NSW · Dungog Council
Bendolba, 2420
Current weather
15.2°CClear sky
72% humidity · 4.9 km/h wind · 22.3° / 8.6° today · 0.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Dungog, Bendolba keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Families and commuters make up much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood.
Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods. Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 253
- Median age
- 37
- Median household income / week
- $1,625
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 8 of 95
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,896
- Employment rate
- 57.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 10 / 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)
- $490
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)
- 11
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 43.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 63 residents
- State safety percentile
- 19.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +10.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault17
- Fraud15
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment19
- Malicious Damage To Property16
- Steal From Retail Store12
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
24 public transport stops in this suburb
- 102 Salisbury Rd
- 18 Salisbury Rd
- 664 Chichester Dam Rd
- 764 Chichester Dam Rd
- Chichester Dam Rd Opp Dungog High School
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).
19 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
March 2026
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)25A HILLVIEW AVENUE BENDOLBA 2420Determined
January 2026
- Farm buildings; Subdivision; Erection of a new structureCHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
2025· 3 proposals
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1065 Chichester Road Bendolba NSW 2420Determined
April 2025
- Subdivision25 HILLVIEW AVENUE BENDOLBA 2420Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure13 COMMON ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
2024· 4 proposals
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure942 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
June 2024
- Farm buildings; Subdivision; Erection of a new structureCHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool27 Hillview Avenue Bendolba NSW 2420Determined
March 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool30 SALISBURY ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
2023· 1 proposal
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure942 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
2022· 7 proposals
November 2022
- Dwelling; Change of use315 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
October 2022
- Shed9-11 COMMON ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
- Subdivision of land315 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
June 2022
- Demolition; Garages, carports and car parking spaces33 SALISBURY ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
April 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces2 HILLVIEW AVENUE BENDOLBA 2420Determined
March 2022
- Demolition; Garages, carports and car parking spaces33 SALISBURY ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
February 2022
- Farm buildings664 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
2021· 2 proposals
July 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development126 SALISBURY ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
March 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing; Other781 CHICHESTER DAM ROAD BENDOLBA 2420Determined
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bandon Grove ReservePark
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
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)
- 9
- 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
- 33.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4634th in Australia
- State rank
- 1481st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #232 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #596 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
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime17
- Fraudcrime15
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime19
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime16
- Steal From Retail Storecrime12
- 102 Salisbury Rdtransport
- 18 Salisbury Rdtransport
- 664 Chichester Dam Rdtransport
- 764 Chichester Dam Rdtransport
- Chichester Dam Rd Opp Dungog High Schooltransport
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 Dungog Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.