NSW · Central Darling Council
Wilcannia, 2836
Current weather
14.1°CClear sky
73% humidity · 22.3 km/h wind · 17.7° / 9.2° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Central Darling, Wilcannia keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Far from the capital hubbub, it offers genuine distance, local character and room to live at a slower pace. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
A younger crowd gives the area energy, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood.
The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 735
- Median age
- 32
- Median household income / week
- $1,211
- Dwelling vacancy
- 28%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 75 of 268
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,350
- Employment rate
- 31.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 18 / 12 / 3
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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 323
- Against the person
- 110
- Against property
- 90
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 439.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 7 residents
- State safety percentile
- 99.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -35.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order46
- Breach Bail Conditions43
- Domestic Violence Related Assault59
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment49
- Malicious Damage To Property32
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
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 706.5
- St Therese's Community Parish SchoolPrimary
- Wilcannia Central SchoolCombined
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
7 public transport stops in this suburb
- Barrier Hwy Opp Homestead Dr
- Emmdale Coach Stop
- Wilcannia Coach Stop
- Wilcannia RTC, Reid St
- Wilcannia RTC, Reid 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).
36 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
April 2026
- Hotel or motel accommodation; Restaurant or cafe; Advertising and signage; Footpaths - outdoor dining; Outdoor dining - general; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Food and drink premise; Take away food and drink; Hours of operation and trading65 REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development88 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
2025· 3 proposals
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure112 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure112 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing100 HOOD STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
2024· 6 proposals
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Neighbourhood shop40A-40B REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
October 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing100 HOOD STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
August 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Moveable dwelling25 MCINTYRE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
May 2024
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development88 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Telecommunications facility30-40 JAMES STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home1963 OPAL MINERS WAY WILCANNIA 2836Determined
2023· 5 proposals
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Temporary building, structure or use; Transport Infrastructure"WILCANNIA AERODROME" Wilcannia Aerodrome roadDetermined
July 2023
- Demolition; Other42 REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
June 2023
- Health services facilitiesBONNEY STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
February 2023
- Dual occupancy71 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Dual occupancy23-25 CLEATON STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
2022· 9 proposals
December 2022
- Dwelling42 ADAMS STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
November 2022
- OtherBARRIER HIGHWAY WILCANNIA 2836Determined
September 2022
- Business premises39 REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Withdrawn
- Health services facilitiesBONNEY STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development119-121 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Recreational Uses76-92 HOOD STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
May 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Alterations and additions to commercial development; Mixed use development65-67 REID STREET WILCANNIADetermined
April 2022
- Dwelling3711 Warrali Avenue WilcanniaDetermined
- Demolition; Other42 REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
2021· 11 proposals
November 2021
- Shed3 Woore Street Wilcannia 2836Determined
- Health services facilitiesBONNEY STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
August 2021
- Telecommunications and communication facilities1-7 ROSS STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
May 2021
- Other30-40 James Street WilcanniaDetermined
- Out of school hours care105 HOOD STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
April 2021
- Farm buildings5-19 WILSON STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
- Multi-dwelling housing; Other119-121 WOORE STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
March 2021
- Other23061 BARRIER HIGHWAY WILCANNIA 2836Determined
February 2021
- Dwelling14-16 REID STREET WILCANNIA 2836Deferred Commencement
- Other30-40 JAMES STREET WILCANNIA 2836Determined
January 2021
- Other23-25 Hood Street Wilcannia 2836Determined
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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Baker ParkPark
- Burke ParkPark
- Reconciliation ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- On site
- Wilcannia Hospitalhospital
- Wilcannia Multi-Purpose ServiceRoss Streethospital
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
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
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Wilcannia Post Office and Post Master’s Residence 45 Reid St, Wilcannia SHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Wilcannia Public School Preschool (Barlu Kurli)kindergarten
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)
- 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
- 22.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6371st in Australia
- State rank
- 1987th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #88 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #943 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
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 Ordercrime46
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime43
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime59
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime49
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime32
- Barrier Hwy Opp Homestead Drtransport
- Emmdale Coach Stoptransport
- Wilcannia Coach Stoptransport
- Wilcannia RTC, Reid Sttransport
- Wilcannia RTC, Reid Sttransport
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 Central Darling Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.