Good morning Newcastle,

Hope you've had a great week. No pie review this week, but I've checked out Surly's, we've got a new Newcastle History, and plenty happening around town.

Enjoy!

Surly's has been one of the most talked about openings in Newcastle this year and after checking it out last Saturday night, the hype is mostly justified.

The venue takes over 231 Hunter Street, one of Newcastle's most iconic hospitality buildings, and the team have done a solid job with it. Two levels, bars upstairs and downstairs, massive screens throughout, an old-school games room and a pool table. The industrial bones of the building have been kept intact with exposed brick and steel, and Surly's personality layered on top through neon lighting and custom artwork.

The vibe is very American. Beer, sport and smoked meats. US beers on tap including Pabst Blue Ribbon as well as Modelo by the bottle. The food is built around a commercial smoker and charcoal oven, with the BBQ platter the obvious order. We went for the platter for two at $110, brisket, sausage, wings, chicken thighs, pulled pork, fries, slaw and cornbread. The quality and flavour were genuinely good, the 18-hour dry-rubbed brisket in particular. The one gripe is the quantity for a platter for two felt slightly short of what you'd hope for at that price. That said the quality justifies it.

A refreshing addition to Hunter Street and a sign of Newcastle's growing appeal to Sydney operators who know a good city when they see one. Worth the hype.

Anti-Bullying and Family Resilience Workshop – Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centres | 14 August, 5pm – 5:45pm
Practical strategies for parents, carers and kids under 12 on handling bullying, friendship troubles and school refusal. Free, bookings required. More info.

Resilience for Life Workshop – Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centres | 14 August, 6pm – 6:45pm
An interactive session for teens and young adults covering exam stress, peer pressure, social media and building genuine self-belief. Free, bookings required. More info.

University of Newcastle Open Day – Callaghan and City Campus | 15 August, 9am – 3pm
Explore the campus, enjoy live music and entertainment, and find out what university life is really like. Free. More info.

Medieval Fair – Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae | 16 August, 9am – 3:30pm
Sword and shield demonstrations, medieval dancing, archery, market stalls and more. Costumes encouraged. Ticketed. More info.

Artspace: Free Family Artmaking – MAC yapang, Booragul | 16 August, 10am – 11:30am
A free monthly family art session starting with a guided look at the current exhibition, followed by hands-on artmaking. Free, bookings required. More info.

Newcastle Knights vs Gold Coast Titans – McDonald Jones Stadium | 16 August
NRLW double header — Women's kick-off at 12pm, NRL at 2pm. More info.

Northstars vs Perth Thunder – Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, Warners Bay | 16 August, 4pm
Home game for the Northstars. Gates open 45 minutes before start. More info.

Hunter Valley Wine Dinner with Parched Crow – Roy's at 45, Mayfield | 13 August, 6:30pm
A four-course dinner paired with four Hunter Valley wines from Parched Crow Wines. Tickets $65. More info.

The Poems, Prayers & Promises of John Denver – Warners Bay Theatre, Warners Bay | 14 August
Darren Coggan brings the voice and songs of John Denver to life in a celebrated tribute show. Tickets $65. More info.

Killer Queen Experience – Shoal Bay Country Club, Shoal Bay | 14 August
Freddie Mercury's legendary energy and all the hits live on stage at Shoal Bay. Tickets $42.88. More info.

Come From Away – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | until 15 August
The true story of 7,000 airline passengers grounded in a small Canadian town during September 11 — a moving story of kindness, connection and community. Tickets from $69. More info.

Harry Hartog Book Signing – Harry Hartog Kotara | 15 August
Meet romantasy author Amy de la Force and get a signed copy of her debut A Kiss of Hammer and Flame, a Kobo #1 romance bestseller. Free. More info.

Nicolas Altstaedt & Thomas Dunford – Newcastle City Hall | 15 August, 7:30pm
Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and lutenist Thomas Dunford perform evocative masterpieces from the court of Louis XIV and the enduring beauty of Bach. Tickets $65. More info.

Keith Tulloch Winemaker Lunch – Restaurant Mason, Newcastle | 16 August, from 12:30pm
A five-course lunch paired with premium Keith Tulloch Wines, hosted by Keith Tulloch himself. Tickets $160. More info.

