Commuters across Newcastle and the Hunter are travelling further to get to work than the average Australian, new data reveals.
And, the longer car-dependent journeys have placed increasing strain on local employees.
According to the Real Australian Commute Report 2025, residents living in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie travel an average of 47 kilometres a day for work, compared with 36.8 kilometres nationally.
In spite of that, their times remain broadly in line with the national median, at just over an hour daily.
However, the impact on wellbeing is more pronounced.
Four-in-10 Newcastle and Lake Macquarie road-users claim their commute leaves them feeling tired or drained, weighed against 28% nationally.
At least 24% report experiencing stress or anxiety, above the national figure of 16%.
The research highlights heavy reliance on private vehicles across the region.
About 72% of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie commuters drive themselves to work, rising to 80% in the wider Hunter Valley, compared with 64% nationally.
More than half of local households own two cars, reflecting limited alternatives outside the metro core.
“For people living on the fringe, long, stressful commutes are more than an inconvenience,” lecturer in Transport Planning at The University of Melbourne Dr Paraic Carroll said.
“They’re a daily drain on wellbeing.
“Hours spent in congestion or unreliable public transport services translate into less time for family, exercise and rest.
“The mental toll is often invisible, but it intensifies social isolation and fatigue, especially where commuting is the only link between affordable housing and employment.”
Commuting pressures also shape major life decisions locally, Dr Carroll explained.
Sixty-three per cent of respondents say travel costs influence their job choices, while 22% describe time and expense as a critical factor when deciding where to live, compared with 16% nationally.
Safety concerns also emerge in the data, with 33% of drivers admitting they sometimes touch or hold their phone while driving, almost double the national figure of 17%.
Surprisingly, alongside these pressures, there are early signs of changing behaviour, too.
Almost four-in-10 Newcastle and Lake Macquarie residents have used an e-bike or e-scooter in the past 12 months.
For more news stories:
- Woman dead, five hospitalised in two-vehicle crash at Salamander Bay
- New ambulance stations a healthy boost for Hunter
- Woman charged following domestic-related stabbing at Carrington
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
