NSW · Port Stephens Council
Duns Creek, 2321
Current weather
17.6°CClear sky
61% humidity · 14.4 km/h wind · 21.9° / 12.6° today · 2.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Duns Creek offers a slower smaller community life in Port Stephens, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
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 parks and green space against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Well connected by public transport — 37 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 30/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Transport(1)
1 bus stops
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived from OpenStreetMap & Census) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Public transport
37 public transport stops in this suburb
- Butterwick Rd At Duns Creek Rd
- Duns Creek Rd After Forest Rd
- Duns Creek Rd At Wallaby Cl
- Paterson Rd At Duns Creek Rd
- Paterson Rd Opp Orange Grove Rd
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)
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $520
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $680
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 293
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
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
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 31
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 11
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 53.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 45 residents
- State safety percentile
- 30.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +11%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order76
- Domestic Violence Related Assault132
- Fraud62
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment151
- Malicious Damage To Property99
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 37.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3984th in Australia
- State rank
- 1257th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #186 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #446 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
Population
- Population
- 582
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $2,236
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 7 of 195
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 63.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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.
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
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
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
61 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation124A DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1245 PATERSON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
March 2026
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Hot water systems; Rainwater tanks660 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool163 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Supporting Development494 BUTTERWICK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
2025· 10 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Carport; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences; Letterboxes; Swimming pool8 WOODVILLE STREET DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 FOREST ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureUFFINGTON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Additional Information Requested
October 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure550 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
July 2025
- Farm buildings; Shed; Erection of a new structure20 WALLABY CLOSE DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
May 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure9 WALLABY CLOSE DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool673 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
April 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool641 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
February 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure44 FOREST ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure20 WALLABY CLOSE DUNS CREEK 2321Withdrawn
2024· 10 proposals
December 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure373 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)118 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
October 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool4 UFFINGTON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1245 Paterson Road Duns Creek NSW 2321Determined
- Subdivision25A FOREST ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Withdrawn
September 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool647 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
August 2024
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure611 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
June 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1245 Paterson Road Duns Creek NSW 2321Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)25 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure538 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
2023· 8 proposals
December 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure588 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)1368 PATERSON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool1356 PATERSON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
September 2023
- Dual occupancy; Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed525 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
August 2023
- Farm buildings1245A PATERSON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
April 2023
- Shed118 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling6A FOREST ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
February 2023
- Shed91 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
2022· 7 proposals
November 2022
- Dwelling653 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling6A FOREST ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Withdrawn
- Dwelling1359 PATERSON ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development143 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
June 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing9 REYNOLDS CLOSE DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing44 DUNS CREEK ROAD DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling10 WIVELISCOMBE CLOSE DUNS CREEK 2321Determined
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)
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
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Reduce your speed. Expect delays. Exercise caution. Gravel resheet.Forest Road, Duns Creek Road21 Jun 2026 – 07 Jul 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Recent changes
- Duns Creek Rd at Wallaby Clamenitiesbus_stop
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime76
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime132
- Fraudcrime62
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime151
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime99
- Butterwick Rd At Duns Creek Rdtransport
- Duns Creek Rd After Forest Rdtransport
- Duns Creek Rd At Wallaby Cltransport
- Paterson Rd At Duns Creek Rdtransport
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 Port Stephens Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.