NSW · Upper Hunter Shire Council
Merriwa, 2329
Current weather
14°CClear sky
64% humidity · 14.2 km/h wind · 18.7° / 12.2° today · 5.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Merriwa offers a slower smaller community life in Upper Hunter Shire, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and safety lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in parks and green space and transport and access. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,825
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $1,208
- Dwelling vacancy
- 16.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 128 of 790
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,235
- Employment rate
- 50.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 57 / 20 / 4
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
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $395
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)
- 125
- Against the person
- 58
- Against property
- 39
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 68.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 31 residents
- State safety percentile
- 47.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +21.7%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order9
- Domestic Violence Related Assault17
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment32
- Malicious Damage To Property17
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault11
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 939.5
- Merriwa Central SchoolCombined
- St Joseph's Primary SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
113 public transport stops in this suburb
- 3 King George V Av
- 44 Prices Lane
- Golden Hwy Opp 6507
- King George V Av Opp 3
- Macartney St At Scone 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)
Roadworks & transport
2 active roadworks / incidents
- RoadworksGolden Highway, Barnett Street13 Apr 2026 – 24 Dec 2026
- RoadworksGolden Highway, Collaroy Bridge03 Jul 2026 – 31 Jul 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
137 planning-related records
2026· 7 proposals
June 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure106 LAWLERS LANE MERRIWA 2329Under Assessment
May 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure65 VENNACHER STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
April 2026
- Hostel; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia14 MARQUET STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Demolition; Commercial development; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Vehicle repair station141 BETTINGTON STREET MERRIWA 2329Additional Information Requested
- Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Waste or resource transfer station96 DEPOT ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool10-12 FLAGGS ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure62-66 BETTINGTON STREET MERRIWA 2329Under Assessment
2025· 19 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport6153 GOLDEN HIGHWAY MERRIWA 2329Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision10 PRICES LANE MERRIWA 2329Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure108 BETTINGTON STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house100 HAMPSHIRE ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure21 KING GEORGE V AVENUE MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Other Infrastructure4458 Golden Highway, Merriwa, NSW 2329Determined
August 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure17 MACKENZIE STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35-37 MARQUET STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure21 KING GEORGE V AVENUE MERRIWA 2329Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2350 CULLINGRAL ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Community facility857 ROMA ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
May 2025
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 SCONE ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing100 MACKENZIE STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
April 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures65 VENNACHER STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure55 PRICES LANE MERRIWA 2329Determined
March 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure67A VENNACHER STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure65 VENNACHER STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
January 2025
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure100 MACKENZIE STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Subdivision4 KING GEORGE V AVENUE MERRIWA 2329Determined
2024· 14 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential AccommodationBLAXLAND STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space44 PRICES LANE MERRIWA 2329Determined
October 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure49-51 VENNACHER STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Subdivision2613 COULSONS CREEK ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space13 ELIZABETH STREET MERRIWA 2329Withdrawn
- Subdivision154 ALYNDALE ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
August 2024
- Subdivision11 MCRAE STREET MERRIWA 2329Under Assessment
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure100 MACKENZIE STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Moveable dwelling3 GLEBE STREET MERRIWA 2329Determined
July 2024
- Subdivision6201 SCONE ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool2968/-/1282595Determined
- Subdivision6227 SCONE ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure234 POSSUM SPRINGS ROAD MERRIWA 2329Determined
May 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Feedlot6210-6212 GOLDEN HIGHWAY MERRIWA 2329Determined
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
Parks & reserves
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Apex OvalPark
- Apex ParkPark
- Lions ParkPark
- Memorial ParkPark
- Rotary ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- On site
- Merriwa Multi Purpose Servicehospital
- Merriwa PharmacyBettington Streetpharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Cottage MuseumBow Street, MerriwaSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 361
- Parks (OSM)
- 7
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
- 34.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4580th in Australia
- State rank
- 1466th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #280 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #586 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 82%
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 Ordercrime9
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime17
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime32
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime17
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime11
- 3 King George V Avtransport
- 44 Prices Lanetransport
- Golden Hwy Opp 6507transport
- King George V Av Opp 3transport
- Macartney St At Scone 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 Upper Hunter Shire Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.