Bar Beach is a small, inner city suburb of Newcastle located 1.6 km (1.0 mi) southwest of Newcastle’s central business district. The suburb is named for the beach that extends along its eastern border. The beach is home to the Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club. Bar Beach is bounded by Darby and Brooks Streets in the north, Greenslope Street and the suburb of The Hill in the east, the Tasman Sea in the south, and the suburb of Merewether and Kilgour Avenue in the west.
Sport and Recreation: Bar Beach, Newcastle
Bar Beach is conveniently located close to the Coast with proximity to several beaches, including
Bar Beach (Cooks Hill SLSC), Merewether Beach and the Merewether Ocean Baths, and Dixon Park Beach all within 4 km.
Recreation Attractions: Bar Beach, Newcastle
ANZAC Memorial Walk – built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915, and the commencement of steel making in Newcastle, it acts as a magnificent memorial to the men and women of the Hunter who served their community and their country.
Caption; Anzac memorial Walk leading down to Bar Beach, Newcastle, NSW Australia
The Bathers Way – linking Newcastle’s beaches from Merewether Ocean Baths to Nobbys Beach, it is 6km long and forms part of the Great North Walk from Merewether Ocean Baths to Sydney.
Caption; A woman enjoys the view of Bar beach – Merewether in Newcastle Australia. Bather’s way is a newly developed coast walk in Australia’s second oldest city a few hours’ drive north from Sydney. – Image
Golf Club: Bar Beach, Newcastle
Merewether Golf Club – King St Adamstown, (4.7km, 10 mins)
Parks/Sporting Grounds: Bar Beach, Newcastle
Empire Park – situated in the neighbouring suburb of Bar Beach on Memorial Drive, this park offers a range of facilities including bat and ball courts, a children’s playground, a multi-use sports oval, and the Bar Beach Skate Park.
National Park – on Union Street, Newcastle West, is a regional sporting facility catering for sports including soccer and frisbee, is adjacent to National Park Netball Courts, No 1 Sportsground (AFL, Soccer, Tennis and Cricket), No 2 Sportsground (Rugby League and Rugby Union), Croquet and an Athletics track. This park also offers a playground and picnic tables.
Shopping: Bar Beach, Newcastle
Residents of Bar Beach have available to them several large shopping centres as well as suburban shopping strips to choose from.
Shopping: Neighbouring Suburbs
Close by, The Junction Fair, a small shopping centre has recently undergone a revival with several new shops opening including a major supermarket and liquor outlet, retail services, fresh food, takeaway, cafés, fashion, health and beauty outlets, and a gym. Around the corner in Kenrick street, The Junction Village includes fashion retailers, health and beauty services, and Australia Post.
Union St, Glebe Rd and Kenrick St (The Junction) are also home to a variety of cafés and restaurants catering to a variety of tastes, including The Junction Hotel.
Darby St is a unique shopping precinct that offers a true village atmosphere with over 100 boutique owner-operated businesses, providing artisan products, giftwares, home decorating wares, fashion, coffee, and food.
Llewellyn Street, Merewether, hosts a number of community businesses along its stretch including a supermarket, chemist, liquor shop, doctor’s surgery, and Post Office.
Ridge Street, Merewether has a bakery, chemist, and newsagent.
Large Suburban Shopping Centres are located at Newcastle West (Marketown – 1.6km / 6 mins),
Westfield Kotara, and Charlestown Square. Nearby suburban shopping and café strips include the Hunter St Mall.
Entertainment: Bar Beach, Newcastle
There are numerous bars and restaurants in Inner city Newcastle, located in adjacent suburbs of Merewether, The Junction and Cooks Hill. Bar Beach itself is home to Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club which runs a fully licensed bar and restaurant on Sunday from 12pm. Take away food and coffee available 7 days a week at SWELL Kiosk.
Pubs/Bars: Bar Beach, Newcastle
Darby Street is the closest entertainment hub to Bar Beach. It is home to:
- The Delaney Hotel (aka ‘The Del’) has been a community icon and destination for generations, providing classic pub meals with a modern twist, specialising in fresh ingredients and seasonal produce, open 7 days, a function venue and accommodation is available.
- 5 Sawyers offers an extensive drinks menu including cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits.
- Junction Hotel, Corlette St, The Junction is a restaurant and bar with accommodation.
- Prince of Wales Hotel, Morgan St, Merewether; Bar, has a gambling area and a restaurant.
- Burwood Hotel, 77 Berner St, Merewether has a restaurant, front bar, lounge bar and courtyard. It caters for functions and offers accommodation.
- The Beaches Hotel, Frederick St, Merewether has a pool table, gambling area and restaurant.
- Maryellen Hotel, 51 Railway St, Merewether is a bistro and bar.
Restaurants/Cafés : Bar Beach, Newcastle
Darby St stretches from Bull St to Queen St, this 400-metre-long food and drink precinct included a diverse cuisine and drink choices, catering to all tastes and budgets.
- Coco Monde is a retro, Parisian style café/chocolaterie.
- Dumpling Flavour has Asian flavours with noodles and its Dim Sum specialty.
