Newcastle’s 14th Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes’ recent resignation marks the end of a 16-year career in local government. First elected to Council in 2008 at the age of 32, Nuatali made history in 2014 by becoming the city’s second female Lord Mayor, as well as the youngest ever elected to the position in Australia.

Reflecting on her time in office, Nuatali expressed pride in the city’s transformation under her leadership. “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead this city for the past ten years,” she said. “As a mother of three young children when I first joined Council, I was driven to make a difference for Newcastle’s future. I’m proud that we have delivered generational change, ensuring a brighter future for families across our community.”

During her tenure, Nuatali championed investments exceeding $1 billion in local public infrastructure and led the City of Newcastle to become the first Australian council to transition to 100% renewable energy. Key achievements include the revitalisation of the city’s coastline, redevelopment of Newcastle Baths and the Newcastle Beach precinct, and improvements to active transport along Bather’s Way. She also oversaw the stabilisation of Stockton Beach, a project she was particularly proud of.

As Nuatali steps down, the NSW Electoral Commission will conduct a countback from the recent Local Government election, with Peta Winney-Baartz expected to assume the Lord Mayor position. Nuatali expressed confidence in her successor, saying, “Peta has been a strong advocate for Ward 3 over the past eight years, and I trust she will continue to build on the work we have done.”

Looking ahead, Nuatali shared that her immediate focus will be supporting her youngest daughter through her HSC. However, she is excited about exploring new opportunities in the months to come, both locally and internationally

IMAGE | Nuatali Nelmes