NSW · Liverpool Plains Council
Willow Tree, 2339
Current weather
13.5°CClear sky
79% humidity · 17 km/h wind · 16.9° / 11.6° today · 10 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
As a regional hub in Liverpool Plains, Willow Tree combines local convenience with the appeal of a smaller community that feels genuinely its own. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. Renewal is happening in measured doses, with new development complementing what is already there.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because community and employment and housing affordability lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in transport and access. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 327
- Median age
- 51
- Median household income / week
- $961
- Dwelling vacancy
- 18.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 26 of 144
- Median monthly mortgage
- $988
- Employment rate
- 44.9%
- 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 21
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 7
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 64.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 47 residents
- State safety percentile
- 42.8th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -12.3%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault5
- Fraud6
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment8
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offences4
- Trespass3
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
- Willow Tree 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
44 public transport stops in this suburb
- 248 Borambil Creek Rd
- 342 Borambil Creek Rd
- Borambil Creek Rd Opp 248
- Borambil Creek Rd Opp 342
- Willow Tree Public School, Merriwa 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).
22 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
April 2026
- Home business; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia8456 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
- Subdivision8284 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
February 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development5 RAPHIE HOWARD DRIVE WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
2025· 1 proposal
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 RAPHIE HOWARD DRIVE WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
2024· 4 proposals
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure22 LEARMONTH STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)256 MERRIWA ROAD WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure77 KANKOOL ACCESS ROAD WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
February 2024
- Demolition; Residential flat building36 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
2023· 4 proposals
December 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home6 HALL STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure6 HALL STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
September 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)33 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY WILLOW TREE 2339Withdrawn
February 2023
- Waste and resource management facilities258 MERRIWA ROAD WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
2022· 6 proposals
November 2022
- Shed11 HALL STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
- Dwelling28 Learmonth Street, Willow Tree, NSWDetermined
September 2022
- Other256 MERRIWA ROAD WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
March 2022
- Other256 MERRIWA ROAD WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
February 2022
- Shed17 LEARMONTH STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Withdrawn
- Secondary dwelling5 EIPPER STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
2021· 4 proposals
December 2021
- Dwelling52 LEARMONTH STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
- Dwelling148 WARRAH PARK LANE WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
August 2021
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces52 LEARMONTH STREET WILLOW TREE 2339Deferred Commencement
July 2021
- Business premises; Retail premises32 NEW ENGLAND HIGHWAY WILLOW TREE 2339Determined
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
27 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- Hanna Butcher ShopButcher
- Cafe
- Plains Pantry Gourmet GrocerCafe
6 Cadell Street, Willow Tree
- Car repair
- Plains Pantry Gourmet GrocerGeneral
- Iron & SageHouseware;Leather;Gift;Garden Centre
- Plains Pantry Gourmet GrocerNewsagent
- Willow Tree Rest Area East SideParking
- Willow Tree Rest Area West SideParking
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- King George V Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 35.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4363rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1388th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #243 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #531 among Country & regional 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
- Araluen Canvas Goodsamenitiesyes
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Cafeamenitiescafe
- Car repairamenitiescar_repair
- Graze Willow Tree Innamenitiespub
- Hanna Butcher Shopamenitiesbutcher
- Iron & Sageamenitieshouseware;leather;gift;garden_centre
- Place of worshipamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Plains Pantry Gourmet Groceramenities6 Cadell Street, Willow Treecafe
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Liverpool Plains Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.