Local history
Newcastle has a long history. The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are recognised and acknowledged as traditional custodians of the land and waters of the Newcastle area. The earliest Aboriginal reference to the naming of Newcastle is Muloobinba (meaning Mu-lu-bin [edible sea fern] -ba [place of)].
Following European settlement, Newcastle became a penal station, a coal town, a steel city. It has a working port, and is steeped in a long heritage of labour and trade unonism.
Today, it is NSW's second largest city and the seventh largest city in Australia.
Discovery and Founding of Newcastle
From Captain Cook to convicts and coal seekers, this page provides you with some background on the discovery and early days of Newcastle.
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The birth of Newcastle
Read about Friday 30 March 1804 when Charles Menzies arrived at the Hunter River to found a convict punishment centre which would develop in time to become the City of Newcastle.
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Menzies Commission 1804
Read about he Commission dated 15 March 1804 which bears the official seal, to appoint Lieutenant Charles A. F. N. Menzies of the Royal Marines to command and superintend the settlement of Newcastle. The Commission is signed by Philip Gidley King, Governor of the Colony of New South Wales.
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The Newcastle Earthquake
Find out what happened in one of Australia's biggest natural disasters.
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The Obelisk
After the controversial removal of a windmill, an obelisk was built on the hill in 1850. Obelisk Hill is now a popular park and lookout with expansive views over the lower Hunter plain.
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History of Local Councils pre 1938
Twelve local councils were established before 1938, including Adamstown Council, Carrington Council, Hamilton Council and Lambton Council.
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The Lead Light Tower
On the corner of Brown and Tyrrell Sts in Newcastle is a disused navigational tower which looks like a standard battlement from a medieval castle.
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Wreck of the Adolphe
The wreck of the French four-masted barque Adolphe lies off the Stockton breakwall. The account of the wreck is a story of the courageous and skilful work of the lifeboat crew who saved every life on board.
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Bogey Hole
The Bogey Hole is a popular swimming spot at the foot of Shepherds Hill, beneath King Edward Park in Newcastle. It is located beneath a pseudo headland or prominence and gets battered in heavy seas. It is only about four and a half feet deep. It was built for the personal use of the Commandant in Newcastle.
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Nobbys
Nobbys is the enduring landmark of Newcastle. First described by Captain Cook in May 1770 as "a small clump of an island" it has evolved into a symbol recognisable to all in the Hunter.
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Library foyer sculptures
The two statues were erected in the foyer of the library in Laman Street in 1957.They were designed by Lyndon Dadswell. Dadswell won a design competition to find a sculpture which would represent "youth emerging from the conflict of war and looking with hope and courage to the future."
The 3.3 metre bronze statues are of a man and a woman with heads upturned and a broken sword at their feet. The inscription on the foyer wall was the result of yet another competition won by Jessie Sheridan-McLoughlin of Cessnock. The inscription set above the heads of the bronze figures reads:
In minds enobled here,
the noble dead shall live.
Civic Theatre
When the Civic Theatre was proposed in 1888 there was much debate about where to put the building. In 1925 the Hunter Street/Wheeler Place location was chosen.
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Civic Park
Following its original use as both a commercial and industrial site, the Park has been the centre for many major Newcastle events such as Mattara activities, ANZAC Day services and the public reception for the Newcastle Knights 1997 Grand final win.
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Council Administration Centre
Work on the Council Administration Centre (also known as the CAC or the "Round House") started on 11 April 1972. It was built on the triangle of land at the corner of Wheeler Place, King and Burwood Streets owned by Frederic Ash Ltd. The building has eight storeys above ground and three levels of basement parking. The building is circular. It was opened by the NSW Governor, Sir Roden Cutler in June 1977. The building was refurbished during 2001. This included replacing 240 windows.
