NSW · Shellharbour Council
Barrack Point, 2528
Current weather
13.5°CClear sky
66% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 20.2° / 9° today · 2.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Barrack Point is a coastal smaller community where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. The coast is the anchor, with regional towns nearby for markets, dining and weekend exploring. Sea breezes and coastal air are part of everyday life, especially on warmer evenings.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
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 transport and access against similar coastal suburbs, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 725
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,836
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 27 of 293
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 54.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 13 / 28 / 14
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)
- $515
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $720
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $665
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 138
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)
- 56
- Against the person
- 16
- Against property
- 22
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 77.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 45 residents
- State safety percentile
- 55.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +14.6%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order188
- Domestic Violence Related Assault130
- Fraud123
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment178
- Malicious Damage To Property161
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
15 public transport stops in this suburb
- Barrack Av At Headland Pde
- Dawes Park, Barrack Av
- Dawes Park, Junction Rd
- Iluka Rd At Junction Rd
- Shell Cove Rd After Junction 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).
53 planning-related records
2025· 6 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Subdivision; Dual occupancy (detached); Garage, carport or carparking space15 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Under Assessment
October 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 JUNCTION ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
September 2025
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)23 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
July 2025
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure63 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Fences; Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool37 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
January 2025
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)56 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
2024· 6 proposals
December 2024
- Demolition; Shed52 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
November 2024
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)62 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 JUNCTION ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 CLIFF AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
May 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure43A BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
February 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Minor building alterations (external)30A HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
2023· 9 proposals
December 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool67 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure83A BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
November 2023
- Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure14 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Fences72 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
August 2023
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing12 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
July 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition1 CLIFF AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
June 2023
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing12 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision of land17 JUNCTION ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
February 2023
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision of land70 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
2022· 16 proposals
December 2022
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing69 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing12 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing10 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
November 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development1/13 Junction Road, Barrack HeightsDetermined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Other72 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
October 2022
- Demolition; Subdivision of land64 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development12 ILUKA ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
May 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing14 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Secondary dwelling13 ILUKA ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Dwelling6 BEACH ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Demolition6 BEACH ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
April 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs2A SHELL COVE ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs68 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition16 SHELL COVE ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Dual occupancy62 HEADLAND PARADE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
January 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision of land17 JUNCTION ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
2021· 3 proposals
December 2021
- Dual occupancy57 BARRACK AVENUE BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
- Dwelling41 JUNCTION ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
November 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development12 ILUKA ROAD BARRACK POINT 2528Determined
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
24 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (13)
- Barrack Av after Cliff AvBus stop
- Barrack Av at Headland PdeBus stop
- Barrack Av opp Headland PdeBus stop
- Dawes Park, Barrack AvBus stop
- Dawes Park, Junction RdBus stop
- Iluka Rd at Junction RdBus stop
- Shell Cove Rd after Junction RdBus stop
- Shell Cove Rd before Cliff AvBus stop
- Playground
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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Barrack ReservePark
- Dawes ParkPark
- Margaret Sandon ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
- No overlay at centroid
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)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 33.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4711th in Australia
- State rank
- 1509th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #77 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #146 among Coastal & beach 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
- Barrack Av after Cliff Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Barrack Av at Headland Pdeamenitiesbus_stop
- Barrack Av opp Headland Pdeamenitiesbus_stop
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Shellharbour Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.