If you’re looking for the perfect neighborhood to settle down in with your loved ones, Newcastle is becoming an increasingly popular place for families. Newcastle is a regional metropolitan area in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, situated some 160 km north-east of Sydney. Positioned on the Hunter River and neighbouring Lake Macquarie to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the east, Newcastle is a great place for young families or established families living in Sydney who are looking to move up from the city.
There’s a lot of reasons to move to Newcastle, including its stunning beaches. Deciding where to move within this region will be the harder decision. That’s why we’ve developed a list of the top 10 Newcastle suburbs for families in 2024.
Below is a list the best family friendly suburbs in the Newcastle region.
Newcastle’s 10 Most Family Friendly Suburbs
- New Lambton
- Kotara
- Adamstown Heights
- Warners Bay
- Eleebana
- Valentine
- Carrington
- Merewether
- Mayfield
- Broadmeadow
Keep reading to learn more about these family friendly suburbs in Newcastle.
1. New Lambton
The first family friendly suburb is New Lambton, situated in the city’s west. This quiet, leafy suburb boasts several parks and sports fields. The suburb’s south-west corner is made up of the Blackbutt Reserve, a 182 hectare urban bushland nature reserve, meaning New Lambton Heights shares many of the natural surroundings.
Population: 10,000
Distance from CBD: 6 km
Why it’s great for families
The 182 hectare Blackbutt Reserve includes 16 km of nature trails, as well as playgrounds, wildlife exhibits and other recreational families. New Lambton also has two shopping districts and three schools (two state schools and a private school), so families will have everything they need close by.
2. Kotara
Kotara is considered one of Newcastle’s biggest retail destinations and has a reputation for being a suburb with a family centred culture. With an extensive central shopping district, including a Westfield and a Home Centre, families living in Kotara will have easy access to everything they need.
Population: 4000
Distance from CBD: 9 km
Why it’s great for families
Access to a wide variety of department stores and niche retailers characterises the suburb of Kotara. On its northern edge, Kotara also borders the Blackbutt Reserve, 182 hectares of urban bushland, walking trails, playgrounds and recreational areas. Kotara also has two schools, one state school and one private school.
3. Adamstown Heights
Located in Newcastle’s south, Adamstown Heights is a suburb with a rich history. For those that want that perfect blend between easy access to services and being out of the hustle and bustle of the city centre, this family friendly suburb might be just what you’re looking for. There are also several Newcastle Transport bus routes and encompasses two train stations, making Adamstown Heights very accessible via public transport.
Population: 5300
Distance from CBD: 8 km
Why it’s great for families
With two schools (one of which has 3 hectares of bushland) and a Westfield shopping centre, Adamstown Heights is the perfect combination of easy-going lifestyle and service accessibility in the outer suburbs. Residents are linked to the central suburbs of Newcastle via a reliable public transport network. The Glenrock State Conservation Area on its eastern border is also a popular site for walking tracks and mountain biking trails.
4. Warners Bay
Located on the northern shores of Lake Macquarie, this high demand suburb has a vast selection of cafes, restaurants and boutique shops to browse along the waterfront. A popular destination for water sports, the suburb is also home to many different sporting clubs. The Warners Bay Homemaker Centre features many prominent brands of furniture stores and gardening centres, while the Warners Bay Indoor Villages covers almost everything else.
Population: 7600
Distance from CBD: 15 km
Why it’s great for families
Warners Bay is the destination suburb for activities in Newcastle. Popular activities including ice skating, ten pin bowling, go-karting and laser tag are all available in Warners Bay. For fitness, several gymnasiums as well as opportunities to sail or go paddle-boating on the Bay are all possible. For the more relaxed, picnics on the water or using the waterfront bike and walking path are also popular family activities.
5. Eleebana
Situated south of Warner Bay on Lake Macquarie, Eleebana is another suburb with options for properties near the water or back towards the suburb centre. The Thomas H Halton Park on the waters of Croudace Bay in the suburb’s south features playgrounds, a skate park and a dog park.
Population: 5700
Distance from CBD: 18 km
Why it’s great for families
For young families, Eleebana has a children’s centre and public school with sporting fields and the Eleebana Tennis Centre next to the latter. A long walking track, including the picturesque Red Bluff Boardwalk, follows most of the suburb’s waterfront border, fantastic for families to enjoy the sun and watch the boats. Eleebana is a peaceful and leafy suburb for young families’ children without the hustle and bustle of other suburbs.
