Living in Newcastle

A lively port city on a breathtaking stretch of Australia's coastline, Newcastle boasts wonderful beaches, a low cost of living, a very favourable climate, a casual lifestyle, and it’s not far from Sydney, the capital of New South Wales.

Its population of 350,000 supports a thriving business and commercial sector and an excellent network of leading health care and educational facilities. Newcastle offers all the usual city comforts, such as restaurants, cafes, parks and gardens, theatres, art galleries, shopping centres and nightclubs.

Newcastle is also a popular tourist destination. A few kilometres south of the city is Australia’s largest seaboard lake, Lake Macquarie, scene of many national and international sailing events.

Less than one hour's drive to the north is the impressive harbour of Port Stephens, a popular centre for big game fishing, sailing, surfing, and sailboarding. To the west are the internationally famous wineries of the Hunter Valley, many of them more than a century old. And to the south is the beauty and beaches of the Central Coast .

Climate

Newcastle enjoys a temperate climate, with warm to hot summers (December to February) and mild winters (June to August).

Central Coast

The Central Coast Campuses are located at Gosford, Ourimbah and Wyong. The largest is at Ourimbah, where programs and courses are offered by The University of Newcastle, Hunter Institute - TAFE NSW, and Central Coast Community College. Ourimbah is approximately halfway between Sydney and Newcastle, close to an exit from the F3 freeway. The Gosford and Wyong campuses are within those townships. All three campuses are within 15 minutes of each other, and are easily accessible from all parts of the Central Coast. Each campus has free car parking and there are special arrangements for students with disabilities.

The Central Coast comprises 1854 sq km of spectacular scenery, bounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Hawkesbury River, Lake Macquarie and the Great Dividing Range. Its residential population of almost 300,000 live in a collection of attractive townships, suburbs and villages.

The Central Coast is a popular and relaxing tourist destination, with the benefits of city life without its pollution and congestion.

The Benefit

Deciding where to study is very important. It is not just about the course, it is about the lifestyle and the total experience that you will have during the time that you are studying. Hunter Institute has a relatively small international student population, allowing us to give you more individual attention and help you take full advantage of your time studying in Australia.

Specific advantages include:

• Help and advice on choosing the right courses of study and the ‘pathways’ to University, as a result of doing these courses.
• A safe, secure environment where international students will feel welcome on campus and in the community.
• A much lower cost of living than in a capital city.

Newcastle, Hunter Valley and the Central Coast have wonderful attractions including beaches, wine growing areas and beautiful rainforests. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to have a look at the Hunter Regional Tourism website.