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Bar Beach, New South Wales facts for kids

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Bar Beach
NewcastleNew South Wales
Bar Beach viewing South toward Merewether.jpg
North end of Bar Beach viewing south over the natural rock pool, toward Merewether
Bar Beach is located in Newcastle, Australia
Bar Beach
Bar Beach
Location in Newcastle, Australia
Population 1,256 (2016 census)
 • Density 4,155/km2 (10,760/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 2300
Elevation 35 m (115 ft)
Area 0.5 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST) AEDT (UTC+11)
Location 1.6 km (1 mi) SSW of Newcastle
LGA(s) City of Newcastle
Region Hunter
County Northumberland
Parish Newcastle
State electorate(s) Newcastle
Federal Division(s) Newcastle
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
21.8 °C
71 °F
14.2 °C
58 °F
1,133.7 mm
44.6 in
Suburbs around Bar Beach:
Cooks Hill Cooks Hill The Hill
Cooks Hill, The Junction Bar Beach The Hill, Tasman Sea
Merewether Tasman Sea Tasman Sea

Bar Beach is a cool suburb in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It's located about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) southwest of Newcastle's main city area. The suburb gets its name from the beautiful beach that runs along its eastern side.

The famous Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club is based right here at Bar Beach. It's a great spot for swimming and surfing!

Discovering Bar Beach's Past

Long ago, a big company called the Australian Agricultural Company owned a lot of land around Newcastle. This land later became many of the suburbs we know today, including Bar Beach. In 1924, the company started selling parts of Bar Beach for people to build homes.

There was a natural rock pool at the beach that locals called "The Bar." That's how Bar Beach got its unique name!

Who Lives in Bar Beach?

In 2016, a survey showed that about 1,256 people lived in Bar Beach. Most of these residents, about 77.3%, were born in Australia. Also, a large number of people, 86.8%, spoke only English at home.

When asked about their beliefs, many people said they had no religion (33.7%). Others identified as Catholic (23.2%) or Anglican (15.5%).

Famous Shipwrecks Near Bar Beach

The northern part of Bar Beach is often called Susan Gilmore Beach. This name comes from an American ship, the Susan Gilmore, which was wrecked there on July 4, 1884. Imagine a big ship getting stuck on the sand!

Other ships also met their end nearby. The City of Newcastle was wrecked on September 12, 1878. Later, the USS WST-1 also wrecked in the area on July 27, 1945. These shipwrecks are part of the beach's interesting history.

Protecting Bar Beach's Heritage

Bar Beach has several important places that are protected because of their history and special meaning. These are called heritage-listed sites.

One important spot is the Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club and its Memorial. The Reid Park Tennis Clubhouse and its tennis courts are also protected. Even the fence around the Empire Park Bowling Club is considered a heritage item! Plus, some of the old apartment buildings built in the cool Art Deco style are also listed for their historical value.

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