Colin Christie, a man of many talents, was a gold miner, shoemaker and farmer. His real love, however, was music. In 1877 he purchased Lyceum Hall in which he started a business of classes in music and dance. He also owned the Black Diamond Hotel in Hunter Street. 

A politician, Christie was an alderman of Honeysuckle ward in 1867 and the Mayor of Newcastle in 1890. As mayor he was the first to introduce concrete gutting and electric lights in Newcastle.