Taste of fame & gastronomy

Newcastle is not just a bustling city life, it has so many great beaches to choose from and there is no problem of overcrowding. Head to the Bar Beach, which is one of my favourite places, and the quintessential family hangout with a wonderful rock pool. Or try surfing at Nobbys Reef and Caves Beach in the south. In March, the city hosts Vodafone Surfest, one of Australia’s biggest surf events.

For the adventurous, I’d recommend hiring a four-wheel drive and going slightly north of Newcastle to Stockton Beach. Here you need a permit to go driving on the sand dunes but it’s a great experience—in some parts, it seems as if you’re travelling in a desert.

The Junction, located close to the Bar Beach, boasts a good mixture of restaurants that serves modern Australian, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, as well as trendy boutiques.. Nightclubs like Frostbites and The Brewery are also pretty cool; great for those who love to dance. Honeysuckle, a redevelopment of the harbour foreshore, is a great area to relax with friends and have a drink. Silo & the Brewery is one of the places I frequent.

For renowned Semillon and Shiraz, don’t miss the wine district of Hunter Valley, which is great for a weekend getaway. Visit Tyrell’s winery for great Semillon, or Scarborough Wine Co., where Sally Scarborough will welcome you with open arms at her cellar door, happy to have you sample her latest chardonnay. Andrew Margan at Margan Wines will also be pleased to have you taste his vintage tipples and if nostalgia is your thing, a visit to the historic Drayton’s Family Winery is a must.

Excerpt from the November issue of epicure.
Photos: Newcastle Tourism