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.