Today was the launch of the Free WIFI in Newcastle CBD.  All vistors to Newcastle CBD will be able to access the WIFI for up to 2 hours.  No need for a password you just need to select the FreeWIFI@Newcastle wireless connection point.  A signin page will open - and there is a click here to login link and you are off.

43 hotspots have been installed across Newcastle:

• Newcastle Surf Club (Newcastle Beach)
• Pacific Park
• Raw Cafe (cnr Hunter and Pacific St)
• Cafe 2300 (Cnr of Scott and Pacific St)
• Oma's Kitchen (Watt Street)
• Curve Gallery (Watt Street)
• United Services Club (yet to be switched on)
• Le Petit Deux (King Street near Watt St)
• Sprocket Cnr Hunter and Watt Street)
• G&G Gelato (Hunter Street)
• Fruit A Peel
• Cash Store
• Morgan Street
• One Penny Black
• Market Square
• Rivers
• Fruit Doctor
• Hunter and Scott Street Main bus stop
• Newcastle Train Station
• Park between Customs House and Scott St
• Civic Train Station
• Wickham Station
• Bank Corner Cafe
• Cafe Delaney (Darby Street)
• Delaney Bar and Restaurant
• Long Bench
• Darby Raj
• The Brewery
• Queens Wharf Convention Centre
• Ferry Terminal
• Cnr Wolfe and King St
• Queens Wharf Restaurants
• The Social Cafe (To be switched on)
• Hunter Street West Bus stop at Spotlight (to be switched on)

With a prize pool of over $20 000 awarded by the University of Newcastle, and organised by the Hunter Writers Centre, this is one of Australia's most prestigious and longest running poetry prizes.

What do you need to do:

Write A poem or suite of poems up to 200 lines
Enter online at www.newcastlepoetryprize.com

Win        First prize: $12 000
Second prize: $5 000
Third prize: $1 000
Local Award: $500
Harri Jones Memorial Prize: $250

A shortlist of 25 poems will be published in the annual anthology.

Judges: This year the judges are Prof Dennis Haskell from Western Australia and Jean Kent from Newcastle.                   

Closing Date: 7th June, 2013  http://newcastlepoetryprize.com/

Coffee and chilli chocolate de Cuba

Coffee shops have long done more than just serve our urge for a caffeine fix. Many historians claim that the coffee houses which spread throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries were directly linked to the intellectual flowering known as the Age of Enlightenment.  Read more ...

Things are changing in the West End of Newcastle and so we have asked the wonderful Kimberly O’Sullivan a lifelong Sydneysider who has chosen Newcastle and the Hunter as her new home to start a blog.

She says “I find myself in an intriguing state of transition. Things are familiar (a cityscape), but unfamiliar (a different city). I love it that every part of Newcastle is a new experience for me; join me on my travels through one of the most unique parts of the city, the West End.”

Keeo up to date with all the latest news from the West End at: http://westendadventures.wordpress.com/

Then funding is available for a trial period and is part of the Council's LIVE WORK PLAY in the City Program to revitalise the city centre.

Funding will be granted for works on building facades (the exterior of the building that is visible from the public realm) and will be guided by the Facade Improvement Scheme.

Find out more on The City of Newcastle's Website. 

Instillation of changing parking zones in this area.  Removal of 2 hr parking to be replaced with a work zone from 6.30am - 5pm Mon - Fri and 6.30am - 1pm Sat.  Period 25th March - 25th May.

Temporary Road Closure

Council wishes to advise that Bolton Street Newcastle, between Hunter Street and King Street will be closed to vehicular traffic on Tuesday 2 April 2013 between the hours of 6 pm and 11.30 pm.

The closure is necessary to allow for a commercial crane lift and is in accordance with the Roads Act 1993, Part 8, Division 1

Saturday 9 March 2013 between 11.00am and 11.30pm

CINEMA UNDER THE STARS EVENT

• York Drive (King Edward Park) between Reserve Road and The Terrace, Newcastle
• The Terrace between Bingle Street and Cliff Street, The Hill
• Cliff Street between The Terrace and High Street, The Hill

Check out the following links for more info: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/City-Evolutions-Tour-Newcastle-Australia/469843049740998?ref=hl

http://www.flickr.com/groups/2122239@N25/