This is a fantastic beach for four wheeling and hanging out with your pup. If you go early enough…read moreyou can have the beach pretty much to yourself. The waves are quite intense and there is a quick drop off so do beware of that if you decide to jump in the water. Also keep in mind that there are jellyfish around so watch your feet and your dogs paws.

"Likes: ice cubes, my stuffed cow toy, long walks on the beach, looking ridiculously good looking…read morelike all the time." These are just a few of my Groodle's favourite pastimes. On a recent trip we introduced the pet, affectionately named "The Furmonster" during these awkward teenage months, to beach life at Redhead dog beach, about a 20 minute drive from Newcastle Proper. There's long stretches of sand for your four-legged friend to run and burn any excess energy and if your canine is a fan of the surf there's a gentle swell for them to frolic in. All of the dogs and dog owners we encountered were friendly and stopped for conversations along the way (proof dogs make meeting new people super easy!). He was off leash for the majority of our visit. It's clean and uncrowded, almost like a dog-owners best kept secret. Why force yourself onto a patch of sand at Newcastle's best known beaches when this slice of pet-friendly paradise is only a few k's further away and the blue water is still as crystal clear and soul-reviving on a Summer's day?

Little Bay Beach is a gorgeous little spot, still not very well known. It's the last sand beach…read morebefore Botany Bay. Because it's a sheltered cove, there isn't any surf, but the place is great for paddling and snorkeling. Don't be put off by its proximity to Long Bay Gaol, or by its proximity to Malabar sewage treatment -- they've got that stuff all sorted out now, right? Little Bay Beach has wonderful sandstone outcrops, perfect for having a picnic with friends, and a nice mix of sun and shade. The abundance of little outcrops and cave-like spaces means you often find canoodling couples in various states of undress, spread out on towels and picnic blankets, with grapes, hummus and watermelon strewn about ... it gives the whole place a relaxed, bacchanalian sort of feel. There was an old hospital in Little Bay (long since closed down), which used to make the entrance to the beach quite creepy. In recent times they've built a housing subdivision at the old Prince Henry Hospital site, so the place isn't quite so spooky or derelict, but the development isn't too close to the foreshore, so you can't see buildings when you're sitting at the beach. It was quite a creepy hospital: used during the Bubonic plague in 1900. There are still a few heritage hospital buildings around, otherwise the rest of the structures are very new. There is a golf course nearby, but the risks of getting hit on the head by a golf ball are probably lower than your average Sydney bluebottle sting risks, so I reckon it's worth it. Little Bay achieved art-world fame back in 1969, when Christo wrapped it up in fabric. The whole bay. There are some great photos of it here: http://kaldorartprojects.org.au/project-archive/christo-and-jeanne-claude-1969 Little Bay's remoteness means that you can still find a park, if you drive there. But it is also accessible by bus. Just go down Anzac Parade, almost forever... The best bit? Feels like a holiday retreat, but it's in Sydney. The worst bit? No waves. Flat as a tack.

Gorgeous little beach. Not many people around, especially on a weekday. The water is crystal clear…read more& depending on the weather, some waves. Perfect place to relax. Free, non metered street parking near by & access to toilets.

This is an amazing beach where you can walk along and even in the winter some people swimming in…read morethe massive waves. It really is quite beautiful here and certainly worth seeing. You should also walk to the cliffs along the Anzac Memorial Walk. Also close to a nice park, Dawson park. This shore is one of the most beautiful walks in Newcastle. I'd chose this as one of the places to see if you're only in Newcastle for a little while.

Sea caves here were lovely. We apparently came at the right time (I didn't know there was a timing…read morefactor) and were able to see all the caves around. The rocks surround here were beautiful and it was all around just stunning.

Went early in the morning being one of the firsts on the beach. High tide day so there was very…read morelittle sand available for lounging so we retreated to the rocks. It was a gorgeous sunny day with the water feeling refreshing. We left close to noon just as more people started showing up. Will go again if I ever have the opportunity to return to Australia.

I think the days of believing that nudist beaches are a hotbed of blonde beauties flaunting their…read moreperfect physiques are loooooong gone. And if you needed any clarification of this, head to Lady Bay Beach in Watsons Bay. I've never quite worked out if this is technically a gay nudist beach, or whether it just happens to be populated by ageing naked guys, with large guts, most of the time. The beach itself isn't too bad, I've never ventured down to spend an afternoon on it, but you can see it quite clearly from the path that leads to South Head (and it tends to be quite a pretty sight, except when there are people on it!). I've not really considered nudism as a potential activity, but that's mainly due to the fact that I get annoyed when I get sunburnt shoulders, imagine getting sunbu- ... never mind. If you're trying to get around the beaches of Sydney on your travels, I think you'd be better off hitting up Camp Cove just down the path, it's a much more pleasant setting!

This is an amazing beach where you can walk along and even in the winter some people swimming in…read morethe massive waves. It really is quite beautiful here and certainly worth seeing. You should also walk to the cliffs along the Anzac Memorial Walk. This shore is one of the most beautiful walks in Newcastle. I'd chose this as one of the places to see if you're only in Newcastle for a little while.

Probably one of my favorite beaches in Sydney. During my semester abroad way back when I'd enjoy…read morestrolling through Manly all the way to lesser known Freshwater beach. Sometimes I head through the lovely cliff side neighborhoods just walk along the cliff. I'd often find my self hanging out here for hours. Sometimes at the beach or sitting on the cliffs studying for school. There's a special connection to this beach to where I currently live in Hawaii. This is where Duke Kahanamoku, Olympian, politician, surfer, spreader of Aloha introduced Surfing to Australia. Inside the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club there is a little memorial for the Duke with pictures, trophies, and his original wooden board he took to Australia. If you head up the stairs above the salt water pool there is an overgrown little park with a statue of the Duke Kahanamoku surfing on a boulder facing Freshwater beach. It's definitely a cool spot for anyone visiting from Hawaii. It's a great beach too with dramatic picturesque landscape. Ideally probably one of my top dream Neighborhoods to reside one day.

Once again, Freshie is one of my favorite beaches. It draws locals and not the chaos of tourist and…read moresurfers.