NSW · Bega Valley Council
Lochiel, 2549
Current weather
14.4°CClear sky
55% humidity · 9.7 km/h wind · 18.8° / 11.3° today · 1.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Lochiel is a quieter smaller community in Bega Valley, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. 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 a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because parks and green space and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in safety and housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 411
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,586
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 152
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,625
- Employment rate
- 60.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 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
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $700
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)
- 9
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 21.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 206 residents
- State safety percentile
- 2.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -24.8%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order6
- Break And Enter Dwelling6
- Fraud7
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment8
- Malicious Damage To Property14
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
37 public transport stops in this suburb
- Back Creek Rd After Mine Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Bindaree Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Blairlands Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Pipeclay Rd
- Stonecrop Property, Back Creek 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)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
34 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Clothes hoists and clothes lines; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Hot water systems; Pathways and pavingMOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Under Assessment
April 2026
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 MALLYON CLOSE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure661 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2025· 9 proposals
December 2025
- Subdivision299 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Under Assessment
November 2025
- Subdivision155 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2025
- Subdivision491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space44 MCCAUSLAND ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space21 EUCALYPTUS LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure258 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Stairway; Swimming pool49 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
February 2025
- Farm buildings; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure84 BOX RANGE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2024· 9 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 BEATTIE LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure67 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
August 2024
- Subdivision419 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Additional Information Requested
July 2024
- Subdivision235 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure58 MCCAUSLAND ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool51 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
April 2024
- Dual occupancy; 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; Dual occupancy (detached)491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure42 LOCHVIEW FARM ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2023· 8 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1012 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Other67 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2023
- Shed491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Shed246 MINE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
July 2023
- Other283 MINE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2023
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development156 OAKLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
April 2023
- Shed100 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
January 2023
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spacesBACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL C/345064Determined
2022· 1 proposal
June 2022
- Subdivision of land235 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2021· 4 proposals
December 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development566 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2021
- Dwelling49 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Shed42 LOCHVIEW FARM ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2021
- Other999 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
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)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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
- 36.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4107th in Australia
- State rank
- 1295th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #197 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #470 among Country & regional 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
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime6
- Break And Enter Dwellingcrime6
- Fraudcrime7
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime8
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime14
- Back Creek Rd After Mine Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Bindaree Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Blairlands Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Pipeclay Rdtransport
- Stonecrop Property, Back Creek 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)
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.