NSW · Kiama Council
Werri Beach, 2534
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
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Werri Beach wears its coastal identity openly, a smaller community built around sand, sea and an easy outdoor rhythm. The coast is the anchor, with regional towns nearby for markets, dining and weekend exploring. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with family life visible on every street. Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum and housing affordability lag similar coastal suburbs, despite relative strength in community and employment and safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 510
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,941
- Dwelling vacancy
- 36.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 106 of 292
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,513
- Employment rate
- 55.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 15 / 25 / 6
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)
- $770
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 32
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)
- 10
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 19.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 255 residents
- State safety percentile
- 1.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -41%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault8
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment10
- Liquor Offences8
- Motor Vehicle Theft8
- Steal From Motor Vehicle11
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
33 public transport stops in this suburb
- 63 Renfrew Rd
- Pacific Av At Miller St
- Pacific Av Opp 61
- Pacific Av Opp Moore St
- Renfrew Rd At Werri 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).
65 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
March 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Swimming pool110 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Under Assessment
2025· 12 proposals
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space16 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure30 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation52 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation11 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool69 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)71 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation20 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation67 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure11 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
March 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)50 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
January 2025
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation31 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
2024· 13 proposals
December 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation132 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
October 2024
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)50 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
September 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)88 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure8 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure65 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure51 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
May 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation22 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool116 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
April 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool69 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool52 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Deferred Commencement
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)71 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
January 2024
- Multi-dwelling housing; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure73 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
2023· 8 proposals
December 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure15 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
September 2023
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)71 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
August 2023
- Demolition56 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dwelling56 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition65 PACIFIC AVENUE WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land88 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
July 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development; Subdivision of land52 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
February 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Subdivision of land136 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
2022· 6 proposals
November 2022
- Dwelling69 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
August 2022
- Dwelling; Demolition14 WERRI STREET WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
July 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs62 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development54 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
June 2022
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision of land88 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Operational consent issued
May 2022
- Dwelling; Demolition73 RENFREW ROAD WERRI BEACH 2534Determined
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
22 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- Bench
- Pacific Av opp Werri Beach Fish ShopBus stop
- Drinking water (3)
- Fitness Station
- Karrawarra ReserveNature Reserve
- Lloyd Rees ReservePark
- Parking
- Picnic Table (5)
- Playground
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
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Birriebungie ReservePark
- Bungulla ReservePark
- James Muir Miller ReservePark
- Karrawarra ReserveNature reserve
- Lloyd Rees ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
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)
- 4
- 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
- 32.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4899th in Australia
- State rank
- 1572nd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #84 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #155 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Fitness Stationamenitiesfitness_station
- Karrawarra Reserveamenitiesnature_reserve
- Lloyd Rees Reserveamenitiespark
- Pacific Av opp Werri Beach Fish Shopamenitiesbus_stop
- Parkingamenitiesparking
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Kiama Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.