View source for Newcastle, New South Wales

{{Infobox Australian Place | type = city
| name         = Newcastle 
| state        = nsw
| image        = Newcastle locator-MJC.png
| caption      = 
| pop          = 512,000 (2007)
| poprank      = 7th
| density      = 575.5 {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
| est          = 1797
| area         = 4041.8 {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
| timezone     = [[UTC10|AEST]]
| utc          = +10
| timezone-dst = [[UTC11|AEDT]]
| utc-dst      = +11
| coordinates  = {{coord|32|55|S|151|45|E|type:city(497955)_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}}
| lga          = [[City of Newcastle]]
| county       = [[Northumberland County, New South Wales|Northumberland]]
| stategov     = [[Electoral district of Newcastle|Newcastle]]
| fedgov       = [[Division of Newcastle|Newcastle]]
| elevation= 9
| maxtemp  = 23.0
| mintemp  = 12.4
| rainfall = 1117.1
| dist1        = 
| location1    = 
}}
[[Image:NewcastleCBD1.JPG|thumb|right|Newcastle CBD area.]]
'''Newcastle''' is the seventh largest city in [[Australia]] and the second largest in the state of [[New South Wales]] and is considered by many to be the "most overated city in Australia".  It is also a [[Local Government Areas in Australia|Local Government Area]] administered by the [[Newcastle City Council, New South Wales|Newcastle City Council]].  Situated 160 km north of [[Sydney]], on the mouth of the [[Hunter River]], it is the predominant city within the [[Hunter Valley]] region.  It is the largest coal export harbour in the world and boasts massive coal deposits which cover much of the region beyond the city. Last year coal exports alone were valued at A$6 billion{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. 

==History==
===Pre-European Settlement===
[[Image:NewcastleEast.jpg|thumb|A view of Newcastle East looking towards the old hospital, fort, marina and lighthouse from King Edward Park.]]
Newcastle and The Hunter Valley were traditionally occupied by the [[Awabakal]] and [[Worimi]] Aboriginal People.

===Founding and Settlement by Europeans===
The first European to explore the area was Lt. John Shortland in September, 1797. His discovery of the area was largely accidental; Shortland had been sent in search of a number of convicts who had seized the [[HMS Cumberland|''Cumberland'']] as she was sailing from [[Sydney Cove]]. While returning he entered what he later described as "a very fine river" which he named after New South Wales' Governor, [[John Hunter (New South Wales)|John Hunter]]. Shortland also returned with reports of the deep-water port and abundant coal in the area. Over the next two years, [[coal]] mined from the area was the [[New South Wales]] colony's first export.

Newcastle was nicknamed "Hell" by the most brutal convicts as it was a place where the most dangerous convicts were sent to dig in the coal mines as harsh punishment for their crimes.

By the turn of the century the mouth of the [[Hunter River]] was being visited by diverse groups of men, including coal hewers, timber-cutters, and more escaped convicts. [[Philip Gidley King]], Governor of New South Wales from 1800, decided on a more positive approach to exploit the now obvious natural resources of the [[Hunter Valley]]. 

Besides coal, vast cedar forests covered a huge tract up the Hunter, a source of urgently needed building timber for the infant [[Sydney]] colony. 

Governor King decided to establish a small post at the river mouth, however this first settlement was short lived. It was headed by one Corporal Wixtead, who was then suddenly replaced by Surgeon Martin Mason. Surgeon Mason's rule ended in a mutiny, and Governor King closed the settlement early in 1802. 

A settlement was again attempted in 1804 as a place of secondary punishment for unruly convicts. The settlement was named Coal River and then re-named Newcastle, after [[Newcastle upon Tyne|England's famous coal port]]. The name first appeared by the commission issued by Governor King on March 15, 1804, to Lieut. [[Charles Menzies (commandant)|Charles Menzies]] of the [[Royal Marines]], appointing him superintendent of the new settlement. 

The new settlement comprising [[convicts]] and a military guard, arrived at the [[Hunter River]] on March 27, 1804, in three ships, the ''[[Lady Nelson]]'', the [[Resource (ship)|''Resource'']] and the [[James (ship)|''James'']]. The convicts were rebels from the 1804 [[Castle Hill convict rebellion]], also known as the second Battle of Vinegar Hill.

