Newcastle (Australia)

Industrial city and port in New South Wales, Australia, on the Hunter River, 157 km/98 mi north of Sydney; population (2001) 280,000. Newcastle is the second-largest city in the state after Sydney, and is dependent mainly on coalmining and alumina production. Other industries include shipbuilding and the manufacture of electronic equipment, textiles, chemicals, fertilizers, and wine products. Newcastle has a university (1965).

Newcastle's harbour, Port Hunter, is the second port of New South Wales and the seventh port of Australia in the volume of its shipping trade. Exports include coal, iron, wheat, wool, and frozen meat. Australia's biggest earthquake struck here in 1989.