No Bull Real Estate

THE SOUTHERN COASTLINE

South of Newcastle city are some beautiful and prestine beaches just waiting for you to discover

Newcastle Beach

Newcastle Beach lies off Shortland Esplanade which follows the coastline south from Fort Scratchley down to King Edward Park. There is safe swimming from in front of the surf club at the northern end of the beach. Also at the northern end is a large ocean bath and the canoe pool - an old, large and safe children's wading pool. The southern end is noted for its surfing. Indeed the Surfest Surfing Competition is held annually on Newcastle Beach in April.

King Edward Park

There is an army fortification zone on the hilltop at the southern end of King Edward Park. The military remnants can be seen near the carpark at the crest of the street known as 'The Terrace. The fortifications were established in 1890 but rebuilt during World War II when it was known as Park Battery. A cement fortess and a series of pillboxes remain though they are now crumbling and marked by graffiti. From this point there are good views eastwards over the ocean where there are usually dozens of ships queueing for entrance into the harbour. To the north are Newcastle Beach, Nobbys Head, the two breakwaters which superintend the river estuary and, beyond that, Stockton Beach. Within the river mouth the Hunter recedes north-west into the distance and northwards into Stockton Channel where it passes under Stockton Bridge while Throsby  Creek snakes its serpentine way to the south-west. As you gaze down towards the harbour you can see an obelisk at the far end of the park, Newcastle Anglican Cathedral toweringatop an intervening hill and the weight of heavy industry encamped implacably about the estuary voiding its bowels to the sky. Wander down The Terrace, observing the fine Victorian terrace houses (c.1890) which give the street its name. At the bottom of The Terrace turn right into Reserve Rd then take the left into Wolfe St. There is a signposted set of steps to your right leading up to The Obelisk situated atop a hill from whence there are excellent views. A windmill built on this site in 1820 became a major navigational aide for shipping. Its demolition in 1847 provoked protests from mariners and, consequently, the obelisk was erected as an alternative marker in 1850. An early water reservoir was situated under this spot in 1885. Looking south, back down into the gully, there is a lovely octagonal band rotunda (1898) with finial, columns, balustrades and intricate lacework, all of cast iron, as well as a frieze around the base.

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This depression was once the site of a paddock for Australian Agricultural Company horses which worked in an adjacent pit (at the corner of Bingle St and Anzac Parade). It now features a sunken garden. If you walk along Reserve Rd to the fencing on the hillside you will find a road alignment post on the far side dating from 1864, together with an explanatory plaque.

One of the roadways which winds through the park leads down to the Bogey Hole at the very bottom of the cliffs below the fortifications. This large excavation in the rocks tells us something of the nature of Newcastle in the early 19th century. It is, in fact, a bathing pool which was built by convict labour for the personal pleasure of Major James T. Morriset, the military commandant from 1819-1822 who did much to improve the breakwater, roads and barracks in the settlement. Known for many years as Commandant's Bath it became a public pool in 1863. As one stands and watches the waves ceaselessly washing over the pool the extent of the achievement and the grossness of the indulgence becomes apparent, for the convicts must have dug this hole between waves, waste high in water.

Shepherds Hill

Just south of King Edward Park the land continues to rise to a high point atop Shepherds Hill. The name presumably derives from Lt-Col. Paterson's 1801 survey report, in which he named it Sheep Pasture Hill after the English associations its appearance stirred in him. Strzelecki Lookout, atop the hill, is named in honour of the Polish geologist and explorer whose chemical analyses and research into coal deposits from 1839-45 influenced the development of the region. Looking southwards from this excellent vantage point the form of the coastline is clear: a series of beaches separated by rocky chunks of headland which rise steeply above the waterline. These bluffs range in size from small headlands to sizeable stretches of coastline. To be more specific, as one gazes southwards, the tiny beach near the southern end of Shepherds Hill is Susan Gilmore Beach, then there is Bar Beach followed by a small rocky outcrop, on the other side of which are Dixon Park Beach and Merewether Beach. Next is a major headland, followed by Burwood Beach, a small promontory known as Little Redhead Pt, Dudley Beach, then a lengthy strip of escarpment and finally Redhead Beach which becomes Nine Mile Beach on its sojourn to the Swansea area at the mouth of Lake Macquarie.

