Kotara, NSW 2289 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Kotara is a suburb of New South Wales, postcode 2289, home to 3,980 residents with an established residential profile. Located in the Lake Macquarie local government area and roughly 112 km from the Sydney CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 3,980
- Median age
- 39 years
- Median household income
- $2,077 /week
- Median personal income
- $927 /week
- Median family income
- $2,449 /week
- Average household size
- 2.6
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Newcastle
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
- Remoteness classification
- Major Cities of Australia
- Federal electorate
- Shortland
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $460 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Rent share of household income
- 22%
Schools
- Belair Public School
- Kotara High School
- Kotara School
- Kotara South Public School
- Kahibah Public School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 49 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 2 train stops, 163 bus stops
- Ashbury St At Lexington Pde
- Ashbury St At Lucas Cres
- Terence St Opp Belair Public School
- Belair Public School, Terence St
- Kotara Station, Platform 1
Lifestyle & amenities
- 12 cafés
- 49 restaurants
- 42 parks and reserves
- 4 gyms and fitness centres
- 5 supermarkets
- 10 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (28.3°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (17.2°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 1134 mm
- Reference station: Williamtown RAAF, 21.4 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 60.4% of the 2,254 resolvable premises in Kotara. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.
- Fibre to the Premises: 28.3%
- Fibre to the Building: 11.3%
- Fibre to the Node: 60.4%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 1,487 across postcode 2289 in the year to Dec 2025 (stable on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 633 theft, 244 violent offences, 215 vehicle theft.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kotara?
Kotara (NSW 2289) had 3,980 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 39. It sits within the Newcastle local government area.
What is the median rent in Kotara?
The median advertised rent in Kotara is $460/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Kotara?
Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Kotara covering government sectors. Nearest include: Belair Public School (0.3 km), Kotara High School (0.3 km), Kotara School (1.1 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Kotara?
Kotara is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (60.4% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Kotara?
Across postcode 2289, 1,487 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Dec 2025. The most common offence categories were theft (633), violent (244), vehicle theft (215). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Kotara?
In Kotara, mean daily temperatures range from 12.5°C to 23.2°C and annual rainfall is 1,134 mm measured at the Williamtown RAAF weather station (21.4 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Kotara?
165 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Kotara centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 49 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: