When was Newcastle in Australia founded?

Answer 1

Newcastle had its beginning when a group of convict escapees discovered the first-known coal deposits in 1791. They did not inform the authorities because they did not want to be recaptured. British soldier Lieutenant John Shortland found a coal seam while looking for the escapees in 1797, and because of this, the area became a real prospect for a settlement.

Shortland also first found a river James Cook had overlooked in 1770, naming it the "Hunter", after Governor Hunter. For awhile, the river was known as the Coal River. After Shortland took a sample of the coal back to Sydney, it took only a year before workers on ships began collecting coal from the riverbanks and selling it in Sydney.

To supply workers to mine the coal and cut timber, a convict camp was established for hardened criminals in 1801. It was first known as King's Town, after Governor King. From this settlement came the city of Newcastle.

Answer 2

The area known as New Castle wassettled in 1804, as a place of secondary punishment for unruly convicts. It was originally named Coal River, and Kingstown and was later renamed Newcastle, after England's famous coal port. The name Newcastle originally appeared on the commission issued by Governor King on 15 March 1804 to Lieutenant Charles Menzies of the Royal Marines, appointing him superintendent of the new settlement.