Editing Newcastle, New South Wales

{{About|the metropolitan area in Australia|the local government area serving the city proper|City of Newcastle|other places called Newcastle, in Australia and elsewhere|Newcastle (disambiguation){{!}}Newcastle}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = city
| name                   = Newcastle
| state                  = NSW
| image                  = {{multiple image
| perrow                 = 1/2/2/2
 | total_width            = 280
 | border                 = infobox
 | caption_align          = center
 | image1                 = Newcastle from Nobbys (2) b.jpg
 | alt1                   = Newcastle city centre
 | caption1               = Newcastle city centre
 | image2                 = The Custom House, Newcastle.jpg
 | alt2                   = Customs House
 | caption2               = [[Newcastle Customs House|Customs House]]
 | image3                 = Newcastle Town Hall - 50732203368.jpg
 | alt3                   = City Hall
 | caption3               = [[Newcastle City Hall (Australia)|City Hall]]
 | image4                 = 2 christ church cathedral.jpg
 | alt4                   = Christ Church Cathedral
 | caption4               = [[Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle|Christ Church Cathedral]]
 | image5                 = Watt Street Newcastle - 8345787232 (cropped).jpg
 | alt5                   = Watt Street Terraces
 | caption5               = [[Church and Watt Street Terrace Group|Watt Street Terraces]]
 | image6                 = Nobbys Beach Newcastle NSW.jpg
 | alt6                   = Nobbys Head
 | caption6               = [[Nobbys Head]]
 | image7                 = Civic Light Rail Stop (cropped).jpg
 | alt7                   = Victoria Square
 | caption7               = [[Newcastle Light Rail|Light Rail]] on [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street]] 
 }}
| caption =  
| coordinates            = {{coord|32|55|50|S|151|45|15|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map_caption    = The location of Newcastle in [[New South Wales]]
| relief                 = 1
| pop                    = 508437
| pop_year               = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes          = (Significant Urban Area)<ref name=SUA2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=1025|name=Newcastle-Maitland|access-date=2024-11-08}}</ref>
| poprank                = 7th
| pop2                   = 348539
| pop2_year              = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop2_footnotes         = (Urban Centre)<ref name=UCL2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=UCL102004|name=Newcastle|access-date=2024-11-08}}</ref>
| pop3                   = 3,852
| pop3_year              = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop3_footnotes         = <ref name=SAL2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL12958|name=Newcastle|access-date=2024-11-08}}</ref>
| density                = 
| est                    = 1804
| elevation              = 9
| area                   = 1179.1
| timezone               = [[UTC+10:00|AEST]]
| utc                    = +10:00
| timezone-dst           = [[UTC+11:00|AEDT]]
| utc-dst                = +11:00
| dist1                  = 162
| dir1                   = NNE
| location1              = [[Sydney]]
| dist2                  = 791
| dir2                   = SSW
| location2              = [[Brisbane]]
| dist3                  = 86
| dir3                   = NE
| location3              = [[Gosford]]
| dist4                  = 166
| dir4                   = SSW
| location4              = [[Forster, New South Wales|Forster]]
| dist5                  = 78
| dir5                   = SE
| location5              = [[Singleton, New South Wales|Singleton]]
| lga                    = City of Newcastle
| lga2                   = City of Lake Macquarie
| lga3                   = City of Maitland
| lga4                   = City of Cessnock
| lga5                   = Port Stephens Council
| region                 = [[Hunter Region|Hunter]]
| county                 = [[Northumberland County, New South Wales|Northumberland]]
| parish                 =
| stategov               = *[[Electoral district of Cessnock|Cessnock]]<br>
*[[Electoral district of Charlestown|Charlestown]]
*[[Electoral district of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]]
*[[Electoral district of Newcastle|Newcastle]]
*[[Electoral district of Port Stephens|Port Stephens]]
*[[Electoral district of Swansea|Swansea]]
*[[Electoral district of Wallsend|Wallsend]]
| fedgov                 = [[Division of Newcastle|Newcastle]]
| fedgov2                = [[Division of Hunter|Hunter]]
| fedgov3                = [[Division of Paterson|Paterson]]
| fedgov4                = [[Division of Shortland|Shortland]]
| maxtemp                = 22.2
| maxtemp_footnotes      = 
| mintemp                = 15.1
| mintemp_footnotes      = 
| rainfall               = 1034.5
| rainfall_footnotes     = 
| native_name=Mulubinba
|native_name_lang=Awabakal}}

'''Newcastle''', also commonly referred to as '''Greater Newcastle''' ({{IPAc-en|local|ˈ|nj|uː|k|ɑː|s|əl}} {{respell|NEW|kah|səl}}; {{langx|awk|Mulubinba}}),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-15 |title=What's in a name? Call to change Lake Macquarie raises interest in Newcastle's name as well |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7620726/whats-in-a-name-call-to-change-lake-macquarie-raises-interest-in-newcastles-name-as-well/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Newcastle Herald |language=en-AU |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925113749/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7620726/whats-in-a-name-call-to-change-lake-macquarie-raises-interest-in-newcastles-name-as-well/ |url-status=live }}</ref> is a large [[Metropolitan area|metropolitan]] area and the second-most-populous such area of [[New South Wales]], Australia. It includes the cities of [[City of Newcastle|Newcastle]] and [[City of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]]<ref name="2006UCLmap">{{cite web|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/ImageServer?id=map,census,2006,UCL160400|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121127034634/http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/ImageServer?id=map,census,2006,UCL160400|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 November 2012|title=Newcastle (NSW) Urban Centre/Locality map|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=25 October 2007|access-date=29 February 2008}}</ref> and it is the hub of the [[List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle, New South Wales|Lower Hunter]] region, which includes most parts of the cities of [[City of Newcastle|Newcastle]], [[City of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]], [[City of Maitland|Maitland]], [[City of Cessnock|Cessnock]], and [[Port Stephens Council]].<ref name=2006SDmap>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/ImageServer?id=map,census,2006,1003|title=Newcastle (NSW) Statistical District map|publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=25 October 2007|access-date=29 February 2008|archive-date=21 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221050113/https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/cowsredirect|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=gnbhunter>{{cite web|url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?regiontype=1&region=HT|title=Local Council Boundaries Hunter (HT)|publisher=[[Office of Local Government (New South Wales)]]|access-date=16 August 2007|archive-date=17 August 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010817111939/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_Regions.asp?region=HT&regiontype=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Newcastle is also known by its colloquial nickname, '''Newy'''.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 August 2019 |title=From Freo to the Gong: Search is on for Aussie town nicknames |url=https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/6330774/from-freo-to-the-gong-search-is-on-for-aussie-town-nicknames/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221230757/https://www.thesenior.com.au/story/6330774/from-freo-to-the-gong-search-is-on-for-aussie-town-nicknames/ |archive-date=21 February 2023 |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>

Located at the mouth of the [[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Hunter River]], it is the predominant city within the [[Hunter Region]]. Famous for its [[Hunter Valley Coal Chain|coal]], Newcastle is the largest coal exporting harbour in the world, exporting 143 million tonnes of coal in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8400166/worlds-largest-coal-port-under-threat/|title=Newcastle could soon lose the mantle of 'World's largest coal port'|first=Matthew|last=Kelly|newspaper=[[The Newcastle Herald]]|date=26 October 2023|access-date=15 January 2024|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115043733/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8400166/worlds-largest-coal-port-under-threat/}}</ref> Beyond the city, the Hunter Region possesses large coal deposits. Geologically, the area is located in the central-eastern part of the [[Sydney Basin]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Photographic image of map |url=http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0007/96847/20758.gif |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917080323/http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0007/96847/20758.gif |archive-date=17 September 2011 |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=Dpi nsw Government Australia |format=GIF}}</ref>

==History==

===Aboriginal history===
Newcastle and the lower Hunter Region were traditionally occupied by the [[Awabakal]] and [[Worimi]] Aboriginal people,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hvrf.com.au/pages/hrf/hunter_history_highlights.php|title=Hunter History Highlights|publisher=Hunter Valley Research Foundation|access-date=14 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225012441/http://www.hvrf.com.au/pages/hrf/hunter_history_highlights.php <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date = 25 December 2007}}</ref> who called the area Malubimba.<ref name=womens_weekly>{{cite journal|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55185386|title=Place Names|journal=[[The Australian Women's Weekly]]|page=61|publisher=National Library of Australia|date=13 May 1964|access-date=22 February 2011|archive-date=27 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110327163310/http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/55185386|url-status=live}}</ref>

Based on Aboriginal-language references documented in maps, sketches and geological descriptions, eight landmarks have been officially dual-named by the NSW Geographic Names Board with their traditional Aboriginal names.<ref name="NSW Geographic Names Board">{{cite web |title=Dual naming – Geographical Names Board of NSW |url=http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/dual_naming |access-date=19 December 2018 |website=Gnb nsw Government Australia |archive-date=19 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219134300/http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/dual_naming |url-status=live }}</ref> They include [[Nobbys Head]] also known as Whibayganba; Flagstaff Hill also known as Tahlbihn; Pirate Point also known as Burrabihngarn; Port Hunter also known as Yohaaba; Hunter River (South Channel) also known as Coquun;
Shepherds Hill also known as Khanterin; Ironbark Creek also known as Toohrnbing and Hexham Swamp also known as Burraghihnbihng.<ref name="NSW Geographic Names Board"/>

===British colonisation===
[[File:Captain John Shortland.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Lieutenant [[John Shortland]], British explorer of the Newcastle region]]

In June 1796, a group of fishermen from the British convict outpost at [[Sydney]], were driven by bad weather into a harbour at what is now Newcastle. They found considerable amounts of [[coal]] laying on the ground near the beach, some of which they brought back to Sydney. The fishermen had "conducted themselves improperly" while ashore and gotten into conflict with the local Aboriginal people. Two of the fishermen were wounded, one of them fatally.<ref name="collins">{{cite book |last1=Collins |first1=David |title=An Account of the English Colony of NSW |date=1798 |publisher=Cadell & Davies |location=London |url=https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00010.html}}</ref>

Over a year later, in September 1797, Lieutenant [[John Shortland]] explored the area and named the [[Hunter River (New South Wales)|Hunter River]]. This was largely accidental, as he had been sent to the region in search of a number of convicts who had seized a vessel called ''Cumberland'' while it was sailing from [[Sydney Cove]].<ref name="newc">{{cite web|url=http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/discover_newcastle/visit_our_libraries/discovery_and_founding_of_newcastle|title=Discovery and founding of Newcastle|publisher=[[Newcastle City Council]]|access-date=24 September 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724032922/http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/discover_newcastle/visit_our_libraries/discovery_and_founding_of_newcastle|archive-date=24 July 2008}}</ref> Leiutenant Shortland entered what he later described as "a very fine river", which he named after New South Wales' Governor [[John Hunter (Royal Navy officer)|John Hunter]].<ref name="smh">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/new-south-wales/newcastle/2005/02/17/1108500198331.html|title=Newcastle|work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=8 February 2004|access-date=24 September 2008|archive-date=8 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608064059/http://www.smh.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Newcastle/2005/02/17/1108500198331.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He returned with reports of the deep-water port and the area's abundant coal. Over the next two years, coal mined from the area was the [[New South Wales]] colony's first export.<ref name="smh"/>

Newcastle gained a reputation as a "hellhole" as it was a place where the most dangerous convicts were sent to dig in the coal mines as harsh punishment for their crimes.<ref name="smh"/> By the start of the 19th century, the mouth of the Hunter River was being visited by diverse groups of men, including coal diggers, timber-cutters, and more escaped convicts. [[Philip Gidley King]], the [[Governor of New South Wales]] from 1800, decided on a more positive approach to exploit the now obvious natural resources of the [[Hunter Valley]].<ref name="newc"/> In 1801, a convict camp called King's Town (named after the governor) was established to mine coal and cut timber. In the same year, the first shipment of coal was dispatched to Sydney. This settlement closed less than a year later.<ref name="smh"/>

