NSW · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Herons Creek, NSW, 2439
Desirability index
4.4/100
How this score is calculated#443 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Herons Creek is a small locality in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area, home to around 246 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 185 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025, roughly 752.0 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, 13 public transport stops within the suburb, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 246
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $1,266
- Dwelling vacancy
- 13.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 101
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,473
- Employment rate
- 54.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 185
- Against the person
- 55
- Against property
- 72
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 752
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 4 residents
- State safety percentile
- 29.5th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- 0%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions12
- Fraud11
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment31
- Malicious Damage To Property25
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offences10
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
- 919
- Herons Creek 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
13 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bago Rd At Little Bago Lane
- Bago Rd Opp Little Bago Lane
- Herons Creek Rd At Pacific Hwy
- Kew Kendall Sewerage Plant, Pacific Hwy
- Pacific Hwy At Miles Dr
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).
19 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining); Environmental protection works; Other Infrastructure31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Under Assessment
February 2026
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Supporting Development438 BLACKBUTT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Withdrawn
2025· 3 proposals
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation129 CLULEYS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
May 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry359 HERONS CREEK ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Withdrawn
January 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Extractive Industries (non-mining)31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Withdrawn
2024· 4 proposals
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Rural industry; Sawmill or log processing works167 MILES DRIVE HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
May 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Withdrawn
March 2024
- Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure127 CLULEYS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
January 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Residential Accommodation23 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
2023· 5 proposals
December 2023
- Restaurant or cafe; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Food and drink premise197 LAMBS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
November 2023
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Vehicle Sales or Hire Premises359 HERONS CREEK ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Rural worker's dwelling58 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
September 2023
- Other31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
August 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use23 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
2022· 3 proposals
October 2022
- Signage5499 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling122 BLACKBUTT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
July 2022
- Dwelling; Shed142 RON BANKS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Signage31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Determined
October 2021
- Other; Change of use142 OLD SCHOOL ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Determined
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 4.4/100
- Cohort rank
- #443 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
- Bago Rd At Little Bago Lanetransport
- Bago Rd Opp Little Bago Lanetransport
- Herons Creek Rd At Pacific Hwytransport
- Kew Kendall Sewerage Plant, Pacific Hwytransport
- Pacific Hwy At Miles Drtransport
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)planning31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Lodged 03 May 2024 · Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining); Environmental protection works; Other Infrastructureplanning31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Lodged 04 Jun 2026 · Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Rural worker's dwellingplanning58 NELSONS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Lodged 16 Nov 2023 · Determined
- Attached dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structureplanning127 CLULEYS ROAD HERONS CREEK 2439Lodged 13 Mar 2024 · Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Extractive Industries (non-mining)planning31 LOOKOUT ROAD HERONS CREEK 2443Lodged 13 Jan 2025 · Withdrawn
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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