Newcastle, New South Wales

History

The first European to explore the area was Lt. John Shortland in 1797, and in 1798, coal mined from the area was the New South Wales colony's first export. An attempt to establish a permanent settlement in the area (then called Coal River) failed but in 1804 the current city (briefly called King's Town) was established. Initially it was a penal settlement, with agriculture the only industry.

Related Topics:
John Shortland - 1797 - 1798 - Coal - New South Wales - 1804 - Agriculture

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Coal mining began in earnest in the 1830s. In the 1890s a zinc smelter was built by Cockle Creek. In 1915 the BHP steelworks opened beginning a period of some 80 years dominated by the steel works and heavy industry.

Related Topics:
Zinc - Cockle Creek - 1915 - BHP

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With the closure of the steel works in 2000 the era of heavy industry is gone, and the city's population is growing, attracted by its affordable living, coastal lifestyle, excellent education and health services and improving employment opportunities in the tertiary sector. Newcastle's cliched image as a grimy steel town is fading. The city centre, once viewed as empty and rather miserable, has attracted a rash of new apartments and hotels in recent years. The Market Street Street Markets have breathed life into the city centre on weekends, operating on Saturdays and Sundays, they have 180+ stalls and bring in thousands of people to the city each weekend.

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The old links with Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, whence many of the 19th century coal miners came, is still obvious in some of the place-names - such as Jesmond, Hexham, Wickham and Wallsend.

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On December 28, 1989, Newcastle experienced an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale which killed 13 people. The following economic recession of the early 1990s meant that the city took several years to recover.

Related Topics:
December 28 - 1989 - Experienced an earthquake - Richter scale - Recession - 1990s

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