Heritage Collections

The Library's Local History Collections document the heritage of Newcastle and the Hunter. Search our catalogue and Newcastle Collections Online to find items. There's a lot to explore!

Maritime Heritage
The history of the Hunter River, Newcastle Harbour, and its port are key to the story of the city of Newcastle. The history begins with the story of the geology of the river, the harbour's connection with the local indigenous people, the shipping and industry which utilised the port, and continues with the more recent changes which now see Newcastle as one of Australia's most significant ports.

Industrial Heritage
The resource rich area of Newcastle and the Hunter, combined with the shipping capabilities of the port, made Newcastle an ideal industrial area. Coal, shipbuilding, and organisations such as BHP, Stewarts and Lloyds, Lysaghts and other companies employed thousands of people. These industries contributed to the city becoming known as The Steel City.

Sporting Heritage
Sport in Newcastle and the Hunter has always been a vital part of the community: cricket, surf life-saving, tennis, golf or your favourite code of football. Our collections include items about our teams, our champions, our Olympians and our weekend warriors.