NSW · Cessnock Council
Lovedale, 2325
Current weather
16.3°CClear sky
66% humidity · 11.5 km/h wind · 21.5° / 13.2° today · 3.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Cessnock, Lovedale 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. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
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.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in community and employment and growth momentum. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 502
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $2,162
- Dwelling vacancy
- 21.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 48 of 219
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,498
- Employment rate
- 61.1%
- 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)
- $463
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $570
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 271
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)
- 54
- Against the person
- 17
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 107.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 30 residents
- State safety percentile
- 76th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +2.2%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order198
- Breach Bail Conditions379
- Domestic Violence Related Assault299
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment371
- Malicious Damage To Property332
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
31 public transport stops in this suburb
- 1443 Wine Country Dr
- 701 Lovedale Rd
- Lovedale Rd Opp 701
- Wilderness Rd At Lovedale Rd
- Wine Country Dr Opp Old North 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).
163 planning-related records
2026· 9 proposals
May 2026
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Function centre; Hours of operation and trading12 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Additional Information Requested
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Classified road; Main road1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Information and education facility150 WILLS HILL ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
April 2026
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Tennis courts; Shipping containers30 WILLS HILL ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Under Assessment
- Restaurant or cafe; 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 Australia540 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
March 2026
- 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; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Rural industry; Agricultural produce industry; Hours of operation and trading; Farm gate premise - Cellar door469 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 RICHARDSON ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Under Assessment
February 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (outdoor)12 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development701 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Additional Information Requested
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure322 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- 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; Intensive plant agriculture; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Function centre6 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision20 THE BALLABOURNEEN LOVEDALE 2325Determined
October 2025
- Farm buildings; Shed; Erection of a new structure701 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
September 2025
- Restaurant or cafe; 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 Australia540 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
August 2025
- Temporary building, structure or use; Function centre30 WILLS HILL ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
July 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Information and education facility39 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Eco-tourist facility26 LODGE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Withdrawn
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Recreation facility (outdoor)1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Function centre; Tourist and visitor accommodation; Swimming pool; Supporting Development482 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Subdivision20 THE BALLABOURNEEN LOVEDALE 2325Withdrawn
April 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Agritourism701 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Demolition; Restaurant or cafe; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure84 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Hotel or motel accommodation; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure430 Wine Country Drive, Lovedale, NSW 2325Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure158 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Manufactured home128 OLSEN ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Barbecues and other outdoor cooking structures; Garage, carport or carparking space; Landscaping structures; Pathways and paving; Tennis courts; Swimming pool1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Information and education facility39 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation facility (outdoor)1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Eco-tourist facility26 LODGE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Rejected
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Classified road; Main road1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure158 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Rejected
- Erection of a new structure; Agricultural produce industry701 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Infrastructure1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Subdivision1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Subdivision1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Supporting Development471 LOVEDALE ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Withdrawn
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Recreation facility (outdoor)1058 WINE COUNTRY DRIVE LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Subdivision28 THE BALLABOURNEEN LOVEDALE 2325Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Backpackers' accommodation30 WILLS HILL ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Determined
November 2024
- Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Function centre; Tourist and visitor accommodation; Swimming pool; Supporting Development484 WILDERNESS ROAD LOVEDALE 2325Withdrawn
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
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Sports field
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)
- 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)
- 82
- 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
- 27.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5769th in Australia
- State rank
- 1806th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #435 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #816 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
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime198
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime379
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime299
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime371
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime332
- 1443 Wine Country Drtransport
- 701 Lovedale Rdtransport
- Lovedale Rd Opp 701transport
- Wilderness Rd At Lovedale 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 Cessnock Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.