Glenrock State Conservation Area, HighfieldsCREDIT: Destination NSW
Man riding a mountain bike through Glenrock State Conservation Area, Highfields located near the City of Newcastle.
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Television presenter and avid traveller Tyson Mayr booked a trip to Newcastle to discover the latest foodie hits and adventures in this coastal hub. “From start to finish this city completely surprised me,” he says. After a jam-packed three days, here are Tyson’s top five tips for making the most of ‘Newy’.
Get into the water
Newcastle’s surf is world-class, and Tyson recommends seeking the swell at Nobby’s Beach and booking in a surfing lesson with local legend Philippa Anderson, who leads her own surf school with daily classes available for beginners through to more advanced wave riders. “She’s a pro on the tour and will get any skill level standing up,” Tyson says.
Refuel and re-caffeinate
“The biggest surprise for me was just how good the food, coffee scene and nightlife actually is here,” Tyson says. Follow him to Flotilla, where he says he found “the best dining experience I’ve had in Australia.” For breakfast, Uprising Bakery & Kitchen pours coffee, serves handmade artisan pastries and some of Newcastle’s most coveted sourdough.
See the city on two wheels
Tyson joins Ben from Newy Rides, a bike tour company with a distinctively Newcastle character, riding from distilleries to craft breweries on upcycled bikes; discovering murals and stopping for selfies. “This was awesome. [Ben] takes you to all the local spots and you meet the local business [owners],” Tyson says.
Phillippa Anderson Surf School, Newcastle CREDIT: Destination NSW
Man enjoying a surf lesson with Philippa Anderson at Nobbys Beach, Newcastle.
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Phillippa Anderson Surf School, Newcastle CREDIT: Destination NSW
Man enjoying a surf lesson with Philippa Anderson at Nobbys Beach, Newcastle.
The Flotilla, Wickham CREDIT: Destination NSW
Dish available on the menu at The Flotilla, Wickham in Newcastle.
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The Flotilla, Wickham CREDIT: Destination NSW
Dish available on the menu at The Flotilla, Wickham in Newcastle.
Go bush
Just 15 minutes from the beach, Glenrock State Conservation Area feels a world away. Tyson hikes through lush rainforests and speeds past red gums, wildflowers and waterfalls on the 14-kilometre purpose-built mountain bike trail. “It’s the perfect little escape from the city and the best part is – it’s all free,” he says.
Make your own gin
Tyson says a must-do in Newcastle is a gin-making course at Earp Distilling Co. “Even if you’re not a big drinker, just trying to come up with combinations and create your own bottle – it’s a really fun experience”.
Glenrock State Conservation Area, Highfields CREDIT: Destination NSW
Tyson Mayr riding a mountain bike through Glenrock State Conservation Area, Highfields located near the City of Newcastle.
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Glenrock State Conservation Area, Highfields CREDIT: Destination NSW
Tyson Mayr riding a mountain bike through Glenrock State Conservation Area, Highfields located near the City of Newcastle.
Earp Distilling Co., Carrington CREDIT: Destination NSW
Man enjoying a gin masterclass and tour experience at Earp Distilling Co., Carrington in Newcastle.
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Earp Distilling Co., Carrington CREDIT: Destination NSW
Man enjoying a gin masterclass and tour experience at Earp Distilling Co., Carrington in Newcastle.
MORE INSPIRATIONAL STORIES
Scuba Diving, Jervis BayCREDIT: Jordan Robins
Scuba diver exploring a dive site in Jervis Bay.
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New South Wales boasts a diverse array of impressive scuba diving spots along its spectacular coastline. From diving with green turtles in the warm subtropical waters of Tweed Heads on the North Coast to exploring the dazzling coral reefs surrounding Lord Howe Island, you’ll discover underwater ecosystems unlike anywhere else in Australia.
Sydney
Shelly Beach, Manly
A beach dive perfect for beginners, Shelly Beach near Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches it is home to giant cuttlefish, wobbegongs and even seadragons, a relative of the seahorse.
Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail, Clovelly
In Clovelly on the eastern beaches, the Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail is a 600m diving trail marked by a chain connected to concrete-filled drums. On the way you’ll find information signs — as well as friendly gropers.
The Leap, Kurnell
For experienced divers, The Leap in Kamay Botany Bay National Park at Kurnell in Sydney’s south is a thrilling shore dive that includes a 22m drop-off. You’ll find boulders and overhangs, large schools of fish, lots of seahorses and some magic swim throughs.
Bare Island, La Perouse
Across Botany Bay, Bare Island is a popular shallow dive site for beginners; look out for seadragons, gropers and turtles.
