Median house price
$1.17M
+8.8% change
NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Catherine Hill Bay, 2281
Est. population · Jun 2025
1,004
Growth (1 yr)
+1.2%
Growth (5 yr)
+6.1%
Median age
37
Median income
$2,628/wk
Employment rate
67.3%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$1,170,000
Languages at home
6%non-English
Most common: Macedonian, Spanish, Turkish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- Heritage area
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Catherine Hill Bay is a coastal smaller community a long way from Sydney, where beach life and a quieter rhythm set the tone. Regional towns and local services do more of the everyday heavy lifting than the city. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with a strong presence of young families throughout.
Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many coastal suburbs, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Buses make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.
Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
Desirability lands below average here: softer safety weighing on the result versus similar coastal suburbs, even with community and employment, plus growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Catherine Hill Bay snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$725/wk
Houses $750 · Units $550
Population (ERP)
1,004
+1.2% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
19.8%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#29
among Coastal & beach · Emerging
Safety
36th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
73rd
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 33.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4888th in Australia
- State rank
- 1564th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #29 among Coastal & beach · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #157 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 81%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $725
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 90
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $1,170,000
- Median price change
- +8.8%
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 and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
1,004(June 2025)
+1.2% annual · +6.1% over 5 years · 73th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.2%
- 5-year growth
- +6.1%
- Change in 1 year
- +12
- Change in 5 years
- +58
- Growth rank in NSW
- 73th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,050), extrapolated at +1.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 943
- Median age
- 37
- Median household income / week
- $2,628
- Dwelling vacancy
- 19.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 75 of 379
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,741
- Employment rate
- 67.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 307 / 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 · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 56
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 55.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 67 residents
- State safety percentile
- 36.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +2.1%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order78
- Domestic Violence Related Assault78
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment96
- Malicious Damage To Property83
- Other Offences210
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 · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Public transport
34 public transport stops in this suburb
- 24 Clarke St
- 37 Flowers Dr
- Clarke St Before Montefiore St
- Lindsley St After Flowers Dr
- Rural Fire Station, Flowers Dr
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 · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
23 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 pubs · 1 playgrounds
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 3 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Well connected by public transport — 34 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 32/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.06
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 3.18
Food & drink(1)
- Catho PubPub
Sport & outdoors(4)
- Park
- Patslaven ReservePark
- Roy McDougall ParkPark
- Playground
Transport(10)
10 bus stops
Other(6)
- Parking (2)
- Australia PostPost Box
- Public toilets
- Shelter (2)
- Shower
- TelstraTelephone
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Patslaven ReservePark
- Roy McDougall ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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 — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Belmont Hospital (13.8 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 30
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 29.9
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 18°
- Rainfall
- 295 mm · ~37 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 366 mm · ~46 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 272 mm · ~34 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 230 mm · ~29 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 21 proposals
July 2026
- Erection of a new structure; FencesHALE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure86 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Additional Information Requested
- Subdivision10 MONTEFIORE PARKWAY CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Swimming pool7 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah30 WOODBURY CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure39 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation8 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure15 WOODBURY CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure27 WOODBURY CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure8 RAYWOOD CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure52 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures)11 SANDHILL CLOSE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation41 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure81 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool51 WOODBURY CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool11 SUNNYSPOT BOULEVARD CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35 WOODBURY CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Withdrawn
February 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure25 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Additional Information Requested
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support49 HALE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure19 CLARKE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Under Assessment
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Non-standard Housing15 LINDSLEY STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport70 STOLLARD STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Withdrawn
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool18 STOLLARD STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
November 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (external)104 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Air-conditioning units; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Barbecues and other outdoor cooking structures; Clothes hoists and clothes lines; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Fences; Garage, carport or carparking space; Hot water systems; Pathways and paving; Skylights, roof windows and ventilators1 ANOUSKA STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure9 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Withdrawn
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool5 WARDLE AVENUE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Withdrawn
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool50 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure95 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure37 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool12 HOPWOOD CLOSE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah119 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure54 SILKSTONE CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation47 HALE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure98 SURFSIDE DRIVE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 SUNNYSPOT BOULEVARD CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 GILLESPIE STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure12 RAYWOOD CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool43 HOPWOOD CLOSE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure17 HOPWOOD CLOSE CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool8 STOLLARD STREET CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support34 RAYWOOD CIRCUIT CATHERINE HILL BAY 2281Determined
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 · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Heritage
2 heritage places
- Catherine Hill Bay Cultural PrecinctFlowers Drive, Catherine Hill BaySHR
- WWII RAAF Radar Station 208 (former)Catherine Hill BaySHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
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 · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Shortland
- Member of Parliament
- Pat CONROY (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 122,971
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.4%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +5.5 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 38.5%Labor 61.5%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 7.4 km away).
Coalition 42.6%Labor 57.4%
4.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +7.7 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Nords WharfLabor 55.3% · Coalition 44.7% TPP (2025)2.5 km away
- GwandalanLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)4.2 km away
- Caves BeachLabor 58.7% · Coalition 41.3% TPP (2025)5.3 km away
- Summerland PointLabor 58.1% · Coalition 41.9% TPP (2025)5.5 km away
- Lake MunmorahLabor 59.3% · Coalition 40.7% TPP (2025)6.2 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.