Hello Newcastle! Welcome back to the Newcastle Digest.

This week we have a jam packed edition to keep you busy this long weekend. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

• Eats

• Live Music

• Events

• Miscellaneous

Local Gem: The Villa Cafe

Redhead’s favourite coffee spot has recently had a little glow up. Formerly known as Villa Lane, the team has rebranded and moved just around the corner into the iconic blue corner store on Beach Road.

We stopped by for a casual breakfast with a ham and cheese croissant and scrambled eggs. While we kept it simple, the menu had plenty more to offer. Coffee is still pouring from Allpress beans, and the space has that laidback, beachy charm that fits Redhead perfectly.

Definitely one to keep on your radar for a post-swim feed or a weekend catch-up.

Openings

Some new venues have opened up over the last month or so; they are definitely on my radar to try.

Meshiya Japan – Newcastle West
A cosy little Japanese spot has popped up on the Coles side of Marketown, bringing homestyle comfort food to Steel Street. Meshiya Japan opened in early May and offers both dine-in and takeaway, with a menu full of teishoku sets, donburi bowls, curries, ramen, udon, sashimi and more.
Where: 23 Steel St, Newcastle West

Momo Chicken – Kotara
Korean street food has hit The Rooftop at Westfield Kotara with the arrival of Momo Chicken. The menu leans into the simple, bold flavours you’d find in Seoul’s backstreets – perfect for a casual bite next time you're at the shops.
Where: The Rooftop at Westfield Kotara

The Pho Hamilton - Hamilton
A fresh Vietnamese eatery has quietly opened underneath Kings Valley on Beaumont Street. The Pho Hamilton is serving up authentic, warming bowls of pho and other Vietnamese favourites.
Where: 6/54 Beaumont St, Hamilton

Pum’s Coffee Haus - Cooks Hill
The old Core Espresso on Darby Street has a new identity. Brock Youngblutt has reopened the space as Pum’s Coffee Haus, slinging Josie Coffee Roasters brews alongside pastries from Sydney’s much-loved Tuga.
Where: 162 Darby St, Cooks Hill

Newcastle trivia

Friday 6 June

Saturday 7 June

Sunday 8 June

Families

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.

Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces – Golden Highway, Merriwa | 6 June – 8 June 2025
Celebrate the rich history of agriculture and sheep farming with The Magic of Wool theme. Family-friendly activities include market stalls, a petting zoo, free kids’ rides, dog high-jump, working sheep dog demonstrations, shearing demos, gumboot throwing, fireworks and the famous Running of the Sheep parade. More info.

Harvest Festival – Central Coast | 7 June & 8 June 2025
Presented by Central Coast Council, this two-day event offers farm tours, feeding adorable farm animals, pick-your-own pecans, mandarins and oranges, archery, CWA scones and platypus education. Explore fresh food and country markets, food and drink events, factory tours, bush tucker tours, and working farm and orchard tours—revealing rural farming areas and picturesque heritage villages. More info.

Adults

Hunger Games Trivia – The Exchange Hotel, 125 Denison St, Hamilton | 4 June | 7 pm
Calling all tributes, rebels and Capitol citizens. Enter the arena and test your knowledge at Hunger Games Trivia Night from 7 pm. More info.

Go For Broke: Bring the Froth, Bring the Energy! – The Beach Hotel, 99 Frederick St, Merewether | 5 June | 7 am – 9 am
Supporting Merewether Surfboard Club and Surfing the Spectrum, enjoy a multi-course breakfast with an all-star panel including Morgan Cibilic, Andrew Stark, Mitchell Ross, Kate Wilcomes and Stace Galbraith. More info.

Knights V Sea Eagles – McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 5 June
Close your Thursday night at McDonald Jones Stadium to catch the Knights going head-to-head with the Manly Sea Eagles. More info.

Friday Night Flow – Activate and Release – The Station, Watt Street, Newcastle NSW 2300 | 6 June 2025 | 6:30 pm – 8:15 pm
Let go of the stress of the working week and start your weekend with an invigorating Breath Flow from Boundless Breath. Earlybird tickets on sale until 2 June. Refunds available up to three days before the event.

Late Nights – Dullboy’s Social Co, 326 Hillsborough Rd, Warners Bay | 6 June | 8:30 pm
Kick off the June long weekend with bowling, bevs and a boogie. Live DJs, unlimited bowling (min. 2 pp per lane) and a house beer, wine or non-alc bev for $32 pp. More info.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival – Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle | 6 June & 7 June
A dynamic line-up of comedy legends and fresh faces from the festival’s huge 27th year. More info.

Allison Moore: Fresque Grotesque – Exhibition Open – Multi-Arts Pavilion (MAP mima), 96 Creek Reserve Rd, Speers Point | 6 June
A generative video mural blending opera, mythology and Italian Renaissance grotesque art. Free event. More info.

Ozzy Wright Solo Exhibition Opening Night – Wester Gallery, 39 Bolton St, Ground Floor, Newcastle | 6 June
Surfer, artist and musician Ozzy Wright brings punk energy, surf culture and psychedelic visuals to Newcastle. On view 6 – 21 June. More info.

