Stockton is the only northern suburb of Newcastle, an industrial city 160 kilometres north of Sydney, Australia.

Geography

Stockton is a peninsula, with the Hunter River at the south-west and the Pacific Ocean at the east. On the eastern side are sand dunes and surfing beaches, with numerous shipwrecks at its north, while on the western side there are marshes, where many migratory birds can be spotted. There are numerous spots at Stockton suitable for recreational fishing.

For many years Stockton was linked to Newcastle's Central Business District ("Overtown" in Stocktonian parlance) at the south by a passenger and vehicle ferry service; while today there is still a passenger ferry service, vehicular traffic is now connected by the Stockton Bridge, built in 1971 as part of a northern detour to the outside world.

History

Stockton was settled almost as soon as the foundation of Newcastle in 1797. At first it was a notorious hideout for pirates (the southern tip of the peninsula is still known as Pirate Point); but for much of the 19th Century it served as an industrial and mining base. In 1896 tragedy struck the local colliery, in which a gas leak killed 11 people. It has become a working-class dormitory suburb during the 20th Century, and remains so today for its 5,000 residents.

Stocktonians are particularly proud of Dave Sands, a champion boxer during the years immediately after World War II. Like the Colliery Disaster, the tragically short life of Sands was commemoated by some of the numerous memorials across this seaside village.

Culture

Despite being technically a suburb of Newcastle, Stockton has a country town atmosphere because of its isolation. It has its own shops, churches, clubhouses, two pubs, a swimming pool, and a caravan park. It also has a psychiatric hospital and a public (primary) school; high school students must catch the ferry to go to schools at the city.

Although a town with a million-dollar view, Stockton is proudly a working-class suburb. Its popular surfing culture has in the past given the town a somewhat tarnished image. In recent years however, the town has begun to re-invent itself as a New Age retreat.

Getting There

There is a frequent passenger ferry service to Stockton from Queens Wharf, close to the Newcastle Railway Station. The ferry journey takes about five minutes. Wheelchair access is not yet available, however you can take a bicycle onto the ferry for free.