brief history ...

Newcastle and The Hunter Valley were traditionally occupied by the Awabakal and Worimi Aboriginal People.

The first to explore the Newcastle area was Lt. John Shortland in 1797 while he was searching for some escaped convicts. Soon after, most dangerous convicts were sent to mine coal.

After an unsuccessful attempt in 1800 to create a settlement, in 1804 a punishment facility for convicts was established and was named Newcastle, after England's famous coal port.

Today, Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and the seventh in Australia.

Situated 162 km (101 mi) NNE of Sydney, at the mouth of the Hunter River, it is the predominant city within the Hunter Region. Newcastle is the largest coal export harbour in the world, exporting over 80 million tonnes of coal per year.

what to see ...

• Blackbutt Reserve
• Civic Precinct
• City Council's collections
• Newcastle Regional Museum
• Region Art Gallery
• Beaches
• Lighthouse

tourist information ...

How to get there
Best is by train from Central Station in Sydney and go off the train at Newcastle Central Station (Newcastle Line). Check the City Rail timetables. See map.


Relevant links
Newcastle City Council
Visit Newcastle

Contact details:
Visitor Information Centre
For tourism information & accommodation in Newcastle: 02 4974 2999 or 1800 654 558