NSW · Wollongong Council
Mount Kembla, NSW, 2526
Desirability index
35.2/100
How this score is calculated#478 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Mount Kembla is a small locality in the Wollongong area, home to around 1,083 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,067 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-6%), roughly 985.2 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $750 (flats $460, houses $760), 1 school and preschool site 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. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 1,083
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $2,824
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 363
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 62.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 17 / 5 / 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)
- $460
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $760
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $750
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 82
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)
- 1,067
- Against the person
- 218
- Against property
- 453
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 985.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 5 residents
- State safety percentile
- 33.3th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -6%
Most common offence types
- Fraud78
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment71
- Malicious Damage To Property66
- Steal From Motor Vehicle71
- Transport Regulatory Offences121
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
- 1,050
- Mount Kembla 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
26 public transport stops in this suburb
- 212 Cordeaux Rd
- Cordeaux Rd After Stones Rd
- Cordeaux Rd Before Bradley Av
- Cordeaux Rd Opp Mount Kembla Public School
- Mt Kembla Rural Fire Brigade, Cordeaux 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).
61 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support2/227A Cordeaux Road, Mount Kembla, 2526Under Assessment
April 2026
- Home business; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure317 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
January 2026
- Subdivision87 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
2025· 11 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 CUDGEE CRESCENT MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure54 STONES ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation37 Stones Road Mount Kembla 2526Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure86 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation273 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
July 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure565 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool31 AVON PARADE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation31 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
May 2025
- Place of public worship; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Car park356 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
April 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Access ramp; Minor building alterations (external); Early Education and Care Facility; Centre-based child care4 BENJAMIN ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces161 Cordeaux Road, MOUNT KEMBLAWithdrawn
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure82 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation100 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure229 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
June 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation275 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool227B CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Subdivision; Residential Accommodation161 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
January 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Access ramp; Minor building alterations (external); Early Education and Care Facility; Centre-based child care4 BENJAMIN ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool104 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
2023· 7 proposals
August 2023
- Subdivision of land354 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing273 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development256 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
May 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development87 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Dwelling; Demolition; Garages, carports and car parking spaces211 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development94 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
February 2023
- Dwelling161 Cordeaux Road, MOUNT KEMBLADetermined
2022· 12 proposals
November 2022
- Subdivision of land227 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
September 2022
- Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development26 STAFFORD ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Retaining walls, protection of trees16A JAMES ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing6 BRADLEY AVENUE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition25 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
August 2022
- Subdivision of land209 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
July 2022
- Other268 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
June 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees6 ARALUEN AVENUE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
March 2022
- Dwelling229 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development262 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
- Shed30 STONES ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Determined
2021· 10 proposals
10 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 10 proposals
10 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
18 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 209 Cordeaux RdBus stop
- 212 Cordeaux RdBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd after Araluen AveBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd after Cudgee CresBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd after Stones RdBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd at William James DrBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd before Bradley AveBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd before Cudgee CresBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd opp Araluen AveBus stop
- Cordeaux Rd opp Bradley AveBus 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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
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
- 35.2/100
- Cohort rank
- #478 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
- 212 Cordeaux Rdtransport
- Cordeaux Rd After Stones Rdtransport
- Cordeaux Rd Before Bradley Avtransport
- Cordeaux Rd Opp Mount Kembla Public Schooltransport
- Mt Kembla Rural Fire Brigade, Cordeaux Rdtransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning256 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Lodged 24 Jul 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning87 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Lodged 23 May 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning94 WILLIAM JAMES DRIVE MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Lodged 27 Apr 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning262 CORDEAUX ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Lodged 17 Mar 2022 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Access ramp; Minor building alterations (external); Early Education and Care Facility; Centre-based child careplanning4 BENJAMIN ROAD MOUNT KEMBLA 2526Lodged 01 Apr 2025 · Withdrawn
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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