Many of Newcastle’s top tourist attractions are heritage listed, paying testament to the city’s historical status.
Hear stories from the Dreamtime
Newcastle’s Indigenous history is apparent throughout the whole city, with stories from the Dreamtime weaving their way through the local area. Nobbys Lighthouse is perched on sacred Aboriginal land and provides stunning views over the ocean. If you venture here, you might feel the earth trembling beneath your feet. Dreamtime legend has it that this movement is created by a kangaroo hiding beneath the lighthouse, who occasionally makes the earth move by crashing its tail against the ground.
Discover Newcastle’s coal mining history.
As well as being a significant location for Aboriginal people of the area, the Newcastle area is also well-known for its history as an important coal mining town. Built in the early 1800s, Fort Scratchley allows you to explore the town’s coal mining history, learning how important this activity was in the day-to-day lives of the inhabitants. As well as being built with impressive architecture, the fort is also a lookout for some great views over the nearby beaches.
Explore the convict past
For years, the site of the Convict Lumber Yard Heritage Park lay hidden until an excavation nearly 30 years ago uncovered it. An important site that explores Newcastle’s early days as a convict settlement, this penal building housed convicts who were brought in to work in the coalmines. Today, the heritage-listed site is a must-see for any history buff.
Delve into the ancient shipwreck
Located just north of the centre of town, the wreck of the Adolphe tells the intricate story of a French ship that moored off the Newcastle coast some 100 years ago. See the shipwreck at Stockton Beach and marvel at how difficult it would have been to navigate this century-old boat through the treacherous waters.
