Must-see attractions in Newcastle

  • Newcastle Beach

    Newcastle

    Surfers and swimmers adore this picturesque patrolled beach at the eastern end of the town centre. Nearby accommodation and eating options mean that you…

  • Australia, New South Wales, Newcastle, quirky egg sculpture by Brett Whiteley, titled 'Black Totem II' at the Newcastle Art Gallery

    Newcastle Art Gallery

    Newcastle

    Ignore the brutalist exterior, as inside this remarkable regional gallery are some wonderful works. There's no permanent exhibition; displays rotate the…

  • Newcastle, New South Wales - February 1, 2019: Newcastle Museum in Newcastle New South Wales, Australia

    Newcastle Museum

    Newcastle

    This attractive museum in the restored Honeysuckle rail workshops tells a tale of the city from its Indigenous Awabakal origins to its rough-and-tumble…

  • Merewether Beach

    Newcastle

    South of the city centre, this magnificent, wide stretch of sand has excellent surfing conditions and is the home strand of the legendary Aussie surfer…

  • Merewether Aquarium

    Newcastle

    Not an aquarium in the traditional sense, this pedestrian underpass has been charmingly transformed into a pop-art underwater world by local artist Trevor…

  • Australasian Swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus, Hunter Wetlands Centre, New South Wales, Australia, December 2019; Shutterstock ID 1812295432; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Hunter Wetlands Centre

    Newcastle

    Transformed from a dump and abandoned sporting fields into a magnificent conservation sanctuary, this swampy centre is home to over 200 species of bird,…

  • Newcastle Australia Christ Church Cathedral; Shutterstock ID 1517841710; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Christ Church Cathedral

    Newcastle

    Dominating the city skyline, Newcastle's Anglican cathedral is filled with treasures like a gold chalice and a remembrance book made from jewellery…

  • Fort Scratchley

    Newcastle

    Perched above Newcastle Harbour, this intriguing military site was constructed during the Crimean War to protect the city against a feared Russian…

  • Nobby's Head

    Newcastle

    Originally an island, this headland at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour was joined to the mainland by a stone breakwater built by convicts between 1818…

  • Lock-Up

    Newcastle

    These days artists in residence, rather than prisoners, occupy this former police station (1861). There’s a dynamic contemporary-art program, artists…

  • Blackbutt Reserve

    Newcastle

    Sitting in a tract of bushland with plenty of walking trails and picnic areas, this council-run reserve has enclosures of native critters: koalas,…

  • Nobby's Beach

    Newcastle

    Surfers should goofy-foot it to Nobby's Beach. The fast left-hander known as the Wedge is at its northern end, which can also offer good kitesurfing…

  • Bar Beach

    Newcastle

    This popular surfing break, 1.5km south of the city centre, is at the northern end of a long strand that's called Merewether Beach at its southern end.

  • King Edward Park

    Newcastle

    This magnificently landscaped ocean-side park offers sweeping views, lots of grass and plenty of shady spots for lounging around. The best views are from…

  • King Edward Park Obelisk

    Newcastle

    The obelisk at the top of King Edward Park provides sweeping views over ocean and city.