NSW · Cessnock Council
Bellbird, 2325
Current weather
16.3°CClear sky
66% humidity · 11.5 km/h wind · 21.5° / 13.2° today · 3.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
As a regional hub in Cessnock, Bellbird combines local convenience with the appeal of a smaller community that feels genuinely its own. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street.
Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because safety and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and growth momentum. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 2,338
- Median age
- 34
- Median household income / week
- $1,427
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 51 of 867
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,600
- Employment rate
- 55%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 82 / 63 / 3
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)
- $463
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $570
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 271
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)
- 250
- Against the person
- 79
- Against property
- 100
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 106.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 30 residents
- State safety percentile
- 75.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +2.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order198
- Breach Bail Conditions379
- Domestic Violence Related Assault299
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment371
- Malicious Damage To Property332
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
- 907
- Bellbird 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
63 public transport stops in this suburb
- Edden St At Charlton St
- Edden St Before Mary St
- Mary St At Edden St
- Wollombi Rd After George St
- Wollombi Rd Opp Bellbird Hotel
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).
486 planning-related records
2026· 27 proposals
June 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure23 HARMONY CLOSE BELLBIRD 2325Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation79 TENNANT STREET BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure48 Atkinson Street, Bellbird, NSW 2325Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure70 EDDEN STREET BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)26 MOUNTAIN RIDGE BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure351 WOLLOMBI ROAD BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Residential Accommodation48 KENDALL STREET BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)73 ABBOTSFORD STREET BELLBIRD 2325Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Subdivision2 CHARLTON STREET BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure8 KENDALL STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
April 2026
- SubdivisionBALANGARA WAY BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation21 BRANDY WAY BELLBIRD 2325Under Assessment
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home7 WILDFLOWER CIRCUIT BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home9 WILDFLOWER CIRCUIT BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- SubdivisionBALANGARA WAY BELLBIRD 2325Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation60 RUBY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
March 2026
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)111 PILLAR STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision580 WOLLOMBI ROAD BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Subdivision42 KALINGO STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)74 ABBOTSFORD STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah24 KEARSLEY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
February 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home4 MAJESTY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space10 KENDALL STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure44 BOUQUET DRIVE BELLBIRD 2325Determined
January 2026
- Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure112 PILLAR STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home6 MAJESTY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation13 PILLAR STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
2025· 13 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; CarportBIMBADEEN ROAD BELLBIRD 2325Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 FLOURISH WAY BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- SubdivisionBALANGARA WAY BELLBIRD 2325Determined
October 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure32 CROSSING STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure7 PILLAR STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Subdivision50 TENNANT STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure30 KALINGO STREET BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure22 BIRMINGHAM CIRCUIT BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure31 BEAUFORT AVENUE BELLBIRD 2325Determined
September 2025
- SubdivisionBALANGARA WAY BELLBIRD 2325Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 BRANDY WAY BELLBIRD 2325Determined
August 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home10 MAJESTY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Withdrawn
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Exhibition home8 MAJESTY STREET BELLBIRD 2325Withdrawn
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
30 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Atkinson St before Bird StBus stop
- Atkinson St opp Bird StBus stop
- Bellbird Hotel, Wollombi RdBus stop
- Bellbird Public School, Doyle StBus stop
- Carmichael Park, Sparke StBus stop
- Doyle St before Wollombi RdBus stop
- Doyle St opp Atkinson StBus stop
- Doyle St opp Kearsley StBus stop
- Doyle St opp Sparke StBus stop
- Edden St at Charlton 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
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bellbird Miners Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Bellbird Pre Schoolkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 6
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- 41.6/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 45% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 3019th in Australia
- State rank
- 955th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #54 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #285 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 85%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Atkinson St before Bird Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Atkinson St opp Bird Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Bellbird Hotelamenitiesplayground
- Bellbird Hotelamenitiespub
- Bellbird Hotel, Wollombi Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Bellbird Public School, Doyle Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Carmichael Park, Sparke Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Doyle St before Wollombi Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Doyle St opp Atkinson Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Doyle St opp Kearsley Stamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Cessnock Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.