NSW · Lismore Council
Rock Valley, 2480
Current weather
18°CModerate drizzle
86% humidity · 14 km/h wind · 21.5° / 12.1° today · 0.7 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Rock Valley is a quieter smaller community in Lismore, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar regional towns, even with transport and access and housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 266
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,346
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 11 of 120
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,517
- Employment rate
- 55.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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)
- $425
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $620
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 252
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)
- 27
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 10
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 101.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 38 residents
- State safety percentile
- 71.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -6.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions513
- Fraud284
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment361
- Malicious Damage To Property360
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault312
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
40 public transport stops in this suburb
- 165B Cawongla Rd
- 566 Rock Valley Rd
- Cawongla Rd At Chelmsford Rd
- Cawongla Rd Opp 165B
- Rock Valley Rd Opp 566
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).
11 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure94A Cawongla ROCK VALLEY Lot 139 DP755693Determined
2025· 1 proposal
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)56 BOGGUMBIL ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Under Assessment
2024· 1 proposal
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 2 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
2023· 3 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure352 QUILTY ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling; Shed50 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
February 2023
- Other751 Rock Valley Road Rock ValleyDetermined
2022· 3 proposals
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Change of use158 Moras Road Rock Valley NSW 2480Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing59 CHELMSFORD ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling; Shed50 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Dwelling280 CAWONGLA ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
September 2021
- Shed150 MORAS ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
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)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 31.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5044th in Australia
- State rank
- 1606th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #342 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #679 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 60%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime513
- Fraudcrime284
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime361
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime360
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime312
- 165B Cawongla Rdtransport
- 566 Rock Valley Rdtransport
- Cawongla Rd At Chelmsford Rdtransport
- Cawongla Rd Opp 165Btransport
- Rock Valley Rd Opp 566transport
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 Lismore Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.