A settlement was again attempted in 1804, as a place of secondary punishment for unruly convicts. The settlement was named Coal River, also Kingstown and then renamed Newcastle, after [[Newcastle upon Tyne|the English city]].<ref name="womens_weekly"/> The name first appeared by the commission issued by Governor King on 15 March 1804 to Lieutenant [[Charles Menzies (Royal Marines officer)|Charles Menzies]] of the [[Royal Marines|marine detachment]] on {{HMS|Calcutta|1795|6}}, then at [[Port Jackson]], appointing him superintendent of the new settlement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/archives/coalriver/pdf/sg25thmarch1804.pdf |title=Sydney Gazette |date=25 March 1804 |access-date=24 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725070335/http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/archives/coalriver/pdf/sg25thmarch1804.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2008 }}</ref> The new settlement, comprising [[convict]]s and a military guard, arrived at the Hunter River on 27 March 1804 in three ships: {{HMS|Lady Nelson|1798|6}}, the ''Resource'' and the ''[[James (ship)|James]]''.<ref name="newc"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7509|title=The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson by Ida Lee|author=Ida Lee|publisher=[[Project Gutenberg]]|access-date=2 January 2008|archive-date=7 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007221408/http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7509|url-status=live}}</ref> The convicts were rebels from the 1804 [[Castle Hill convict rebellion]]. The link with [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], England (its namesake) and also whence many of the 19th-century coal miners came, is still obvious in some of the place-names—such as [[Jesmond, New South Wales|Jesmond]], [[Hexham, New South Wales|Hexham]], [[Wickham, New South Wales|Wickham]], [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]] and [[Gateshead, New South Wales|Gateshead]]. [[Morpeth, New South Wales]] is a similar distance north of Newcastle as [[Morpeth, Northumberland]] is north of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Under Captain [[James Wallis (British Army officer)|James Wallis]], commandant from 1815 to 1818, the convicts' conditions improved, and a building boom began. Captain Wallis laid out the streets of the town, built the first church of the site of the present [[Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle|Christ Church Cathedral]], erected the old gaol on the seashore, and began work on the breakwater which now joins [[Nobbys Head]] to the mainland. The quality of these first buildings was poor, and only the (much reinforced) breakwater survives. During this period, in 1816, the [[Christ Church School (Colony of NSW)|first school]] was built in Newcastle.<ref name="smh"/>

Newcastle remained a penal settlement until 1822, when the settlement was opened up to farming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/north-road/information.html|title=Old Great North Road more information|publisher=[[Government of Australia|Australian Government]]|access-date=24 September 2008|archive-date=18 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080818051627/http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/north-road/information.html|url-status=live}}</ref> As a penal colony, the military rule was harsh, especially at Limeburners' Bay, on the inner side of [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]] peninsula. There, convicts were sent to burn oyster shells for making lime.<ref name="newc"/> Military rule in Newcastle ended in 1823. Prisoner numbers were reduced to 100 (most of these were employed on the building of the breakwater), and the remaining 900 were sent to [[Port Macquarie]].<ref name="smh"/>

===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}}

===1920s to present===

During [[World War II]], Newcastle was an important industrial centre for the Australian war effort. In 1942, the Japanese planned to [[attack on Sydney Harbour|attack Sydney Harbour]]. On the early hours of 8 June, the Japanese submarine {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-21|1940|2}} briefly shelled Newcastle. Among the areas hit within the city were dockyards, the [[Newcastle Steelworks]], Parnell Place in the city's East End, the breakwall and Art Deco Ocean baths. There were no casualties in the attack and damage was minimal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/japsubs/japsshell03.htm|title=Newcastle shelled by a Japanese submarine|date=31 October 2000|access-date=10 November 2010|archive-date=10 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610054510/http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/japsubs/japsshell03.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Princess of Tasmania.jpg|thumb|The {{MS|Princess of Tasmania}} prior to being launched at the [[State Dockyard]] in November 1958]]The Port of Newcastle remains the economic and trade centre for the resource-rich Hunter Valley and for much of the north and north-west of New South Wales. Newcastle is the world's largest coal export port and Australia's oldest and second-largest tonnage throughput port, with over 3,000 shipping movements handling cargo of 95.8 Mt per annum, of which coal exports represented 90.8 Mt in 2008–09.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trade Statistics |url=http://www.newportcorp.com.au/site/index.cfm?display=111694 |access-date=15 July 2010 |publisher=Newportcorp Australia |archive-date=4 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104053834/http://www.newportcorp.com.au/site/index.cfm?display=111694 |url-status=live }}</ref> The volume of coal exported, and attempts to increase coal exports, are opposed by environmental groups including Newcastle-based [[Rising Tide Australia]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page68?oid=56671&sn=Detail|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111045146/http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page68?oid=56671&sn=Detail|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2013|title=Green groups block world's largest coal export terminal|agency=Reuters|publisher=Mineweb|date=14 July 2008|access-date=24 September 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.risingtide.org.au/peoplesblockade|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909122447/http://www.risingtide.org.au/peoplesblockade|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 September 2012|title=The People's Blockade of the World's Biggest Coal Port|publisher=Rising Tide Australia|access-date=24 September 2008}}</ref> These have undertaken various protests targeting the export of coal from the city, such as in 2023 when 3000 people took part in a water based blockade and 109 were arrested.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gulliver |first=Robyn |date=2024-02-18 |title=Climate Activists in Australia are Learning How to Protect their Protest Rights |url=https://commonslibrary.org/climate-activists-in-australia-are-learning-how-to-protect-their-protest-rights/ |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=The Commons Social Change Library |language=en-AU |archive-date=1 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401123809/https://commonslibrary.org/climate-activists-in-australia-are-learning-how-to-protect-their-protest-rights/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Newcastle had a shipbuilding industry with the [[Walsh Island Dockyard & Engineering Works]], [[State Dockyard]] and [[Forgacs Shipyard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/HansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA19970415020|title=Hunter Region Funding Cutbacks|publisher=[[Parliament of New South Wales]]|date=15 April 1997|access-date=10 July 2008|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605101743/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/HansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA19970415020|url-status=dead}} (see Mr PRICE (Waratah) [4.13 p.m.])</ref> In recent years the only major ship-construction contract awarded to the area was the construction of the [[Huon-class minehunter|''Huon''-class minehunter]]s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/18/2220459.htm|title=Defence forum to focus on Newcastle ship building|newspaper=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=18 April 2008|access-date=11 July 2008|archive-date=22 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622182247/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/18/2220459.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The era of extensive [[heavy industry]] passed when the steel works closed in 1999. Many of the remaining manufacturing industries have located themselves well away from the city itself.
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = horizontal
| total_width       = 250
| image1            = Newcastle 1950.jpg
| width1            = 1650
| height1           = 2207
| caption1          = A [[Trams in Newcastle, New South Wales|tram]] halts outside the AMP building at the eastern end of [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street]], 1947.
| alt1              = 
| image2            = Newcastle 1968.jpg
| width2            = 1185
| height2           = 1529
| caption2          = A bustling [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street]], 1968
| alt2              = 
}}

Newcastle has one of the oldest theatre districts in Australia. [[Victoria Theatre (Newcastle)|Victoria Theatre]] on Perkins Street is the oldest purpose-built theatre in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2012/03/07/3447685.htm|title=Victoria Theatre, Newcastle|first=Carol|last=Duncan|publisher=[[ABC Newcastle]]|date=3 April 2012|access-date=2 August 2017|archive-date=5 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105192004/http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2012/03/07/3447685.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The theatre district that occupied the area around what is now the [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street Mall]] vanished during the 1940s. The old city centre has seen some new apartments and hotels built in recent years, but the rate of commercial and retail occupation remains low while alternate suburban centres have become more important. The CBD itself is shifting to the west, towards the major urban renewal area known as "Honeysuckle". This renewal, to run for another 10 years, is a major part of arresting the shift of business and residents to the suburbs. Commercial renewal has been accompanied by cultural renaissance. There is a vibrant arts scene in the city including a highly regarded art gallery,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/nag|title=Newcastle Art Gallery|access-date=29 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331180143/http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/nag|archive-date=31 March 2015}}</ref> and an active Hunter Writers' Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hwcentre.com/|title=Hunter Writers Centre|access-date=29 March 2015|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092924/http://hwcentre.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Recent fictional representations (for example Antoinette Eklund's 'Steel River') present a new vision of the city, using the city's historic past as a backdrop for contemporary fiction.

The old central business district, located at Newcastle's eastern end, still has a considerable number of historic buildings, dominated by Christ Church Cathedral, seat of the [[Anglican Bishop of Newcastle (Australia)|Anglican Bishop of Newcastle]].<ref>Elkin, A.P., ''The Diocese of Newcastle: a history of the Diocese of Newcastle'', Australian Medical Publishing Co: Glebe, NSW, 1955. (Privately published)</ref> Other noteworthy buildings include [[Fort Scratchley]], the Ocean Baths, the old [[Newcastle Customs House|Customs House]], the 1920s [[Newcastle City Hall (Australia)|City Hall]], the 1890s Longworth Institute (once regarded as the finest building in the colony) and the 1930s [[art deco]] [[University House (Newcastle)|University House]] (formerly NESCA House, seen in the film ''Superman Returns'').

==Geography==
[[File:Newcastle - aerial images (3) (7445134654).jpg|thumb|An aerial view of central Newcastle and its surrounding metropolitan area, situated on the Hunter River]]

Newcastle is on the southern bank of the Hunter River mouth. The northern side is dominated by sand dunes, swamps and multiple river channels. A "green belt" protecting plant and wildlife flanks the city from the west (Watagan mountains) around to the north where it meets the coast just north of Stockton. Urban development is mainly restricted to the hilly southern bank. The small town of [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]] sits opposite central Newcastle at the river mouth and is linked by ferry. Road access between Stockton and central Newcastle is via the [[Stockton Bridge]], a distance of {{cvt|20|km|0}}. Much of the city is undercut by the coal measures of the Sydney sedimentary basin, and what were once numerous coal-mining villages located in the hills and valleys around the port have merged into a single urban area extending southwards to [[Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)|Lake Macquarie]]. The Greater Newcastle area is situated right between the [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]] and [[Mid North Coast]] regions, with the Central Coast bordering in the south and the Mid North Coast bordering in the north as well as other [[Hunter Region|Hunter]] local government areas (outside of Newcastle) bordering in the west and north-west.{{wide image|Newcastle ANZAC Walk.JPG|640px|align-cap=center|The ANZAC Walk, looking towards [[Merewether]] and the outer suburbs}}

===Parks===
[[File:Speers Point lakeside walk near wharf.jpg|thumb|Speers Point Park]]

Newcastle has several public parks including King Edward Park, which was designated in 1863. Features of the park include coastal views, a sunken garden and a Victorian rotunda.<ref>{{cite web |title=King Edward Park |url=https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/newcastle-area/newcastle/attractions/king-edward-park |access-date=9 September 2020 |website=Visit NSW |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806160255/https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/newcastle-area/newcastle/attractions/king-edward-park |url-status=live }}</ref>
Another noteworthy park of Newcastle is Starrett Park in New Lambton, known for its playground and lush grass.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 April 2021 |title=Have Fun at the Playground at Novocastrian Park in New Lambton |url=https://newywithkids.com.au/novocastrian-park/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316190422/https://newywithkids.com.au/novocastrian-park/ |archive-date=16 March 2022 |access-date=21 October 2022 |website=Newy with Kids}}</ref>

===Climate===
Newcastle has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cfa'') that is typical of the Australian east coast. Precipitation is heaviest in late autumn and early winter, while the second half of the year is slightly drier on average. The climate is generally moderated by the [[Pacific Ocean]] to the east. Summers are mostly warm and humid with periods of very dry and hot weather occasionally due to hot west to north-westerly winds, which can bring temperatures in excess of {{cvt|40|C|0}}. The highest recorded temperature was {{cvt|42.5|C|1}} on 18 January 2013 at the [[Nobbys Head]] weather station.<ref>{{cite web |title=Climate statistics for Australian locations |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]|archive-date=21 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021164642/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

Winters are generally mild with drier conditions than summer on average. [[Cold front]]s affect the area and sometimes bring strong westerly winds behind them, but due to the [[southeast Australian foehn|foehn effect]] they generally [[rain shadow|provide clear conditions]] as the region lies leeward of the [[Great Dividing Range]].<ref>[https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html Rain Shadows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232632/https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html |date=22 September 2021 }} by Don White. Australian Weather News. Willy Weather. Retrieved 24 May 2021.</ref> The lowest recorded temperature was {{cvt|1.8|C|1}} on 27 July 1986.<ref>{{cite web |title=Climate statistics for Australian locations |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=Bureau of Meteorology|archive-date=21 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021164642/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Australian east coast low|East coast lows]] also impact Newcastle, sometimes delivering winds well above {{cvt|100|kph|0}} and torrential rainfall, usually lasting a couple of days. The east coast low in May 1974, the [[2007 New South Wales storms]] and April 2015 are extreme examples of this type of weather.

