NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Dora Creek, 2264
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
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Dora Creek is a well-connected smaller community in Lake Macquarie with everyday amenities close at hand. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime.
Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in growth momentum and parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,739
- Median age
- 51
- Median household income / week
- $1,401
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 96 of 791
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,744
- Employment rate
- 48%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 58 / 3 / 15
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)
- 147
- Against the person
- 37
- Against property
- 55
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 84.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 47 residents
- State safety percentile
- 59.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -12.8%
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
- 939
- Dora Creek 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
34 public transport stops in this suburb
- CCP Main Rd
- Dora Creek Station
- Dora Creek Station, Platform 1
- Dora Creek Station, Platform 2
- STR To P1
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).
205 planning-related records
2026· 28 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure62 DORA STREET DORA CREEK 2264Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure45 NEWPORT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Highway service centre101 HAWKE MOUNT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)123 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
April 2026
- Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Highway service centre101 HAWKE MOUNT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool61 NEWPORT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure74 NEWPORT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)109 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)75 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)105 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Semi-detached dwelling34 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
March 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation42 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Waterway structures - minor alterations21 STINGAREE POINT DRIVE DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)107 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)9 DELHI ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)109 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Withdrawn
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)115 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation36 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure72 BAKER STREET DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)43 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)19 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)9 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Attached dwelling; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation83 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure48 JONES ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)4 DELHI ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)13 COORUMBUNG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 STINGAREE POINT DRIVE DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Subdivision107 NEWPORT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Additional Information Requested
2025· 12 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure49 DORA STREET DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure80 KALANG ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Take-away food and drink premises101 HAWKE MOUNT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation90 NEWPORT ROAD DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure98 DORA STREET DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation42 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision21 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Subdivision15 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Subdivision35 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure50 DORA STREET DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Subdivision17 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation13 BRIGHT CIRCUIT DORA CREEK 2264Determined
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
19 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Alcohol
- Dora Creek Station, Macquarie StBus stop
- Dora Pl at Walmsley StBus stop
- Douglass St at Wangi RdBus stop
- Main Rd opp Stingaree Point DrBus stop
- Newport Rd opp Gradwells RdBus stop
- Newport Rd opp Kalang RdBus stop
- Walmsley St at Newport RdBus stop
- Wamsley St before Dora StBus stop
- Playground
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
- Douglas Street OvalPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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)
- 21
- 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
- 31.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5118th in Australia
- State rank
- 1620th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #96 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #770 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
- Alcoholamenitiesalcohol
- Australia Postamenitiespost_office
- Dora Creekamenitiestrain_station
- Dora Creek Station, Macquarie Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Dora Creek, Platform 1amenitiestrain_station
- Dora Creek, Platform 2amenitiestrain_station
- Dora Pl at Walmsley Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Douglass St at Wangi Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Main Rd opp Stingaree Point Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Newport Rd opp Gradwells 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.