newcastle information, please!

hasnt anybody been there?!?!

there's a couple of guys on here who live there
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=129701&page=179

I'll get them to chime in

Yeah, I live there. Its a pretty nice place, fairly laid back. Surfing is really big here, and there are a LOT of good breaks, so bring your board. If your at Uni, the Bar on the Hill rocks, and there is a pretty good night life.

Nelson Bay/Port Stephens is about an hour north, and is a pretty big tourist destination.

WRT cycling, there's a Hunter District cycling club:
hunterdistrict.comindex.htmOpen ↗

I find the main roads are pretty scary to ride on, especially during the commuter periods. I normally take back roads cause of this and take the lane.

If you have any specific queries, dont hesitate to ask. If I may ask, what aare you studying?

Regards, Byron

531Aussie said:

there's a couple of guys on here who live there
bikeforums.netshowthread.phpOpen ↗

I'll get them to chime in

I hail from bikeforums.net I live in Newcastle and Im also studying (Bachelor of Economics at Newcastle Uni)
Laid back city/town (it isnt very large) good beaches, hot chicks, not much of a cycling scene as such. Anywhere in Newcastle is rideable to and from.
Any more questions ask.

Where are you from and when are you considering coming?

Storm999 said:

I find the main roads are pretty scary to ride on, especially during the commuter periods. I normally take back roads cause of this and take the lane.

Regards, Byron

Yeah there is a few crazies in fwd or those that have no idea what they are doing. If you hammer along a lot of people won't realise how fast your going and cut you off. Watch for the car door.
I reckon Newcastle has the worst drivers in the state.
With the bike lanes pretty much all of them are shared with pedistrians so I don't usually take them, because most don't have a clue

Thanks for the input. To answer your questions I go to Arizona State University in the states and i am studying economics. I be there in early july i believe...i will be in cairns on the 4th or so and then ill make my way to newcastle on the 8th or 9th i think. Anybody have any information about climbs in the area? Thanks again!

randallb said:

Anybody have any information about climbs in the area? Thanks again!

What year economics?
I forgot to mention Newcastle is pretty much flat there are some climbs but they are short and steep.
Basically Newcastle is flat as a pan cake with some slopes on the sides (kinda like a shallow basin I guess)
If you want to do climbing you would probably have to go day tripping to Barrington. But thats also nuts because its country roads that are narrow and have high speed limits ie 70-100kmh
[img]img95.imageshack.us10003870te.jpgOpen ↗[/img]

Thats the best picture I could find for how high Newcastle goes. That was taken from Merewether Heights (the top of) loking out towards Redhead/Dudley Beach. (i think) that is about the top of the climb and from the base in Merewether that would have taken roughly 10-15mins to get to, and Im not the best climber. I hope that helps