NSW · Clarence Valley Council
Palmers Island, 2463
Current weather
18°CPartly cloudy
82% humidity · 9.6 km/h wind · 20.7° / 13.8° today · 0.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Palmers Island offers a slower smaller community life in Clarence Valley, 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. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
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. Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield.
Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 482
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,404
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 17 of 184
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 55.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 4 / 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)
- $580
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)
- 29
- Against the person
- 10
- Against property
- 11
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 60.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 48 residents
- State safety percentile
- 37.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -3.1%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order30
- Domestic Violence Related Assault32
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment63
- Malicious Damage To Property41
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault38
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 944
- Palmers Island Public 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
17 public transport stops in this suburb
- Palmers Channel North Bank Rd At Middle Rd
- Palmers Channel North Bank Rd Before Yamba Rd
- Palmers Island Public School, School Rd
- Yamba Rd At Middle Rd
- Yamba Rd Opp Palmers Island Public School
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).
63 planning-related records
2026· 6 proposals
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Boat launching ramp135 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation23 YAMBA STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure111 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation990 YAMBA ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure99 PALMERS CHANNEL NORTH BANK ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Jetty; Mooring63 MCCONNELLS LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
2025· 4 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure63 MCCONNELLS LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
November 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure; Jetty357 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support369 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureO'KEEFES LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
2024· 9 proposals
December 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure108 PALMERS CHANNEL NORTH BANK ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
November 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia147 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
October 2024
- Dual occupancy; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)147 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise282 O'KEEFES LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure283 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
June 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure28 O'KEEFES LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool105 PALMERS CHANNEL NORTH BANK ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
March 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Garage, carport or carparking space5 GORDON STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
February 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool; Supporting Development320 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
2023· 8 proposals
December 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure108 PALMERS CHANNEL NORTH BANK ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Withdrawn
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure111 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
August 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing976 YAMBA ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
July 2023
- Secondary dwelling5 YAMBA STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
May 2023
- Flood mitigation work109 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
January 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development4 CARRINGTON STREET, PALMERS ISLAND, NSW 2463Determined
- Signage898 YAMBA ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Withdrawn
2022· 13 proposals
December 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development5 DALLEY STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
November 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing283 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
October 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development2 GORDON STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
July 2022
- Farm buildings4 RIVER ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
May 2022
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Earthworks / change in levels; Retaining walls, protection of trees; Garages, carports and car parking spaces9 GORDON STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
April 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing12 GORDON STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
- Earthworks / change in levels; Shed63 MCCONNELLS LANE PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
- Subdivision of land9 MIDDLE ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
March 2022
- Secondary dwelling8 Gordon Street, Palmers IslandDetermined
- Dwelling5 CARRINGTON STREET PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling283 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
January 2022
- Dwelling12 RIVER ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
- Dwelling369 SCHOOL ROAD PALMERS ISLAND 2463Determined
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
3 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Palmers Island Public School, Yamba RdBus stop
- Yamba Rd opp Palmers Island Public SchoolBus stop
- 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)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
- No overlay at centroid
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 33.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4661st in Australia
- State rank
- 1492nd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #291 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #603 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 68%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Palmers Island Public School, Yamba Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Yamba Rd opp Palmers Island Public Schoolamenitiesbus_stop
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime30
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime32
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime63
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime41
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime38
- Palmers Channel North Bank Rd At Middle Rdtransport
- Palmers Channel North Bank Rd Before Yamba 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 Clarence Valley Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.