NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Bonnells Bay, NSW, 2264
Desirability index
#160 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Bonnells Bay is a smaller suburban community in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 4,066 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,365 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-13%), roughly 335.7 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $610, 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a solid spread of nearby amenities and everyday services, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 4,066
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $1,460
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 144 of 1,691
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,820
- Employment rate
- 51.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 135 / 78 / 13
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
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $628
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 99
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)
- 1,365
- Against the person
- 348
- Against property
- 515
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 335.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 12 residents
- State safety percentile
- 20.4th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -13.2%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault97
- Fraud105
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment115
- Malicious Damage To Property97
- Transport Regulatory Offences251
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
- 925
- Bonnells Bay Public SchoolPrimary
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
62 public transport stops in this suburb
- Baldwin Bvd At Fishery Point Rd
- Mather Dr At Regent St
- Mather Dr Opp Waikiki Rd
- Station St Opp Harbord St
- Victoria St At Station 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).
155 planning-related records
2026· 13 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 MARINA ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport3 CROWN CLOSE BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
April 2026
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure69 STATION STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 KONA CRESCENT BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure513 FISHERY POINT ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure30 ST CLAIR STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure60-62 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure47 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure130 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
January 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure365 FISHERY POINT ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Driveways and hard stand spaces35 MACQUARIE STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure58 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
2025· 24 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 ALOHA CLOSE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
November 2025
- Dual occupancy; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation9 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
October 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool11 REGENT STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)82 STATION STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Under Assessment
September 2025
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)21 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure34A DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool147 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure119 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 MARINA ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 ARGYLE STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
June 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure57 DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house38 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport22 WAIKIKI ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool17 VICTORIA STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
April 2025
- Demolition25 HARBORD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure92 REGENT STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space4 WOOD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool29 STAN CRESCENT BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
February 2025
- Demolition; Residential Accommodation13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers47 AMOS STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure130 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah36 DALLEY STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
2024· 26 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah112 HARBORD STREET BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation147 GRAND PARADE BONNELLS BAY 2264Determined
November 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)39 dalley street bonnells bayDetermined
2023· 29 proposals
29 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 31 proposals
31 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 27 proposals
27 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 5 proposals
5 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
30 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bonnells Bay Shopping Cntr, Fishery Point RdBus stop
- Grand Pde at Amos StBus stop
- Grand Pde opp Amos StBus stop
- Mather Dr at Fishery Point RdBus stop
- Mather Dr at Regent StBus stop
- Mather Dr at Waikiki RdBus stop
- Mather Dr opp Waikiki RdBus stop
- Morisset Park Rd after Silky Oak DrBus stop
- Morisset Park Rd opp Bonnells Bay Public SchoolBus stop
- Morris Cres after Nevada ClBus 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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bonnells Bay ParkPark
- Pendlebury ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Doctordoctor
- Pharmacypharmacy
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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
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)
- 4
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- 64.9/100
- Cohort rank
- #160 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Baldwin Bvd At Fishery Point Rdtransport
- Mather Dr At Regent Sttransport
- Mather Dr Opp Waikiki Rdtransport
- Station St Opp Harbord Sttransport
- Victoria St At Station Sttransport
- Doctorhealthdoctor
- Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
- Bonnells Bay Parkgovernmentpark
- Pendlebury Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carportplanning22 WAIKIKI ROAD BONNELLS BAY 2264Lodged 30 May 2025 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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