NSW · Canada Bay Council
Russell Lea, 2046
Current weather
17.1°CClear sky
51% humidity · 17.1 km/h wind · 21.2° / 13.8° today · 2.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Russell Lea is a practical mid-sized suburb in Canada Bay, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Sitting close to the city centre, it is easy to dip into neighbouring suburbs for work, dining and events. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout.
Everyday errands and local outings are straightforward, with the wider metro area adding variety. Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together. 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.
The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker parks and green space and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar metro suburbs, even with community and employment and schools and education holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 4,920
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $2,658
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 133 of 1,911
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,290
- Employment rate
- 62.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 74 / 138 / 417
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)
- $800
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,100
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $850
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 242
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)
- 173
- Against the person
- 43
- Against property
- 90
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 35.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 114 residents
- State safety percentile
- 11.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +10.5%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Dwelling84
- Fraud107
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment78
- Malicious Damage To Property80
- Steal From Motor Vehicle79
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
- 1,140
- Russell Lea 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
31 public transport stops in this suburb
- Hampden Rd At Mons St
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick St
- Hampden Rd At Sibbick St
- Hampden Rd At The Parade
- Lyons Rd Opp Mons St
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).
203 planning-related records
2026· 8 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 THE CRESCENT RUSSELL LEA 2046Under Assessment
April 2026
- Subdivision33 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
March 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation43 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation35 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure57 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
January 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport61 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation90 HENLEY MARINE DRIVE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
2025· 32 proposals
December 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces65 EDENHOLME ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 THE CRESCENT RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure49 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 LENORE STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision7 MOOCULTA STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure90 HENLEY MARINE DRIVE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 BORONIA AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Subdivision39 BYRNE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
September 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces65 EDENHOLME ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure25 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space77 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah3 BOUVARDIA STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation38 TAIT STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure53 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure402 LYONS ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Withdrawn
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure40 CLEMENTS STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation20 LEA AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure37 TAIT STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure50 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool16A PINE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool16 PINE AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 RUSSELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation35 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 HAMPDEN ROAD RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
April 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure59 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool27 UNDINE STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Carport; Residential Accommodation5 JANET STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 LAMROCK AVENUE RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
January 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure53 BURNELL STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure14 MONS STREET RUSSELL LEA 2046Determined
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
31 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- TABBookmaker
- Brent St at Undine StBus stop
- Brent St opp Alison StBus stop
- Brent St opp Undine StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at Mons StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at Sibbick StBus stop
- Hampden Rd at The ParadeBus stop
- Henley Marine Dr at Brent StBus stop
- Lyons Rd at Byrne AvBus stop
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)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 42.8/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 44% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 2978th in Australia
- State rank
- 944th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #286 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #584 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- All Natural Vet Careamenitiesveterinary
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- BK Kitchensamenitieskitchen
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Blue Star Cakes & Cafeamenitiescafe
- Brent St at Undine Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Brent St opp Alison Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Brent St opp Undine Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Crustamenitiesfast_food
- Georges Barber Shopamenitieshairdresser
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Canada Bay Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.