Bar Beach Newcastle is an excellent place for a relaxing half day. It’s very easy to get to and has a nice large car park. The ANZAC Memorial Walk is to the north. Dixon Park Beach, Merewether Beach and the Ocean Baths are to the south. They are all connected by a foot/bike path, or you can walk along the beach.
Swell at Bar Beach Coffee Shop
There is a coffee shop at Bar Beach, Swell at Bar Beach. We usually buy a coffee and muffin here. On a busy day be prepared to wait for your order to be filled as it is very popular. While you wait, relax and watch the surf. There is plenty of undercover seating if it is too hot, or raining. We chose to sit down near the beach so that we could watch the waves roll in.
Susan Gilmore Beach
To the north of the beach is a rock platform and Susan Gilmore Beach. This area is not accessible at high tide. We walked over the rocks checking out the rock pools. Be careful of the green slime, it can be a bit slippery.
The shells and rocks can also be quite sharp, so you might want to put some shoes back on when walking over them. Be aware though that your shoes will get wet.
Merewether Beach
We walked back along the beach to Merewether Ocean Baths. It’s about a 2km walk, but very relaxing on a nice day.
As you walk back, so can see surfers having fun on the waves. Look out to sea and you will see the coal ships waiting to come in to be loaded at the Port of Newcastle.
We walked back to Bar Beach on the pathway above the beaches. It’s very well laid out and there are also several places to stop for a meal or coffee along the way.
We do this walk regularly, at least twice a month on weekends. Always enjoyable and good exercise.
To see what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley, please see some of our other stories.
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