NSW · Council TBC
Scotts Head
Current weather
18.4°CClear sky
83% humidity · 11 km/h wind · 21.9° / 14.3° today · 0.9 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Scotts Head is a quieter smaller community in the local area, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood.
Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield. The market sits in a sensible middle ground: not cheap, but fair value for the area.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in safety and parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 986
- Median age
- 54
- Median household income / week
- $1,212
- Dwelling vacancy
- 26%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 143 of 550
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 42.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 38 / 16 / 20
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.
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,014
- Scotts Head 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
8 public transport stops in this suburb
- Adin St Before Short St
- Oleander Dr After Warrell Cl
- Scotts Head Public School, Vernon Rd
- Scotts Head Sports Oval, Vernon St
- Scotts Head Sports Oval, Vernon 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).
136 planning-related records
2026· 10 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation7A OCEAN STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation25 SOUTH PACIFIC DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking spaceGANNET DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation26 MATTHEW STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Under Assessment
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool12 WARRELL CLOSE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
March 2026
- Commercial development; Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Minor building alterations (internal); Business identification sign; Hours of operation and trading1 9 ADIN STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 SUNRISE CLOSE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure45 WALLACE STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure21 WEST STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
2025· 17 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation9 OCEAN STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 OCEAN STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Under Assessment
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah77 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
September 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Recreation facility (indoor)26 WEST STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Temporary building, structure or use; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Pathways and paving; Swimming pool33 WALLACE STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation57 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures)12 WARRELL CLOSE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 BANKSIA CRESCENT SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport42 VERNON STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 SOUTH PACIFIC DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
April 2025
- Subdivision29 MATTHEW STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport10 SOUTH PACIFIC DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
March 2025
- Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation9 WEST STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Swimming pool6 SANDPIPER DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
February 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation19 HIBISCUS WAY SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation2 OLEANDER DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Deferred Commencement
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 WALLACE STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
2024· 13 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 SUNRISE CLOSE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure20 WARATAH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure19 HILL STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure24A SANDPIPER DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Subdivision47 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 MATTHEW STREET SCOTTS HEAD NSW 2447Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool1 KENT STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport24A SANDPIPER DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Operational consent issued
September 2024
- SubdivisionSCOTTS HEAD ROAD SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure22 WARATAH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Swimming pool24A SANDPIPER DRIVE SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure33 WEST STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure57 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Determined
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
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Adin Street ReservePark
- Buz Brazel ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Scotts Head Medical Practicedoctor
- Scotts Head Pharmacypharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
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
- 33.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4662nd in Australia
- State rank
- 1493rd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #292 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #604 among Country & regional 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
- Adin St Before Short Sttransport
- Oleander Dr After Warrell Cltransport
- Scotts Head Public School, Vernon Rdtransport
- Scotts Head Sports Oval, Vernon Sttransport
- Scotts Head Sports Oval, Vernon Sttransport
- Scotts Head Medical Practicehealthdoctor
- Scotts Head Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
- Adin Street Reservegovernmentpark
- Buz Brazel Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandahplanning77 RALEIGH STREET SCOTTS HEAD 2447Lodged 29 Oct 2025 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- 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)
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.