No matter what season it is, there’s always some fun to be had in the great outdoors in Newcastle. Here are our top five Newcastle adventures for you to enjoy all year round.
Shacks, sand dunes, and serenity
Located in the Worimi National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast, the Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. These beautiful sand towers stretch 32 kilometres between Stockton (Newcastle’s northernmost suburb) and Birubi Beach in Port Stephens.
The dunes can reach 30 to 40 metres in height, with steep slopes that are perfect for sandboarding. As part of your Newcastle adventures, you can also book a quad bike tour with Quad Bike King, where guides take you out into the dunes for tonnes of fun. There’s no experience needed for this 1 hour 45 minute experience, where you are taught to ride a quad bike over more than 20 kilometres of terrain, with all equipment provided.
While here, visitors should also check out Tin City, which sits on the Country of the local Worimi people.
Tin City was originally built in the late 1800s as a safe haven for shipwrecked sailors, and during the Great Depression it became a camp for a community of homeless men. No women or children were allowed.
There were around 36 shacks, and one-hundred-year leases were signed in 1920 under a longstanding squatters’ settlement. During World War II, the army demolished the shacks to make way for a coastal military camp, but after the war, returned servicemen rebuilt their huts using military crates and ship debris.
There are now eleven shacks left, with no extensions or rebuilding allowed. They are privately occupied, protected, and passed down to family and friends.
You can book a tour with Sand Dune Safaris, and explore this remarkable piece of Australian history.
Stockton Beach is also widely known as one of the best areas for beach fishing as the shifting sands create different channels where fish can come to feed. Anglers can expect to catch salmon, tailor, whiting, bream, flathead and jewfish.
Lake Macquarie: Hidden sea caves, art and culture
Situated just south of Newcastle is beautiful Lake Macquarie. Spanning an impressive 110-square kilometres, it’s twice the size of Sydney Harbour, and a top location for water sports, boating, cycling, fishing and picnicking.
Caves Beach is a water wonderland named after the network of sculptural caves spread along the beach’s southern end, which are a lot of fun to explore, especially for kids. However the caves themselves can only be accessed at low tide, so timing is everything.
If you have a furry friend in town, further up north is 1.5-kilometre-long Hams Beach, which is a dog-friendly, off-leash beach perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
If you’re after art, culture and a handmade souvenir, head to the Museum of Art and Culture, MAC. This lakeside museum is located on 5-hectares of leafy parkland, and celebrates the connections between art, culture and the landscape. The museum features many exhibits on local Indigenous culture and contemporary art, which are best explored on a free guided tour which runs every Wednesday and Saturday at 11 am. The 20 minute tour offers an overview of the current exhibitions and the featured artists.
The Sculpture Park on the MAC’s grounds is perhaps the most famous offering in the museum. This outdoor gallery was launched in 1996 and features works by national and international artists such as Janet Laurence, Braddon Snape, Jamie North, Richard Tipping and John Turier. You are welcome to have a picnic in the shade of the trees, wander through the gardens, and engage with the stunning works on your visit. There’s even an activity guide for kids, which can be picked up at the front desk.
Entry to both the museum and the park is free.
Escape to the charming city of Maitland
Only a 30-minute drive from Newcastle is the charming, historical city of Maitland. Walk down the main streets and you will spot plenty of colonial architecture and cosy cafes. Plus, the many wineries and cellar doors of the Hunter Valley are only a 30-45 minute drive away.
For a dose of local history and art, head to Maitland Regional Art Gallery, which is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the city’s heritage, through exhibitions, events, educational projects and community-driven collaborations. Or, step aboard a Victorian-era railway at the Maitland Railway Museum, where you will learn all about the role of this old-timey train in coal production. The museum boasts a model railway, as well as equipment, tools and artefacts used on the railway in its prime.
