Police are appealing for assistance from the community to locate a teenage girl missing from Mayfield.

Tara Hipwell, aged 14, was last seen leaving her high school in Mayfield at 3.20pm (Thursday 14 May 2015), she did not arrive at her Waratah home.

Police were notified and Newcastle Local Area Command commenced a search for Tara.

Officers have conducted numerous inquiries and searches however she has not been located.

Due to her age, police hold concerns for her safety and welfare.

Tara is described as being 178cm tall, medium build, light brown hair, blue eyes and has braces.

Investigators are appealing for public assistance to locate the whereabouts of Tara and urge anyone with information to contact Waratah Police Station on 02 4926 6599 or Newcastle Police Station on 02 4929 0999.

Police are appealing for public assistance after rocks were left on rail lines near Newcastle recently.

Just after 5pm on Sunday (17 May 2015), a freight train struck a large rock while travelling on the main line between Wyee and Warnervale railway stations.

The train was not damaged.

A short time later, a passenger train struck rocks on the same tracks and sustained significant damage.

No passengers were injured; however the train was rendered inoperable.

About 5.30pm on Monday (18 May 2015), another passenger train struck rocks on a different track between Wyee and Warnervale stations.

The train was also damaged and rendered inoperable.

Police were alerted and officers from the Police Transport Command are investigating all incidents.

It’s believed the rocks were deliberately placed on the tracks.

Investigators are appealing for anyone with information, or who may have seen suspicious activity on the railway lines, to come forward.

Police have appealed to the community for assistance as they continue with their inquiries into a fatal single motor vehicle crash at Harden four months ago.

About 2pm on Monday 19 January 2015, a 38-year-old woman was travelling with her three daughters aged 15, 12 and nine years old from Sydney to Young.

As their silver blue 2005 Nissan Pulsar sedan travelled north on Moppity Road at Harden and appears to have left the road and struck a tree.

The driver was trapped but the three children, who all suffered minor injuries were able to extricate themselves and alight from the vehicle. The children then walked some distance along Moppity Road where they flagged down a passing motorist who alerted emergency services.

Narissa Fox was treated at the scene and conveyed by air to Canberra Hospital to undergo emergency surgery. Sadly she never regained consciousness.

Investigators from Cootamundra Local Area Command are continuing with their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash and are appealing to the community for witnesses to come forward.

Initially the crash was believed to only involve the Nissan however subsequent information has indicated the possibility that a second vehicle was involved.

Police are urging anyone with information about the crash, particularly if they have previously contacted police, or with new information to come forward.

Callers are urged to contact Cootamundra Police Station on 6942 0099 or Crime Stoppers on 1 800 333 000. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and a reward of up to $1000 is payable for information which leads to an arrest.

A man who went missing from his property in Gungal, in the state’s Hunter region, has been located safe and well.

The 72-year-old man went missing from his rural home about 5.15pm on Sunday (16 May 2015) when he was searching for a missing pony on a property on Flaggs Road, Gungal.

Police with the assistance of SES officers, dog squad, police divers, Marine Area Command, and PolAir conducted an extensive search of the surrounding area last night and this morning.

About 11.15m today (Friday 8 May 2015), the man was located at a nearby property safe and well.

Police would like to thank the media, SES officers, and the public for their assistance.

Police are preparing reports for the information of the Coroner after four people died in separate crashes across NSW.

The first incident occurred about 7pm on Thursday (14 May 2015), when the driver of a Holden Commodore travelling north on Olympic Highway, Wallendbeen in southern NSW lost control of the vehicle and hit an embankment. A 20-year-old female passenger died as a result.

Another fatal occurred about 9.30pm on Friday (15 May 2015), when emergency services were called to Freemans Drive, Cooranbong, in Lake Macquarie.

A 38-year-old man was the driver of a Ford Falcon travelling south when his vehicle collided head-on with a Holden Commodore travelling north. He and the driver of the Commodore, a 56-year-old man, both died at the scene.

In a third fatal, about 4pm Saturday (16 May 2015), a 55-year-old man, a passenger in a Holden ute travelling north along Barraba Road, Bingara, western NSW, died after the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree.

Officers attached to the Crash Investigation Unit are investigating the incidents.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, is reminding all motorists to drive to the conditions and follow the road rules.

