NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Highfields (NSW), NSW, 2289
Desirability index
17.4/100
How this score is calculated#611 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Highfields (NSW) is a small locality in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 936 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,849 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-9%), roughly 1975.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $750 (flats $580, houses $760), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 936
- Median age
- 37
- Median household income / week
- $2,198
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 19 of 344
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 66.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 17 / 5 / 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)
- $580
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $760
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $750
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 151
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)
- 1,849
- Against the person
- 297
- Against property
- 1,032
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 1,975.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 3 residents
- State safety percentile
- 44.8th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -8.8%
Most common offence types
- Fraud119
- Malicious Damage To Property119
- Steal From Motor Vehicle172
- Steal From Retail Store342
- Transport Regulatory Offences258
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
20 public transport stops in this suburb
- Kahibah Rd After George St
- Kahibah Rd At Collarena Cres
- Kahibah Rd At Margaret St
- Kahibah Rd Opp Highfields Pde
- Pacific Hwy Opp George St
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).
61 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
May 2026
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Residential Accommodation21 GEORGE STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 MARGARET STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure49 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool356 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 MARGARET STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Withdrawn
2025· 8 proposals
November 2025
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure15 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
October 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support12A VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Withdrawn
August 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 MARGARET STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation51 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Residential Accommodation21 GEORGE STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Garage, carport or carparking space8 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences; Landscaping structures; Pathways and paving; Hours of operation and trading2 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
2024· 8 proposals
November 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool356 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Garage, carport or carparking space8 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
September 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool52A KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)10A GEORGE STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
April 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Residential Accommodation29 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Withdrawn
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation40 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
February 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation5 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
2023· 9 proposals
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation17 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 HILLCREST PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development15 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
June 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development76 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
March 2023
- Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces10A GEORGE STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development17 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development16 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces8 MARGARET STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
January 2023
- Signage; Recreational Uses16 GEORGE STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
2022· 16 proposals
November 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces16 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
October 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Garages, carports and car parking spaces35 HILLCREST PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
September 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development; Retaining walls, protection of trees8 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Dwelling358 PACIFIC HIGHWAY HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
July 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces39 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
June 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development31 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development15 MARGARET STREET HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
May 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development39 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees56 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development26 HILLCREST PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Determined
2021· 15 proposals
15 proposals lodged in 2021. 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: 2020–2026; 2021; 2022… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
9 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- Highfields Pde Exit at Pacific HwyBus stop
- Kahibah Rd after George StBus stop
- Kahibah Rd at Collarena CresBus stop
- Kahibah Rd at Margaret StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy after George StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy at George StBus stop
- Pacific Hwy at Kahibah RdBus stop
- Pacific Hwy opp George StBus 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)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- KU Kahibah Roadchildcare
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 4
- 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
- 17.4/100
- Cohort rank
- #611 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
- Kahibah Rd After George Sttransport
- Kahibah Rd At Collarena Crestransport
- Kahibah Rd At Margaret Sttransport
- Kahibah Rd Opp Highfields Pdetransport
- Pacific Hwy Opp George Sttransport
- KU Kahibah Roadchildcarechildcare
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning15 HIGHFIELDS PARADE HIGHFIELDS 2289Lodged 04 Jul 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning76 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Lodged 14 Jun 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning17 VALAUD CRESCENT HIGHFIELDS 2289Lodged 30 Mar 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning31 KAHIBAH ROAD HIGHFIELDS 2289Lodged 24 Jun 2022 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · 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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