It is popular due to its location, just nine miles south of Aberdeen with easy reach of Stonehaven and with views over the North Sea.

The village had a railway station which led to the change of name from Skateraw to Newtonhill but it was closed in 1956; the signal box was still in use until May 2019 and remnants of a platform can still be seen.

The town is situated about half a mile east of the ancient Causey Mounth road, which was built on high ground to make passable.

This ancient passage specifically connected the Bridge of Dee via Portlethen Moss, Muchalls Castle and Stonehaven to the south.

[3] The route was that taken by William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and the Duke of Montrose when they led a Covenanter army of 9000 men in the first battle of the First Bishop's War in 1639.

Newtonhill today is accessed by the A92 road and functions primarily as a commuter town to Aberdeen and other business hubs in the area.

The town is also well served by buses run by Stagecoach Group providing regular services to Aberdeen, Stonehaven and Montrose.

[5] The facility, which also serves the nearby village of Chapelton, allowed two bus stops at the side of the A92 to be removed.

The Burn of Elsick, which drains agricultural lands from the west, flows into the North Sea at Newtonhill.