NSW · Lismore Council
Eltham, 2480
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Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Eltham is a quieter smaller community in Lismore, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and safety lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in community and employment and transport and access. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 332
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,978
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 125
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,058
- Employment rate
- 62.6%
- 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)
- $425
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $620
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 252
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)
- 33
- Against the person
- 9
- Against property
- 13
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 99.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 37 residents
- State safety percentile
- 68.8th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -8.1%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions513
- Fraud284
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment361
- Malicious Damage To Property360
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault312
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
- 1,075
- Eltham 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
41 public transport stops in this suburb
- 622 Eltham Rd
- Cowlong Rd After McKenzie Rd
- Cowlong Rd Opp McKenzie Rd
- Johnston Rd At Rainforest Dr
- Pearson Rd At Laureldale 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).
23 planning-related records
2026· 6 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure629 COWLONG ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool64 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
- Entertainment facility; Temporary building, structure or use441 ELTHAM ROAD ELTHAM 2480Under Assessment
- Pub; Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure441 ELTHAM ROAD ELTHAM 2480Under Assessment
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool846 ELTHAM ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool629 COWLONG ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
2025· 2 proposals
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool59 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
January 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool1 MCKENZIE ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
2024· 3 proposals
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport55 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
June 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)756 COWLONG ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
May 2024
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport732 COWLONG ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
2023· 3 proposals
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure44 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
May 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing8 MAYFIELD STREET ELTHAM 2480Determined
April 2023
- Dual occupancy629 COWLONG ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
2022· 6 proposals
December 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development32 ALEXANDER LANE ELTHAM 2480Determined
July 2022
- Shed65 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
- Other441 ELTHAM ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
April 2022
- Dual occupancy; Change of use712 BOATHARBOUR ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
March 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development64 FEDERATION DRIVE ELTHAM 2480Determined
January 2022
- Shed645 ELTHAM ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
2021· 3 proposals
November 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs10 MAYFIELD STREET ELTHAM 2480Determined
October 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing796 BOATHARBOUR ROAD ELTHAM 2480Determined
August 2021
- Shed31 ALEXANDER LANE ELTHAM 2480Determined
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
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Eltham Public SchoolSchool
Eltham
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)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 39.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3643rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1140th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #154 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #375 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 68%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Eltham Public SchoolamenitiesElthamschool
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime513
- Fraudcrime284
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime361
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime360
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime312
- 622 Eltham Rdtransport
- Cowlong Rd After McKenzie Rdtransport
- Cowlong Rd Opp McKenzie Rdtransport
- Johnston Rd At Rainforest Drtransport
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 Lismore Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.