NSW · Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Kew, 2439
Current weather
18.6°CClear sky
79% humidity · 11 km/h wind · 23.1° / 14.3° today · 0.3 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Café precinct
- Education hub
Suburb profile
Kew offers a slower smaller community life in Port Macquarie-Hastings, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and community and employment lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and growth momentum. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,761
- Median age
- 63
- Median household income / week
- $1,107
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 39 of 775
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,769
- Employment rate
- 34%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 59 / 13 / 4
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
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)
- 81
- Against the person
- 24
- Against property
- 31
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 46
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 73 residents
- State safety percentile
- 22.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions12
- Fraud11
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment31
- Malicious Damage To Property25
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offences10
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
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
25 public transport stops in this suburb
- Camden Haven High School
- Camden Haven High School
- Lakewood Shopping Centre, Sirius Dr
- Ocean Dr At Brotherglen Dr
- Ocean Dr Opp 40
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
160 planning-related records
2026· 11 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Community facility11 RESORT ROAD KEW 2439Under Assessment
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 THE SILHOUETTE KEW 2439Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 BLUE GUM PLACE KEW 2439Under Assessment
May 2026
- Subdivision201 OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
April 2026
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool168 OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure59 VERNON CIRCUIT KEW 2439Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport62 POSSUM WAY KEW 2439Determined
- Subdivision18 SILKY OAK RISE KEW 2439Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure19 VERNON CIRCUIT KEW 2439Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Residential Accommodation84 TREE TOP VIEW KEW 2439Additional Information Requested
- SubdivisionSATINWOOD CRESCENT KEW 2439Under Assessment
2025· 23 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure2A MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD KEW 2439Additional Information Requested
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Agriculture57 NANCY BIRD WALTON DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
September 2025
- Temporary building, structure or use; Other InfrastructureKENDALL ROAD KEW 2439Under Assessment
- Subdivision38 GLIDER SPUR KEW 2439Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Supporting Development84 TREE TOP VIEW KEW 2439Withdrawn
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 BROTHERGLEN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure19 RED CEDAR RIDGE KEW 2439Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation22B SILKY OAK RISE KEW 2439Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Neighbourhood shop155 NANCY BIRD WALTON DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
June 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure21 BROTHERGLEN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Shed; Temporary building, structure or use31 WEDGETAIL DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Centre-based child care201 OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah6 BLUE GUM PLACE KEW 2439Determined
April 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure16 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Ancillary commercial development; Electricity generating facility (non-solar or wind)185 KENDALL ROAD KEW 2439Determined
- Subdivision55 VERNON CIRCUIT KEW 2439Determined
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah1 BOTANIC DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah39 WEDGETAIL DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Subdivision169B OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Under Assessment
- Subdivision201 OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Subdivision201 OCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation10 VERNON CIRCUIT KEW 2439Determined
2024· 6 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Shipping containers189 Sunnyvale Road, Kew NSW 2439Determined
November 2024
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure31 RED CEDAR RIDGE KEW 2439Determined
- Shed; Temporary building, structure or use; Garage, carport or carparking space8 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
- Subdivision178 NANCY BIRD WALTON DRIVE KEW 2439Determined
October 2024
- SubdivisionOCEAN DRIVE KEW 2439Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure34 GLIDER SPUR KEW 2439Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
15 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 146 Ocean DrBus stop
- 177 Ocean DrBus stop
- Bus stop (2)
- Camden Haven High School, Ocean DrBus stop
- Ocean Dr at Brotherglen DrBus stop
- Ocean Dr at Glen Haven DrBus stop
- Ocean Dr at Mountain View RdBus stop
- Ocean Dr opp Brotherglen DrBus stop
- Ocean Dr opp Camden Haven High SchoolBus stop
- Ocean Dr opp Mountain View RdBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Camden Haven Osteopathic Centrealternative
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 4
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 40.6/100 — Average
- National rank
- 3375th in Australia
- State rank
- 1066th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #134 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #337 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 74%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 146 Ocean Dramenitiesbus_stop
- 177 Ocean Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Camden Haven High School, Ocean Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Ocean Dr at Brotherglen Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Ocean Dr at Glen Haven Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Ocean Dr at Mountain View Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Ocean Dr opp Brotherglen Dramenitiesbus_stop
- Ocean Dr opp Camden Haven High Schoolamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.