The link with [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], UK, its namesake and also from whence many of the 19th century coal miners came, is still obvious in some of the place-names - such as Jesmond, Hexham, Wickham and Wallsend.

Newcastle has claim to one of the oldest theatre districts in Australia, with its still standing [[Victoria Theatre]] on Perkins Street perhaps the oldest purpose-built theatre in the country. Sadly, the theatre district that occupied the area around what is now the Hunter Street Mall vanished during the 1940s when much of Newcastle's cultural appreciation disintegrated in the very industrial-oriented city.

===Major Events===

[[Image:NewcastleBeaches.jpg|right|upright|thumb|Looking towards the baths, from the Bogey Hole]]
Newcastle remained a penal settlement for nearly 20 years. The military rule was harsh, often barbarous, and there was possibly no more notorious place of punishment in the whole of Australia than [[Limeburners' Bay]], on the inner side of [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]] peninsula, where incorrigibles were sent to burn oyster shells for making lime. 

Under Captain [[James Wallis]], commandant from 1815 to 1818, the convicts' conditions improved, and a building boom began. Capt. Wallis laid out the streets of the town, built the first church of the site of the present Anglican Cathedral, erected the old gaol on the seashore, and began work on the breakwater which now joins Nobby's to the mainland. The quality of these buildings was poor and only (a much reinforced) breakwater survives. 

For these works, and for his humane rule in the convict colony, Capt. Wallis earned the personal commendation of [[Governor Macquarie]]. In Governor Macquarie's opinion the prison colony was too close to [[Sydney]] and in any case the proper exploitation of the land was not practical with prison labour. 

Therefore, in 1823, military rule in Newcastle ended. The number of prisoners was reduced to 100 (most of these were employed on the building of the breakwater), and the remaining 900 were sent to Port Macquarie. 

Freed for the first time from the infamous influence of the penal law, the town began to acquire the aspect of a typical [[Australian]] [[settler|pioneer]] settlement, and a steady flow of free settlers poured into the hinterland. 

Between 1826 and 1836 the convict-built [[Great North Road]] established the overland link with Sydney.

Coal mining began in earnest in the 1830s, with collieries working close to the city itself and others within a ten-mile radius. Most of Newcastle's principal coal mines (Stockton, Tighes Hill, Carrington, the [[Australian Agricultural Company]], the Newcastle Coal Mining company's big collieries at [[Merewether]] (includes the Glebe), [[Wallsend, New South Wales|Wallsend]], and the [[Waratah]] collieries), had all closed by the early 1960s, being steadily replaced over the previous four decades by the larger coal mining activities further inland at places such as [[Kurri Kurri]] and [[Cessnock]].

On December 10, 1831 the [[Australian Agricultural Company]] officially opened Australia's first [[railway]]. On December 10, 2006 a plaque was unveiled on the southern shore of Newcastle Harbour celebrating this event.

About 1850 a major copper smelting works was established at Burwood, near [[Merewether]] (now a suburb), an engraving of which appeared in the ''[[Illustrated London News]]'' on 11 February [[1854]]. The English and Australian Copper Company built another substantial works at [[Broadmeadow, New South Wales|Broadmeadow]] circa 1890, and in that decade a [[zinc]] smelter was built inland, by [[Cockle Creek]]. 

What was said to be the largest factory of its kind in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] was constructed in 1885, on a 22 acre site between the suburbs of Tighes Hill and Port [[Waratah]], by Mr [[Charles Upfold]] (1834-1919), from London, for his Sydney Soap and Candle Company, to replace a smaller factory in Wickham. Their soap products won 17 medals at International Exhibitions, and 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 Lever Bros), and the factory closed in the mid-1930s.

[[Image:Newcastle, Australia aerial.jpg|left|thumb|Aerial photograph looking over the city from the [[Pacific Ocean]]]]
After a major steel strike in the Sydney basin, the State Government of NSW encouraged [[BHP Billiton|BHP]] to build a vast modern steel producing industry with American expertise. The land put aside was prime real estate, on the southern edge of the harbour. At one stage the idea of a Botanical Garden was considered because of the waterfront location and proximity to the wealthy suburb of [[Mayfield, New South Wales|Mayfield]].  In 1915 the [[BHP]] steelworks opened, beginning a period of some 80 years dominated by 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. 
In 1999, the steelworks closed. Many workers, having spent their entire working lives there saw Australia's largest industrial shutdown complete as the last blast furnace went out. As the former workforce began to deal with the economic and emotional impact, Newcastle began to experience a new image as less of an industrial, smoke stack city. 

