A very early business at the crossing-place was a “refreshment tent” operated by Thomas Jones (probably established in about 1853-4).

The refreshment tent, called the “Bullock Drivers’ Home”, was primarily a sly-grog shop (for which Jones was charged on several occasions), but also incorporated “a bakehouse, butcher's shop, three-stalled stable, stockyard, and about a quarter of an acre of well-stocked garden ground”.

Soon after the hotel was opened their local business rival, the sly-grog seller Thomas Jones, erected a bridge over the Loddon “at his own expense” (which was subsequently destroyed by flood waters in September 1855, within a month or two of being built).

[2] By August 1856 Jones and Beard of the Newstead Hotel had constructed more substantial bridge over the Loddon River.

It has two pubs, community centre, cafe, a general store, a Rural Transaction Centre (with Internet café, Bendigo Bank, library, daycare and other services), a small licensed IGA and bakery, a swimming pool, a hairdresser as well as a monthly newspaper, the Newstead Echo.

It also has a licensed cafe, a butcher, two small shops selling vintage odds and ends and a winery just out of town.