BEER BATTLE: Method x Good Folk – Lambton Park Hotel | 6 June 2025 | 7 pm – 11 pm
A seven-tap showdown between two local breweries slinging some of their finest suds in a battle to win the people’s choice award. More info.

Surfest Closing Party FT. Tommy Trash – The Beach Hotel, 99 Frederick St, Merewether | 8 June
Farewell Surfest 2025 with Australia’s electro heavyweight Tommy Trash. Cost: Free entry. More info.

COLLECT – The Lock-Up, 90 Hunter St, Newcastle | 7 June – 10 August
Annual fundraiser exhibition featuring over 100 artists from Newcastle, the Hunter and beyond. Opening night 6 June (bookings required). Cost: Free. More info.

Art Studio – Workshops for High Schoolers – Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, 2A First St, Booragul | 7 June | 12 pm – 2 pm
Art workshops designed for high schoolers (13+), all materials supplied. Cost: $18 pp + booking fee. More info.

So Fresh 2000s Party – The Exchange Hotel, 125 Denison St, Hamilton | 7 June
Relive the 2000s—dust off your low-rise jeans and join DJs playing ’00s hits all night long. More info.

Very Short Film Festival 2025 Opening Night – Playhouse, Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle | 7 June
Premiere bold new short films inspired by the “Seed,” followed by a filmmaker Q&A and awards ceremony. Includes a complimentary drink. Cost: $40 GA. More info.

June Long Weekend – The Exchange Hotel, 125 Denison St, Hamilton | 8 June
DJs from 7 pm, Felix Quinn Band live from 8 pm, free entry and dancing ’til 2 am. Grab your crew and soak up the good vibes before your Monday sleep-in! More info.

The TEN Tenors 30th Anniversary World Tour – Civic Theatre, 375 Hunter St, Newcastle | 8 June
Celebrating their iconic performances of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Hallelujah,” “Funiculì, Funiculà,” “Largo al Factotum,” “Nessun Dorma” and more. More info.

Girls Night In: Pasta Making – 31 Berkeley St, Speers Point | 8 June | 6 pm
Hey gals! Let’s get together for a chill night of making fresh pasta, having some laughs, and just hanging out. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never made pasta before — we’ll figure it out as we go and have fun doing it! There’s gonna be GF options for our GF girlies.
Bring an apron if you have one, bring your good vibes & a friend, and come hungry! Can’t wait to catch up and enjoy the evening together. More info.

Miss Porter’s Weekend of Fashion – Miss Porter’s House Museum, 434 King Street, Newcastle West | 8 June & 9 June | 1 pm – 4 pm
Indulge in a Weekend of Fashion during the June long weekend: see a century of stylish and changing fashions captured in photos, homemade clothing and charming accessories. More info.

Markets

Olive Tree Markets – The Station, Newcastle | 7 June | 10 am – 2 pm
Launched in 2008, Olive Tree Markets provides Newcastle’s contemporary artists and designers an arena to showcase their work at supportive, vibrant, culturally diverse events. Free entry. More info.

Markets on the Green – Club Kotara | 7 June 2025 | 12 pm – 4 pm
Come and see the unique wares of community makers and creators as they set up their stalls out on our green. Free entry.

Flea Market – Rosie & Shell, 3/10 Regent St, New Lambton | 7 June
Rosie and Shell’s second-hand market features local vendors selling pre-loved vintage and second-hand goods. More info.

Made & Found’s Redhead’s hand (MADE) & preloved (FOUND) Market – Webb Park, Redhead | 8 June | 10 am – 2 pm
Shop rows of local-made goods, thrift EPIC preloved wardrobes, rummage for vintage treasures, enjoy a street-food brunch/lunch, relax to live tunes and soak up the community magic. The perfect way to spend a Sunday! Free entry; parking at Redhead Beach. More info.

The Junction Market – Rowlands Park, Glebe Road | 9 June 2025 | 10 am – 2 pm
A lineup of fab handmade & design stalls, yummy street food, live tunes & entertainment. Free entry.

Do you want me to share an event in the Newcastle Digest?

Newcastle day trip

A quiet Friday in the Hunter Valley

Last Friday, my partner and I decided to skip town for the night and head out to the Hunter Valley. No real plan - just a last-minute escape. Turns out, it’s a great time of year to go. The wineries were quiet, the roads were clear, and the whole place had that off-season calm that makes everything feel slower, in a good way.

We booked a simple place to stay and headed straight to Bimbadgen for dinner. They were running $4 glasses of wine for happy hour, which we weren’t expecting, but happily leaned into. We sat outside with woodfired pizzas, wrapped in jackets, watching the sun dip behind the vines.

The next morning we wandered through two of the local markets, grabbed a few snacks, and stopped in at a couple of wineries for a low-key tasting before heading home. A perfect little pause.

We made a TikTok showcasing the weekend - feel free to follow along if you want to keep up with our Newcasstle and non-Newcastle outings.

Long weekend

Monday is a public holiday, yay! To ensure you have a caffeine fix or something to do on Monday, I am sharing HunterHunter’s list, which they curated on Cafe’s open. Check it out.