The most tragic maritime accident of the twentieth-century in Newcastle occurred during 1934 when the Stockton-bound ferry ''Bluebell'' collided with a coastal freighter and sank in the middle of the Hunter River. [[The Bluebell Collision]] claimed three lives and caused fifteen passengers to be admitted to the Newcastle Hospital, two suffering severely from the effects of immersion. However, the tragedy was but only one chapter in Newcastle's very long history of shipwrecks including the 1974 beaching of the ''[[Sygna]]'', the 2007 beaching of the ''[[Pasha Bulker]]'' and the tragic sinking of the ''[[Cawarra]]'' in 1866 that claimed sixty-lives.

=== Japanese Attack  ===
{{main|Attack on Sydney Harbour}}

During the [[Second World War]], Newcastle was an important industrial centre for the Australian war effort. Subsequently, it was considered to be a potential Japanese target during the Second World War. On the 31st of May, 1942 three midget submarines crept into Sydney Harbour and killed 21 sleeping sailors on an accommodation vessel at Garden Island, east of the Harbour Bridge. By this time, there was a great fear among the Australian people of a full scale Japanese invasion and cities and towns along the eastern seaboard were forced into strict wartime regulations.

In the early hours of [[8 June]] [[1942]] the Japanese submarine [[Japanese submarine I-21|''I-21'']] briefly shelled Newcastle. Newcastle was one of the most prepared cities in the country{{Fact|date=June 2007}} and the people of Newcastle acted with composure. Given the distance between the submarine and the browned-out city, there was little precision in the attack. Among the areas hit within the city were dockyards, the steel works, Parnell Place in the city's now affluent East End, the breakwall and Art Deco ocean baths. There were no casualties in the attack and damage was minimal.

===Earthquake===
{{main|1989 Newcastle earthquake}}

On [[December 28]], [[1989]], Newcastle [[1989 Newcastle earthquake|experienced an earthquake]] measuring 5.6 on the [[Richter scale]] which killed 13 people, injured 162 and destroyed or severely damaged a number of prominent buildings which had to be subsequently demolished. These included the large George Hotel in Scott Street (city), the Century Theatre at [[Broadmeadow, New South Wales|Broadmeadow]], the Hunter Theatre (formerly 'The Star') at [[Merewether]], and the majority of The Junction school, also at Merewether. Part of the Newcastle Workers' Club, a popular venue, was also damaged but later restored. The following economic [[recession]] of the early 1990s meant that the city took several years to recover.

===2007 storms===
{{main|2007 Hunter region and Central Coast storms}}
{{main|Pasha Bulker}}
On [[June 8]], [[2007]], a 225m long bulk carrier ship (coal) carrying 700 tonnes of heavy fuel, 38 tonnes of diesel and 40 tonnes of lube oil on board, broke its mooring and ran aground 50 metres off Nobby's Beach. The [[Pasha Bulker]] had 22 Filipino and Korean crew on board and was waiting to enter the [[Newcastle Port]] to load coal. 100 Km/h winds are suspected to be the cause of the break, which caused the ship to drift dangerously close to the rocks surrounding the beach. Rescue crews waited for the first chance of a low in the extreme weather conditions to rescue those on board. Later in the afternoon, [[Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service|Westpac Rescue Helicopter]] confirmed all 22 crew members of the stricken 40,000 tonne coal ship Pasha Bulker had been lifted to safety.<ref>David Braithwaite, [http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fears-ship-could-break-up/2007/06/08/1181089282623.html Fears Ship Could Break Up], Sydney Morning Herald, June 8 2007</ref>. This occurred as part of a [[2007 Hunter region and Central Coast storms|larger weather event]], which was described as being the worst series of storms to hit [[New South Wales]] in 30 years<ref>Wikinews,
[http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Worst_storm_in_thirty_years_hits_Newcastle%2C_Australia
Worst Storm in 30 years], Wikinews, June 9 2007</ref>. These storms affected a large area, including the Central Coast, Hunter and Metropolitan regions of the state.

