NSW · Hornsby Council
Galston, 2159
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
49% humidity · 18.7 km/h wind · 21.2° / 12.5° today · 3.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Excellent transport
Suburb profile
Galston is a well-connected mid-sized suburb in Hornsby with everyday amenities close at hand. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. 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. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by community and employment and parks and green space, while local dining and lifestyle amenities sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 3,195
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $2,295
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 56 of 1,126
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 56.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 91 / 72 / 93
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)
- $880
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)
- 52
- Against the person
- 16
- Against property
- 31
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 16.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 200 residents
- State safety percentile
- 1.1th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -30.5%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Arson9
- Fraud10
- Malicious Damage To Property9
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault7
- Sexual Assault7
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
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,043
- Galston High SchoolSecondary
- Galston 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
67 public transport stops in this suburb
- Arcadia Rd Opp 60
- Galston High School, Galston Rd
- Galston High School, Galston Rd
- Galston High School, Galston Rd
- Galston Rd Opp Calderwood 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).
179 planning-related records
2026· 14 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16A MID DURAL ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Multi-dwelling housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure330-334 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Under Assessment
May 2026
- Subdivision9-11 HALLS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Independent living units; Erection of a new structure392 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 MEGAN ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Tennis courts330-334 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
March 2026
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support8-10 CROSSLANDS ROAD GALSTON 2159Under Assessment
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation16 FISHBURNS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
February 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation14 CALDERWOOD ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 CHADD STREET GALSTON 2159Deferred Commencement
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16A MID DURAL ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development32 HANSEN AVENUE GALSTON 2159Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool12 KARALEE ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure83 CROSSLANDS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
2025· 15 proposals
November 2025
- Seniors housing; Independent living units; Erection of a new structure330-334 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 GRIFFITH CLOSE GALSTON 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation2 MARTIN ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Subdivision335 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Withdrawn
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation46 NANCY PLACE GALSTON 2159Determined
August 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure5 THOMAS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool282 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation16 FISHBURNS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; 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 Australia4 MEGAN ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure47 CROSSLANDS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure323 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure73 CROSSLANDS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision311-313 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Deferred Commencement
- Subdivision27 HANSEN AVENUE GALSTON 2159Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Air-conditioning units; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Clothes hoists and clothes lines; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Hot water systems; Pathways and paving; Rainwater tanks; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development53 KNIGHTS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
2024· 11 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure46 NANCY PLACE GALSTON 2159Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure73 CROSSLANDS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 MEGAN ROAD GALSTON 2159Withdrawn
October 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation311-313 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation77 KNIGHTS ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
September 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal)44 KNIGHTS ROAD GALSTON 2159Operational consent issued
- Secondary dwelling; Temporary building, structure or use9 KNIGHTS ROAD GALSTON 2159Deferred Commencement
August 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Recreation facility (indoor)11 MID DURAL ROAD GALSTON 2159Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 MANSFIELD ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation395 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
July 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Agriculture373-375 GALSTON ROAD GALSTON 2159Determined
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
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Swimming pool (6)
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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Fagan ParkPark
- Galston Recreation ReservePark
- Hayes ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 5
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Galston Child and Family Health CentreArcadia Roadnurse
- Galston Family Practicedoctor
- Galston Health and Chiropracticalternative
- Galston HealthSense Pharmacypharmacy
- Winning Smilesdentist
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
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
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Pipe Organ from Bourke Street Congregational Church (former)11 School Road, GalstonSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 29
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
- 60.3/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 14% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 822nd in Australia
- State rank
- 282nd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #10 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #199 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 82%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Arsoncrime9
- Fraudcrime10
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime9
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime7
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 Hornsby Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.