Market Street walk, Newcastle

Awabakal Country

The area alongside the Newcastle foreshore has been completely transformed in recent years. Come to visit the new destination for the Newcastle community and visitors, where the land meets the sea.

This wonderful space – known as the Market Street Lawn and The Station – came about with the introduction of light rail through Newcastle’s city centre. The end of heavy rail has helped revitalise how people connect between the city and the waterfront, creating one of the city’s great urban walks along the former rail corridor.

You can take the Market Street walk along sections of the former rail corridor and the platform of the Newcastle Station building, a Victorian Italianate building dating back to 1878.

You’ll see how the platform has been reimagined as a grand outdoor event space, where you can spend time relaxing in a landscaped piazza or visit interesting shops and galleries, a kid's scooter track and pop-up studio spaces for hire.

The walk also takes in Market Street Lawn, a community piazza and event space where you’ll enjoy open green lawns, seating, shady native trees and an illuminated kid-friendly water feature.

The historic Signal Box building has been preserved, and you can now enjoy a meal at a stunning restaurant outdoor space in the heart of the lawn.

The area is designed to embrace the many layers of archaeological features, from the early uses for food and shelter by Aboriginal peoples to the former boat harbour, fishery building, State Trawler Fish Depot and an old railway turntable.

Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council created an interpretive artwork that reflects Newcastle's Aboriginal people and their relationship with the land and the harbour.

Seating is arranged in a boomerang configuration, while stencilled designs represent tide lines and the importance of Newcastle Harbour as a food source. Fish, crustaceans and land animals are represented, and an illuminated 'fire pit' glows red after dark.

Come along to Market Street Lawn and The Station for community events, including markets, music and food events, children’s entertainment, and community celebrations. The area is also a major precinct for events like fun runs and the Supercars.

You might also want to wander around the local streets – recently upgraded to make it easier for you to connect between Scott Street, Perkins Street and the waterfront along Wharf Road.

You can easily reach these great public spaces by public transport, as they’re adjacent to Queens Wharf Ferry and the Light Rail stop.