Newcastle
NEWCASTLE
Newcastle is Australia's sixth largest city,
and is located on the NSW coast 160 km
north of Sydney.
Originally known as a 'steel city', it was a major player in the state's steel industry,
along with Wollongong. However it has experienced much change since the production
and transport of steel took on a diminished role in the life of the city. The NSW
Government continues to work towards bringing the industry back to life here, but
in the meantime the city is well and truly alive.
The city's main shopping area is in the area around the Hunter Street Mall, which is
also quite close to the Newcastle Railway Station and Coach Terminal. The CBD is
very walkable in size and grade, and sits on a tip of land bounded by the South Pacific
Ocean to the east, and by Port Hunter to the north. A short walk from the CBD is Queens
Wharf, a collection of restaurants, bars, a brewery, cafes and entertainment - from this
vantage point you'll see that this is both a working harbour and one for leisure. A little
further along from Queens Wharf is the new development the Honeysuckle precinct -
an ongoing project, with hotels, marketplace, public spaces and more, and for which
there are exciting things to be added in coming years. When finished it will be the city's
major entertainment space.
Those seeking a beach will find six within 5 km of the city centre - Nobbys, Newcastle,
Bar, Dixon Park, Merewether and Stockton.Of these Stockton is the only one across the
harbour from the CBD - drive there, or catch a ferry from Queens Wharf. A 5 km trail
called Bather's Way follows the coast from Nobbys Headland south to Glenrock Reserve.
Along the way are yellow information signs, telling of area's indigenous and convict
heritage, its culture and natural history. This path will take you past Fort Scratchley,
which in 1942 had cause to fire upon a Japanese submarine shelling one of the BHP
facilities. The fort also houses the Newcastle Region Maritime Museum. You'll also pass
numerous ocean baths, none more of interest than Bogey Hole, carved by convicts out of
the ocean rocks in 1819.
On the fringe of the CBD is the suburb of Cooks Hill, its quiet residential streets lined
with Victorian houses and the occasional art gallery, while the area around Darby Street
is the place to go for dining and entertainment. A good time to visit is in October, when
the Darby Street Fair takes place - actually this festival is a small part of the Mattara
Festival, a long-running local celebration in early to mid-October, featuring family events,
market stalls, concerts and a grand parade.
The neighbouring suburb of The Junction is also blessed with a variety of places to relax
in the company of good food and drink, as is nearby Hamilton's Beaumont Street.