Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 291 mm · ~36 rainy days
NSW · Upper Hunter Shire Council
Middle Brook, 2337
Population
260
Median age
44
Median income
$1,968/wk
Employed
63.3%
Languages at home
3%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Upper Hunter Shire, Middle Brook keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with plenty of young families in the mix. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood.
Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. Homes offer solid value for the lifestyle on offer.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with transport and access and community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Living here
Desirability
- Desirability score
- 33.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4783rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1537th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #242 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #628 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
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $460
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $585
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $510
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 56
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
Population
- Population
- 260
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,968
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 97
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 63.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 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.
Community & culture
3% speak a language other than English at home; 10.7% born overseas
- Language at home
- 228 English only · 7 other
- Non-English at home
- 3%
- Born overseas
- 26 (10.7%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 5 (1.9%)
- Australian citizens
- 230
2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, and Indigenous status (usual residence).
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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 18
- Against the person
- 5
- Against property
- 8
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 69.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 52 residents
- State safety percentile
- 47.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +12.8%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault50
- Fraud27
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment67
- Malicious Damage To Property56
- Other Theft34
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
Family & Lifestyle
Public transport
59 public transport stops in this suburb
- 1242 Middlebrook Rd
- 4 Middlebrook Rd
- 597 Cressfield Rd
- 746 Middlebrook Rd
- Cressfield Rd Before Middlebrook 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)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived from OpenStreetMap & Census) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 8
- 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
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 200 mm · ~25 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 16° / 5°
- Rainfall
- 175 mm · ~22 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 10°
- Rainfall
- 220 mm · ~28 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Period: seasonal · Updated on site · Static grid from WorldClim monthly averages
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
29 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
June 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure52 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Under Assessment
March 2026
- Subdivision746 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Under Assessment
2025· 1 proposal
February 2025
- Extractive Industries (non-mining); Hours of operation and trading2345 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Withdrawn
2024· 8 proposals
October 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space141A TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure99 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space430 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool377 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool50 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool456 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers430 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure99 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
2023· 5 proposals
July 2023
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces411 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing430 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
June 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing153 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
April 2023
- Dwelling92 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
January 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing141 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
2022· 10 proposals
December 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development165 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Dwelling377 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
November 2022
- Subdivision of land52 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Subdivision of land501 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
October 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development565 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
August 2022
- Subdivision of land168 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
May 2022
- Shed572 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
April 2022
- Dwelling; Subdivision of land97 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
March 2022
- Shed377 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Dwelling377 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
2021· 3 proposals
November 2021
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed565 MIDDLEBROOK ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces26 TULLONG ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
August 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing345 WALLINGTON ROAD MIDDLE BROOK 2337Determined
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)
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
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- 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
Recent changes
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime50
- Fraudcrime27
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime67
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime56
- Other Theftcrime34
- 1242 Middlebrook Rdtransport
- 4 Middlebrook Rdtransport
- 597 Cressfield Rdtransport
- 746 Middlebrook Rdtransport
- Cressfield Rd Before Middlebrook 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.