Editing Newcastle, New South Wales (section)

===Civilian government and onwards===
{{See also|Shelling of Newcastle}}
[[File:Hunter St West, Newcastle, 1908.jpg|thumb|A parade of mounted soldiers along [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street]], {{circa|1908}}]]

After removal of the last convicts in 1823, the town was freed from the infamous influence of the penal law. It began to acquire the aspect of a typical Australian pioneer settlement, and a steady flow of free [[settler]]s poured into the hinterland.

During the nineteenth century the formation of the [[Newcastle & Hunter River Steamship Company]]<ref>''An Early Link with the New South Wales Railways'' Wylie, R.F. [[Australian Railway History|Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin]], October 1954 pp126-128</ref> saw the establishment of regular steamship services from [[Morpeth, New South Wales|Morpeth]] and Newcastle with Sydney. The company had a fleet of freighters as well as several fast passenger vessels, including the PS ''Newcastle'' and the PS ''Namoi''. The ''Namoi'' had first-class cabins with the latest facilities.

Because of the coal supply, small ships plied between Newcastle and Sydney, [[Brisbane]], [[Melbourne]] and [[Adelaide]], carrying coal to gas works and bunkers for shipping, and railways. These were commonly known as [[sixty-miler]]s, referring to the nautical journey between Newcastle and Sydney. These ships continued in service until recent times.{{when|date=June 2016}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/newcastle.html|title=Ships And Shores And Trading Ports|publisher=NSW Maritime|access-date=11 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720023338/http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/newcastle.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date = 20 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=630&print=1&S=shopProductInfo&T=shopProductInfo&PRODUCTID=227 |title=The Sixty Miler |publisher=[[Australian National Maritime Museum]] |access-date=11 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907084254/http://www.anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=630&print=1&S=shopProductInfo&PRODUCTID=227&T=shopProductInfo |archive-date=7 September 2007 }}</ref>{{wide image|Newcastle Rae 1849 SLNSW FL4652760.jpg|750px|Panorama of Newcastle, Australia, 1849, by John Rae}}