NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Carey Bay, 2283
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
67% humidity · 13.5 km/h wind · 20.8° / 13.8° today · 3.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Lake Macquarie, Carey Bay is a settled smaller community with a familiar suburban feel and good links to the wider city. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here.
Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access the main drags compared with similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 865
- Median age
- 54
- Median household income / week
- $1,266
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 31 of 425
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,950
- Employment rate
- 44.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 25 / 62 / 39
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)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 89
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)
- 72
- Against the person
- 20
- Against property
- 19
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 83.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 43 residents
- State safety percentile
- 58.1th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -1.1%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions387
- Domestic Violence Related Assault156
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment194
- Malicious Damage To Property138
- Transport Regulatory Offences278
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
15 public transport stops in this suburb
- Ambrose St After Excelsior Pde
- Ambrose St Before Excelsior Pde
- Excelsior Pde At Exeter St
- Excelsior Pde At Laycock St
- Exeter St After Excelsior Pde
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).
53 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Carport36 HAMPTON STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
April 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Jetty7 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool93 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Shed; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development77 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Under Assessment
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 LAYCOCK STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
2025· 7 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure24 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure13 THE QUARTERDECK CAREY BAY 2283Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
October 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 AMBROSE STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures)8 AMELIA STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Jetty7 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
2024· 7 proposals
November 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure44 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure37 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
October 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 LAYCOCK STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support35 JABIRU STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure27 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
2023· 7 proposals
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure71 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
September 2023
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs6 EXETER STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Dual occupancy; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Subdivision of land; Earthworks / change in levels37 JABIRU STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
July 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Retaining walls, protection of trees29 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
June 2023
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development10 AMELIA STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
May 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition99 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
April 2023
- Demolition73 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Withdrawn
2022· 14 proposals
December 2022
- Dwelling73 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
November 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development83 Excelsior Parade, CAREY BAY NSW 2283Determined
October 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development34 AMBROSE STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
September 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development7 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
August 2022
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spaces35 JABIRU STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
June 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development8 AMBROSE STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Alterations and additions to commercial development; Centre based childcare1 17 LAYCOCK STREET CAREY BAY 2283Withdrawn
April 2022
- Dwelling30 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development25 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces7 EXCELSIOR PARADE CAREY BAY 2283Determined
March 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development83 Excelsior Parade, CAREY BAY NSW 2283Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development50 AMELIA STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces27 AMBROSE STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
- Centre based childcare1 17 LAYCOCK STREET CAREY BAY 2283Determined
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
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Ambrose St before Excelsior PdeBus stop
- Amelia St before Whitelocke StBus stop
- Excelsior Pde at Laycock StBus stop
- Exeter St after Excelsior PdeBus 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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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)
- 6
- 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
- 26.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5832nd in Australia
- State rank
- 1824th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #121 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #819 among Metro Sydney 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
- Ambrose St before Excelsior Pdeamenitiesbus_stop
- Amelia St before Whitelocke Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Excelsior Pde at Laycock Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Exeter St after Excelsior Pdeamenitiesbus_stop
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime387
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime156
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime194
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime138
- Transport Regulatory Offencescrime278
- Ambrose St After Excelsior Pdetransport
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)
- 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.