6. Valentine
For the more active and adventurous, look no further than Valentine, one of the best Newcastle suburbs for trail walking and boating. With a large residential area, the suburb’s quiet and idyllic nature is perfect for those that want to get out of the noisy urban areas.
The Bennett Park boat ramp gives easy access to the water, while bush trails leading to the Green Point and the Sea Eagle Lookout at Cardiff Point give unparalleled views of Lake Macquarie.
Population: 5500
Distance from CBD: 20 km
Why it’s great for families
The Valentine Public School in the suburb’s residential centre makes the school drop off quick and easy. While families will have to travel to neighbouring suburbs to access major shopping centres, most amenities and services are conveniently local, and the quiet and laidback feeling of this suburb cannot be overlooked.
7. Carrington
The bustling urban centre of Carrington, north of the Throsby Creek, is populated with stunning hotels, cafes and restaurants of various cuisines. Houses come as either older style cottage-type homes or more modern designs. The Throsby Creek Boardwalk along the foreshore is complete with an extensive off-leash dog area.
Population: 1900
Distance from CBD: 3 km
Why it’s great for families
Carrington is just a short walk or drive across the Throsby Creek to the central suburbs of Newcastle, while maintaining a quiet peaceful air in its own right. With extensive walking tracks along the creek, dog-friendly areas and easy access to local beaches in neighbouring suburbs, Carrington provides to a wide range of interests from food and brewing to sports and water-based recreation.
8. Merewether
For those wanting more of a beach lifestyle, Merewether is the place for you. A short drive south-west of the city centre, Merewether features two of Newcastle’s southern beaches, Dixon Park Beach and Merewether Beach, beside parks, sports fields and nature reserves. A great place to relax on the sands, it is not shy of amenities with eateries and restaurants dotted all over this coastal suburb.
Population: 11,000
Distance from CBD: 3 km
Why it’s great for family
For families with children who love the surf and sand, the beaches of Merewether make it one of the most enviable of the Newcastle suburbs in which to rent or buy. With a house mere minutes from the ocean, those buying in Merewether will be paying a little more in house prices, but home buyers can rest assured that with close amenities, including supermarkets and Lingard Private Hospital, it will be worth it.
9. Mayfield
Along with neighbouring Tighes Hill, Mayfield is a strong contender for one of the best Newcastle suburbs. Once an industrial hub, Mayfield has expanded to become one of the best places to live in Newcastle and one of its strongest investment suburbs. With several supermarkets, coffee shops, hotels and pubs located on the Pacific Highway running through the suburb’s centre, residents of Mayfield can quickly access everything in their own backyard.
Population: 9,300
Distance from CBD: 6 km
Why it’s great for families
With several good schools for students of all ages (from preschool to high school), and minutes from Newcastle’s TAFE NSW campus, Mayfield is a centre for education in which you can settle for the long term. The University of Newcastle has campuses to the west and the east in neighbouring suburbs. Newcastle Beach is close by and most suburbs are easily accessible from this central base.
10. Broadmeadow
The central suburb of Broadmeadow is home to the Newcastle Regional Showground and the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, as well as the Newcastle Racecourse. For big events in Newcastle, look no further than Broadmeadow. Broadmeadow also houses heritage-listed sites from its past as a central railway hub. Its prime location means a house in this neighbourhood is perfect for those that want a lifestyle with a bit of everything.
Population: 1600
Distance from CBD: 5 km
Why it’s great for families
Broadmeadow is full of exciting things for families to do. Situated at the geographic centre of Newcastle, it is a quick and simple drive to the CBD, the eastern beaches or Lake Macquarie to the south. Broadmeadow is unparalleled in the suburbs of Newcastle for its access to entertainment venues and opportunities, but is also convenient for its taverns, takeaways and even a farmers market.
Is Newcastle NSW right for you?
A mere 160km from Sydney, Newcastle is a small city in its own right, offering everything from education hubs, to entertainment precincts, beaches and nature reserves. Good blocks are still waiting to be discovered in this picturesque part of NSW.
While the best suburbs in Newcastle for young families are listed above, talking to an expert home builder about your decision is a good idea.
Whether you are interested in houses to live in or investment properties, contact us if you’re looking for the perfect place to build in Newcastle!