On [[June 9]], [[2007]], as part of the Hunter Region, and along with the Central Coast, Newcastle was declared a natural disaster zone by the state Premier Mr [[Morris Iemma]] <ref>AAP,[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/weather-toll-increases/2007/06/09/1181089369813.html
Weather toll increases], Sydney Morning Herald, June 9 2007</ref>. By [[June 11]], [[2007]], the storms had subsided. Public media reported that the storms had resulted in the deaths of 9 people, including a man swept into a storm water drain in Newcastle.<ref>AAP,[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/body-find-brings-toll-to-nine/2007/06/10/1181414111373.html
Body find brings toll to nine], Sydney Morning Herald, June 10 2007</ref>

On [[July 2]], [[2007]], the [[Pasha Bulker]] was finally refloated on the 3rd [[salvage]] attempt. On the night that the ship was grounded, experts predicted that the [[Pasha Bulker]] would break up. It lasted almost a month on [[Nobby's beach]],  off the [[Newcastle]] [[foreshore]], about 100 metres away from [[port]], and sustained only a small oil leak, which has been temporarily sealed. Later this [[month]], the [[ship]] will be towed up to [[Queensland]] for full repairs.

==Geography==
[[Image:StocktonFerry1.JPG|thumb|right|The Stockton Ferry]]
Newcastle is located on the southern bank of the [[Hunter River]] at its 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. Because of this, urban development is mainly restricted to the hilly southern bank. The small village of [[Stockton, New South Wales|Stockton]] sits opposite central Newcastle at the river mouth and is linked by ferry. 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]].
<br style="clear:both;"/>
===Climate===
{| class="wikitable"
! Month
! Jan
! Feb
! Mar
! Apr
! May
! Jun
! Jul
! Aug
! Sep
! Oct
! Nov
! Dec
! Year
|- align="right"
! Average high (°C)
| 27.8 || 27.4 || 26.1 || 23.6 || 20.2 || 17.6 || 16.9 || 18.5 || 21.1 || 23.5 || 25.3 || 27.2 || 23.0
|- align="right"
! Average low (°C)
| 18.0 || 18.0 || 16.3 || 13.2 || 10.1 || 7.8 || 6.4 || 6.9 || 9.0 || 11.9 || 14.2 || 16.5 || 12.4
|- align="right"
! Warmest (°C)
| 44.1 || 42.8 || 40.7 || 37.0 || 29.6 || 26.6 || 27.8 || 30.1 || 36.0 || 39.4 || 43.2 || 42.8 || 44.1
|- align="right"
|- align="right"
! Coldest (°C)
|  9.4 ||  9.6 ||  8.6 ||  2.1 || -0.6 ||  0.0 || -3.9 || -1.9 ||  0.4 ||  3.0 ||  5.1 ||  7.9 || -3.9
|- align="right"
! Average precipitation (mm)
| 101.6 || 120.7 || 121.5 || 100.5 || 115.0 || 116.7 || 72.6 || 78.4 || 57.4 || 74.4 || 80.1 || 81.5 || 1120.4
|}

''Source'': [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_061078.shtml Australian Bureau of Meteorology]

==Demographics==
The metropolitan area of Newcastle spreads over several [[Local Government Areas in Australia|Local Government Areas]]. The estimated population of the City of Newcastle [[As of 2004|at June 2004]] was 145,633 ([[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]), but its neighbour, the [[City of Lake Macquarie]], was actually larger, with an estimated 189,196 residents [[As of 2004|as of June 2004]] (ABS). The combined population of the Newcastle area [[As of 2001|at the 2001 census]] was 470,610. This includes Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]], [[Port Stephens]] and [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]] local government areas.

==Newcastle today==
{{weasel}}
[[Image:nobbys head.jpg|left|thumb|right|View from Fort Scratchley showing Nobbys Head]]
The Port of Newcastle remains the economic and trade centre for the resource rich [[Hunter Valley]] and for much of the north and northwest of [[New South Wales]]. Newcastle is the world's busiest coal export port{{Fact|date=July 2007}} and Australia's oldest and second largest tonnage throughput port, with over 3,000 shipping movements handling cargo in excess of 90 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), of which coal exports represent more than 90%.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}  The volume of coal exported, and attempts to increase coal exports, are opposed by environmental groups.  Newcastle has a small ship building industry, which has declined since the 1970s due to failure to win government contract tenders.

