NSW · Byron Council
Federal, 2480
Current weather
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Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Byron, Federal keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with plenty of young families in the mix. 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. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with transport and access and community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 784
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,910
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 29 of 301
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,253
- Employment rate
- 55.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 22 / 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)
- 79
- Against the person
- 21
- Against property
- 30
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 100.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 37 residents
- State safety percentile
- 70.9th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -7.9%
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
Public transport
56 public transport stops in this suburb
- 331 Binna Burra Rd
- Binna Burra Rd After O'Meara's Bridge
- Binna Burra Rd At Waltons Rd
- Binna Burra Rd Opp 331
- Federal Dr At Kings 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).
88 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
February 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure441 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
2025· 12 proposals
November 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool8 COACHWOOD COURT FEDERAL 2480Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure439 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 ROSES ROAD FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation2 COOINDA PLACE FEDERAL 2480Determined
July 2025
- Subdivision189 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure55 ROSEWOOD ROAD FEDERAL 2480Operational consent requested
June 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Information and education facility212 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Deferred Commencement
May 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Residential Accommodation9 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
April 2025
- Subdivision189 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation9 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
January 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation28 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Deferred Commencement
- Subdivision403 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
2024· 10 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Rainwater tanks107 RISLEYS HILL ROAD FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
September 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure441 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure451 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure93 BATES ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation67 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
May 2024
- Office Premise; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Rural industry736 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Swimming pool16 CALLISTEMON DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure22 CALLISTEMON DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Residential Accommodation711 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
February 2024
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
2023· 13 proposals
December 2023
- Dual occupancy; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation541 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport93 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
October 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home356 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
September 2023
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)65 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support65 BOUGAINVILLEA DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure22 CALLISTEMON DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
August 2023
- Earthworks / change in levels; Other189 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
July 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing111 COORABELL ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
June 2023
- Dual occupancy356 KINGS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
March 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development451 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing748 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Determined
February 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development146 WALTONS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
January 2023
- Other736 FEDERAL DRIVE FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
2022· 3 proposals
November 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development18 TEAK ROAD FEDERAL 2480Determined
October 2022
- Dual occupancy185 WALTONS ROAD FEDERAL 2480Operational consent issued
July 2022
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Other23 CALLISTEMON DRIVE FEDERAL 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
8 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Federal Dr after Binna Burra RdBus stop
- Federal Dr before Binna Burra RdBus stop
- Doma CafeCafe
- Federal General StoreConvenience store
- Place of worship
- Playground
- Sports field
- Tennis CourtSports field
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
- Federal ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- 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
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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 35.8/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4241st in Australia
- State rank
- 1344th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #225 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #504 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
- Doma Cafeamenitiescafe
- Federal Dr after Binna Burra Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Federal Dr before Binna Burra Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Federal General Storeamenitiesconvenience
- Place of worshipamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Tennis Courtamenitiespitch
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime513
- Fraudcrime284
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Byron Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.