Median house price
$1.17M
+8.8% change
NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Murrays Beach, 2281
Est. population · Jun 2025
943
Growth (1 yr)
+1.3%
Growth (5 yr)
+6.2%
Median age
44
Median income
$2,303/wk
Employment rate
60%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$1,170,000
Languages at home
5.5%non-English
Most common: French, Portuguese, Spanish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Murrays Beach offers a slower smaller community life in Lake Macquarie Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area.
Housing is expensive relative to much of the state. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
Against similar regional towns, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus safety lag behind, despite relative strength in community and employment, plus growth momentum. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Murrays Beach snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$725/wk
Houses $750 · Units $550
Population (ERP)
943
+1.3% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
5.7%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#170
among Country & regional · Emerging
Safety
37th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
75th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 33.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4922nd in Australia
- State rank
- 1577th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #170 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #633 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 71%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $725
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 90
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $1,170,000
- Median price change
- +8.8%
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 and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
943(June 2025)
+1.3% annual · +6.2% over 5 years · 75th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.3%
- 5-year growth
- +6.2%
- Change in 1 year
- +12
- Change in 5 years
- +55
- Growth rank in NSW
- 75th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,000), extrapolated at +1.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 882
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $2,303
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 19 of 336
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,383
- Employment rate
- 60%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 315 / 0 / 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 · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 53
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 19
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 56.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 63 residents
- State safety percentile
- 36.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +4.2%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order78
- Domestic Violence Related Assault78
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment96
- Malicious Damage To Property83
- Other Offences210
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 · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Public transport
7 public transport stops in this suburb
- Old Pacific Hwy Before Jetty Point Dr
- Pacific Hwy
- Pacific Hwy At Cams Wharf Rd
- Pacific Hwy At Cams Wharf Rd
- Pacific Hwy Before Wallarah Peninsula Trk
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 · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
9 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 restaurants · 1 playgrounds · 1 swimming pools
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Decent local green space — 0 parks in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 13/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.13
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Food & drink(1)
- Murray's Restaurant and CafeRestaurant
Sport & outdoors(2)
- Playground
- Swimming pool
Entertainment(1)
- Viewpoint
Transport(2)
2 bus stops
Other(2)
- Wallarah Rural Fire BrigadeFire station
- Parking (2)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Belmont Hospital (10.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 28
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 29.7
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 18°
- Rainfall
- 295 mm · ~37 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 366 mm · ~46 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 272 mm · ~34 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 230 mm · ~29 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 15 proposals
August 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 HIBBERTIA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Additional Information Requested
July 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 TAWNY CLOSE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure34 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure47 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool23 NINE ACRES WAY MURRAYS BEACH 2281Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure33 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure38 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support43 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure35 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure28 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation4 FOREST OWL CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure41 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation2 HIBBERTIA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure27 GREY GUM TRAIL MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
January 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah5 NIGHTSHADE CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
2025· 17 proposals
November 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation4 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation60 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure49 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 TAWNY CLOSE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation5 LAKE RIDGE LANE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 FRESHWATER CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support28 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 CENTELLA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure53 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool13 HIBBERTIA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool26 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure28 BENTWING PARADE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Withdrawn
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool62 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 WHISTLING KITE CIRCUIT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 HIBBERTIA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure11 SEAGRASS ROW MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure14 TAWNY CLOSE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
2024· 14 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah144 JETTY POINT DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 LAKE FOREST DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation6 TAWNY CLOSE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure22 FREETAIL DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 LAKE POINT WAY MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation28 FRESHWATER CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure142 JETTY POINT DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure8 BRONZEWING PLACE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure77 LAKE FOREST DRIVE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 CENTELLA RISE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah3 BRONZEWING PLACE MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure17 FRESHWATER CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
May 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures; Swimming pool23 FRESHWATER CRESCENT MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure29 APPLE GUM WAY MURRAYS BEACH 2281Determined
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 · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
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 · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Shortland
- Member of Parliament
- Pat CONROY (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 122,971
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.4%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +5.5 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 38.5%Labor 61.5%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 7.1 km away).
Coalition 41.7%Labor 58.3%
3.2 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +5.6 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Nords WharfLabor 55.3% · Coalition 44.7% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- Caves BeachLabor 58.7% · Coalition 41.3% TPP (2025)2.4 km away
- Swansea CentralLabor 60.3% · Coalition 39.7% TPP (2025)3.2 km away
- SwanseaLabor 61.8% · Coalition 38.2% TPP (2025)4.0 km away
- GwandalanLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)4.2 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Lake Macquarie Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.