THE (OTHER) CITY NEXT DOOR

Next time you’re planning a weekend getaway, why not head north to Newcastle?

You’ll find a thriving foodie scene, lots of cool cafes, bars, art galleries and shops, and an abundance of natural attractions to explore. We take the new Volvo C40 Recharge on a test drive to check out NSW’s second-biggest city.

HISTORY & HERITAGE

Newcastle Harbour is at the heart of the city’s indigenous, maritime and industrial history and although the steelworks that gave Newcastle the nickname Steel City have long gone, it is still one of Australia’s most economically significant and liveliest ports. Every day you’ll see cargo and cruise ships making their way along the waterways, along with kayaks, yachts, tugs and tour boats – it’s a constant hive of activity.

The Newcastle Museum (newcastlemuseum.com.au) is a great place to learn more about the city’s past; it’s located in the former Honeysuckle Railway workshop buildings on the waterfront. Nova Cruises operates excellent narrated lunch and dinner cruises on the harbour and along the Hunter River (novacruises.com.au), and if walking tours are more your thing, check out newcastleafoot.com.au.

Fort Scratchley Historic Site is a must-visit for history buffs and kids love it, too. Sign up for a tour with expert volunteers to explore the 19th-century tunnels and museum rooms (newcastle.nsw.gov.au/fort-scratchley), or just head to the top for amazing views.

The Lock-Up, a police station dating back to 1861, is one of Newcastle’s most significant heritage buildings and today it is an award-winning contemporary arts space, located in Hunter Street (thelockup.org.au).

The Great Outdoors

Take in breathtaking coastal views and local history on the Newcastle Memorial Walk, which connects with the Bathers Way, a scenic sixkilometre walk from Nobbys Lighthouse to Merewether Ocean Baths. Newcastle Ocean Baths are currently undergoing a major renovation, but you can still take a dip in the famous Bogey Hole, a picturesque ocean pool carved into the sandstone cliff. Surfers flock to Merewether and Newcastle beaches, while Nobby’s Beach is better suited to novice board-riders and families.

Blackbutt Reserve is a lovely place to take children. Boardwalks and walking trails wind through rainforest and bushland, home to a diverse number of wild birds, reptiles and wallabies, and you can see the resident koalas and wombats up-close at feeding times.

Thrill-seekers of all ages can choose from more than 90 aerial challenges and 20 different ziplines at TreeTop Adventure Park in the Blue Gum Regional Park. Bookings are essential (treetopsadventure.com.au), while Glenrock State Conservation Area is a mountain biking mecca only a short drive from the city.

Local company CoastXP (coastxp.com) specialises in guided naturebased boating and bushwalking tours in and around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie – whale-watching between May and November is always popular. Or why not take the combined boating adventure tour and scenic helicopter flight?

There are dozens of great bars in Newcastle. We love Coal and Cedar (coalandcedar.com) and Bar Petite (barpetite.com.au), but there are many more to explore. Craft beer fans favour Grain Store Newcastle (grainstore.beer), Modus Merewether (mobrewing.com.au) and Foghorn Brewery (foghornbrewery.com.au) Earp Distilling Co in Carrington is renowned for using native Australian ingredients in its range of spirits and offers a terrific menu, too (earpdistillingco.com).

Places To Stay

Newcastle’s first five-star hotel, Crystalbrook Kingsley, is located in the heart of the CBD, within walking distance of all the main attractions. The rooftop bar, Romberg’s, is a top spot for a social drink, or linger longer over dinner at the adjoining Roundhouse fine-dining restaurant. A more casual option is the buzzy Ms Mary café-bar on the ground floor. crystalbrookcollection.com/kingsley

Playing a starring role in Newcastle’s revitalised East End, QT Newcastle is housed within the historic David Jones building on Hunter Mall. Designed by long-time QT-collaborator Nic Graham, the hotel features 104 individually decorated guest rooms and suites as well as signature restaurant Jana and the city’s highest rooftop bar, Rooftop at QT. qthotels.com/newcastle

NOAH’S on the Beach offers 91 rooms, an award-winning restaurant and eight refurbished function rooms. It is less than a five-minute walk from the CBD and the accommodation overlooks Newcastle Beach, the bustling harbour or the townhouses of Newcastle East. NOAH'S restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. noahsonthebeach.com.au

NRMA Stockton Beach Holiday Park is a popular spot for a budget- and family-friendly getaway. About 30 minutes’ drive from the city, accommodation ranges from villas to caravan sites and powered and unpowered tent sites. Hop on the Stockton Ferry for a daytrip to Newcastle or explore Stockton Beach’s famous sand dunes. nrmaparksandresorts.com.au/stockton-beach

EAT & DRINK

Foodies are spoilt for choice in Newcastle. Let’s start by wandering along the Honeysuckle precinct, where you’ll find a fabulous collection of waterside bars, cafés and restaurants housed in atmospheric, revitalised warehouses and industrial buildings. Some of our favourites are The Kingfish (thekingfish.com.au), Scratchleys on the Wharf (scratchleys.com.au) – both serve outstanding seafood – Honeysuckle Hotel (honeysucklehotel.com.au) for an impressive pub menu, and The Landing Bar & Kitchen (thelanding.com.au), for margaritas, tapas, tacos and more.

In other parts of the city, check out Merewether Surfhouse (surfhouse.com.au) – the beach, bar, restaurant and café offer something for everyone; The Basement on Market Street (basementonmarketst.com.au) for delicious Italian cuisine; Signal Box in the Market Street Lawn precinct (signalbox.com.au); Mediterranean-style Rustica Newcastle Beach (rustica.com.au); and see opposite for sommelier Stephane Pommier’s top spots.

The Car

The 100 per cent electric, five-seat Volvo C40 Recharge doesn’t force you to choose between power and responsible driving. Just drive away and enjoy the comfort of one pedal drive and smooth acceleration –with zero exhaust emissions.

Features of the Volvo C40 Recharge include:

• Up to 500km electric range

• 4.7s acceleration (0-100 km/h)

• 28-minute fast charge 10-80%

• Integrated Google Maps real-time traffic info and automatic rerouting

• Harman Kardon Premium Sound system

• Assisted safety features including 360° parking view and blind spot information system (BLIS) to provide active support when changing lanes

• Advanced body structure and a unique battery safety cage designed to help protect all occupants in a collision as well as to help protect the occupants of other vehicles.

Find out more or arrange a test drive at volvocarscentralcoast.com.au/cars/volvo-c40recharge/