Occupying a dramatically beautiful stretch of coast, Newcastle’s former industrial prosperity is etched in her grand buildings and architecture, which are now repurposed to service a vibrant and blossoming city. Be enraptured by Newcastle’s ocean-facing lifestyle that sits easily beside a contemporary downtown crammed with arts, culture, design and an enviable food scene. Just two hours from Sydney, this New South Wales metropolis is must-visit for a relaxed city escape.
Where to seek history, art and treasure
Orient yourself in the ocean-side city with a sedate sojourn aboard Newcastle’s Famous Tram. This detailed replica of the 1930s original hosts a commentated city tour and is a scenic way to get an overview of Newcastle’s rich heritage. Tours depart from Queens Wharf, on the Hunter River side of the city centre, and wind their way past the Memorial Walk Lookout and other historic sites, grand mansions and beaches, and through King Edward Park.
Fort Scratchley, which has stood sentry over Newcastle since 1882, offers a lofty vantage point from which to absorb the city’s Pacific-gazing splendour. A visit here will also draw you into Newcastle’s fascinating convict history, detailing how it was this incarcerated workforce that created Australia’s first coal mine. Take a tunnel tour and you’ll hear passionate volunteers reveal how the site was also used to protect Australia during war times.
Satisfy your cultural yearnings with a dip into the program of exhibitions, performances and events at the heritage-listed Civic Theatre in the city centre. Designed and built in the late 1930s by prominent theatre architect, Henry Eli White, you’ll find a rotation of comedy, drama and music to connect with local creatives.
If you love the thrill of a good garment hunt, set aside some time to scour the city’s treasure-laden vintage shops and artisan markets. Gathering the area’s established and emerging artists, designers, makers and producers is Newcastle’s Olive Tree Market, which takes place on the first Saturday of each month at Civic Park. Or get your rummage on at The Conscious Exchange, where you’ll find pre-loved and vintage clothing, accessories and homewares, plus eco-skincare and nature-care play products. Also at Islington, you’ll find Stoned Saint Moon and Hide and Seeker, among many more second-hand stores pocketed around the city.
Where to cycle, walk and hit the water
Newcastle is perfectly discoverable by foot and wheel: let her enlivening ocean-laced breeze guide you from the city to its outskirts and bushland beyond. Cover plenty of ground on a cycle from the city to the suburbs with Newy Rides ‘The Essentials x The ‘Burbs’ tour, or discover the area’s history, street art and cafés at a slower pace with Newcastle Afoot walking tours.
If that offshore, deep-blue water is beckoning you with the promise of an awe-filled adventure, jump on a custom-built vessel with Coast XP. From sightseeing year-round to whale watching between June and November, you’ll learn about local marine life, geology, Aboriginal heritage and unique landmarks, including wrecks, islands and sea caves.
A unique feature of the NSW coast are its sparkling ocean baths. An attempt to capture a patch of the sea for gentler paddles, these wave-pummelled, man-made pools dot the state’s coastal regions. Newcastle’s Merewether Ocean Baths are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and attract locals and visitors alike. Picturesque and photogenic, the exhilaration of a dip here is an unforgettable moment.
Newcastle may be best known for its beaches, but the green spaces in and around the city are also well worth exploring. The area has numerous themed, self-guided walking trails, such as the 6km Bathers Way; the 5km Convict and Industry Walk; the 3.2km Shoreline Walk; as well as the short (450-metre) but deeply moving Memorial Walk that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli and the pioneers of steel-making. The 10km Newcastle Coastal Geotrail follows clifftops and coastal trails from Nobbys Beach to Merewether headland and is a three-hour exploration of science and history. You can download self-guided walking maps from the Visitor Information Centre.
More lush green reserves invite you to commune with nature and exhale deeply. Within easy reach of the city, you’ll discover Blackbutt Reserve, Glenrock State Conservation Area, Blue Gum Hills Regional Park, Kooragang Wetlands, or the 15km Fernleigh Track, which runs along a disused rail line between Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Where to eat
Newcastle’s dining scene has become super-charged in recent years as the city continues to welcome bursts of creative energy. It’s no surprise, given the abundant cornucopia of producers and wineries spread across the nearby Hunter region.