North Coast
Looking Glass, Broughton Island
Broughton Island near Port Stephens has several spectacular dive sites. The popular Looking Glass is a narrow channel through the centre of the island that opens up into a natural fishbowl. Look for rays, blue groper, red morwong, bullseye and bream.
Fly Point-Halifax Park Aquatic Reserve, Nelson Bay
At Nelson Bay, also in the Port Stephens area, the main feature of the Fly Point-Halifax Park Aquatic Reserve is a 100m-long, sponge-covered ledge with schools of bream, nannygai and blue groper.
Fish Rock Cave, South West Rocks
On the mid-North Coast, South West Rocks is home to a 125m-long cavern teeming with sea life, including placid grey nurse sharks, bull rays, nudibranchs, giant cuttlefish and more.
Solitary Islands Marine Park, Coffs Harbour
Just over an hour’s drive north of South West Rocks, the Solitary Islands Marine Park in Coffs Harbour is home to a unique mix of more than 550 species of fish, 90 corals and 600 molluscs.
Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli), Byron Bay
The marine park surrounding the rocky island off Byron Bay known as Julian Rocks (or Nguthungulli in the Bundjalung language) is regularly ranked among Australia’s top dive sites for its plethora of marine life, including grey nurse, wobbegong, and leopard sharks; eagle and manta rays, turtles, corals, and plenty of fish. During the winter months, whale song can often be heard underwater.
Cook Island Aquatic Reserve, Tweed Heads
Less than an hour north of Byron, you can also dive with turtles, manta rays, shovelnose sharks and more at Cook Island Aquatic Reserve in Tweed Heads, the state’s northernmost diving destination.
Weedy Seadragon, Kurnell CREDIT: Destination NSW
A scuba diver with a common seadragon (also known as the weedy seadragon) in coastal waters off Kurnell, south of Sydney.
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Weedy Seadragon, Kurnell CREDIT: Destination NSW
A scuba diver with a common seadragon (also known as the weedy seadragon) in coastal waters off Kurnell, south of Sydney.
Gordons Bay, Sydney CREDIT: Destination NSW
Waves washing over the rocks at Gordons Bay, nestled between the suburbs of Coogee and Clovelly in Sydney's east.
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Gordons Bay, Sydney CREDIT: Destination NSW
Waves washing over the rocks at Gordons Bay, nestled between the suburbs of Coogee and Clovelly in Sydney's east.
South Coast
Bushrangers Bay, Shellharbour
On New South Wales South Coast, Bushrangers Bay in Bass Point Reserve, at the southern end of Shellharbour, is an aquatic reserve great for beginner divers as well as snorkellers. Its temperate reefs are home to bright sponges, octopus, seadragons, and more.
Jervis Bay Marine Park
Further south, Jervis Bay’s marine park offers more than 20 shore and boat dive sites. The area has an abundance of kelp beds, large boulders, small caves, drop-offs, shear coral walls, sponge gardens, ship and plane wrecks, and swim throughs. You can also dive with fur seals between May and October.
Montague Island
In the Eurobodalla region, just off Narooma, Montague Island Nature Reserve is renowned for its Australian and New Zealand fur seal colonies. You may also see stingrays, bull rays, blue gropers and wobbegongs on a typical dive. Divers can expect water visibility of between 20–30m year-round, and it’s also a great place to see humpback whales making their migration north, then south again, during the winter months.
Lord Howe Island
Ball’s Pyramid
Less than a two-hour flight from Sydney, Lord Howe Island is one of Australia’s most superb diving locations. Arguably the most spectacular of its 100-odd dive sites is Ball’s Pyramid, a volcanic stack south of Lord Howe where advanced divers can go on drift and cave dives, and follow a coral wall. Expect to see massive schools of violet sweep, amberjack, kingfish, silver drummer, rainbow runners, trevally, and occasionally marlin, dolphins and wahoo.
The Lagoon
The huge, shallow lagoon on the western side of the island is great for novice divers, as well as snorkellers and underwater photographers keen to see anemones, lionfish, slipper crayfish, the rare Coleman’s pygmy seahorse, spotted snake eel, and beaked leatherjacket.
Montague Island, Narooma CREDIT: Destination NSW
Woman scuba diving with a seal at Montague Island, Narooma.
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Montague Island, Narooma CREDIT: Destination NSW
Woman scuba diving with a seal at Montague Island, Narooma.
Scuba Diving, Lord Howe Island CREDIT: Jordan Robins
Scuba diver exploring the coral gardens surrounding Lord Howe Island.
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Scuba Diving, Lord Howe Island CREDIT: Jordan Robins
Scuba diver exploring the coral gardens surrounding Lord Howe Island.