{{Weather box
| location = Newcastle (Nobbys Signal Station AWS), New South Wales, Australia (1991–2020 normals, 1862–present extremes); 33 m AMSL
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 42.5
| Feb record high C = 40.9
| Mar record high C = 39.0
| Apr record high C = 36.8
| May record high C = 28.5
| Jun record high C = 26.1
| Jul record high C = 26.3
| Aug record high C = 29.9
| Sep record high C = 34.4
| Oct record high C = 36.7
| Nov record high C = 41.0
| Dec record high C = 42.0
| Jan high C = 25.7
| Feb high C = 25.6
| Mar high C = 24.8
| Apr high C = 23.3
| May high C = 20.7
| Jun high C = 18.3
| Jul high C = 17.8
| Aug high C = 19.0
| Sep high C = 21.1
| Oct high C = 22.6
| Nov high C = 23.3
| Dec high C = 24.7
| Jan low C = 20.1
| Feb low C = 20.1
| Mar low C = 18.8
| Apr low C = 15.9
| May low C = 12.7
| Jun low C = 10.6
| Jul low C = 9.4
| Aug low C = 10.1
| Sep low C = 12.6
| Oct low C = 15.0
| Nov low C = 16.8
| Dec low C = 18.7
| Jan record low C = 12.0
| Feb record low C = 10.3
| Mar record low C = 11.1
| Apr record low C = 7.4
| May record low C = 4.7
| Jun record low C = 3.0
| Jul record low C = 1.8
| Aug record low C = 3.3
| Sep record low C = 5.0
| Oct record low C = 6.5
| Nov record low C = 7.2
| Dec record low C = 11.0
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 70.2
| Feb precipitation mm = 109.7
| Mar precipitation mm = 113.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 109.0
| May precipitation mm = 116.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 125.2
| Jul precipitation mm = 69.1
| Aug precipitation mm = 49.4
| Sep precipitation mm = 56.9
| Oct precipitation mm = 62.0
| Nov precipitation mm = 79.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 67.9
| year precipitation mm = 1034.5
| Jan precipitation days = 7.1
| Feb precipitation days = 7.9
| Mar precipitation days = 8.9
| Apr precipitation days = 8.2
| May precipitation days = 8.9
| Jun precipitation days = 9.0
| Jul precipitation days = 7.6
| Aug precipitation days = 5.4
| Sep precipitation days = 6.3
| Oct precipitation days = 6.9
| Nov precipitation days = 8.3
| Dec precipitation days = 7.7
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan afthumidity = 74
| Feb afthumidity = 77
| Mar afthumidity = 73
| Apr afthumidity = 68
| May afthumidity = 66
| Jun afthumidity = 64
| Jul afthumidity = 59
| Aug afthumidity = 55
| Sep afthumidity = 59
| Oct afthumidity = 65
| Nov afthumidity = 71
| Dec afthumidity = 72
| Jan dew point C = 18.1
| Feb dew point C = 18.9
| Mar dew point C = 17.6
| Apr dew point C = 14.7
| May dew point C = 12.2
| Jun dew point C = 9.6
| Jul dew point C = 7.8
| Aug dew point C = 7.6
| Sep dew point C = 9.5
| Oct dew point C = 12.5
| Nov dew point C = 14.6
| Dec dew point C = 16.7
| source 1 = [[Bureau of Meteorology]] (temperature, precipitation, humidity 1991–2020 normals)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/cvg/av?p_stn_num=061055&p_prim_element_index=0&p_comp_element_index=0&redraw=null&p_display_type=full_statistics_table&normals_years=1991-2020&tablesizebutt=normal |title= Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station AWS, NSW Climate (1991–present normals) |publisher= [[Bureau of Meteorology]] |access-date=4 May 2022 }}</ref>
| source 2 = [[Bureau of Meteorology]] (temperature extremes 1862–present)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |title=Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station AWS, NSW Climate (extremes 1862–present) |publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=21 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021164642/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061055_All.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
| location = Newcastle University – {{convert|8.5|km|0}} WNW of Newcastle CBD, New South Wales, Australia (1998–2021 normals and extremes); 21 m AMSL
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| collapsed = Yes
| Jan record high C = 44.9
| Feb record high C = 44.0
| Mar record high C = 39.2
| Apr record high C = 34.5
| May record high C = 28.8
| Jun record high C = 25.7
| Jul record high C = 25.5
| Aug record high C = 30.5
| Sep record high C = 35.0
| Oct record high C = 37.9
| Nov record high C = 42.2
| Dec record high C = 43.0
| Jan high C = 29.5
| Feb high C = 28.4
| Mar high C = 26.8
| Apr high C = 24.1
| May high C = 21.2
| Jun high C = 18.4
| Jul high C = 17.9
| Aug high C = 19.8
| Sep high C = 22.8
| Oct high C = 25.0
| Nov high C = 26.2
| Dec high C = 27.9
| Jan low C = 19.6
| Feb low C = 19.4
| Mar low C = 17.5
| Apr low C = 14.0
| May low C = 10.4
| Jun low C = 8.8
| Jul low C = 7.3
| Aug low C = 7.9
| Sep low C = 10.8
| Oct low C = 13.4
| Nov low C = 15.9
| Dec low C = 18.0
| Jan record low C = 11.2
| Feb record low C = 12.3
| Mar record low C = 9.6
| Apr record low C = 4.0
| May record low C = 3.5
| Jun record low C = 2.1
| Jul record low C = 1.0
| Aug record low C = 1.8
| Sep record low C = 4.2
| Oct record low C = 5.4
| Nov record low C = 7.0
| Dec record low C = 8.7
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 81.3
| Feb precipitation mm = 135.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 125.2
| Apr precipitation mm = 118.1
| May precipitation mm = 87.5
| Jun precipitation mm = 131.9
| Jul precipitation mm = 64.1
| Aug precipitation mm = 57.1
| Sep precipitation mm = 66.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 68.2
| Nov precipitation mm = 102.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 71.6
| year precipitation mm = 1111.2
| Jan precipitation days = 7.5
| Feb precipitation days = 9.2
| Mar precipitation days = 9.0
| Apr precipitation days = 8.2
| May precipitation days = 7.7
| Jun precipitation days = 9.3
| Jul precipitation days = 7.1
| Aug precipitation days = 6.1
| Sep precipitation days = 6.0
| Oct precipitation days = 6.5
| Nov precipitation days = 8.7
| Dec precipitation days = 7.3
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan afthumidity = 57
| Feb afthumidity = 62
| Mar afthumidity = 60
| Apr afthumidity = 61
| May afthumidity = 59
| Jun afthumidity = 60
| Jul afthumidity = 54
| Aug afthumidity = 48
| Sep afthumidity = 48
| Oct afthumidity = 50
| Nov afthumidity = 58
| Dec afthumidity = 58
| Jan dew point C = 17.2
| Feb dew point C = 18.2
| Mar dew point C = 16.3
| Apr dew point C = 13.5
| May dew point C = 10.4
| Jun dew point C = 8.5
| Jul dew point C = 6.5
| Aug dew point C = 6.0
| Sep dew point C = 8.3
| Oct dew point C = 10.4
| Nov dew point C = 14.2
| Dec dew point C = 16.1
| source 1 = [[Bureau of Meteorology]] (temperature, precipitation, humidity) (1998–present normals and extremes)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_060141_All.shtml |title=Newcastle University, NSW Climate (1998–present normals and extremes) |publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology]] |access-date=4 May 2022 |archive-date=4 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504092414/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_060141_All.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:90%;text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
|-
! colspan="14" |Newcastle Water Temperature
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
! style="border-left-width:medium" |Year
|-
!Average sea temperature °C (°F)
| style="background:#ffb000; color:#000;" |23.6<br />(74.5)
| style="background:#ffa400; color:#000;" |24.0<br />(75.2)
| style="background:#ffa000; color:#000;" |23.9<br />(75.0)
| style="background:#fa0; color:#000;" |22.9<br />(73.2)
| style="background:#ffae00; color:#000;" |21.6<br />(70.9)
| style="background:#ffbe00; color:#000;" |20.1<br />(68.2)
| style="background:#ffc200; color:#000;" |19.2<br />(66.6)
| style="background:#ffd344; color:#000;" |18.9<br />(66.0)
| style="background:#ffdd6e; color:#000;" |19.1<br />(66.4)
| style="background:#ffd54c; color:#000;" |19.4<br />(66.9)
| style="background:#ffbe00; color:#000;" |21.0<br />(69.8)
| style="background:#ffc200; color:#000;" |22.6<br />(72.7)
| style="background:#ffbc00; color:#000; border-left-width:medium;" | 21.3<br />(70.4)
|-
! colspan="14" style="background:#f8f9fa;font-weight:normal;font-size:95%;" |Source #2: Metoc (sea temperature)<ref>{{cite web |title=Newcastle Sea Temperature |url=https://www.seatemperature.org/australia-pacific/australia/newcastle.htm |access-date=8 January 2019 |publisher=World sea temperature |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108200824/https://www.seatemperature.org/australia-pacific/australia/newcastle.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

==Demographics==
[[File:2 christ church cathedral.jpg|alt=|thumb|The [[Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle|Christ Church Cathedral]] is home to the [[Anglican Diocese of Newcastle (Australia)|Anglican Diocese of Newcastle]].]]
The metropolitan area of Newcastle is the second-most-populous area in New South Wales to [[Sydney]].

What is generally labelled as the 'Greater Newcastle Area' includes the LGAs of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens. In 2021 this region had a total population of 682,465.<ref>Census 2021</ref>

Of people in the Newcastle metropolitan area, 83.6 per cent were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 2.3%, New Zealand 1.0%, China 0.7%, India 0.5% and Philippines 0.4%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.8% of the population. 88.2% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 0.7%, Macedonian 0.5%, Italian 0.4%, Greek 0.3% and Cantonese 0.3%. The most common responses for religion in Newcastle were No Religion 31.1%, Catholic 21.7% and Anglican 19.2%.<ref name="2016pop">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=UCL102004|name=Newcastle (Urban Centre/Locality)|access-date=3 November 2017|quick=on}}</ref>

Newcastle is often quoted as being the [[List of cities in Australia by population|seventh-largest city in Australia]]. This is misleading as the area represented extends well beyond both the City of Newcastle and the Newcastle metropolitan area. The area, officially the Newcastle Statistical District, is referred to as [[List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle, New South Wales|Greater Newcastle]] or the Lower Hunter Region, which includes most parts of the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock, Maitland and Port Stephens local government areas and, as of 30 June 2009, has an estimated population of 540,796.<ref name="2006SDmap" /><ref name="gnbhunter" /><ref>{{cite web |date=30 March 2010 |title=3218.0 Population Estimates by Statistical District, 2001 to 2009 |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/subscriber.nsf/log?openagent&32180ds0004_2001-09.xls&3218.0&Data%20Cubes&AA7D3AF7B728C481CA2576F50011B0D8&0&2008-09&30.03.2010&Latest |access-date=5 November 2010 |work=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2008–09 |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |archive-date=21 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221050111/https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/WebPages/Attachment+Not+Found |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite their proximity, all of the LGAs in the region maintain their own individual identities, separate from Newcastle.

The population of the suburb of Newcastle is 3,852 as of the 2021 census.<ref>{{cite news |title=Newcastle - 2021 Census All persons QuickStats |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL12958 |accessdate=21 July 2023 |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |archive-date=8 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231008101142/https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL12958 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[demonym]] for the people of Newcastle is "Novocastrian", derived from Latin ''novus'' (new) and ''castra'' (castle or fort).

