The City of Newcastle is a local government area in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. The City of Newcastle incorporates much of the area of the Newcastle metropolitan area.
The Lord Mayor of the City of Newcastle Council is Councillor Dr. Ross Kerridge, an Independent Labor politician elected under the team campaign banner 'Our Newcastle' at the 2024 New South Wales mayoral elections.[10]
The Awabakal and Worimi peoples are acknowledged by council as the traditional custodians of the land and waters of Newcastle.[11]
Following the passing of the Municipalities Act 1858 by the New South Wales parliament, the Municipality of Newcastle was proclaimed on 7 June 1859. The new Municipality was divided into three wards – City, Macquarie, and Honeysuckle.[12] Eight years later, the Municipalities Act 1867 classified the Newcastle Municipality as a "Borough".[13]
The Greater Newcastle Act 1937 merged the City of Newcastle with 10 of its suburban municipalities to form the City of Greater Newcastle. The Act also transferred parts of the Lake Macquarie Shire and Tarro Shire to the new city.[14] The amalgamations and transfers took effect from 2 April 1938.[15]
The newly created City of Greater Newcastle was subsequently renamed to City of Newcastle on 23 March 1949.[16]
The towns and villages in the City of Newcastle are split into four wards – Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 3, Ward 4.[18] These include:
After a 2015 review by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal found that Newcastle City Council was not "fit for the future", it was recommended that the City of Newcastle merge with Lake Macquarie City Council.[32] However, the Minister for Local Government subsequently proposed that Newcastle City Council instead merge with Port Stephens Council to form a new council with an area of 1,045 km2 (403 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 230,000.[33] The outcome of an independent review was completed by mid–2016. On 14 February 2017, the NSW Government announced it would not be proceeding with further regional council mergers, including the Newcastle City Council and Port Stephens Council merger.[34]
At the 2021 census, there were 168,873 people in the City of Newcastle local government area, of these 49.1 per cent were Male and 50.9 per cent were Female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 4.4 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 3.2 and 3.4 per cent respectively. The median age of people in the City of Newcastle was 37 years, just below the national median of 38. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 16.2 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 16.9 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 38.7 per cent were married and 12.7 per cent were either divorced or separated.[35]
Population growth in the City of Newcastle between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.91 per cent; and in the subsequent ten years to the 2016 census, population growth was 9.64 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 17.86 per cent respectively, population growth in the City of Newcastle local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[36][37][38] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Newcastle was marginally higher than the national average.[35]
At the 2021 census, 80.8% of residents in the City of Newcastle local government area stated their country of birth as Australia significantly exceeding the national average of 66.9%. Almost 60% of all residents in the City of Newcastle nominated a religion with Catholicism being at almost 25%, which was slightly higher than the national average of 22.6%. As at the 2016 census, households in the City of Newcastle local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (11.6%) where a language other than English is spoken (national average was 22.2%).[38][35]
Newcastle City Council is composed of thirteen councillors, including the Lord Mayor, generally for a fixed four-year term of office. The Lord Mayor is directly elected while the twelve other Councillors are elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three Councillors. The most recent election was held in September 2021.[40] The current makeup of the council, including the Lord Mayor, is as follows:
The current Council, elected in September 2021, in order of election by ward is:
Newcastle Council has sister city relations with the following cities:
Population density 918.1 persons per square km
Land area 186.8 square km
Adamstown, Bar Beach, Broadmeadow, Carrington, Cooks Hill, Fern Bay, Fullerton Cove, Georgetown, Hamilton, Hamilton East, Hamilton North, Hamilton South, Hexham, Islington, Kooragang, Maryville, Mayfield, Mayfield East, Mayfield North, Mayfield West, Merewether, Merewether Heights, New Lambton, Newcastle, Newcastle East, Newcastle West, Sandgate, Stockton, The Hill, The Junction, Tighes Hill, Warabrook, Waratah, Wickham.
Beresfield, Birmingham Gardens, Black Hill, Callaghan, Cardiff, Cardiff Heights, Elermore Vale, Fletcher, Garden Suburb, Glendale, Hexham, Jesmond, Lambton, Lenaghan, Maryland, Minmi, New Lambton, New Lambton Heights, North Lambton, Rankin Park, Shortland, Tarro, Wallsend, Waratah, Waratah West.
Adamstown, Adamstown Heights, Belmont North, Bennetts Green, Broadmeadow, Cardiff, Cardiff South, Charlestown, Dudley, Eleebana, Garden Suburb, Gateshead, Highfields, Hillsborough, Jewells, Kahibah, Kotara, Kotara South, Merewether, Mount Hutton, New Lambton, New Lambton Heights, Redhead, Tingira Heights, Warners Bay, Whitebridge, Windale.
Anna Bay, Balickera, Boat Harbour, Bobs Farm, Brandy Hill, Bundabah, Butterwick, Campvale, Carrington, Corlette, Duns Creek, Eagleton, East Seaham, Ferodale, Fingal Bay, Fishermans Bay, Glen Oak, Hawks Nest, Heatherbrae, Hinton, Karuah, Lemon Tree Passage, Mallabula, Medowie, Nelson Bay, Nelsons Plains, Nerong, North Arm Cove, One Mile, Osterley, Oyster Cove, Pindimar, Raaf Williamtown, Raymond Terrace, Salamander Bay, Salt Ash, Seaham, Shoal Bay, Soldiers Point, Swan Bay, Tahlee, Tanilba Bay, Taylors Beach, Tea Gardens, The Branch, Tomago, Twelve Mile Creek, Wallalong, Williamtown, Woodville.
Newcastle covers an area from the Hunter River and the Rail Trail in the north, Minmi in the west and Newcastle Link Road, Lake Road, Reservoir Road, Wallsend Road, Newcastle Inner City Bypass, the Main Northern Railway line, Marshall Street and Main Road in the south and the coast from Merewether to Stockton in the east. The main suburbs include Adamstown, Broadmeadow, Cardiff Heights, Carrington, Elermore Vale, Fletcher, Jesmond, Kooragang, Kotara, Lambton, Maryland, Merewether, Minmi, Newcastle, New Lambton, Sandgate, Shortland, Stockton, Waratah and Wallsend.