NSW · Newcastle Council
Newcastle West, 2302
Current weather
18.1°CClear sky
64% humidity · 14.1 km/h wind · 21.8° / 14.1° today · 2.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Cycling
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
At the heart of the metro area, Newcastle West is a smaller community where cafés, culture and everyday convenience overlap. The city and surrounding suburbs are both within comfortable reach, which keeps daily life flexible. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with renters and young professionals well represented.
Coffee, casual meals and neighbourhood eateries give the suburb a lived-in social scene. Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because housing affordability lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in transport and access and growth momentum.
Population
- Population
- 1,453
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $1,639
- Dwelling vacancy
- 19.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 189 of 968
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,907
- Employment rate
- 56.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 35 / 11 / 733
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $710
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 45
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 848
- Against the person
- 199
- Against property
- 479
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 583.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 7 residents
- State safety percentile
- 100th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -19.9%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment45
- Malicious Damage To Property122
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault98
- Other Theft71
- Steal From Retail Store144
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,077
- NovoschoolSecondary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
59 public transport stops in this suburb
- Acc To Bus Int
- Acc To Concourse
- Concourse
- FTB Railway St
- Newcastle Interchange
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
152 planning-related records
2026· 11 proposals
June 2026
- Commercial development; Erection of a new structure1 TUDOR STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Place of public worship; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 841 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered club309 KING STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail PremiseU 1 22 WOOD STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
April 2026
- Pub; Advertising and signage15 STEEL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
March 2026
- Demolition711 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure854 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure124-126 BULL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Additional Information Requested
February 2026
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 BELLEVUE STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
January 2026
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure924 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure124-126 BULL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Shop top housing; Commercial development; Subdivision; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure711 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision854 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
October 2025
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure20 DENISON STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Medical centre77 PARRY STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure799 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Temporary structure418 KING STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
September 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)120 PARRY STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
August 2025
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation1 990 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Under Assessment
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure124-126 BULL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
July 2025
- Hotel or motel accommodation; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure569 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Commercial development; Advertising and signage23 TUDOR STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
June 2025
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure643 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Demolition711 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
May 2025
- Demolition; Shop top housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Retail Premise711 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail Premise; Vehicle Sales or Hire Premises22 NATIONAL PARK STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Food and drink premise3 DEVONSHIRE STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision854 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
February 2025
- Co-living28 DENISON STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Office Premise; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 841 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
January 2025
- Demolition16 WOOD STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Take away food and drink61-63 PARRY STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Demolition13 DENISON STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure12 STEEL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
2024· 6 proposals
December 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered club; Business identification sign13 STEEL STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
November 2024
- Advertising and signage; Advertising structure840 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Advertising and signage; Recreation facility (indoor)896 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure643 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure854 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Retail Premise309 KING STREET NEWCASTLE WEST 2302Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
130 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Dan Murphy'sAlcohol
23 Steel Street
- ATM
- NABATM
- Bakers DelightBakery
- Daily BakehouseBakery
- Greater BankBank
- NABBank
- Bernie's BarBar
410 King Street, Newcastle West
- Parry St GarageBar
106 Parry Street
- The Cambridge HotelBar
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Birdwood ParkPark
- LIttle Birdwood ParkPark
- National ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 5
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Doc’s Mega Save Chemistpharmacy
- Hunter RadiologyHunter Streetdoctor
- Hunter Street Medical Centredoctor
- Newcastle Community Health CentreHunter Streetclinic
- Vampclinic
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
2 state heritage places
- Castlemaine Brewery (former)787 Hunter Street NewcastleSHR
- Miss Porter's House434 King Street NewcastleSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 51.3/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 27% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 1774th in Australia
- State rank
- 565th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #206 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #392 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- AKK Dansy Asian Groceryamenitiessupermarket
- ATMamenitiesatm
- Aloi Thaiamenitiesrestaurant
- Anacondaamenities711 Hunter Streetoutdoor
- Antojitosamenities11 Steel Streetrestaurant
- Anytime Fitnessamenitiesfitness_centre
- Bakers Delightamenitiesbakery
- Balance Health Clubsamenitiesfitness_centre
- Bank Corner Espresso Baramenitiescafe
- Benchamenitiesbench
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Newcastle Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.