NSW · Bega Valley Council
Lochiel (NSW), NSW, 2549
Desirability index
#278 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Lochiel (NSW) is a small locality in the Bega Valley area, home to around 411 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 92 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-21%), roughly 223.8 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $660, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 411
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,586
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 152
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,625
- Employment rate
- 60.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 0 / 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
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $700
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)
- 92
- Against the person
- 21
- Against property
- 46
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 223.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 20 residents
- State safety percentile
- 16.7th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -20.7%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order6
- Break And Enter Dwelling6
- Fraud7
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment8
- Malicious Damage To Property14
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
37 public transport stops in this suburb
- Back Creek Rd After Mine Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Bindaree Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Blairlands Rd
- Back Creek Rd At Pipeclay Rd
- Stonecrop Property, Back Creek 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).
34 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Clothes hoists and clothes lines; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Hot water systems; Pathways and pavingMOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Under Assessment
April 2026
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 MALLYON CLOSE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure661 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2025· 9 proposals
December 2025
- Subdivision299 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Under Assessment
November 2025
- Subdivision155 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2025
- Subdivision491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space44 MCCAUSLAND ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space21 EUCALYPTUS LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure258 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
May 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Stairway; Swimming pool49 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
March 2025
- Subdivision491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
February 2025
- Farm buildings; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure84 BOX RANGE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2024· 9 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 BEATTIE LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure67 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
August 2024
- Subdivision419 MOUNT DARRAGH ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Additional Information Requested
July 2024
- Subdivision235 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure58 MCCAUSLAND ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool51 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
April 2024
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Dual occupancy (detached)491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure42 LOCHVIEW FARM ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2023· 8 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1012 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Other67 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2023
- Shed491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Shed246 MINE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
July 2023
- Other283 MINE ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
June 2023
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development156 OAKLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
April 2023
- Shed100 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
January 2023
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spacesBACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL C/345064Determined
2022· 1 proposal
June 2022
- Subdivision of land235 MCGRATHS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
2021· 4 proposals
December 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development566 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
October 2021
- Dwelling49 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Determined
- Shed42 LOCHVIEW FARM ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
September 2021
- Other999 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Determined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- 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
- 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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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
- 39.7/100
- Cohort rank
- #278 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
- Back Creek Rd After Mine Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Bindaree Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Blairlands Rdtransport
- Back Creek Rd At Pipeclay Rdtransport
- Stonecrop Property, Back Creek Rdtransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning566 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Lodged 01 Dec 2021 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Otherplanning67 BLAIRLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Lodged 27 Oct 2023 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Stairway; Swimming poolplanning49 OMARU LANE LOCHIEL 2549Lodged 06 May 2025 · Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning156 OAKLANDS ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Lodged 23 Jun 2023 · Determined
- Dual occupancy; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Dual occupancy (detached)planning491 BACK CREEK ROAD LOCHIEL 2549Lodged 30 Apr 2024 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- 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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