In the 2011 census, Cosmo Newberry had a total population of 74, including 64 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

[3] The town is named after James Cosmo Newbery,[4] an industrial chemist noted for his work on improving the chlorination method of gold extraction.

[5] The area was originally leased by two returned soldiers as a cattle station, then as a penal colony for a short time, then later became a government ration depot.

[6] By 1953 the Uniting Church set up a mission but eventually, in 1976, gave the land back to the Aboriginal people living in the area at that time.

The town now has a health clinic, school, a hall, windmills, communication centre, fuel station and shop.