EMERGENCY services and Subsidence Advisory NSW representatives were set to meet on Sunday afternoon for a briefing about the Wallsend sinkhole.
According to police reports about 9.45am Saturday emergency services were called to Fogo Street, Wallsend, to reports of a subsidence 'sinkhole' forming on the road.
On arrival at the scene they found a hole which Newcastle Herald understands is impacting about a 100-square-metre area of the neighbourhood outside the Wallsend Diggers Sports Club.
Police established an exclusion zone, with some local residents being evacuated as a precaution following consultation with Fire and Rescue NSW and other specialist agencies.
There have been no reports of injuries and no residential houses or commercial buildings have structural damage.
"The subsidence has caused obvious damage to a bowling green, roadway, footpaths and some driveways," police said on Sunday.
"The spread of the subsidence is being monitored overnight with Subsidence Advisory being on call."
Water, electricity and gas services were switched off in the street to limit further damage. Wallsend Diggers Sports Club will remain closed until further notice.
The Herald approached the Subsidence Advisory NSW to find out what the next step would be, but little information was provided on Sunday evening.
"Subsidence Advisory NSW is aware of the situation in Newcastle and is working with emergency services and local agencies to assess the situation. No further comment is available at this time," a spokesman said.
EARLIER REPORT: March 25
Fogo Street residents at Wallsend have had utilities isolated after a sinkhole opened Saturday morning, damaging a roughly 100-square-metre area of the neighbourhood outside the Wallsend Diggers Sports Club, sinking at a rate of eight-millimetres in 90 minutes.
Police established a 200-metre exclusion zone soon after emergency services were called to the scene around 9.45am, and said the road has been gradually crumbling and become unsuitable for vehicles in subsequent hours.
Hunter Water has provided bottled water for residents who have had power, water and gas utilities isolated for the past several hours. A spokesperson for the water utility said they were complying with emergency services' directives and were unable to estimate when the lines would be turned back on.
Water and other utility services remained isolated in the neighbourhood just after 6pm.
The state's Fire Brigade dispatched four engines to the scene Saturday morning, joining Police, City council and Mines Subsidence authorities monitoring the situation as it develops.
"City of Newcastle crews are acting in a support capacity at the request of the emergency services and have closed off the road at the location," A council spokesperson said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
"Investigations are continuing as the situation develops and CN will continue to provide support as required."
At around 2.15pm, a Fire & Rescue NSW spokesperson said the issue was ongoing, and that the ground was continuing to sink gradually.
The Diggers club on Fogo Street, where the bowling greens have shown signs of sinking and the nearby road appears to have cracked and crumbled, has been closed until further notice, though there have been no reports of damage to surrounding homes.
Emergency services on the scene have been referring to the incident as "mine subsidence", where earth above a void where mining has taken place falls in the fill hollow areas. The NSW Mine Subsidence Advisory confirmed the authority was investigating, but would not provide further comment.
The details of this report are developing. It will be updated.
