'I've lived in Newcastle for over a decade. These are the spots no one tells you about.'

When I first arrived in Newcastle back in late 2012, I thought for sure the cute coastal town would be a quick pit stop on my journey to a more interesting place.

Now, after having spent more than a decade living here, I like to think I can call myself a proud Novocastrian (although who gets to claim this title is contentious among some locals).

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Since moving to Newy, I've lived in six different homes in three different suburbs. I've worked in a gallery, a museum, as a tour guide, an Open Mic host and more. I still moonlight for the Newcastle Herald as well.

I know the ins and outs of this town. I love a tipsy late-night walk home along the harbour and a Sunday sunset swim in the ocean. These days, every time I set foot in public, I see someone I know (whether we like it or not); I've got the goss on politicians and socialites alike.

Today, I'm proudly sharing the best places and experiences that locals love just as much as tourists do.

Image: Supplied.

Where to stay in Newcastle.

If you feel like being as close to the beach as physically possible, Noah's On The Beach is a great option, one locals have loved since it was built in the 1970s.

Both the restaurant and rooms have perfect ocean views. Order room service and watch the sun go down, then enjoy coffee on the balcony in the morning.

Noah's On The Beach. Image: Supplied.

QT Newcastle is fancy and boujee with city views and an artsy industrial edge.

Rebuilt in the old David Jones building, the hotel does an immaculate job combining steampunk and sophistication. The open-air rooftop bar is a great place to get the night started, and it's right next door to the Crown Street Tram stop.

QT is a feast for the eyes and their Jana restaurant sets the bar for the city. With a drinks list chocked full of Hunter Valley wines from up the road and a menu of fresh, simple ingredients, Jana is the best place I've eaten in Newy in quite some time.

QT Hotel. Image: Supplied.

Other nice hotels that locals rate include Crystalbrook, Little National and Rydges.

For budget-friendly backpackers, I recommend the funky old YHA which was first a gentlemen's club in the early 1900s, then shortly thereafter a hospital, then a hostel in the late 1990s. It's the first place I stayed before I found a place to live in Newcastle.

Where to eat in Newcastle.

Lately, one of my favourite ways to combine exercise and pleasure is by catching the ferry to Stockton and walking or cycling up the peninsula to the best bakery on earth, Starter Stories. This early morning venture is a great way to see the city in a unique way, and Stockton is one of the last parts of Newcastle that still has old school Newy charm, despite the new bakery which sells out every day it's open (Thursday-Saturday 8-2).

I have a few go-tos in Newcastle that always hit the spot, including Antojitos, cheap and cheerful Mexican with a range of hot sauces to choose from; make sure you always opt to get the tacos "super".

I recently fell madly in love with the sit-down Vietnamese place, Sen on Hunter Street, which is delicious, fresh and affordable with a touch of fancy. My partner and I enjoy splitting a sandwich from Arno Deli, loaded down with fancy Italian fixings and big enough to share as a light lunch.

Sen on Hunter Street Vietnamese. Image: Supplied.

If I'm feeling more saucy I sit at the bar and watch the chefs cook and banter at Lock's Paddock.

You can't go wrong at Napoli Centrale on King Street for nice Italian, and the same Italian family (originally from Naples, obvs), owns the gelato shop across the road, Popolo. I recommend the amarena ice cream and always go for it whenever it's on display.

If you come to Newcastle, you'll undoubtedly find yourself strolling through its historic East End, and you'll want to stop for dinner at Scottie's or Sticky Rice. Consider getting takeaway and heading to Newcastle Beach to watch the waves while you eat.

Darby Street is an iconic street with bars, shopping, restaurants and lots of foot traffic. You can't miss brunch at Goldberg's Coffee House, an absolute institution. It's a great place to head for a late night dinner after most other restaurants are closed.

What to experience in Newcastle.

Shortly after I moved here, I sat beside a woman on a plane. I told her the name of my new place of residence, and she scoffed, saying she could never imagine living in such a dirty coal-ridden town. While she was correct that Newcastle harbour is the biggest coal port in the Southern Hemisphere, and for years it was famous for its heavy industry, including the BHP steelworks, she didn't know that there's a creative community that rallies against this perception as well.

