So here’s the thing…
When it comes to beaches here in Newcastle we are desperately spoilt for choice, but, that doesn’t mean we don’t have our favourites and watch out if anyone tries to tell us another beach is better than ‘our’ beach.
‘No way Merewether is better than Bar…’
‘Wait… what? You think Nobby’s is better than Newie?
And so on….
So when it comes to reviewing our beaches I had to ask myself, what criteria should I use as a measure? Water clarity, cleanliness, parking?
Um.. nope… none of that.
Newcastle Live isn’t about reports, facts and figures – it’s about loving our city so that’s what I decided to use as a measure to rate the beaches of Newcastle – their lovability.
1. Bar Beach
As a child growing up in Newcastle, there aren’t many beaches that top Bar Beach when it comes to fun. When I was little, and I mean four or five years old, a trip to Bar was the highlight of my week. Down the path, take a left turn and low tide would reveal a wonderland of rock pools, sea urchins, starfish (where are they now by the way?), shells, you name it. I would yank out pieces of that seaweed you could pop into little segments and annoy my mum for hours as she tried to sunbake. Then before leaving we would walk over to the ‘big beach’ where I would jump off the rock into waves, all the while pretending I was some kind of elite athlete preparing for the Rock Jumping Olympics, because all kids know that’s a thing right?
2. Newcastle Beach
It’s hard to go past Newcastle Beach. It’s the beach that has our city’s namesake, it was the original home of Surfest and where else would you go for an after dinner ice-cream during daylight saving? Nestled between the iconic Newcastle Ocean Baths and the sentinel cliffs made famous by the Mattara Hill Climb, Newcastle Beach is a central characteristic of the Novocastrian landscape.
3. Nobbys Beach
Who could forget images of the Pasha Bulka washed up on Nobbys Beach? Those images made Nobbys Beach famous, not just around the Hunter, but throughout the world. With its iconic lighthouse standing tall at the end of a meandering break wall, Nobbys is a beach unlike any other. We can all remember summers taking shelter from the sun up in the kiosk area and watching lifeguards and nippers scatter across the sand like pieces of red and yellow confetti. It is also worth noting the little beach on the other side of Nobbys break wall – Horseshoe. For dog lovers this beach is probably the number one pick with its tranquil bay and eclectic gathering of mutts. Horseshoe is the doggy equivalent of Live at the Foreshore – not just once a year, but every day!
4. Merewether Beach
Merewether Beach tried to kill me once. It’s true. At age 10 my life was almost cut short when the baths decided to try and drown me. My mum had to wildly bomb in, despite the precarious position of her strapless bikini top, and swim out to save me. There I was out in the middle, gasping and spitting, wildly waving my arms around like some kind of misplaced air traffic controller. But despite all odds I survived. I rebuilt and I lived on. Okay, so that could be a touch dramatic and maybe I was just a terrible swimmer, and still am, but never the less I have not been back since that fateful day in November 1983. I am willing to say however, that it is a lovey beach with incredible facilities in Merewether Surfhouse and the Blue Door Café. It has a great surf break and a little while back it was chosen as the new home of Surfest – funny about that. So, since you are so great I guess I can try to forgive and forget Merewether. Truce.
5. Stockton
Just over the bridge we have Stockton. Okay so it’s not completely in Newcastle, but it’s a great beach and sure worth a mention. And here’s why. Stockton allows us to have a little more fun than the other beaches I’ve mentioned. Of course there are some rules, but going over the Stockton Bridge is a little bit like crossing the border into the Tijuana of beaches. You can take your 4WD onto Stockton and cruise along the dunes or down to the water (can you imagine racing your fourbie along Newcastle Beach?). You can take your dog to Stockton – or your horse, you can camp overnight with your friends, you can ocean fish with a long line or just walk for hours collecting shells and breathing in the ocean air. You can do things on Stockton that you just can’t do at the city beaches and that’s why we cannot leave it out of our Top 5 most loveable beaches.