In Newcastle East, outstanding fare is easy to stumble upon. Start the day with an eponymous ‘monkey fry’ featuring boerewors sausage at Three Monkeys Café in Cooks Hill or enjoy seasonal dishes starring locally sourced ingredients at East End Hub, on the Newcastle Beach end of King Street. Bookworms can settle in for great coffee, an intellectually inspired toastie and vintage reads at The Press Book House on Hunter Street.
Once the morning begins to ebb into lunch, take a seat at the elegant Signal Box in the Market Street Lawn precinct. Here, the food ethos centres on ingredients that can be handmade in-house. Spend a long and languid lunchtime (or dinner) grazing on the likes of whole-roasted snapper and rock lobster mornay.
Scratchley’s on the Wharf is the place to go for classic, abundant seafood plates. And for a contemporary imagining of the ocean’s harvests, head to Scotties Beach House near Newcastle Beach, or slurp fresh oysters while absorbing the spectrum of Pacific blues at Noah’s on the Beach. If vibrant, beachside-breezy Asian fare is your go-to, the Newcastle instalment of Byron Bay-born eatery, Light Years, will sate palates.
At Equium Social in Mayfield, to the north of the city centre, deliciously wholesome fare is served in an art-filled space that supports local creatives — fanning the flames of community spirit is the focus here.
In nearby Newcastle West, The Wickham Boatshed overlooks the working harbour and serves Greek, Spanish and Lebanese-inspired dishes in a relaxed space. If you’re in celebration mode, book a table at Subo, on Hunter Street in the central Newcastle, where you can go all out with the five-course menu matched with top-notch Australian wines.
Where to drink
Newcastle isn’t short of watering holes to replenish your stamina after a day diving under breakers or exploring the city’s nooks. In Newcastle West, The Koutetsu is a moody and intimate space specialising in innovative cocktails and premium whiskeys. In Carrington, set within an historic warehouse and just a 10-minute drive north of the city centre, Earp Distilling Co. is busy year-round with the alchemy of creating delicious spirits. You can sample the fortifying outcomes at the smart bar lined with barrels. But if you’re keen to unravel the mystery of distillation yourself, you can take a masterclass in the fine art of gin-making.
Newcastle East has plenty of options, too. FogHorn Brewhouse serves its boutique beers with pizza and burgers in an Art Deco warehouse; Babylon takes its inspiration from 1920s bars, with cocktails and lavish share plates on offer; and Ginger Meg’s dishes up delicious yum cha with tasty cocktails. The beautiful Art Deco bar and beer garden at Clarendon Hotel on Hunter Street are excellent places to whittle down the hours, and The Grain Store near Newcastle Beach showcases fine craft beer in a generously proportioned café environment.
Meanwhile, Meet is the place to do just that, be it over a deliciously barbecue-heavy meal or a well put-together cocktail. For a sophisticated sunset dalliance that sinks into the evening, locate a seat at the rooftop bar at the QT and settle in for a good night.
Where to sleep
There’s no shortage of fine establishments to rest heads after a day sampling the city’s many inspiring experiences. The recently opened Crystalbrook Kingsley is the city’s first five-star hotel. Impeccably styled with appropriately lavish interiors housed within the rotund, brutalist building, this destination hotel comes complete with a rooftop restaurant, Roundhouse, and sleek bar, Romberg’s, with stunning city views. Overlooking Nobby’s Beach, Roundhouse is special occasion territory, where you can let hours slip away as you indulge in beautifully compiled flavours.
Design-led QT Newcastle brings the hotel chain’s expected playfulness to the city. Rooms are styled with a sleek aesthetic and a little quirk and make for a lively place to retreat to for recharging before you launch back into the city. A booking at the hotel’s restaurant, Jana, is imperative. The locally focussed, contemporary Australian menu features plates from the grill as well as a few surprises, such as crocodile, to intrigue and delight diners.
Stay in the city’s east for great accommodation and easy access to Newcastle Beach. Noah’s on the Beach is directly opposite its namesake and many of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto balconies for a calming stay. Pop downstairs to the restaurant for sundowners to really let those holiday feelings take hold.
Commanding a corner position on King Street, Novotel Newcastle Beach Hotel offers contemporary accommodation within walking distance to the area’s attractions. Also on King Street, the budget-friendly Holiday Inn Express is conveniently located right next to the Newcastle Interchange, the city’s major transport hub.
