NSW · Shellharbour Council
Lake Illawarra, NSW, 2528
Desirability index
#215 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Lake Illawarra is a smaller suburban community in the Shellharbour area, home to around 3,288 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,844 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+15%), roughly 560.8 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $665 (flats $515, houses $720), 2 school and preschool sites in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a solid spread of nearby amenities and everyday services, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 3,288
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $1,069
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 114 of 1,541
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 45.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 127 / 379 / 316
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)
- $515
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $720
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $665
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 138
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)
- 1,844
- Against the person
- 521
- Against property
- 717
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 560.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 6 residents
- State safety percentile
- 25.7th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +15%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order188
- Domestic Violence Related Assault130
- Fraud123
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment178
- Malicious Damage To Property161
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
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 924
- Lake Illawarra High SchoolSecondary
- Lake Illawarra South 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
64 public transport stops in this suburb
- Peterborough Av At View St
- Pur Pur Av After Shellharbour Rd
- Pur Pur Av At Ocean St
- Pur Pur Av Before Stanley St
- Shellharbour Rd Opp Peterborough Av
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).
146 planning-related records
2026· 13 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation17 ALBERT STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Under Assessment
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)15 REDDALL PARADE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Under Assessment
May 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure95 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 Reddall Parade, Lake IllawarraUnder Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13A Reddall Parade Lake IllawarraAdditional Information Requested
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure155 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation68 QUEEN STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
April 2026
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation23 VIEW STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
March 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal)74 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Additional Information Requested
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure7 ALBERT STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
February 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure89 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation42 PETERBOROUGH AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
January 2026
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure34 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
2025· 22 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure36 ADDISON AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
November 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure9 DAY STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
October 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure155 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation33 THOMAS STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
September 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Heavy Industrial Storage EstablishmentUNIT 1 2 COMMERCE DR, LAKE ILLAWARRA NSW 2528Withdrawn
- Demolition; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Centre-based child care22 QUEEN STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation42 PETERBOROUGH AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
August 2025
- Demolition42 PETERBOROUGH AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure26 ANTHONY STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure34 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage173 REDDALL PARADE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home11 GIRRAWEEN AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal)19 Albert st Lake Illawarra NSW 2528Determined
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure14 ANTHONY STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure166 PUR PUR AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Erection of a new structure; General industry6 COMMERCE DRIVE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure82 QUEEN STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
June 2025
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Respite day care centre31 REDDALL PARADE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Withdrawn
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure34 DAY STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
March 2025
- Demolition; Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure82 QUEEN STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Withdrawn
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure91 ADDISON AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
February 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool8 KOTARI PARADE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
2024· 23 proposals
December 2024
- Demolition; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure14 ANTHONY STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Withdrawn
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool133 REDDALL PARADE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
- Demolition10 KING STREET LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
October 2024
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure26 PETERBOROUGH AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
September 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool15 ADDISON AVENUE LAKE ILLAWARRA 2528Determined
2023· 18 proposals
18 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 27 proposals
27 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 38 proposals
38 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
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
36 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Shellharbour City CouncilBbq
- Bench (3)
- King St at Addison AvBus stop
- King St before Thomas StBus stop
- King St opp Day StBus stop
- Lake Illawarra South Public School, Pur Pur AvBus stop
- Osborne Pde opp Pur Pur AvBus stop
- Peterborough Av at View StBus stop
- Peterborough Av before Pur Pur AvBus stop
- Peterborough Av opp View 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
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Elouera ParkPark
- Graham ParkPark
- Henderson ParkPark
- Keith Fletcher ParkPark
- Mrs Halls ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
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)
- 6
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
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
- 53.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #215 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
- Peterborough Av At View Sttransport
- Pur Pur Av After Shellharbour Rdtransport
- Pur Pur Av At Ocean Sttransport
- Pur Pur Av Before Stanley Sttransport
- Shellharbour Rd Opp Peterborough Avtransport
- Elouera Parkgovernmentpark
- Graham Parkgovernmentpark
- Henderson Parkgovernmentpark
- Keith Fletcher Parkgovernmentpark
- Mrs Halls Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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