Newcastle New South Wales Visitor Information

(169 km north of Sydney)

Trip duration: one day or longer

On the road
From Sydney, follow F1 Freeway to the Newcastle turn off.

NEWCASTLE

Newcastle just 158 km north of Sydney, is the second largest city in New South Wales, and Australia’s largest industrial city. At the mouth of the Hunter River, 167 km north of Sydney, it’s a major industrial and commercial centre, with a massive BHP steelworks and other heavy industries. It’s also the export port for the Hunter Valley coalfields. Newcastle is encircled by some of the finest surfing beaches in the world, which include Nobby’s Beach, Newcastle Beach and Bar Beach and Caves Beach.

In Newcastle, visit Fort Scratchley, a historical Fort with a Maritime and Military Museum, offering stunning city and coastal views. The Harbour Foreshore is a promenade, with a replica of Australia’s first built steamship, restaurants and bars. The city has historical buildings and many terrace houses, and The Newcastle Regional Museum, also housed in a historical building which provides changing exhibitions.

Queens Wharf, is a colourful and cosmopolitan centrepoint of foreshore redevelopment, with everything from an ice-cream parlour to indoor and outdoor restaurants, boutique’s, observation tower and brewery with a range of specialty beers.

Take a cruise and explore Newcastle Harbour, or enjoy a full day tour along the Hunter River up to Morpeth. A "Scenic Drive" from the city centre winds along spectacular coastline, past the Bogey Hole, a historic rock pool chiselled into the rocks by the first convicts, continuing through King Edward Park with its lookout point with stunning coastal views.

Visit the Wetland Centre, on 160 acres of wetlands and see native fauna in their natural environment.

PORT STEPHENS

To reach Port Stephens, head north along the Pacific Highway turning off to Stockton and Nelson Bay, past Williamtown Air Base. Port Stephens is a large inlet where Nelson Bay is the main town. It’s a popular fishing centre with many fine beaches. The sport shop opposite the tourist information centre, on the Beachfront Road has heaps of bikes for hire to go biking around Port Stephens.

The bay is home of dozens of bottlenose dolphins which can be observed up close by taking one of the dolphin watch cruises. Take a drive around the other side of the Bay to Hawks Nest, and Tea Gardens which offer spectacular views of Port Stephens and Nelson Bay.

Myall Lakes is north via the Pacific Highway. At Bulahdelah, turn off to Bombah Point for the Myall Lakes National Park. The park combines some beautiful lakes with ocean beaches and is one of the few coastal lagoon systems in New South Wales.

Barrington Tops National Park is on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range. Dungog is a main access point to the Barrington Tops National Park, which contains two 1600 metres of alpine plateaus that fall away steeply to just 400 metres. The park is noted for its wildlife and some unusual local flora, and has a variety of walking trails and picnic areas.

For further information, contact:

Newcastle Visitor & Convention Bureau
92 Scott Street
NEWCASTLE NSW 2300
Phone: (049) 29 9299
Fax: (049) 29 6732

Port Stephens Visitors Centre
Victoria Pde
NELSON BAY NSW 2315
Phone: (049) 81 1579
Fax: (049) 84 1855

Acknowledgement

Images courtesy of Tourism New South Wales

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