With the closure of the steel works in 2000 many see the era of heavy industry as past. Many of the manufacturing industries have located themselves away from the city centre, focusing on cheap land and access to road transport routes and lack the concentrated social impact of BHP on the city's life. 

[[Image:Picture 152.jpg|left|thumb|Christ Church Cathedral dominates the skyline of Newcastle.]] The city's population is growing. 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 as 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. 

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 <ref> Elkin, Professor A P ''The Diocese of Newcastle - A History'', Sydney, 1955</ref>. Other noteworthy buildings include ''Fort Scratchley'', the ''Ocean Baths'', the old ''Customs House'', the 1920s ''City Hall'', the 1890s ''Longworth Institute'' (once regarded as the finest building in the colony) and the 1930s [[art deco]] ''University House'' (formerly ''NESCA House'', recently seen in the film Superman Returns). Residents of Newcastle refer to themselves as "Novocastrians".

==Domestic Architecture==
A heritage area to the east of the Central Business District, centred around [[Christ Church Cathedral]] has many fine Victorian terrace houses, embedded in architecturally "sympathetic" later housing developments.

<gallery>
Image:Streetscape.jpg|Victorian Terrace Streetscape
Image:Weatherboard Terraces.jpg|Very Rare Weatherboard Terrace Houses
Image:Sympathetic Development.jpg|Modern Sympathetic Development
Image:LeeWharfNewcastle.jpg|Honeysuckle Lee Wharf Modern Development
</gallery>

==Education==
The [[University of Newcastle (NSW)|University of Newcastle]] (formerly established in 1951 as part of the [[University of New South Wales]]) obtained its autonomy in 1965 and now with a student population of just over 20,000, it offers over 150 undergraduate and graduate courses. The university has one of the largest international student populations of any university in Australia. Along with  Hunter Health, [[Hunter Institute of TAFE]] and the schools, the University is one of the largest employers in the region. 

Together with six major city universities (Macquarie University, La Trobe University, Flinders University, Griffith University and Murdoch University) The University of Newcastle, with the identity of the only regional university, formed IRU Australia (IRUA) in 2003, one of the major university groupings in Australia. The University of Newcastle is also one of the first universities in Australia to provide Master of Business Administration courses.

The University of Newcastle was ranked 127 in the world by the UK Times in 2005.
One year after, both Melbourne institute of The University of Melbourne and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University recognised The University of Newcastle as one of the top ten universities in Australia. Within the same year, Newsweek international ranked the University of Newcastle one of the top 100 universities in the world. The University is one of the only eight, as well as the only regional Australian Universities to have achieved this status.

==Culture==
===Festivals===
Newcastle holds a variety of Cultural Events and Festivals, many of which attract national and some even international attention. 

[[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]], [[National Student Media Conference]], [[Sound Summit]] and other projects that vary from year to year.

[[The Shootout]] Film 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.

[[Mattara]], 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. 

The [[Newcastle Jazz Festival]] is held across three days in August, and attracts performers and audiences from all over Australia.

These are just a few of the many festivals and street fairs held in Newcastle annually.

===Music===
Newcastle has an active youth music culture, as well as a Conservatorium of Music which is part of the [[University of Newcastle]]. It continues to support local bands and has a large underground music scene. [[Silverchair]], the highly successful Australian band, hail from Newcastle. It has a fertile punk and hardcore scene in, and over the past 15 years has spawned many successful local acts.

There is also an emerging Indie-Rock scene within the youth of Newcastle that is garnering large support by Sydney and Central Coast crowds, with bands such as The Seabellies, Solver and Montana Fire all getting outside attention{{Fact|date=July 2007}}.

The pioneering hardcore techno and gabber group [[Nasenbluten]] also came from Newcastle and spawned a vibrant and influential local scene and record label [[Bloody Fist]]. 

The percussionist of the Australian rock band [[The Screaming Jets]] is also teaching music industry studies at Tighes Hill TAFE{{Fact|date=July 2007}}. Several Newcastle musicians have collaborated with widely known Australian bands such as The Whitlams (Nick Cecire) and Machine Gun Fellatio (Kim Pink - Current music teacher at [[Hunter School of Performing Arts]]){{Fact|date=June 2007}}.

Popular music venues in Newcastle are The Queens Wharf Brewery, The Lucky Country, The Lass O'Gowrie, The Cambridge Hotel, The Bar on the Hill at the University, The Civic Theatre, The Newcastle Panthers and The Newcastle Entertainment centre.

