Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales, is a vibrant metropolis with cool cafes and beautiful beaches.

The second oldest city in Australia, often called Newie ‘, is located in the eastern state of New South Wales, just two hours’ drive north from Sydney. Like Sydney, Newcastle is also bound by majestic ports and beaches, but with a population of less than 300,000. The city is also a gateway to the Hunter Valley, one of the largest wine producing regions in Australia.

CLIMATE

In Newcastle, the summers are warm and humid, the winters are short and cool. The temperature annualy range from 45°F to 81°F and is rarely below 40°F or above 92°F. In 2020, the shortest day is June 21, with 9 hours, 59 minutes of daylight; the longest day is December 21, with 14 hours, 20 minutes of daylight.

You can experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20 degrees Celsius (68°F) and 25 degrees Celsius (77°F) during the month of March, April, May, September, October and November.

On average, the warmest month is January and the coolest month is July. The wettest month is June. You will probably see rain everyday. The driest month is September.

TRANSPORTATION

There is electric-bike called Bykko in Newcastle. It has a lot of docks around Newcastle. You may expect to pay $6 for half an hour; weekly rates are $22 (still only includes 30-minute rides). You can also swipe your credit card and grab a bike. This scheme is known as Swipe n Ride. Of course you have to return the bike to the same station.

Buses are also available in Newcastle. Most bus services stop at Newcastle Bus Station. If some buses were no longer stopping here, another alternative is Newcastle Interchange. This is where trains to Newcastle terminate.

For a fan of water transportation, stockton ferry leaves every half-hour from Queens Wharf.

COST OF LIVING

Here is cost of living guide in Newcastle according to The University of Newcastle Australia:

  • Homestay – $235 to $325 per week
  • Hostels and Guesthouses – $90 to $150 per week
  • Shared Rental – $85 to $215 per week
  • Rental – $165 to $440 per week
  • Boarding schools – $11,000 to $22,000 a year
  • On campus – $90 to $350 per week

Other living expenses

  • Car (after purchase) – $150 to $260 per week
  • Gas, electricity – $35 to $140 per week
  • Phone and Internet – $20 to $55 per week
  • Entertainment – $80 to $150 per week
  • Groceries and eating out – $80 to $280 per week
  • Public transport – $15 to $55 per week

The university also suggested that you bring these funds to cover at least the first month:

  • Cash $1000
  • Bank draft $3000

THINGS TO DO

Newcastle has one of the busiest ports in the Southern Hemisphere, with large ships coming and going all day. Go to Honeysuckle and take a walk (or bike) along the water’s edge. To enjoy all the harbor, city and coastal views from the water, CoastXP offers daily trips from the shores of Honeysuckle. There are also a number of cafes, restaurants and bars that line the water’s edge. Stop by The Landing, MoneyPenny, or The Dockyard to enjoy cocktails when the sun goes down and the harbor lights start.

You will not lack options when searching for food in Newcastle. Bolton Street Pantry has some of the best breakfast choices in Newie, while Peaberry’s offers delicious coffee. The Blind Monk in Hamilton takes a supply of beer and apple vinegar from a small local beer refinery and is certainly worth visiting. For dinner choices, visit Subo, a contemporary bistro on Hunter Street with a season-dependent menu and chefs who rely on fresh local ingredients.

Do activities as local residents and walk to the nearest market on weekends. The Newcastle City Farmers Market, held at the Newcastle Showground, is a gathering place for craftsmen. There are blacksmiths and jewelry craftsmen, painters, photographers, and toy makers. You will also find a large selection of organic and traditional food such as lamb, beef, pork, goat, trout, oysters, charcuterie, and preserved meat. Also visit the Hunt and Gather market, a boutique designer center that offers a variety of used and antique items such as clothing, jewelery and artwork, as well as culinary delights.

The Bathers Way in Newcastle is a two-hour (five-mile) breathtaking view of the lighthouse at Nobbys Headland to the wilderness of Glenrock Reserve and the former coal mine at Burwood Beach. Along the way, you will find a number of Aboriginal and prisoner relics, with yellow information boards providing historical information along this road. Look at the historic sites of Fort Scratchley, the only fort in Australia involved in contact with the enemy in the naval attack and the Nobbys wave-retaining wall, the foundation of which was made by inmates, and be sure.

There are very few cities in the world where the city center is surrounded by eight beaches. Newcastle is one of them. From Merewether and Newcastle Beach, which have Art Deco pavilions and Merewether Ocean Baths, to Nobbys, Dixon Park, Bogey Hole (formed from ocean rocks by inmates in 1820), and Beach Bar, everyone’s favorite place. You will love Newcastle’s famous beach, Merewether, which has white sand and spectacular waves.

The Newcastle Surfest Festival is the largest surfing festival in Australia, held every February. You can learn to surf or hone your skills with Surfest Surf School, which operates off the coast of Nobbys. Remember, swim between the red and yellow flags.

UNIVERSITIES

The University of Newcastle

The University of Newcastle is a leading institution with a reputation for teaching and learning of high quality and exciting contemporary academic programs. Students are educated by academics who are leaders in their fields and graduates are ready to make changes around the world.

The University of Newcastle (UON),  was founded in 1965 and has 6 campuses in Newcastle, Central Coast, Sydney, Newcastle City, Port Macquire, and Singapore. UON Australia is home to 37,035 students from 115 countries in the world.

Historically, the University of Newcastle Medical School has implemented a problem-based learning system for the Bachelor of Medicine program, a program which was later used by the Australian Medical Council throughout Australia. UON pioneered the use of the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) in the early 1990s. Since then UMAT has been widely accepted by various medical schools throughout Australia as an additional selection criterion.

Why UON?

  • Top 200 Times Higher Education Most International Universities 2016
  • 89% of graduates get a job within 4 months based on the 2018 QS World University Ranking
  • 5 stars based on the 2017 Good Universities Guide
  • Newcastle as the world’s top 10 cities based on Lonely Planet’s 10 Cities 2011
  • # 214 QS World University Ranking 2019
  • Top 10 universities in Australia based on QS World University Ranking 2018
  • # 8 in Australia for satisfaction based on 2017 Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching
  • 15 subjects are included in the world’s Top 200 based on QS World University Ranking by Subjects2018

List of faculties and schools:

Faculty of Business and Law

  • Newcastle Business School
  • Newcastle Law School

Faculty of Education and Arts

  • School of Creative Industries
  • School of Education
  • School of Humanities and Social Science

Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

  • School of Architecture and Built Environment
  • School of Engineering
  • School of Electrical Engineering and Computing

Faculty of Science

  • School of Environmental and Life Sciences
  • School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
  • School of Psychology

Faculty of Health

  • School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
  • School of Health Sciences
  • School of Medicine and Public Health
  • School of Nursing and Midwifery

For more information, please contact us:

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