NSW · Port Stephens Council
Mallabula, 2319
Current weather
19.8°CClear sky
59% humidity · 14.4 km/h wind · 22.4° / 16.8° today · 1.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- National parks
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Mallabula anchors everyday life in Port Stephens, a regional smaller community with its own identity and rhythm. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities and safety the main drags compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 963
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,170
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 42 of 428
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,500
- Employment rate
- 47.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 37 / 20 / 0
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.
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $620
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 40
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
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)
- 72
- Against the person
- 24
- Against property
- 22
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 74.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 40 residents
- State safety percentile
- 53.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +20.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order43
- Domestic Violence Related Assault50
- Fraud41
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment65
- Other Offences46
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
22 public transport stops in this suburb
- Fairlands Rd At Hartford St
- Fairlands Rd Opp Strathmore Rd
- Wychewood Av At Tanilba Rd
- Wychewood Av Opp Essendene Gdns
- Wychewood Av Opp Wren Lane
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).
51 planning-related records
2026· 5 proposals
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses15 ALFRED AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport26 STRATHMORE ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses15 ALFRED AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)55 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
January 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure32 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
2025· 7 proposals
October 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure57 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; 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 Australia5 ESSENDENE GARDENS MALLABULA 2319Determined
June 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure49 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 STRATHMORE ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool6 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
January 2025
- Demolition5 ESSENDENE GARDENS MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure28 STRATHMORE ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
2024· 13 proposals
November 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure55 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Demolition; Shed; Erection of a new structure57 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Advertising and signage; Home occupation; Hours of operation and trading43 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
October 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support36 WATERSLEIGH AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
September 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool36 WATERSLEIGH AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 WATERSLEIGH AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure65 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 STRATHMORE ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
April 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure6 WATERSLEIGH AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport55 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
March 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool37 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure65 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool11 ESSENDENE GARDENS MALLABULA 2319Determined
2023· 7 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure63 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
November 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures61 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure63 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
August 2023
- Shed21 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
April 2023
- Subdivision of land43 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
March 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development15 ALFRED AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces9 THE PARKWAY MALLABULA 2319Determined
2022· 8 proposals
November 2022
- Shed4 IBIS LANE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Subdivision of land43 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
October 2022
- Dwelling20 BAY STREET MALLABULA 2319Determined
September 2022
- Dwelling67 FAIRLANDS ROAD MALLABULA 2319Determined
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Alterations and additions to residential development30 WATERSLEIGH AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
July 2022
- Shed26 HARTFORD STREET MALLABULA 2319Determined
April 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Home business6 WYCHEWOOD AVENUE MALLABULA 2319Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces18 HARTFORD STREET MALLABULA 2319Determined
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
22 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Fairlands Rd at Hartford StBus stop
- Fairlands Rd at Lemon Tree Passage RdBus stop
- Fairlands Rd at Pershing PlBus stop
- Fairlands Rd opp Strathmore RdBus stop
- Lemon Tree Passage Rd at Fairlands RdBus stop
- Lemon Tree Passage Rd at Oyster Farm RdBus stop
- Strathmore Rd opp Stephens StBus stop
- Tilligerry RSL Club, Lemon Tree Passage RdBus stop
- Wychewood Av at Tanilba RdBus stop
- Wychewood Av opp Essendene GdnsBus 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
Parks & reserves
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Hartree ParkPark
- Mallabula Parkway ReserveNature reserve
- Park or reserveNature reserve
- Rookes Point ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 27.9/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5645th in Australia
- State rank
- 1769th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #415 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #784 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Fairlands Rd at Hartford Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Fairlands Rd at Lemon Tree Passage Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Fairlands Rd at Pershing Plamenitiesbus_stop
- Fairlands Rd opp Strathmore Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Lemon Tree Passage Rd at Fairlands Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Lemon Tree Passage Rd at Oyster Farm Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Mallabula Skate Parkamenitiespitch
- Mallabula Sports ComplexamenitiesMallabulasports_centre
- Our Lady Help of Christians Mallabula Churchamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Picnic Tableamenitiespicnic_table
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Port Stephens Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.