Newcastle, New South Wales

tay - Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 04:22 Tags: General Visiting

Newcastle City taken from the HarbourNewcastle is the capital of the Hunter Region. It is a modern beachside city boasting a spectacular coastline, It is known for it's extremely pleasant climate. Newcastle features fantastic beaches, scenic coastal walks, historic streets and great restaurants and cafes. The city possesses some of Australia's best beaches and these provide an array of recreational activities.

Newcastle has been built around its large harbour. The adjacent harbour foreshore has undergone stunning changes over recent years and is now a focal point for recreation. This is a place where you can enjoy excellent accommodation or experience some wonderful waterfront restaurants and cafes.

Newcastle is an industrial city about 2 hours drive north of Sydney. It is also a busy port exporting produce from the nearby Hunter Valley and north west NSW. Despite the industrial side to the city, there are some great surfing beaches nearby and some attractive buildings around the city itself.

Newcastle is built on a peninsula with the sea to one side of it and the Hunter River to the other. Hunter Street is the main street and runs parallel to the Hunter River.

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 – You can 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.

Discover a port city in transition and delight in a mixture of the raw and refined. Working wharves are becoming places of play; the city hums with a vibrant arts culture and an emerging food scene is evident.

Discovered in 1797, Newcastle is the site of the second European settlement in Australia. A city rich in history, a visit to Newcastle provides countless opportunities to uncover our convict past. Take a dip in the Bogey Hole, which was cut into ocean rocks by convict labour in 1819. You will realise the convicts amazing achievement when you see the waves crashing into the pool.

Perched high above Newcastle Harbour is Fort Scratchley. This was constructed during the Crimean War to protect the city from invasion. In 1942, at the height of World War II, the fort returned fire at a Japanese submarine shelling BHP, the only fort in Australia to have engaged the enemy in a maritime attack.

Fort ScratchleyFort Scratchley is a major landmark, set on the headland that guards the southern jawbone of Newcastle Harbour. From the foot of Fort Scratchley, a tapering finger juts out into the sea to end at the lighthouse on Nobbys Head. It’s a pleasant walk out along the man-made promontory to the lighthouse.

Nobby's lighthouse

Newcastle has one of the famous lighthouse's that still operate in Australia. High up along the breakwater of Nobby's Beach is Nobby's lighthouse. You can take a stroll along the breakwater to the top of the hill where the light house is. I never tire walking up the hill and looking out to sea, the view is amazing. The present lighthouse was established on Nobbys Head in 1854, which was then a small isolated coastal islet just off Signal Head. Nobby's lighthouse

Newcastle, once known as ‘Steel City’ has reinvented itself as a funky coastal city that has polished up its old buildings and is proudly showing off its new, waterside architecture such as Queen's Wharf, the marina ringed by restaurants, shops and a boutique brewery – great on weekends and after dark.

Climate

Newcastle enjoys a temperate climate, with warm to hot summers (December to February) and mild winters (June to August). Average annual rainfall is 1107mm.

Things to see and Do

Head for Queen's Wharf when the sun goes down and get set for a great night by the waterside. Where you can enjoy wood-fird pizzas and fresh seafood. At the Brewery, try the popular locally brewed ginger beer and catch the ferry to the sleepy village of Stockton for a lazy afternoon walk following the Ship wreck trail. My family really enjoy the Sunday afternoon Jazz bands they have playing at the Queens Wharf. You can sit and relax and listen to some great music while enjoying a quit drink together.

Newcastle is well known for it's strong arts community. The Civic Cultural Precinct is the artistic hub of the city. You will find the Fantastic Art Deco of the Civic Theatre, breath taking and a must to see, The theatre is a venue for quality local and international performances. Nearby the Reginal Art Gallery and Lovett Gallery a must to see even for the known artist at heart. They host a permanent collection as well as often host visiting exhibitions through the year.

Then you have nearby Cooks Hill, a leafty terrace suburb renowned for its caf'e culture you must visit Darby Street. Stop in for excellent coffee and eclectic shopping then you can explore the leafy back lanes and uncover private galleries and studios housing unique art pieces. Not far from Cooks Hill is the Junction, a polular location for sophisticated boutique shopping and first class cafes and restaurants.My family enjoy soaking up some of Newcastle’s early history, such as the Convict Lumberyard in the east end, Nobbys breakwall in the same area and the heritage buildings throughout the city. We never tire looking at all the historic sites in town.

A must to visit when you are in Newcastle is the historical Port Scratchley. Perched high above Newcastle Harbour is Fort Scratchley. This was constructed during the Crimean War to protect the city from invasion. In 1942, at the height of World War II, the fort returned fire at a Japanese submarine shelling BHP, the only fort in Australia to have engaged the enemy in a maritime attack.
The Fort is rich in Military History and is an icon of the Newcastle and Hunter Valley Region.

By road Fort Scratchley is easily accessed with free parking outside the main gate of the Fort within the bitumen carpark or adjacent on the grassed area.

If you arrive by train, the Fort is only a short walk (approx. 1.125 klms) eastward from Newcastle Station, or if you prefer you could catch a taxi from the station.

The Newcastle Tram

The Famous Newcastle TramEverything about Newcastle’s Famous Tram is unique. Built from scratch in 1994, the tram is a genuine replica of the original Newcastle working tram, which was in service in 1923.

Newcastle's Famous Tram has become a tourist 'icon' within Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.

It is a novel way to visit Newcastle’s historic city during weekdays and the Hunter Valley Vineyards on the weekends. You will often find the Tram hired out on weekends for Weddings around the Newcastle area. It is a great way to travel to your wedding at a resonable price.

Beaches

The Beaches in Newcastle are a must to see. Newcastle boasts some of Australia's best beaches. Nobbys, Newcastle, Bar, Dixon Park, Merewether and Stockton Beaches are all within 5 km of the city centre. You will find all six beaches are patrolled and offer the family a safe place to swim and relax. If you prefer you can enjoy the protection of the Ocean Baths. Newcastle Ocean Baths is one of the city’s outstanding historic landmarks and is a popular open air studio for amateur photographers. Construction of the saltwater bathing complex commenced in 1911 and it continues to attract locals and tourists in large numbers. Newcastle Ocean Baths is patrolled year round. It contains
Change room facilities available.
A designated area is available for lap swimmers.
The pool has access for the disabled
Favoured pool for those wishing to walk and exercise in the water in a picturesque beach environment, close to the city.
Adjacent Canoe Pool on the Newcastle Beach side is unpatrolled.

Bogey Hole

Take a dip in the Bogey Hole, which was cut into ocean rocks by convict labour in 1819. You will realise the convicts amazing achievement when you see the waves crashing into the pool.
The Bogey Hole is a popular swimming spot at the foot of Shepherds Hill, beneath King Edward Park in Newcastle. It is located beneath a pseudo headland or prominence and gets battered in heavy seas. It is only about four and a half feet deep. The Bogey Hole was constructed by order of Commandant Morisset in about 1820 for his own personal use and was originally known as the "Commandant's Baths". Morisset was Commandant of Newcastle from 1819 to 1822. The name "Bogey Hole" was applied afterwards and comes from the Aboriginal word meaning "to bathe".

Take a dive into the Merewether Baths, the largest sea baths in the southern hemisphere.
Walk the Bathers Way, a scenic five-km coastal walk from Merewether Beach to Nobbys.
Take the family to Bar Beach, which has a sheltered rock pool, and watch the hang gliders launch from the lookout nearby. The Ocean Baths

Have a family fun day out at the Wetlands Centre at Shortland, just 10 minutes or so away from Newcastle’s business centre. Even closer to town is the expanse of Blackbutt Reserve at New Lambton, where animals such as koalas, wallabies and birdlife can be viewed in their natural habitats.

