NSW · Cessnock Council
Brunkerville, 2323
Current weather
17.2°CClear sky
60% humidity · 13.6 km/h wind · 21.3° / 14.6° today · 4.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Brunkerville offers a slower smaller community life in Cessnock, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker growth momentum and safety against similar regional towns, even with community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 216
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $2,250
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 76
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 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)
- $470
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $630
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $590
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 185
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)
- 24
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 11
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 111.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 36 residents
- State safety percentile
- 78.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +14.6%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment254
- Malicious Damage To Property260
- Steal From Motor Vehicle212
- Steal From Retail Store289
- Transport Regulatory Offences250
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
6 public transport stops in this suburb
- Leggetts Dr At Gills Lane
- Leggetts Dr At Lieberts Lane
- Leggetts Dr At Lieberts Lane
- Uniting Church Brunkerville, Leggetts Dr
- Uniting Church Brunkerville, Leggetts 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).
13 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Garage, carport or carparking space; Shipping containers; Animal boarding or training establishment118 LEIBERTS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Under Assessment
2025· 4 proposals
October 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1292 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
April 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool1411 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Minor building alterations (internal)187 GILLS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Withdrawn
March 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1292 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
2024· 1 proposal
March 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1356 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
2023· 3 proposals
July 2023
- Shed1395 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
- Shed60 GILLS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
April 2023
- Shed60 GILLS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
2022· 3 proposals
November 2022
- Shed41 GILLS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
October 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces25 GILLS LANE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
January 2022
- Farm buildings46 Q10 Lane Brunkerville NSW 2323Determined
2021· 1 proposal
October 2021
- Subdivision of land1438 LEGGETTS DRIVE BRUNKERVILLE 2323Determined
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
5 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Convenience store
- Petrol station
- Picnic Table (2)
- Waste Basket
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- 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)
- 3
- 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
- 19.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6605th in Australia
- State rank
- 2060th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #549 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #994 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
- Convenience storeamenitiesconvenience
- Petrol stationamenitiesfuel
- Picnic Tableamenitiespicnic_table
- Picnic Tableamenitiespicnic_table
- Waste Basketamenitieswaste_basket
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime254
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime260
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime212
- Steal From Retail Storecrime289
- Transport Regulatory Offencescrime250
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 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.