Newcastle City Hall (Australia) Centre in 1977, though the council chambers remain. The clock tower suffered some damage as a result of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, however this was subsequently repaired. Together with the Newcastle Civic Theatre, each site is, individually, of state heritage significance, and they are listed jointly on the New South Wales State Heritage Register as the Newcastle City Hall and Civic Theatre Precinct. Local Government began in Newcastle in 1843 with the Newcastle District Council. This body, however, was not embraced by locals and Councillors were often appointed by the Government as no nominations had been received. When the Municipalities
State Dockyard, Newcastle dock was scrapped in 1977. In 2007 the outline of the painted "STATE DOCKYARD" sign on southern roof of the former dockyard building could still be viewed from above. As of 2014, the surviving State Dockyard built ships are "Cape Don", a lighthouse tender built in 1962 for the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service which is now a museum ship at Balls Head Bay, Waverton. The ferries "Lady Herron", "Freshwater", "Queenscliff", "Narrabeen" and "Collaroy" continue to operate for Harbour City Ferries, while former Sydney Harbour ferries "Lady Cutler" and "Lady McKell" operate as cruise boats on Port Phillip. State Dockyard, Newcastle The