NSW · Inner West Council
Birchgrove, NSW, 2041
Desirability index
#366 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Birchgrove is a smaller suburban community in the Inner West area, home to around 3,228 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 977 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-7%), roughly 302.7 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $900 (flats $800, houses $1,210), 11 public transport stops within the suburb, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 3,228
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $3,603
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 175 of 1,452
- Median monthly mortgage
- $4,000
- Employment rate
- 63.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 59 / 681 / 233
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)
- $800
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,210
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $900
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 173
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
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)
- 977
- Against the person
- 229
- Against property
- 306
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 302.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 14 residents
- State safety percentile
- 19.3th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -6.6%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions217
- Domestic Violence Related Assault55
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment68
- Malicious Damage To Property71
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault74
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
- Birchgrove Oval, Grove St
- Birchgrove Wharf
- Grove St Opp Bay St
- Grove St Opp Birchgrove Oval
- Rowntree St At Cameron St
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
366 planning-related records
2026· 19 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure87 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 GROVE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Additional Information Requested
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Maintenance of buildings in draft heritage conservation areas6 WHARF ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure50 CAMERON STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Under Assessment
April 2026
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure26 Grove Street Birchgrove 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure55 LOUISA ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 CHALLENGER PLACE BIRCHGROVE 2041Under Assessment
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 BALLAST POINT ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation52 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure58 LOUISA ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition110 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure86 SHORT STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Withdrawn
February 2026
- Demolition43 SHORT STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition8 GIPPS STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition136 SHORT STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure44 LOUISA ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition; Residential Accommodation54A CHURCH STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Withdrawn
- Demolition; Dwelling house15 SPRING STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation111D Louisa Road Birchgrove 2041Determined
2025· 57 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation19 BALLAST POINT ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Additional Information Requested
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Stairway45 WHARF ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Residential Accommodation29 GROVE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 BALLAST POINT ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- DemolitionMort Bay Park BirchgroveWithdrawn
- Demolition28 ROSE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
November 2025
- Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation83 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure88 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation34 BALLAST POINT ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool128 SHORT STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure17 WHARF ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool40 COVE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition9 REUSS STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation12 YEEND STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
September 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure105 BIRCHGROVE ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation52 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling57 GIPPS STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation12 LOUISA ROAD BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
- Demolition25 GIPPS STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Landscaping structures33 COVE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure160 ROWNTREE STREET BIRCHGROVE 2041Determined
2024· 58 proposals
58 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 53 proposals
53 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 51 proposals
51 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 65 proposals
65 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 63 proposals
63 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
43 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq (2)
- Bench (11)
- Bicycle Parking
- Boat Storage (2)
- Mort Bay Park Dingy Storage RacksBoat Storage
- Birchgrove Oval, Grove StBus stop
- Grove St at Bay StBus stop
- Grove St opp Bay StBus stop
- Grove St opp Birchgrove OvalBus stop
- Rowntree St at Cameron StBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
7 parks and public open space in this suburb
- "Park with No Name"Park
- Ballast Point ParkPark
- Ballast Point ReservePark
- Brownlee ReservePark
- College Street PlaygroundPark
- Miklouho-Maclay ParkPark
- Yurulbin ParkPark
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.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
4 state heritage places
- Ballast Point ParkBallast Point Road and Ronald Street, BirchgroveSHR
- Raywell144 Louisa Road BirchgroveSHR
- Wyoming25 Wharf Road BirchgroveSHR
- Yurulbin Park and ForeshoreLouisa Road, BirchgroveSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Bichgrove Preschoolkindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 14
- Parks (OSM)
- 13
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 50.2/100
- Cohort rank
- #366 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Birchgrove Oval, Grove Sttransport
- Birchgrove Wharftransport
- Grove St Opp Bay Sttransport
- Grove St Opp Birchgrove Ovaltransport
- Rowntree St At Cameron Sttransport
- Bichgrove Preschoolchildcarekindergarten
- Ballast Point ParkheritageBallast Point Road and Ronald Street, BirchgroveSHR
- Raywellheritage144 Louisa Road BirchgroveSHR
- Wyomingheritage25 Wharf Road BirchgroveSHR
- Yurulbin Park and ForeshoreheritageLouisa Road, BirchgroveSHR
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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