Find your haven in Newcastle and discover a waterfront lifestyle in this destination with a sophisticated city profile but a relaxed, small town setting. Newcastle also has a rich, cultural history to explore as Australia’s oldest port and the touchstones of its past are all around.
This city also offers superb surfing beaches, a vibrant dining scene, and a dedication to the arts, along with spectacular coastal walks. Buy your wines direct from the vineyard of the nearby Hunter Valley as you explore its lush pastoral surrounds in a picture-perfect landscape. All of this comes at an affordable price tag to enrich a retirement lifestyle just a two-hour drive from Sydney.
There’s Never A Dull Moment.
If you love spectator sport, you can really get up close to the action here. Thrill to the Newcastle 500 supercars in December or the biggest surfing festival in Australia, Surfest in February, when the city’s sun-kissed vibe takes over. There are also many great sporting teams to follow including the local footy team, the Newcastle Knights.
For music lovers, the Newcastle Jazz Festival comes around in August when the city has a more mellow beat. And there’s always something interesting in one of the many art galleries and theatres where it’s always possible to find good seats at short notice. You can be much more spontaneous in Newcastle.
There’s also sailing adventures on offer, water sports, and indigenous culture to discover or browse for artisan homewares and produce in the open-air markets. This is a city filled with promise.
Keeping Your Cool In Newcastle
That’s not hard to do, thanks to the sea breezes that permeate the city. However, the summers are warm and humid, while the winters are short and crisp. The temperatures vary from around 7 degrees to 27 degrees celsius but it rarely dips below 4 degrees or hits more than 33 degrees. Newcastle’s climate is classified as warm and temperature with an annual rainfall of 1017mm.
Arriving Is Easier Than Leaving
After all, you won’t want to turn your back on all that your new home has to offer as Newcastle has a way of drawing you into many of its fascinating layers. However, accessing your new home from other areas of the country is as relaxed as the city itself.
Newcastle is just a pleasant two-hour drive, north of Sydney along the Pacific Highway. You can also fly in - Newcastle Airport is around a 30-minute drive from the city centre with regular direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Or, catch a train directly from Sydney’s Central Station to Newcastle, the journey takes just under three hours.
Once there, Newcastle Transport operates bus, ferry and light rail services around the city and suburbs. A Newcastle Permanent Visa card can be used instead of an Opal card on public transport. There’s also a plentiful number of taxis in Newcastle as well as a 24/7 Uber service.
Where To Find Your Place In The Sun.
If you like the quiet life, perhaps Charlestown or Toronto close to Lake Macquarie and Newcastle’s Southern beaches could be your ideal. You’ll have everything you need here with lots of shopping, dining and entertainment choices nearby.
If your idea of a retirement destination is more like a luxury resort, there are options to choose from all with streamlined facilities, luxe appointments and sophisticated activity suggestions.
Hamilton is another good choice for over 50s communities and it’s just on the rim of Newcastle’s CBD with a family culture and lots of good dining and shopping choices.
Beachcombers will love the famous Merewether suburb and its surf lifestyle not far from the CBD. Also of interest is the former industrial centre, Mayfield, which has now become fashionable and is great for cafe hopping and shopping for rustic homewares It also has its own train station and many retirement village options.
See all the retirement living properties currently available in Newcastle and surrounds here
Living Your Best Life For Less
Your dollar buys more in Newcastle, especially when it comes to finding a new home. A one-bedroom villa or a unit in a retirement village is less than $300,000 and it also comes with access to many group activities.
Meanwhile, according to realestate.com, the median price for a one-bedroom unit is $500k or around $750k for two bedrooms. The stunning views and easy access to a thriving city life are just a couple of the benefits of living close to the CBD. According to some economists, the cost of living in Newcastle is around 29% less than in Sydney but of course, it all comes down to the way you go about finding the best deals.
For Dining Out, It’s All About Darby Street
Actually, they should rename it Eat Street as there seems to be every country’s cuisine represented here including Spanish and Brazilian, as well as modern Australian-style menus. It’s buzzing with a street art backdrop and the intoxicating aroma of spices and charcoal meats
Dining out in Newcastle has really come of age with that diverse offering of cuisines, spectacular locations, and youthful chefs out to make a name for themselves.
If you like Harbourside dining try Scratchleys on the Wharf or for special occasions, head to the Roundhouse in King Street with its panoramic views and a sophisticated menu. It’s a little bit of New York in Newcastle.
Shopping Is Fun In Newcastle.
From the edgy boutiques of Darby Street (you could invent a whole new look for yourself to go with your lifestyle) - to the Farmer’s Markets and sleek shopping malls, you need never pine for big-city shopping choices in Newcastle. Visit Westfield Kotara with its department stores, speciality shops, cafes and entertainment, Charlestown Square or Marketown Shopping Centre (which incidentally boasts the best dumpling restaurant in town, to fortify yourself). Hamilton’s Beaumont Street also has lots of interesting shops and new designer brands.
When it comes to market hopping there’s plenty to choose from all including the Sunday Quayside Market, which is outdoors and the oldest market in Newcastle. You’ll also find the freshest, artisan produce at the farmer’s markets throughout the region.
Newcastle’s shopping hours are similar to Sydney’s with late night shopping on Thursday and everything is open on Sunday.
Taking Good Care Of Yourself in Newcastle.
You’ll find medical super centres throughout the suburbs and Newcastle also has several many private hospitals in key locations including Toronto, Charlestown and Lake Macquarie, plus some excellent public hospitals including the John Hunter Hospital, located on Lookout Road in the suburb of New Lambton with its multiple specialities including Emergency care, diabetes and endocrinology and a cardiac unit. The Calvary Mater Newcastle public hospital in Waratah is the major cancer care centre for the Hunter New England Local Health District with Intensive Care and everything you could wish for in a big city hospital. Should you need excellent medical attention, you won’t need to make the trip to Sydney.
Living it Up
There’s so much to do in Newcastle - from surfing, swimming and water sports - to engaging with the lively arts scene. The best way to explore the coastline is on the Newcastle Memorial Walk, which connects with the Bathers Way, a 6km walk from Nobbys Lighthouse to Mereweather Ocean Baths near Glenrock State Conservation Area.
The city is also filled with live music and theatre productions as well as festivals. It’s a stimulating place that engages all of your senses, which is why somewhere in Newcastle your retirement haven awaits.
Pros
- Big city living without the stress of a big city
- Excellent beaches including Nobby’s, Stockton and Newcastle
- There’s a lot to see and do including cultural events, vineyard hopping in nearby Hunter Valley
- Many shopping choices from air-conditioned malls to fun shopping strips
- Great sporting teams to follow including the Newcastle Knights
Cons
- It’s hard to secure jobs here, so there is some unemployment and people doing it tough.
- Prices rise with the influx of tourists for surfing and race cars.
See all the retirement living properties currently available in Newcastle and surrounds here
