NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Holmesville, 2286
Current weather
16.9°CClear sky
67% humidity · 13.5 km/h wind · 20.8° / 13.8° today · 3.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Holmesville is a practical smaller community in Lake Macquarie, 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 plenty of young families in the mix.
Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible.
Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. 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 transport and access against similar metro suburbs, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,413
- Median age
- 38
- Median household income / week
- $1,884
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 21 of 513
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 59.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 39 / 0 / 3
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)
- $693
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)
- 67
- Against the person
- 26
- Against property
- 30
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 47.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 54 residents
- State safety percentile
- 24.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -2.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault17
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment36
- Malicious Damage To Property25
- Motor Vehicle Theft16
- Steal From Motor Vehicle20
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
35 public transport stops in this suburb
- Elizabeth St At Appletree Rd
- Elizabeth St At Charlotte St
- Elizabeth St Opp Buni St
- George St Before Charlotte St
- Mary St After Earl 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).
82 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)47 ST HELEN STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Additional Information Requested
- Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure32 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 MARGARET STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport28 GEORGE STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
February 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space3 GEORGE STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
2025· 15 proposals
December 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation8 BUNI STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Subdivision11 WILLIAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
November 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure74 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure40 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Under Assessment
October 2025
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)45 APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Withdrawn
- Shed; Erection of a new structure66 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation4A SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
June 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure18 EARL STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool10 PRIVATE LANE HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
March 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house7A MARGARET STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Supporting Development33 APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure49 APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Subdivision93 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
January 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)3 GEORGE STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Withdrawn
2024· 14 proposals
December 2024
- Subdivision103 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space13 EARL STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure7A MARGARET STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 GOVERNMENT ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 GOVERNMENT ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure22 BUNI STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure49 APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
April 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space1C SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure63A APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
March 2024
- Subdivision21 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Withdrawn
- 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 Australia; Access ramp29 ST HELEN STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
February 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport31 EARL STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space1 TANUNDA CLOSE HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
January 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space19C SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
2023· 6 proposals
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Residential Accommodation37 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure49 APPLETREE ROAD HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport4 BUNI STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 MARGARET STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Retaining walls, protection of trees; Garages, carports and car parking spaces38 WILLIAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
July 2023
- Shed33 SEAHAM STREET HOLMESVILLE 2286Determined
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
24 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- Appetree Rd opp St Helent StBus stop
- Appletree Rd after Seaham StBus stop
- Appletree Rd at William StBus stop
- Appletree Rd before Seaham StBus stop
- Appletree Rd opp William StBus stop
- Elizabeth St at Appletree RdBus stop
- Elizabeth St at Buni StBus stop
- Elizabeth St at Charlotte StBus stop
- Elizabeth St before Appletree RdBus stop
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
- Centennial ParkPark
- Estellville ParkPark
- Joseph Holmes Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 38.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3795th in Australia
- State rank
- 1193rd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #323 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #660 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
- Appetree Rd opp St Helent Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Appletree Rd after Seaham Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Appletree Rd at William Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Appletree Rd before Seaham Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Appletree Rd opp William Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Elizabeth St at Appletree Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Elizabeth St at Buni Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Elizabeth St at Charlotte Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Elizabeth St before Appletree Rdamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.