You should find Newcastle pretty easy to live in. The University is 30 minutes by bus from the beach, as well as all the pubs and clubs along the main street of the town. The buses are fine and run quite regularly, and there are night buses if you stay out late. Taxis are expensive but fine if you’re sharing.
Newey isn’t far from Sydney (in Australia, a place ‘isn’t far’ if you can drive there in less than a day) – also nearby are the fine vineyards of the Hunter Valley, and you’ll find that the Student Union will organise a tour in your first month.
The campus itself is set in quite stunning bushland, and the whole area is fairly easygoing. There’s also a very vibrant cafe culture in Hamilton and Darby Street, and some new cafes and restaurants (a bit upmarket) along the river foreshore.
Like any city there are some dodgy areas, but all in all it’s a fairly nice, small city. Have fun!