What are the best things to do in Newcastle, Australia?

The best things to do in Newcastle, Australia, include the Darby Street Restaurants, Fort Scratchley, swimming at Bogey Hole and mountain biking in the Glenrock State Conservation Area.

Newcastle, Australia, is the second largest city in New South Wales. Traditionally a centre for coal exports, Newcastle has come into its own in the last decade or so as an underrated tourist destination.

A two hour drive north of Sydney, or 244km drive from Port Macquarie, Newcastle tends to be overshadowed by its neighbours. The Hunter Valley wine region brings in visitors looking for the good life, and Port Stephens attracts those looking for dolphin-watching and sand dune tours.

Things to do in Newcastle, NSW: Newcastle Museum and Fort Scratchley

But there are plenty of things to do in Newcastle that make the city a good stop on the drive from Sydney to Coffs Harbour or Byron Bay. There are several museums in Newcastle, of which the obvious choice is the Newcastle Museum. Inside the former Honeysuckle Rail Workshops, the Newcastle Museum covers too much in not enough detail, but it is aimed at kids with short attention spans.

More impressive is Fort Scratchley – one of Australia’s most important World War II sites. It’s on top of Signal Hill, and has been since the 1880s. Historically, Fort Scratchley has been a key part of Newcastle’s coastal defences. Tours inside tell of life in the fort, and Japanese submarine attacks in World War II.

9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance

An Adventure boat cruise along the Hunter coast – with thrills and scenery.
A mobile phone-based scavenger hunt – explore the city differently.
An architecture and street art walking tour – see all the best murals.
A whale-watching tour – get close to the migrating humpback whales.
A two hour city highlights tour by bus – get orientated when you first arrive.
A scenic helicopter flight – see the spectacular coastline from above.
A three hour craft beer and food-matching tour – get a taste of the drinking and dining scene.
A food, drink and history walking tour – hear stories and indulge at the same time.

Newcastle beaches and ocean pools

But coastal defences mean coastline, and Newcastle is a beach town at heart. Horseshoe Beach, Nobbys Beach, Newcastle Beach and Mereweather Beach are the easiest to reach from the city centre. They can also be strung together in a coastal walking trail.

The Newcastle beaches are complemented by spectacular ocean pools, carved into the rocks. The most visually impressive of these Newcastle ocean pools is Bogey Hole, to the south of Newcastle Beach. But Merewether Baths is the biggest such ocean pool in the southern hemisphere, and Newcastle Ocean Baths has a glorious art deco look to it.

You can string several Newcastle beaches and pools together along the 6km Bathers Way walk. This runs along the coast from Nobbys Beach to Merewether Ocean Baths. On the way, you can tackle the 450m, steel silhouette-lined Newcastle Memorial Walk near Bar Beach.

Bogey Hole ocean pool - the best place to swim in Newcastle? — The crashing surf at the Bogey Hole ocean baths makes it arguably the best place to swim in Newcastle. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Things to do in Newcastle, NSW: Blackbutt Reserve

Newcastle is more a place to hang out than tick off a list of attractions. There’s a healthy craft-brewing scene, and Darby Street is a hive of restaurants. But if nature is more your thing than urban culture, you can try a Newcastle whale-watching cruise in the winter month. There’s some good greenery too. The Blackbutt Reserve is a mixture of wildlife park and nature reserve. You can either see the wombats, wallabies and kangaroos, or tackle a rainforest walking trail.

Hunter Wetlands Centre and Glenrock State Conservation Area

To the north of the city, there’s the Hunter Wetlands National Park. This is mainly about birdlife, and the Hunter Wetlands Centre should give you an introduction to the 200-plus species of birds that live in the wetlands. The Hunter Wetlands Centre also offers free guided tours.

The Glenrock State Conservation Area, to the south-west of Mereweather Beach, is also a good choice. There are plenty of rainforest walking trails here, some emerging at Glenrock Lagoon Beach. The Glenrock State Conservation Area is probably best loved by mountain bikers, however – they love to tackle the trails around Glenrock Mountain.

There’s also good walking and cycling along the shore of Lake Macquarie. The Watagan Track in Warners Bay is a good place to start.

If you want to cross the Hunter River into Stockton, then the Stockton ferry is the quickest way over.

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