Keep fit with a walk, jog or bicycle ride along the harbour foreshore, a canoe trip through the Wetlands Centre, a walk or bike ride at Glenrock Lagoon near the suburb of Whitebridge, or a work-out at one of the city’s well equiped gymnasiums.• Discover the excitement of the Hunter’s biggest museum, the Newcastle Regional Museum in the city’s west end, offering hands on activities which are especially popular with children. For an overview of the city’s maritime history, visit the Newcastle Region Maritime Museum, located in the east end in Fort Scratchley, which is a fascinating attraction in its own right.

Shopping In Newcastle

In addition to major suburban shopping centres, Newcastle is dotted with funky shopping precincts.

For a great shopping day be sure to check out the market boutiques in The Junction, local designers and street-wear on Darby Street in Cooks Hill. The City Centre has an interesting mix of home décor stores including Hunter Valley Design. While, Hamilton has an eclectic mix of retail including a cluster of retro second-hand clothing stores.

In Australia’s second oldest city antique stores abound - check out Islington, Mayfield and the city centre.

7km south west of the city is, Westfield Kotara, the largest shopping centre in Newcastle offering many of the major chains and undercover parking.

Harbour Sites

Harbour sights… Newcastle is built around a large working harbour, the entrance to which is guarded by Nobbys Lighthouse and Breakwater. The adjacent foreshore area is the perfect place to while away the hours watching the busy harbour traffic while enjoying a drink or meal in one of the harbourside cafes, bars or restaurants.

Large expanses of grassy parklands on the harbour’s edge are perfect for a relaxing family picnic. Mingle with the hundreds of Novocastrians who flock to the foreshore each weekend for recreational activities such as kite flying, roller blading, jogging or bike riding.

City nights… If you think just because the suns gone down theres nothing to do, youre really in the dark. Home to some of the finest entertainment venues on Australia’s east coast, you can catch the very best of live performers from around the country and overseas.

Newcastle offers something for everyone… whether you want to dance to the beats of some of Australia’s best DJ’s, enjoy your favourite food or drink, or find a place where you can simply relax with family and friends.

Hunter Valley Vine yards

Hunter Valley

A must when you are visiting the Newcastle region is a bus tour of the Hunter Valley. The Hunter is one of Australia's most well known, and historically important wine regions. It is the premium wine region of New South Wales.
explore pristine lakes and rivers, wander through national parks, happen upon sites of Aboriginal significance and enjoy close encounters with wildlife. Visit historic towns, marvel at the heritage architecture and enjoy the slower pace that permeates through the Hunter Valley. The Vineyards are about a 40 minute drive from Newcastle and many bus services run tours daily.

The Hunter Valley is a wine region with over 120 wineries and cellar doors from the areas of Pokolbin and Rothbury, to the heights of sunny Mountview and the beautiful Wollombi Valley. You can Stop in at Branxton, check out Broke and be sure to take a detour via lovely Lovedale. Boutique cellar doors offer quality wines and whilst winemakers can often be seen busy at their craft, they always stop for a chat about their vintages. The wine tasting is a great way to relax while in the Valley. Bus tours can be arranged or you can just visit on your own. We always manage a visit to the Vineyards each year to do some wine tasting. You will find some of the best wines in the world here.

Other attractions include olive groves for tastings of the fresh olives and olive oils, visit Hunter Valley cheese makers and taste handmade cheese or wander the famed Hunter Valley Gardens and Village.

The Crown Plaza Hotel On the ForeshoreAccommodation In Newcastle

There is a wide variety of different accommodation types in Newcastle. The price's range to suite a variety of cost and likes. A good site for all of your Newcastle Accommodation sytles is Newcastle Hotels
A favourtie of mine that we have stayed at for special occasion's such as anniversaries is the Crowne Plaza Hotel, it overlooks the Newcastle Harbour and Foreshore Although it can be a bit on the high price range it is well worth the money and within walking distance of most of the attractions Newcastle has to offer and also on the bus route.