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Burwood Beach Mining Heritage

Rusting Rail Wheels Buried in the Sand at Burwood Beach

Burwood Beach Mining Heritage

Located south of Merewether Ocean Baths, Burwood Beach is not only a great surfing beach, but has relics from the areas mining heritage.

There are several ways to get to the beach, each with its own benefits.

  1. The Yuelarbah Track, which winds down a Flaggy Creek, is a great hike in coastal eucalyptus forest.
  2. Hickson Street Lookout, which provides excellent views as you walk down to the beach
  3. From Merewether Baths for a walk along the beach without much up and down hill hiking.

We have walked all three and the Yuelarbah Track is the more interesting, because it winds through some beautiful bushland. However, it is also the most difficult, due to the track and need to walk back uphill when returning.

On our most recent trip we walked in from Merewether Baths, mainly because we hadn’t gone this way before. We found it to be a straightforward walk along the beach.

Several of the relics are located on the rock platforms, so the best time to visit is low tide. This ensures that you can see everything while remaining safe.

Railway Wheel on the Rock Platform

When walking from Merewether Baths at low tide, a railway wheel is visible on the rock platform. This relic is now covered in seaweed and shellfish, which have made it their home on.

Railway Wheels in the Sand

Further along the beach are three rusty wheels buried in the sand, but partially exposed.

Remains of the Burwood Beach Mining Heritage Rail Line

A rail line once ran along the dunes hauling coal to the copper smelter but is now decaying as nature reclaims it. Rusting rail lines and sleepers, now exposed in places where wind and rain have revealed them poke through the sand.

Rail Wheels in the Sand Dunes

Near the exposed rail lines are several railway wheels, which are abandoned and rusting in the dunes.

The Coal Seam

A reminder of the coal mined here exists in the cliff face, where the exposed coal seam contrasts with the lighter coloured rocks around it.

What Did We Think?

We thought Burwood Beach was a relaxed place to visit, because of the few people there. The relics from the mining past were a great addition to the day, as they lie exposed and readily visible.

The Lock-Up Old Newcastle Police Station

In the Exercise Yard

The Lock-Up

You will find The Lock-Up at 90 Hunter Street in the heart of the Newcastle CBD, making it very accessible. We walked from a carpark on Wharf Rd, but if you use public transport, the closest light rail stop is Newcastle Beach, making it only a five-minute walk away.

The Building

Built in 1861 as an addition to the adjacent Police Station, the Lock-Up is one of several important historical buildings in the area. Walking through the building with no exhibition on, gives you a feel for how austere the building was, because the rooms are small and dark. With strong wooden are metal doors the cells are very dark as there is little natural light.

Even the exercise yard is bleak because it is exposed to the weather. This would have made it hot in summer and cold in winter.

Art Exhibition

The Lockup describe themselves as: “The Lock-Up’s innovatively curated program promotes current, experimental and diverse practices from local, national and international creatives.”

Before visiting, check to see if something different is on display, because Exhibitions are constantly renewed. When we visited contemporary display by Rosie Deacon was present, adding interest to the visit.

Our photos are available for purchase on

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

Minmi Cemetery in Western Newcastle

Graves in Minmi Cemetery

Minmi Cemetery

Situated in the western suburbs of Newcastle, the Minmi cemetery, records the early history of coal mining in the district. Time and weather have faded many headstone to the point where they can no longer be read. This adds to the atmosphere of the area however, as it gives you a feeling for its age.

Dating from the mid-1800s some of the graves record the tragic deaths of workers in the coal mines, showing how dangerous it was. Well maintained and easily accessed, this was an interesting place to visit.

Our photos are available for purchase on

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.