Just So Stories

New South Publishing

October 2025

9781742238043

 RRP: $39.99

Why on earth would a Sydney girl ask to review a book about Newcastle? Growing up and all through school, I knew virtually nothing about Newcastle beyond ‘coal’ ‘dirty industry’ and of course, ‘worst of the worst convicts‘.

But then, as an adult and somewhere around the 80s, my Father Bear retired and moved to delightful Nelson Bay , in the Port Stephens region – which is NOT Newcastle but so close to it, that whenever I visited with my girls, we would also have an expedition to Newie. And over some years until I lost him 😭, I got to know and appreciate this hidden gem of a city just a little better.

It’s now been many years since I’ve been there but would love to see it now,and this book gave me a chance to revisit it, at least vicariously, to find out more about,both past and present (beyond the Steel City epithet) and, certainly, realise how very little I was taught at school. This is no linear history of the city nor is it a standard travelogue or modern-day Baedeker. It’s more like an extended love letter to the city that raised Scott Bevan, and what he and other Novacastrians are so proud of about their home, as well as a celebration of its colourful history, its vibrant present and its enticing future.

I’ve rambled through it a chapter at a time (in order of my interest according to mood of the moment) since receiving it, so it’s essentially taken me a couple of months to read it on and off and it was too late to slide a review into 2025.

I’m a history geek so yes, the stories of the First Nations, the arrival of convicts and then other Europeans was interesting and informative, but it was delving into anecdotes from citizens, famous sons and daughters [think Silverchair, William Dobell, the Leyland Brothers and of course, the man himself, Bob Hudson along with a dozen or so other luminaries], and finding out more about the thriving creativity in this place in which I was most interested.

Except of course, for the chapter Surf City. Newcastle’s beaches and surf were legendary even back in the day when I was in my oft-misspent teen years and hanging around at Cronulla. I would love to take The Kid there to see some of the great surf beaches and let her catch some rides.

I also really want to see The Bogey Hole and the Ocean Baths – how did we miss that when we visited? I have no idea now of course, it’s almost 40 years ago. I certainly remember a visit to Stockton Beach – dunno. But reading this has really given me an appetite to go back – take The Kid and show her another part of NSW, and a little family history, of course.

Aside from my own personal connections, I would heartily recommend this to anyone interested in finding out more about one of NSW’s, indeed Australia’s, not so well known tourist destinations (growing in popularity rapidly) – and look at that sensational cover shot! Isn’t it a cracker? It’s getting a full bore 5 🏄🏄🏄🏄🏄rating from me for general reading.

Enjoy! (around 3 minutes) – not just the song but seeing the city and hearing Bob and others speak 😄