Fact Sheets & Video - England

Modern Newcastle

Once famous for coal mining and ship building, North East England's unofficial capital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, or Newcastle Gateshead as it has recently been titled, is one of England's most dynamic urban cities. Separated by the Tyne River, Newcastle lies on the north bank and Gateshead is on the south. Connected by a total of seven bridges, the two cities have come together to create a vibrant quayside incorporating the innovative Millennium Bridge and The Sage Gateshead, to name a few.

In 2007 Newcastle Gateshead was ranked one of the best places to live in Europe and was voted the easiest UK destination to get around by readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine in August 2007. Newcastle's reputation for wild nightlife and an inviting party scene is well-known. After-all there are few cities that pursue the art of a bevy more ardently than the local Geordies who like to "get a bottle of dog and get doon". One of the oldest dialects in Britain, a true Geordie is born within Newcastle's city limits.

But while there are plenty of pubs to be crawling there are numerous places of interest to satisfy culture vultures by day in this hospitable and cosmopolitan city where old and new comfortably co-exist. The Angel of the North, which is located just outside of the sister cities, is the UK's largest sculpture. Designed by Anthony Gormley it stands 20 metres high and has a wing-span of 54 metres, which is wider than a Boeing 767. The sculpture is reputed to withstand winds of more than 100 miles per hour.

Newcastle Gateshead's Millennium Bridge is the world's first and only tilting bridge and links Newcastle Quayside to Gateshead Quays. Built in 2002, this bridge is an eye-catching pedestrian and cycle bridge which operates like the giant lid of an eye that slowly opens and forms an arch under which ships can pass through. The design of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge is so energy efficient that it uses 3.60 pounds of electricity each time it opens.

But when it does come to icons, although not modern or new, there is a distinct likeness between Newcastle's Tyne Bridge and Australia's iron coat hanger, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is often believed that the Tyne Bridge was the model for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but in fact, it is actually a scaled-down version of Sydney's, which Dorman Long was already working on. It appears that the confusion arose due to the fact that the Tyne Bridge was completed nearly three years ahead of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Further Information

Newcastle, ENGLAND

British Airways fly return to London from

$2405 ex Sydney

www.britishairways.com

Prices correct at 22/05/08. Prices include surcharges, fees & taxes. Conditions apply.

Seven Stories Centre for Children's books

www.sevenstories.org.uk

Adult: $10

Child: $8

Free for under 4s

North East England

www.northeastengland.com.au

Visit Britain

www.visitbritain.com.au