NSW · Dungog Council
Paterson, 2421
Current weather
17.6°CClear sky
61% humidity · 14.4 km/h wind · 21.9° / 12.6° today · 2.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Paterson offers a slower smaller community life in Dungog, 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. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime.
Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Amenities
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 places of worship
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 4 parks mapped in suburb
- Well connected by public transport — 69 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 30/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 4.17
Sport & outdoors(1)
- Sports field
Other(1)
- Saint AnnesPlace of worship
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
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
Public transport
69 public transport stops in this suburb
- Duke St Opp Paterson Post Office
- Gresford Rd After Dungog Rd
- Gresford Rd Opp Dungog Rd
- Paterson Rd Opp Martins Creek Rd
- Paterson Station
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)
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,027
- Paterson 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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Allan Fairhall ReservePark
- John Tucker ParkPark
- Kings Wharf ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 20
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
Places of worship
1 places of worship within ~1.5 km
- Saint Annes
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 40
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 17
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 41.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 160 residents
- State safety percentile
- 16.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +54.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Non-Dwelling7
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment5
- Liquor Offences29
- Malicious Damage To Property8
- Other Theft8
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 51.3/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 27% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 1775th in Australia
- State rank
- 566th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #50 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #111 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Population
- Population
- 960
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $1,907
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 18 of 354
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 65.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 25 / 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.
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- 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
Heritage
2 state heritage places
- Rail Motor CollectionPatersonSHR
- Royal Oak Arms Hotel (former)18 King Street PatersonSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
152 planning-related records
2026· 8 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support22 MARQUIS STREET PATERSON 2421Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia191 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Under Assessment
May 2026
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure45 WEBBERS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 MAIN STREET PATERSON 2421Under Assessment
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure234 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure323 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
January 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure191 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
- Subdivision21 PRINCE STREET PATERSON 2421Under Assessment
2025· 28 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure234 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure245 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure250 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 PRINCE STREET PATERSON 2421Determined
October 2025
- Subdivision95 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
September 2025
- Shed; Temporary building, structure or use187 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation36 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Subdivision; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Supporting Development405 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; 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; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Tourist and visitor accommodation36-40 KING STREET PATERSON 2421Withdrawn
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure67 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation323 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure187 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah285 WEBBERS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Demolition; Pub; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 PRINCE STREET PATERSON 2421Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool10 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation150 GRESFORD ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure67 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Demolition68 DUNGOG ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
April 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure33 GLENBURN ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure185 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure67 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure274 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool274 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure53 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
February 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure118 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Subdivision54 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; SchoolWEBBERS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure68 DUNGOG ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
2024· 4 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)80 LOMANDRA CIRCUIT PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure73 BOULTON DRIVE PATERSON 2421Determined
November 2024
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure108 GRESFORD ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure323 MARTINS CREEK ROAD PATERSON 2421Determined
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
- 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
Recent changes
- Saint Annesamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Break And Enter Non-Dwellingcrime7
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime5
- Liquor Offencescrime29
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime8
- Other Theftcrime8
- Duke St Opp Paterson Post Officetransport
- Gresford Rd After Dungog Rdtransport
- Gresford Rd Opp Dungog 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 Dungog Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.