to commence next week (weather permitting) and are designed to increase site stability and help prevent further ground movement in the event of unfavourable weather. This will include management of unstable trees, and earthworks to close the earth to prevent further water ingress.  Once this stage is complete, it will allow for more detailed engineering assessments to proceed.

We are actively looking for safe opportunities to support residents in recovering as many items as possible, therefore planning is underway to facilitate additional entry into affected properties to allow residents to retrieve further personal belongings. Timing will be confirmed next week, based on ongoing assessments and expert geotechnical and structural advice. 

Security and police patrols will continue at the site until further notice, and site assessments are ongoing.

We thank residents for their continued patience and will share further information as it becomes available.

Previous update - 10 June 2025, 5.15pm

Through the LEOCON, regular conversations are occurring with impacted residents to provide them updates on the situation and connect them with support services throughout this difficult time.

In positive news, no further ground movement has been recorded over the long weekend following last week's rain. 

In addition to email and phone updates, resident meetings have been held on Monday 26 May and Tuesday 3 June.

We have advised affected residents of the expected timeframe and process for the detailed engineering investigations that are required to determine a plan for the impacted properties. We also confirmed that we will provide relevant information to insurers to support residents in their claims, including claims related to medium- to long-term accommodation for the period while the investigations are carried out and recommendations are developed for the long-term safety and management of the site.

The incident

A number of properties on Russell Road, Baker Street, Victoria Street and Portland Place have been impacted. Residents from these properties have been evacuated.

Damage has occurred to road infrastructure as well as underground utilities operated by Hunter Water, Ausgrid and City of Newcastle. The extent of this damage is being assessed and monitored.

Road closures are in place at:

• Baker Street, New Lambton (partial)
• Victoria Street, New Lambton (partial).

The community is asked to avoid the area while the response efforts and assessments are underway.

Russell Road is not impacted, however monitoring and assessment of both public and private infrastructure in the area will continue.

Frequently asked questions

Past updates

Information notice provided to impacted and neighbouring residents via a doorknock conducted by NSW Police on 26 May.

Supporting information

NSW Fair Trading, Help after the floods

This site outlines things you should be aware of after a natural disaster occurs, as well as information about financial support.

Legal Aid NSW, Disaster Response Legal Service 

The Disaster Response Legal Service is a free legal service supporting people who have been impacted by disasters including storms, floods and bushfires.

The service can help with legal issues such as insurance (including temporary accommodation, food spoilage, cash settlements and disputes), access to government disaster grants, tenancy and housing issues including urgent repairs and rent abatements, and financial hardship. Call 1800 801 529 to book a free appointment with a solicitor for phone advice.

Lifeline, 13 11 14 - Free 24-hour telephone crisis support.

Beyond Blue, 1300 22 46 36 - Free 24/7 counselling.

Kids Helpline, 1800 55 1800 - Free, private and confidential phone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25.

13YARN Australia, 13 92 76 - Crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

1800RESPECT, 1800 737 732 - 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling.

NSW Mental Health Line, 1800 011 511 - Staffed by trained mental health professionals for advice and referrals.

How does City of Newcastle support the response to a significant incident or emergency in our city?

City of Newcastle plays an important role supporting emergency services or other agencies during a significant incident or emergency in our city. 

The most relevant emergency services or other agency will act as the lead, directing and coordinating the actions undertaken by the City of Newcastle and other supporting agencies.

Support through the Newcastle Emergency Operations Centre 

When an incident or emergency occurs, the Local Emergency Operations Controller (LEOCON), usually a senior member of NSW Police, can activate the Newcastle Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Once activated, City of Newcastle provides resources to support the EOC and LEOCON including:

• An operations centre located at 12 Stewart Ave designed to support multi-agency coordination with:
  • Live-streaming and display screens
  • Meeting and break out spaces
  • Backup power via diesel generators.
• Staffing support, including:
  • A Local Emergency Management Officer (LEMO) to assist with coordination.
  • Operational, administration or logistics support as required.

Helping to share information to the community

City of Newcastle serves as an information conduit, to help keep the community informed by:

• Sharing relevant emergency management information from the LEOCON and lead agency such as via our website or social media channels, or supporting community information sessions
• Sharing updates, warnings, and alerts from emergency services on our social media channels.

We are committed to supporting emergency services in responding to incidents and emergencies to help protect our community.