Newkulele News

The Where Edition

Carrington, our Venues, and Accommodation Options

Carrington is our historic little suburb home for this year. Here we have gathered a coterie of funky cafes around our central base at the Carrington Bowling Club to feed and water you in body and in spirit (music).

'Carro' (or 'The Island', or 'Carrodise') is an gutsy and iconic Newcastle suburb, literally sitting in the heart of Newcastle Harbour, built on a pile of historic rubble. (Others might call it "ship ballast").

The aim of this missive is to let you fall in love with 2026 Newkulele geography.

CARRINGTON BOWLING CLUB

'The Bowlo' is an unpretentious old fashioned club, located in the heart of one of Newcastle’s oldest suburbs - it's the first building on the left as you cross the bridge. The Newcastle Ukulele Community meets there at least three times a week, and one of its best characteristics is our beloved Jaci Lapin (see photo at end of this email) who is the Manager Extraordinaire. Jaci really lives community, and understands the role of ukulele in building community. She gets it!!!

And whilst our main focus is here, we have also enlisted a suite of great cafes (and one hall) as venues for performances and workshops.

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Cafe Inu

Right across the road from The Bowlo is the delightfully Japanese influenced Cafe Inu. It's a big relaxed shed with a raised area where we can focus our solo/duo acts over coffee and good food on Saturday.

The Pavilion Kitchen

The Pav is just around the corner from The Bowlo. There is a raised stage area which we think will be perfect for the medium sized community groups. (Gosh we are getting sick of saying "great coffee and great food!". I guess all we can add is Great Music!).

Carrington Community Centre

It's perhaps a good thing that one of our main workshop venues is historic, and built like a brick shithouse....and it's a little bit further away. These are good attributes for what is to come.

It's 800m from the Bowlo (10 minute walk, 2 minute drive), and 500m from the Hemporium, and has emblazoned on the front "Carrington Council Chambers 1888". The bluster and blast of Town Meetings past will have contemporary echoes in trumpets, trombones, saxes, drums and voice! That means that the loud wailings of the horns and drums that will gather there each day for the Festival Band Workshop, and for Benjie's drumming (amongst other workshops) can be contained within those sturdy walls. Then we'll let them loose in the Festival Parade.

The Hemporium

This is a longtime and renowned musical venue in Carrington, and has recently become home to a new type of cafe where good food and coffee (there's that phrase again!) meets healing advice and products related to hemp (if that is your thing). You do know it's all legal? Right?

Go out the side gate of the Bowlo, and you are at the back gate of the Hemporium. Easy!

Smoking not permitted. Gummy bears are ok.

Tapestry Cafe

Tapestry is comfortable, and traditional, like your mother embroidering with a cuppa in a sunny corner. But the food is standard cafe contemporary. Did we say good? Did we say great?! (of course it is!).

Buns and rolls are perfected for takeaway, and we are scheduling a driveway marquee stage interacting with the cool street vibe (though beware passing street bands).

Accommodation

Accommodation is pretty easy to sort out these days, what with Google, Google Maps and the various sites like airbnb etc.

But if you need a little assistance, the nearest camping is at Stockton Caravan Park. If you have a pushbike (and a uke on your back), then it is a really pleasant ride from the Stockton Ferry terminal around to Carrington. Nearly no roads to cross! Otherwise it is a 20 minute drive past the coal loaders etc.

Further south around Belmont there is a new campground in the Belmont Wetlands (not for caravans), or the well established Belmont Lakeside Holiday Park (yes, it is on the Lake, but don't forget to drag self up to Carrington for the Festival!).

Diehards of course can stay at nearby pubs (a drunken flip flop from all Carrington venues), or in any of the suburbs to the south, west and east of nearby Carrington. Newcastle and Nobbies Beach are an easy tram or busride from Carro.

Tickets on sale soon. (...like, very very soon).

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Come to Newcastle! Need convincing?

We are a vibrant city, and the best in the nation for surf and ukulele (or so we think). Here's a couple of non-Carrington piccies to whet your whistle.

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Go the Newkulele Festival website