Newcastle and Lake Macquarie · Region (SA4)
How much of daily life sits within a walk of home — a transparent 0–10 walkability score and the everyday destinations you can reach on foot: shops, public transport, schools, parks and health services, plus the streets and terrain in between.
Public transport is exceptionally easy to reach for 92.8% of people in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, though getting to shops and doctors on foot is harder. The area is considered very walkable, with a score of 6.1, which is about the same as the New South Wales figure.
All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Newcastle and Lake Macquarie — very walkable of areas.
| Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 6.1 |
|---|---|
| Rest of NSW | 4.6 |
| New South Wales | 6.2 |
Share of homes (G-NAF addresses) in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie by walking time to the nearest amenity of each type, on an elevation-aware pedestrian network. How we calculate this →
The overall walkability score and how much of daily life is a short walk away.
Around 68.7% of homes have a 15-minute-city walkshed, which is well below the state average of 71.9%. The typical number of amenity types within a 15-minute walk is 5.8, matching the New South Wales figure.
6.1
Very walkable of region (sa4) areas.
A 0–10 score for how much of daily life sits within an easy walk of the average home — weighing how close groceries, public transport, cafés, parks, health services, schools, culture and everyday services are, and how many of each. Walking times are measured on an elevation-aware pedestrian network, so hills count against reach. The methodology page describes how the score is put together.
5.8
Higher than 71% of region (sa4) areas.
How many of the eight everyday amenity types — groceries, food & drink, health, schools, parks, culture, everyday services and public transport — the average home can reach on foot within 15 minutes, out of 8.
68.7%
Higher than 64% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes that can reach at least five of the eight everyday amenity types within a 15-minute walk — the "15-minute city" test. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
How many homes can walk to groceries, transport, schools, parks and health services.
Most people have quick access to transit, with 92.8% of homes near public transport and 91.9% near a park. However, access to essentials is weaker, as those within walking distance of groceries (60.4%) and health services (53.3%) are both well below state levels.
60.4%
Higher than 55% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries or everyday shopping. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
92.8%
Higher than 75% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes within a 10-minute walk of a public-transport stop — bus, train, tram or ferry. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
77.8%
Higher than 68% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes within a 15-minute walk of a school. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
91.9%
Higher than 57% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes within a 15-minute walk of a park or area of open space. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
53.3%
Higher than 70% of region (sa4) areas.
Share of local homes within a 15-minute walk of health services such as a GP, pharmacy or hospital. Homes are counted as addresses (G-NAF), not people.
Amenity density, how well the streets connect, and how hilly the walk is.
The area has 50 intersections per square kilometre, and the mean terrain slope is 6.9%, which is about the same as the New South Wales figure. There are 14.4 walkable amenities per 1,000 residents, a result similar to the state average.
14.4
Lower than 65% of region (sa4) areas.
Walkable amenities — shops, cafés, parks, health services, schools, cultural and community places, everyday services and public-transport stops — per 1,000 residents. Measures how much is around, apart from how far it is to walk there.
50
Higher than 69% of region (sa4) areas.
Walkable street intersections per square kilometre. Denser, better-connected street grids give more direct routes on foot than winding, cul-de-sac layouts.
6.9%
Higher than 78% of region (sa4) areas.
Average terrain slope across the area, as a percent grade. Steeper ground shortens how far people will walk; it is already folded into the walkability score through the elevation-aware pedestrian network, and is shown here on its own for context.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Walkability in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/111/newcastle-and-lake-macquarie/topic/walkability