==Economy==
[[File:Newcastle from Fort Scratchley.jpg|alt=|thumb|Newcastle city centre from [[Fort Scratchley]]]]

Newcastle as a traditional area of heavy industry was not immune from the effects of economic downturns that plagued New South Wales and wider Australia since the 1970s. These downturns were particularly hard hitting for heavy industry which was particularly prevalent in Newcastle. The early 1990s recession caused significant job losses across Australia and the Newcastle region experienced a peak unemployment rate of 17% in February 1993, compared to 12.1% in New South Wales and 11.9% across Australia.<ref>{{cite web |date=15 November 2007 |title=6291.0.55.001 – Labour Force, Australia, Detailed – Electronic Delivery, Oct 2007 |url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/CAFF170479EFA891CA2573B600186D23?opendocument |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618194429/http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/allprimarymainfeatures/CAFF170479EFA891CA2573B600186D23?opendocument |archive-date=18 June 2009 |access-date=15 July 2010 |publisher=Abs Government Australia}}</ref>

In 1999, the steelworks closed after 84 years' operation and had employed about 50,000 during its existence, many for decades.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 September 1999 |title=Steel City without the Big Australian |url=http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s55787.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000308060425/http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s55787.htm |archive-date=8 March 2000 |access-date=24 September 2008 |publisher=ABC Online}}</ref> The closure of the BHP steelworks occurred at a time of strong economic expansion in Australia. At the time of the closure and since the closure Newcastle experienced a significant amount of economic diversification which has strengthened the local economy.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |date=10 April 2009 |title=Newcastle or bust |url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/newcastle-or-bust-20090409-a282.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904053817/http://www.smh.com.au/national/newcastle-or-bust-20090409-a282.html |archive-date=4 September 2015 |access-date=15 July 2010 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>

Since 2003, Australia experienced the effects of the [[2000s commodities boom]] as commodities prices for major [[export good]] such as coal and iron ore rose significantly. This provided a large incentive for investment in the Newcastle and Hunter region due to its status as a major coal mining and export hub to Asian markets. Large projects related to the coal industry helped to propel the Newcastle unemployment rate to 20 year lows and allow the Newcastle region to weather the effects of the [[late 2000s recession]] better than NSW as a whole.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 January 2008 |title=$1bn funding secured for third coal loader |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/23/2144506.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719075751/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/23/2144506.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 July 2012 |access-date=15 July 2010 |newspaper=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> As of 2009, the two largest single employers are the Hunter New England Area Health Service and the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]].<ref name="autogenerated1" /> The [[National Stock Exchange of Australia]] (formerly Newcastle Stock Exchange) was formerly based in the city.

===19th and early 20th centuries===

====Coal====
[[File:Earp Gillam Bond Store.jpg|thumb|The former [[Earp Gillam Bond Store]] – many early merchant companies were founded on Newcastle's 19th-century trade industry.]]

Coal mining began in earnest on 3 May 1833 when the [[Australian Agricultural Company]] received land grants at Newcastle plus a 31-year monopoly on that town's coal traffic. Other collieries were within a {{cvt|16|km|0}} radius of the town. Principal coal mines were located at [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]], [[Tighes Hill]], [[Carrington, New South Wales|Carrington]] and the Newcastle Coal and Copper Company's collieries at [[Merewether]] (includes the Glebe), [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]] and the Waratah collieries. All operations had closed by the early 1960s.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

[[File:Commercial Bank Company building DSC 0427.jpg|thumb|The former Commercial Bank Company building]]

On 10 December 1831, the Australian Agricultural Company officially opened Australia's first railway, at the intersection of Brown & Church Streets, Newcastle. Privately owned and operated to service the ''A Pit'' coal mine, it was a [[cast-iron]] [[fishbelly rail]] on an inclined plane as a [[Cable railway#Gravity balance|gravitational railway]].<ref>[http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/docsrrc/rrcdload01.pdf Uncovering and understanding Australia's First Railway, Conference Paper, Campbell, D., Brougham, J. and Caldwell, R., Australian Journal of Multi-disciplinary Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 2–3, Engineering Heritage Australia, Newcastle, NSW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222150336/http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/docsrrc/rrcdload01.pdf |date=22 February 2014 }}. Retrieved 14 July 2011</ref><ref>''Colliery Railways of the Australian Agricultural Company in the Newcastle District'' Webber, J & Wylie, R.F. [[Australian Railway History|Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin]] March 1968 pp 53–63</ref>

====Copper====
In the 1850s, a major copper smelting works was established at Burwood, near Merewether. An engraving of this appeared in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' on 11 February 1854.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sleekburnprints.com/1854-issue-illustrated-london-news-8660-burwood-copper-smelting-works-crimean-war-447-p.asp|title=1854 issue ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS 8660 Burwood Copper Smelting Works CRIMEAN WAR|website=SLEEKBURN PRINTS|language=en-GB|access-date=15 September 2018|archive-date=15 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915084631/https://www.sleekburnprints.com/1854-issue-illustrated-london-news-8660-burwood-copper-smelting-works-crimean-war-447-p.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> The English and Australian Copper Company built another substantial works at [[Broadmeadow]] circa 1890, and in that decade the [[Cockle Creek Smelter]] was built.
[[File:The Custom House, Newcastle.jpg|thumb|[[Newcastle Customs House]] was erected in response to the economic and trade boom of the 19th century]]

====Soap====
The largest factory of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere was constructed in 1885, on an {{convert|8.9|ha|acre|adj=on}} site between the suburbs of Tighes Hill and Port Waratah, by [[Charles Upfold]], from London, for his Sydney Soap and Candle Company, to replace a smaller factory in Wickham.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sanclemente.mn.catholic.edu.au/our_school/history/timeline/1821/early%20days.htm|title=The early days of Mayfield|author=W. J. Goold|publisher=San Clemente High School|access-date=24 September 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822165906/http://www.sanclemente.mn.catholic.edu.au/our_school/history/timeline/1821/early%20days.htm|archive-date=22 August 2008}}</ref> Their soap products won 17 medals at International Exhibitions. At the Sydney International Exhibition, they won a bronze medal "against all-comers from every part of the world", the only first prize awarded for soap and candles. Following World War I, the company was sold to Messrs Lever & Kitchen (today [[Unilever]]), and the factory closed in the mid-1930s.

====Steel====
In 1911, [[BHP]] chose the city as the site for its steelworks due to the abundance of coal.<ref name="smh" /> The land put aside was prime real estate, on the southern edge of the harbour. In 1915, the [[Newcastle Steelworks]] opened, beginning a period of some 80 years dominating the steel works and heavy industry. As Mayfield and the suburbs surrounding the steelworks declined in popularity because of pollution, the steelworks thrived, becoming the region's largest employer.

==Government and politics==
[[File:Newcastle Town Hall - 50732203368.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Newcastle City Hall (Australia)|Newcastle City Hall]]]]With its history as a traditionally working-class area, Newcastle has been a stronghold for the [[centre-left]] [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]] at all levels of politics since [[Federation (Australia)|Federation]]. Labor currently holds every federal and state seat that overlaps at least partially with Newcastle.

The only area of Greater Newcastle where the [[centre-right]] [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] has ever been consistently competitive is the [[Port Stephens (New South Wales)|Port Stephens]] region in the north of the Newcastle metropolitan area, as well as in some beachside, middle-class suburbs near the Newcastle CBD such as [[Bar Beach, New South Wales|Bar Beach]] and [[Merewether, New South Wales|Merewether]]. The Port Stephens area is traditionally marginal and while historically was dominated by Labor, has been won by the Liberals.

One time the Liberals did win seats in Newcastle was at the [[2011 New South Wales state election|2011 state election]]. At this election, the [[incumbent]] [[New South Wales Labor Party|Labor]] government, led by then-[[Premier of New South Wales|Premier]] [[Kristina Keneally]], was defeated by the [[New South Wales Liberal Party|Liberal]]-[[National Party of Australia|National]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]], led by then-[[Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)|Opposition Leader]] [[Barry O'Farrell]], in a [[landslide victory|landslide]], suffering the worst ever defeat of a sitting government in New South Wales history and (at the time) the worst defeat of a sitting government anywhere in Australia since [[World War II]]. Labor won just 20 seats in the [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly]]; of these, only two ([[Electoral district of Cessnock|Cessnock]] and [[Electoral district of Wallsend|Wallsend]]) were in the [[Hunter Region]]. Before the election, the Liberal Party only held one seat in the entire Hunter Region (the seat of [[Electoral district of Port Stephens|Port Stephens]], which the party narrowly gained from Labor in [[2007 New South Wales state election|2007]]). However, at the subsequent state election in [[2015 New South Wales state election|2015]], although the Coalition retained [[majority government]] (and subsequently retained government again in [[2019 New South Wales state election|2019]] before Labor formed a [[minority government]] in [[2023 New South Wales state election|2023]]), the party lost all of its Hunter-based seats.[[File:Newcastle courthouse OIC.jpg|thumb|[[Newcastle Court House]]]]There are three [[Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives|federal electoral divisions]] that are mostly or entirely within Greater Newcastle: [[Division of Newcastle|Newcastle]] (covering the inner-city suburbs; this seat has only ever elected Labor MPs since it was created in [[List of Australian electorates contested at every election|1901]]), [[Division of Paterson|Paterson]] (covering the Port Stephens area as well as the nearby city of [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]] and the town of [[Kurri Kurri]]; this seat is currently a marginal Labor seat that the Liberals have won previously, though it historically included more rural areas and did not include Maitland or Kurri Kurri) and [[Division of Shortland|Shortland]] (a fairly safe Labor seat that includes the eastern suburbs of the [[Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)|Lake Macquarie]] region in southern Newcastle, and extends to the far northeastern suburbs of the [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]]). The traditionally Labor-held seat of [[Division of Hunter|Hunter]] (now a marginal Labor seat) is based around the western portion of the [[Hunter Region|Hunter]], but includes some western and Southern suburbs of Newcastle.

On the state level, there are five [[Electoral districts of New South Wales|electoral districts]] that are located entirely within Greater Newcastle; of these, four ([[Electoral district of Charlestown|Charlestown]], [[Electoral district of Newcastle|Newcastle]], [[Electoral district of Port Stephens|Port Stephens]] and [[Electoral district of Swansea|Swansea]]) are Labor seats while the remaining seat ([[Electoral district of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]]) is held by an [[Independent politicians in Australia|independent]].

Greater Newcastle also includes five [[Local government areas of New South Wales|local government area]]s (LGAs): the [[City of Newcastle]], the [[City of Lake Macquarie]], the [[City of Cessnock]], the [[City of Maitland]] and the [[Port Stephens Council]].

==Education==

===Primary and secondary schools===
[[File:Wickham Public School.jpg|thumb|Wickham Public School]]

[[Newcastle High School (Australia)|Newcastle High School]], which was formed by the merger of three schools, traces its lineage to a secondary school section initially founded on the grounds of Newcastle East Public School.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

There are three selective state schools in the area:{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
*[[Hunter School of the Performing Arts]], a fully selective Years 3–12 school, taking students only by audition
*[[Merewether High School]], a fully selective high school in the suburb of [[Broadmeadow]]
*Hunter Sports High School, a partially selective sporting high school, accepting around half its students from the local area and around half by audition

The two main independent schools in Newcastle are [[Newcastle Grammar School, New South Wales|Newcastle Grammar School]] and [[St Philip's Christian College]], both coeducational K–12 schools.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

The local area is also home to two [[Steiner school]]s: the Newcastle Waldorf School at Glendale in [[Lake Macquarie]], and the Linuwel Steiner School in [[East Maitland]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
[[File:University of Newcastle.jpg|thumb|The [[University of Newcastle (Australia)|University of Newcastle]]'s city campus]]

===Tertiary and further education===
The city's main provider of tertiary education is the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]]. It was established in 1951 as a satellite campus of the [[University of New South Wales]] and obtained autonomy in 1965. The university now offers over 150 undergraduate and graduate courses to a student population of more than 38,000, including 7,000 international students from more than 113 countries. The main campus is in the suburb of [[Callaghan, New South Wales|Callaghan]] about {{cvt|12|km|0}} from the [[Central business district|CBD]].

