Broadmeadow, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Broadmeadow is the geographic centre of Newcastle city. Its main commercial hub is located at the “Nineways”.
Nineways is a major intersection at Broadmeadow, originally constructed as a landscaped garden in the centre of a roundabout at the intersection of nine roads/tramlines that converge there, the area was later reconstructed to have a set of traffic lights connected to only four roads. The other roads that accessed the roundabout were variously partly or fully closed off.
At Nineways stood the Century Theatre, rebuilt by Hoyts
Theatres after World War II, with vast foyers on two floors and seating 1600, as one of Newcastle's premier theatres for stage and screen. It was often a venue for symphony orchestra concerts after the closure of the city's Victoria Theatre, but the exodus from cinemas because of television caused its closure in the early 1970s. It was said to have sustained severe structural damage during the 1989 earthquake, and was subsequently quickly demolished, amidst great controversy.
. Until the mid-1970s the Broadmeadow railway yards had the second-largest coaling facilities for steam locomotive
s in the State being a that time a major railway depot.
There are two high school
s in Broadmeadow (formerly known as Newcastle Central), Hunter School of Performing Arts (HSPA) whose students have to pass a performance trial, and Merewether High School
. The latter is the only academically selective secondary school in the Newcastle region.
Broadmeadow is also home to the Newcastle Regional Showground which holds the Newcastle Regional Show
and has the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
which hosts concerts and other large scale performances. The Hunter Pirates
basketball team previously played home games at the Entertainment Centre before being relocated to Singapore
.
Origins
Broadmeadow was originally part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve of 648 hectares. It developed around the Great Northern Railway, the road to Newcastle’s western suburbs and the construction of the Sydney to Newcastle Railway in the 1880s.Nineways is a major intersection at Broadmeadow, originally constructed as a landscaped garden in the centre of a roundabout at the intersection of nine roads/tramlines that converge there, the area was later reconstructed to have a set of traffic lights connected to only four roads. The other roads that accessed the roundabout were variously partly or fully closed off.
At Nineways stood the Century Theatre, rebuilt by Hoyts
Hoyts
The Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
Theatres after World War II, with vast foyers on two floors and seating 1600, as one of Newcastle's premier theatres for stage and screen. It was often a venue for symphony orchestra concerts after the closure of the city's Victoria Theatre, but the exodus from cinemas because of television caused its closure in the early 1970s. It was said to have sustained severe structural damage during the 1989 earthquake, and was subsequently quickly demolished, amidst great controversy.
Today
The Broadmeadow railway station is situated close by and is being considered as the site for Newcastle's official transport interchange, with the retention of the existing railway line into the cityNewcastle railway line, New South Wales
The Newcastle railway line is a branch railway line in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Main North line at Broadmeadow and travels in an easterly direction through the inner suburbs of Newcastle to Newcastle station...
. Until the mid-1970s the Broadmeadow railway yards had the second-largest coaling facilities for steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s in the State being a that time a major railway depot.
There are two high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s in Broadmeadow (formerly known as Newcastle Central), Hunter School of Performing Arts (HSPA) whose students have to pass a performance trial, and Merewether High School
Merewether High School
Merewether High School is a co-educational, academically selective high school for students from Years 7-12. Located in the suburb of Broadmeadow in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales, it is the only academically selective school in the Lower Hunter Region....
. The latter is the only academically selective secondary school in the Newcastle region.
Broadmeadow is also home to the Newcastle Regional Showground which holds the Newcastle Regional Show
Newcastle Regional Show
The Newcastle Regional Show is an annual agricultural show held by Newcastle A.H. & I. Association Inc. at the Newcastle Regional Showground in Broadmeadow, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia....
and has the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose Australian arena located within the Newcastle Showgrounds and was opened in 1992 at a cost of A$12m....
which hosts concerts and other large scale performances. The Hunter Pirates
Hunter Pirates
The Hunter Pirates were an Australian basketball team, based in the city of Newcastle, that competed in the National Basketball League.-Team history:...
basketball team previously played home games at the Entertainment Centre before being relocated to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.