A hidden jem right in the middle of the city. Lovely place to get back to nature. Great walking trails to observe native animals and trees. Lots of play areas for children More

If you LOVE photographing native Australian wildlife, then this is the place to go! Blackbutt Reserve has koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and LOTS of birds, including emus! I have to make special mention of the emus - if you do go, you have to go see these amazing creatures - they are HILARIOUS! If you just want to get away... More

A classic Newcastle destination, and possibly one of the few in Australia where you can view wildlife up close, have a picnic and go for a bushwalk, all for free. Definitely worth a couple of hours for anyone visiting the city for more than a day or two. More

Hidden amongst the boring suburbs is a fantastic bushland and animal retreat where you can take family and friends for a BBQ or a picnic and enjoy seeing some local wildlife. One of the gems of Newcastle. More

the animals and nature around us we took the kids and all had great experiences More

Pros - have spaces for bbq but need to book beforehand, good for function. - sceneries and places for kids to play around - couple of animals to look at, koalas, wombat, ducks, geese, wallabies, etc etc. The downside is that the place is still recovering from the 2007 flood and it may look a bit rundown but nevertheless its... More

love the bush walks for the mobile, the exhibitions, picnic and playground areas for children. Something for everyone from locals to tourists. More

I liked this place, i travelled here while visiting friends in new castle and its lovely and worth the walk around to see some beautiful animals. More

A great place to take the family for a BBQ - Emus, Native birds, kangaroos and Koalas on show in a natural bushland setting. There is a large area for kicking a ball around and two small children play areas. Lots of electric BBQs... free entry and small cost for car parking. More