| NEWCASTLE - NEW SOUTH WALES - 2300 | ||||
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Population: 279,000 Height above sea level: 30m Latitude: -33.0000 Longitude: 151.4500 Location: 165km north of Sydney Highway: Pacific Hwy (1) Nearest Major Town: Sydney 150 S. Nearest Airport: Sydney Touring Area: Hunter Valley and Coast |
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 Queens Wharf - Newcastle | |
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Capital of the Hunter Valley region. Began as a coalmining and penal
settlement. The first export from Australia was coal from Newcastle to
Bengal in 1799. The harbour is the largest export harbour in the
Commonwealth. Visit Fort Scratchley, built in 1822 to repel an
anticipated Russian invasion along with many others around the eastern
seaboard. The Newcastle Regional Museum in Hunter St is the largest
regional museum in Australia. There are several beaches nearby and the
wineries of the Hunter Valley are superb.
Newcastle is New South Wales second largest city and the sixth largest in Australia. Originally settled as Coal River by Governor King as a mining venture after Lieutenant John Shortland had seen a rich seam of coal while pursuing escaped convicts nearby in 1791. The settlement was abandoned in 1802 but resumed 2 years later under Lieutenant Charles Menzies with the new name of Newcastle. These early days saw a penal settlement with convicts working as woodcutters, lime-burners and miners and it was not until 1831 the prisoners were moved to nearby Port Macquarie and the town developed as a mining centre producing coal and steel. Although industrial in its beginnings, Newcastle today is a thriving city with everything to offer the visitor. Located at the mouth of the Hunter River on the southern shore of Port Hunter, it abounds with parklands, plazas, public promenades and heritage buildings. Its regional Art Gallery and Museum are among the country's finest, and its proximity to numerous beaches, national parks, the wineries of the Hunter Valley and the Pacific Ocean make it a perfect holiday destination. PLACES OF INTEREST: ACCOMMODATION & SERVICES: 
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© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins