Find the majestic white marble sculpture Resilience at the western end of Foreshore Park. This sculpture was initiated by ARAFMI (Association of the Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill) led by regional manager Joanne Sinclair to bring awareness around mental health. Carved by Newcastle sculptor Roger McFarlane with assistance from artist Gavin Vitullo and Graham Wilson, who hand engraved the words "resilience" and "mental health and well being" onto the base of the sculpture.
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Painted onto the pedestrian underpass that links the southern end of Merewether Surfhouse to Ridge Street is Trevor Dickinson's amusing mural The Amazing Merewether Aquarium. This colourful mural provides viewers with endless Instagrammable photo opportunities and a plethora of well-known Newcastle identities. For those who know the artist, see if you can find his self-portrait.
At the end of the Newcastle mall sits Sandra Minter-Caldwell's Evolution l, consisting of five 1.8-metre tall figures depicting Newcastle's migrant heritage. The four figures representing the people who have moved to Newcastle from the many different parts of the world with the fifth figure standing by slightly forward representing the traditional owners of the land.
On the median strip of King Street, Newcastle West you'll find the towering 14-metre tall kinetic sculpture Foundation Seed by Newcastle artist John Turier. Inspired by the red cedar trees that flourished in the area during late the 18th century, the sculpture's base references the seed of plant and moving upper section represents the leaves on the tree.
The Civic Park Fountain (originally titled the James Cook Memorial Fountain) was designed by renowned Australian (American-born) sculptor, Margel Hinder (1906-1995) and can be enjoyed 24/7. Unveiled in 1966, it was considered too modern and caused a vast amount of discourse amongst the community, now it is one of the most visited and celebrated public sculptures in Australia.
The Les Darcy statue in King Edward Park at East Maitland commemorates the great Maitland boxer. It was created by sculptor Tanya Bartlett.
One of the newest pieces in Newcastle is a bust of art Anne von Bertouch. To honour the memory of von Bertouch and her place in Cooks Hill life, Matt and Marilyn Sainsbury, along with Matt's sister Helen Griffin, commissioned Newcastle sculptor Graham Wilson to create a bust to stand outside the former gallery on Laman Street. The work was installed in 2019.
On Newcastle Harbour at Dyke Point is a sculpture, Destiny, by artist Julie Squires that commemorates the 200th anniversary of Newcastle Port operations. The sculpture is a nine-metre high bronze of a naked woman. Squires was inspired by traditional figureheads on the bows of early sailing ships.
Sitting on the corner of Watt and Church streets for more than 100 years, in Fletcher Park, is a monument commemorating James Fletcher, the chairman of the first district miner's union and member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. It was created by G.P. Loch and installed in 1897.
Another civic leader, Joy Cummings, is celebrated in a statue on Hunter Street at the site of the former Civic train station. Created by Margaret Stephens, it stands as acknowledgement of the leadership of the former Newcastle lord mayor (1974-1984), who was also Australia's first female lord mayor.
For those with a sense of humour, on the forecourt of the office building at the corner of Hunter and Darby streets is the bronze statue of a paparazzi pup, commissioned by the building's owner, former lord mayor Jeff McCloy. It was created by Gillie and Marc.