There are three campuses of the [[TAFE NSW|Hunter Institute of TAFE]], one located in the Newcastle CBD, one in the suburb of [[Hamilton East, New South Wales|Hamilton East]] and the other located in the suburb of [[Tighes Hill]]. The Tighes Hill campus is the network's largest campus and offers courses in business, hospitality and various trades.<ref>{{cite web |title=TAFE NSW Hunter Institute – Newcastle Campus |url=http://www.hunter.tafensw.edu.au/on-campus/Pages/Newcastle_Campus_Profile.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629122849/http://www.hunter.tafensw.edu.au/on-campus/Pages/Newcastle_Campus_Profile.aspx |archive-date=29 June 2012 |access-date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Hunter tafensw education Australia}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Captain James Cook Memorial Fountain and Library.jpg|thumb|The Captain James James Cook Memorial Fountain fronts the Newcastle Library.]]

===Festivals===
Newcastle holds a variety of cultural events and festivals.

The [[Newcastle Regional Show]] is held in the Newcastle Showground annually. There are a mixture of typical regional show elements such as woodchopping displays, showbags, rides and stalls and usually fireworks to complement the events in the main arena.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nellie Ayres |date=25 October 2007 |title=Show must go on |url=http://newcastle.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/show-must-go-on/1075275.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711003328/http://newcastle.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/show-must-go-on/1075275.html |archive-date=11 July 2012 |access-date=13 April 2008 |publisher=Yourguide Australia (reprinted from The Newcastle Star) }}<br />{{cite web |title=Newcastle Regional Show website |url=http://www.newcastleshow.com.au/ |access-date=15 October 2008 |publisher=Newcastle A.H. & I. Association Inc. |archive-date=11 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211123339/http://www.newcastleshow.com.au/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:The Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle CBD, I (7405739078).jpg|thumb|The Great Northern Hotel]]
The [[Mattara festival]], founded in 1961, is the official festival of Newcastle with a more traditional "country fair" type program that combines a parade, rides, sporting events, band competitions and portrait and landscape painting exhibitions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22460|title=Mattara Festival 4–12&nbsp;October 2008|publisher=[[Newcastle City Council]]|access-date=15 October 2008|archive-date=14 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714131859/http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22460|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mattara means "hand of friendship" in the local [[Awabakal language]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=2020-08-27|title=Mattara Festival to find a sunnier spot on the calendar|url=https://newcastleweekly.com.au/mattara-festival-to-find-a-sunnier-spot-on-the-calendar/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Newcastle Weekly|language=en-AU|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816184017/https://newcastleweekly.com.au/mattara-festival-to-find-a-sunnier-spot-on-the-calendar/|url-status=live}}</ref> Originally held at Civic Park and then moved to Newcastle foreshore in 2006<ref name=":0" /> In 2017 the festival was moved to [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]] Park.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bielby|first=Nick|date=2017-10-06|title=Mattara Festival may have new permanent home|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4970827/mattara-festival-may-have-new-permanent-home/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Newcastle Herald|language=en-AU|archive-date=18 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818030709/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4970827/mattara-festival-may-have-new-permanent-home/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Newcastle Jazz Festival]] is held across three days in August, and attracts performers and audiences from all over Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22525|title=Newcastle Jazz Festival 28–30&nbsp;August 2009|publisher=[[Newcastle City Council]]|access-date=15 October 2008|archive-date=14 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714131914/http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22525|url-status=dead}}<br />{{cite web|url=http://www.newcastlejazz.com.au/|title=Newcastle Jazz|publisher=Newcastle Jazz Club|access-date=10 November 2010|archive-date=24 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024014501/http://www.newcastlejazz.com.au/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first festival was held in September 1988 as part the NSW Bicentenital Festival of Music which was organised by the Newcastle Jazz Action Society.<ref>{{cite web|last=Saxon|first=Doug|date=2017-08-24|title=Thirty years of all that jazz|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4871835/thirty-years-of-all-that-jazz/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=Newcastle Herald|language=en-AU|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927190714/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4871835/thirty-years-of-all-that-jazz/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival]], first started in Newcastle in 1999. This is the film festival where film-makers come together in one place to make a short film in 24 hours. It is run annually in July.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22115|title=The Shoot Out Film Festival 11–13&nbsp;July 2008|publisher=[[Newcastle City Council]]|access-date=15 October 2008|archive-date=14 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714131854/http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/accom_result1.asp?Code=22115|url-status=dead}}<br />{{cite web|url=http://www.theshootout.com.au/newcastle|title=The Shoot Out – Newcastle|access-date=15 October 2008|archive-date=19 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719153104/http://www.theshootout.com.au/newcastle/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[This Is Not Art]] is a national festival of new media and arts held in Newcastle each year over the October long weekend. Since its humble beginnings in 1998, it has become one of the leading arts festivals in Australia dedicated to the work and ideas of communities not included in other major Australian arts festivals. The umbrella program includes the independent festivals Electrofringe, the [[National Young Writers' Festival]], Critical Animals, [[Sound Summit]], Crack Theatre Festival and other projects that vary from year to year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/arts/1137605802573/This+is+not+Art|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714102810/http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/arts/1137605802573/This+is+not+Art|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 July 2012|title=This is not Art Editorial Review|publisher=citysearch Sydney|access-date=15 October 2008}}</ref>

The Newcastle Entertainment Centre, located inside the Newcastle Showground is a popular venue for regular events including wrestling, concerts and monster truck shows.

===Music===
Newcastle has an active youth music culture, as well as a Conservatorium of Music which is part of the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]]. It continues to support local bands and has a large underground music scene. The members of [[Silverchair]], the highly successful Australian band, hail from Newcastle, as do the Australian bands [[The Screaming Jets]] and [[Vacations (band)]].<ref name="SMHArts">{{cite news|title=Up north, it was a hotbed of talent|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292586944.html?from=storyrhs|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=8 October 2003|access-date=25 October 2007|archive-date=21 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021070935/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292586944.html?from=storyrhs|url-status=live}}</ref> It has a fertile [[punk rock]] and hardcore scene, which has spawned successful local acts and national acts. Newcastle was also home to the short-lived band Velvet Underground (no relation to the famous American band [[The Velvet Underground]]) which featured future [[AC/DC]] guitarist [[Malcolm Young]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NewcastleBandsDatabase – Velvet Underground |url=http://www.newcastlebandsdatabase.com.au/bands/VelvetUndergroundP.html |access-date=18 January 2019 |website=newcastlebandsdatabase Australia |archive-date=26 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326141300/http://newcastlebandsdatabase.com.au/bands/VelvetUndergroundP.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The region also has its own youth marching band, the Marching Koalas, in which Silverchair drummer [[Ben Gillies]] began his drumming career.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} [[Danielle Marsh]], a member of the world-famous South Korean [[K-pop]] girl group [[New Jeans|NewJeans]], as well has her older sister and singer Olivia Marsh, also hails from Newcastle.

===Visual arts and galleries===
Notable [[modernist art]]ists associated with Newcastle are [[seascape]] sketcher [[Shay Docking]] (1928–1998), the [[cubist]]-influenced [[abstract painter]] William Rose (1929–1999), landscape painter [[John Olsen (Australian artist)|John Olsen]], who was born in Newcastle in 1928, [[still-life]] painter [[Margaret Olley]], [[portraitist]] [[William Dobell]] and [[figurative painter]] John Montefiore lived at Lake Macquarie to the south of the city. Art collector William Bowmore resided in Newcastle and collected [[Brett Whiteley]] paintings as well as owning a large collection of international art and artefacts. The Von Bertouch Galleries was a commercial gallery founded by [[Anne Von Bertouch]] and for more than forty years from 1963 exhibited nationally and locally known artists.<ref name="SMHArts" />

The [[Newcastle Art Gallery]] is home to one of Australia's most substantial public art collections outside a major capital city, and its extensive collection of works by contemporary and historical Australian visual artists presents an overview of Australian art. Due to an ongoing space issue, the gallery is planning a major redevelopment. The Lock Up is a multidisciplinary contemporary art space located in the inner city and hosts local, national and international artists to exhibit in the historic former Newcastle Police station.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Lock Up – About|url=http://www.thelockup.org.au/about|access-date=28 September 2020|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925143504/https://www.thelockup.org.au/about|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Theatre===
Newcastle has a variety of smaller theatres, but the main theatre in the CBD is now the ''[[Newcastle Civic Theatre|Civic]]'', at Wheeler Place, (seating capacity about 1,500), one of Australia's great historic theatres built during 1929 in [[Art Deco]] style. It hosts a wide range of musicals, plays, concerts, dance and other events each year. Newcastle previously boasted several large theatres, among them the oldest purpose-built theatre in Australia, the [[Victoria Theatre (Newcastle)|Victoria Theatre]] on Perkins Street (built 1876, capacity 1,750), saw touring international opera companies such as the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company]], and other troupes, and played host to some of the greatest stars of the age, such as [[Dame Nellie Melba]], [[Gladys Moncrieff]] and [[Richard Tauber]] (it is now closed and derelict); the ''Century'', Nineways, [[Broadmeadow]] (built 1941, capacity 1,800)—although largely used as a cinema—was a popular Symphony orchestra venue (demolished 1990 after being severely damaged by the 1989 earthquake); the ''Hunter'' (capacity 1,000) at The Junction, had advanced modern stage facilities, but was eventually sold and demolished to make way for a motel that was destroyed by the 1989 earthquake. The decline in theatres and cinemas from the 1960s onwards was blamed on television.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Newcastle has also been home to noted Australian actors, comedians and entertainers, including [[Sarah Wynter]], [[John Doyle (comedian)|John Doyle]] (part of comic act [[Roy & HG]]), [[Susie Porter]], [[Celia Ireland]], [[Yahoo Serious]] and [[Jonathan Biggins]]. The cast of the [[Tap Dogs]] show also come from Newcastle.<ref name="SMHArts" />

===Media arts===
Newcastle is home to the [[Octapod]] Association, a New Media Arts collective established in 1996. Octapod presents the annual [[This Is Not Art]] Festival and is also home to the Podspace Gallery.
[[File:Honeysuckle Railway Workshops (2).jpg|thumb|[[Newcastle Museum]]]]

===Museums===
The [[Newcastle Museum]] was founded in 1988 in the former headquarters of the Great Northern Railway and stewards local history, culture, industry and science. It features permanent exhibitions relating to coal mining and steel production, Aboriginal history and the area's history, as well as a hands-on science centre.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q1uVAgAAQBAJ|title=Fodor's Australia|last=Fodor's|date=8 July 2014|publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications|isbn=9780804142489|language=en}}</ref>

=== Libraries ===
Newcastle has a [[public library]] system, [[Newcastle Libraries]]. The main branch is in the Newcastle War Memorial and Cultural Centre, and opened in 1957.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1957-10-22 |title=Library opens in centre |work=Newcastle Morning Herald}}</ref> There are eleven branches: Adamstown, Beresfield, The Digital Library (Newcastle West), Hamilton, Lambton, The Local History Library, Mayfield, New Lambton (with the Newcastle Toy Library), Stockton, and Wallsend.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Branches |url=https://newcastlelibraries.com.au/Connect/Visit/Our-Branches |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=newcastlelibraries |language=en}}</ref> The library has a [[collective collection|collaborative collection]] with the libraries at [[Dungog Shire|Dungog]] and [[Port Stephens Council|Port Stephens]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=About our library |url=https://www.dungog.nsw.gov.au/Community/Library-Home/About-our-library |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.dungog.nsw.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Port Stephens |date=2021-11-29 |title=Mobile Library |url=https://www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/services/library/mobile-library |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> Though Newcastle Libraries are [[lending libraries]], The stack (City Library basement) has over 100,000 non-lending items which include old [[Newcastle Herald|Newcastle Morning Heralds]], [[NBN (TV station)|NBN]] film reels, land title documents, maps, and limited edition books.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Jacqui |date=2016-08-02 |title=Library opens basement to uncover rare archives |work=Newcastle Morning Herald}}</ref>

The Auchmuty Library at the University of Newcastle is also open to the public, though only students may borrow items.