===Visual Arts and Galleries===
Newcastle is home to a wide range of public, commercial and private galleries. The Newcastle Regional Art Gallery (located in Laman Street, just off Darby Street) is home to an extensive collection of works by contemporary and historical Australian visual artists. It regularly presents local exhibitions from its collection and hosts touring Australian exhibitions. Gallery Director Nick Mitzevich is the youngest gallery director in Australia and has given the gallery a much more contemporary focus since he took over in 2002. [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292586944.html?from=storyrhs]. The gallery is currently planning a major redevelopment which is the subject of an architectural design competition.

Newcastle was also the birthplace of noted Australian artist [[William Dobell]].

===Theatre===

Newcastle has a variety of smaller theatres, but the main theatre in the CBD is now the ''Civic'', at Wheeler Place, (seating capacity about 1500), 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]] on Perkins Street (built 1876, capacity 1750), 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 1800) although largely used as a cinema was a popular Symphony orchestra venue (demolished 1990); the ''Hunter'' (capacity 1000) at The Junction, had advanced modern stage facilities, but was destroyed by the 1989 earthquake. The decline in theatres and cinemas from the 1960s onwards was blamed on television.

===Media Arts===
Newcastle is home to the [[Octapod]] Association, a New Media Arts collective established in 1996. [[Octapod]] is one of Australia's most innovative regional arts organisations and presents the annual [[This Is Not Art]] Festival as well as a diverse range of local festivals and projects. The arts web sites [http://www.objectnotfound.net Object Not Found] and [http://www.artcrimes.net Art Crimes] were also produced in Newcastle.

===Sport===
[[Image:NewcastleKnights.jpg|right|thumb|Energy Australia Stadium, looking across at the Western grandstand and grass seating]]
Newcastle's sports culture is centred on the [[Newcastle Knights]], a team that plays in Australia's premier [[rugby league]] competition, the [[National Rugby League]]. The Knights play at [[EnergyAustralia Stadium]], situated in the suburb of New Lambton. After a recent upgrade, the stadium now has capacity for almost 27,000 spectators. The stadium is the only sports venue of its class in Northern New South Wales. 

The [[Newcastle United Jets]] football (soccer) team, which plays in Australia's highest level comp the [[A-League]], also play at EnergyAustralia Stadium. The Newcastle United Jets are a highly regarded team throughout Australia, in its first two seasons, they have made back-to-back finals. Nick Carle, one of their most prestigous players, won the A-League player of the year in the 06-07 season. The Newcastle United Jets finished 4th in their first season, and 3rd in their second season. In the 06-07 season, they bowed out in the Prelimenary Final against Adelaide United, who eventually lost to Melbourne Victory in the Grand Final 6-0. 

Other major spectator and participant sports include [[Netball]], [[Basketball]], [[Football (soccer)|Football]], [[Australian rules football]], [[Rugby Union]], [[Field hockey|Hockey]] and [[Surfing]].

The [[Hunter Jaegers]] ([[Commonwealth Bank Trophy]] - [[Netball]]) are based at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Officially opened in June 1992, the 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 (Australia)|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 relocate to Singapore after the 2005/06 season, where they were renamed the [[Singapore Slingers]]. The Slingers will play one home game at the Centre during the 2006/07 season.

In [[Cricket]], Newcastle's No.1 Sports Ground was for many years a stopover on the tour itinerary for visiting international teams as they faced the Northern New South Wales XI. In 1981/82 the ground was allocated a [[Sheffield Shield]] match when the [[Sydney Cricket Ground|SCG]] was unavailable, and healthy crowds saw No.1 then become host to at least one first-class fixture featuring the [[New South Wales Blues]] each year. Newcastle also hosts a suburban competition of its own and has been the birthplace of many New South Wales and Australian representative cricketers. 

Newcastle Jockey Club Limited races 35 times annually at Broadmeadow, a spacious 2000m turf track with a 415m home straight. Broadmeadow Racecourse is only a few minutes from the city centre, and is acknowledged as one of the finest provincial racetracks in Australia.

Newcastle has an abundance of [[Newcastle Stretch|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]] 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. 

