After the Newcastle Marathon: Stockton

The Route: Newcastle Queens Wharf → Stockton Ferry Wharf → Stockton Beach → Newcastle Logistics: Public ferry from Queens Wharf, about five minutes each way. Check the current timetable and fare at transportnsw.info before you go. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Newcastle Queens Wharf ──(about 5 mins ferry)──> Stockton Ferry Wharf
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Newcastle Queens Wharf <──(about 5 mins ferry)────────────┘

The Henderson Newcastle Marathon runs on a Sunday in mid April and ends beside the harbour. A day later, the most gentle way to get somewhere different is to cross the water. The Stockton ferry runs from Queens Wharf, which is close to the finish precinct, and the crossing is short enough to be part of the recovery rather than another effort.

April in Stockton: autumn on the New South Wales coast. Days are typically in the low twenties Celsius, the ocean is still warm from summer, and the sea breeze can be brisk by the afternoon. It is still pleasant weather for a walk and a long lunch. Ferries are generally frequent through the day, but times vary on weekends and public holidays, so check before leaving.

Stockton is a low, flat peninsula suburb at the harbour mouth. The ferry wharf is a short walk from the main street, and the streets around it are level and quiet. A walk to the beach and back is about 1.5 to 2 km on footpaths with no real climb, and there are benches and cafés along the way. Stockton Beach is long and exposed, with soft sand, so walk on the firm sand near the water and keep it short.

The sand and the breakwall are the local features. The breakwall at the harbour mouth is a long structure, and its surface can be uneven, so keep the walk on the town side and look across the water to Nobbys and the lighthouse. From the Stockton foreshore the view back to Newcastle East shows the coast the marathon follows.

For lunch, the cafés and pubs close to the wharf serve the usual coastal menu. Check opening days, because some smaller places close on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Ferries return to Queens Wharf through the afternoon and early evening. Check the last service before settling into a long lunch.