Cessnock City Council has proudly welcomed eight highly-deserving individuals into the City of Cessnock's Hall of Fame.
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The induction ceremony was held on June 20 at Performance Arts Culture Cessnock and recognised individuals with strong ties to local communities who have achieved prominence in their respective fields.
Following a rigorous review process commencing in December 2022, eight individuals were successful in gaining a place in the Hall of Fame in their respective categories.
- Science: Mark Hughes and Dr Peter Laut
- Public Service: Ewen Cameron, Trevor Milgate ESM OAM and Harold Sternbeck AM
- Sport: Matthew Johns and Andrew Johns
- Business: Gregory Watson
Established in 2006, the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame highlights exceptional contributions and accomplishments by individuals with strong ties to local communities.
Cessnock City Mayor Jay Suvaal, who presided over the ceremony, expressed his pride at the remarkable achievements of the inductees.
"The City of Cessnock is honoured to recognise the exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to our community," Cr Suvaal said.
"Their remarkable accomplishments have exemplified our community's spirit of excellence and dedication, setting an example for future generations."
Cr Suvaal said the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame is an important initiative that not only celebrates exceptional individuals, but also fosters community pride and inspires future generations to reach new heights.
"This celebration of talent, hard work, and dedication creates a legacy that will be remembered for years to come," he said.
Following the induction ceremony, each inductee will be honoured with the placement of a plaque in the town or village with which they are most strongly associated, and have had their names added to the Wall of Fame in the foyer of Performance Arts Culture Cessnock.
Learn more about the Cessnock Hall of Fame's newest recipients and their strong ties to the City of Cessnock.
SCIENCE
Mark Hughes:
While most people know Mark as a Newcastle Knights premiership player, he has been inducted for Science - in recognition of his hard work launching the Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF) to fund much needed research on brain cancer.
Mark was born and raised in Kurri Kurri, where he played rugby league for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs in their 1995 premiership victory, before joining the NRL.
Mark's life changed in 2013 when he was diagnosed with high grade brain cancer, he underwent 33 radiation sessions following surgery, and then a 6-month course of chemotherapy. To date, his work with MHF has raised close to $30 million for brain cancer research and support for patients and their families.
Dr Peter Laut:
Dr Laut was posthumously awarded a place in the Hall of Fame for his extensive and unique scientific research. Dr Peter Laut was born in Kitchener and grew up in Cessnock.
He studied Geography and Economics at the University of New England and subsequently moved to Canberra to work at the Australian National University as a senior lecturer and completed his PHD.
Dr Laut's PHD was published and went on to become a standard text book for high school geography in NSW. In acknowledgement of his work on the first ecological study of Australia, he was awarded the prestigious title of Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO.
Sadly, Dr Laut passed away in 2019, however his daughter Gina Newlyn was able to attend the induction ceremony to accept the award on his behalf.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Ewen Cameron:
Ewen Cameron was born in Sydney before relocating to Cessnock to complete his flight training. At the beginning of 1980 he joined Qantas Airways, flying Boeing 747-200 aircraft.
During a 40-year career with Qantas, Ewen flew in command of every 747 ever owned by Qantas and accumulated some 31,000 hours of flight time, seeing him acknowledged as having flown more 747 hours than anyone else in aviation history.
Trevor Milgate (ESM OAM):
Trevor Milgate ESM OAM, was born in Kurri Kurri and has lived his whole life in the Cessnock Local Government Area. Trevor first joined the RFS and the SES units in 1976, attaining the position of Captain.
The experience he obtained gave him the skills required to establish the Rescue Squad in Cessnock. During his time in the SES, Trevor was appointed as a Deputy Local Controller and then Local Controller in 1994.
He participated in some of the most significant emergency responses in Australia including for the Search for missing plane at Barrington Tops in 1986; the Newcastle Earthquake in 1989; and the Thredbo Disaster in 1997. Trevor still remains as a Volunteer member giving a helping hand to this day.
Harold Sternbeck (AM):
Harold Sterneck (AM) became a well-known identity in the Cessnock LGA. From humble beginnings working as a local bus conductor, Harold advanced his career through account keeping roles before commencing in business, firstly as a livestock agent, then ultimately as a real estate agent.
He led many delegations to ministers in pursuit of funding and support for flood mitigation - work that subsequently served to protect many towns, people and livelihoods throughout the Lower Hunter Valley.
This passion also saw him serve as Executive and later Chairman of the NSW Floodplain Management Authority.
SPORT
Matthew Johns:
Matthew was born in July 1971 and is the eldest of three children who were raised in Cessnock. He became a talented rugby league player who learnt his craft over the years starting at St Patrick's Primary school, where he was also school vice-captain.
Schoolboy football was followed by under 16 and under 18 football for Cessnock as well as grade football for the Cessnock Goannas.
The opportunity to play first grade for the Newcastle Knights came in 1992. During his time with the Knights, Matthew played 197 games and was a member of the 1997 Premiership winning team. Matthew represented NSW in four State of Origin games and nine tests for Australia before going on to forge a prominent career as a media personality.
Andrew Johns:
Andrew Johns (better known as Joey) was born in May 1974. Joey started his rugby league journey at St Patrick's Primary school in Cessnock and made his NRL first grade debut for the Newcastle Knights in 1994, with his first game yielding him a club record of 23 individual points.
Joey went on to debut in State of Origin the following year. Andrew Johns has remained the greatest point scorer in the Newcastle Knights history and captained the NSW Blues from 2002-2005.
He was twice awarded the Golden Boot Award (1999 and 2001) as the world's best rugby league player, leading him on to become the NRL's 8th Immortal.
Along with his brother Matthew, he was selected in the Cessnock Rugby League team of the Century.
BUSINESS
Gregory Watson:
Born in Cessnock, Greg attended Cessnock West Primary School and later Cessnock High School where he was school captain.
He went on to forge a storied career in international banking and finance that has seen him traverse the Indo-Pacific region over several decades, including starting up a training centre for ANZ Bank staff in Fiji
He also undertook key projects in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and China. In recognition of his considerable contribution to excellence in international banking, Greg was awarded a Fellowship of the Australian Institute Banking and Finance in 1997.
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