Must do
Fast facts
- Harbour surrounded by surf beaches
- Famous for its beaches, working harbour and historic landmarks
- Two hours’ drive north of Sydney. Fly from Sydney with QantasLink, from Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane with Jetstar and Virgin Blue.
Why go there
Perched between a working harbour and beautiful beaches, Newcastle is a vibrant cosmopolitan city, bursting with energy and creativity. The emerging food scene here is evident in the great restaurants, bars and outdoor cafés around the city.
Newcastle’s beaches are still the major highlight for visitors – choose from five great surf beaches and two outdoor ocean baths. For those with cultural inclinations, choose from more than 30 art galleries in and around the city.
Things to do
- Discover the Bogey Hole at Newcastle Beach, a hand-hewn ocean rock pool carved out of a cliff face by convicts in the 19th century.
- Dine out in Beaumont Street in Hamilton.
- Walk the Bathers Way, a 5-km coastal walk from Nobbys Light House to Merewether.
- See a variety of bird species plus koalas, kangaroos and wombats at Blackbutt Reserve.
- Swim in the Merewether Ocean Baths, the largest in the southern hemisphere.
Don’t miss
- Darby Street, in Cooks Hill, a bohemian strip with eclectic boutiques, bookshops and cafés.
- Hunter Wetlands Centre, where you can explore the network of ponds in a canoe.
- Honeysuckle, site of the former industrial wharves, now an open plaza with restaurants and cafés.
- Newcastle Region Art Gallery, acknowledged as one of the best in Australia.
- A tour of the Stockton Sand Dunes by quad bike or 4WD.
Events
- Vodafone Surfest, Newcastle, March to April.
- Shoot Out Film-Making Festival, Newcastle, in July.
- This Is Not Art (TINA), Newcastle, in October.
