Cruise Industry Overview Newcastle Harbour is the gateway to the Hunter Region and boasts an array of day excursions from wine tasting to coastal tours. This busy hub has the following destinations at its fingertips: Port Stephens, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, Hunter Valley and Maitland. Newcastle is Australia’s second oldest city and boasts a vibrant working harbour with acclaimed waterfront restaurants, hip cafés and cool cocktail bars. Port Stephens is known for its dolphin population and massive sand dunes, a daytrip here can be as fast or slow as you like, while the Central Coast offers the perfect little adventure among its vibrant community of makers, creators and stunning natural backdrop. You can be assured of relaxing in Lake Macquarie where you can enjoy the simple things in life. The famous Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest wine region, whilst historic Maitland is rich in creativity, culture and boutique accommodation. Port of Newcastle 7min drive Newcastle on the NSW North Coast has become Newcastle the new capital of cool. Once a working-class, no-nonsense destination, it’s now a culinary and Newcastle artistic hot-spot that’s also home to some of the CBD best beaches in the whole country. There’s plenty 160 kms to do here, for both indoor and outdoor types. 2 hours Central Key experiences Coast FOOD & WINE AQUATIC & COASTAL NATURE & WILDLIFE Sydney CBD HERITAGE & CULTURE Bookable experiences Other experiences • CoastXP (new) • Newcastle Art Gallery • Dave’s Pub Walks • Signal Box • Fort Scratchely Historic Site • Newcastle Afoot • Nova Cruises Newcastle Fort Scratchley. Memorial Walk. Newcastle Museum. Image courtesy of Newcastle City Council Image courtesy of Newcastle City Council Image courtesy of Newcastle City Council For more information, contact Newcastle Visitor Information Centre, 430 Hunter Street Newcastle. T: 02 4074 2109 E: [email protected] Hunter Valley With more than 150 wineries, restaurants aplenty, sweeping landscapes and mobs of kangaroos. There’s just so much to love about Australia’s oldest wine region – the epic wines, of course; the bevy Hunter of paddock to plate produce; the forward-thinking Valley 70kms chefs who plate it up; the stunning scenery and the 1 hour fun festivals where you can party hardy! Key experiences FOOD & WINE Port of Newcastle NATURE & WILDLIFE Winery experiences Other experiences Gourmet highlights • Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard • Balloon Aloft • Bistro Molines • Brokenwood Wines • Hunter Valley Gardens • Circa 1876 • McGuigan Wines • Hunter Valley Private Tours • Muse Restaurant • Piggs Peake • Hunter Valley Zoo • Yellow Billy • Scarborough Wine • Two Fat Blokes • Tulloch Wines • Wine Country Tours • Tyrrell’s Wines • Wine House Hunter Valley Hot air balloons over the Hunter Valley. Hunter Valley Gardens. Margan Wines and Restaurant. Image courtesy of Destination NSW Image courtesy of Destination NSW Image courtesy of MJK Creative For more information, contact Hunter Valley Visitor Information Centre, 455 Wine Country Drive Pokolbin. W: www.winecountry.com.au I T: 02 4993 6700 I E: [email protected] Port Stephens Port Stephens is an idyllic coastal destination where giant sand dunes, tranquil bays and stunning coastline provides the backdrop for exhilarating experiences. Get up close to the bottlenose dolphins that reside in the bay on a cruise, see koalas in their natural habitat or take in 33 kms the coastal views over a fresh local seafood lunch. Explore Port the Southern Hemisphere’s largest moving coastal sand 45+ mins Stephens dunes on a sand board, camel, quad bike or 4WD vehicle. For panoramic views of the azure bays and beyond stop at Gan Gan Hill Lookout or hike to the top of Mount Tomaree. Key experiences Port of Newcastle AQUATIC & COASTAL NATURE & WILDLIFE ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES Bookable experiences Other experiences • 4WD Tours R Us • Murray’s Brewery and Port • Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides • Cookabarra Restaurant Stephens Winery • Three Championship Golf • Dolphin Swim Australia • Oakvale Wildlife Park Courses • Imagine Cruises • Port Stephens 4WD Tours • Tomaree Coastal Adventures • Irukandji Shark and Ray • Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary Encounters • Quad Bike King • Moonshadow – TQC Cruises • Sand Dune Adventures Mount Tomaree. Stockton Sand Dunes. Dolphin Watching. Image courtesy Image courtesy of Destination NSW Image courtesy of Destination NSW of Moonshadow-TQC Cruises For more information, contact Destination Port Sephens02 49812964 Email: [email