Newcastle, at the mouth of the Hunter River, is the second-largest city in New South Wales and the capital of the Hunter region. Founded as a penal settlement in the early 1800s and long known for coal and steel, it has reinvented itself as a relaxed beach city with good coffee, bars and street art.
It is about an hour from Pokolbin, which makes it an easy day trip from the vineyards — and a practical gateway, with its airport, the terminus of the train from Sydney and tours that run out to the wine country.
Top things to do: Newcastle
Walk to Nobbys Head
A long breakwall leads out past Nobbys Beach to the lighthouse headland at the harbour entrance, with coal ships and tugs passing close by. It is the city’s signature walk and best early or late in the day.
Swim in the ocean baths
Newcastle has some of Australia’s finest sea pools: the Art Deco-fronted Newcastle Ocean Baths, the huge Merewether Baths and the Bogey Hole, cut into the rock by convicts around 1819.
Follow the Bathers Way
This coastal path runs about six kilometres from Nobbys to Merewether past beaches, Fort Scratchley and the clifftop ANZAC Memorial Walk. In winter and spring, watch for migrating humpback whales.
Eat and drink
Darby Street, the Honeysuckle harbourfront and the east end are full of cafés, restaurants and small bars — a change of pace after a few days among the vines.
How to get there
- From Pokolbin: about one hour by car on the Hunter Expressway.
- From Sydney: about 2–2.5 hours by car on the M1, or roughly 2.5–3 hours by train from Central to Newcastle Interchange.
- By air: Newcastle Airport at Williamtown, about 25 minutes north of the city, has flights from several Australian cities.
Insider tips
- A light rail line links Newcastle Interchange with the beaches at the east end.
- Private and small-group wine tours from Newcastle are a good option if you are staying in the city.
- Swim between the flags at patrolled beaches; surf can be strong.
Best tours & tickets: Newcastle
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to enjoy Newcastle and the rest of the Hunter Valley:
Private tour Newcastle: Private Tailored Hunter Valley Wine Tour
A private day for your own group, starting and finishing in Newcastle: three seated wine tastings, a craft vodka and gin tasting and a cheese or chocolate pairing, with the route shaped around what you like to drink. Priced per group.
- Door-to-door from Newcastle, just for your group
- Three seated wine tastings
- A vodka and gin tasting plus a cheese or chocolate pairing
Cruise from A$50 Nelson Bay: Dolphin Watch Cruise and Sail
Ninety minutes under sail from Nelson Bay, looking for the bottlenose dolphins that live in Port Stephens all year. An easy add-on if you are driving out to the coast from the vineyards.
- A sailing cruise on the clear waters of Port Stephens
- Time with the bay’s resident bottlenose dolphins
- Short and good value
Day trip from A$199 From Sydney: Port Stephens Dolphin Cruise, Koalas & Sandboarding
Not a wine tour, but the Hunter coast’s big day out: about two and a half hours north of Sydney, with a dolphin cruise, sandboarding on huge coastal dunes and koalas. A good second day trip if you have already done the vineyards.
- A dolphin-watching cruise from Nelson Bay
- Sandboarding on the Stockton Bight dunes
- A visit to a koala sanctuary with an elevated walkway
