12 Best Things to do in Newcastle NSW

I cognize Newcastle well. Or astatine slightest I thought I did.

When we took our roadworthy travel astir Australia, and landed successful Australia’s 7th biggest city, we realized determination were truthful galore things to bash successful Newcastle arsenic a household that we hadn’t seen before.

I soon discovered determination was much to Newcastle beyond the riverfront walk, Nobby’s Beach and a batch of pubs.

Newie (as it’s called by the locals) was the spot to spell retired erstwhile I was younger. It was a 90 infinitesimal bid travel distant from wherever I grew up and I utilized to travel present a batch to bask the nightlife. It was ever saved for peculiar occasions and memorable moments.

But, a metropolis is much than its nightlife. Now arsenic a family, we had dipped into Newcastle a fewer times implicit the past mates of years, and we person discovered that Newcastle has had rather the resurgence implicit the past fewer years. There are truthful galore much attractions present than determination utilized to be.

To assistance you program your trip, I’ve listed each the champion attractions successful Newcastle and things to do, truthful you and your household tin marque the astir retired of your trip.

Is Newcastle Worth Visiting

Newcastle was ever known arsenic a enactment metropolis but that cognition is changing. It’s implemented a fewer originative programs to bring backmost the civilization and arts to the city.

Artists person been invited connected peculiar programs to enactment and showcase their pieces successful the metropolis centre and determination has been a immense maturation successful the cafe and edifice scene.

Customs House Hotel

It’s besides becoming rather the java and foodie haven, and you’re ne'er abbreviated of quirky places to devour successful Newcastle.

It’s not conscionable astir pubs and manufacture anymore. Newcastle is simply a metropolis of affluent history, quirky civilization and astonishing scenery. It’s besides a metropolis of superlatives and a deepening soul.

For that reason, it’s decidedly worthy a visit.

Newcastle History

Before I amusement you the champion things to bash successful Newcastle, present are a fewer absorbing facts we discovered astir Newcastle:

• It is the 2nd oldest metropolis successful Australia. There is statement with Hobart, but the information is Newcastle was settled archetypal successful 1797, but colony didn’t work. Hobart began successful 1804, Newcastle returned aft that and successfully re-settled.
• Newcastle recorded the archetypal Australian export of ember successful 1799 erstwhile 50 tonnes was shipped to Bengal via Sydney.
• It’s a convict metropolis and spot of the archetypal convict concern enactment successful Australia.
• In 1801 Australia’s first ember mine was established successful Newcastle nether the contiguous tract of Fort Scratchley utilizing convict labour.
• Fort Scratchley’s 6-inch guns fired connected a Japanese submarine during World War II. This is the archetypal and lone clip that Australian Guns person fired connected an force vas during war.
• Set astatine the ft of Newcastle’s Shepherds Hill and King Edward Park, The Bogey Hole is 1 of Australia’s oldest water baths. The Bogey Hole was carved retired of the cliffs by convicts by bid of Commandant Morisset successful astir 1820.

You tin larn much astir the past of Newcastle astatine the Newcastle Museum, if you’re interested.

Things to Do successful Newcastle

Now you cognize a small spot much astir the city, it’s clip to present you to the apical attractions successful Newcastle…

1. Visit Fort Scratchley

I was pleasantly amazed by Fort Scratchley. I’m embarrassed to accidental aft each my years of coming to Newcastle, I did not cognize of its existence! No pubs successful it I guess.

Apart from immoderate of the champion views successful Newcastle looking retired to the water for immoderate whale watching (from June to November), crossed the harbour to Stockton beach, and backmost implicit to a beauteous cityscape, Fort Scratchley has immense worth successful its history.

This fort was good positioned to support the metropolis of Newcastle with guns connected apical of the fort and successful the tunnels beneath that each purpose upon the ocean, harbour entrance, and river.

On our sojourn to Fort Scratchely, we learned that Nobbys lighthouse connected the apical of the elevation astatine the bluish extremity of Nobby’s Beach was erstwhile an island.

A interruption partition was built to support the harbour and truthful created 1 of Newcastle’s astir fashionable beaches and, arsenic it is simply a southbound facing beach, helped to make immoderate of Newcastle’s champion surfing breaks.

It was improbable an force vas would marque it done the harbour into the city. During WWII the Fort fired upon a Japanese submarine that bombarded Newcastle with shells.

The six inch guns are inactive utilized contiguous during peculiar ceremonies specified arsenic Anzac and Australia Day services. And yes, they occurrence blanks. (I did check).

The girls truly loved moving astir the tunnels and I highly urge you wage the interest to spot this portion of the Fort. I don’t deliberation you would admit the Fort arsenic overmuch without doing it.

• Fort Scratchley is opened Weds- Mon from 10-4pm.
• Tunnel tours are $12 adult, $6 for kids, $30 family

2. Check Out The Lock Up

The Lock-Up was Newcastle’s Police Station from 1861 until its closure successful 1982.

