NSW · Ballina Council
Fernleigh, NSW, 2479
Desirability index
#192 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Fernleigh is a small locality in the Ballina area, home to around 298 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 136 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-22%), roughly 456.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $950, 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 298
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $2,024
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 5 of 103
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 60.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 5 / 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)
- $1,060
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 37
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)
- 136
- Against the person
- 48
- Against property
- 64
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 456.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 6 residents
- State safety percentile
- 23.6th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -22.3%
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Dwelling10
- Domestic Violence Related Assault15
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment13
- Malicious Damage To Property11
- Steal From Motor Vehicle14
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
- 1,032
- Fernleigh 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
25 public transport stops in this suburb
- 25 Nashua Rd
- 39 Nashua Rd
- Fernleigh Rd At Nashua Rd
- Nashua Rd Opp 25
- Tooheys Mill Rd At Nashua 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).
23 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
June 2026
- Subdivision178 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 417 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2025· 3 proposals
October 2025
- Demolition; Swimming pool415 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
August 2025
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool663 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool609 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2024· 2 proposals
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure199 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
- Subdivision178 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2023· 3 proposals
November 2023
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support262 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
April 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing500/-/1260659Determined
March 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing199 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2022· 11 proposals
December 2022
- Shed264 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
September 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development40 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
- Other191 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
July 2022
- Dual occupancy399 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Withdrawn
June 2022
- Dual occupancy; Pools / decks / fencing; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Change of use199 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Withdrawn
May 2022
- Dual occupancy1 MAJORS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
- Shed1 MAJORS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development375 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
April 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development72 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
March 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition1 MAJORS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
January 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development146 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Shed72 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
- Shed1 MAJORS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026; 2021; 2022… · 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
- Burnett 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
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 58.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #192 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
- 25 Nashua Rdtransport
- 39 Nashua Rdtransport
- Fernleigh Rd At Nashua Rdtransport
- Nashua Rd Opp 25transport
- Tooheys Mill Rd At Nashua Rdtransport
- Burnett Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning40 NASHUA ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Lodged 21 Sep 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning375 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Lodged 05 May 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning146 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Lodged 31 Jan 2022 · Determined
- Demolition; Swimming poolplanning415 FERNLEIGH ROAD FERNLEIGH 2479Lodged 23 Oct 2025 · 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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