NSW · Tamworth Regional Council
Bendemeer, 2355
Current weather
12.6°CMainly clear
87% humidity · 12.8 km/h wind · 16.1° / 11.2° today · 7.9 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Tamworth Regional, Bendemeer keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible.
Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability the main drags compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 486
- Median age
- 52
- Median household income / week
- $1,021
- Dwelling vacancy
- 23.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 58 of 250
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,083
- Employment rate
- 47.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 23 / 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 26
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 15
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 53.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 122 residents
- State safety percentile
- 30.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +37.2%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Non-Dwelling4
- Fraud3
- Malicious Damage To Property3
- Other Offences5
- Stock Theft3
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
- 920
- Bendemeer 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
26 public transport stops in this suburb
- Caroline St After Henry St
- Havanah St After Memorial Dr
- Havannah St After Caroline St
- New England Hwy Opp Caroline St
- New England Hwy Opp Home 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).
27 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)103 CAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing73-85 FREDERICK STREET BENDEMEER 2355Under Assessment
2025· 1 proposal
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Rainwater tanks; Manufactured home41 BRIDEB ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
2024· 7 proposals
November 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)103 CAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Camping groundCAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
June 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation area112-130 CAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
May 2024
- Subdivision71 FREDERICK STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation5077 HALLS CREEK ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Withdrawn
April 2024
- Subdivision36 CAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
January 2024
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)262 GUNNALONG ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
2023· 4 proposals
September 2023
- SubdivisionGARDINERS ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
April 2023
- Waste and resource management facilities3 SOPHIE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
February 2023
- Recreational Uses203 BENDEMEER STATION ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Withdrawn
January 2023
- Other12 CHARLES STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
2022· 8 proposals
October 2022
- Dwelling48 CAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- Dwelling; Demolition12 CHARLES STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling; Demolition3299 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY BENDEMEER 2355Determined
August 2022
- SignageNEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY BENDEMEER 2355Determined
June 2022
- Dwelling18 AIRLIE STOCK ROUTE ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- Recreational UsesAIRLIE STOCK ROUTE ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
March 2022
- OtherCAROLINE STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling336 HALLS CREEK ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
2021· 5 proposals
October 2021
- Dwelling15 SUWARROW STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
September 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development3305 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- Dwelling; Demolition159 JALNA ROAD BENDEMEER 2355Determined
July 2021
- Shed72 FREDERICK STREET BENDEMEER 2355Determined
- DemolitionRetreat Road (bridge)over MacDonald River, RetreatDetermined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Cockburn ParkPark
- War Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- 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
- Bendemeer Preschoolkindergarten
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)
- 2
- 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
- 17.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6732nd in Australia
- State rank
- 2091st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #568 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #1017 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
- Break And Enter Non-Dwellingcrime4
- Fraudcrime3
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime3
- Other Offencescrime5
- Stock Theftcrime3
- Caroline St After Henry Sttransport
- Havanah St After Memorial Drtransport
- Havannah St After Caroline Sttransport
- New England Hwy Opp Caroline Sttransport
- New England Hwy Opp Home Sttransport
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)
More in Tamworth Regional Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.