NSW · Port Stephens Council
East Seaham, 2324
Current weather
17.2°CClear sky
63% humidity · 11.3 km/h wind · 22.3° / 12.3° today · 1.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Port Stephens, East Seaham keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime.
Reasonable public transport access helps with commuting and getting around locally. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access 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
- 353
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $2,250
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 121
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 66.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 10 / 3 / 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)
- $498
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $610
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $578
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 194
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)
- 40
- Against the person
- 12
- Against property
- 13
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 113.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 29 residents
- State safety percentile
- 79.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -10.9%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions384
- Domestic Violence Related Assault228
- Fraud159
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment331
- Malicious Damage To Property237
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
10 public transport stops in this suburb
- 445 East Seaham Rd
- 535 Italia Rd
- 655 East Seaham Rd
- East Seaham Rd At Italia Rd
- East Seaham Rd At Newline 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)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
18 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure448A EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Additional Information Requested
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)810 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
2025· 3 proposals
May 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Supporting Development448A EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
- Secondary dwelling; 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; Residential Accommodation606 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure367 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
2024· 2 proposals
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure448 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development4 KILLALOE LANE EAST SEAHAM 2324Withdrawn
2023· 1 proposal
December 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool587 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
2022· 2 proposals
March 2022
- Shed616 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
January 2022
- Shed616 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
2021· 7 proposals
December 2021
- Shed668 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
- Shed1042 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
November 2021
- Dwelling514 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
August 2021
- Shed616 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Withdrawn
July 2021
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces580 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
April 2021
- Shed248 EAST SEAHAM ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
January 2021
- Farm buildings582 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
2020· 1 proposal
July 2020
- Shed343 ITALIA ROAD EAST SEAHAM 2324Determined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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)
- 12
- 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
- 26.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5920th in Australia
- State rank
- 1848th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #308 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #846 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
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime384
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime228
- Fraudcrime159
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime331
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime237
- 445 East Seaham Rdtransport
- 535 Italia Rdtransport
- 655 East Seaham Rdtransport
- East Seaham Rd At Italia Rdtransport
- East Seaham Rd At Newline 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)
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.