More recently Newcastle is home to Rising Tide's "Protestival", which brings people from all over the country together for a climate uprising with live music, kayaks in the harbour and an incredible positive, party energy. It's the best annual event Newcastle puts on, combining arts and activism and watersport in a seamless way.

Image: Supplied.

I sometimes recall her dismissive critique and think about all I've experienced in this city and shake my head. Clichés about steel and coal dust persist, but also, there is no debating that our beaches are spotless and beautiful.

Merewether and Newcastle Baths are so magnificent that you feel like you're on sacred ground when you enter the water. And you haven't truly experienced Newcastle until you've braved the historical Bogey Hole sea bath during an easterly swell.

I adore walking along the harbour to the Carrington Mangroves where I always say g'day to the flying foxes and orange crabs. On the way out, I'll pick up a green tea frappuccino from Cafe Inu to enjoy as I stroll across the Carrington bridge. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, Nobby's lighthouse, run by Lighthouse Arts is open to the public, where they have an art store and art exhibitions, art and a view like no other!

There are plenty more ways to become acquainted with the city and the region. The Dark Stories Walking Tour happens as the sun sets, and it's full of depressing true tales of murder, violence and riff-raff in Newcastle during the last two centuries.

If you're after something more lighthearted and boozy, Newy Tour Co is a recently established company run by a lovely Novocastrian couple who love showing off the region. They have vans that regularly transport people to the vineyards; last year I had a great time tasting and photographing Hungerford Hill, Bonvilla Estate and Hunter Wine Lab.

Image: Supplied.

What to do in Newcastle.

IMHO, the arts are the most important part when it comes to understanding this city.

Before we officially moved to Newcastle, I went for a visit and stumbled onto the city's longtime operating "This Is Not Art" Festival, a weird and wonderful underground experience which quickly taught me that there was room in this town for hungry poets like myself.

We have the newly renovated Newcastle Art Gallery, The Lock-Up (previously a gaol), The Creator Incubator space for Newcastle artists and exhibitions and so many more to explore.

You can pop into Newcastle Museum to watch the six-minute sound and light show about the steelworks where Big Harry talks about "the furnaces, the ladles, the danger!" and then hop on a train up the road to Maitland, where the regional art gallery (MRAG) puts on world-class exhibitions on high rotation.

Both the Newcastle Comedy Club and the Newcastle Comedy Festival both continue to grow in popularity, bringing laughs to many a local. With the Civic Theatre, professional theatre and dance companies like Whale Chorus and Catapult Dance respectively, you are never far away from live entertainment.

Any music lover will tell you to head to the Hamilton Station Hotel on Beaumont Street any night of the week to hear up-and-coming artists, and you can find great gigs at longstanding watering holes like The Lass, The Stag and Hunter, The Ori and The Seven Seas.

Newer spaces for live music include The Oak in Tighes Hill, The King Street Hotel with their new bandroom and the Newcastle Station. Cafés for live music and arts events include The Press Bookhouse, Bank Corner Espresso and the recently re-envisioned breakfast venues with pop-up jazz at the Pavilion in Carrington.

The King Street Hotel. Image: Supplied.

I read my poetry at Poetry at the Pub, Newcastle's longest operating poetry group. Two years ago, they relocated their monthly poetry reading (third and fifth Monday of the month) to the Grand Hotel in Newcastle's CBD. These nights showcase new and established poets pouring their hearts out, and The Grand is also great for live music including weekly late night jazz in their basement (the underground).

Poetry at the Pub. Image: Supplied.

Open Mics and poetry nights are everywhere in this town. "This Is Not Art" DIY experience lives on, long after the festival ran its course. Unlike some places, where there's judgement and an air of pretension in the arts, in Newcastle all are encouraged to get up, have a go.

How to get to Newcastle.

The train from Sydney to Newy is the prettiest, especially through the Hawkesbury, and we even have a cute little airport to get you here if need be.

Whether you're craving peaceful sea breeze, a spooky graveyard or live music with a glass of local wine, you can trust this Novocastrian, Newcastle is a sure, sunny bet.

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