From unwanted road corridor plans to the discovery of a cache of weapons and a train crash, what stories did you read the most on the Hawkesbury Gazette website in 2018?
We look back at what made headlines in 2018 as we countdown our top 10 most-read stories.
In October the Gazette reported that a development application (DA) for a sand quarry was being drawn up for land at Freemans Reach, near where the well-known Ridge’s Dairy farmhouse once stood. Greener Lawn Supplies P/L advertised its intention to undertake an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment for a proposed sand extraction operation in August.
Four local roads had their speed limits reduced under changes announced by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in November. East Kurrajong Road at East Kurrajong and Crooked Lane, Slopes Road and Maddens Road at North Richmond were all affected under the changes.
The announcement that the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority ordered the North Richmond Hotel to close for 24 hours after serving alcohol to two 17-year-olds was our eighth most-read story. The authority suspended the hotel’s liquor licence for 24 hours on November 12.
A 17-year-old woman was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition after she was injured when three cars collided at Berkshire Park in March.
Readers shared memories online as news broke in February that construction would soon begin on a new multi-purpose gym to replace the Bini Dome at Richmond High School. Built in 1977, the Gazette reported the structure would be demolished once the new facility was complete.
Sometimes you want the hard news; sometimes you just want to know about the Hawkesbury’s own nudist resort. Our fifth most-read story of the year was a story published in January about the 48-acre block of private land at South Maroota that hosts Kiata Country Club, where 250 members flock to socialise in their natural state.
Traffic came to a stand still along Richmond Road on February 27, after a truck trailer rolled over on the George Street roundabout. The truck overturned with earth moving equipment on the rear trailer, causing significant delays in and around the intersection of George Street and Richmond Road at Bligh Park.
The news a train had crashed into the wall at the end of the line at Richmond station in January was our third most-read story of 2018.
The Gazette’s second most-read story of the year was published in August, when a cache of weapons – including a military assault rifle, crossbow and knives – was seized by police from a Richmond property.
Our most-read story of 2018 was the news that the State Government released a draft plan that would link Bells Line of Road with the M7, and include digging underneath part of Kurrajong Heights. The plan was ultimately scrapped after intense community opposition.
Other Hawkesbury Gazette stories among the top 20 most-read included: