NSW · Wingecarribee Council
Balaclava, 2575
Current weather
11.7°CClear sky
58% humidity · 20.3 km/h wind · 15.8° / 8.5° today · 2.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Balaclava offers a slower smaller community life in Wingecarribee, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible.
Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and safety holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 574
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $2,023
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 206
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 64.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 27 / 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
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $520
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $680
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 97
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)
- 22
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 8
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 38.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 96 residents
- State safety percentile
- 13.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -15.2%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault32
- Fraud52
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment70
- Malicious Damage To Property73
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault49
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
Public transport
20 public transport stops in this suburb
- Crimea St Before Beresford St
- Elsworth Av After Old Hume Hwy
- Elsworth Av Before Anatolia Av
- Old Hume Hwy Opp Railway Tce
- Renwick Dr Opp Crane St
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).
45 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
May 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)17 INKERMAN ROAD BALACLAVA 2575Under Assessment
March 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development10 CRIMEA STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
2025· 5 proposals
November 2025
- Subdivision10 BERESFORD STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Fences24 CRIMEA STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
September 2025
- Subdivision; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support9 SCARLET STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
May 2025
- Subdivision5-11 CAMPBELL STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support9 SCARLET STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
2024· 8 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12A BERESFORD STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2B BALACLAVA STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
August 2024
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure21-29 OLD HUME HIGHWAY BALACLAVA 2575Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12A BERESFORD STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12B BERESFORD STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
April 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
January 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure27 INKERMAN ROAD BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 CARDIGAN STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
2023· 8 proposals
October 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision1-7 ELSWORTH AVENUE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling16 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling19 INKERMAN ROAD BALACLAVA 2575Determined
June 2023
- Stormwater management systems; Earthworks / change in levels9 SCARLET STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
March 2023
- Centre based childcare; Change of use1A CRIMEA STREET BALACLAVA 2575Withdrawn
February 2023
- Shed42-48 INKERMAN ROAD BALACLAVA 2575Withdrawn
January 2023
- Dwelling12 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Dwelling3 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
2022· 10 proposals
December 2022
- Stormwater management systems; Earthworks / change in levels9 SCARLET STREET BALACLAVA 2575Withdrawn
- Dwelling8-12 CASCABEL CLOSE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
November 2022
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land7 CARDIGAN STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Dwelling7 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
October 2022
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spaces17 CARDIGAN STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
September 2022
- Subdivision of land10 BERESFORD STREET BALACLAVA 2575Operational consent issued
August 2022
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land4 POPPY PLACE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Dwelling11 Poppy Place Balaclava 2575Determined
April 2022
- Subdivision of land12 CLARIVILLE STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
March 2022
- Shed72-74 INKERMAN ROAD BALACLAVA 2575Determined
2021· 7 proposals
November 2021
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces3 CASCABEL CLOSE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
October 2021
- Shed15 CASCABEL CLOSE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
- Subdivision of land10 CARDIGAN STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
September 2021
- Subdivision of land14-20 SCARLET STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
June 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development8 RENWICK DRIVE BALACLAVA 2575Determined
May 2021
- Multi-dwelling housing15 Beresford St Balaclava 2575Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development1 CRANE STREET BALACLAVA 2575Determined
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
3 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Old Hume Hwy at Renwick DrBus stop
- Old Hume Hwy opp Railway TceBus stop
- Renwick Dr opp Crane StBus stop
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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
- 37.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3996th in Australia
- State rank
- 1258th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #187 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #447 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Old Hume Hwy at Renwick Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Old Hume Hwy opp Railway Tceamenitiesbus_stop
- Renwick Dr opp Crane Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime32
- Fraudcrime52
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime70
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime73
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime49
- Crimea St Before Beresford Sttransport
- Elsworth Av After Old Hume Hwytransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Wingecarribee Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.