protected] | Website: www.portstephens.org.au Maitland Discover a charming region with a rich history, emerging food scene, thriving arts community, boutique accommodation and packed events calendar. There’s creativity on every corner in Maitland. Discover Maitland 31 kms vibrant murals on city streets, see artists at work in their studios and pick up works from local creators. Maitland 30 mins Regional Art Gallery hosts a superb range of touring exhibitions and shows thousands of artworks each year. Within Maitland, you’ll also find Morpeth, an historic town on the banks of the Hunter River. Take a boat from Newcastle, sample local wines and browse boutique shops in heritage 19th century buildings, including the bakehouse Port of where the Arnott biscuit dynasty began. Newcastle Key experiences HERITAGE & CULTURE FOOD & WINE Bookable experiences Other experiences Food and Wine • A Moving Feast • Maitland Regional Art Gallery • Boydell’s Cellar Door & Restaurant • A Taste of Maitland • Morpeth Heritage Walk • COQUUN • Maitland Gaol Mortels Sheepskin Factory • • Fratelli Roma • Walka Water Works • Muse Kitchen • The Rigby • Tranquil Vale Vineyard Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Indian Root Pills Barn. The New One. Image courtesy of Maitland City Council Image courtesy of Maitland City Council Image courtesy of Maitland City Council For more information contact Maitland Visitor Information Centre. T: 02 4931 2800 E: [email protected] Lake Macquarie As soon as you arrive at Lake Macquarie, you’ll ease into holiday mode. A place where the simple things never went out of style, where the dress code reads ‘barefoot’ and the soundtrack is the gentle lapping of waves on the shore or the sizzle of a barbecue. 30 kms The largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere and more than twice the size of Sydney Harbour, Lake 35 mins Macquarie is an aquatic playground. Explore by boat, kayak Port of or paddleboard. Hike through rainforests, camp by majestic Newcastle waterfalls and see the sun rise from ancient sea caves. Then see it all from above with an exhilarating joy flight with Australia’s only Red Bull Air Race Team – Matt Hall Racing. Key experiences Lake Macquarie AQUATIC & COASTAL NATURE & WILDLIFE HERITAGE & CULTURE Bookable experiences Other experiences • Airborne Flight Training • AAA Horse Riding & More • Museum of Art and Culture • CoastXP • Aviation Heritage at Rathmines Lake Macquarie • JetBuzz Watersports • Belmont 16s • Out and About Adventures • Lake Macquarie Cruises • Boomerang Bikes • Lake Macquarie Kayak & SUP Hire • Caves Beach Lake Macquarie Sailing Tours • Dive Newcastle Matt Hall Racing • • Dobell House • Skydive Sydney-Newcastle • • Skyline Aviation • Lake Macquarie Yacht Charters Explore Lake Macquarie’s iconic sea caves Enjoy the array of water activities on Get a new perspective from above with at Caves Beach. Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake. Lake Macquarie Airport’s range of aerial Image courtesy of Destination NSW Image courtesy of Destination NSW adventures. Courtesy Matt Hall Racing For more information, contact the Lake Macquarie Visitor Information Centre on 1800 802 044 or [email protected] Central Coast Situated between the state’s capital of Sydney and Newcastle, the Central Coast is a vibrant community of makers and creators set against a stunning natural backdrop Port of of inviting waterways, pristine beaches and lush hinterland. 90 kms Newcastle If you’re seeking a little adventure, this region is a must-visit. 1.25 hrs Key experiences AQUATIC & COASTAL NATURE & WILDLIFE FOOD & WINE Central Coast INDIGENOUS Bookable experiences Other experiences • Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park • Glenworth Valley Outdoor • Bouddi Coastal Walk • Australian Reptile Park Adventures • Norah Head Lighthouse • Broken Bay Pearl Farm • Kayak Central Coast • Patonga to Pearl Beach Hiking Trail • Central Coast Mountain Bike Tours • Little Creek Cheese • Terrigal’s beach, boutiques and bars • Central Coast Surf Academy • Pro Dive Scuba Diving • The Entrance Pelican Feed • Distillery Botanica • Sydney Oyster Farm Tours • The Long Jetty and quirky cafes • Firescreek Winery • The Factory – Nougat & Chocolate • Whale watching at Crackneck Point • Girri Girra Aboriginal Experiences • TreeTop Adventure Park Surf at Shelly Beach. Explore the Bouddi Coastal Walk. Meet koala joeys. Image courtesy of Central Coast Council Image courtesy of Central Coast Council Image courtesy of Australian Reptile Park For more information, seeVisitCentralCoast.com.au , contact the Visitor Information Centre on 02 4334 4213, or email [email protected] .