New Year at Newie

Monday 20th December 2010 - Sunday 2nd January 2011 (two weeks)

Stayed in Newcastle at the YHA for $29 per night (which is actually cheaper per night than the Stockton caravan park unpowered - which I find unusual).

Things I did while in Newcastle include:

• Watched the Lunar eclipse on Tuesday 21st from the Newcastle ocean baths
• Went to the Great Northern on xmas eve to watch some bands
• Walked to Bogey Hole, Strezleki Lookout and Merriweather ocean baths
• Walked to Nobby's Head
• Walked around Hunter and Darby street shops
• Climbed Queens Wharf Tower
• Rode to Blackbut Reserve and Charlestown
• Visited Fort Scratchley, including the tunnels. These contain the only cannons that have been fired in war on mainland Australia (to defeat a Japanese sub that shelled Newcastle to little effect)
• Visited the Newcastle Regional Gallery
• Rode across the Stockton Bridge (argh) to Stockton
• Took sunrise pics from Newcastle beach / ocean baths, Nobby's Head/ Nobby's beach and Merriweather Ocean baths (three separate sunrises)
• Took a bus to a shopping centre
• Watched the new years fireworks (Fort Scratchley) from Nobby's beach at 9pm and from Newcastle ocean baths at midnight.

Newcastle would be a nice place to live in my opinion if it wasn't across the Hunter river from a dirty big coal port. There are heaps of "Newtown" feel shops on Darby Street and plenty of restaurants. I enjoyed riding down Hunter Street (10 km/h shared zone in parts), then Darby, then Parry street to get to the Aldi. There are also a Hare Krishna "Govindas" restaurant and a zine shop. There are lots of "independent" galleries, unfortunately they weren't open when I was in town due to the holiday season.

At the Gallery

Corner of church and watt

Ride your modern day velocipede to the coolest coffee shop in town