Nestled in the cool hills of upper St. Andrew and amidst beautiful trees, ferns, ground orchids, delicate wildflowers and a profusion of ginger lilies, is the Newcastle Training Depot founded in 1841 by Major General Sir William Maynard Gomm (later Field Marshall). Over time, Newcastle became a training depot, training recruits from all over the West Indies as part of the newly formed West Indies Federation.

In 1962 when Jamaica sought her independence, Newcastle was given to the Jamaican government as part of a general settlement of all military lands in Jamaica. Since then the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has operated Newcastle and it is presently used as the JDF Training Depot to train recruits and to conduct cadres and other refresher courses.

Each year, the Jamaica Defense Force kindly grants the use of their training camp to the Jamaica Blue Mountain Festival, which hosts over 40 coffee-related exhibitors, sponsors and live musical performances. For the 2020 staging of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival, the JDF will offer tours of their newly opened museum.