UFC 330: Makachev vs Machado Gary – The Exchange, Hamilton | 16 August, from 11am
UFC 330 live on the big screen with Makachev vs Machado Gary headlining the Welterweight bout. More info.

Earp Distilling Co. Weddings & Events Showcase – Earp Distilling Co., Carrington | 16 August, 2pm – 6pm
Tour the Barrel Hall, meet local suppliers, discover event inspiration and enjoy complimentary grazing. Free, registration encouraged. More info.

Vince Jones Quintet – Warners Bay Theatre, Warners Bay | 16 August
Jazz royalty Vince Jones celebrates 50 years in the spotlight with his quintet — vocalist, trumpeter and storyteller. Tickets $55. More info.

Aged & Ordered – Method Brewing, Islington | 15–16 August
A weekend celebrating Method Brewing's barrel-aged beers finally hitting the taps, with Smoky Sue's BBQ, live music from Benny and the Decks (Saturday) and Mistah Dux (Sunday). Saturday 12pm–10pm, Sunday 12pm–7pm. More info.

The Creedence Clearwater Experience – The Wickham Park Hotel, Islington | 15 August, from 6pm
A high-energy tribute to CCR's swampy grooves and singalong classics — Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Fortunate Son and more, live in the beer garden. 18+. Tickets $39.80. More info.

Metallica: A Tribute for All – The Hamilton Station Hotel, Islington | 15 August, from 8pm
The complete Master of Puppets album front to back celebrating its 40th anniversary, followed by Metallica classics. Support from Radio X with a nu-metal tribute set. 18+. Tickets $27.55. More info.

Kick: INXS Tribute Show – Cardiff RSL, Cardiff | 15 August, from 8:30pm
The energy and iconic hits of one of Australia's greatest bands, live and free at Cardiff RSL. More info.

Sounds Like Saturday Night – Redhead Bowling Club, Redhead | 15 August, from 7pm
A 70s and 80s party covering ABBA, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, INXS, Noiseworks and more. More info.

Woodstock 57th Anniversary – Flamingos Live, Lambton | 16 August, 2pm – 4:30pm
A tribute to the three days of music that defined a generation, featuring songs from Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Santana and more. Tickets via Humanitix. More info.

Homegrown Markets x Made & Found – Lambton Park | 16 August, 10am – 2pm
Handmade stalls, preloved racks, street food, live music, permanent jewellery bar, plant stores and face painting at Lambton Park. More info.

Newcastle City Farmers Markets – Broadmeadow Showground | 16 August
Shop direct from local farmers and makers with unbeatable freshness and a genuine community atmosphere.

Do you want me to share an event in the Newcastle Digest?

Newcastle Steel and the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Most people know the Sydney Harbour Bridge as an iconic piece of Australian engineering. Fewer know that Newcastle played a direct role in building it.

The BHP Newcastle Steelworks opened in 1915, quickly establishing the city as a major centre of Australian industry. By the time construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge began in the late 1920s, the steelworks was producing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of steel each year.

In 1932, approximately 10,500 tonnes of steel was supplied from the Newcastle steelworks for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The rest came primarily from Dorman Long and Co. in England. Newcastle steel was used for smaller sections and other components of the bridge, which were then fabricated into girders and other structural elements in workshops at Milsons Point.

The Newcastle steelworks continued to grow dramatically over the following decades, becoming one of the city's defining industries. During World War II, it became a major supplier of steel for Australia's war effort and helped cement Newcastle's reputation as Australia's Steel City.

The steelworks eventually closed in 1999, but some of the steel produced in Newcastle more than 90 years ago is still part of one of Australia's most recognisable landmarks.

Four Newcastle precincts have secured funding through the NSW Government's Uptown Grant Program, with between $100,000 and $120,000 each heading to Newcastle East, Midtown, Throsby and Darby Street. Darby Street is the only new addition to the program this round.

The most interesting part for locals is what Darby Street plans to do with it. The funding will support a new event series called Darby After Dark, a run of Friday night activations bringing together local hospitality, retail and creative businesses through live music, artist-led experiences, workshops and chef-led food events. It will also look to capitalise on the reopening of Newcastle Art Gallery, encouraging visitors to stick around and explore the broader precinct.

Good to see the city's night-time economy getting some proper investment behind it.