==Transport==
[[File:Newcastle Interchange 2022.jpg|alt=|thumb|The [[Newcastle Interchange]] is a major interchange for commuter rail, light rail and buses.]]
Like most major cities, the Newcastle metropolitan area has an extensive system of both road links and road based public transport services (bus, taxi etc.) which cover most areas of both [[City of Newcastle|Newcastle]] and [[City of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]] and which extend beyond the metropolitan area itself. Rail transport, however, is accessible to only a relatively small percentage of the population along the major rail transport routes and ferry services are restricted to those commuting between Newcastle and [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]]. Within the metropolitan area the car remains the dominant form of transportation. Newcastle, like all major Australian urban centres, had a [[Trams in Newcastle, New South Wales|tram system]], but it was closed in 1950. In February 2019, trams returned to the city with the opening of the [[Newcastle Light Rail]].<ref>[https://transportnsw.info/news/2019/light-rail-in-newcastle-opening-from-monday-18-february Light rail in Newcastle opening from Monday 18 February] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204122512/https://transportnsw.info/news/2019/light-rail-in-newcastle-opening-from-monday-18-february |date=4 February 2019 }} [[Transport for NSW]] 3 February 2019</ref>

===Road===
Newcastle is connected to surrounding cities by the [[Pacific Motorway (Sydney-Newcastle)|Pacific Motorway]] (south), [[Hunter Expressway]] (west), [[New England Highway]] (west) and the [[Pacific Highway, Australia|Pacific Highway]] (north and south). [[Hunter Street, Newcastle|Hunter Street]] is the main shopping street in the Newcastle CBD and, along with King Street, is one of the major links to the Pacific Highway from the CBD. King Street provides direct access to the [[Newcastle Link Road]] and then the Pacific Motorway and Hunter Expressway.

===Bus===
[[File:Newcastle State Transit Bustech Volvo B7RLE bus.jpg|thumb|[[Newcastle Buses & Ferries]] [[Bustech]] bodied [[Volvo B7RLE]] operating the Hamilton shuttle route in 2016]]
{{Main|Buses in Newcastle, New South Wales}}

Bus services within Newcastle are operated by [[Newcastle Transport]]. Prior to July 2017, these were operated by [[Newcastle Buses & Ferries]]. [[Hunter Valley Buses]], [[Port Stephens Coaches]] and [[Rover Coaches]] also operate services into the CBD from other parts of the Hunter Region.

The network radiates from a bus terminal at [[Newcastle Interchange]]. Major interchanges are located at the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]], [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]], [[Glendale, New South Wales|Glendale]], [[Warners Bay]], [[Belmont, New South Wales|Belmont]], [[Charlestown Square]] and [[Westfield Kotara]].

[[Greyhound Australia]], [[Premier Transport Group#Premier Motor Service|Premier Motor Service]] and [[Sid Fogg's]] long-distance services serve Newcastle.

===Rail===
The Newcastle area is serviced by two [[NSW TrainLink]] intercity lines providing local and regional commuter services terminating at [[Newcastle Interchange]] along the [[Newcastle railway line|Newcastle line]]. The [[Central Coast & Newcastle Line]] has twice-hourly train services to Sydney and the [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]]. The [[Hunter Line]] has twice-hourly services to [[Maitland railway station|Maitland]] and less frequently to [[Scone railway station|Scone]] and [[Dungog railway station|Dungog]]. Two long-distance lines operate through the Newcastle area using [[Broadmeadow railway station|Broadmeadow station]]. These provide services to [[Moree railway station|Moree]], [[Armidale railway station|Armidale]], [[Roma Street railway station|Brisbane]] and Sydney.
[[File:Honeysuckle Light Rail Stop.jpg|thumb|The [[Newcastle Light Rail]] line at [[Honeysuckle, Newcastle|Honeysuckle]]]]
Newcastle once had rail passenger services to [[Belmont, New South Wales|Belmont]] and [[Toronto, New South Wales|Toronto]], on [[Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)|Lake Macquarie]], [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]], [[Kurri Kurri]] and several towns and villages between Maitland and [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]] on the [[South Maitland Railway]], but these lines have been closed. In the late-1990s there was intense debate about the future of the rail line into central Newcastle.

In December 2014, the Newcastle line was curtailed to [[Hamilton railway station, New South Wales|Hamilton]].<ref>[https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/2784964/last-train-leaves-newcastle-station-video/?cs=303 Last train leaves Newcastle station] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225213501/http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2784964/last-train-leaves-newcastle-station-video/?cs=303 |date=2014-12-25}} ''[[Newcastle Herald]]'' 26 December 2014</ref> A new [[Newcastle Interchange]] opened on 15 October 2017.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 October 2017 |title=Timetable changes Central Coast & Newcastle Line and Hunter Line |url=https://transportnsw.info/news/2017/timetable-change-central-coast-newcastle-line-hunter-line |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013053717/https://transportnsw.info/news/2017/timetable-change-central-coast-newcastle-line-hunter-line |archive-date=13 October 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017 |publisher=[[Transport for NSW]]}}</ref> The [[Newcastle Light Rail]] line also operates from here.<ref>[http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects-wickham-transport-interchange Wickham Transport Interchange] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615190205/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects-wickham-transport-interchange |date=15 June 2016 }} Transport for NSW</ref><ref>[http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/newcastle-light-rail-announced Newcastle Light Rail Announced] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524032522/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/newcastle-light-rail-announced |date=24 May 2014 }} Transport for NSW 23 May 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/05/23/4010610.htm Light rail route for city finally unveiled] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515050318/http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/05/23/4010610.htm |date=15 May 2017 }} ''ABC News'' 23 May 2014</ref>

From 1924 until 1994, [[Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot]] was the main railway centre for the Hunter region. [[Cardiff Locomotive Workshops]] opened in 1928, primarily as a major repair centre for [[New South Wales Government Railways]] locomotives, although it did build twelve [[New South Wales C38 class locomotive|38 class]] and two [[New South Wales D58 class locomotive|58 class]] locomotives. Today it is operated by [[Downer Rail]] and along with [[UGL Rail]]'s Broadmeadow plant, remains active as a locomotive and rolling stock manufacturer and repairer.

===Water===
[[File:Stockton Ferry Shortland (21944434600).jpg|thumb|The [[Stockton ferry service|Stockton Ferry]]]]
The [[Port of Newcastle]] is crucial to the economic life of Newcastle and the Hunter Valley region beyond. Over 90 million tonnes of coal is shipped through the facility each year—making it the largest coal exporting port in the world.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jessica Darnbrough |date=21 January 2009 |title=Newcastle takes world's largest coal exporter crown |url=http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/newcastle-takes-world-s-largest-coal-exporter-crow |access-date=9 April 2015 |publisher=Mining Australia |archive-date=14 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414095945/http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/newcastle-takes-world-s-largest-coal-exporter-crow |url-status=live }}</ref> The Port of Newcastle claims to be Australia's first port. Coal was first exported from the harbour in 1799.

Newcastle Transport operates a [[Stockton ferry service|ferry service]] across the Hunter River between Newcastle's CBD and Stockton.

===Airport===
[[Newcastle Airport, New South Wales|Newcastle Airport]] is located {{cvt|15|km|0}} north of the Newcastle CBD ({{cvt|27|km|0|disp=sqbr}} by road). The airport, which is a joint venture between [[City of Newcastle|Newcastle City Council]] and [[Port Stephens Council]], has experienced rapid growth since 2000 as a result of an increase in [[low-cost airline]] operations. The airport is located at [[RAAF Base Williamtown]], a [[Royal Australian Air Force]] base on land leased from the [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]].<ref>{{cite web |date=24 June 2005 |title=Media Release: Lease Extended For Newcastle Airport |url=http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2005/10605.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907180140/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au//2005/10605.doc |archive-date=7 September 2007 |access-date=11 April 2008 |publisher=[[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for Defence]] |format=DOC}};<br />{{cite web |date=24 June 2006 |title=Lease Term Extended For Newcastle Airport At RAAF Base Williamtown |url=http://www.patersononline.com/cgi-bin/engine.pl?Page=page.html&Rec=653 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611183934/http://www.patersononline.com/cgi-bin/engine.pl?Page=page.html&Rec=653 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=11 June 2008 |access-date=11 April 2008 |publisher=[[Bob Baldwin (politician)|Bob Baldwin]]}}</ref>

Newcastle Heliport operates alongside the lower section of Newcastle Harbour.

The suburb of [[Broadmeadow]] is home to the base of the [[Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service – Base and Hangars |url=http://www.rescuehelicopter.com.au/operations/base |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721162828/http://www.rescuehelicopter.com.au/operations/base |archive-date=21 July 2008 |access-date=24 September 2008 |publisher=[[Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service]]}}</ref> The Helicopter service is one of the longest running services of this type in the world. Two helicopters operate out of this base and operate 24 hours a day.

The closure of [[Belmont Airport]], commonly referred to as Aeropelican, in the [[City of Lake Macquarie|Lake Macquarie]] suburb of [[Marks Point, New South Wales|Marks Point]] has caused Williamtown to become Newcastle's only major airport and residents in the south of the Newcastle metropolitan area must commute up to {{cvt|55|km|0}} by car to reach Williamtown.

==Sport==

===Rugby league===
Rugby league is the most popular sport in Newcastle, with the [[Newcastle Knights]] representing the city in the [[National Rugby League]]. The Knights play at the 33,000-capacity [[McDonald Jones Stadium]], situated in the suburb of {{NSWcity|New Lambton}}.

The [[Newcastle Rugby League]] holds local club competition and has done so since the early 1900s. Touring domestic and international teams would play against Newcastle's representative team which was made up of players from this league. The [[Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League]] is a community competition also based in the region which was created from a merger in 2007 of leagues which ran under various names since the mid-20th century, and is the largest community rugby league competition anywhere in the world. It generally features smaller teams compared to the Newcastle Rugby League.

McDonald Jones Stadium hosted the [[2016 Anzac Test]] between [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] and [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]].<ref>[http://www.nrl.com/representative-round-newcastle-to-host-test/tabid/10874/newsid/91436/default.aspx Representative Round: Newcastle to host Test] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008235554/http://www.nrl.com/representative-round-newcastle-to-host-test/tabid/10874/newsid/91436/default.aspx |date=8 October 2016 }} National Rugby League 25 January 2016</ref>

=== Football (Soccer) ===
[[File:MCDONALD JONES STADIUM.jpg|thumb|[[McDonald Jones Stadium]] is home to the [[Newcastle Jets FC]], and hosts major sporting events such as the [[A-League Men|A-League]]]]<!-- Do not change the heading to "football"! Australian articles use "soccer", which is the common name in Australia, to differentiate between it and Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian Rules football, other popular codes in Australia that are also called "football". This decision is the result of wide consensus. Accordingly, changing "soccer" to "football" will be treated as vandalism and reverted. -->
{{Main|Newcastle Jets FC}}

The [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets Football Club]], which plays in Australia's highest-level [[Soccer in Australia|soccer]] competition, the [[A-League]], also play at [[McDonald Jones Stadium]]. The Newcastle Jets won the A-League competition in their third season, defeating local rivals the [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]] in the grand final.

The city also played host to four games of the [[2015 AFC Asian Cup]], including the semi-final between Australia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the third-place playoff between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.

===Basketball===
Newcastle has had two teams in the top tier of Australian Men's basketball, the [[National Basketball League (Australia)|National Basketball League]]. They were the [[Newcastle Falcons (basketball)|Newcastle Falcons (NBL)]] and later the [[Hunter Pirates]]. Both teams folded due to financial difficulties. Newcastle is still represented in the 2nd tier, the [[NBL1 East|NBL1]]. The [[Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium|Newcastle Basketball]] club field Men's and Women's teams, using the [[Newcastle Falcons (NBL1 East)|Newcastle Falcons (NBL1)]] name again.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keeble |first=Brett |date=2022-08-14 |title=Newcastle Falcons clinch home-court advantage in NBL1 East basketball finals |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7860283/newcastle-falcons-clinch-home-court-advantage-in-nbl1-east-basketball-finals/ |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=Newcastle Herald |language=en-AU |archive-date=18 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118024757/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7860283/newcastle-falcons-clinch-home-court-advantage-in-nbl1-east-basketball-finals/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The city co-hosted the [[1985 FIBA Oceania Championship]] where [[Australia's national basketball team]] won its seventh straight title.