“We have lost four lives on our roads over the past four days, – all of them tragedies that could have been avoided,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

“Driving distracted, tired, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failing to wear seat belts or correct helmets can easily lead to a fatal crash in a split second.

“For the sake of your loved ones, and for all other road users, follow the road rules and be alert to the conditions around you.

“Let’s all get home safely and help combat the avoidable road toll.”

The four fatalities are in contrast with the latest statistics released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, which showed NSW had the lowest traffic deaths among all Australian states , with 4.12 fatalities per 100,000, in the year ending April 2015, a 9.3 percent drop from the previous year.

“The work the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command is doing on a daily basis has contributed significantly to this dramatic reduction in fatalities on the roads but clearly we, as a community, need to do more to ensure that no lives are lost on the state’s roads,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

Police from Hunter Valley Local Area Command are seeking public assistance to locate a man missing in dense bushland in the state’s Hunter Region.

Bob Baihn, aged 72, was last seen about 5.15pm on Sunday (16 May 2015) when he was searching for a missing pony on a property on Flaggs Road, Gungal.

When he failed to return to the farm house that afternoon, a search was initiated by his wife, with the assistance of a neighbour.

Mr Baihn was unable to be located prompting his family to contact police.

A full scale co-ordinated search was conducted utilising local police, Dog Squad, trail bikes, the Police Airwing, Police Rescue (LANDSAR) and SES volunteers.

The search was suspended overnight due to the rough terrain, but will resume about 8.30am today (Tuesday 19 May 2015).

Grave concerns are held for Mr Baihn due to a medical condition that requires regular medication.

Police are investigating a crash near Wingen, in the Hunter Region, this afternoon.

About 1.45pm (Sunday 17 May 2015), emergency services were called to the New England Highway, about 1km north of Wingen, after reports of a crash.

Officers from Hunter Valley Local Area Command arrived to find a sedan and 4WD towing a caravan had collided head-on at the location.

The sedan driver, a 68-year-old man, was trapped in the wreckage and sustained serious injuries.

He was extricated by Fire & Rescue NSW personnel and treated by Ambulance Paramedics, before being airlifted by Westpac Helicopter to John Hunter Hospital.

The man is now undergoing emergency surgery.

A male driver and female passenger in the 4WD, both believed to be aged in their 60s, were also trapped in their vehicle.

The woman sustained broken arms and legs, while the man suffered minor injuries.

They were both released from the wreckage by Fire & Rescue NSW personnel and airlifted by Westpac Helicopter to John Hunter Hospital.

Specialist investigators from the Crash Investigation Unit have attended and are conducting an examination of the scene.

The New England Highway is expected to remain closed for a number of hours in both directions; with traffic diversions in place.

Motorists are urged to visit www.livetraffic.com for specific information on diversions as well as ongoing updates.

Current diversions are however not suitable for heavy vehicles; drivers are therefore advised to use the Pacific Highway as an alternate route.

Inquiries into the matter are continuing.

Strike Force detectives are appealing for public assistance following the death of a man at Tamworth.

Emergency services were called to Goonoo Goonoo Road, near the intersection of Bilkurra Street, just before 7.30pm on Friday (15 May 2015), following reports a number of men were fighting.

Police from Oxley Local Area Command attended and found a man with a head wound.

The 52-year-old refused medical treatment; however, he allowed officers to drive him to his nearby home.

About 5.30pm yesterday (Saturday 16 May 2015), the man attended Tamworth Base Hospital where it was discovered he had significant internal injuries.

He died a few hours later.

Detectives from Oxley Local Area Command and the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad subsequently formed Strike Force Leasingham to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

As inquiries continue, strike force detectives are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

In particular, they would like to speak with anyone who witnessed the fight on Goonoo Goonoo Road on Friday evening.

Two drivers have been killed in a head-on crash at Lake Macquarie overnight.

About 11:15pm (Friday 15 May 2015) emergency services were called to Freemans Drive, Cooranbong after a Ford Falcon sedan and a Holden Commodore collided head-on.

The two men driving the vehicles died at the scene. They were the sole occupants.

Police from Lake Macquarie and the Crash Investigation Unit attended and inquiries into the cause of the crash are continuing.

Freemans Drive is closed in both directions and motorists are urged to avoid the area.

For further information regarding traffic please go to: www. livetraffic.com