Looking westwards the view extends over Newcastle West, Hamilton, Broadmeadow, Waratah, Jesmond and on to the mountains. The north-eastern tip of Newcastle is obscured though it is possible to follow the south-westerly course of Throsby Creek and to discern the belching smokestacks of the Mayfield steelworks. Hang-gliding is very common from the hilltops, particularly off Shepherds Hill

Susan Gilmore Beach and Bar Beach

Memorial Drive follows the rim of Shepherds Hill south past another carpark and lookout area to Bar Beach, a popular and patrolled family beach behind which is Empire Park. From the northernmost end of Bar Beach there is access to tiny Susan Gilmore Beach, named after an American ship which was wrecked there. It is separated from Bar Beach by the protrusion of Shepherds Hill's southern end; a degree of isolation which makes it popular with those seeking a more complete tan.

Dixon Park Beach and Merewether

At the southern end of Bar Beach a small headland separates it from Dixon Park which abuts Dixon Park Beach - another patrolled family beach, the southern end of which is known as Merewether Beach. There is a fine and very large ocean pool at its far end, said to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The carpark above Merewether Beach offers good views northwards to Shepherds Hill. In European terms Merewether was initially part of the Burwood Estate which belonged to James Mitchell who commenced coalmining here in the 1840s. He built a copper smelter and later added a rail link to the Newcastle wharves.

Merewether Heights and Hillcrest

From here the main road (Scenic Drive) climbs steeply to Merewether Heights. There are good views westwards over the sprawl of suburban Newcastle. Not far from the road, to the right, on a hillside surrounded by trees, is an historic and very attractive mansion known as Hillcrest (it is the only distinctive building to be seen and is a light mustard colour characterised by numerous gables). It was built by Edward Merewether, after whom the area is named, in 1861. Merewether came to NSW in 1838 as aide-de-camp to Governor Gipps, became Mitchell's son-in-law and was superintendent of the Australian Agricultural Company from 1861 to 1875. Near the top of the hill take the sharp left into Hickson St for more fine views along the coastline. From here the land drops again down into Murdering Gully.

Yuelarbah and Burwood Beach

Scenic Rd soon rejoins the Pacific Highway. About 1.5 km south, turn left into Kahibah Rd then left again into Burwood Rd. As you drive south along Burwood Rd watch for the railway line across the road. Tiny Kahibah Station is to the right. Just past the line, to the left, is the Yuelarbah Picnic Area and walking track which leads through dense bushland along Flaggy Creek to Glenrock Lagoon and on to Burwood Beach (2.5 km). This is part of the aforementioned Great North Walk which leads on to Newcastle (8.9 km) and, in the other direction, for those who are feeling fit, to Sydney Cove (241 km).

Glenrock Recreation Area and Dudley Beach

Further south along Burwood Rd there is a good view to the left down to Dudley Beach and the tankers entering or leaving Newcastle Harbour. Just beyond this point there is a left turn into Dudley Beach Rd (the signpost says Glenrock Recreation Area) which leads down to a large carpark behind Dudley Beach, another fine stretch of coastline which feels quite remote and un-suburban. This is a very pleasant spot with wooded slopes rising to the west and high headlands demarcating either end of the beach. There are usually around two dozen tankers offshore.

Awabakal Nature Reserve

At the southern end of Dudley Beach is a stretch of rocky coastline which forms the eastern boundary of Awabakal (pronounced 'ar-wob-a-cawl') Nature Reserve, 200 ha of freshwater swamps and creeks, sheltered gullies, wet sclerophyll forest, wet and dry heath, rock platform and a variety of animal life, as well as Aboriginal middens and campsites. There are several lagoons and an old quarry site which can be reached by means of walking trails which also lead out to Dudley Bluff on the coastline. These walking tracks depart from the end of Collier St, Redhead, and from the ends of both Boundary St and Ocean St, Dudley.

Redhead Beach

Just south of Awabakal, at the end of Beach Rd, is Redhead Beach, a fine surfing beach that extends southwards as Nine Mile Beach to the Swansea area. There were once several farms within this intervening stetch of land. An orchard existed at Redhead in the 1860s but the area was later given over to mining. The pit was located adjacent Redhead beach with a jetty for shipment up to Newcastle harbour.