NSW · Ballina Council
East Wardell, 2477
Current weather
18.2°CMainly clear
81% humidity · 13.6 km/h wind · 22.1° / 12.7° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Top transport
- Affordable
- Rural
- Established
- Residential
Suburb profile
In Ballina, East Wardell keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space the main drags compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 312
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,550
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 128
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 62.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 6 / 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)
- $530
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $700
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 59
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)
- 13
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 41.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 104 residents
- State safety percentile
- 16.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +8.6%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault37
- Fraud33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
- Malicious Damage To Property62
- Steal From Motor Vehicle47
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
33 public transport stops in this suburb
- Blackwall Dr After Owens Lane
- Byron St Opp Raglan St
- River Dr At Hunter St
- River Dr Opp Hunter St
- River Dr Opp James St
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).
35 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Garage, carport or carparking space; Rainwater tanks; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation12 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Under Assessment
April 2026
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool234 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Under Assessment
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure39 RIVER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Under Assessment
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural supportBYRON STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
2025· 6 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool8 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureSNEESBYS LANE EAST WARDELL 2477 , Lot 2 , DP841666Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of AustraliaBOUNDARY CREEK ROAD EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
July 2025
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Letterboxes; Pathways and paving; Rainwater tanks; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation234 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of AustraliaBOUNDARY CREEK ROAD EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool50-52 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
2024· 4 proposals
October 2024
- Dwelling; Earthworks / change in levels; Other39 RIVER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool288 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming poolSNEESBYS LANE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah89 PATCHS BEACH ROAD EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
2023· 3 proposals
December 2023
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation176 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure161 Meaneys Lane, East Wardell - 1 & 2 DP 858017Determined
May 2023
- Earthworks / change in levels; Shed12 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
2022· 8 proposals
October 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces43 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
July 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing8 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Dual occupancy; Earthworks / change in levels244 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Withdrawn
- Pools / decks / fencing4 HUNTER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling26 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
March 2022
- Earthworks / change in levels; Shed4 HUNTER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Dwelling4 HUNTER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees12 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
2021· 10 proposals
December 2021
- Other3 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Farm buildingsSNEESBYS LANE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
November 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Earthworks / change in levels; Farm buildings176 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
October 2021
- Dwelling213 Sneesbys Lane, East WardellDetermined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces54 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
September 2021
- DwellingBOUNDARY CREEK ROAD EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development44 RIVER DRIVE EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
August 2021
- Dwelling4 HUNTER STREET EAST WARDELL 2477Determined
- Dwelling; Earthworks / change in levelsSneesbys Lane East WardellWithdrawn
July 2021
- DwellingBoundary creek Road East WardellDetermined
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
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- P V Walsh ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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
- No overlay at centroid
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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 features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 31.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5019th in Australia
- State rank
- 1599th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #257 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #680 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime37
- Fraudcrime33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime40
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime62
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime47
- Blackwall Dr After Owens Lanetransport
- Byron St Opp Raglan Sttransport
- River Dr At Hunter Sttransport
- River Dr Opp Hunter Sttransport
- River Dr Opp James Sttransport
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 Ballina Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.