I haven’t posted on this forum for a very long time. Popped in today to find the same level of negativity that made me leave.

My 2 cents on Newcastle, NSW.

I’ve lived here for 8 years and it’s changed a lot in that time (for the better, although I loved it from day 1).

Pros:
*Great weather. Lots of blue skies, Summers can have some unbearably hot days but they tend to last a day or so then the temp drops. Mostly hovers around a lovely beach- going 30- 32 degrees. Winter is cold overnight but sunny and bright during the day. Hoodies generally needed, not coats.
*Amazing beaches. Beautiful, not packed, and easy access. Just pull up in the car and enjoy.
*Greenery: lots of bush around which makes for some lovely looking suburbs.
*Nightlife: has improved drastically. There’s plenty for my age group (40s) and my 21 yo daughter is always out. My daughter did not enjoy going out in London before the pandemic, nor the smallish town that we came from. She loved Dublin though, and loves Newy.
*There are lots of great restaurants too. Sure, a bigger city would have more, but how many do you need? Most people will only travel so far to a restaurant.
*There are 3 major shopping centres in the area. This is a plus for me as I had to drive for miles in the UK (I lived in Dorset).
*The vineyards are 45 minutes away and are great for a day out.
*Music: lots of huge bands come to the vineyards and there is a great local music scene.
*Proximity to Sydney: an easy 2 hours.
*Cafe culture: Newy has a great cafe culture
*Airport: soon to be upgraded to an international airport
* Chosen by NSW government as an innovation hub.
* Traffic is generally good. There are some areas that clog up, but mostly the traffic flows well.
* World class University.
* Newy is a hidden gem. It used to be an industrial city and lots of Aussies still have this view, so stayed away. This is a good thing but is changing. Lots of Sydney Siders are relocating here and it’s having an impact (see cons).
* Postion. Great position on the East coast. Easy drive to Sydney, about 8 hours to Gold Coast / Brisbane & 10 hours to Melbourne, plus regular flights.
* Expat community. Not nearly as big as the major cities so a lot of us know each other and offer support. I like the fact that Newcastle is an Aussie city and not UK-in-the-sun.
Most Brits and Irish that move here absolutely love it. Sure, there are some unhappy people but they are largely unhappy because they are away from home rather than anything Newcastle specific.
* Like most other places in Australia, there’s a great tradition of volunteering: surf lifesaving, SES, Rural Fire Service.
* 30 odd km of sand dunes. 4x4ing is very popular here.
* 20 minute city. Even the outer suburbs are approx 20 minutes or less to the city centre or beach.
* Newcastle is surrounded by beauty. Sea / beaches to the East, Vineyards & bush to the west, Lake Macquarie to the south, Nelson Bay / state conservation areas to the North.

Cons
* Art & culture. Other than music, Newcastle lacks a bit in this area. There’s some great street art and the major Van Gogh interactive exhibition is coming here along with all the big cities, but there is not much in the way of galleries. There is only one small museum and it’s based around Newcastle’s previous industrial history.
* House prices are high and are increasing. This is largely to do with the influx of Sydney-siders, plus people being able to take jobs in Sydney and work form home several days per week.
*Housing availability - there is currently a rental crisis. It’s very hard to find one and there’s lots of competition. Lack of homes to buy is also a factor in prices rising.
* Public transport form the outer suburbs is patchy. It really could be improved. Newy is a car city and residents whinge constantly about the lack of parking in the centre.
* Newcastle has the biggest coal terminal in the world. Some see this as a “pro” due to jobs, but personally I see it as a con due to environmental impact. Coal is dug out of the Hunter Valley and loaded onto ships at the Port of Newcastle.

Other:
*We had to adapt when we moved here. No one gets really dressed up in designer clothes for example. People dress for the weather and it’s unusual in summer to see men in smart shorts and polo t-shirts like you might elsewhere. It’s singlet and thongs.
This is the same whether in a manual labour job or a professional job. It’s impossible to tell someone’s background unless you ask them.
*There is no politeness in driving, people don’t wave each other out or say thank you. If someone indicates that they are going to pull in front of you then they ARE going to do that and you should let them. It’s just the way it is. A lot of expats get upset by it at first, but once you adapt it’s a lot easier.