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Newcastle Harbour

Emergency and incident information

To minimise any potential impact, Port Authority of New South Wales has developed an Incident Control System specifically to deal with incidents that may occur in Newcastle Harbour's environs which consists of a plan with a number of supporting procedures and guidelines.

Port Authority has allocated significant resources into staff training and the purchase of response equipment to prepare for an incident that may occur.

In addition to Port Authority’s own resources, we are part of an Australia wide National Plan for response to environmental incidents. This allows Port Authority to call upon other resources and equipment available in ports around Australia. In most cases this equipment can be deployed to Newcastle within 24 hours.

Police, fire and ambulance

Call 000


Oil spills

Port Authority of New South Wales is responsible for any oil or chemical spills inside Newcastle Harbour and in State Waters  between Fingal Head north of Newcastle to Catherine Hill Bay south of Newcastle.

Report to Port Authority of New South Wales any oil spills or chemical spills in State Waters between Fingal Head north of Newcastle to Catherine Hill Bay south of Newcastle.

phone: +61 2 4929 3890 (24 hours)
or + 61 2 4985 8222 (8.30am - 4.30pm)

State Waters consist of the territorial sea from low watermark for three nautical miles

Incidents on the Harbour/pollution

  • All marine based oil spills MUST be reported to Port Authority of New South Wales.
  • All land based oil spills are to be reported to Fire and Rescue NSW.
  • Port Authority's pollution incident response management plan for the site holding an Environmental Protection Licence can be accessed here:
    Pollution Incident Management Response Plan - Helipad - Newcastle - 2023