NSW · Central Coast (NSW) Council
Koolewong, NSW, 2256
Desirability index
#44 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Koolewong is a small locality in the Central Coast (NSW) area, home to around 920 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,982 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (-2%), roughly 2154.3 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $595 (flats $520, houses $625), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 920
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,735
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 46 of 402
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,050
- Employment rate
- 53.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 21 / 14 / 16
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)
- $520
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $625
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $595
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 127
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)
- 1,982
- Against the person
- 428
- Against property
- 521
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 2,154.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 2 residents
- State safety percentile
- 46.3th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -2.3%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions335
- Domestic Violence Related Assault113
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment142
- Malicious Damage To Property158
- Transport Regulatory Offences375
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
36 public transport stops in this suburb
- ENT Glenrock P1
- ENT Glenrock P2
- Koolewong Station
- Koolewong Station, Brisbane Water Dr
- LVX Glenrock
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).
51 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures63 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Under Assessment
- Subdivision30 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Under Assessment
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 NIMALA AVENUE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure239 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Under Assessment
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure9 NIMALA AVENUE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2025· 3 proposals
November 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure2 HAVENDALE CLOSE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies19 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Under Assessment
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool10 JOHNS ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2024· 5 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation71 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support61 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Awnings, blinds and canopies; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Hot water systems; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Rainwater tanks; Skylights, roof windows and ventilators; Stairway196 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
January 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation16 NIMALA AVENUE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2023· 11 proposals
December 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure196 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
November 2023
- Other; Change of use240 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 COUCHE CRESCENT KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure61 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
September 2023
- Demolition; Other82 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure11 COUCHE CRESCENT KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Dwelling; Demolition13 MARLOO ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
June 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing55 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling14 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Under Assessment
- Pools / decks / fencing55 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Retaining walls, protection of trees196 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2022· 12 proposals
November 2022
- Recreational Uses6 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
October 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces170 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development186 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
September 2022
- Shed158 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development222 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Dwelling; Demolition6 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
August 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development5 JOHNS ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
July 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Garages, carports and car parking spaces18 BRISBANE WATER DRIVE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
June 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development71 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs214 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
May 2022
- Retaining walls, protection of trees23 COUCHE CRESCENT KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
February 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development1 MARLOO ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2021· 10 proposals
December 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing55 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
September 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs2 HAVENDALE CLOSE KOOLEWONG 2256Withdrawn
- Alterations and additions to residential development204 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
July 2021
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces5 JOHNS ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Determined
2020· 5 proposals
5 proposals 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
40 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bicycle Parking
- 160 Glenrock PdeBus stop
- 236 Glenrock PdeBus stop
- 239 Glenrock PdeBus stop
- 90 Brisbane Water DrBus stop
- Brisbane Water Dr after Lara StBus stop
- Brisbane Water Dr at Couche CresBus stop
- Brisbane Water Dr before Couche CresBus stop
- Brisbane Water Dr opp Koolewong StationBus stop
- Brisbane Water Dr opp Lara 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
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Glenrock Johns Road ReserveNature reserve
- Koolewong ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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)
- 36
- 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
- 94.4/100
- Cohort rank
- #44 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- ENT Glenrock P1transport
- ENT Glenrock P2transport
- Koolewong Stationtransport
- Koolewong Station, Brisbane Water Drtransport
- LVX Glenrocktransport
- Glenrock Johns Road Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Koolewong Reservegovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning186 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Lodged 12 Oct 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning222 GLENROCK PARADE KOOLEWONG 2256Lodged 06 Sep 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning5 JOHNS ROAD KOOLEWONG 2256Lodged 15 Aug 2022 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · 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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