SuburbCheck

Merewether Heights

NSW 2291 · Newcastle

1,495 (2021)1,543 est. (2025) · Stable

Part of the Newcastle local government area (est. 179,758 residents)

81
Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

1,495
Population
$1.75M
Median house (2025)
100
Safety score
76
Transport score

Merewether Heights is a stable suburb in Newcastle, NSW 2291, about 114km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.75M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 76/100, and is right by the coast. Merewether Heights has an overall score of 81/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 100/100.

114.0 km
To Sydney CBD
1.6 km
To coast
$850/wk
Median rent (house)
1.9 km
To nearest station

Demographics

1,495
Population
41
Median age
2.9
Avg household

Age distribution

Newcastle LGA population (est. 2025)179,758
Median household income (weekly)$3,022
vs NSW median+63.4%
Bachelor degree or higher55.4%
Born in Australia89.0%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse465 / 0 / 13

Top countries of birth: England (2.41%), New Zealand (0.74%), India (0.54%), South Africa (0.47%), China (0.4%)

Top languages: Greek (1.2%), Japan (0.6%), Italian (0.54%), Mandarin (0.33%), German (0.33%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$1.75M
Median house (2025)
Data not available
Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$850 / $650 wk
Rental yield (house)2.5%
Days on market (house)32 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

100
Residential

Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

1
Break & enter dwelling67/100k
1
Steal from dwelling67/100k
2
Motor vehicle theft134/100k
3
Domestic assault201/100k
0
Robbery0/100k
0
Non-domestic assault0/100k

Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.

Residential incidents over time

Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.

Area crime context

Total recorded incidents: 26 (all categories, latest year)1,739 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.

Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025

Schools

95

Outstanding school access

Top 20% nationally — strong, high-ICSEA schools nearby with genuine choice. An excellent suburb for families prioritising education.

108
Within 10km1 in suburb
1
Govt (suburb)
0
Catholic (suburb)
0
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1027 (above the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Merewether Heights Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1125

Nearby (within 10km)

  • St Columba's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.3kmICSEA 1089
  • Merewether Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 977
  • Adamstown Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1066
  • Belair Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 1109
  • Merewether High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 1199
  • St Pius X High SchoolSecondary · Catholic · 1.9kmICSEA 1098
  • Holy Family Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2kmICSEA 1145
  • New Lambton South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.2kmICSEA 1100
  • Kotara High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1057
  • Hamilton South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 1130
  • Hunter School of Performing ArtsCombined · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 1080
  • The Junction Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.6kmICSEA 1117

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

76
15Bus
CBD commute (est.)Data not available
Nearest train stationAdamstown (1.9 km)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Liveability

27.5°C
Summer max
18.0°C
Winter max
1,100mm
Rainfall/yr
7h
Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

80 in suburbSupermarkets
140 in suburbCafes/Rest.
200 in suburbParks
10Playgrounds
35Pools
120 in suburbGyms
1Dog parks
180 in suburbGPs
70 in suburbPharmacies
60 in suburbChildcare
20 in suburbLibraries
128Sports fields
3Vets
Nearest beachBurwood Beach (1.6 km)
Nearest hospitalJohn Hunter Hospital (4.2 km)
Nearest vet1.4 km
Nearest airportNewcastle (17.3 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Fitness

94

Fitness paradise

Top 20% nationally — gyms, leisure centres, pools and sports fields all close by. Easy to stay active without travelling far.

12
Gyms
10
Leisure centres
2
Public pools
128
Sports fields

Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

91

Outdoor paradise

Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.

20
Parks
4
Nature reserves
29
Bike paths
1
Hiking trails
1
Dog parks
3
Picnic areas
0
Skate parks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

80

Cultural hotspot

Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.

0
Theatres
1
Cinemas
0
Museums
1
Galleries
2
Libraries
0
Arts centres
10
Landmarks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Entertainment Scene

88

Entertainment paradise

A seriously impressive licensed venue scene — top 20% nationally for density of pubs, bars, clubs and dining.

4
Licensed venues (within 2km)
2.68
Per 1,000 residents

No licensed pubs, bars or clubs are registered in this suburb per the Liquor & Gaming NSW register.

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: OpenStreetMap

Childcare

76

Strong options nearby

Well above average for childcare services — good choice and quality, with most families finding a place without a long drive.

1
Long Day Care
1
OSHC
Total services2
Exceeding NQS or above0 of 2 rated
Services per 1,000 residents1.34

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register

Population & Growth

Stable
Annual growth rate0.79%
Projected population 20411,614
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Newcastle

Compare Merewether Heights with another suburb

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Merewether Heights

Frequently asked questions about Merewether Heights

Is Merewether Heights safe?

Merewether Heights has a residential safety score of 100/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 1,739 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Merewether Heights?

In Merewether Heights, the median house price is $1.75M. Median weekly house rent is $850.

How far is Merewether Heights from Sydney CBD?

Merewether Heights is about 114.0 km from Sydney CBD.

What schools are in Merewether Heights?

Merewether Heights has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1125 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Merewether Heights?

Merewether Heights has a transport score of 76/100 and 15 bus stops.

Data sources: ABS Census 2021 & ERP, NSW Valuer General, BOCSAR, TfNSW, ACARA, Bureau of Meteorology, OpenStreetMap, NSW DPHI. Data refreshed quarterly.

Data shown is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. How we calculate scores.