At a glance
- When
- Saturday 14 November 2026, 11am to 6pm; gates open 11am (early members’ gates 10:30am), first race 12:35pm, last race 5:55pm
- Where
- Newcastle Racecourse, Darling Street, Broadmeadow, about 3 km from Newcastle’s city centre
- Entry
- General Admission $40 per person plus a $1.64 booking fee online, from the ticket page on 7 November
- The races
- Ten races with more than $2.59 million in prize money; The Hunter is a $1 million race
- After the last race
- Hot Dub Time Machine on the Courtyard lawn stage
- Who it’s for
- Anyone planning a day at the races, whether in General Admission or the Members’ Enclosure
- What to do now
- The racecourse says online General Admission is typically cheaper than the gate, its dress rules depend on your area, and it lists train, bus, taxi and a free car park
- Last checked
- Saturday 7 November 2026, against the Newcastle Racecourse event and Plan Your Day pages and the Humanitix ticket page
- Not yet confirmed
- The gate price for tickets bought on the day, and train and bus times for the day; the racecourse does not publish either
The Newcastle Herald Hunter Race Day is on Saturday 14 November 2026 at Newcastle Racecourse in Broadmeadow: gates open at 11am, the first of ten races is at 12:35pm and the last is at 5:55pm. General Admission is $40 a person online, and Hot Dub Time Machine plays the Courtyard lawn stage after the racing.
This guide uses the racecourse’s event page, its Plan Your Day page and the ticket page it links to, all read on 7 November 2026. Many of the reserved tables and hospitality tickets on that ticket page were already sold out on that day, so the options below are the ones still listed.
What time do the gates open and the races start?
| What | Time |
|---|---|
| Early members’ gates | 10:30am |
| Gates open | 11am |
| First race | 12:35pm |
| Last race | 5:55pm |
| Event listing ends | 6pm |
The racecourse describes the day as a ten-race program with more than $2.59 million in prize money, headed by The Hunter, which it calls the city’s $1 million racing spectacular. It says Hot Dub Time Machine returns to the Courtyard lawn stage for an after-show once the racing ends. The page does not give a start time for the after-show.
How much is a ticket?
The ticket page for the day lists these options that were still available on 7 November. Each has a booking fee added at checkout.
| Ticket | Price (as of 7 November 2026) | Booking fee |
|---|---|---|
| General Admission: racecourse entry, public grandstand, lawn areas and Ascot Bar | $40 per person | $1.64 |
| Members Day Pass, non-member (dress regulations for the Members’ Enclosure apply) | $75 | $2.64 |
| Members Day Pass, member’s guest who is not a member | $65 | $2.35 |
| Hunter Lawn Garden Party: five-hour Silver Beverage Package, grazing and canape menu, live entertainment, no reserved seats | $235 | $7.20 |
The ticket page showed the reserved tables and most hospitality packages as sold out on 7 November: the Glasshouse and Betting Ring tables at $50 each, the Ascot Bar Lawn at $55 a person, the Courtyard Lawn and Leger Lawn tables, the Terraces, the Mark Murphy Lounge, Chevals Restaurant, the Courtyard Room, the Meadows Marquee and the Trackside Marquee. Platters and grazing boxes were still on sale, from $65 for fresh fruit to $190 for the Seafood Delight, which suits about 5 to 10 people.
The racecourse’s Plan Your Day page says you can usually save money on General Admission by buying online, and that a ticket bought at the gate may cost more. It does not say how much more for this race day. It also lists a Student/Concession General Admission price of $10 at the main gate, with a valid student ID or concession card, and adds that the price may vary on feature race days. The Hunter is a feature race day, and the ticket page transcribed here did not list a student or concession ticket.
How do I get to Newcastle Racecourse?
The racecourse is on Darling Street in Broadmeadow, about 3 km outside Newcastle’s city centre. Its own page gives these options:
| Option | What the racecourse says |
|---|---|
| Train | The closest stations are Hamilton and Broadmeadow; timetables are on the NSW train information site |
| Bus | Several bus routes stop at stops around the racecourse; timetables are on the Newcastle Buses information |
| Taxi | A taxi rank on Darling Street at the main entry operates on race days; the page lists 13cabs |
| Courtesy bus | A free courtesy bus runs a loop from the racecourse to The Prince of Merewether after Saturday race meetings, from 3:30pm, with pickup on Darling Street |
| Car | More than 300 complimentary parking spaces in the racecourse grounds, plus street parking on Darling Street and Chatham Street |
| Air | Newcastle Airport is about a 35 minute drive |
The racecourse does not say how quickly the free car park fills on The Hunter, which is its biggest day. The page gives no train or bus times for the day.
What should I wear to Hunter Race Day?
Newcastle Racecourse says it encourages everyone to dress up for the premier social occasions of the year, and the rules depend on where you sit. For General Admission the suggested race wear is a shirt, long chinos or suit pants and closed shoes for men, and a dress, skirt or trousers and shoes for women, with hats and millinery optional. The relaxed suggestion is a collared shirt and chinos with closed shoes for men, and a dress, skirt or trousers with shoes, including sandals, for women.
The Members’ Enclosure and Chevals Restaurant have stricter regulations. For Chevals, the page says men should wear smart race attire with long dress pants, and it lists as not acceptable: shorts of any kind, tracksuits, torn or ripped clothing, joggers, sandals, thongs, crocs, gumboots, slippers and baseball or sporting caps. For women it lists shorts, playsuits, garments that show the midriff and the same footwear and caps. Children must be neat and tidy with enclosed footwear. The racecourse warns that guests who do not meet the rules can be refused entry..
What are the rules on kids, food and drink?
- Children: people 18 and under can attend when accompanied by a suitable parent or guardian
- Food and drink: the racecourse does not allow external food or beverages onto the grounds, citing food safety, allergen control and hygiene
- Dietary needs: speak to the racecourse team if you have special requirements
- Racebooks: sold at the Information Booth, the Newmarket Bar or the Members Lounge, or available digitally in the Newcastle Racecourse app
What else is on at the racecourse?
The racecourse calendar also lists the Tooheys Charity Race Day on Sunday 29 November, which it says supports The Samaritans Christmas Lunch. The calendar also lists the Newcastle Midweek Race Day on Thursday 19 November from 12pm to 5pm, which it describes as free entry for everyone, and a Newcastle Race Day on Saturday 5 December from 12pm to 7pm. Neither is the Hunter Race Day, so the prices and times in this guide do not apply to them.
How do I contact the racecourse?
The Newcastle Jockey Club lists its address as Darling Street, Broadmeadow NSW 2292, with the email reception@njc.com.au and the phone numbers 02 4961 1573 and 02 4961 5633.
Sources
- Newcastle Racecourse — The Newcastle Herald Hunter Race Day (date, gate and race times, prize money, after-show; read 7 November 2026)
- Newcastle Racecourse — Plan Your Day (dress rules, getting there, parking, entry rules and FAQs)
- Humanitix — Newcastle Herald Hunter Race Day tickets (prices and sold-out status as of 7 November 2026)
- Newcastle Racecourse — Racing and event calendar (other race days)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Newcastle Racecourse or the Newcastle Jockey Club. Prices, availability and times can change; check the racecourse’s ticket page before you go.
Featured image: Hamilton railway station, Newcastle (photo: JustARandomEditor123 / CC BY-SA 4.0, taken April 2025; not a photo of the racecourse) (text added)