NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Silverwater, 2264
Current weather
17.1°CClear sky
61% humidity · 14 km/h wind · 21.2° / 14.1° today · 4.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Silverwater is a practical smaller community in Lake Macquarie, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker housing affordability and transport and access against similar metro suburbs, even with growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 274
- Median age
- 51
- Median household income / week
- $1,387
- Dwelling vacancy
- 19.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 26 of 135
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,625
- Employment rate
- 43.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 12 / 0 / 0
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)
- $628
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 99
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)
- 23
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 9
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 83.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 46 residents
- State safety percentile
- 59.4th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -14.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault97
- Fraud105
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment115
- Malicious Damage To Property97
- Transport Regulatory Offences251
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
4 public transport stops in this suburb
- Silverwater Rd At Beach Rd
- Silverwater Rd At Beach Rd
- Silverwater Rd Opp Beach Rd
- Silverwater Rd Opp Beach 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).
147 planning-related records
2026· 14 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Light industry36 BARKER AVENUE SILVERWATER 2128Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure; General industry; Local distribution premise2-4 STANLEY STREET SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
May 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1 TALBOT ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87B EGERTON STREET SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
- Advertising and signage; 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; Resource recovery facility188 SILVERWATER ROAD SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure4-6 BLIGH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
April 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)35 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
- Commercial development; Advertising and signage210 SILVERWATER ROAD SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 MELTON STREET NORTH SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
February 2026
- Shed; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Business identification signNEWTON STREET NORTH SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure91 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Warehouse or distribution centre; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure9 CHURCHILL STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Vehicle repair station91 CARNARVON STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
January 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Take away food and drinkSHOP 141 79-87 BEACONSFIELD STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
2025· 18 proposals
November 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry17 VORE STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
October 2025
- Demolition; Boarding house; Erection of a new structure56 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure76 BEACH ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
September 2025
- Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Light industry; Hours of operation and trading75 SILVERWATER ROAD SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)64 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure91 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
August 2025
- Demolition; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure22 BLIGH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure45 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Subdivision12 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry31-33 DAY STREET NORTH SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Demolition; Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure; General industry; Local distribution premise2-4 STANLEY STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Early Education and Care Facility; Centre-based child care34 BARKER AVENUE SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure27-29 FARIOLA STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
April 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Storage premises; Hours of operation and trading20-30 STUBBS STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Advertising and signage; 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; Resource recovery facility188 SILVERWATER ROAD SILVERWATER 2128Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Water recreation structure; Jetty103 BEACH ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
January 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure81 BEACH ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; General industry2 BLAXLAND STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Light industry18 BLIGH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation87 BEACH ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry; Local distribution premise90 VORE STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
October 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry93 ASQUITH STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
September 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation facility (indoor)28 VORE STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
August 2024
- Industrial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry85 EGERTON STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
July 2024
- Demolition87 BEACH ROAD SILVERWATER 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry26 DERBY STREET SILVERWATER 2128Determined
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
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Silverwater Rd at Beach RdBus stop
- Silverwater Rd opp Beach RdBus 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)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 17.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6751st in Australia
- State rank
- 2099th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #144 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #878 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 60%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Silverwater Rd at Beach Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Silverwater Rd opp Beach Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime97
- Fraudcrime105
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime115
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime97
- Transport Regulatory Offencescrime251
- Silverwater Rd At Beach Rdtransport
- Silverwater Rd At Beach Rdtransport
- Silverwater Rd Opp Beach Rdtransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- 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)
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.