NSW · Shoalhaven Council
Meroo Meadow, 2540
Current weather
13.4°CClear sky
57% humidity · 8.3 km/h wind · 18.6° / 9.5° today · 2.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Meroo Meadow is a quieter smaller community in Shoalhaven, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield.
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 below average, weighed down by weaker parks and green space and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar regional towns, even with community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 474
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $2,116
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 30 of 202
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 59.5%
- 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
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $465
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $600
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $571
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 300
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)
- 20
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 8
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 42.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 68 residents
- State safety percentile
- 17.1th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -4.5%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order135
- Domestic Violence Related Assault174
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment283
- Malicious Damage To Property261
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault146
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
13 public transport stops in this suburb
- 19 Boxsells Lane
- Meroo Rd At Emerald Dr
- Meroo Rd Opp Emerald Dr
- Princes Hwy At Morschels Lane
- Princes Hwy At Morschels Lane
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).
52 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure70 BOXSELLS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Under Assessment
May 2026
- SubdivisionBELLS LANE BADAGARANG 2540Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure82 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation99 RED CEDAR LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
2025· 6 proposals
December 2025
- Multi-dwelling housing; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Moveable dwelling112 BELLS LANE BADAGARANG 2540Under Assessment
November 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home110A ELLIOTT LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation76 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure63 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
April 2025
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Fences; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool6 JADE PLACE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure57 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
2024· 9 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation76 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure159 GRAHAMS ROAD MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Intensive plant agriculture9 DEVITTS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Withdrawn
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)1087A MEROO ROAD MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure67 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Shed; Temporary building, structure or use74 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation55 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Withdrawn
- Shed; Erection of a new structure20 LAMONDS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Withdrawn
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure67 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
2023· 13 proposals
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure59 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure55 FLETCHERS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
August 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing146 RED CEDAR LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
June 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development55 FLETCHERS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees110B ELLIOTT LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing26B BOXSELLS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
May 2023
- Dwelling55 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Earthworks / change in levels; Shed97F RED CEDAR LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing65 GRAHAMS ROAD MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development65 GRAHAMS ROAD MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Other68 MORSCHELS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
February 2023
- Dwelling57 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
January 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development65 GRAHAMS ROAD MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
2022· 8 proposals
November 2022
- Dwelling74 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Dwelling57 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Dwelling61 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Dwelling84 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Dwelling63 EMERALD DRIVE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
October 2022
- Farm buildings; Shed115 PESTELLS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
September 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development110 DEVITTS LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development126 RED CEDAR LANE MEROO MEADOW 2540Determined
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)
- 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)
- 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
- 25.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6039th in Australia
- State rank
- 1880th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #467 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #870 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 Ordercrime135
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime174
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime283
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime261
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime146
- 19 Boxsells Lanetransport
- Meroo Rd At Emerald Drtransport
- Meroo Rd Opp Emerald Drtransport
- Princes Hwy At Morschels Lanetransport
- Princes Hwy At Morschels Lanetransport
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 Shoalhaven Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.