Traders create 'treasure map' to entice locals and tourists to explore Newcastle's creative and culinary heart

A year in the making, the Newcastle Treasure Map was devised by Makers X Traders Newcastle group, created by local designers, illustrators and printers and funded by a City of Newcastle grant.

The map is split into Central, East and West sections and is on the City of Newcastle app, under the Makers Traders icon, with information and walking trails.

Studio Melt founder Ange Hailey and High Tea With Mrs Woo co-founder Rowena Foong, both on the Makers Traders committee, said the map was sorely lacking after others published in recent years were not continued. They said the City of Newcastle's own map was a general, corporate guide that did not represent the "cultural flavour" of the city.

"A lot of our customers and visitors are always asking us where to go and there is no way for them to navigate the city in a meaningful way," said Ms Foong who, like Ms Hailey, is often asked by customers to draw a map of places to visit in Newcastle.

Ms Hailey said the origins of the map began when city traders discussed "what we could do to help turn independent retail around and position ourselves against Westfield and simply organise ourselves better."

The map was unique to others because it had been created by local independent traders and creatives: "It has businesses and places we naturally recommend to our customers and visitors - it's an insiders guide."

Ms Hailey said the map promoted Newcastle as a creative destination.

"Newcastle has a potential to be a creative tourist destination and that's why we partnered with a local illustrator [Rosie Turner] and designer [Heath Killen] and there is a different flavour for each map," she said.

The concept, she said, was about revealing a treasure map of Newcastle that featured its culinary and creative jewels alongside illustrations that referred to the city's port heritage, natural assets and coastline.

Ms Foong and Ms Hailey said they hope to be able to expand the map, the first edition having been linked to the geographic zone within the grant process.

Ms Hailey said the map had been divided into sections to better allow for functional use, saying that previous maps had "jammed" businesses in and prompted visitors to seek out a cluster of traders rather being tempted to explore more broadly.

"We thought if we split it up people might visit more places; we hope they have a deeper exploration."

The group is working on audio stories to accompany information on the app.

"We have integrated the indigenous landscape into the storytelilng so there's a relevance in how you experience Newcastle from all different angles," said Ms Foong, adding that people could explore the city "without leaving their couch".

Forty thousand copies of the map have been printed and can be found at Newcastle Library, the Art Gallery, tourist centres and hotels.

The businesswomen said the map was a reminder to locals and visitors of stores that were still trading and had endured the pandemic.

"I gave it to a resident at Stockton and she said, 'I haven't been to the city for ages, it's a nightmare', then she had a look and said, 'I didn't know all these businesses existed'. So it's reconnecting people to the fact we are all still there and doing great stuff, and there are also new businesses."

Ms Hailey said many inner city traders were "busier than normal" after the lockdown which may be due to an increase in regional tourism with borders closed, and people spending funds they would have otherwise spent on travel.