Newcastle Knights legends Mark Hughes, Andrew and Matthew Johns have been inducted into the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame.

The trio, which claimed the NRL club’s inaugural premiership at the expense of the Manly Sea Eagles in 1997, were among eight highly-deserving individuals to receive the accolade during a special ceremony at Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC) this week.

Kurri Kurri-born Hughes, now better known for establishing the Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF), was recognised in the science category while Cessnock’s Johns siblings’ services to sport, specifically rugby league, garnered acknowledgement, too.

The event documented those with strong ties to local communities who’ve achieved prominence in their respective fields of endeavour.

Joining the sporting stars were the late Dr Peter Laut (science); Ewen Cameron, Trevor Milgate ESM OAM and the late Harold Sternbeck AM (public service); and Gregory Watson (business) following a rigorous review process, which began in December.

Cessnock City mayor Jay Suvaal, who presided over the function, expressed his pride at the remarkable achievements of the inductees.

“We’re honoured to recognise these exceptional individuals,” he said.

“Their remarkable accomplishments have exemplified our community’s spirit of excellence and dedication, setting an example for future generations.

“The City of Cessnock Hall of Fame is an important initiative that not only celebrates exceptional individuals, but also fosters community pride and inspires others to reach new heights.

“This celebration of talent, hard work and dedication creates a legacy that will be remembered for years to come.”

Established in 2006, the City of Cessnock Hall of Fame highlights extraordinary contributions in one of six categories: The Arts, Business, Public Service, Science, Sport and Meritorious Families.

Each inductee will be honoured with the placement of a plaque in the town or village for which they are most strongly associated with, as well as have their names added to the Wall of Fame in the foyer of Performance Arts Culture Cessnock.

2023 City of Cessnock Hall of Fame inductees

SCIENCE

Mark Hughes

• While most people know him 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. Hughes was born and raised in Kurri Kurri, where he played rugby league for the Bulldogs in their 1995 premiership victory, before joining the NRL. His life changed in 2013 when he was diagnosed with high-grade brain cancer, he underwent 33 radiation sessions following surgery, and then a six-month course of chemotherapy. To date, his work with MHF has raised close to $30 million – a significant contribution to 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 endeavours. He was born in Kitchener and grew up in Cessnock. He studied Geography & 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. His research work took him all over the world where he represented Australia in his field. He taught scientists from other nations how to interpret LandSat imagery for geographical and agricultural research. 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

• Mr Cameron was born in Sydney before relocating to Cessnock to complete his flight training. At the time, the flying school at Cessnock Aerodrome was the largest such organisation in the Southern Hemisphere. At the beginning of 1980, he joined Qantas Airways, flying Boeing 747-200 aircraft. During a 40-year career with Qantas, Cameron 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)

• Mr Milgate ESM OAM was born in Kurri Kurri and has lived his whole life in the Cessnock Local Government Area (LGA). He first joined the NSW RFS and the NSW 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 NSW SES, Mr Milgate 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 the search for a missing plane at Barrington Tops in 1986; the Newcastle Earthquake in 1989; and the Thredbo Disaster in 1997. He still remains as a volunteer member giving a helping hand to this day.

Harold Sternbeck (AM)

• Mr Sternbeck AM was posthumously awarded a place in the Hall of Fame for his continued involvement with and contributions to the wider community. He became a well-known identity in the Cessnock LGA. From humble beginnings working as a local bus conductor, he advanced his career through account keeping roles before starting in business, firstly as a livestock agent, then ultimately as a real estate agent. Mr Sternbeck was always looking for ways to help his community and did so in a wide variety of areas, but had a particular interest in flood mitigation. 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

• Johns 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 vice-captain. Schoolboy football was followed by under-16s and under-18s for Cessnock as well as grade for the Goannas. The opportunity to play first grade for the Newcastle Knights came in 1992. During his time with the Knights, Johns played 197 games and was a member of the 1997 premiership-winning team (alongside his younger brother Andrew). He 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

• Johns, better known as Joey, was born in May 1974. He started his rugby league journey at St Patrick’s Primary school in Cessnock. He made his NRL first grade debut for the Newcastle Knights in 1994, with his inaugural game yielding him a club record of 23 individual points. Johns went on to debut in State of Origin the following year. He has remained the greatest pointscorer in the 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, he was selected in the Cessnock Team of the Century.

BUSINESS

Gregory Watson

• Born in Cessnock, Mr Watson attended Cessnock West Primary School and later Cessnock High School where he was 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; establishing banking operations in Vietnam in the early 1990s; and more recently supporting the government of Nauru in the provision of banking services to its community. He also undertook key projects in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and China. In recognition of his considerable contribution to excellence in international banking, Mr Watson was awarded a Fellowship of the Australian Institute Banking and Finance in 1997.

For more community stories:

• Singleton: A community strong and united
• Maitland’s smart recycling saving city’s landfill woes
• Runner takes on epic challenge to help save the children

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