NSW · Byron Council
Main Arm, 2482
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Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Main Arm offers a slower smaller community life in Byron, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. 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 family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. 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 below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and transport and access holding up better.
Population
- Population
- 640
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $1,403
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 194
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 47.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 23 / 6 / 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)
- $900
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 46
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)
- 49
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 22
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 76.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 46 residents
- State safety percentile
- 54.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +19.8%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions40
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment58
- Malicious Damage To Property47
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault48
- Steal From Motor Vehicle38
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
61 public transport stops in this suburb
- 534 Main Arm Rd
- 766 Main Arm Rd
- 834 Main Arm Rd
- 950 Main Arm Rd
- Main Arm Rd After Durrumbul 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).
50 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure963 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Tourist and visitor accommodation804 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Non-standard Housing950 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Additional Information Requested
2025· 7 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)804 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation804 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport286 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
August 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Residential AccommodationU 5 6 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
May 2025
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia466 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure832 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Tourist and visitor accommodation804 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
2024· 11 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure963 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure128 SETTLEMENT ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Subdivision84 BLINDMOUTH ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
October 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure1036 THE POCKET ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
September 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Co-living; Non-standard Housing963 Main Arm Road, Main Arm 2482Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facility915 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support249 SETTLEMENT ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Operational consent requested
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure154 SETTLEMENT ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Operational consent issued
- Multi-dwelling housing; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia84 BLINDMOUTH ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
April 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation2/46 DURRUMBUL ROAD, MAIN ARMDetermined
February 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure1036 THE POCKET ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
2023· 2 proposals
September 2023
- Dual occupancy135 BLINDMOUTH ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
March 2023
- Other128 SETTLEMENT ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
2022· 7 proposals
August 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces2 MORAN CLOSE MAIN ARM 2482Determined
July 2022
- Dwelling; Dual occupancy804 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
April 2022
- Dual occupancy183 COOPERS LANE WEST MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Farm buildings; Shed195 COOPERS LANE WEST MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
March 2022
- Other3 46 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
February 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development3 46 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Operational consent issued
January 2022
- Other128 SETTLEMENT ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
2021· 10 proposals
December 2021
- Other963 Main Arm Road, Main Arm 2482Determined
October 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing2/-/DP627619Determined
- Review of determinationCoopers Lane West, Main ArmDetermined
- Other3 46 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Determined
September 2021
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations and additions to residential development; Change of use2 46 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Withdrawn
- Secondary dwelling5 46 DURRUMBUL ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Withdrawn
July 2021
- Dual occupancy; Pools / decks / fencing32 BLINDMOUTH ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
June 2021
- Modification ApplicationCoopers Lane West, Main ArmDetermined
May 2021
- Pools / decks / fencinglot 2, coopers lane west, main arm, 2482Determined
February 2021
- Dual occupancy; Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development468 MAIN ARM ROAD MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
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
7 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Main Arm General Store and CafeCafe
- Durrumbul HallDance
- Park
- Main Arm Post Office and BoxPost office
- Main Arm StoreRestaurant
890 Main Arm Road
- Durrumbul Public SchoolSchool
- Main Arm General StoreSupermarket
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)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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)
- 1
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
- 37.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4025th in Australia
- State rank
- 1268th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #197 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #456 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
- Durrumbul Hallamenitiesdance
- Durrumbul Public Schoolamenitiesschool
- Main Arm General Storeamenitiessupermarket
- Main Arm General Store and Cafeamenitiescafe
- Main Arm Post Office and Boxamenitiespost_office
- Main Arm Storeamenities890 Main Arm Roadrestaurant
- Parkamenitiespark
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime40
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime58
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime47
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Byron Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.