NSW · Central Coast (NSW) Council
Blue Bay, 2261
Current weather
16.4°CClear sky
58% humidity · 13.9 km/h wind · 22.1° / 13.7° today · 4.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Blue Bay is a coastal smaller community where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. Sea and sand are the main draw, with neighbouring coastal communities easy to explore on a free afternoon. There is a lightness to the air here, with the coast never far from mind.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, 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 safety holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,060
- Median age
- 52
- Median household income / week
- $1,323
- Dwelling vacancy
- 26.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 172 of 645
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 49.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 59 / 162 / 71
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)
- $520
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $680
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $620
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 368
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)
- 73
- Against the person
- 23
- Against property
- 29
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 68.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 46 residents
- State safety percentile
- 47.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -13.9%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order247
- Breach Bail Conditions456
- Domestic Violence Related Assault295
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment446
- Malicious Damage To Property380
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
14 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bay Rd At Moorah Av
- Bay Rd At Yethonga Av
- Bay Rd Before Boondilla Rd
- Bay Rd Before Ocean Pde
- Boondilla Rd Opp Benelong 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).
89 planning-related records
2026· 8 proposals
June 2026
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure44 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool19 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation14 NARRAWA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Under Assessment
April 2026
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure41 BOOMERANG ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure26 CURRAWONG STREET BLUE BAY 2261Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure120A OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
February 2026
- Subdivision2-12 NARRAWA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Under Assessment
January 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)137 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
2025· 13 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 YETHONGA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
September 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool52 BAY ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure26 CURRAWONG STREET BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure37 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)137 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
July 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation141 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation141 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation41 BOOMERANG ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Withdrawn
May 2025
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure; Multi-dwelling housing (terraces)4 YEDDENBA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation54 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
April 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)61 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Stairway4 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
January 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool11 YETHONGA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
2024· 9 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support8 CURRAWONG STREET BLUE BAY 2261Determined
August 2024
- Dual occupancy; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation17 YEDDENBA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation116 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure54 BAY ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Determined
April 2024
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)114 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Withdrawn
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure102 BAY ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure54 BAY ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
January 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)41 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
2023· 10 proposals
November 2023
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation17 YEDDENBA AVENUE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure141 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling; Dual occupancy47 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure120A OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
October 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure121 BAY ROAD BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)137 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support8 CURRAWONG STREET BLUE BAY 2261Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 WERRINA PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Withdrawn
August 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development1 108 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
- Dual occupancy114 OCEAN PARADE BLUE BAY 2261Determined
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
8 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bay Rd at Moorah AvBus stop
- Bay Rd at Orana AvBus stop
- Bay Rd at Yethonga AvBus stop
- Bay Rd before Boondilla RdBus stop
- Bay Rd before Ocean PdeBus stop
- Bay Rd opp Yethonga AvBus stop
- Boondilla Rd opp Benelong StBus stop
- Swimming pool
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
- The Crescent ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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)
- 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
- 32.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4936th in Australia
- State rank
- 1579th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #85 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #156 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
- Bay Rd at Moorah Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd at Orana Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd at Yethonga Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd before Boondilla Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd before Ocean Pdeamenitiesbus_stop
- Bay Rd opp Yethonga Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Boondilla Rd opp Benelong Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime247
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime456
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Central Coast (NSW) Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.