NSW · Council TBC
Hawks Nest
Current weather
16.6°CClear sky
67% humidity · 0.4 km/h wind · 23.5° / 11.6° today · 1.6 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Hawks Nest wears its coastal identity openly, a smaller community built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. Coastal living here comes with genuine distance from the capital, a self-contained pace with the sea at its heart. Sea breezes and coastal air are part of everyday life, especially on warmer evenings.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience. 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 housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar coastal suburbs, even with safety and growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,413
- Median age
- 61
- Median household income / week
- $1,096
- Dwelling vacancy
- 54.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 728 of 1,339
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 35.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 43 / 105 / 44
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.
Public transport
33 public transport stops in this suburb
- Albatross Av At Kurrawong Av
- Booner St At Tuloa Av
- Karthena Cres At Albatross Av
- Mermaid Av At Dolphin Av
- Muneela Av At Carramar Cres
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).
202 planning-related records
2026· 11 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation4 MARGARET STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Under Assessment
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 MOOLA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Additional Information Requested
- SubdivisionEAGLE AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324On Exhibition
May 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 MIRREEN STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure22 COOLOON STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 KURRAWONG AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation40 ALBATROSS AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Under Assessment
March 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Caravan park341 MUNGO BRUSH ROAD HAWKS NEST 2324Under Assessment
February 2026
- SubdivisionEAGLE AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Shop top housing; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure51 BOONER STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Under Assessment
January 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Caravan park341 MUNGO BRUSH ROAD HAWKS NEST 2324Under Assessment
2025· 29 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah50 MERMAID AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation4 BENNETT STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
October 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 ELOUERA CLOSE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure19 THE BOULEVARDE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation15 MARGARET STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support6 KURURMA CRESCENT HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure26 DOLPHIN AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
September 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space15 MIRREEN STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure43 YAMBA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Camping ground341 MUNGO BRUSH ROAD HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
July 2025
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation4 KIKARRA CRESCENT HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure23 IBIS AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Subdivision21 COORILLA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Demolition25 BOONER STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Demolition27-31 BOONER STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
June 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia36 KURRAWONG AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure19 BINDA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation46 YAMBA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 GEMALLA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 GUYA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure18 YAMBA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
April 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Carport37 BINDA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure19 BINDA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- SubdivisionEAGLE AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah28 MOIRA PARADE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure26 DOLPHIN AVENUE HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah28 MOIRA PARADE HAWKS NEST 2324Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure15 YAMBA STREET HAWKS NEST 2324Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Caravan park288 MUNGO BRUSH ROAD HAWKS NEST 2324Withdrawn
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
Parks & reserves
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bennets BeachPark
- Jean Shaw Koala ReserveNature reserve
- Providence Bay ParkPark
- Winda Woppa ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Myall PharmacyYamba Streetpharmacy
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)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
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)
- 6
- 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
- 32.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4826th in Australia
- State rank
- 1543rd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #80 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #149 among Coastal & beach 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
- Albatross Av At Kurrawong Avtransport
- Booner St At Tuloa Avtransport
- Karthena Cres At Albatross Avtransport
- Mermaid Av At Dolphin Avtransport
- Muneela Av At Carramar Crestransport
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Myall PharmacyhealthYamba Streetpharmacy
- Bennets Beachgovernmentpark
- Jean Shaw Koala Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Providence Bay Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- 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)
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.