NSW · Port Stephens Council
Heatherbrae, NSW, 2324
Desirability index
60.4/100
How this score is calculated#181 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Heatherbrae is a small locality in the Port Stephens area, home to around 654 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 2,689 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-12%), roughly 4111.6 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $578 (flats $498, houses $610), 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a solid spread of nearby amenities and everyday services, 1 active roadworks or transport incidents on nearby routes, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 654
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,066
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 18 of 277
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 42.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 34 / 13 / 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
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $498
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $610
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $578
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 194
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)
- 2,689
- Against the person
- 834
- Against property
- 910
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 4,111.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 57th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -11.7%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions384
- Domestic Violence Related Assault228
- Fraud159
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment331
- Malicious Damage To Property237
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
- 899
- Hunter River High SchoolSecondary
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
27 public transport stops in this suburb
- 187 Masonite Rd
- Hunter River High School, Elkin Av
- Masonite Rd Before Archibald Pl
- Masonite Rd Opp Archibald Pl
- Pacific Hwy After Masonite Rd
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- RoadworksPacific Highway, Hank Street07 Jul 2026 – 09 Jul 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
125 planning-related records
2026· 16 proposals
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Supporting Development431 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Subdivision470 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)1 OCTAGONAL DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
April 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)2 MAKYBE DIVA DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)17 OCTAGONAL DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)21 COMANCHE CLOSE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation1 MAKYBE DIVA DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
March 2026
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)10 MAKYBE DIVA DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)8 MAKYBE DIVA DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry97 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure81 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Withdrawn
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; General industry49 KIERMAN CIRCUIT HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry7 MOTTO LANE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool18 KINGSTON PARADE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
January 2026
- Industrial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia65 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure45 KIERMAN CIRCUIT HEATHERBRAE 2324Under Assessment
2025· 19 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Ancillary commercial development; Depot2 KIERMAN CIRCUIT HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure26 ELKIN AVENUE HEATHERBRAE 2324Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool33 KINGSTON PARADE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Subdivision5A SPEEDY LOCK LANE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
October 2025
- Advertising and signage; Retail Premise8 GRIFFIN STREET HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Restaurant or cafe; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Highway service centre; Take away food and drink485 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Supporting Development431 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; General industry16 GIGGINS ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
August 2025
- Subdivision5 SPEEDY LOCK LANE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
July 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Supporting Development431 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
June 2025
- Educational establishment; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; School36 ELKIN AVENUE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia37 KIERMAN CIRCUIT HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Resource recovery facility15 IVORY CLOSE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Educational establishment; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; School; Infrastructure36 ELKIN AVENUE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
May 2025
- Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure58 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
April 2025
- Industrial development; Warehouse or distribution centre; Erection of a new structure65 KIERMAN CIRCUIT HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Vehicle body repair workshop; Vehicle repair station; Hours of operation and trading19 HEATHER STREET HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
March 2025
- Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Light industry2 62 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
- Subdivision470 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
2024· 20 proposals
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support2209 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
October 2024
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure54 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
August 2024
- Industrial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry18 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Withdrawn
- Advertising and signage; Business identification sign24 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
July 2024
- Temporary building, structure or use; Waste or resource transfer station470 MASONITE ROAD HEATHERBRAE 2324Determined
2023· 14 proposals
14 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 28 proposals
28 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 27 proposals
27 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
34 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 2200 Pacific HwyBus stop
- Bellhaven Caravan Park, Adelaide StBus stop
- Hunter River High School, Elkin AvBus stop
- Masonite Rd before Archibald PlBus stop
- Masonite Rd opp Archibald PlBus stop
- Pacific Gardens, Pacific HwyBus stop
- Pacific Hwy after Hank StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy after Masonite RdBus stop
- Pacific Hwy at Kingston PdeBus stop
- Pacific Hwy opp 2200Bus 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
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)
- 7
- 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
- 60.4/100
- Cohort rank
- #181 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
- 187 Masonite Rdtransport
- Hunter River High School, Elkin Avtransport
- Masonite Rd Before Archibald Pltransport
- Masonite Rd Opp Archibald Pltransport
- Pacific Hwy After Masonite Rdtransport
- Advertising and signage; Business identification signplanning24 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Lodged 26 Aug 2024 · Determined
- Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Light industryplanning2 62 CAMFIELD DRIVE HEATHERBRAE 2324Lodged 31 Mar 2025 · Determined
- Advertising and signage; Retail Premiseplanning8 GRIFFIN STREET HEATHERBRAE 2324Lodged 29 Oct 2025 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Resource recovery facilityplanning15 IVORY CLOSE HEATHERBRAE 2324Lodged 03 Jun 2025 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industryplanning7 MOTTO LANE HEATHERBRAE 2324Lodged 24 Feb 2026 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- 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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