NSW · Kiama Council
Kiama Downs, 2533
Current weather
13.5°CClear sky
66% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 20.2° / 9° today · 2.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Life in Kiama Downs revolves around the coast, with the feel of a mid-sized suburb that never strays far from the water. Set on the coast at a distance from the capital, it trades city proximity for a slower, beach-led rhythm. Sea breezes and coastal air are part of everyday life, especially on warmer evenings.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with plenty of young families in the mix. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose. 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 against similar coastal suburbs, even with parks and green space and housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 5,087
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $2,103
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 141 of 1,887
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,200
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 77 / 101 / 25
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)
- $605
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $800
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $750
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 78
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)
- 180
- Against the person
- 38
- Against property
- 83
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 35.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 134 residents
- State safety percentile
- 11.4th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -11.1%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud44
- Malicious Damage To Property53
- Other Theft40
- Steal From Retail Store38
- Transport Regulatory Offences67
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
129 public transport stops in this suburb
- North Kiama Dr At Flinders Av
- North Kiama Dr At Iluka Cres
- Oxley Av After Riversdale Av
- Oxley Av Before Hoolong Av
- Riverside Dr Opp Iluka 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).
258 planning-related records
2026· 7 proposals
May 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)62 KIARAMA AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation22 EUREKA AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Rejected
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool50 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)5 THE CIRCUIT KIAMA DOWNS 2533Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure137 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Under Assessment
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation76 OXLEY AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
2025· 33 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure65 JOHNSON STREET KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 ALEXANDER AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation63 OXLEY AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation50 JOHNSON STREET KIAMA DOWNS 2533Additional Information Requested
- Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (detached)33 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation13 CATHEDRAL ROCKS AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation21 HOLT STREET KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation32 MCBRIEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 CULLEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation29 CULLEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool21 CLIFF DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool26 HOOLONG AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 CULLEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool27 NEWING CIRCUIT KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure3A RIVERSDALE AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport8 LINDSAY AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure8 CULLEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure38 MCBRIEN DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 CAMERON CRESCENT KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool45 NEWING CIRCUIT KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport8 LINDSAY AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation21 HOLT STREET KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure70 CATHEDRAL ROCKS AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation15B TARRANT AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 ANDERSON PLACE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation45 HOOLONG AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)6 MERINDAH AVENUE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure110 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport17 HOSKINGS CRESCENT KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure56A BARTON DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation68 BARTON DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure86 NORTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation13 BASS STREET KIAMA DOWNS 2533Determined
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
52 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- Barton Dr opp Tarrant AvBus stop
- Charles Av after Eureka AvBus stop
- Charles Av at Eureka AvBus stop
- Gainsborough Chase Reserve, Meehan DrBus stop
- McBrien Dr after Barton DrBus stop
- McBrien Dr at Cowell PlBus stop
- McBrien Dr at Meehan DrBus stop
- Meehan Dr at Barton DrBus stop
- Meehan Dr at Cameron CresBus 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
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bombo Hill ReservePark
- Cameron Boyd ReservePark
- Gainsborough Chase OvalPark
- Iluka ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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
- 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)
- 16
- Parks (OSM)
- 10
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
- 55.2/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 21% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 1352nd in Australia
- State rank
- 440th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #33 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #54 among Coastal & beach 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
- Australia Postamenitiespost_office
- Barton Dr opp Tarrant Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Cameron Boyd Reserveamenitiespark
- Charles Av after Eureka Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Charles Av at Eureka Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Gainsborough Chase Reserve, Meehan Dramenitiesbus_stop
- McBrien Dr after Barton Dramenitiesbus_stop
- McBrien Dr at Cowell Plamenitiesbus_stop
- McBrien Dr at Meehan Dramenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Kiama Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.