- Date26 Jan 2023
- Recommended
The Newcastle Harbour Swim is one of the classic ocean swims to add to your list of Australia Day swims, and this year will be its 26th edition.
Located in the Hunter River, it is the perfect ocean swim event for ocean swimmers of all abilities from beginners to seasoned ocean swimmers.
This ocean swim offers two different swim distances; a 700m ‘Single Crossing' and a 1.4km ‘Double Crossing'.
This annual event is Stockton SLSC's major fundraiser and extra donations are possible. All proceeds stay with the club to purchase rescue craft, rash shirts for the Nippers and for the general running of the Club.
Be quick, the event is limited to only 500 swimmers.
The 700m ‘single crossing’ ocean swim starts at Stockton Wharf and finishes across the harbour at Queens Wharf. This is the perfect ocean swim distance for kids and beginner ocean swimmers. This swim is a ‘social’ swim with no prizes or prize money for all entrants over 14 years of age (The 12-13-year-old category will have prizes for the podium finishers). Swimming aids are allowed such as flippers, pull buoys, wetsuits etc.
The 1.4km ‘double crossing’ ocean swim is there and back, this time starting at Queens Wharf and heading over to Stockton Wharf before turning a buoy and heading back. This swim will have age-category prizes for the podium finishers and ‘cash’ prize money for the fastest three males and females. Those swimming with swimming aids, wetsuits or fast skins will not qualify for prizes.
For those not living in the Hunter region, the Newcastle Harbour swim is a brilliant opportunity to make a day trip or weekend away.
If you haven’t had enough of the beach after your ocean swim, there are eight different beaches within the city limits for you to check out, with Mereweather Beach and Bar Beach being two of the most popular.
If you’re after a spot of shopping head to Darby Street for a stroll and experience the unique shopping precinct. They also have incredible coffee and great food.
Ferries pre-race
Ferries taking swimmers to the start of the 700m at Stockton will leave Newcastle side every 20 minutes from 8:30am.
Prizes
Categories
Kids: 12-13-years (Single Crossing only), Juniors: 14-15-years, Future Hot Shots: 16-19-years, Opens: 20-29-years, 4ever Young Hot Shots: 30-39-years, Junior Masters: 40-49-years, Masters: 50-59-years, Grand Masters: Cver 60-years.
Event t-shirt
Full-colour print T-shirt or loose style singlet available. $25 for swimmers or $35 for non-swimmers.
‘Early bird’ - until the end of December
‘Not so early birds’ - from 1 – 24 January
From 25 (day before) and on 26 January (day of event)
Stockton NSW, Australia
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