At a glance
- Who it’s for
- Visitors, outpatients and drivers going to John Hunter Hospital, Lookout Road, New Lambton Heights
- What to do now
- Follow the blue P2 or P6 signs on entry; keep your ticket, because a lost ticket costs $10
- Public fees (hospital page)
- First 20 minutes free; $2.50 to 1 hour; $5 to 2 hours; $7.50 to 3 hours; $10 over 3 hours; 7-day ticket $28
- Last checked
- 7 November 2026, against the Hunter New England Health page and the NSW Health bulletin IB2026_023
- Not yet confirmed
- Which fee table applies today: the hospital’s page shows lower fees than the NSW Health maximums that took effect on 1 July 2026
Parking at John Hunter Hospital is free for the first 20 minutes, then $2.50 up to 1 hour and $10 for anything over 3 hours, according to the hospital’s own “getting here” page as checked on 7 November 2026. The hospital has two public car parks, P2 for visitors, the Emergency Department and the Children’s Hospital, and P6 for outpatient appointments.
The fees below are copied from the Hunter New England Health page for John Hunter Hospital. The page does not carry a date for its parking section, so the next section also sets them beside the state’s current maximums.
How much does parking at John Hunter Hospital cost?
| Time parked | Public fee (hospital page) | Concession fee (hospital page) |
|---|---|---|
| First 20 minutes | Free | Free (0 to 3 hours) |
| 20 minutes to 1 hour | $2.50 | Free |
| 1 to 2 hours | $5 | Free |
| 2 to 3 hours | $7.50 | Free |
| Over 3 hours | $10 | Single exit $6.80 |
| 3-day ticket | Not listed | $13.50 |
| 7-day ticket | $28 | $27.10 |
| Lost ticket | $10 | Not listed |
The hospital’s page does not say how you pay or whether the car parks take cash or cards, so check the pay stations and signs when you arrive.
Are the fees on the hospital’s page up to date?
Possibly not, and the hospital does not say. The concession fees on the hospital page ($6.80 single exit, $13.50 for three days, $27.10 for seven days) are the same figures NSW Health’s concessional parking page listed as the rates effective from 1 July 2024. NSW Health then published a new Information Bulletin, IB2026_023, raising the maximum fees in line with the consumer price index from 1 July 2026.
| Item | Hospital page | NSW Health maximum from 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Free period | First 20 minutes | First 30 minutes |
| Over 1 hour, up to 2 hours | $5 | $12.80 |
| Over 3 hours | $10 | $20.10 to 4 hours, $25.80 daily maximum |
| Concession single exit | $6.80 | $7.20 |
| Concession 3-day ticket | $13.50 | $14.40 |
| Concession 7-day ticket | $27.10 | $28.80 |
For comparison, the bulletin’s full public table for campuses subject to car parking development reads: free for the first 30 minutes, then $8.70 up to 1 hour, $12.80 up to 2 hours, $17.30 up to 3 hours, $20.10 up to 4 hours, $23.20 up to 5 hours and $25.80 after that, with a maximum daily fee of $25.80. Those figures include GST.
The bulletin sets base rates for hospital campuses subject to car parking development. NSW Health’s concessions page says the concessional rates are the maximum that can be applied, and that local health districts are able to provide a greater level of concession at their own discretion. The bulletin does not name John Hunter Hospital, and neither source says which table applies to its car parks today. Treat the hospital page as the fees it shows, the bulletin as a state ceiling, and the signs at the entry as the final word.
Which car park should I use, P2 or P6?
The hospital says to follow the blue P2 or P6 signs when you enter, and describes them this way:
| Car park | Type | Best for | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| P2 | Single-level | Visitors, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital | Open 24 hours, 7 days |
| P6 | Multi-storey | Outpatient appointments | Entry closes at 5pm; exits available any time, except weekends and public holidays |
The wording on P6 matters if you are heading home late. The page says entry closes at 5pm, and that exits are available at any time except on weekends and public holidays. It does not explain what happens to a car left there on a weekend. The hospital’s phone number is (02) 4921 3000.
The hospital’s address is Lookout Road, New Lambton Heights, and it is open 24 hours, 7 days.
Who gets cheaper or free parking?
NSW Health’s concessional parking page lists these people as eligible, and says hospitals must display and publicise the rates and streamline the application process:
- holders of a Mobility Parking Scheme permit
- holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, a Gold Veterans Affairs Card or a Health Care Card
- ongoing cancer treatment patients
- patients and carers who attend for a course of treatment of more than one week
- patients and carers attending more than twice weekly, including carers of long-term patients
- cardiac rehabilitation education and exercise class attendees, daily dressing outpatients and Health Promotion education class attendees
The page adds that patients and carers experiencing financial hardship who do not meet those categories are also entitled to concessional parking. The hospital’s page does not describe its own application process.
NSW Health’s concessions page explains the tickets: a single-exit ticket is valid for one entry and one exit per visit, while the 3-day and 7-day frequent-use tickets allow multiple entries and exits to the hospital campus.
On disability access, the hospital says limited free disabled parking is available near the main entrance, with more spaces in the main visitor car park, all with ramp access.
Is there a free shuttle to the hospital?
Yes, on weekdays. The hospital says a free park-and-ride shuttle runs between John Hunter Hospital and McDonald Jones Stadium, picking up and dropping off outside the Royal Newcastle Centre. It runs Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm, and the page says the bus runs continuously and can be tracked in real time.
The hospital’s page does not give the shuttle’s frequency, the stadium pick-up point or the cost of parking at the stadium end. Those details are not on the page. The shuttle is not listed for weekends or public holidays.
Can I get there by bus or taxi?
Buses 13, 11, 26 and 42 stop at the hospital’s main entrance, according to the hospital page, which points to the Newcastle Buses website for schedules. For a taxi, the page points to the Newcastle Taxis website or 132 227.
Do I need to come in at all?
The hospital page says referrals are required for all outpatient appointments, including virtual care, and that virtual care (telehealth) is available at this service. No referral is needed to present at the Emergency Department.
When can I visit?
The hospital page says visitors are generally allowed from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, with a rest period from 1pm to 3pm when visitors are restricted. That visitor section is marked as updated on 2 September 2024, so phone the ward before you set off. For specific visiting hours the hospital says to contact the ward directly. The page also says that if you have cold or flu symptoms you should avoid visiting for at least 7 days.
Sources
- Hunter New England Health — John Hunter Hospital, getting to the hospital (checked 7 November 2026)
- NSW Health Information Bulletin IB2026_023 — Increase in Car Parking Fees (published 26 June 2026)
- NSW Health — Concessional car parking fees at NSW public hospitals (page last updated 19 May 2025)
Featured image: John Hunter Hospital (photo: Katherine Cominos / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Hunter New England Health or NSW Health. Fees and conditions can change; check the signs at the car park and the hospital’s own page.