NSW · Shellharbour Council
Yellow Rock, 2527
Current weather
13.5°CClear sky
66% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 20.2° / 9° today · 2.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Shellharbour, Yellow Rock keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment.
The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in community and employment. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 226
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $2,321
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 10 of 78
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,000
- Employment rate
- 64%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 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)
- $550
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $710
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 130
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
- 3
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 44.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 75 residents
- State safety percentile
- 20.2th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -8.8%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order58
- Domestic Violence Related Assault93
- Fraud123
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment117
- Malicious Damage To Property104
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
6 public transport stops in this suburb
- Yellow Rock Rd At Cedar Track
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Green Mountain Rd
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Green Mountain Rd
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Old Cedar Track
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Old Cedar 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).
4 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
June 2026
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structureYELLOW ROCK ROAD YELLOW ROCK RIDGE 2527Under Assessment
2025· 1 proposal
April 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation421 STOCKYARD MOUNTAIN ROAD YELLOW ROCK RIDGE 2527Determined
2024· 2 proposals
December 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures)5 BIMBADEEN PLACE YELLOW ROCK RIDGE 2527Determined
April 2024
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Agriculture94-180 GREEN MOUNTAIN ROAD YELLOW ROCK RIDGE 2527Determined
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)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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
- 26.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5875th in Australia
- State rank
- 1839th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #449 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #838 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
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime58
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime93
- Fraudcrime123
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime117
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime104
- Yellow Rock Rd At Cedar Tracktransport
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Green Mountain Rdtransport
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Green Mountain Rdtransport
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Old Cedar Tracktransport
- Yellow Rock Rd Opp Old Cedar 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 Shellharbour Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.