NSW · Shoalhaven Council
Shoalhaven Heads, 2535
Current weather
14.9°CClear sky
55% humidity · 10.8 km/h wind · 20.7° / 12° today · 1.9 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Dog friendly
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Shoalhaven Heads wears its coastal identity openly, a mid-sized suburb built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. Set on the coast at a distance from the capital, it trades city proximity for a slower, beach-led rhythm. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and community and employment lag similar coastal suburbs, despite relative strength in growth momentum and parks and green space.
Population
- Population
- 3,248
- Median age
- 56
- Median household income / week
- $1,066
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 269 of 1,723
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,950
- Employment rate
- 42.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 116 / 205 / 16
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
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 33
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)
- 101
- Against the person
- 30
- Against property
- 53
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 31.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 108 residents
- State safety percentile
- 8.2th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -0.7%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault18
- Fraud21
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment22
- Malicious Damage To Property31
- Steal From Motor Vehicle19
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
- 1,021
- Shoalhaven Heads 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
104 public transport stops in this suburb
- Explorer Bvd At Wells Pl
- Oval Dr At Nimrod St
- Oval Dr Opp Amundsen Av
- Scott St Before Discovery Pl
- Towers Rd At Boyd 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).
207 planning-related records
2026· 19 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool2 HEARD AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure46 SCOTT STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Under Assessment
May 2026
- Subdivision13 MATHEWS STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 DAVID BERRY STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Additional Information Requested
- Demolition6 DAVID BERRY STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation30 GOLDEN HILL AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool13 DISCOVERY PLACE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Demolition30 GOLDEN HILL AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Demolition21 RENOWN AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development13 STAPLES STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation21 RENOWN AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 BOLT STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure56 JERRY BAILEY ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Under Assessment
- SubdivisionWELLS PLACE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure28 HAY AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation2 HAY AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Subdivision14 GERROA ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Caravan park40 SHOALHAVEN HEADS ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
January 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces21 NOAKES STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
2025· 21 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool96 SCOTT STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport4 DAVENPORT ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Supporting Development82 JERRY BAILEY ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Withdrawn
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure48 JERRY BAILEY ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 HEARD AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure84 RIVER ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation17 BOYD STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space21 BASS ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
July 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 WHARF ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Subdivision39A DAVENPORT ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 MOUNTAIN VIEW PLACE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Deferred Commencement
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool19 MATHEWS STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation11A DISCOVERY PLACE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support19 MATHEWS STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure46 SCOTT STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure119 JERRY BAILEY ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation39A DAVENPORT ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation14 GERROA ROAD SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
May 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation38 WAGIN STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Jetty; Supporting Development8 HAY AVENUE SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Determined
March 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Supporting Development2 MCINTOSH STREET SHOALHAVEN HEADS 2535Withdrawn
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
48 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (4)
- Bus stop
- Jerry Bailey Rd at Davenport RdBus stop
- Jerry Bailey Rd opp Hay AveBus stop
- Noakes St at Amundsen AvBus stop
- Pepper Reserve, Oval DrBus stop
- River Rd before Mathews StBus stop
- Scott St opp Explorer BvdBus stop
- Shoalhaven Heads Post Office, Shoalhaven Heads RdBus stop
- Shoalhaven Heads Rd opp Bolt 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
6 parks and public open space in this suburb
- C H Gumley ReservePark
- Curtis ReservePark
- Jerry Bailey ReservePark
- Pepper ReservePark
- Shoalhaven Heads Memorial ParkPark
- Vic Zealand Memorial ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 11
- Parks (OSM)
- 8
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
- 51.3/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 27% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 1776th in Australia
- State rank
- 567th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #20 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #64 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 85%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Ampol Shoalhaven Headsamenities52 Shoalhaven Heads Roadfuel
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Bottleoamenitiesyes
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Dog parkamenitiesdog_park
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- IGAamenities2635 Shoalhaven Heads Roadsupermarket
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Shoalhaven Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.