NSW · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Herons Creek, 2439
Current weather
18.6°CClear sky
79% humidity · 11 km/h wind · 23.1° / 14.3° today · 0.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Port Macquarie-Hastings, Herons Creek keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Reasonable public transport access helps with commuting and getting around locally.
Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience. Light infill development is updating a few streets while the wider area stays largely unchanged.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 246
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $1,266
- Dwelling vacancy
- 13.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 101
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,473
- Employment rate
- 54.1%
- 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 11
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 44.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 82 residents
- State safety percentile
- 20.7th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions12
- Fraud11
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment31
- Malicious Damage To Property25
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offences10
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
- 919
- Herons Creek 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
13 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bago Rd At Little Bago Lane
- Bago Rd Opp Little Bago Lane
- Herons Creek Rd At Pacific Hwy
- Kew Kendall Sewerage Plant, Pacific Hwy
- Pacific Hwy At Miles Dr
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).
19 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining); Environmental protection works; Other Infrastructure31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Under Assessment
February 2026
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Supporting Development438 BLACKBUTT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Withdrawn
2025· 3 proposals
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation129 CLULEYS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
May 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry359 HERONS CREEK ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Withdrawn
January 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Extractive Industries (non-mining)31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Withdrawn
2024· 4 proposals
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Rural industry; Sawmill or log processing works167 MILES DRIVE HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
May 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Withdrawn
March 2024
- Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure127 CLULEYS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
January 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Residential Accommodation23 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
2023· 5 proposals
December 2023
- Restaurant or cafe; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Food and drink premise197 LAMBS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
November 2023
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Vehicle Sales or Hire Premises359 HERONS CREEK ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Rural worker's dwelling58 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
September 2023
- Other31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
August 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use23 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
2022· 3 proposals
October 2022
- Signage5499 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling122 BLACKBUTT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
July 2022
- Dwelling; Shed142 RON BANKS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Signage31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
October 2021
- Other; Change of use142 OLD SCHOOL ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
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
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
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
- 21.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6433rd in Australia
- State rank
- 2008th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #529 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #961 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
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime12
- Fraudcrime11
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime31
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime25
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offencescrime10
- Bago Rd At Little Bago Lanetransport
- Bago Rd Opp Little Bago Lanetransport
- Herons Creek Rd At Pacific Hwytransport
- Kew Kendall Sewerage Plant, Pacific Hwytransport
- Pacific Hwy At Miles 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)
More in Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.