NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Gateshead, NSW, 2290
Desirability index
#676 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Gateshead is a smaller suburban community in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 3,121 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 2,563 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+1%), roughly 821.2 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $670 (flats $575, houses $720), 5 school and preschool sites 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
- 3,121
- Median age
- 35
- Median household income / week
- $1,232
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 81 of 1,264
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,705
- Employment rate
- 49.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 107 / 61 / 51
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)
- $575
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $720
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $670
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 207
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)
- 2,563
- Against the person
- 622
- Against property
- 1,411
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 821.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 5 residents
- State safety percentile
- 31.1th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +0.8%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault162
- Fraud206
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment188
- Malicious Damage To Property201
- Steal From Retail Store455
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
- 5
- Median school ICSEA (5 schools)
- 955
- Hunter Sports High SchoolSecondary
- Lakeside SchoolSpecial
- St Mary's Catholic CollegeSecondary
- St Paul's Primary SchoolPrimary
- Wiripaang 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
70 public transport stops in this suburb
- Pacfic Hwy Opp Hughes St
- Pacific Hwy Opp Hunter Sports High
- Pacific Hwy Opp Lake St
- Pacific Hwy Opp Mick Middleton Fields
- St Mary's High School, Pacific Hwy
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).
118 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure14 CADAGA ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
April 2026
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation56 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Additional Information Requested
March 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Supporting Development11 HESHBON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
February 2026
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure87 OAKDALE ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Additional Information Requested
2025· 20 proposals
December 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure27 JAMIESON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision5 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 OXFORD STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation53 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
September 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation63 GOUNDRY STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure24 JAMIESON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)34 MAHOGANY CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation50 BEAN STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Subdivision5 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space58 MAHOGANY CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
July 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation15 REDWOOD CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
June 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation15 REDWOOD CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure9 JAMIESON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers5 TEAK STREET GATESHEAD 2290Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Centre-based child care74 FELTON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
March 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure70 CADAGA ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
February 2025
- Demolition; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Medical centre; Health Infrastructure49 O'BRIEN STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Dual occupancy (detached)5 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool4A CADAGA ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation14 BEAN STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
2024· 12 proposals
December 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space29 HICKORY ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Educational establishment; Erection of a new structure45-47 Pacific Highway, GatesheadDetermined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure25 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation21 ALDER CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
July 2024
- Demolition; Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; Light industry51 OAKDALE ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
June 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure19 O'BRIEN STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
April 2024
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Semi-detached dwelling; Residential Accommodation50 BEAN STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure30 HESHBON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
February 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Carport3 JENNINGS STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure32 REDWOOD CRESCENT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
January 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Animal care premises; Animal boarding or training establishment52 OAKDALE ROAD GATESHEAD 2290Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Health services facility; Hospital; Health Infrastructure3 SYDNEY STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
2023· 29 proposals
December 2023
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Vehicle body repair workshop4 NEVIN CLOSE GATESHEAD 2290Withdrawn
- Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading17 METRO COURT GATESHEAD 2290Determined
November 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure21 GOUNDRY STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure57 CHURCH STREET GATESHEAD 2290Determined
2022· 26 proposals
26 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 26 proposals
26 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 1 proposal
1 proposal 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
23 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Hunter Dog CentreAnimal Boarding
- Bench (3)
- Hunter Sports High, Pacific HwyBus stop
- Pacfic Hwy opp Hughes StBus stop
- Pacific HwyBus stop
- Pacific Hwy after Lake StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy at Hughes StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy at Oxford StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy opp Hunter Sports HighBus stop
- Pacific Hwy opp Mick Middleton FieldsBus 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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Sylvia Grozdanovski Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 3
- Emergency department
- On site
- Lake Macquarie Private Hospitalhospital
- Macquarie Physiotherapyphysiotherapist
- Physiotherapistphysiotherapist
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
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)
- 8
- 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
- 8.8/100
- Cohort rank
- #676 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Pacfic Hwy Opp Hughes Sttransport
- Pacific Hwy Opp Hunter Sports Hightransport
- Pacific Hwy Opp Lake Sttransport
- Pacific Hwy Opp Mick Middleton Fieldstransport
- St Mary's High School, Pacific Hwytransport
- Lake Macquarie Private Hospitalhealthhospital
- Macquarie Physiotherapyhealthphysiotherapist
- Physiotherapisthealthphysiotherapist
- Sylvia Grozdanovski Memorial Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Centre-based child careplanning74 FELTON STREET GATESHEAD 2290Lodged 06 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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