===Cricket===
A bid for Newcastle to establish a 2012 team in the national Twenty20 competition the [[Big Bash League]], with games played at either [[Hunter Stadium]] or No.1 Sports Ground was unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/still-hope-for-newcastle-twenty20-team/3770902|title=Still hope for Newcastle Twenty20 team|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]|date=13 January 2012|access-date=30 March 2012|archive-date=14 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114063403/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-13/still-hope-for-newcastle-twenty20-team/3770902|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Australian rules===
The sport of [[Australian rules]] is played in Newcastle and administered by [[AFL Hunter Central Coast]]. [[Australian Football League]] (AFL) pre-season matches have been held at the No.1 Sports Ground.

===Rugby union===
[[Rugby union]] is a football code that has been played in Newcastle since at least 1869, with the Newcastle Football Club formed in 1877.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mulford|first=John|title=Guardians of the Game: "The History of the New South Wales Rugby Union 1874–2004|url=http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Guardians-of-Game-John-G-Mulford-John-E-Moulton/9780733316258|access-date=11 May 2013|year=2005|location=Sydney|isbn=0-7333-1625-5|archive-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025073738/http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Guardians-of-Game-John-G-Mulford-John-E-Moulton/9780733316258|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Newcastle and Hunter Rugby Union]] is the main body overseeing the sport in the region. In 2019, the [[New South Wales Waratahs]] of the professional [[Super Rugby]] competition played a competition match in Newcastle at [[Hunter Stadium]] for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waratahs announce Newcastle Super Rugby game |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/10/23/waratahs-announce-newcastle-super-rugby-game/ |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=Theroar Australia |archive-date=11 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311055850/https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/10/23/waratahs-announce-newcastle-super-rugby-game/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Horse racing===
[[Broadmeadow Racecourse]] is in the suburb of [[Broadmeadow]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Newcastle Racecourse | website=Newcastle Racecourse | date=16 March 2020 | url=https://www.newcastleracecourse.com.au/locations/newcastle-racecourse/ | access-date=17 October 2022 | archive-date=17 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017062745/https://www.newcastleracecourse.com.au/locations/newcastle-racecourse/ | url-status=live }}</ref> It is home to the Newcastle Jockey Club, established in 1907,<ref>{{cite web | title=Newcastle Jockey Club: Our history | website=Newcastle Racecourse | date=26 August 2020 | url=https://www.newcastleracecourse.com.au/newcastle-jockey-club/ | access-date=17 October 2022 | archive-date=17 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017062814/https://www.newcastleracecourse.com.au/newcastle-jockey-club/ | url-status=live }}</ref> which ({{as of| 2016|lc=yes}}) races 35 times annually at the spacious {{Convert|2000|m|0|adj=on}} turf track with a {{Convert|415|m|0|adj=on}} home straight. It is the venue for three [[Group races|Group 3]] races: in March is the {{convert|1400|m|mi|adj=on}} [[Newcastle Newmarket Handicap]]; and in September the 1,400-metre [[Cameron Handicap]], and the {{convert|2300|m|mi|adj=on}} [[Newcastle Gold Cup]]. In 2015 work an inner track, known as the Beaumont Track, was added.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.racingnsw.com.au/site/_content/document/00001429-source.pdf|title=Beaumont Track (Newcastle)|date=2015|access-date=11 September 2016|work=Racing NSW (Aus.)|archive-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316003325/http://www.racingnsw.com.au/site/_content/document/00001429-source.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Aboriginal Australian|Aboriginal]] jockey [[Merv Maynard]] commenced his career at Newcastle Racecourse, under Keith Tinson.<ref name="jm1998">{{cite journal | last=Maynard | first=John | title=Aboriginal stars of the pigskin | journal=[[Aboriginal History]] | publisher=ANU Press | volume=22 | year=1998 | issn=0314-8769 | jstor=24046163 | pages=116–142 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/24046163 | access-date=17 October 2022 | archive-date=17 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017051638/https://www.jstor.org/stable/24046163 | url-status=live }}</ref> Maynard enjoyed his first success in the 1948–49 season there, and went on to have a career spanning 50 years,<ref name="turf">{{cite web |last=Maynard |first=John |date=1 June 2016 |title=The Indigenous contribution to the Australian turf |url=https://www.punters.com.au/news/the-indigenous-contribution-to-the-australian-turf-20160601/ |access-date=17 October 2022 |website=Punters Australia |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017014457/https://www.punters.com.au/news/the-indigenous-contribution-to-the-australian-turf-20160601/ |url-status=live }}</ref> winning the Newcastle Premiership twice, along with 1,500 winning rides in four countries.<ref>{{cite web | last=Callinan | first=Josh | title=Maynard remembered as trail blazing jockey of era | website=[[Newcastle Herald]] | date=13 April 2017 | url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4597864/maynard-remembered-as-trail-blazing-jockey-of-era/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015011248/https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4597864/maynard-remembered-as-trail-blazing-jockey-of-era/ | archive-date=15 October 2022 | url-status=live | access-date=15 October 2022}}</ref>

===Ice hockey and skating===
The [[Newcastle North Stars]] are Newcastle's representatives in the [[Australian Ice Hockey League]] championships. Originally based in [[Newcastle West, New South Wales|Newcastle West]] in the 1970 and '80s, the North Stars now play out of the [[Hunter Ice Skating Stadium]] in [[Warners Bay]].

===Motorsport===
[[File:Reynolds 2018 Newcastle 500.jpg|thumb|Newcastle hosts the [[Newcastle 500]] [[Supercars Championship|Supercars]] race.]]
Newcastle hosted the final round of the [[Supercars Championship]] in 2017. The [[Newcastle 500]] is held on the [[Newcastle Street Circuit]] in the East End of the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Supercars confirms five-year Newcastle deal |publisher=speedcafe. |url=http://www.speedcafe.com/2016/09/27/supercars-confirms-five-year-newcastle-deal/ |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=28 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928171258/http://www.speedcafe.com/2016/09/27/supercars-confirms-five-year-newcastle-deal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The city previously hosted the [[Mattara Hillclimb]] which was held in King Edward Park, and has hosted the [[F1 Offshore Powerboats]] in the harbour.

===Netball===
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2023}}
The [[Hunter Jaegers]] ([[Commonwealth Bank Trophy]] – [[Netball]]) were based at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. They became defunct in 2007 after merging with the Sydney Swifts to become the [[New South Wales Swifts]]. Officially opened in June 1992, the Entertainment Centre offers 5,000 square metres of clear-span floor space and is capable of catering for capacities from 2,000 to 6,500 for entertainment-style events. The Centre was built to house the now-defunct [[Newcastle Falcons (basketball)|Newcastle Falcons]] [[National Basketball League (Australia)|National Basketball League]] team and was also home to the [[Hunter Pirates]] before a lack of sponsorship forced them to close after the 2005–06 season, with the licence sold to the [[Singapore Slingers]]. The Slingers played one home game at the Centre during the 2006–07 season.

===Water sports===
[[File:1 bar beach, newcastle.JPG|thumb|Bar Beach, south of the Newcastle CBD, is a popular swimming and surfing beach.]]
Newcastle has an abundance of beaches and surf breaks for which the city is internationally well known. Newcastle hosts the annual surfing contest [[Surfest]] on the world professional surfing tour. Four-time world champion surfer [[Mark Richards (surfer)|Mark Richards]] grew up surfing at Newcastle's Merewether Beach, and is a local icon, appearing at many local functions, and supporting local charities. Nobbys Beach is a very popular [[kitesurfing]] spot, especially during the warm summer months when there are north-easterly sea breezes.

==Media==
Newcastle is served by a daily [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]], ''[[The Newcastle Herald|The Herald]]'' (formerly ''The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate'' and then ''The Newcastle Herald''), several weeklies including the ''[[Newcastle Star]]'', ''The Post'' and the bi-monthly ''The Hunter Advocate''.

Other alternative media in the city include the university's student publications ''[[Opus (University of Newcastle magazine)|Opus]]'' and ''Yak'' magazine,<ref>{{cite web |date=13 February 2012 |title=Yak Magazine — UoN Services |url=http://uonservices.org.au/entertain-u/yak-magazine |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704144746/http://uonservices.org.au/entertain-u/yak-magazine |archive-date=4 July 2012 |access-date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Uonservices Australia}}</ref> ''Newcastle Mirage'' (a local arts and culture zine)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newcastlemirage.com/ |title=Newcastle Mirage |date=7 February 2018 |website= |access-date=1 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207122210/https://www.newcastlemirage.com/ |archive-date=7 February 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and ''Urchin'' (a [[zine]] published by the media and arts organisation [[Octapod]]).

The city is also served by several local radio stations, including those owned by the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] and SBS.
*AM stations
** [[2HD]] (commercial) 1143 AM – Australia's second oldest existing radio station.
** Radio 1629 Newcastle (off band commercial) 1629 AM
*FM stations
**[[Triple M Newcastle]] (commercial) 102.9 FM
** [[hit106.9 Newcastle]] (commercial) 106.9 FM
** [[New FM]] (commercial) 105.3 FM
** [[2NUR]] (community) 103.7 FM
** [[Rhema FM Newcastle]] (Christian) 99.7 FM
*Government broadcasters
** [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]
*** [[ABC Newcastle]] local radio 1233 AM
*** [[ABC Radio National]] 1512 AM
*** [[ABC NewsRadio]] (News and Parliament) 1458 AM
*** [[Triple J]] (youth station) 102.1 FM
*** [[ABC Classic FM]] (classical music) 106.1 FM
** [[Special Broadcasting Service]]
*** [[SBS Radio]] (foreign-language service) 1413 AM
*Narrowcast stations
** [[Sky Sports Radio]] (as part of statewide network) 1341 AM
** [[Newy 87.8 FM]]
** [[Raw FM (Australian radio network)|Raw FM]] 88.0 FM
Newcastle is also served by five television networks, three commercial and two national services:

* [[NBN (TV station)|Nine Northern NSW]] – [[Nine Network]] owned and operated. [[Regional television in Australia#Aggregation|Pre-aggregation]], [[NBN Television]] was the incumbent commercial station in the Newcastle region.
* [[NRN|10 Northern NSW]] – [[Network 10]] owned and operated
* [[NEN (TV station)|Seven Northern NSW]] – [[Seven Network]] owned and operated
* [[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|ABC Television]]
* [[SBS Television]]
 
Nine airs NBN News live from their Honeysuckle studios each night at six. The bulletin is a mix of its own locally produced stories mixed in with national and international stories sourced from the [[Nine Network]]. Local news updates are aired by the [[Seven Network|Seven]], [[NBN (TV station)|Nine]] (as NBN News) and [[WIN Television]] throughout the day to fulfil local content quotas.

==Disasters==

===1989 earthquake===
{{Main|1989 Newcastle earthquake}}

On 28 December 1989, Newcastle experienced an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the [[Richter magnitude scale|Richter scale]], which killed 13 people, injured 162 and destroyed or severely damaged a number of prominent buildings. Some had to be demolished, including the large George Hotel in Scott Street (city), the Century Theatre at [[Broadmeadow]], the Hunter Theatre (formerly 'The Star') and the majority of The Junction school at Merewether. Part of the Newcastle Workers' Club, a popular venue, was destroyed and later replaced by a new structure. The following economic [[recession]] of the early 1990s meant that the city took several years to recover. However, [[Beaumont Street, Newcastle|Beaumont Street]], [[Hamilton, New South Wales|Hamilton]], where many buildings sustained major damage, became a thriving cosmopolitan restaurant strip after the earthquake and is still going strong today. The earthquake helped to rekindle business in this suburban strip.

===June 2007 Hunter Region and Central Coast storms===
[[File:Pasha Bulker grounded.jpg|thumb|right|The ''[[Pasha Bulker]]'' briefly became a local landmark when it was stranded on [[Nobbys Beach]] in 2007]]
{{Main|2007 New South Wales storms}}

On 8 June 2007 the Hunter and [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]] regions were battered by the worst series of storms to hit [[New South Wales]] in 30 years. This resulted in extensive flooding and nine deaths. Thousands of homes were flooded, and many were destroyed.<ref>Wikinews,
[[wikinews:Worst storm in thirty years hits Newcastle, Australia|Worst Storm in 30 years]], Wikinews, 9 June 2007</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 June 2007 |title=Body find brings toll to nine |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/body-find-brings-toll-to-nine/2007/06/10/1181414111373.html |access-date=10 June 2007 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=13 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613015428/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/body-find-brings-toll-to-nine/2007/06/10/1181414111373.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Hunter and Central Coast regions were declared natural disaster areas by the State Premier, [[Morris Iemma]], on 8 June 2007.<ref>{{cite news |author=Australian Associated Press |author-link=Australian Associated Press |date=9 June 2007 |title=Natural disaster zones declared |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21876411-5006009,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713223955/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21876411-5006009,00.html |archive-date=13 July 2007 |access-date=9 June 2007 |newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref> Further flooding was predicted by the [[Bureau of Meteorology]] but was less severe than predicted.

