Newcastle By Foot

OVERVIEW

Walk through the heart of Newcastle and admire the architecture as you learn about the city’s transformation from a 19th-century penal colony into a cultural center. While strolling the historical district bordering the Hunter River, you will pass verdant parks and landmarks that reveal Newcastle’s past. Built in 1877, the former Customs House is a wonderful example of Victorian Romanesque architecture and Newcastle’s maritime heritage. It now houses a luxury hotel. The building towers over Watt Street, the city’s oldest thoroughfare, which was built atop a path that the indigenous Awabakal people used before Europeans arrived. The street is named for James Watt, a pioneer in the development of the steam engine that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. Another highlight is the Convict Lumber Yard, one of the earliest convict workplaces in Australia. Excavations have unearthed artifacts associated with Newcastle’s early 19th-century convict occupation and aboriginal artifacts found at a much deeper level.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the historical landmarks on a leisurely guided walk through Newcastle.
• Recognize how the city has transformed from a penal colony into a cultural center.
• See the former Customs House and one of the first workplaces for convicts in Australia.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.