After working up an appetite, head to Heritage Gardens Cafe for seasonal meals in a beautiful garden setting. The cafe is tucked inside Flower Power Heritage Garden, which has been family-owned and operated for 40 years. You can enjoy your meal on the veranda, in the courtyard or indoors, or book a High Tea experience for a decadent three-tiered meal and a fruit spritz, coffee or pot of tea on arrival.
When evening falls, enjoy some good old-fashioned fun at Scotty’s Cinema, which is one of the only two remaining drive-in theatres in New South Wales. Gates open at 6pm, and you can kick back and watch a new-release Hollywood film from the comfort of your car. You’ll need FM radio and its $32 per car, with up to eight people per car. Bargain! You can even place a food order to enjoy in your car, with burgers, chips and all your favourite lollies available.
The Bogey Hole and Nobbys Head: two ocean-side icons
There are only a handful of ocean pools in Australia that can compete with The Bogey Hole. The swimming hole was commissioned in 1819 by Lieutenant-Colonel James Thomas Morisset – the commandant of the local penal settlement. Convicts were made to dig it out by hand, into the sandstone rock shelf at the cliff base, where the waves can be treacherous. It was originally called the Commandant’s Baths because it was built for Morisset’s personal use.
The name Bogey Hole was eventually adopted, and comes from the Dharawal word meaning ‘to bathe’. It is potentially the earliest example of a purpose-built ocean swimming pool in Australia. Today, it’s a great place to swim, splash, and take some photos for Instagram.
Another must-do for your Newcastle adventures is iconic Nobbys Head, where you’ll find Nobbys Lighthouse – an active lighthouse built in 1854 to guide ships into the Hunter River. There are three cottages around the lighthouse, which once provided accommodation for defence staff during WWII.
Visit on weekends to access the Lighthouse Arts Store and Gallery, where local residents sell handmade goods. To access the lighthouse, you will have to walk around 770 metres from the nearby carpark to the Signal Master’s Cottage. While the walk is steep, it’s worth it for the panoramic views across the coast.
When you descend the hill, you will find yourself at Newcastle’s most popular beach; Nobbys Beach. It’s a popular spot with swimmers, surfers, and those hoping to spot a pod of local dolphins. As you wander, you will discover a kiosk selling fish and chips, burgers and coffee, public barbecues and shady picnic spots. You can also walk along the breakwall beneath the lighthouse, where you may even see a coal ship being pulled into the harbour using tug boats.
Indulge in the food and drink offerings at Queens Wharf
An awesome place to add to your Newcastle adventures is Queens Wharf – a vibrant waterfront precinct with fine dining and stunning views of Nobbys Headland, the working port of Newcastle, and Stockton Beach. It’s also a great place for whale watching from May to November, when thousands of humpback whales migrate along the coast.
The Queens Wharf Hotel is a bustling pub, bistro and restaurant where everyone spills out on to the wharf area for great food, live music and a huge range of drinks. Sitting outdoors on the deck, you can do some people watching as the massive coal ships, yachts and tinnies glide by. Expect live music every weekend, as well as Tuesday trivia and weekly dinner specials ($6 Taco Thursdays anyone?).
Just across the road from the hotel, Signal Box is a vibrant eatery housed inside a heritage signal box constructed in 1936. Every dish on the menu, from juices to sauces, is made in house using top seasonal ingredients. Executive Chef and Co-Owner Dan James has travelled the world learning his craft, and now pours his passion into every dish crafted in his kitchen. Guests can take a seat in the open-air courtyard, pavilion, or casual indoor area, where lunch and dinner are served.
Think grilled sourdough with beer honey and whipped ricotta to start, before moving on to South Australian king prawn rigatoni with nduja alla vodka sauce, roasted pork belly with braised red cabbage, and thyme & garlic roasted chicken breast with truffled artichoke puree and swiss brown mushrooms. Every dish can be paired with a warm coffee, handcrafted cocktail, or a glass of wine from the extensive list.
Loved what you read? Check out this story on where to play and stay in Hunter Valley here.
Rex flies across New South Wales. Visit the website or check out the route map below for more details.
