suburb.guide

NSW · Shoalhaven Council

Worrowing Heights, 2540

Current weather

12.7°CClear sky

63% humidity · 12.1 km/h wind · 19.6° / 11.1° today · 2.3 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

29.3/100
Below average

1713th in NSW

60% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • High desirability
  • Green suburb
What Worrowing Heights is known for: High desirability, Green suburb

Suburb profile

Worrowing Heights sits up in the Shoalhaven hills, a smaller community where elevation and tree cover define the mood. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Fresh country air and elevated outlooks are part of the appeal up here among the hills.

An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Reasonable public transport access helps with commuting and getting around locally.

Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.

On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
713
Median age
77
Median household income / week
$767
Dwelling vacancy
8.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
32 of 386
Median monthly mortgage
$503
Employment rate
7.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
15 / 328 / 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)
$465
Houses (January to March 2026)
$600
All types (January to March 2026)
$571
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
300

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

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
30
Against the person
11
Against property
12
Rate per 1,000 residents
42.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 65 residents
State safety percentile
17th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-6%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • Breach Apprehended Violence Order135
  • Domestic Violence Related Assault174
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment283
  • Malicious Damage To Property261
  • Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault146

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

11 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Naval College Rd After Birriga Av
  • Naval College Rd After Seagrass Av
  • Naval College Rd At Seagrass Av
  • Naval College Rd Opp Seagrass Av
  • The Wool Rd Before Naval College 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).

12 planning-related records

2025· 2 proposals

  • May 2025

  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    58 THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • February 2025

  • Place of public worship; Erection of a new structure
    NAVAL COLLEGE ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined
2023· 3 proposals

  • December 2023

  • Erection of a new structure; Animal care premises; Veterinary hospital
    233 THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • November 2023

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    4 BIRRIGA AVENUE WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • August 2023

  • Retaining walls, protection of trees; Food and drink premises; Other
    81 THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined
2022· 4 proposals

  • September 2022

  • Pools / decks / fencing
    4 BIRRIGA AVENUE WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • June 2022

  • Pools / decks / fencing
    58 The Wool Rd WORROWING HEIGHTS - Lot 8 DP 776949Determined

  • May 2022

  • Other
    NAVAL COLLEGE ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • January 2022

  • Pools / decks / fencing
    241 THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined
2021· 3 proposals

  • July 2021

  • Pools / decks / fencing
    173C THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • March 2021

  • Dwelling
    117 THE WOOL ROAD WORROWING HEIGHTS 2540Determined

  • February 2021

  • Other
    Lot 8 DP776949 - Larmer Avenue, Worrowing HeightsDetermined

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Monastery
  • Coastal Waters over 55 ResortResort

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

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
2/10
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

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
29.3/100 — Below average
National rank
5432nd in Australia
State rank
1713th in NSW
Peer rank
#389 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#747 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
60%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Coastal Waters over 55 Resortamenitiesresort
  • Monasteryamenitiesmonastery
  • Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime135
  • Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime174
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime283
  • Malicious Damage To Propertycrime261
  • Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime146
  • Naval College Rd After Birriga Avtransport
  • Naval College Rd After Seagrass Avtransport
  • Naval College Rd At Seagrass Avtransport

Data sources & freshness

More in Shoalhaven Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.