Australian and world history as former Hunter Marist principal pleads guilty to crimes.

Police and emergency services were called to the scene around 5.45am where the found the body.

"The front cover showed the surfer's eye view of Merewether and the back cover shows the underwater Surfest crowd."

The NSW government has just introduced a bill that will, among other significant reforms, make it easier for a jury to be informed about the prior convictions of a person on trial for a sex offence involving a child.

While many of the top-ranked female surfers won't be at Surfest next week, present and future stars will be on show at the Doyle Partners Women's Pro at Merewether.

Flying fox deaths in the Hunter are another sign of a changing climate.