She’s pushing 70 at least, but handles that walking frame like a race car driver. She’s short, with grey hair, and manoeuvres along Wharf Road footpath like a pro, hugging the fenceline to avoid other pedestrians, steering just clear of the bollards. She and her husband and their grandstand have seats in the grandstand at the west end of the main straight. They are race fans and came to Newcastle debut race last year. The weather is perfect this year, she has absolutely no complaints. Suddenly, she stops in her tracks. She’s reached her destination: the disabled access portable toilet.

It feels like I’m in a foreign country. The Corona was $6, with a lemon slice, and there was no line to get it. There’s the buzz of racing above us, less than 50 metres away, but down here the crowd’s enjoying a view of Newcastle Beach, having a durry, a few hot chips and taking in a cool breeze. It’s 12.30, time trials for the big race are over and it’s a waiting game for fans before the main race. “This is heaps better than last year,” says the woman in the black tank top with a deep tan that’s turning red,to her two male companions. “Last year we were rookies.”

Live from the race precinct: All the action from the Newcastle 500

There’s a bloke in thongs holding his little boy’s hand as they walk down the middle of the road between Nobbys and Newcastle beaches at noon. There’s hardly anyone around, far from the madding crowd. The little boy has a bright red oversized hat bearing the number 17 in white letters and a red t-shirt that says McLaughlin to match. Dad and son are both race fans. Dad’s an interstate truck driver, he picked up his son at home in Brisbane on Thursday, dropped a load in Sydney, parked the trailer and made it to Newcastle for the race. “Is there a pool down here”, dad asks. “Does it cost anything?” He’s delighted to learn he’s on the right track, and coaxes his son to keep walking. They’ve got a couple of hours to spare and are keen for a cool dip.

The morning started at a quarter after five for the 20-strong contingent from the Aberdeen Rugby League Football Club (the Tigers) who are running a sausage stand in front of 2300 cafe, at the corner of Pacific and Scott streets. They expect to sell 4500 sausages alone over the three days, up from 4000 a year ago. Their meat and buns came with them from the Upper Hunter, and they are a tight-knit unit where everybody has a task. The line is running 10 deep, and the sausage snags are $8 a pop.

The Grain Store owner Corey Crooks is managing the line to get in at his pub, on the corner of Scott and Telford streets. He’s calm, cool and collected, like always, and things are going smoothly. He says he expects to sell out of the special Newcastle 5.00 brew he and brewer Shawn Sherlock dreamed up, by Sunday afternoon. They made 2000 litres. And that’s just one brew of the many he has on tap. Next year, the city’s tram line will start running, finishing just about across the street from his pub.