Local Insights:
Western City Fringe

The Western City Fringe comprises Georgetown, Hamilton North, Waratah and Waratah West – another group of older suburbs with a mix of single-storey cottages popular among renovators as well as knock-down rebuilds.

These suburbs are all still within a 15 minute drive of the Newcastle CBD, but also central to other hubs like Kotara and Charlestown.

Waratah is home to Waratah Village, a popular shopping centre, while Georgetown has more of a small community atmosphere with its small strip of family-owned shops and cafes. The streets of Waratah West are largely elevated, lending to bigger blocks and multi-storey dwellings. The nearby University of Newcastle has drawn in more and more investors, as well as newer developments serving as student accommodation.

Hamilton North is a small suburb that encompasses the area north of the Newcastle Showground and Entertainment Centre.

Recent figures revealed the median house sale in Hamilton North as $912,000, while the average in Waratah West was $750,000. Units in Waratah and Waratah West sold for $631,500 and $715,995 respectively. The best suburb for return on investment for houses was Waratah West at 4.05%, while units in Waratah can return 3.9%.