Quick facts
Newcastle overview
Newcastle (orange) and the other large cities of Australia
Newcastle lies in New South Wales in Australia at 32.93°S, 151.78°E, about 48 m above sea level. The local time zone is Australia/Sydney (UTC+11); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Gold Coast (640,778) and larger than Sunshine Coast (398,840). The largest city in Australia is Sydney with 5,638,830 people; the capital, Canberra, has 367,752.
The national capital, Canberra, is about 358 km away; the nearest large city is Maitland, 30 km from Newcastle.
Australia as a whole has a live population of 27,301,322 (+0.9% a year) and ranks #55 of 238 countries — see the Australia population page for the full statistics and the Australia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Newcastle
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Maitland New South Wales | 30 km | 89,597 |
| Central Coast New South Wales | 67 km | 346,596 |
| Sydney New South Wales | 117 km | 5,638,830 |
| Wollongong New South Wales | 185 km | 280,153 |
Largest cities in Australia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | New South Wales | 5,638,830 |
| 2 | Melbourne | Victoria | 5,435,590 |
| 3 | Brisbane | Queensland | 2,780,063 |
| 4 | Perth | Western Australia | 2,384,371 |
| 5 | Adelaide | South Australia | 1,469,163 |
| 6 | Gold Coast | Queensland | 640,778 |
| 7 | Newcastle | New South Wales | 508,437 |
| 8 | Sunshine Coast | Queensland | 398,840 |
| 9 | CanberraCapital | Australian Capital Territory | 367,752 |
| 10 | Central Coast | New South Wales | 346,596 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Newcastle?
Newcastle has about 508,437 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Newcastle the capital of Australia?
No. The capital of Australia is Canberra (367,752 people), about 358 km away. Newcastle is the 7th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Newcastle compared with the rest of Australia?
Its 508,437 residents are 1.9% of the 27,301,322 people living in Australia today. Sydney is larger with 5,638,830 people.
Where is Newcastle?
In New South Wales, Australia, at latitude -32.93 and longitude 151.78, 48 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Maitland (30 km), Central Coast (67 km), Sydney (117 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Newcastle Population 2026 — Australia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/australia/newcastle/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/australia/newcastle/">Newcastle Population 2026 — Australia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.