Honeysuckle Harbour Life

Newcastle Visitor Centre moves to Maritime Centre

Newcastle Visitor Centre moving to Maritime Centre - Monday 29 November 2010

Please see below a copy of a media release that has gone out today advising of the transfer of Visitor Information services from the current Council run facility in Hunter St to the Maritime Centre Newcastle.  Please note that the phone numbers (4974 2999 and 1800 654 558), email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and website (www.visitnewcastle.com.au) are still being operated by Council employed Visitor Centre staff and these staff will also be operating from the maritime centre for a transition period.

Visitor information services will relocate to the Maritime Centre at Honeysuckle tomorrow, Tuesday 30 November as part of the implementation of The City of Newcastle’s 2010 Tourism Plan.

The move should see increased visitor numbers at the Maritime Centre as well as ensure visitor information is available at a location where more tourists naturally congregate.

Council’s Manager Tourism and Economic Development SIMON MCARTHUR says placing a visitor information centre (VIC) within a tourist attraction is a much better idea than running a VIC on its own.

“The Maritime Centre will receive a direct benefit from the relocation and visitors to our city will enjoy an easily accessible inner city location for all their information needs. Approximately 44,000 people walk into the Hunter Street VIC each year – that’s 44,000 more potential customers for the Centre”.

“Historically most of our marketing resources have been invested in operating the VIC – waiting and hoping visitors will come. This move allows us to reinvest in creating new interesting and authentic experiences that live up to The Lonely Planet’s naming of Newcastle as a top 10 city of the World”.

Manager of the Maritime Centre RICHARD HOWARD says the Maritime Centre is excited to assist Council and the local tourism industry in making Newcastle a priority destination for both national and international visitors.

“The relocation will spur us on to build harbour based tourism experiences here in Newcastle that will become must dos for any Australian visit”.

The Hunter Street location run by Council will close as the facility is relocated. Council staff will continue to train and support the Maritime Centre team until April 2011. Training commenced in October and is progressing well.

To expand the provision of visitor information, Council is also developing touch screen information kiosks to be located in hotels, attractions and transport hubs across the city, followed by mobile phone applications to share information with people as they arrive in Newcastle. The first kiosk is scheduled to be trialled at the Maritime Centre in early 2011.