NSW · Bega Valley Council
Towamba, 2550
Current weather
11.9°CMainly clear
64% humidity · 11 km/h wind · 17.2° / 8.8° today · 1.6 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Towamba is a quieter smaller community in Bega Valley, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, 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. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible.
The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete. A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 249
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $808
- Dwelling vacancy
- 21.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 26 of 119
- Median monthly mortgage
- $867
- Employment rate
- 34%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $410
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $580
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 83
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)
- 12
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 48.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 83 residents
- State safety percentile
- 25.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -7.4%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order61
- Breach Bail Conditions45
- Domestic Violence Related Assault54
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment78
- Malicious Damage To Property93
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
- 958
- Towamba 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
22 public transport stops in this suburb
- Pericoe Rd At Knight St
- Pericoe Rd At Logans Rd
- Pericoe Rd Opp Towamba St
- Towamba Rd At The Snake Track
- Towamba Rd Opp The Snake Track
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).
10 planning-related records
2025· 3 proposals
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home87 LOG FARM ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
May 2025
- Farm buildings; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Supporting Development2114 TOWAMBA ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport2410 TOWAMBA ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
2024· 2 proposals
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure748 MUSTERING GROUND ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia11 TOWAMBA STREET TOWAMBA 2550Determined
2023· 1 proposal
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure13 TOWAMBA STREET TOWAMBA 2550Determined
2022· 3 proposals
June 2022
- Dwelling1296 MUSTERING GROUND ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling750 MUSTERING GROUND ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
- Dwelling748 MUSTERING GROUND ROAD TOWAMBA 2550Determined
2021· 1 proposal
December 2021
- Dwelling1722 Snake Track Towamba 2550Determined
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
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
- 22.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6370th in Australia
- State rank
- 1986th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #514 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #942 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 68%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime61
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime45
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime54
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime78
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime93
- Pericoe Rd At Knight Sttransport
- Pericoe Rd At Logans Rdtransport
- Pericoe Rd Opp Towamba Sttransport
- Towamba Rd At The Snake Tracktransport
- Towamba Rd Opp The Snake Tracktransport
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)
More in Bega Valley Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.