NSW · Newcastle Council
Waratah West, 2298
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
- Green suburb
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Waratah West is a well-connected mid-sized suburb in Newcastle with everyday amenities close at hand. You get space and calm here, while the city and neighbouring suburbs are still close enough for regular outings. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
The community skews younger, with family life visible on every street. Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because safety and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 3,142
- Median age
- 31
- Median household income / week
- $1,518
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 85 of 1,280
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,853
- Employment rate
- 59.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 83 / 108 / 69
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)
- $500
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $680
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $560
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 184
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)
- 510
- Against the person
- 85
- Against property
- 105
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 162.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 37 residents
- State safety percentile
- 93.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +5.9%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions722
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment86
- Malicious Damage To Property69
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault74
- Transport Regulatory Offences114
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
- 963
- Waratah West Public SchoolPrimary
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
48 public transport stops in this suburb
- Lorna St At Angus Av
- Lorna St Opp Angus Av
- Maud St At King St
- University Dr After Delauret Square
- University Dr After Kimian Av
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).
88 planning-related records
2026· 7 proposals
May 2026
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure79 UNIVERSITY DRIVE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool16 AVOCA CLOSE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure36 BERNICE CRESCENT WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation2 AVOCA CLOSE WARATAH WEST 2298Under Assessment
February 2026
- Educational establishment; Advertising and signage; School20 LEONORA PARADE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation30 ACACIA AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool10 QUEEN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure32 KIMIAN AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 TRIPET PLACE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
November 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure34 ALLOWAH STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation49 MORPETH ROAD WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 DELAURET SQUARE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
September 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure28 DELAURET SQUARE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
July 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 KING STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure28 ANGUS AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure32 KIMIAN AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation39 BERNICE CRESCENT WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 MARCUS STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure29 KIMIAN AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Garage, carport or carparking space11 UNIVERSITY DRIVE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support2 STANNETT STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Withdrawn
May 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 QUEEN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation30 ACACIA AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool7 MORPETH ROAD WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Temporary building, structure or use; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support26 VILLA ROAD WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision10 MORPETH ROAD WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Supporting Development16 VILLA ROAD WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
February 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure16 NORMAN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure32 KIMIAN AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
January 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space29 NORMAN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
2024· 10 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure31 JACKNORMAN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Withdrawn
October 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 NORMAN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Demolition64 ACACIA AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure64 ACACIA AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport10 VERA STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
August 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure64 ACACIA AVENUE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 AVOCA CLOSE WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
July 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facility35 QUEEN STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
June 2024
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation84 Allowah St, Waratah West 2298Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation26 VERA STREET WARATAH WEST 2298Determined
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
36 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Acacia Av Near Greystone StBus stop
- Acacia Av Near Jacknorman StBus stop
- Acacia Av Near Traise StBus stop
- Acacia Av Opp Alnwick RdBus stop
- Acacia Av Opp Greystone StBus stop
- Allowah St at Stannet StBus stop
- Allowah St opp Stannet StBus stop
- Allowah St opp Thomas Percy OvalBus stop
- Delauret Sq opp International Christian ChurchBus stop
- Lorna St at Angus AvBus 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
Parks & reserves
6 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Allowah Street ReserveNature reserve
- Angus Avenue ParkPark
- Braye ParkPark
- Morpeth Road ReservePark
- Thomas Percy OvalPark
- Wrightson ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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
- Overlay applies
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)
- 13
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
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
- 34.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4584th in Australia
- State rank
- 1470th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #291 among Metro Sydney · Growth area suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #740 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Acacia Av Near Greystone Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Acacia Av Near Jacknorman Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Acacia Av Near Traise Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Acacia Av Opp Alnwick Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Acacia Av Opp Greystone Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Allowah St at Stannet Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Allowah St opp Stannet Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Allowah St opp Thomas Percy Ovalamenitiesbus_stop
- Delauret Sq opp International Christian Churchamenitiesbus_stop
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
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.