Nuatali Nelmes served as Lord Mayor of the City of Newcastle from November 2014 to September 2024.

During her tenure as Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Nuatali Nelmes delivered numerous transformative projects and initiatives that significantly improved the city's liveability, sustainability, and economic vibrancy.

Highlights of her achievements include:

Economic Recovery and Resilience

• Led Newcastle's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with a $15.5 million Community and Economic Resilience Program, alongside a bolstered capital works program.

• Delivered a record $375 million in infrastructure works during the final term, contributing to over $1 billion in infrastructure investment over a decade.  

Infrastructure and Community Development

• Coastal Revitalization: Completed stage one of the Newcastle Ocean Baths and South Newcastle Beach Bathers Way projects.

• Stockton Beach Preservation: Delivered 130,000 cubic meters of amenity sand nourishment in partnership with the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.

  • Recreational Upgrades: Transformed key sporting facilities, including National Park basketball courts and Kotara Sportsground, and added multiple accessible playgrounds across the city.

• Art and Culture: Secured the long-awaited expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery, reinforcing the city’s status as a vibrant arts hub.  

Environmental Leadership

• Led Newcastle to become the first local government to transition 100% renewable electricity for city operations and converted 13,400 main road streetlights to LEDs.

• Rolled out Australia's first power pole-mounted EV chargers and expanded Newcastle's EV charging network to 48 public ports across 15 locations.

• Planted 5,900 street and park trees and 226,300 native plants as part of the urban forest program.  

• Advocated for Australia’s commitment to the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships at COP28.

 Housing and Community Engagement

• Adopted the Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme Planning Proposal and secured $12 million in social housing funding.

  • Oversaw the completion of 2,674 new homes in the Newcastle Local Government Area.

• Facilitated over 43,200 community interactions through the City's Community Engagement Strategy, fostering inclusive decision-making on key projects.

Major Events and Recognition

• Attracted and hosted major events, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pink concerts, the RAAF Airshow, Van Gogh Alive, and the New Annual festival, which brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to Newcastle.

• Saw City of Newcastle receive numerous awards, including:

  • Local Government Excellence Awards for Customer Experience and Innovative Leadership.

  • The 2023 NSW Top Tourism Town Award.

  • The 2024 Local Government NSW Leo Kelly OAM Arts and Culture Award for the New Annual.

  • A commendation from the Planning Institute of Australia for digital innovation.

  • Excellence in Reporting Award at the Australasian Reporting Awards (in both 2022 & 2023).

Commitment to Collaborative Leadership

• Championed collaboration among Councillors and staff to achieve significant milestones, including the unanimous adoption of the Community Engagement Strategy and the Throsby, Styx, and Cottage Creek Flood Study.

As Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes' leadership was marked by a steadfast commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability, leaving a legacy that will continue to benefit Newcastle for generations to come.