Last
night after dinner, Malcolm told me that we will have an early start tomorrow
morning. Aim to leave the house by 8am to catch the train from nearby North
Strathfield station to connect with the train that will head to Newcastle.
He
said it will be a two-hour train ride that will take us through National Parks,
residential and industrial areas to Newcastle, which is geographically located
in the central-eastern part of the Sydney basin.
Ancient architecture in Newcastle
Newcastle
has large coal deposits and is the largest coal exporting harbour in the world.
It is Australia’s second oldest city, a former industrial hub which has
transformed into a trendy regional destination.
That
morning dawned with cloudy, overcast skies but it did not dampen my spirit as
we headed out to Newcastle, a destination renowned for its stunning beaches,
vibrant arts scene, rich convict and coal mining history and a dynamic mix of
modern culture and heritage architecture.
Malcolm
planned our travel, taking into consideration the most convenient train stations
that did not require changing of platforms to catch connecting trains. It was
impressive that the network of reliable train services in Sydney functioned
with precision as the trains arrived and departed on time, just like clockwork.
Old but sturdy buildings
in Newcastle
On
board the train for a comfortable ride to Newcastle, we passed Hawkesbury River
which flows through the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
While
this river is a hub for houseboats, fishing and watersports, the river is also
used for aquaculture, in particular, oyster farming. This was evident from the
vertical sticks that marked these farm, partially submerged in the river.
Malcolm,
my knowledgeable personal tour guide, provided useful information as the train
sped on, passing old residential areas that (he said) have been ‘regentrified.’
He
discussed the identity or reputation of each town on the route like Tunggerah,
Mariyung and Wyong which have names with aboriginal origins, while names of towns
like Morisset, Cardiff, Broadmeadow, Hamilton and Newcastle, were distinctly
English.
Facade of the public baths known as
Bogey Hole; The pools are behind this building
For
instance, Gosford, located about 90km out of Sydney, was renowned for its
scenic views, weekend homes, hospitals, stadium, sporting facilities and a
densely populated bay.
Exactly
after two hours on the train, we arrived at the Newcastle Interchange station. Malcolm
hurried me along, said we have to go to the nearby platform to catch a Light
Railway to Newcastle Beach.
This
Light Railway has four stops along the route: Honeysuckle, Civic (University of
Newcastle City Campus), Crown Street and Queens Wharf.
Nobbys Beach at low tide; The breakwater wall
which extends into the ocean [Far Right]
When
we alighted at the Newcastle Beach stop, we walked a short distance into an
underpass which opened on the other side to the promenade which overlooks the
beach, a vista where rough waves were crashing to the shore in a restless
ocean.
The
wind was cool on Bathers Way as we started on our coastal walk along that
promenade that spans between Nobbys Beach and Merewether Beach.
Enveloped
by the sound of the rushing waves in Nobbys Beach, an iconic 0.8km stretch, is
known as one of the city’s safest, most popular beaches for swimming and
learning to surf. 
The sand dunes at Right was a
welcome buffer to the noisy sea
As
we walked along, I noted that this coastal walk features the historic Nobbys
Lighthouse, access to Bogey Hole, a convict-built ocean bath from the colonial
period and then to a breakwater wall that reaches out into the ocean.
While
the word, bogey may be a slang word for a piece of dried mucus
discharged from the nose, the use of this word in Bogey Hole is said to come
from the Dharawal word meaning, “to swim or bathe.”
This
pool was originally referred to as the ‘Commandant’s Baths’ after James Thomas
Morisset, the longest-serving Commandant of Newcastle, who was appointed to the
role in December 1818. Sometime later, the name Bogey Hole came into use.
The
Bogey Hole is a public bath hewn out of rock on a wave cut platform below the
cliffs at Shepherd’s Hill. The dimensions of the baths are length (maximum) 10
meters x width 6.5 meters with an average depth of 1.5 meters.
Info plaque on Nobbys
The
clam waters in the Bogey Hole makes it a safe and popular swimming spot for
seniors and families with small kids.
I
watched with wonder that even while the sea was at low tide that morning,
powerful waves continued to crash against the rocky beach with loud roars. Then
I saw athletic young men with their surfboards and guessed that the waves at
low tide were even high enough to surf. Wow!
The
roar of the pounding waves only lessened when we rounded a hill of sand dunes,
which I thought was the quietest stretch of the walk, because the mound of sand
shielded us from the sound of crashing waves.
Malcolm watching the cargo ship as it sailed pass
To
the Left was an inlet, deep enough for ocean-going ships, that leads up to the
nearby industrial zone. It was timely that while we were there, a cargo ship
was sailing up the inlet, guided by pilot ships. So we watched in awe as this
monstrosity sailed pass smoothly.
We
walked on the path for the coastal walk among joggers, young and senior
walkers, parents with kids on strollers or with pet dogs on the leash. Most
appear to be locals while some – like us – were visitors.
