Located at the mouth of the Hunter River, the Newcastle CBD is the bustling heart of this waterfront industrial city. It lies adjacent to the largest coal exporting harbour in the world, with engaging museums, leafy green spaces and an eclectic choice of eateries among its attractions.
Things to do in Newcastle CBD
Occupying the historic workshops of the Honeysuckle Railway is the Newcastle Museum, which features interactive exhibits dedicated to the area’s Indigenous people and the city’s colonial past. Experience the trials of coal mining at the Fire & Earth exhibit, see how kuueeyungs were utilised as fishing vessels and learn about Newcastle’s post-war migrant community along Beaumont Street.
A short walk from the Newcastle Museum is Civic Park, a picturesque green space that lies between the Newcastle City Hall and the Newcastle Regional Library. Once utilised for coal mining, it opened as a recreational park in 1937 with a fountain designed by the Modernist sculptor Margel Ina Hinder. Pay your respects at the National Service Memorial, enjoy a picnic on the grassy lawns or coincide your visit with the lively Olive Tree Market.
On the southern edge of the park is the Newcastle Art Gallery, which was established in 1945 following the donation of more than 100 artworks by the Australian cricketer Roland Pope. It houses an impressive collection of Australian art dating from colonial times to the modern day and has the Southern Hemisphere’s largest collection of modern Japanese ceramics.
Getting around Newcastle CBD
Newcastle Airport is a 30-minute drive from the Newcastle CBD and has flights to destinations across Australia. Regular trains connect from Sydney to the Newcastle Interchange railway station while both buses and light rail services travel throughout the city. The Newcastle CBD is compact enough to explore on foot.