Newcastle

Newcastle, about 2 hours drive north of Sydney, is  hub for Australia's 7th largest urban area and one I've not visited since I was a child.  It was an early source of coal for the fledgling English colony and named after Newcastle-Upon-Tyne which I visited many times with Bondi, most notably when we began our Hadrian's Wall walk 3 years ago. Indeed there are many locality names shared with the Tyneside area, such as Jesmond, Wallsend, Hexham and Gateshead. Today its harbour ships more coal each year than any other in the world.

Peter and I took Munson for a walk along the breakwater past Nobby's Head lighthouse at the mouth of that harbour. On its sheltered side is an off-leash dog-beach which was being very well used when we passed there mid-afternoon.

Munson took to the water  immediately, very quickly making friends with the local dogs.

Note the dolphin breaching in the left background of the picture above.

This is Munson's longest road-trip to date, and his first since Bondi's passing.