NSW · Port Stephens Council
Shoal Bay, 2315
Current weather
19.8°CClear sky
59% humidity · 14.4 km/h wind · 22.4° / 16.8° today · 1.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Shoal Bay is a coastal smaller community where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. Set on the coast at a distance from the capital, it trades city proximity for a slower, beach-led rhythm. There is a lightness to the air here, with the coast never far from mind.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because housing affordability and community and employment lag similar coastal suburbs, despite relative strength in growth momentum and parks and green space.
Population
- Population
- 1,815
- Median age
- 59
- Median household income / week
- $1,007
- Dwelling vacancy
- 45.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 686 of 1,506
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,700
- Employment rate
- 37.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 80 / 271 / 113
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)
- $560
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $740
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 126
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)
- 129
- Against the person
- 33
- Against property
- 40
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 71.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 55 residents
- State safety percentile
- 49.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +4.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions95
- Domestic Violence Related Assault88
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment86
- Malicious Damage To Property99
- Other Offences185
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
- 962
- Shoal Bay 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
36 public transport stops in this suburb
- 58 Government Rd
- Government Rd At Peterie St
- Government Rd Before Siddons St
- Government Rd Opp Peterie St
- Shoal Bay Public School, Fingal 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).
180 planning-related records
2026· 17 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses52 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Outdoor dining - registered club43 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation21 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool35 OCEAN BEACH ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool8 VERONA ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)6 ESSENDENE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
May 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)7 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool52 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure10 SHOAL BAY AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Additional Information Requested
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure57 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 LEONARD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
April 2026
- Subdivision14 ESSENDENE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
March 2026
- Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)26 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool66A TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Landscaping structures; Swimming pool46 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Demolition63 RONALD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support61 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation9 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Swimming pool126 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool66 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport; Minor building alterations (external)15 SHOAL BAY AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Outdoor dining - registered club43 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
August 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure5 OCEAN BEACH ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah66 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers; Supporting Development3 LEONARD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure49 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure52 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure54 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Carport; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)37 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)27 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure106 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
March 2025
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35-45 Shoal Bay Road Shoal Bay NSW 2315Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool84 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35-45 Shoal Bay Road Shoal Bay NSW 2315Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure101 6 BULLECOURT STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
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
40 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- 01Bench
- 02Bench
- 03Bench
- 16 Government RdBus stop
- 58 Government RdBus stop
- Bay Village Shops, Shoal Bay RdBus stop
- Government Rd at Peterie StBus stop
- Government Rd before Siddons StBus stop
- Government Rd opp Peterie StBus 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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Anzac ParkPark
- Garden PlacePark
- Passchendaele ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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
Heritage
2 state heritage places
- Tomaree Head Fortifications2 Shoal Bay Road Shoal BaySHR
- Tomaree Holiday LodgeShoalhaven Road, Shoal BaySHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 8
- 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
- 36.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4094th in Australia
- State rank
- 1289th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #64 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #132 among Coastal & beach 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
- 01amenitiesbench
- 01amenitiespicnic_table
- 02amenitiesbench
- 02amenitiespicnic_table
- 03amenitiesbench
- 16 Government Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- 58 Government Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Aussie Bob's Fish & Chipsamenities2A Tomaree Roadfast_food
- Bay Village Shops, Shoal Bay Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Port Stephens Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.