Lonely Planet rates Australian city of Newcastle in world’s top 10

The New South Wales harbour and beach city claimed the ninth  spot in Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities to visit in 2011, the centrepiece ranking of the annual collection of the best trends, destinations and journeys, titled Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2011.

Lonely Planet Asia Pacific travel editor Shawn Low said the list “raised plenty of eyebrows" largely because a number of the most famous cities in the world once again failed to make the top 10.

The  list came from hundreds of ideas submitted by various authors, writers and bloggers, that were then refined by a panel of travel experts.

"The rankings come down to topicality, excitement, value for money and that special X-factor," Mr Low said.

"Sydney has never made the list before so to have Newcastle as the only Australian city in the top 10 was controversial," he said.

Mr Low said the idea of the ranking was to challenge people to get off the beaten track and visit places, like Newcastle, that have been flying under the radar.

A diverse array of assets such as surf beaches, dining, night life, arts and "a unique blend of imagination and sophistication" justified Newcastle's top 10 ranking, Mr Low said.

To visit Newcastle, or any other destination in Australia, international travellers need to have an Australian Tourism Visa. The most popular of these is the ETA Visa, which is easily applied for online and suitable for tourism visits up to three months in length.

The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people lodge their Australian Visa application with the Australian High Commission.