Actually, Nat, some Newcastle courses do use the Co-Op. Most people just choose to use UCB because its on campus and doesn't involve a hike into town. Gummy_bear, check out
this link, click on 'text lists' (top left hand corner) then scroll down to 'Newcastle- 2006 1st semester'. Keep in mind, if you buy from the Co-Op, you need to join, its about $20, for lifetime membership, with only 10% off your purchases.
If your lists aren't there, check out
this link for UCB (which is on campus, meaning you don't have to trek into town), click on the university logo (the middle one, between UNE and Tafe), click on "University of Newcastle" on the left (I think...servers just gone down, so now I'm doing it from memory) then scroll through til you find your courses
However, being first years, I reckon wait til you get to your first lectures and see how strongly they emphasis the need for them. Also, go to the library and have a flick through a copy of it, see if you
really will use it, $150 or so for one book is a lot to spend if its only going to sit on a shelf collecting dust.
Also, check out the
UNU classifieds as well as the
student classifieds, within a couple of weeks there will be stacks of ads for (cheap!) second hand books. Don't forget bulletin boards around campus, too!