Guide to Newcastle

Newcastle is a working port that has been revitalised in recent years and one of the best ways to enjoy it is to head to The Bathers Way or Newcastle Foreshore. Walk or cycle along the water’s edge up to the lighthouse for incredible views.

Whether you want to sign up with Surfest Surf School or sit and build sandcastles, the seaside city of Newcastle delivers. Choose between the city’s six beaches, its ocean baths with Art Deco backdrops or convict-built heritage-listed Bogey Hole.

With its harbour on one side and beaches on the other, Newcastle is a seductive seaside city. Enjoy whale watching (June to November) or a heart-pumping CoastXP tour that highlights the wrecks, craggy cliffs and sea caves along the coastline.

Newcastle has some very colourful corners to discover thanks to its thriving street-art scene. Connect the dots on the ‘Pin the City’ map to find out which artist created the works that rainbow the walls from Cooks Hill to Newcastle East.

The centre of Australia’s second-oldest city is laid out in an easily navigable grid making it enjoyable to stroll around. Discover buildings of national significance on a heritage walk themed around architecture, or convict and industry.

Newcastle has its fair share of eat streets: wine and dine around Beaumont St, King St, Darby Street and Newcastle East, all vibrant precincts symbolic of the city’s revitalisation. Join Newcastle Afoot to uncover exciting eateries and edgy bars.

Retro fashion, contemporary jewellery and handmade treasures can all be part of a perfect day spent shopping in Newcastle. You will find what you’re looking for everywhere from up-and-coming designer boutiques to indie shops and global chains.

Take your pick between craft brewers such as Modus Operandi Brewery and Cattleyard Brewing Co. on a self-guided beer crawl around Newcastle or sign up for one of Ted’s Brewgustation Tours, which includes paddles, tastings and snacks along the way.

Newcastle has its first five-star hotel thanks to innovative hospitality company, the Crystalbrook Collection. Stay at Crystalbrook Kingsley, housed in the iconic building known to Novocastrians as the Roundhouse, and you will see the city anew.

Follow in the footsteps of artists on the Artist’s City Way trail which explores the city through their eyes. Gallery hop between Newcastle Art Gallery, Cooks Hill Gallery and The Lock-Up, a creative hub that was the Newcastle Police Station.

Newcastle’s Lake Macquarie is the largest coastal saltwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere. View the lake from the water via a stand-up paddleboard or kayak tour or freefall toward the lake on a fast-paced freefalling adventure with Skydive Australia.

Newcastle is in the heart of the Hunter region, making a day trip to Australia’s oldest wine-growing region very accessible. Enjoy the Hunter harvest while hopping between cellar doors such as Tyrrell’s and Tulloch, Brokenwood Wines and De Bortoli.

Lovers of wildlife should visit Blackbutt Reserve and hike around the Hunter Wetlands, a 45-hectare oasis that attracts more than 200 different wildlife species. For off-road mountain-biking adventures visit Glenrock State Conservation Area.