During the early stages of the storms, the {{Convert|225|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} bulk carrier ship ''[[Pasha Bulker]]'' ran aground at [[Nobbys Beach]] after failing to heed warnings to move offshore. After the first few attempts failed, the ''Pasha Bulker'' was refloated on the third [[Marine salvage|salvage]] attempt on 2 July 2007 despite earlier fears that the ship would break up. After initially entering the port for minor repairs, it departed under tow on 26 July 2007 for major repairs in Asia.

===Maritime===
On 12 July 1866, a paddle steamer the {{SS|Cawarra}}, on its way to [[Brisbane]] from Newcastle carrying 60 passengers, was caught in a storm as it made its way out of the harbour.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} Sixty people died; coincidentally, one survivor, Frederick Hedges, was plucked from the water by the sole survivor of the ''[[Dunbar (ship)|Dunbar]]'' that had sunk in Sydney Harbour nine years earlier.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

The most tragic maritime accident of the 20th century in Newcastle occurred on 9 August 1934 when the Stockton-bound ferry ''Bluebell'' collided with the coastal freighter, ''Waraneen'', and sank in the middle of the Hunter River.<ref>{{cite news |date=11 August 1934 |title=Newcastle Fatality – Ferry Collides With Steamer |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2366583 |access-date=27 April 2009 |newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref> [[The Bluebell Collision]] claimed three lives and fifteen passengers were admitted to the [[Royal Newcastle Hospital|Newcastle Hospital]], with two suffering severely from the effects of immersion. It was later found that the ferry captain was at fault.<ref>{{cite news |date=25 August 1934 |title=Ferry at Fault |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2368361 |access-date=27 April 2009 |newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref>

These are only two events in Newcastle's very long history of shipwrecks including the 1974 beaching of the {{MV|Sygna}}, and the 2007 beaching of the ''[[Pasha Bulker]]''.

===Aviation===
On 16 August 1966, an [[Royal Australian Air Force|RAAF]] [[CAC Sabre]] crashed into the inner-city suburb of [[The Junction, New South Wales|The Junction]].<ref name="flyby">{{cite web |date=15 August 2007 |title=Fly-Past To Honour Sabre Pilot |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/AlertTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6973 |access-date=25 April 2009 |publisher=Department of Defence |archive-date=14 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614232554/http://www.defence.gov.au/media/AlertTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6973 |url-status=live }}</ref> The pilot, Flying Officer Warren William Goddard, experienced engine troubles and unsuccessfully tried to get the plane over the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The Junction is a highly populated suburb of Newcastle and most of the plane wreckage landed in the shopping area of the suburb. In 2007 a memorial plaque was unveiled for the killed pilot.<ref name="flyby" />

==Residential architecture==
{{multiple image
| align             = center
| direction         = horizontal
| header            = Examples of residential architecture in Newcastle
| header_align      = center
| footer            = {{Commons category-inline}}
| footer_align      = center
| image1            = 273 - Church and Watt Street Terrace Group (5053343b2).jpg
| width1            = {{#expr: (120 * 1152 / 864 ) round 0}}
| caption1          = Victorian terrace streetscape
| image2            = Mayfield old house1.JPG
| width2            = {{#expr: (120 * 1152 / 864 ) round 0}}
| caption2          = A Victorian-era house in [[Mayfield, New South Wales|Mayfield]]
| image3            = Merewether, Newcastle, NSW (2).jpg
| width3            = {{#expr: (120 * 1152 / 864 ) round 0}}
| caption3          = Federation-era housing
| image4            = Royal Apartments Newcastle NSW Australia.jpg
| width4            = {{#expr: (120 * 2576 / 1932 ) round 0}}
| caption4          = Contemporary apartments
| total_width       = 700
}}

==Heritage listings==
[[File:T&G Building Newcastle.jpg|thumb|right|[[T & G Mutual Life Assurance Building]]]]
[[File:Newcastle PO.jpg|thumb|[[Newcastle Post Office]]]]
Newcastle has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

* Argyle Street: [[Argyle House, Newcastle|Argyle House]]<ref name="nswshr-315">{{cite NSW SHR|5044990|Fanny's Tavern|hr=00315|fn=S90/05391 & HC 32853|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 48–50 Bolton Street: [[David Cohen & Co. Warehouse]]<ref name="nswshr-66">{{cite NSW SHR|5044991|Bolton Street Car Park Facade & Side Wall|hr=00066|fn=S90/06210 & HC 32056|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 58 Bolton Street: [[Old Newcastle East Public School]]<ref name="nswshr-795">{{cite NSW SHR|5011939|Newcastle Annexe|hr=00795|fn=S95/00338/1|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Bond Street: [[Coutt's Sailors Home]]<ref name="nswshr-1842">{{cite NSW SHR|5054876|Enterprise Park and Coutt's Sailors Home (former)|hr=01842|fn=S90/01087-35|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 1 Bond Street: [[Newcastle Customs House]]<ref name="nswshr-1403">{{cite NSW SHR|5051282|Newcastle Customs House|hr=01403|fn=H00/00212/001|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 51 Brown Street: [[Newcastle Reservoirs]]<ref name="nswshr-2001">{{cite NSW SHR|5062281|Newcastle Reservoirs Site|hr=02001|fn=EF14/04825|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref>
* Church Street: [[Church and Watt Street Terrace Group]]<ref name="nswshr-273">{{cite NSW SHR|5053343|Church and Watt Street Terrace Group|hr=00273|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 9 Church Street: [[Newcastle Court House]]<ref name="nswshr-796">{{cite NSW SHR|5045560|Newcastle Court House|hr=00796|fn=EF14/5048; S95/338/1; S90/1087|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Great Northern railway: [[Honeysuckle Point Railway Workshops]]<ref name="nswshr-956">{{cite NSW SHR|5044977|Civic Railway Workshops|hr=00956|fn=S90/05371;S94/01096;H05/00083|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Great Northern railway: [[Newcastle railway station, New South Wales|Newcastle railway station]]<ref name="nswshr-236">{{cite NSW SHR|5044973|Newcastle Railway Station|hr=00236|fn=S90/05683 & HC 32621|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 21 Hillcrest Road: [[The Ridge, Newcastle|The Ridge]]<ref name="nswshr-313">{{cite NSW SHR|5045490|Ridge, The|hr=00313|fn=S90/05517 & HC 32774|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 45 Hunter Street: [[T & G Mutual Life Assurance Building]]<ref name="nswshr-316">{{cite NSW SHR|5045337|T & G Mutual Life Assurance Building|hr=00316|fn=S90/05380 & HC 32837|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 96 Hunter Street: [[Newcastle Post Office]]<ref name="nswshr-1442">{{cite NSW SHR|5051298|Newcastle Post Office|hr=01442|fn=H00/00226|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 359–361 Hunter Street: [[Frederick Ash Building]]<ref name="nswshr-642">{{cite NSW SHR|5045387|Frederick Ash Building|hr=00642|fn=S90/06094 & HC 32198|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 289 King Street: [[Newcastle City Hall (Australia)|Newcastle City Hall]]<ref name="nswshr-1883">{{cite NSW SHR|5052988|Newcastle City Hall and Civic Theatre|hr=01883|fn=10/20259|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 300 King Street: [[Nesca House]]<ref name="nswshr-217">{{cite NSW SHR|5045739|Nesca House|hr=00217|fn=S90/01077 & HC 32403|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 434 King Street, Newcastle West: [[Miss Porter's House]]<ref name="nswshr-1445">{{cite NSW SHR|5051310|Miss Porter's House|hr=01445|fn=H00/00217|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Nobby's Road: [[Coal River Precinct]]<ref name="nswshr-1674">{{cite NSW SHR|5053900|Coal River Precinct|hr=01674|fn=H00/00162|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Pacific Street: [[Old Newcastle Club Building]]<ref name="nswshr-824">{{cite NSW SHR|5045481|Royal Newcastle Hospital – The Club Building|hr=00824|fn=S91/00611|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 8–10 Perkins Street: [[Victoria Theatre (Newcastle)|Victoria Theatre]]<ref name="nswshr-1301">{{cite NSW SHR|5044972|Victoria Theatre (former)|hr=01301|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 89 Scott Street: [[Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle|Great Northern Hotel]]<ref name="nswshr-507">{{cite NSW SHR|5045384|Great Northern Hotel|hr=00507|fn=S90/03251 & HC 33514|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 98 Scott Street: [[Convict Lumber Yard]]<ref name="nswshr-570">{{cite NSW SHR|5044978|Convict Lumber Yard or Stockade Site|hr=00570|fn=S90/01042; EF14/5038|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* Shortland Esplande: [[Bogey Hole]]<ref name="nswshr-1678">{{cite NSW SHR|5053928|Bogey Hole, The|hr=01678|fn=EF11/1626|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 41 The Terrace: [[Shepherds Hill military installations]]<ref name="nswshr-1806">{{cite NSW SHR|5061075|Shepherds Hill Defence Group Military Installations|hr=01806|fn=EF10/23448|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 35–37 Watt Street: [[Manufacturers House]]<ref name="nswshr-314">{{cite NSW SHR|5045379|Manufacturers House|hr=00314|fn=S90/05392 & HC 32854|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
* 72 Watt Street: [[Newcastle Government House]]<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5060998|Newcastle Government House and Domain|hr=01841|access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref>

==Twin towns – sister cities==
* {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], [[United Kingdom]]
* {{flagicon|ROK}} [[Pohang]], [[North Gyeongsang Province|North Gyeongsang]], [[South Korea]]
* {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ube, Yamaguchi|Ube]], [[Yamaguchi prefecture|Yamaguchi]], [[Japan]]
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Arcadia, California]], [[United States]]

==See also==
*[[List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle, New South Wales]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{div col|colwidth=45em}}
* Docherty, James Cairns, ''Newcastle – The Making of an Australian City'', Sydney, 1983, {{ISBN|0-86806-034-8}}
* Susan Marsden, ''Coals to Newcastle: a History of Coal Loading at the Port of Newcastle New South Wales 1977–1997 '' 2002
* Marsden, Susan, ''Newcastle: a Brief History'' Newcastle, 2004 {{ISBN|0-949579-17-3}}
* Marsden, Susan, 'Waterfront alive: life on the waterfront', in C Hunter, ed, ''River Change: six new histories of the Hunter'', Newcastle, 1998 {{ISBN|0-909115-70-2}}
* Morrison James, Ron, ''Newcastle – Times Past'', Newcastle, 2005 (P/B), {{ISBN|0-9757693-0-8}}
* Greater Newcastle City Council, ''Newcastle 150 Years'', 1947.
* Thorne, Ross, ''Picture Palace Architecture in Australia'', Melbourne, Victoria, 1976 (P/B), {{ISBN|0-7251-0226-8}}
* Turner, Dr. John W., ''Manufacturing in Newcastle'', Newcastle, 1980, {{ISBN|0-9599385-7-5}}
{{div col end}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/ Newcastle City Council]
* [https://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/ Newcastle Visitor Centre]
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Newcastle (New South Wales)|Newcastle}}
* [http://www.nag.org.au/ Newcastle Region Art Gallery]
* [http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/newcastle-area/newcastle VisitNSW.com – Newcastle]

{{Cities of Australia}}
{{Australiansurf}}
{{City of Newcastle suburbs}}
{{Hunter Region places and items of interest}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Newcastle, New South Wales| ]]
[[Category:1804 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Port cities in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1797]]
[[Category:Suburbs of Newcastle, New South Wales]]
[[Category:Hunter River (New South Wales)]]