NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Kotara South, NSW, 2289
Desirability index
36.5/100
How this score is calculated#468 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Kotara South is a small locality in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 1,267 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,849 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-9%), roughly 1459.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $750 (flats $580, houses $760), 1 school and preschool site in the area, 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. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 1,267
- Median age
- 37
- Median household income / week
- $2,230
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 24 of 465
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 64.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 24 / 16 / 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
- 1,459.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 4 residents
- State safety percentile
- 39.4th (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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,104
- St James' Primary 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
30 public transport stops in this suburb
- Charlestown Rd At Blackbutt Pde
- Charlestown Rd At Stuart St
- Charlestown Rd At Stuart St
- Charlestown Rd Opp 177
- Myall Rd At Charlestown Rd
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).
62 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure40 STUART STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
January 2026
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space14 ROSCOE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Additional Information Requested
2025· 8 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure34 DEBORAH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 Deborah St, Kotara SouthUnder Assessment
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure4 KENNETH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure55 KURANDA CRESCENT KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
July 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool21 INGLIS STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure21 KIRKDALE DRIVE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure55 KURANDA CRESCENT KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
January 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure141 CHARLESTOWN ROAD KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees12 Elvidge Crescent, KOTARA SOUTH NSW 2289Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 INGLIS STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure28 NEERIM AVENUE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2 ELVIDGE CRESCENT KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation19 CATHRINE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 STUART STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure26 DEBORAH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 BLACKBUTT PARADE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
2023· 10 proposals
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure29 STUART STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling; Demolition110 LAURIE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Withdrawn
September 2023
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure22 LUGAR STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 ELVIDGE CRESCENT KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure4 KENNETH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
June 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development7 STUART STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development21 DEBORAH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
May 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees22 ROSCOE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Dwelling17 DEBORAH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
January 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development23 INGLIS STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
2022· 16 proposals
December 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development21 LUGAR STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Retaining walls, protection of trees2 KIRKDALE DRIVE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development39 DALPURA LANE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
November 2022
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling; Retaining walls, protection of trees141 CHARLESTOWN ROAD KOTARA SOUTH 2289Withdrawn
October 2022
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land17 INGLIS STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
September 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development165 CHARLESTOWN ROAD KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development; Retaining walls, protection of trees18 KENNETH STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing3 ROSCOE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Withdrawn
- Pools / decks / fencing; Earthworks / change in levels; Retaining walls, protection of trees159 CHARLESTOWN ROAD KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
June 2022
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces47 CATHRINE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
- Dwelling; Earthworks / change in levels; Retaining walls, protection of trees8 BEULAH PLACE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
May 2022
- Retaining walls, protection of trees69 BLACKBUTT PARADE KOTARA SOUTH 2289Determined
2021· 15 proposals
15 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 3 proposals
3 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
13 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Charlestown Rd at Blackbutt PdeBus stop
- Charlestown Rd at Stuart StBus stop
- Charlestown Rd opp 177Bus stop
- Inglis St after Lugar StBus stop
- Inglis St before Lugar StBus stop
- Laurie St opp Boundary StBus stop
- Myall Rd at Charlestown RdBus stop
- Stuart St after Elvidge CresBus stop
- Stuart St at Charlestown RdBus stop
- Stuart St at Elvidge CresBus 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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Carramar ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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
- No overlay at centroid
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
- 36.5/100
- Cohort rank
- #468 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
- Charlestown Rd At Blackbutt Pdetransport
- Charlestown Rd At Stuart Sttransport
- Charlestown Rd At Stuart Sttransport
- Charlestown Rd Opp 177transport
- Myall Rd At Charlestown Rdtransport
- Carramar Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning7 STUART STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Lodged 13 Jun 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning23 INGLIS STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Lodged 06 Jan 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning165 CHARLESTOWN ROAD KOTARA SOUTH 2289Lodged 07 Sep 2022 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodationplanning19 CATHRINE STREET KOTARA SOUTH 2289Lodged 23 Aug 2024 · 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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