NSW · Cessnock Council
Black Hill, 2322
Current weather
17.5°CClear sky
65% humidity · 12.2 km/h wind · 21.9° / 12.6° today · 2.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Black Hill is a well-connected smaller community in Cessnock with everyday amenities close at hand. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday errands and local outings are straightforward, with the wider metro area adding variety. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability against similar metro suburbs, even with community and employment and growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 516
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $2,980
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 16 of 172
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,665
- Employment rate
- 61.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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)
- $575
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $670
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $660
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 245
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)
- 46
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 17
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 89.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 40 residents
- State safety percentile
- 62.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +4.8%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault181
- Fraud177
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment235
- Malicious Damage To Property172
- Transport Regulatory Offences284
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
- 982
- Black Hill 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
32 public transport stops in this suburb
- John Renshaw Dr At Black Hill Rd
- John Renshaw Dr At Black Hill Rd
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Black Hill Rd
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Kinta Dr
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Kinta Dr
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).
91 planning-related records
2026· 13 proposals
May 2026
- Signage; Advertising and signage1 IMPERIAL AVENUE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 PEACH ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
- Industrial development; Subdivision; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure20 VINEY CREEK DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
April 2026
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry26 VINEY CREEK DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry19 IMPERIAL AVENUE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
- Subdivision198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
March 2026
- Temporary building, structure or use; Waste or resource management facility220 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Extractive Industries (non-mining)220 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure5 CAHILL CLOSE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
February 2026
- Temporary building, structure or use; Waste or resource management facility220 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Withdrawn
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development27 IMPERIAL AVENUE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
January 2026
- Industrial development; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; General industry22 IMPERIAL AVENUE BLACK HILL 2322Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure167 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Withdrawn
2025· 15 proposals
October 2025
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure8 VINEY CREEK DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure298 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 PEACH ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool28 PHOENIX ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Light industry198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure24 PHOENIX ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
July 2025
- Subdivision11 Peach Road Black Hill NSW 2322Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure24 PHOENIX ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
April 2025
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport12 WALTER PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
March 2025
- Industrial development; Subdivision; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support25A FORSYTHE PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
February 2025
- Subdivision220 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 WALTER PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure24 WALTER PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
2024· 12 proposals
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Light industry198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure19 FORSYTHE PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
September 2024
- Subdivision238 MEREDITH ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool19 FORSYTHE PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 CAHILL CLOSE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 WALTER PARADE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Industrial development; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
July 2024
- Demolition298 BLACK HILL ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation24 PHOENIX ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure14 PHOENIX ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
April 2024
- Industrial development; Subdivision198 LENAGHANS DRIVE BLACK HILL 2322Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationTAYLORS ROAD BLACK HILL 2322Determined
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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)
- 35
- 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
- 27.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5569th in Australia
- State rank
- 1743rd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #111 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #798 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
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 Assaultcrime181
- Fraudcrime177
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime235
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime172
- Transport Regulatory Offencescrime284
- John Renshaw Dr At Black Hill Rdtransport
- John Renshaw Dr At Black Hill Rdtransport
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Black Hill Rdtransport
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Kinta Drtransport
- John Renshaw Dr Opp Kinta Drtransport
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 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.