NSW · Wollongong Council
Tarrawanna, 2518
Current weather
10.1°CClear sky
67% humidity · 6.7 km/h wind · 17.5° / 6° today · 2.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
In Wollongong, Tarrawanna is a settled smaller community with a familiar suburban feel and good links to the wider city. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. 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 carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in housing affordability and parks and green space. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 2,184
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,449
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 38 of 885
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 49.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 37 / 253 / 61
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)
- $520
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $825
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 155
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)
- 191
- Against the person
- 40
- Against property
- 67
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 87.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 55 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +14%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault92
- Fraud86
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment110
- Malicious Damage To Property131
- Transport Regulatory Offences364
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
- 982
- Tarrawanna 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
18 public transport stops in this suburb
- Alpini Park, Caldwell Av
- Caldwell Av Opp Alpini Park
- Meadow St Opp Harrigan St
- Tarrawanna Community Hall, Meadow St
- Tarrawanna Public School, Meadow 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).
85 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
March 2026
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure74 MEADOW STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Under Assessment
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool18 BROOKER STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation27 Meadow Street TarrawannaDetermined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure27 BERTRAM CLOSE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
2025· 9 proposals
October 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies20 PROSSER CLOSE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Subdivision39 BROOKER STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool22 MEADS AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure22 MEADS AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation35 HENRY STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Home business; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia13 BROOKER STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Withdrawn
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Fences64 MEADOW STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Withdrawn
April 2025
- Demolition15 KENDALL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation15 KENDALL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
2024· 7 proposals
December 2024
- Restaurant or cafe; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia66 CALDWELL AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
November 2024
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure7 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
October 2024
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space4 HENRY STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Carport17 HENRY STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure34 BELLAMBI STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Seniors housing; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support78 CALDWELL AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
February 2024
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation33 MEADOW STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
2023· 12 proposals
December 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses11 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
November 2023
- Demolition86 CALDWELL AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
September 2023
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision7 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
July 2023
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land40 MEADS AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Withdrawn
- Subdivision of land6 KEIRA STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development28 CALDWELL AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
June 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing1 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development2A CALDWELL AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development24 PENDLETON CLOSE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Demolition; Shed1 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
March 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development28 MEADS AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
February 2023
- Stratum / community title subdivision33 MEADOW STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
2022· 8 proposals
December 2022
- Dwelling39 BROOKER STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development54 MEADS AVENUE TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
November 2022
- Dwelling11 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Dual occupancy16 BELLAMBI STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
October 2022
- Demolition; Shed1 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
- Alterations and additions to commercial development; Food and drink premises; Small bar81 MEADOW STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling18A HARRIGAN STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
August 2022
- Demolition11 CORRIMAL STREET TARRAWANNA 2518Determined
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
19 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (3)
- Alpini Park, Caldwell AvBus stop
- Caldwell Av opp Alpini ParkBus stop
- Meadow St after Caldwell AvBus stop
- Meadow St at Caldwell AvBus stop
- Meadow St at Harrigan StBus stop
- Meadow St opp Harrigan StBus stop
- Meadow St opp Tarrawanna Community HallBus stop
- Meadow St opp Tarrawanna Public SchoolBus stop
- Tarrawanna Community Hall, Meadow 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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Alpini ParkPark
- Blaker ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- 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
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)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
- 29.4/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5336th in Australia
- State rank
- 1684th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #104 among Metro Sydney · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #784 among Metro Sydney 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
- Alpini Park, Caldwell Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Caldwell Av opp Alpini Parkamenitiesbus_stop
- Meadow St after Caldwell Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Meadow St at Caldwell Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Meadow St at Harrigan Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Meadow St opp Harrigan Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Meadow St opp Tarrawanna Community Hallamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Wollongong Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.