The [[Newcastle North Stars]] are Newcastle's representatives in the [[Australian Ice Hockey League]] championships. Originally based in Newcastle West in the 1970-80s, the North Stars now play out of the [[Hunter Ice Skating Stadium]] in [[Warners Bay]]. The North Stars have won national championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006 since joining the league in 2002. The North Stars have also been awarded Newcastle's Outstanding Senior Team of the Year for 2003 and 2004.

[[Newcastle Golf Club]] is a championship 18-hole, par 72 golf course. It plays to 6160m, and is regarded as one of the best in Australia - consistently appearing in the top 15 best rated courses in Australia{{Fact|date=June 2007}}.

==Media==
[[Image:NBN-RayDineen.JPG|thumb|NBN's News Anchor - Ray Dineen.]]
Newcastle is served by a daily [[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''.

The city is also served by several local radio stations, including those owned by the ABC and SBS.
*AM stations
**[[2HD]] (commercial)1143 AM
**[[1233 ABC Newcastle]] ([[ABC Local Radio]])
*FM stations
**[[New FM]] (commercial) 105.3
**[[2NUR]] (community)  103.7
**[[KOFM]] (commercial) 102.9
**[[NXFM]] (commercial) 106.9
**[[Rhema FM]] (Christian) 99.7
*Nationally owned services
**[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]
***[[1233 ABC Newcastle]] AM local radio 1233 AM
***[[ABC Radio National]] 1512 AM
***[[ABC NewsRadio|ABC News Radio]] 1458 AM
***[[Triple J]] (youth station) 102.1 FM
***[[ABC Classic FM]] (classical music) 106.1 FM
**[[SBS Radio]] (foreign language service) 1413 AM
*Other stations
**[[2KY|2KY Racing Radio]] (as part of state-wide network) 1341 AM

Newcastle is also served by 5 television stations, three commercial and two national services, and by [[Foxtel]] [[pay television]].
*[[NBN Television]] ([[Nine Network]] affiliate, incumbent station, established 1962)
*[[Southern Cross Ten]] ([[Network Ten]] affiliate, established as a result of [[aggregation]] on [[December 31]] [[1991]])
*[[Prime Television]] ([[Seven Network]] affiliate, established as a result of [[aggregation]] on [[December 31]] [[1991]])
*[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Television]] (owned by the government, established in the 1960s)
*[[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS Television]] (owned by the government, introduced in the 1980s)

==Wi-Fi HotZones==
There are several free public [[Wi-Fi]] hotzones in Newcastle allowing the public and business to access free broadband Internet using a Desktop, Laptop or Mobile Device.

Currently, there is free Wi-Fi coverage along Beaumont Street between Tudor Street and Maitland Road<ref>[http://www.hamiltontown.com Wireless - Beaumont St Hamilton]</ref>.

It has been reported that plans by the NSW Government to provide the Sydney CBD and other major centres of NSW including Newcastle with free Wi-Fi by early 2008<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/wireless--broadband/nsw-to-roll-out-free-wifi-service/2006/11/29/1164476252715.html Free Wi-Fi in NSW] - smh.com.au, 29 November 2006</ref>.

==Transport==
[[Image:NewcastleBusInterchange.JPG|right|thumb|Newcastle's City Bus Interchange]]
[[Image:NewcastleRailwayStation1.JPG|right|thumb|Newcastle Railway Station]]

===Road===
Newcastle is connected to surrounding cities by the [[Sydney-Newcastle Freeway]] (South), [[New England Highway]] (West) and the [[Pacific Highway (Australia)|Pacific Highway]] (North).

=== Bus ===
{{main|Newcastle bus routes, New South Wales}}
Bus services within Newcastle are operated by Newcastle Buses & Ferries, a subsidiary of the State Transit Authority of New South Wales. Trips within a designated area of the Newcastle CBD on State Transit-operated bus services are fare-free under the Newcastle Alliance's Free City Buses programme.

The network radiates from a bus terminal near [[CityRail]]'s [[Newcastle railway station, New South Wales|Newcastle station]], on the waterfront of Newcastle's CBD. Major interchanges are located at the [[University of Newcastle, Australia|University of Newcastle]], Wallsend, Glendale, Warners Bay, Belmont, Charlestown, [[Westfield Kotara]] and [[Broadmeadow railway station, New South Wales|Broadmeadow station]]. To reduce journey times, bus-only lanes are in operation on certain major roads in Newcastle.

