Northern NSW Branch

Newcastle is one the oldest unionised ports in Australia, shipping coal to England in the early 1800s. It was also once a vibrant port for river boat cargo and passenger services along the Hunter, Clarence and northern river ports. 

Today it is very diverse port stevedoring cargoes of bulk wheat, coal, aluminium, fertilizers and general goods. It is the biggest tonnage port in Australia and the biggest coal export port in the world. The Port of Newcastle is currently undergoing expansion at the old BHP steel site for general cargo and at Kooragang Island coal terminal.

The union covers around 600 port authority employees, workers at the bulk facilities, painters and dockers, tugs and linesmen, seafarers and stevedoring workers.

Newcastle is also the centre of the unions Veterans Association campaigning for better pensions, health services and financial support for the port's expansion.