- Benjamas Thai Restaurant serves classic dishes like tom yum and massaman curry in a convivial room hung with wooden art and artefacts.
- Wil & Sons is a trendy hub for choice beers and pub grub.
- Sushi Revolution has casual eats with vegetarian options.
- Natural Tucker is a health food shop with groceries and takeaway lunches.
- Vietking serves Vietnamese dishes, including vegetarian items, in a busy, spacious dining hall with a front patio.
- Darby Raj is a tasty Indian take-away café good for a late-night feed.
- Sanctum specialises in all day breakfasts and lunches, with great tasting vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
- Coal River and Co serves beautiful modern Australian/Italian cuisine with the focus on their fresh hand-made pasta.
- The Autumn Rooms – enjoy amazing coffee, tea, and food or unwind with a cold glass of wine or beer.
- Three Monkeys originally opened over 18 years ago, in the warm surrounds of a beautiful century old terrace house on Darby street, enjoy catching up with a friend for coffee, bringing the family in for breakfast, or organising a lunch.
- Goldbergs Coffee House is a popular, bohemian spot with a wooden chandelier and patio that serves hearty café fare & coffee.
- Mon’s on Darby offers a blend of traditional and unique Thai dishes made with fresh ingredients and mouth-watering spices.
- Baba Yaga serves great food and coffee, With Turkish delight and gozleme.
- Doppelganger Kitchen by Bernhard brings modern German cuisine with German beer on tap.
- Quill & Compass is a nautically themed restaurant and bar featuring regular live music sessions.
Restaurants/Cafés: Neighbouring
The Junction is home to a variety of restaurants and cafés.
- Talulah on Glebe Rd has fresh, local, and ethically-sourced produce at its best.
- Arriverderci is a family-owned, fully-licensed Italian restaurant.
- Sesame’s serves up a taste of Asia with great lunch specials.
- Mucho’s Mexican has casual traditional cuisine and margaritas.
- Grill’d offers tasty burgers and sliders.
- The Hood Milk Bar specialises in gelato and shakes, as well as café fare, and is open for breakfast through to dinner.
- Doughheads a casual café specialising in crafted donuts to go with coffees and shakes. They also do catering.
- Glebe Takeaway is the local ‘go-to’ for fish and chips and hamburgers.
- The Junction Chinese Takeaway offers takeaways and home delivery.
- Snow’s Patisserie is an artisan bakery and casual café, specialising in breakfast and lunches.
The Beach strip has the Merewether Surf Life Saving Club has Sunday afternoon ‘coldies’ at the Pumphouse from 4pm and fortnightly wine lunches on Sunday from 12 noon featuring Inner City Winemakers and food by Urban Mess. The Merewether Surfhouse also has a restaurant and bar.
Education: Bar Beach area and surrounds, Newcastle
Public Schools
Please refer to The Department of Education for specific school designated intake areas according to your residential address. https://education.gov.au/school-finder
Primary Schools
The Junction Public School – Union St, The Junction, 2291
Hamilton South Public School – Kenrick St, Merewether
Merewether Heights Public School, Scenic Drive (east of Sun Hill Drive)
Merewether Public School – 6 Henry Street, Merewether
Catholic Schools
St Joseph’s Primary School – Farquhar St, The Junction
Merewether Beach Holy Family Primary School – 19 Janet Street, Merewether
Private Schools
Neighbouring Suburbs
Newcastle Grammar School – Park Campus, Corner of Union St & Parkway Ave, Cooks Hill, 2300
Secondary Schools
Newcastle High School – Parkway Ave, Newcastle West, 2300
Merewether High School – Co-ed Selective Academic School – Chatham Rd, Broadmeadow, 2292
Hunter School of Performing Arts- Selective K-12 – Lambton Rd, Broadmeadow,
Kotara High School – Co-ed – Lexington Parade, Kotara,
Catholic Schools: Neighbouring Suburbs
St Pius X High School, (Years 7-10) Park Avenue, ADAMSTOWN, 2289 Designated High School for Merewether Heights and nearby Primary schools,
St Francis Xavier’s College (Senior College Years 11 & 12) – 286 Parkway Avenue, HAMILTON, 2303
Private Schools: Neighbouring Suburbs
Newcastle Grammar School – Hill Campus, Corner of Church & Newcomen St, Newcastle NSW 2300
Preschool Education: Neighbouring suburbs
KU Merewether Preschool – 25 Caldwell St, Merewether NSW 2291
Henry Street Community Preschool – 8 Henry St, Merewether NSW 2291
Frogstomp PreSchool – 80A Jenner Parade, Hamilton South NSW 2303
Cooks Hill Preschool – 24 Dawson St, Cooks Hill NSW 2300
Kinda Kapers – 5 Buxton St, Adamstown NSW 2289
Early Childhood Learning Centres (Long Day Care)
Neighbouring Suburbs
Merewether Heights Early Learning & Childcare – 15 Cedar Cres, Merewether Heights NSW 2291
(Adj Merewether Heights Public School)
Kinda Kapers – 5 Buxton St, Adamstown NSW 2289
