Newcastle Offers a Wide Range of Jobs for Employees in All Industries

With 308,308 residents, Newcastle is the second-largest city in New South Wales. Newcastle is located about 162 kilometres from Sydney, the state’s capital. Though the city is famous for its coal industry, residents can find jobs in a variety of industries at more than 8,000 businesses. Use this guide to determine whether or not a move to the beautiful Hunter region city is right for you and your family.

Newcastle’s Most Popular Industries
Since 1833, Newcastle has been one of the world’s top coal providers. Though the area experienced heavy job losses during the 1990s, Newcastle’s employment rates have recovered and grown over the past 20 years. Several new projects in the coal mining industry created jobs, and Newcastle workers continue to contribute substantially to the state’s economy.

The University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Area Health Service also provide thousands of jobs to Newcastle residents. The university serves more than 35,000 students and employs more than 2,500 staff members.

Many Newcastle workers have jobs in the area’s Central Business District (CBD). However, the CBD’s location is starting to expand outward as the nearby Honeysuckle area undergoes a major revitalisation. When the project is completed in another 10 years, more residents and businesses like retail shops, offices and restaurants are expected to move back to the area from the suburbs.

Local Transportation System
Newcastle has a large public transportation system. However, many people take their own cars to travel to and from work. The city has a wide network of roads, highways and freeways that make it easy to travel from one end of the area to the other. Residents can also access the CBD and various suburbs like Merewether through the city’s transportation system of buses and taxis. Some people use rail transport or ferries to commute between Newcastle and Stockton.

The Newcastle Airport is located just 15 kilometres outside of the CBD. Residents can catch a flight to other major cities in Australia like Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. If you need to travel to another major city on business, the airport offers a number of convenient flights. Of course, you can also get to Sydney via car in approximately two hours.

Best Areas to Live
Though Newcastle is only about 262 square kilometres, the area has a diverse assortment of housing options and suburbs to choose from. Nearly 200,000 people also live in the nearby Lake Macquarie area. The following areas are some of Newcastle’s most affordable suburbs.

• Mayfield
  Established in the 1880s, Mayfield is home to 12,248 Newcastle residents and is typically considered to be the city’s most culturally diverse suburb.
• Tarro
  Located 20 kilometres outside of Newcastle, Tarro is a small community of 1,558 residents. The area has a rich history and borders nearby Kooragang.
• Hamilton
  Hamilton is a small suburb located just a few kilometres outside the CBD. The area is home to 3,711 residents and a number of small shops, salons and restaurants.
• Birmingham Gardens
  Birmingham Gardens is a small suburb that borders the University of Newcastle. The area’s residents are primarily seniors over the age of 55 years old and college students.

Cost of Living in Newcastle
In general, Newcastle is a more affordable city than expensive locations in Australia such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Some estimates show that costs in Sydney are about 30 percent higher than comparable Newcastle expenses. With affordable options for utilities, food, housing, transportation, education and entertainment, you can save a larger portion of your income when you live in Newcastle.