NSW · Wollongong Council
Haywards Bay, 2530
Current weather
13.5°CClear sky
66% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 20.2° / 9° today · 2.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Haywards Bay is a practical smaller community in Wollongong, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, 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. 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.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because transport and access and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in community and employment and housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,280
- Median age
- 38
- Median household income / week
- $2,308
- Dwelling vacancy
- 2.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 10 of 429
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,383
- Employment rate
- 64.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 18 / 4 / 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)
- $500
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $730
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $700
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 156
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)
- 69
- Against the person
- 19
- Against property
- 27
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 53.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 67 residents
- State safety percentile
- 31th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +6.4%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order123
- Domestic Violence Related Assault129
- Fraud127
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment174
- Malicious Damage To Property153
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
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Hayward Bay Dr After Wollingurry St
- Hayward Bay Dr After Wollingurry St
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).
37 planning-related records
2025· 6 proposals
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool27 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool13 ATHANLIN AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Electricity generating facility (non-solar or wind); Electricity generating facility (solar and wind)2 MACQUARIE PLACE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool9 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool17 RIVERSIDE CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
January 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool3 FARMHOUSE LANE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
2024· 5 proposals
November 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure49 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool7 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
September 2024
- Home business; Home occupation; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia15 EASTPOINT AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah6B CREOLE PLACE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
April 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure45 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
2023· 6 proposals
November 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house4 JOHNSTON AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
September 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing1 TALLAWARRA CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
July 2023
- Change of use16 BAYVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
March 2023
- Food and drink premises; Take-away food and drink premises6 MACQUARIE PLACE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs21 JOHNSTON AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
February 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing102 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
2022· 8 proposals
November 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing10 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
October 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing13 WOLLINGURRY STREET HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing10 TALLAWARRA CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
July 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing42 GERONGAR CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development2 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
April 2022
- Other18 MACQUARIE PLACE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
March 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing96 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing15 PENINSULA AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
2021· 8 proposals
November 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing19 BAYVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
October 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing18 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing94 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
June 2021
- Signage; Other18 MACQUARIE PLACE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
April 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs72 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development181 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Withdrawn
March 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing8 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
February 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing72 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
2020· 4 proposals
October 2020
- Pools / decks / fencing19 DELTAVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
September 2020
- Alterations and additions to residential development17 GERONGAR CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing6 WATERVIEW AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
August 2020
- Pools / decks / fencing31 PENINSULA AVENUE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Determined
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
- Playground
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)
- 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
- 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)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- 33.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4769th in Australia
- State rank
- 1530th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #366 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #752 among Metro Sydney 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
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime123
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime129
- Fraudcrime127
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime174
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime153
- Hayward Bay Dr After Wollingurry Sttransport
- Hayward Bay Dr After Wollingurry Sttransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning181 HAYWARDS BAY DRIVE HAYWARDS BAY 2530Lodged 20 Apr 2021 · Withdrawn
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning17 GERONGAR CRESCENT HAYWARDS BAY 2530Lodged 22 Sep 2020 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- 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 Wollongong Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.