Do you know about the old cemetery at Cottage Creek? What about the location of Newcastle's former Chinatown? Did you know there is one pub in the city that has a secret doorway hidden in a bookcase?
These are just some of the revelations about the Midtown district that are unearthed during a new guided history pub crawl led by popular content creator Jacob Ure.
Piloted in June, the History Crawl: Secrets, Sins and Spirits is a ticketed tour that takes groups through Midtown's small bars while uncovering the neighbourhood's more colourful past.
The Newcastle Herald joined the group on Friday night, a mix of school history teachers, locals keen to discover a new watering hole, and a few faces fresh to the city finding out what Newcastle has to offer.
"The Midtown history tour is a bit of a mix between a traditional bar crawl, you could say, and a history walking tour," Jacob, who runs the popular social media account 'Our Past', said.
"We go to a few different venues and talk a bit about the history of the venue and some of the more scandalous topics as well, so there is a bit of something for everyone."
Without giving away too many of the secrets of the tour, it starts at Charlies Rooftop bar which many people know as the former Gunfighter's Rest, and finishes at the site of the Star Hotel riot.
"The tours have been very surprising and I've met a lot of different people on the way," Jacob said.
"Last week we had someone that was present during the Star Hotel riot back in the 1970s. Having their firsthand perspective was really special."
As the group snakes their way into Devonshire Lane, with the only light to guide us coming from the local brothel, it is easy to step back in time to the 1890s when unsuspecting sailors would be entrapped and forced onto vessels in a worrying practice called crimping.
In fact the practice was so rampant in Midtown, Jacob said he had seen it listed as one of the most pressing issues in multiple Newcastle Chamber of Commerce reports from that decade.
Midtown is one of four districts in the Newcastle and Lower Hunter region supported through the Uptown District Acceleration Program, which unites businesses behind a shared identity.
The program is funded by the NSW Office of the 24Hour Economy Commissioner as part of a push across the state to boost nighttime economy.
"By allowing precincts like this to showcase what we do best, we can continue to get people back out of the house, back into the streets and really grow the cultural aspect of this city," Matt Field, district coordinator for Midtown Newcastle said.
"Midtown started out with this vision of creating a really wonderful, vibrant little cultural precinct right in the heart of town, and we've done that.
"Over the last year we've proven to ourselves that when small businesses all collaborate and work together, you can create something truly special."
Matt joined the tour on Friday night too, a welcome guest who was greeted with hugs and handshakes by the publicans at every venue we stopped at. He previously had a stint running the tours, but said bringing Jacob on board had been a game-changer.
"Jacob's the perfect person to be running these tours. He has such a great online presence already. He has such a brilliant knowledge of Midtown, and we really needed somebody who could tap into the history of this wonderful precinct and communicate that."
Part history lesson, part bar hop, it's a great way to spend a night out in town and the tour is just the start, with music walking tours next on the agenda. More information and ticket sales are available via the Midtown website.
From reptile wranglers to rotisserie chicken champions, dental doyennes and dance studio directors, this year's Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards finalists are the most diverse in the event's history.
Lake Macquarie mayor Adam Shultz said a judging panel had selected 65 finalists across 14 categories, with excellence in microbusiness and small business the two most hotly-contested awards.
"Applicants this year really reflect the depth and breadth of Lake Macquarie's 14,000-plus businesses," he said.
"It was particularly encouraging to see such strong entries in our new business category. It shows not only that people are confident in establishing new enterprises in our city, but when they're done right they can grow and thrive."
This year's Outstanding New Business finalists include Snake Catcher Bronte, whose business has amassed more than 72,000 Facebook followers, and Char Char Chicken, a takeaway shop in the new Watagan Park Central complex in Cooranbong.
Toronto's Dental Folk director Quyen Nguyen - a winner at last year's awards - is again a finalist in the Outstanding Young Business Leader category, while Maxi-Jazz Dance Studio principal Ylanda Robinson is among five finalists vying for the Outstanding Business Leader award.
Finalists in the Outstanding Visitor Experience category include Awaba Mountain Bike Park, CoastXP, Lake Mac Brewing Co, Nova Cruises and Showtime Kayaking.
Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday, July 24, at Belmont 16s. Go to lakemac.com.au to vote in the Origin Energy People's Choice Award.
Animal lovers and fun-seekers are invited to put on their wildest wigs and enjoy a fantastic night of entertainment, all while supporting a great cause, at the Crazy Wig Fundraiser for Hunter Animal Rescue. The event will be held at Cosmo Motel Adamstown on Saturday, August 8, commencing at 6pm. Tickets are $25 per person, with all ticket sale proceeds being donated directly to Hunter Animal Rescue.
