Looking for something different to do in a group that goes beyond the usual offerings? From paranormal history tours to private cinema screenings to taking part in your own live game show, here are seven unique group experiences to do in and around Newcastle with friends, family, or workmates.
Dark Tours runs interactive history and ghost tours at 16 unique historical locations in Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, and Sydney. Among them are the Fort Scratchley tunnels, Marthaville homestead and Cessnock Cemetery, and The Locker Room at The Station.
"Our tours consist of the history of the locations, followed by a hands-on interactive paranormal investigation in the dark with real paranormal equipment that guests get to use and experience what it's like to be a paranormal investigator," says Kristy Pritchard, owner/director of Dark Tours.
Tours run on Fridays and Saturdays, from 7pm to 9pm, with tickets priced at $50 each or $100 for a family pass. Children aged 12 and over can attend most tours if accompanied by an adult. There is a maximum of 20 guests per tour, with private tours also available. Dark Tours donate 50 per cent of every ticket sold to the historical societies behind each location to help support the preservation of the featured buildings.
darktours.com.au
Many Novocastrians were happy to see the return of the beloved Tower Cinemas in Newcastle in late 2025 following a major refurbishment. The stylish three-screen retro-inspired boutique venue - complete with a foyer of pinball machines and arcade games - is independently operated as part of the Brisbane-based Five Star Cinemas group.
Movie lovers looking to do something different with a group can book one of Tower's cinema spaces - from the private cinema room for 10 to three auditoriums (with 110-, 120-, and 200- seat options) for bigger gatherings, like film clubs, screenings, and big birthday parties. Guests can choose their own film (subject to availability and licensing) or from Tower's curated catalogue of films, with food and drink available from the bar.
"It's a shared experience that feels both private and cinematic at scale - you get the full big- screen atmosphere, but just with your group," says Peter Sourris of Five Star Cinemas.
183 King Street, Newcastle
fivestarcinemas.com.au/newcastle
Dr Karen Livesey is an award-winning physicist, lecturer, speaker and nature lover who moved to Newcastle in 2020.
"In autumn 2025, I started taking my friends and neighbours into Glenrock State Conservation Area at night to view glow-in-the-dark ghost mushrooms. People really got a thrill from seeing, photographing, and learning about them," says Livesey.
It was around that same time that Livesey was looking for a career change, and her 10-year-old son suggested she start running ghost fungus tours. What seemed "completely crazy at first" became a reality with the help of an Awesome Newcastle grant in 2025, and soon after, Livesey established Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours (GGFT).
"Tours are announced in autumn with just a day or two's notice as the appearance of ghost mushrooms is weather-dependent. The mushrooms may only last for two or three days at a time," she says.
Tours are approximately 50 minutes long, with a maximum of 16 people per group. Those attending must be able to walk on unpaved trails for up to two kilometres at night. Tickets cost $40 for adults, $20 for children/teens (5-15), and $30 for concessions.
Other GGFT tours are planned for the coming months, including nighttime walks to see fluorescent plants, animals and lichen, and daytime walks to spot other fungi.
karenlivesey.com/ghost-fungus
Located in Escape Reality Newcastle, Quizy is Newcastle's first dedicated live game show experience.
"It's designed to feel like stepping straight into your own private game show, complete with buzzers, lights, and all the energy of a TV game show," says Robin Rose, director and game master at Escape Reality.
Quizy is a fast-paced, hour-long experience for groups of three to 12 competing in a series of interactive rounds, including buzzer-based quiz questions, dance-offs and point-stealing. For groups of three to six, it costs $35 per person, or $32 each for seven to 12 players.
"The mix of trivia, physical challenges and interactive elements means everyone can contribute, regardless of their knowledge level. It creates a really social, high-energy environment where groups are constantly laughing, competing and engaging with each other," says Rose.
255 Hunter Street, Newcastle
thegameshow.com.au/newcastle-nsw
escapereality.com/locations/newcastle
Nancy Frassanito discovered her love of pottery a decade ago while taking casual classes with friends for fun. She now makes and sells her own ceramics and offers pottery classes, short courses, and one-off private sessions under the name Fancy Nancy Ceramics from her home-based studio in Wallsend.
With a focus on creating a casual, fun, and intimate creative space, her two-hour, all- inclusive Spin & Sip classes accommodate up to six people ($119 per person) and are offered on flexible days and times for group bookings.
"In the Spin & Sip class, I cover the basics of throwing on the pottery wheel, we make some small bowls - maybe even a cup or bud vase. Participants get to choose three things that they create, and I later trim, glaze, and fire them," says Frassanito.
fancynancyceramics.com
Keira Bourke and Nathan Corrigan launched Newy Tour Co, a small-group and private touring company that operates across Newcastle, Port Stephens, and the Hunter Valley, in 2023. They offer a range of tours centred on food, history, and the region, including their Food and Street Art Tour.
Centred around Newcastle East, the 2.5-kilometre guided walking tour costs $139 per person. It runs for around three hours, and is a good fit for those seeking a different take on Newcastle East and wanting to learn more about its food scene and street art.
"We focus on storytelling and work closely with local operators and venues to create something that feels genuine and connected to place, rather than staged," says Keira Bourke, director at Newy Tour Co.
"Our Food and Street Art Tour is a great example, combining local flavours, hidden parts of the city and the stories behind them in a way that feels immersive and distinctly Newcastle."
newytourco.com.au
Scrubba Body are a Newcastle-based natural, vegan, Australian-made bath and skincare brand. Started in 2016 by Josh Lawlor and Jase Moore, the business was purchased by their friends Amy and Dan Smith in 2024.
Next door to Scrubba Body's city-based shop/warehouse/lab is Assembly, their sister space where they run a range of creative workshops, including DIY candle-making workshops.
Sessions run for approximately 90 minutes and cost $150 per person, with a minimum group size of four for those aged 10-plus. Participants make and take home two large jar candles and two travel-tin candles.
"Guests learn the basics of candle-making, including wax types, wicks, fragrances, pigments, candle care and safety, while creating their own hand-poured soy candles," says Dan.
"We do private group bookings to match a group's interests or the occasion, mixing and matching different workshop styles to create a more personalised experience."
Shop 3 and 4, 187 King Street, Newcastle
scrubbabody.com.au
