Newcastle, or ‘Newy‘ as the locals call it, is located about 160km north of Sydney. After Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Gold Coast it is Australia’s seventh largest city. The train takes you from Sydney to Newcastle in about three hours. This makes it the perfect spot for a little weekend getaway. Let’s explore Newy!
Did someone say ocean baths?
Iconic to Australia are the many ocean baths that you can find all over the country. Newcastle didn’t have just one, not two, but three of these gorgeous swimming pools! Here’s where you can find them:
–The Newcastle Ocean Baths are located left of Newcastle’s main city beach. Not only are these baths a great place for a swim, they’re also where you want to be for a stunning sunrise.
-If you walk further right (when facing the ocean) you’ll arrive at another natural ocean bath, called the Bogey Hole. This one is my favorite of the three, with it’s rough surroundings and waves clashing up on the sides.
-Continue your walk down Newy’s coastal line. You’ll eventually end up at Merewether beach, and the Merewether ocean baths. These baths are super big, offer fantastic views and are very popular amongst the locals as well. One local I spoke to even called them ‘his favorite place in the world’ 🙂
Coastal walk: the Memorial Walk
The Anzac Memorial Coastal walk takes you along Newcastle’s stunning coast linbes. The walk was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915 and the commencement of steel making in Newcastle. More information can be found on the City of Newcastle website.
Where to drink/eat
– Breakfast/lunch/coffee
We had breakfast at Moor, a cute coffee place. At Moor they not only serve breakfast or lunch, but where you can also enjoy dinner and a good glass of wine. Moor is located very close to the beach, so it was the perfect spot to start our day before embarking on the coastal walk.
– Drinks
At first we thought Newcastle was pretty dead when it comes to its nightlife. The first night we were walking down the streets (on a Thursday night!!) but there was not a soul in sight and you could literally hear crickets!
But apparently we weren’t looking in the right place. The next day we met up with a friend who asked some locals where to go. We ended up at 5 Sawyers: great place with a really good vibe if you feel like some cocktails, a glass of wine or even a cold beer.
Even though Newcastle is Australia’s seventh largest city, it still feels like a small and very friendly little town. The beaches aren’t overly crowded, the streets are quiet and clean and the people are very kind.
If you plan a trip to Newcastle don’t expect to arrive in the hustle and bustle of a super vibrant city, because that’s not what Newcastle (in my opinion) is about. But if you’re looking for a peaceful getaway from the busy Sydney life with beautiful beaches, stunning coastal walks and lovely places to eat then Newcastle is calling your name.
All pictures in this article are edited with Eef’s Presets – get yours here.
❤ Eef
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