NSW · Wollongong Council
Darkes Forest, NSW, 2508
Suburb snapshot
Darkes Forest is a small locality in the Wollongong area, home to around 95 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 315 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+7%), roughly 3315.8 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $765, limited but present public transport access, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 95
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $2,624
- Dwelling vacancy
- 0%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 0 of 33
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,326
- Employment rate
- 79.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 0 / 0 / 0
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)
- $795
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)
- 315
- Against the person
- 99
- Against property
- 98
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 3,315.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 53.4th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +7.1%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order28
- Domestic Violence Related Assault19
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
- Malicious Damage To Property27
- Steal From Motor Vehicle19
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
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- 574 Darkes Forest Rd
- 574 Darkes Forest Rd
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).
20 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Bee keeping; Commercial livestock grazing23 PRINCES HIGHWAY DARKES FOREST 2508Additional Information Requested
March 2026
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure128 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2025· 3 proposals
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extensive agriculture; Commercial livestock grazing; Agriculture458 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Withdrawn
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences128 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
March 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure582 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2024· 4 proposals
December 2024
- Animal boarding or training establishment; Hours of operation and trading210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
October 2024
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure128 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
August 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure342-356 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
January 2024
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool582 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2023· 4 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
August 2023
- Shed210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
June 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Shed572-574 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2022· 2 proposals
August 2022
- Other105 Darkes Road, Kembla GrangeDetermined
June 2022
- Dwelling210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2021· 4 proposals
October 2021
- Shed210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development92-117 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
July 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing342-356 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
February 2021
- Secondary dwelling430 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
2020· 1 proposal
September 2020
- Secondary dwelling430 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Determined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Darks Forest ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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.
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.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
Recent changes
- 574 Darkes Forest Rdtransport
- 574 Darkes Forest Rdtransport
- Darks Forest Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning92-117 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 07 Oct 2021 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Shedplanning572-574 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 14 Jun 2023 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extensive agriculture; Commercial livestock grazing; Agricultureplanning458 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 13 Oct 2025 · Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fencesplanning128 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 09 Jul 2025 · Determined
- Animal boarding or training establishment; Hours of operation and tradingplanning210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 25 Dec 2024 · Determined
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming poolplanning582 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 09 Jan 2024 · Determined
- Dwellingplanning210 DARKES FOREST ROAD DARKES FOREST 2508Lodged 28 Jun 2022 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · 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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