NSW · Bega Valley Council
Kalaru, 2550
Current weather
15.4°CClear sky
54% humidity · 15.1 km/h wind · 19.2° / 12.2° today · 2.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Kalaru offers a slower smaller community life in Bega Valley, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and schools and education against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and transport and access holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 820
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,458
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 19 of 330
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 59.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 16 / 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.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $410
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $580
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 83
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)
- 38
- Against the person
- 11
- Against property
- 14
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 46.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 75 residents
- State safety percentile
- 23.4th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -9.3%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order61
- Breach Bail Conditions45
- Domestic Violence Related Assault54
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment78
- Malicious Damage To Property93
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
- Bournda Environmental Education CentreCombined
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
Public transport
43 public transport stops in this suburb
- 30 Ike Game Rd
- 44 Jellat Way
- Jellat Way At Ike Game Rd
- Tathra Rd Before Blackfellows Lake Rd
- Tathra Rd Opp Blackfellows Lake 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)
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Allow extra travel time. Check signage. Expect delays. Council’s Civil Construction Team and Pavement Team will carry out road surface stabilisation works and drainage works.Traffic control will be in place for the duration of works, including a reduced speed limit, intermittent lane closures and detours at times. Road users should expect delays.Tathra Road, Strathmore Crescent10 Mar 2026 – 03 Jul 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
102 planning-related records
2026· 7 proposals
June 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure52 LAKE COHEN DRIVE KALARU 2550Under Assessment
May 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Neighbourhood shop564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool14 ARMSTRONG DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure56 ARMSTRONG DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
February 2026
- Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Landscaping material supply564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
January 2026
- Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Fences; Advertising structure564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationLOT 703 NAKURU DRIVE SILVERDALEDetermined
2025· 11 proposals
November 2025
- Demolition564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Additional Information Requested
September 2025
- Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure; Hardware and building supply564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure21 ARMSTRONG DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure52 LAKE COHEN DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure44 BLACKFELLOWS LAKE ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureLot 6123 COALMINER DRIVE CLADERWOOD NSW 2527Determined
May 2025
- Subdivision396 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Residential Accommodation; Supporting DevelopmentLOT STAFFORD DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
March 2025
- Demolition564 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Withdrawn
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationPROPOSED LOT 209 BALLYMORE DRIVE, CHISHOLMDetermined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationPROPOSED LOT 208 BALLYMORE DRIVE, CHISHOLMDetermined
2024· 22 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Water reticulation system; Water supply systemOppsite Lot 7 DP568414Determined
November 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Camping ground52 IKE GAME ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationPROPOSED LOT 306 DUBLIN DRIVE, CHISHOLMDetermined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure340 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationPROPOSED LOT 305 DUBLIN DRIVE, CHISHOLMDetermined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationPROPOSED LOT 206 BALLYMORE DRIVE, CHISHOLM NSWDetermined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationProposed Lot 207 Ballymore Drive, ChisholmDetermined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure30 APPLE BERRY LANE KALARU 2550Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure37 LOMANDRA AVENUE KALARU 2550Determined
August 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space67 LAKE COHEN DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureLot 104/11//1216082 Jeeralong drive SchofieldsDetermined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space33 APPLE BERRY LANE KALARU 2550Withdrawn
May 2024
- Subdivision544 TATHRA ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure56 STRATHMORE CRESCENT KALARU 2550Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure75 LOT STAFFORD DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
April 2024
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure27 KURRAJONG CRESCENT KALARU 2550Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Storage premises; Self storage units1 OLD WALLAGOOT ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure5 LOT STAFFORD DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure44 LOT STAFFORD DRIVE KALARU 2550Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Garage, carport or carparking space19 APPLE BERRY LANE KALARU 2550Determined
January 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool26 BLACKFELLOWS LAKE ROAD KALARU 2550Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool15 DONNELLAN PLACE KALARU 2550Determined
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
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Tathra Rd before Blackfellows Lake RdBus stop
- Tathra Rd opp Blackfellows Lake RdBus stop
- Playground
- Public toilets
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)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
- 46.6/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 35% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 2371st in Australia
- State rank
- 737th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #71 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #168 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
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Public toiletsamenitiestoilets
- Tathra Rd before Blackfellows Lake Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Tathra Rd opp Blackfellows Lake Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime61
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime45
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime54
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime78
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime93
- 30 Ike Game Rdtransport
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)
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Bega Valley Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.