Newman Mining Co. Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of BHP) in 1966 as a company town to support the development of iron ore deposits at nearby Mount Whaleback.

William Frederick Rudall then took charge of the expedition and named Mount Newman to honour his deceased leader.

[11] The Martu people comprise about a dozen language groups that extend across the Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts.

The Martu progressively lost their land and nomadic lifestyle as European expansion crept inland from the late 19th century.

Western exploration, the establishment of Christian missions, and gold discoveries at Marble Bar and Wiluna led to Indigenous people being forced from their ancestral lands.

Typical of company towns, Newman is laid out with a core, where shopping and hotels are located, surrounded by residential areas, with more industrial activities on the outskirts.

[19][20] Being founded in the 1960s, Newman's architecture reflects the modernist styles of that decade and the next, being predominantly functional and devoid of detail or embellishment.

Precipitation is sparse, but the influx of monsoonal moisture in the summer, which generally begins in December and lasts until April, raises humidity levels and can cause occasional heavy storms.