Hello Newcastle!

Welcome back to The Newcastle Digest. I hope everyone is safe and healthy after the region's flooding. Let's hope the rain stays away for a while. My thoughts go out to all those who were affected.

Table of Contents

• Eats

• Live Music

• Events

• Miscellaneous

Local Gem: Jim’s Dairy Delites – Hamilton

Jim’s Dairy Delites has been a sweet staple since 1957, known for serving up thick, nostalgic milkshakes and treats that many of you guys have grown up loving. In recent years, the iconic venue was given a fresh lease of life when East End Ice Creamery took over, keeping the beloved Jim’s name while introducing their Real Ice Cream made in Newcastle to the menu.

The shop has been renovated but still retains its old-school charm, continuing to deliver the same familiar vibe that locals know and love.

On our visit, we went straight for the milkshakes, butterscotch and blue heaven; both were smooth, creamy, and full of flavour. Alongside the legendary shakes, they offer a range of ice cream, lollies, and desserts, including East End’s signature flavours and a few rotating specials. Whether you're in it for the nostalgia or just after a quality treat, Jim’s remains a local favourite worth the visit.

Newcastle trivia

Friday 30 May

Saturday 31 May

Sunday 1 June

Families

Spicy Brain 2025 – Multi-Arts Pavilion (MAP mima), Speers Point Park | 30 May | 3 pm – 8 pm
A vibrant, inclusive celebration of neurodiversity, disability & creativity featuring live performances, stunning artworks, interactive activities for all ages, free face painting and delicious food vendors. More info.

Young Dobell Exhibition – MAC yapang, Lake Macquarie | Until 3 August 2025
Part of the Lake Macquarie Dobell Festival, the Young Dobell Exhibition celebrates young Australian talent. School students and individuals aged 5–18 create either a portrait of someone significant in their life or a landscape of a special place. Finalists are displayed in the Art in Your Community space at MAC yapang. More info.

Maitland Running Festival – Maitland Regional Athletics Centre | 1 June 2025
Choose from a 4 km, 8 km or 12 km lap course—or tackle a five-lap half-marathon—starting and finishing at the world-class Maitland Regional Athletics Centre on High Street. More info.

You’re Kidding Me Family Expo – Charlestown Square Centre Court | 2 June – 6 June 2025
You’re Kidding Me, the Hunter’s largest parenting expo, connects families with children aged 0–8 to local services, programs and resources. Chat with service providers while your little ones play in dedicated activity spaces or watch the 10 am daily show. More info.

Adults

Merge Dating: 45+ Ladies & Tradies Singles Night – Bar Mellow, Ground Floor, 744 Hunter St, Newcastle West | 30 May
The ultimate Ladies & Tradies Singles Night—mix, mingle and maybe meet your match! More info.

1984 by George Orwell – Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle | 30 May
An electrifying take on Orwell’s classic from the award-winning creatives at Shake & Stir (Frankenstein, Jane Eyre, Animal Farm, Dracula). More info.

May We Dine? – Talulah, 52 Glebe Rd, The Junction | 30 May | 6 pm – 9 pm
A four-course pop-up dinner by The Wilderness Chef celebrating seasonal flavours and good company. More info.

Big Fat Greek Night – The Greek Taverna, 13–17 Steel St, Hamilton | 31 May | doors open 6:30 pm
Greek music, dancing, plate smashing and a bellyful of delicious food. Cost: $80 pp. Book via 0467 678 439. More info.

Cruise Party – Polish House, 122 Chatham St, Broadmeadow | 31 May | 6:30 pm
Polish classics, live performance by Rzeszowiacy dance group and great company. More info.

Geraldine Hickey – Meander – Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle | 31 May
Gold Logie–winning comedian from Question Everything, Have You Been Paying Attention? and more, live on stage. More info.

The Devons – The Exchange, 125 Denison St, Hamilton | 31 May
Local pub-rock cover band The Devons make noise and have fun. More info.

Dayshift – Newcastle – The Exchange Hotel, 125 Denison St, Hamilton | 31 May | 3 pm – 8 pm
Dayshift is a party for the 30+ generation who want the unmatched energy of a club but detest the idea of being out past midnight. Join us for the worldwide clubbing phenomenon with DJs, dancers, disco balls, confetti showers and more. Expect the biggest ’80s, ’90s and ’00s tunes all day long. More info. 

Truth Tell – Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, 1A First St, Booragul | 31 May – 3 Aug | 9 am – 3 pm
Free exhibition exploring early colonisation narratives and their deep impacts on Aboriginal people. More info.

Lake Macquarie Dobell Festival – Various locations, Lake Macquarie | 1 Jun – 30 Jun
Workshops, presentations and exhibitions inspired by Sir William Dobell’s life and work across Lake Macquarie. More info.

Markets

Merewether Markets – Dixon Park, Merewether | 31 May
A boutique market by the beach, showcasing local artisans, food vendors and small businesses. Explore a variety of handmade crafts, unique jewellery, gourmet foods and more in a welcoming atmosphere with live music.

True Vintage Markets – Adamstown Uniting Church Hall | 31 May
An indoor market dedicated to true vintage treasures—antiques, collectibles and retro finds. A fixture on the Newcastle markets scene, it’s the go-to place for quality vintage items from local sellers, even without a permanent shop. More info.

Homegrown Markets – Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie | 1 June | 10 am – 2 pm
Lake Mac’s largest handmade & design market. Shop local-made goods from a huge lineup of regional makers, enjoy street food, coffee, kids’ entertainment, a large playground and live tunes. Plenty of on-site and surrounding parking. More info.

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Newcastle History: The Pasha Bulker Storm

In light of the recent floods across Newcastle and the Hunter, we’re revisiting one of the most unforgettable weather events in the region’s history, the Pasha Bulker Storm of June 2007.

On Friday, 8 June, a powerful East Coast Low made landfall, one of five lows to batter Australia that weekend. But it was this storm, the most severe, that left a lasting mark. It lashed the coast with wind gusts over 100 km/h, more than 300mm of rain in 24 hours, major flooding, high seas, and widespread devastation.

By morning, the 76,000-tonne bulk carrier Pasha Bulker had run aground on Nobbys Beach, making global headlines and creating one of the most iconic images in Newcastle’s history. Locals and visitors flooded the foreshore to see the enormous red ship stranded just metres from shore.

The storm's impact was immense - nine lives were lost, 10,000 homes flooded, and 5,000 cars were written off. The Insurance Council of Australia later estimated $1.6 billion in damage, ranking it as one of the country’s costliest natural disasters.

The Pasha Bulker remained stuck for 25 days, drawing huge crowds daily. After three failed attempts, it was finally refloated and towed to Japan for repairs. One piece stayed behind, a 19-tonne section of the rudder, now part of the public artwork "Grounded" on the Newcastle foreshore.

And in a strange twist of fate, the storm struck on June 8, precisely 65 years to the day after Newcastle was bombed by a Japanese submarine in 1942.