Top 10 places to visit in Newcastle, Australia

Newcastle is the second largest city in terms of population in state of New South Wales (NSW).  The Greater Newcastle Area has an approximate population of around half a million people and includes the Local Government Areas (LGA) of the City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie City Council. It also includes: parts of Cessnock City Council, Maitland City Council and Port Stephens Council.

Located on the mouth of the Hunter River, Newcastle serves as the main city and hub of the Hunter Region.

Newcastle as a lifestyle home and a tourist attraction has many things to offer such as: beaches, nature parks, breath taking walks or trails, and hangouts.

The main ways to get to Newcastle are: 

• Direct flights to Newcastle Airport (located in Williamtown) from either Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Ballina/Byron, Dubbo, or Auckland in NZ.
• Train from Sydney Central Station to Newcastle Interchange Station, or 
• On the road to Newcastle by car or bus.

My top 10 places in Greater Newcastle are (other than the Newcastle Centre):

1. Nobbys Headland: is the most iconic and distinctive site of Newcastle. Nobbys Lighthouse lies on top of the headland. Lighthouse visitors are welcomed during its opening hours which offers 360 degrees breathtaking views of Newcastle City, the harbour, Stockton, the long stretch of beaches from Stockton to Anna Bay. At Nobbys, you can enjoy Nobbys Beach and go for a nice walk (or cycle) to the very end of the Newcastle Breakwall. Fort Scratchley is about 15 minutes walk and worth seeing the museum which was formerly a coastal defence fortress.

View of Nobbys Head from the beach (@travellerswill)

2. Merewather: no trip to Newcastle is complete without going to Merewether Beach. Newcastle City Beach may see more tourists as its more easily accessible by public transport and close to the centre. In fact, it is Merewether Beach is the more popular beach amongst locals due to its local stretch of sand to Dixon Park Beach and Bar Beach. The Merewether Surfhouse is a must visit, if not just go to the Beach Hotel just across the road.

Views of overlooking Merewether from a lookout (@travellerswill)

3. Honeysuckle Precinct: located closer towards the new West End of the City (close access from Newcastle Interchange Station). Honeysuckle offers an urban lifestyle which is similar to Sydney's King Street Wharf. Honeysuckle is full of restaurants, bars, and cafes with beautiful waterfront views. Part of the precinct is undergoing an upgrade which will see the area full of walk and cycle paths and grass areas. For more info, see: Link. 

4. Newcastle ANZAC Memorial Walk: is a spectacular coastal bridge walk with great views of the City of Newcastle and Bar Beach, Dixon Park Beach, and Merewether. You enter the bridge from either Bar Beach or The Hill (Video). Note: there is more parking available on the Bar Beach side.

Best photo I took from the ANZAC walk (@travellerswill)

5. Hangouts on Darby Street or Beaumont Street: these are the two main popular streets other than Honeysuckle to go out for a meal, drink, or coffee. There are lots of boutique stores for you to go shopping as well.

6. Warners Bay: is an attractive suburb in Lake Macquarie City Council. Lying by the lake, Warners Bay is full of waterfront cafes and restaurants offering a relaxed hangout with beautiful waterfront views. Also along the lake, are various parks and BBQ areas opposite to the cafes and restaurants. There is the Watagan Trail along the lake, great for a walk, run, or bike ride which stretches from lake east side Eleebana all the way to west side Speers Point (the seat of Lake Macquarie Council).

7. Tomaree Mountain: is one of the highest points of Port Stephens Council with an elevation of 136 metres. Situated in the suburb of Shoal Bay, you can hike up to the peak of Tomaree Mountain on a well established path and steps. Once at the top of the peak (Video), you will see breath taking 360 degree views of the Port Stephens area such as Shark Island, Fingal Bay, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Soldiers Point, Boandabah Island, and the northern areas of Winda Woppa and Hawks Nest (part of the Mid Coast Council).

8. Fernleigh Track: is a beautiful and attractive path for walking, running, or cycling along an old train track that stretches about 16km from the suburb of Adamstown all the way to Belmont. The track is excellent as it is fully paved perfect for cyclists with very little interrupts from traffic (there is only one set of traffic lights you have to stop and give way to cars at Burwood Road within the Glenrock State Conservation Area (you can see the old Kahibah Train Station at the traffic lights). On the track you can access: Kotara, Adamstown Heights, Highfields, the Glenrock State Conservation Area, Kahibah, Whitebridge  to Glenrock, Dudley Beach, Redhead Beach, Jewells, Belmont Wetlands Park, Belmont, and Lake Macquarie.

9. Caves Beach: lies in Lake Macquarie City Council known for its network of sea caves at the south side of the suburb's beach. The cave's rocks are a fasinating natural attraction believed to be resulted from ancient river deposits formed from the last glacial period. Either enjoy some amazing photography at the caves, or go into the water along the beach, or enjoy some BYO food at the BBQ area.

10. Blackbutt Nature Reserve: is a major natural reserve managed by the City of Newcastle, that lies in suburb of Kotara. It has many walking trails through the bushland/rainforest and connects with the adjacent Richley Reserve. Enter through the Carnley Avenue main entrance, is the main car park area (car park fees applies). Walking into the park from the car park are: numerous BBQ facilities in the main lawn area with a lagoon, children's playgrounds, a staffed kiosk, wildlife exhibits where you can see wallabies, emus, and peacocks. Due to COVID-19, the wildlife exhibit is closed to visitors. But throughout the reserve you can (which I did) spot wallabies, emus, and peacocks from a distance. Various other animals in the reserve are listed in this link.