Man, 47, charged with murder after woman found dead in Hunter Valley home

A man has been charged with murder after a seriously injured woman was found by police at a property in regional NSW.

Emergency services were called to a Hunter Valley property on Friday evening after a family member raised a welfare concern shortly after 6pm.

Inside the Coulson Rd property in Pokolbin – 60km west of Newcastle in the Hunter Valley region – police located a 46-year-old woman with “significant injuries”.

“She was treated at the scene but could not be revived,” a NSW Police spokesman said.

A 47-year-old man was arrested at the scene “without incident” and has subsequently been charged with domestic violence-related murder.

Addressing reporters on Saturday, Hunter Valley police district acting Superintendent Steve Benson said police were still working to establish the relationship between the man and woman but it is believed they were known to each other.

He said it will be alleged both resided at the property and the call to police came from a family member of the woman also living at the address.

“It was a confronting scene and we’ve put a lot of support around those officers and emergency services that did attend,” he said.

“Obviously an investigation of this nature will be ongoing for a number of days and weeks.”

Acting Superintendent Benson said police rendered first aid on arrival but “shortly after” it became apparent the woman was deceased.

Police have established a crime scene at the rural locality, which is part of the Lower Hunter Valley wine region.

The accused man was refused bail to appear in the Newcastle Local Court on Monday, acting Superintendent Benson said.