Newstead is a thriving, vibrant town on the Loddon River in Central Victoria, 15 minutes from Castlemaine and about 1.5 hours north-west of Melbourne.
It is in the Shire of Mount Alexander local government area. Newstead has many festivals and folk events and is in the centre of the golden triangle, close to many tourist attractions and events.
It has two pubs, community centre, cafe, a general store, a Rural Transaction Centre (with Internet café, Bendigo Bank, library, daycare and other services), a small licensed IGA and bakery, a swimming pool, a hairdressers as well as a monthly newspaper, the Newstead Echo.
It also has a licensed cafe, a butcher, two small shops selling vintage odds and ends and a winery just out of town. There is a town primary school and kindergarten and high schools nearby, a community hall, race park and Rotunda park for events such as the twice yearly Newstead Market.
There is a women’s group, four churches, performers group, organic growers group, playgroup, senior citizens club, lawn bowls club, croquet club, football, netball club, natives groups, walking group and spinners group. Annually, Newstead holds a folk music festival with artists coming from all around Australia and some from overseas.
As well as ‘Chopped’ magazine holding their annual, Chopped Rod & Custom show, which brings traditional style rods and custom cars from all over Australia into the town for a weekend.
The Loddon River that flows through the town has caused a levee bank to be built in 1912 which has stopped the town from flooding several times. The old courthouse has now become the Newstead historical society and holds all of Newstead history and plans.
