NSW · Coffs Harbour Council
Sapphire Beach, 2450
Current weather
18.2°CClear sky
79% humidity · 12.5 km/h wind · 20.7° / 14.2° today · 1.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Sapphire Beach wears its coastal identity openly, a mid-sized suburb built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. Coastal living here comes with genuine distance from the capital, a self-contained pace with the sea at its heart. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
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 coastal suburbs, despite relative strength in community and employment and housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 2,660
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $2,056
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 112 of 1,087
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,174
- Employment rate
- 59.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 46 / 64 / 72
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)
- $500
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $680
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $620
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 433
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)
- 353
- Against the person
- 92
- Against property
- 129
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 132.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 29 residents
- State safety percentile
- 87th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -11.3%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order390
- Breach Bail Conditions817
- Domestic Violence Related Assault416
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment572
- Malicious Damage To Property460
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
31 public transport stops in this suburb
- Alkina St At Warrawee St
- Elouera Dr Opp Merinda Av
- Headland Rd At Elouera Dr
- Solitary Islands Way After Headland Rd
- Solitary Islands Way After Split Solitary 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)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
245 planning-related records
2026· 10 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure31 SAPPHIRE CRESCENT SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Under Assessment
April 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation6 GRANDVIEW CLOSE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation13 IVORY CIRCUIT SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences12 ELOUERA DRIVE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation14 HEADLAND ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure9 WHITEWATER PLACE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation1A 1 BEACH WAY SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 ELOUERA DRIVE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool29 SUGARMILL ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
January 2026
- Business premises; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 WAKELANDS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
2025· 30 proposals
December 2025
- Advertising and signage; Swimming pool25 SAPPHIRE CRESCENT SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision11 ELOUERA DRIVE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation42 COACHMANS CLOSE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 FISHER ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation21 GUMTREE GLEN SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah21 OCEANFRONT DRIVE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Demolition14 HEADLAND ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Subdivision9-9A GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)60 THE MOUNTAIN WAY SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Subdivision89 SUGARMILL ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
September 2025
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure45/40 SOLITARY ISLANDS WAY SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Home business; Hours of operation and trading12 BLACKWOOD STREET SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Subdivision28 SUGARMILL ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure1 SAN SIMEON CIRCUIT SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 ALKINA STREET SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
July 2025
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Centre-based child care2 BEACH WAY SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Shipping containers19 Sapphire Crescent, Sapphire BeachDetermined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (external)31 ELOUERA DRIVE SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure119 GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool242 GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 RED GUM CIRCUIT SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure9-9A GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure21 GUMTREE GLEN SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure47 ISLAND ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure25 BEACH ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 GUMTREE GLEN SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 HEADLAND ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
January 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure189 GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Residential Accommodation242 GAUDRONS ROAD SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool1 BEACH WAY SAPPHIRE BEACH 2450Determined
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
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Playground
- Swimming pool (5)
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)
- 9/10
- 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
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 9
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 39.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3504th in Australia
- State rank
- 1099th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #46 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #112 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime390
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime817
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime416
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime572
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Coffs Harbour Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.