===Rail===
{{main|Newcastle and Central Coast railway line, New South Wales}}
Newcastle is serviced by two [[CityRail]] lines providing local and regional commuter services. The Newcastle & Central Coast Line has hourly train services to [[Sydney]] and more frequent services to the [[Central Coast, New South Wales|Central Coast]]. The Hunter Line has twice-hourly services to [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]] and less frequently to [[Scone, New South Wales|Scone]] and [[Dungog, New South Wales|Dungog]]. [[Countrylink]] (an intercity/interstate rail service) operate two lines through the Newcastle area using Broadmeadow station. These provide services to [[Moree, New South Wales|Moree]], [[Armidale, New South Wales|Armidale]], [[Brisbane]] and [[Sydney]].

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, New South Wales|Kurri Kurri]] and several towns and villages between [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]] and [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]], but these lines have today been closed. Since the late 1990s, there had been intense debate about the viability of the rail line into central Newcastle. The New South Wales government had planned to cut the line at Broadmeadow, ceasing rail services into the city and to sell the land where the railway ran for development. The State government has subsequently decided, since Premier [[Morris Iemma]] took power, and at least partly in response to a huge public outcry, to keep the rail service.

===Water===
{{main|Newcastle Port Corporation}}
[[Image:09-06-2007 025.jpg|280px|thumb|The [[MV Pasha Bulker]] became a local landmark when it was stranded on [[Nobbys Beach]] in 2007]]
The Port of Newcastle is crucial to the economic life of Newcastle and the Hunter Valley region beyond. Over 70 million tonnes of coal is shipped through the facility each year - making it the largest coal exporting port in the world. The Port of Newcastle claims to be Australia's first port. Coal was first exported from the harbour in 1799, 11 years after the start of European settlement in Australia.

Newcastle Buses & Ferries operates a ferry service across the Hunter River between Newcastle's CBD and Stockton.

===Air===
{{main|Newcastle Airport (Williamtown)}}
The [[Newcastle Airport (Williamtown)|Newcastle Airport]] is located 15 km north of the city, a 20 minute drive. The airport, which is a joint venture between Newcastle City Council and [[Port Stephens]] Shire Council, has experienced rapid growth since [[2000]] as a result of an increase in [[low cost airline]] operations. It is served by [[Virgin Blue]], [[Qantas]], [[Jetstar]], and [[Brindabella Airlines]]. The airport is shared with [[RAAF Base Williamtown]], a [[Royal Australian Air Force]] base.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Newcastlecbd.JPG|Newcastle CBD from the Obelisk
Image:WattSt.JPG|Watt Street, Newcastle 
Image:Barbeach.JPG|Bar Beach 
</gallery>

==References==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
<references/>
</div>
===Other references===
* 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
* Docherty, James Cairns, ''Newcastle - The Making of an Australian City'', Sydney, 1983, ISBN 0-86806-034-8
* Morrison James, Ron, ''Newcastle - Times Past'', Newcastle, 2005 (P/B), ISBN 0-9757693-0-8

==See also==
*[[List of cities in Australia]]
*[[List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle, New South Wales|List of suburbs in Greater Newcastle]]
*[[Bishop of Newcastle, Australia|Anglican Bishop of Newcastle]]
*[[Newcastle High School]]
*[[Hunter School of Performing Arts]]
*[[The Newcastle Tragedy]]
*[[Newcastle Morning Herald]]
*[[Victoria Theatre]]
*[[Newcastle Civic Theatre]]
*[[Cawarra|Sinking of the Cawarra]]
*[[1989 Newcastle earthquake|1989 Earthquake]]

==External links==
{{commonscat|Newcastle, New South Wales}}
{{wikinews|Worst storm in thirty years hits Newcastle, Australia}}
* [http://www.ncc.nsw.gov.au/ Newcastle City Council]
* [http://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/visitnewcastle.asp Newcastle Visitor Centre]
* {{wikitravel|Newcastle (New South Wales)|Newcastle}}

{{Australiansurf}}
{{New South Wales cities}}
[[Category:Beaches of Australia]]
[[Category:Coastal cities in Australia]]
[[Category:Newcastle, New South Wales|*]]
[[Category:Port cities in Australia]]
[[Category:Suburbs of Newcastle, New South Wales]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1797]]

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