The practice listed cells, erstwhile held offenders who were drunk and disorderly, insulting constabulary officers, attempted suicide, swearing successful nationalist oregon who were progressive successful humanities events specified arsenic the Coal Strike of 1909, the Clara Street Eviction riots during the Great Depression and the 1979 Star Hotel riot (which is sung astir successful the Cold Chisel song, Star Hotel).

The gathering present includes six cells – some men’s and women’s – a precise uncommon illustration of a padded cell, and 2 workout yards separated for men and women.

There’s besides the foyer, which was besides the complaint room—the spot wherever the riff raff were measured, photographed and charged.

It was lone a substance of time. That’s what you get for not wanting to sleep!

• The Lock up is opened Wednesday – Sunday, 10am to 4pm
• Tours General Tour (20mins) $3 per person, Detailed Tour (45mins) $5 per person
• Located 90 Hunter Street Newcastle.

Lock Up Centre Art

Newcastle is simply a University municipality which brings a batch of culture, innovation and arts unto itself. We were impressed to perceive of the Artists successful Residents programme astatine the Lock Up Centre.

It’s wrong the aged metropolis prison, and artists tin present instrumentality up residence successful an flat connected the archetypal level for up to 3 weeks astatine a time, successful bid to probe and survey for their latest masterpieces.

Inside the historical gathering is besides curated exhibitions by Lock-Up unit and section artists.

Newcastle Art Gallery holds the 2nd largest postulation of creation successful NSW and determination are plentifulness of smaller backstage creation galleries to peruse.

There’s besides a fewer celebrated names to person travel from Newcastle: Jennifer Hawkins, Silverchair, Andrew Johns, Clive Churchill, Yahoo Serious.

3. Check Out Newcastle’s Coffee Culture

For quirky culture, boutique buying and earnestly bully cafes Darby Street is the spot to rotation of an afternoon. The lone stressful happening is trying to take which of the 20 cafes to chillax in.

I urge Frankie’s Place.

I was truly pleased to spot however a erstwhile drab and boring metropolis centre is present offering a wide assortment of eclectic and funky cafes, restaurants, and shops.

It’s each acknowledgment to the Renew Newcastle project. Renew Newcastle was founded to assistance lick the occupation of Newcastle’s bare CBD.

It aims to find artists, taste projects and assemblage groups to usage and support these buildings until they go commercially viable oregon are redeveloped.

I lone privation we had much clip to explore. Renew Newcastle was uncovering uses that are often truthful absorbing they are becoming tourer attractions

4. Check Out the Newcastle City and Farmer’s Market

Let’s speech astir the nutrient successful Newcastle. Well I was impressed.

From Spanish tapas, to fancy French cuisine, and German prosting fun, Newcastle is bringing connected the culture. Check retired Sprocket Roasters, and Estabar for immoderate large food.

But arguable the champion spot to find nutrient successful Newcastle is astatine the farmer’s market. Every Sunday the metropolis holds a Newcastle City and Farmer’s Market retired astatine the Entertainment Centre. It’s a large spot to prime up caller and inexpensive produce.

There are a fewer stalls that merchantability different accepted marketplace wares similar upwind chimes, crafts, and hand-woven bags.

5. Check Out the Stunning Newcastle Beaches

Novacastarians are earnestly spoilt for earthy beauty.

The coastline beckons surfers, time trippers, wellness nuts and those wishing to beryllium successful peaceful silence. We stood and watched the surf for immoderate clip – beauteous breaks, with small contention for them.

Newcastle has 3 distinctly antithetic sandy beaches, and they’re interlinked by 1 large coastal locomotion called Bathers Way which features rugged cliffs and reefs, stone pools, immense brackish h2o water baths, practice sites and parklands.

Merewether Beach is 1 of the astir celebrated beaches due to the fact that it has an water pool, and it’s besides wherever planetary surfing competitions are held.

Not lone does Newcastle person an endless prime of oceans to enjoy, the Hunter River besides meanders through. Newcastle is simply a larboard municipality truthful you tin beryllium and ticker freighters, tiny sportfishing vessels oregon cruise boats sail successful and out.

There are plentifulness of picnic areas oregon restaurants to bask the view.

6. Go Sand Boarding successful Port Stephens

Quad biking Stockton soil dunes

To the North, conscionable a abbreviated ferry thrust from Newcastle lies the Stockton soil dunes successful Port Stephens, the largest moving coastal soil wide successful the confederate hemisphere.

The soil dunes person formed the inheritance of galore films, including the fashionable Australian ‘Mad Max’ films. It’s besides a fashionable spot for 4 instrumentality driving, quad motorcycle riding, and sandboarding tours. It’s wild, distant and unpopulated.

7. Check Out The Vineyards and Wineries of Hunter Valley

To the westbound are the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, an highly fashionable and well-known Australian winery area.

But it’s not lone known for having the champion vino successful Australia, you tin besides illustration food and chocolate, arsenic good arsenic different alcoholic beverages specified arsenic beers and spirits successful Hunter Valley.

Visit section boutique wineries and distilleries and ignite your sensation buds!

8. Visit The Hunter Wetlands

Then determination was the Hunter Wetlands Centre.

I’d ne'er heard of it, which is simply a shame due to the fact that it has much vertebrate taxon than Kakadu National Park. Kakadu!!!

It is simply a precise peaceful and peculiar spot that tin beryllium appreciated via its walking trails oregon by Segway.

9. Relax astatine the Christ Church Cathedral

The Christ Church Cathedral, besides known arsenic the Cathedral Church of Christ the King, is simply a stunning gathering successful Newcastle that has a immense tract and grounds that you tin beryllium connected and relax.

Photographers volition emotion photographing the intricate architecture of the building, whereas past lovers volition bask exploring the pews and corridors wrong the church.

You volition find Newcastle’s main War Memorial and Memorabilia artifacts wrong the church, arsenic good arsenic beauteous spiritual artwork and stained solid windows.

As beauteous arsenic the gathering is, retrieve it’s inactive a location of worship, and to beryllium quiescent and respectful erstwhile visiting.

10. Take the Kids to Oakvale Wildlife Park

See immoderate of Aussie’s autochthonal wildlife from koalas, wombats, kangaroos, emus and much astatine the Oakvale Wildlife Park.

The parkland is 25 acres large and has lone autochthonal Australian animals, from home workplace animals to exotic animals.

You tin locomotion astir the parkland and spot the animals, oregon instrumentality portion successful wildlife encounters wherever you get to conscionable the animals up close.

This is 1 of the apical things to bash successful Newcastle with kids.

If you enjoyed the acquisition astatine Oakvale, past you tin besides spot much autochthonal animals astatine Blackbutt Reserve, but I lone urge visiting 1 wildlife parkland if you’re abbreviated connected time.

11. Walk the Anzac Memorial Walk (Newcastle Memorial Walk)

Credit: : Destination NSW

If you’re looking for outdoorsy things to bash successful Newcastle, past a gentle stroll on the 450 metre Newcastle Memorial Walk is the perfect mode to walk a fewer hours soaking up the prima and taking successful the views.

The locomotion takes you to Strzelecki Lookout (between Bogey Hole, King Edward Park and Bar Beach).

It was created successful 2015 to people the 100th Anniversary of the WWI ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landing astatine Gallipoli.

Along the walk, you volition walk alloy sculptures of soldiers connected the path, which are to commemorate those who mislaid their lives during the war.

12. Visit Glenrock State Conservation Area

Credit: Tyson Mayr

Located conscionable 5km extracurricular of Newcastle is the Glenrock State Conservation Area successful the Lake Macquarie section authorities area. It’s known for its rugged wood and fantabulous hiking and upland biking trails.

It has galore beaches, bush walks done the rainforest and waterfalls, and is besides location to the iconic Glenrock Lagoon.

The Glenrock Lagoon is simply a tiny caller h2o creek that sits down Glenrock Beach. It’s the cleanable spot to spell for a aquatics if the waves connected the formation are excessively strong.

Where to enactment successful Newcastle?

Newcastle does person rather the shortage of accommodation options, which is connected their semipermanent plans to amended upon.

We stayed astatine the Quest serviced apartments. It was precise comfortable, cleanable and centrally located. We emotion flat stays and this 1 checked disconnected everything connected the list.

We loved the Winter Warmer’s bundle which included a Quest DVD Pack – popcorn, marshmallows, blistery cocoa premix tin and unlimited DVD prosecute and a complimentary vessel of Hunter Valley Wine connected arrival.

I immensely enjoyed watching a movie from the bed, which was similar lying connected a fluffy achromatic unreality (a overmuch antithetic Newcastle nighttime clip acquisition from erstwhile I was 21).

Final Thoughts connected Things to Do successful Newcastle

I thoroughly enjoyed my play successful Newcastle.

I thought I knew it truthful good and it ended up being an acquisition wherever I felt arsenic if I was exploring a caller metropolis for the archetypal time. Newcastle offers truthful overmuch much than amusive bars and creation floors.

There is richness, arsenic good arsenic beauty, and a relaxed vibe.

I deliberation it’s a spot you could usage a basal for respective weeks to person a relaxing and enjoyable question experience. Slow question astatine its best. I recognize wherefore Lonely Planet listed successful its Top 10 Best successful the satellite List for 2011.

I americium excited to spot wherever Newcastle goes due to the fact that I deliberation it is lone opening successful its translation and volition person an unthinkable magnitude to connection travellers.

Other Places adjacent Newcastle

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• 11 of the Best NSW Beaches to visit
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• Top Things to bash connected the Central Coast of NSW