Please tell us the story of your special place or event along Hunter St.

My favourite, or special spot along Hunter St , is actually and sadly,where it ends to become Scott St. The Newcastle Train Station, Customs House, The Convict Lumberyard and a few adjacent cafes have an energy and comopolitan feel that the rest of the long ribbon road leading west lacks.

I very rarely travel into town but when I do I like to go by train. I love to wander and have a look at the lovely old buildings and I would shop there if I could continue to catch a train and there were more shops.

I'd go into town more if I could cycle safely. I think that as a relatively flat city we are woefully lacking in safe cycling paths. Hunter Street would truly be a special place if one of the traffic lanes was given over to a segregated cycling lane and if this connected up parallel to Derby Street to Merewether and the Juntion and then up Glebe road to the Fernleigh track.

I always admire the Civic Theater complex with City Hall. They are attractive buildings that need to be kept immaculate as symbols of Hunter Street.

My preferred area is that from the Mall to Pacific Park. The Mall desperately needs a makeover and hopefully that will happen with a new shopping complex. The Old Post office is by far the most significant building at that end of town and needs to be used to attract people to it. It must become functional not just an ornament.

Hunter Street is over 3000 meters in length. Its length and width is unusual in a regional city and be used as a stage. For example the distance can be used for family friendly events such as cycle races, solar car races, roller blade races and athletic races. What else? These need not compete with the events held on the foreshore, but complement these and be held at different times through the year.

I remember Thursday nights as a teenager catching the 363 into town - an hour's trip - getting off at the Pink Elephant/Store and walking all the way down with friends to the bus depot. We walked and talked, shopped if we had any money and came home very happy. There were shops to look at all the way down Hunter Street. One of my favorite stops was the Wig department in David Jones, it used to be just near the Lingerie. I have great memories of Hunter street.

There is no special place in Hunter St. The entire 3km is drab, unintersting, uninviting. Empty shops and buildings are depressing.

Superficial and cosmetic "improvements" and half baked activities like Livesites won't solve the problem. What will solve the problem is the GPT shopping mall which will be the catalyst for attracting people to the City. When people are there, all sorts of other attractions will emerge. Until that occurs, nothing will really change.

But unfortunately, Newcastle people don't have the vision to make this happen. People who want to live in the past and and a lack of courage on the part of local and State politicians will be a barrier to progress. Hard decisions need to be taken in the best interests of the City, rather than kow towing to minority groups.

back in the good old days the street was vibrant and people actually came to hunter street and shopped in the mall

for far too long the mall and the city centre has been left to decline and for far too long the vocal minority has prevented positive action from occuring.

the majority of people in newcastle want a revitalised hunter street and a vibrant inner city. for this to occur we need to encourage businesses into the area and this will not happen under current conditions. the rail line needs to be shortened (by a mere two stops) and the harbour and city opened up and with the introduction of GPT and the associated economic activity it attracts, the city will finally be on the way forward

A fond memory is of the Anzac Parade from Post Office, with all traffic diverted. Another was being able to ride along Scott & Hunter sts in the clean non-smelly tram & hop off at convenient stops for shopping, or even right at the beach ! "Progress" has made all that impossible today, but electric buses or tram/rail could return some pleasure to a city visit (without asthma attack). Regular reliable clean public transport through the city and restriction of private cars in the CBD is essential to reduce anti-social activity & bring people back. But let's avoid any more "progress" of the Crowne Plaza type effectively blocking the city from the Harbour.

Does special memory include 'nervously checking and rechecking' the parking meter; and on other occasions - the dissatisfaction of reviewing the day for being fined. Others are mostly about inconvenience, like the closing of Hunter Street at the Mall, one way traffic and traffic lights that last about 40 seconds.

The only plus is the road width and sometimes free corridor/movement of traffic.

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