Newcastle Snapshot

Newcastle, Australia’s seventh largest city, is only 160kms north of Sydney. It is located in the heart of the Hunter Region and bordered by a stunning coastline with beautiful beaches.

History: As Australia's second oldest city, Newcastle is a region rich with unique history. The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are recognised and acknowledged as traditional custodians of the land and waters of the Newcastle area. The earliest Aboriginal reference to the naming of Newcastle is Muloobinba (meaning Mu-lu-bin [edible sea fern] -ba [place of]). Following European settlement, Newcastle became a penal station, a coal town, a steel city.

Today, it is NSW's second largest city and the seventh largest city in Australia.

Geography: With its sheltered harbour and profusion of natural resources, Newcastle has long been a preferred place for settlement. Located at the mouth of the Hunter River and in the heart of New South Wales’ prosperous Hunter region, it lays claim to an exceptional mix of agriculture, natural attractions and industry. The topography of the area is diverse with sand dunes, wetland areas and coastal national parks complimenting the hustle & bustle of city life.

Surrounding Areas: Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Hunter Valley and Maitland.

Getting Around: Newcastle is easily accessible by air, rail, boat, interstate and local coach services. The City offers a range of local public transport services, as well as cycleways and walking tracks. For Newcastle bus, ferry and train timetable information phone 131 500.

Travel Times to Newcastle (Hours):

Population: Newcastle City has a population of around 150,000 with the Hunter Region home to over 500,000 people.

Climate:

Business & Employment: Newcastle boasts a diversified commercial, cultural, trade and industrial economy. This robust economy ensures Newcastle continues to cement its position as one of Australia’s key business destinations.

Health:  Newcastle has private and public health facilities, including hospitals, medical centres, mental health, rehabilitation and palliative care services. For information and contact details visit the Hunter New England Health website. 

Education: Newcastle offers quality primary, secondary and tertiary education facilities. The University of Newcastle is one of the country's top research universities and the quality of that research is recognised both in Australia and internationally.

Recreation: Newcastle City Council provides or maintains 345 parks of which 146 are playing fields. There are 60 tennis courts, 87 netball courts, 103 children’s playgrounds, 5 swimming pools and a wide range of other facilities provided by council.