Memorial walk

Newcastle Memorial Walk is a 450-metre coastal walkway in Cooks Hill, Newcastle, combining ocean views with a significant local memorial. The route looks across Newcastle’s coastline, the city and the Hunter Valley, making it a distinctive way to experience the area on foot.

Its centrepiece is a 160-metre bridge along the clifftop, marked by steel silhouettes of soldiers and close to 4,000 family names. These names represent nearly 11,000 known men and women from the Hunter Valley who enlisted during the First World War. The walk commemorates both the centenary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli and the beginning of Newcastle’s steelmaking industry, connecting the city’s industrial history with the service of local people.

The Memorial Walk also forms part of the Bathers Way, a six-kilometre coastal route linking Merewether Ocean Baths with Nobbys Beach. It suits visitors looking for a short, scenic walk with historical context, as well as those following the longer coastal route. The memorial’s references to Hunter families and service personnel give the space a reflective quality, while the elevated setting provides a broader view of Newcastle’s coast and surrounds. City of Newcastle acknowledges the Awabakal and Worimi peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land.