NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Bonnells Bay, 2264
Current weather
17.1°CClear sky
61% humidity · 14 km/h wind · 21.2° / 14.1° today · 4.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Bonnells Bay is a practical mid-sized suburb in Lake Macquarie, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. 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. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment.
Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker schools and education and housing affordability against similar metro suburbs, even with growth momentum and safety holding up better.
Population
- Population
- 4,066
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $1,460
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 144 of 1,691
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,820
- Employment rate
- 51.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 135 / 78 / 13
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)
- $628
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 99
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)
- 343
- Against the person
- 88
- Against property
- 130
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 84.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 46 residents
- State safety percentile
- 59.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -12.9%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault97
- Fraud105
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment115
- Malicious Damage To Property97
- Transport Regulatory Offences251
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
- 925
- Bonnells Bay 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
62 public transport stops in this suburb
- Baldwin Bvd At Fishery Point Rd
- Mather Dr At Regent St
- Mather Dr Opp Waikiki Rd
- Station St Opp Harbord St
- Victoria St At Station 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).
155 planning-related records
2026· 13 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 MARINA ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport3 CROWN CLOSE BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
April 2026
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure69 STATION STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 KONA CRESCENT BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure513 FISHERY POINT ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure30 ST CLAIR STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure60-62 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure47 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure130 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
January 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure365 FISHERY POINT ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Driveways and hard stand spaces35 MACQUARIE STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure58 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
2025· 24 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 ALOHA CLOSE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
November 2025
- Dual occupancy; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation9 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
October 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool11 REGENT STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)82 STATION STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
September 2025
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)21 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure34A DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool147 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure119 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 MARINA ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 ARGYLE STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
June 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure57 DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house38 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport22 WAIKIKI ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool17 VICTORIA STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
April 2025
- Demolition25 HARBORD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure92 REGENT STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space4 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool29 STAN CRESCENT BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
February 2025
- Demolition; Residential Accommodation13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers47 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure130 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah36 DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
2024· 3 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah112 HARBORD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation147 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
November 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)39 dalley street bonnells bayDetermined
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
33 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bonnells Bay Shopping Cntr, Fishery Point RdBus stop
- Grand Pde at Amos StBus stop
- Grand Pde opp Amos StBus stop
- Mather Dr at Fishery Point RdBus stop
- Mather Dr at Regent StBus stop
- Mather Dr at Waikiki RdBus stop
- Mather Dr opp Waikiki RdBus stop
- Morisset Park Rd after Silky Oak DrBus stop
- Morisset Park Rd opp Bonnells Bay Public SchoolBus stop
- Morris Cres after Nevada ClBus 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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bonnells Bay ParkPark
- Pendlebury ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Doctordoctor
- Pharmacypharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- 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)
- 4
- 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
- 43.9/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 42% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 2785th in Australia
- State rank
- 888th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #272 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #555 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 82%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Australia Postamenities330 Fishery Point Roadpost_office
- Bonnells Bay Shopping Cntr, Fishery Point Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Cafeamenitiescafe
- Colesamenities330 Fishery Point Road, Bonnells Baysupermarket
- Fast foodamenitiesfast_food
- Grand Pde at Amos Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Grand Pde opp Amos Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Gymamenitiesfitness_centre
- Hairdresseramenitieshairdresser
- Mather Dr at Fishery Point Rdamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.