When I look back on Newcastle, my main memory will be the transition from trousers to shorts. Having lived in Tasmania the previous few months, and then drove up via Melbourne and Wollongong, it was the heat of Newcastle that got me that day.
I left off my last part of the road trip after a night of torrential at Ourimbah, a motorway stop north of Sydney but south of Newcastle. The drive to Newcastle was short and quick, and I somehow avoided “rush hour” there despite my 9 am (ish) arrival. IT’s quite a big city – I hadn’t expected that and in fact it is the second biggest city in New South Wales (I’ve now been to the top 3, or 4, depending if I count Parramatta City as Sydney or not).
Newcastle was a quiet, almost British style city. And after the drenching in Ourimbah, a Wednesday sun shone its rays on this harbour and port on my way up to Brisbane.
I always wanted to stop there and see Newcastle. Not for any particular reason. It was mentioned in my travel book (By Berlitz) and I had a Crowded House CD with a few live tracks recorded there back in 1992 (including the famous Weather With You).
So on the way into the city I passed by the impressive football stadium. Home of the Newcastle United Jets no less. I didn’t stop there (nor did I on the way back out strangely, I normally make a point of seeing football stadiums – this wasnt one I regretted missing. Life simply doesnt give us enough time to do all that.)
I parked near the harbour and thought I would do a wee dander of the city before getting a coffee and heading north again to Port Macquarie.
There were a lot of free things of interest to see in the city centre, here’s a few:
The train station – British in appearance.
Vintage tram.
Customs House.
The harbour front.
A delicate lonely pelican swimming in Newcastle Harbour. An emblem of the city apparently. It was the only pelican saw, very pretty.
Harbourfront information.
The port itself.
Industrial zone near the port.
City Centre graffiti.
Nobby’s beach.
Nobby’s beach entrance.
Nobby’s head.
Water display.
Newcastle traffic – as busy as it got, actually…
Newcastle City Council Van.
Seafront park.
Statues.
Newcastle Bus.
One of the main streets which ran adjacent to the train station.
Seafront pond.
Site of the old prison.
A Newcastle bird, by the beach.
A Newcastle bird, on the beach.
The remains of the prison…
The Obelisk, very pretty and on a hot day tired me out walking to the top!!
I hadn’t had a proper shower in 2 days, so it was a welcome boost that there were free public showers right by the beach. They only had cold water but in the heat and after a long walk, it was ideal and nice to be fresh for the journey onwards. I had now changed into shorts for the first time in a few months!
Seafront promenade walk.
A roundabout for no reason.
Newcastle Lamposts.
Nobby’s Beach Surf Pavilion.
Pedestrian Precinct.
Central Hall.
The walk up to the Obelisk.
The graveyard in front of the Obelisk.
View from the top of the Obelisk.
Welcome to Newcastle!
Nobby’s beach – Pacific Ocean.
A hostel – there appeared to be about 3 hostels there leading me to think that “backpackers” and “working travelers” come here. I had actually remembered my German friend Simon worked there in Newcastle for a while.
After getting all freshened up and stopping for petrol, I headed on my merry way with Port Macquarie as the next destination. This an excellent wee photo here of the Pacific Coast drive and Newcastle, taken from my car.
It must also be stressed that there are two other Newcastles – the one in County Down, Northern Ireland which is a seaside town by the foot of the Mourne Mountains, plus Newcastle Upon Tyne in England, home of Newcastle United FC (not to be confused with Newcastle United Jets FC, from Australia here!).
Travelled from – Ourimbah
Travelled to – Newcastle
Next destination – Port Macquarie
Road trip distance travelled up to this point – 1,307 kilometres
KEY SONG – DIRE STRAITS – SULTANS OF SWING:
NEWCASTLE HARBOUR:
NOBBYS BEACH – NEWCASTLE:
DRIVING OUT OF NEWCASTLE:
NEWCASTLE – COUNTY DOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND:
NEWCASTLE – ENGLAND:
AUSTRALIA’S NEWCASTLE UNITED JETS: