NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Awaba, 2283
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
67% humidity · 13.5 km/h wind · 20.8° / 13.8° today · 3.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Lake Macquarie, Awaba is a settled smaller community with a familiar suburban feel and good links to the wider city. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because housing affordability and growth momentum lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 430
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $1,726
- Dwelling vacancy
- 0%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 0 of 145
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,755
- Employment rate
- 62.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 8 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 89
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 36
- Against the person
- 10
- Against property
- 9
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 83.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 43 residents
- State safety percentile
- 59.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions387
- Domestic Violence Related Assault156
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment194
- Malicious Damage To Property138
- Transport Regulatory Offences278
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 940
- Awaba Public SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
13 public transport stops in this suburb
- Awaba Station
- CCP Gosford St
- CCP Wilton Rd
- FTB Gosford St
- FTB Wilton Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
26 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Entertainment associated with existing premises206 CESSNOCK ROAD AWABA 2283Under Assessment
2025· 2 proposals
August 2025
- Subdivision12 NELLINDA STREET AWABA 2283Additional Information Requested
March 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure8 GOSFORD STREET AWABA 2283Determined
2024· 4 proposals
October 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Waste or resource management facility367 WILTON ROAD AWABA 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure27 BRISBANE STREET AWABA 2283Determined
April 2024
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationLOT22-DP630221Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Carport11 BRISBANE STREET AWABA 2283Determined
2023· 6 proposals
November 2023
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure3 HEATON STREET AWABA 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Residential Accommodation10 GOSFORD STREET AWABA 2283Determined
September 2023
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Resource recovery facility; Waste Infrastructure; Waste or resource management facility413 WILTON ROAD AWABA 2283Withdrawn
August 2023
- Shed13A BRISBANE STREET AWABA 2283Determined
May 2023
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces35 KILABEN STREET AWABA 2283Determined
March 2023
- Other51 CRANFORD ROAD AWABA 2283Determined
2022· 7 proposals
December 2022
- Demolition; Earthworks / change in levels13A BRISBANE STREET AWABA 2283Determined
November 2022
- Alterations and additions to industrial development; Shed367 WILTON ROAD AWABA 2283Determined
October 2022
- Shed25 KILABEN STREET AWABA 2283Determined
July 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development18 WYONG STREET AWABA 2283Determined
June 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development8 GOSFORD STREET AWABA 2283Determined
- Subdivision of land15 HEATON STREET AWABA 2283Determined
February 2022
- Waste and resource management facilities413 wilton road awabaDetermined
2021· 5 proposals
October 2021
- Recreational UsesLot 100/DP1270571Determined
September 2021
- Shed170 WILTON ROAD AWABA 2283Determined
May 2021
- Demolition; Earthworks / change in levels13A BRISBANE STREET AWABA 2283Determined
February 2021
- Dwelling17 Heaton Street, Awaba 2283Determined
January 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development19 Hunter Street, TorontoDetermined
2020· 1 proposal
August 2020
- Alterations and additions to industrial developmentCVC, Off Construction Road, Mannering Park NSWDetermined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
11 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Awaba Rd opp Awaba StationBus stop
- Awaba Station, Awaba RdBus stop
- Playground
- Westlakes Automobile ClubSports centre
- Sports field
- Ticket Validator (2)
- AwabaTrain station
- Awaba, Platform 1Train station
- Awaba, Platform 2Train station
- Weighbridge
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Awaba OvalPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 49
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 17.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6693rd in Australia
- State rank
- 2077th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #419 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #872 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Awabaamenitiestrain_station
- Awaba Rd opp Awaba Stationamenitiesbus_stop
- Awaba Station, Awaba Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Awaba, Platform 1amenitiestrain_station
- Awaba, Platform 2amenitiestrain_station
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Ticket Validatoramenitiesticket_validator
- Ticket Validatoramenitiesticket_validator
- Weighbridgeamenitiesweighbridge
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.