NSW · Newcastle Council
Sandgate, 2304
Current weather
17.6°CClear sky
64% humidity · 11.4 km/h wind · 22.4° / 13.5° today · 1.7 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Newcastle, Sandgate is a settled smaller community with a familiar suburban feel and good links to the wider city. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees.
Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods. Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities the main drags compared with similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 276
- Median age
- 69
- Median household income / week
- $687
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 6 of 76
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,684
- Employment rate
- 19.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 8 / 16 / 0
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)
- $423
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $680
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 247
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)
- 32
- Against the person
- 8
- Against property
- 16
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 115.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 34 residents
- State safety percentile
- 80.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud127
- Malicious Damage To Property136
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault128
- Steal From Motor Vehicle154
- Steal From Retail Store159
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
Public transport
26 public transport stops in this suburb
- Maitland Rd After Old Maitland Rd
- Maitland Rd After Old Maitland Rd
- Maitland Rd Opp Old Maitland Rd
- Maitland Rd Opp St Joseph's Retirement Community
- Maitland Rd Opp St Joseph's Retirement Community
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).
47 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
May 2026
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Under Assessment
March 2026
- Advertising and signage; Hardware and building supply9 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
January 2026
- Signage; Advertising and signage240 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Transport depot16 FERRY ROAD SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
2025· 6 proposals
September 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Vehicle body repair workshop8 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
May 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Depot16 FERRY ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
March 2025
- Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Light industry4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Classified road; HighwayMaitland road, opposite shamrock streetUnder Assessment
February 2025
- Subdivision3 AYRSHIRE CRESCENT SANDGATE 2304Under Assessment
January 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Light industry21 WALLSEND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
2024· 13 proposals
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 MANGROVE ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cemetery108 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Erection of a new structure; General industry17 AYRSHIRE CRESCENT SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Storage premises; Self storage units4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
September 2024
- Demolition240 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
July 2024
- Demolition162 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
June 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure4 MANGROVE ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Hazardous storage establishment; Liquid fuel depot10 OLD MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
April 2024
- Subdivision4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
March 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Light industry45 WALLSEND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cemetery108 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
February 2024
- Demolition21 WALLSEND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
January 2024
- Demolition; Commercial development162 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
2023· 10 proposals
December 2023
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure215-223 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Light industry53 WALLSEND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
August 2023
- Change of use32 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Withdrawn
- Signage; Stratum / community title subdivision; Industrial development4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Signage; Stratum / community title subdivision; Industrial development4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Stratum / community title subdivision4 RURAL DRIVE SANDGATE 2304Determined
July 2023
- OtherMaitland road, opposite shamrock streetDetermined
May 2023
- Other4 2 JERSEY AVENUE SANDGATE 2304Determined
March 2023
- Alterations and additions to industrial development27 AYRSHIRE CRESCENT SANDGATE 2304Determined
February 2023
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces85 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
2022· 7 proposals
December 2022
- Alterations and additions to industrial development12 GUERNSEY STREET SANDGATE 2304Determined
September 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces85 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Demolition162 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
July 2022
- Change of use83 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
- Retaining walls, protection of trees; Change of use45 WALLSEND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
June 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces119 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
May 2022
- Alterations and additions to commercial development53 MAITLAND ROAD SANDGATE 2304Determined
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
19 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Brothel
- Maitland Rd after Old Maitland RdBus stop
- Maitland Rd at Mangrove RdBus stop
- Maitland Rd opp Old Maitland RdBus stop
- Maitland Rd opp Sandgate CemeteryBus stop
- Maitland Rd opp St Joseph's Retirement CommunityBus stop
- Maitland Rd opp Wallsend RdBus stop
- Pacific Hwy opp Ferry RdBus stop
- Sandgate Cemetery, Maitland RdBus stop
- Sandgate Cemetery, Wallsend RdBus stop
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 19.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6593rd in Australia
- State rank
- 2057th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #140 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #869 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 60%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Brothelamenitiesbrothel
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Maitland Rd after Old Maitland Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Maitland Rd at Mangrove Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Maitland Rd opp Old Maitland Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Maitland Rd opp Sandgate Cemeteryamenitiesbus_stop
- Maitland Rd opp St Joseph's Retirement Communityamenitiesbus_stop
- Maitland Rd opp Wallsend Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Pacific Hwy opp Ferry Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Parking Spaceamenitiesparking_space
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.