SuburbCheck

Shortland

NSW 2307 · Newcastle

4,537 (2021) → 5,122 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth

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

63
Overall score

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

4,537
Population
$791K
Median house (2025)
32
Safety score
62
Transport score

Shortland is a moderate growth suburb in Newcastle, NSW 2307, about 119km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $791K is more affordable than the NSW average. The suburb has 4 schools, a transport score of 62/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Shortland has an overall score of 63/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 32/100.

119.4 km
To Sydney CBD
9.5 km
To coast
$650/wk
Median rent (house)
1.3 km
To nearest station

Demographics

4,537
Population
33
Median age
2.3
Avg household

Age distribution

Newcastle LGA population (est. 2025)179,758
Median household income (weekly)$1,344
vs NSW median-27.4%
Bachelor degree or higher30.3%
Born in Australia80.8%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse1,301 / 33 / 527

Top countries of birth: China (1.68%), England (1.39%), India (1.39%), New Zealand (0.79%), Philippines (0.79%)

Top languages: Mandarin (1.72%), Urdu (0.73%), Punjabi (0.44%), Vietnamese (0.44%), Cantonese (0.42%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$791K+16.4%
Median house (2025)
$683K
Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$650 / $685 wk
Rental yield (house)4.3%
Days on market (house)28 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

32
Residential

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

14
Break & enter dwelling309/100k
8
Steal from dwelling176/100k
21
Motor vehicle theft463/100k
41
Domestic assault904/100k
1
Robbery22/100k
14
Non-domestic assault309/100k

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: 369 (all categories, latest year)8,133 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

40

Reasonable school mix

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of schools, though the strongest options may require some travel.

102
Within 10km4 in suburb
2
Govt (suburb)
1
Catholic (suburb)
1
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1022 (above the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Our Lady of Victories Primary SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1025
  • Margaret Jurd CollegeSecondary · IndependentICSEA 917
  • Shortland Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 895
  • Awabakal Environmental Education CentreCombined · Government

Nearby (within 10km)

  • Heaton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 973
  • Callaghan College Jesmond Senior CampusSecondary · Government · 2.6kmICSEA 970
  • Callaghan College Wallsend CampusSecondary · Government · 2.6kmICSEA 958
  • Jesmond Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 940
  • Plattsburg Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 898
  • Maryland Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.1kmICSEA 992
  • Waratah West Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.2kmICSEA 950
  • Aspect Hunter School, Waratah West SatellitePrimary · Independent · 3.2km
  • St Patrick's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3.5kmICSEA 1068
  • Wallsend Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.7kmICSEA 961
  • St John's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3.7kmICSEA 1084
  • Mayfield West Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.8kmICSEA 1013

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

62
45Bus
CBD commute (est.)Data not available
Nearest train stationSandgate (1.3 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.

30 in suburbSupermarkets
102 in suburbCafes/Rest.
125 in suburbParks
65 in suburbPlaygrounds
9Pools
50 in suburbGyms
0Dog parks
10 in suburbGPs
40 in suburbPharmacies
41 in suburbChildcare
20 in suburbLibraries
8215 in suburbSports fields
21 in suburbVets
Nearest beachDixon Park Beach (9.9 km)
Nearest hospitalCalvary Mater Hospital (3.5 km)
Nearest vet820 m
Nearest airportNewcastle (9.3 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Fitness

66

Plenty of options

Well above average — a good spread of gyms and sports facilities within easy reach.

5
Gyms
5
Leisure centres
1
Public pools
82
Sports fields

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

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

34

Limited outdoor options

Below average — fewer parks and green spaces close by.

12
Parks
1
Nature reserves
5
Bike paths
2
Hiking trails
0
Dog parks
0
Picnic areas
2
Skate parks

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

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

83

Cultural hotspot

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

0
Theatres
1
Cinemas
1
Museums
18
Galleries
2
Libraries
1
Arts centres
4
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

18

Not much nightlife

Very few licensed venues nearby — you'll be heading to a neighbouring suburb for a night out.

1
Pubs & Hotels
0
Bars
0
Clubs RSL/Leagues
1
Dining & Licensed
Licensed venues per 1,000 residents0.22

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW

Childcare

15

Childcare desert

Very limited childcare services in and around this suburb — families may face significant travel for childcare.

2
OSHC
Total services2
Exceeding NQS or above0 of 2 rated
Services per 1,000 residents0.44

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register

Population & Growth

Moderate Growth
Annual growth rate3.08%
Projected population 20415,723
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Newcastle

Birmingham Gardens$950K76transportSandgateData not available87transportCallaghanData not available70transportJesmond$903K63transportWarabrook$871K90transportMaryland (Newcastle)$944K59transport

Compare Shortland with another suburb

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Shortland

Frequently asked questions about Shortland

Is Shortland safe?

Shortland has a residential safety score of 32/100, 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 8,133 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Shortland?

In Shortland, the median house price is $791K and the median unit price is $683K. Median weekly house rent is $650.

How far is Shortland from Sydney CBD?

Shortland is about 119.4 km from Sydney CBD.

What schools are in Shortland?

Shortland has 4 schools, with an average ICSEA of 946 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Shortland?

Shortland has a transport score of 62/100 and 45 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.