Malcolm
did not tell me that the path will continue onto the breakwater wall, with its
top surface wide enough to create a narrow pier that extended from the mainland
into the ocean, without any railings on both sides of the pier.
The blocks of stone piled on the Right edge of
the pier to shield from the pounding waves
As
we passed the sand dunes on our Right and approached this pier, the sound of
the crashing waves struck me as magnified without the sand dunes as a wall to buffer
the noise.
Even
as I imagined the wild waves crashing onto the rocks below, people were walking
up and down the pier rather fearlessly.
With
every step forward, I approached the pier with trepidation – breathing a silent
prayer for courage to move onward – while keeping a brave front.
“How
can I not give it a go?” I asked myself. Having come all the way, if I gave in
to a lack of courage at this point, I know that Malcolm will be mad at me. So I
heaved a deep breath and carried on step-by-step to walk on the pier
I could
not help but was deeply conscious of the restless sea in constant motion to my
Right and carefully averted my eyes to stay focused on my footsteps, placing
one foot ahead of the other. 
View of the mainland from the end of the
breakwater wall; One edge with huge rocks
and boulders and the other, a stony sheer drop
If
I looked at the shifting waves, I should surely succumb to an acute attack of
motion sickness and that – I told myself – definitely could not happen while I
was out there.
In
the first part of the pier, strong winds lashed across my path, threatening to
push me off balance. I had to stay focused to push myself forward against the
wind.
No,
I did not like the sound of the rough sea to my Right so I kept more to the
Left side and walked on slowly, thankful that I did not collapse with
dizziness.
Along
the way, I noticed that huge rocks and boulders were mounted high to the Right
of the pier while the Left side was a sheer drop with a slope of smaller rocks
into a calmer sea.
As
I walked along with my eyes looking only in the near distance, I spotted small
metal plaques attached to some of the big rocks. Looking closer, I read that
these were names and dates, in memory of people who have passed on. 
Nobbys Beach Surf Pavilion
marked the edge of the mainland
It
just made me wonder if these people were lost to the sea or that they loved
this coast so much that families have placed their memorial plaques here.
In
the second part of this pier, not only rocks and boulders but huge blocks of
stone and concrete were piled higher on the Right edge of the pier to shield
from high waves.
There
were patches of water and dampness on the pier so I imagined that some waves,
maybe when the tide was high, could even splash over the highest boulders to
wet the pier. As these boulders and blocks offered shelter from the wind and
the waves, I felt more comfortable here.
While
waves crashed in its continued rhythm on the Right, the breakwater wall
effectively shielded the waters to the Left. I spotted some brave fishermen who
have clambered down these rocks to fish here using fishing rods.
This
site, known as Whibayganba, has been central to the Awabakal people for
thousands of years, a culturally significant site, originally an island known
in Dreaming stories as the refuge of a giant, tail-thumping kangaroo that
causes earth tremors.
In the cosy courtyard cafe of
the Lucky Hotel, Newcastle
I
later learnt that the Macquarie Pier or Newcastle breakwater wall, known now as
Nobbys Breakwall, is a historic convict-built structure. It was built to
protect the harbour by convict labour, often using stone quarried directly from
Nobbys, which significantly reduced the height of the island.
Construction
on the pier started in 1818 to connect Nobbys Island to the mainland. After
numerous delays and storm damage, it was completed in 1846.
In
1872 it was reinforced with heavy 10-tonne blocks of stone – transported by
rail from Waratah – to create a permanent, stable entrance for ships and
transformed the island into a peninsula.
An amusing excuse on a plaque
seen in the cafe decor
Needless
to say, I was more than relieved to finally walk off that pier, back onto the mainland
and the coastal walk, then to make our way to the station for the Light Railway.
The plan was to have a pub lunch at Lucky Hotel, one of Malcolm’s favourite
watering holes in Newcastle.
After
such an invigorating coastal walk, we were ready for a rest, refreshing drinks
and a spot of lunch before we went on the return train ride.
At
the station, it happened that the train we boarded was to stop at some 30
different stations to serve the residents along the Central Coast Line so our
ride took a little longer.
I
read the label posted on the back of the seat in front of me which said: This
is a quiet space. So we sat back to enjoy the peace and quiet in a pleasant
ride back.
As
the train stopped for passengers to disembark or join the train, the noise
level inside the carriage increased from time to time. When it was quiet again,
I could recognise a distinct Chinese dialect being spoken – clearly by one who
does not read English – as she carried on speaking in Teochew.
A gentle reminded posted on the back
of the seat inside the Quiet Carriage
It
sounded like a one-sided conversation, probably because the other person was
soft-spoken, but it was interesting that our exciting excursion to Newcastle
ended with hearing someone speaking Teochew dialect in Australia.
Note:
Our grandfather (Ah Kong) was Teochew while grandmother was Cantonese. The
family was brought up speaking their Mother’s Tongue, so the next generations
spoke mainly Cantonese.
#MyJohorStoriesTravelogue
#MyJohorStoriesFebruary2026
