NSW · Shoalhaven Council

Sanctuary Point, NSW, 2540

Desirability index

48/100

#239 among Coastal & beach suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Sanctuary Point is a smaller suburban community in the Shoalhaven area, home to around 7,874 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 2,051 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-5%), roughly 260.5 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $571 (flats $465, houses $600), 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. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.

Population

Population
7,874
Median age
47
Median household income / week
$1,068
Dwelling vacancy
23.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
1,004 of 4,233
Median monthly mortgage
$1,545
Employment rate
42.6%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
318 / 98 / 55

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian 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)
$465
Houses (January to March 2026)
$600
All types (January to March 2026)
$571
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
300

Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Data sources & freshness

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
2,051
Against the person
744
Against property
826
Rate per 1,000 residents
260.5
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 11 residents
State safety percentile
18.1th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
-5.3%

Most common offence types

  • Breach Apprehended Violence Order135
  • Domestic Violence Related Assault174
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment283
  • Malicious Damage To Property261
  • Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault146

Data sources & freshness

  • BOCSAR postcode crime statisticsNSW 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
909
  • Sanctuary Point Public SchoolPrimary

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

166 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Anson St Before Kean Av
  • Kingsford Smith Cres At Gibson Cres
  • Macleans Point Rd At Cross St
  • Paradise Beach Rd Opp Kingsford Smith Cres
  • Sanctuary Point Rd At Warrego Dr

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).

300 planning-related records

2026· 17 proposals
  • June 2026

  • Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Group home (permanent)
    5 FLORA STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    58 ANSON STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Demolition; Residential care facility; Erection of a new structure
    10 MILSON STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Under Assessment
  • May 2026

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    10 ATTUNGA AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Under Assessment
  • Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure
    27 VOST DRIVE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Under Assessment
  • April 2026

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    143 WALMER AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    46 VICKERY AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Subdivision
    222 KERRY STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • March 2026

  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    2 GULL AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Subdivision
    232 KERRY STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    5 KINGSFORD SMITH CRESCENT SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • February 2026

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    5 BELPITT PLACE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    10 SANCTUARY POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    220 LORALYN AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    178 LORALYN AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • January 2026

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    120 THE PARK DRIVE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development
    18 MAXWELL CRESCENT SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
2025· 43 proposals
  • December 2025

  • Secondary dwelling; 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
    9 THE GLEN SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    2 GULL AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    101 WALMER AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • November 2025

  • Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
    1 SANCTUARY POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Under Assessment
  • Erection of a new structure; Carport
    129 THE PARK DRIVE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Group home (permanent)
    5 FLORA STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    183 KERRY STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    26 KEAN AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • October 2025

  • Subdivision
    The Park Dr, SANCTUARY POINT – Lot 78 DP 818756Determined
  • Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure
    22 SANCTUARY POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • September 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport
    103 WARREGO DRIVE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    31 WALMER AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Subdivision
    116 LEUMEAH STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah
    30 KARNE STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • August 2025

  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    76 FREDERICK STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    47 SANCTUARY POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    236 SANCTUARY POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    146 GREVILLE AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • July 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    192 WALMER AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Deferred Commencement
  • Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)
    163 MACLEANS POINT ROAD SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (external)
    52 ANSON STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Shed; Erection of a new structure
    36 KERRY STREET SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
  • Erection of a new structure; Group home (permanent); Residential Accommodation
    56 IDLEWILD AVENUE SANCTUARY POINT 2540Determined
2024· 35 proposals

35 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2023· 44 proposals

44 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2022· 86 proposals

86 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2021· 71 proposals

71 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2020· 4 proposals

4 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

39 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Bakehouse Espresso Sanctuary PointBakery
  • Sanctuary Point BakeryBakery
  • Bench (5)
  • Anson St at Cammaray DrBus stop
  • Anson St before Kean AvBus stop
  • Frederick St at Edmund StBus stop
  • Frederick St at Macleans Point RdBus stop
  • Kingsford Smith Cres at Eagle PlBus stop
  • Kingsford Smith Cres at Ridgelands DrBus stop
  • Loralyn Av at Macleans Point RdBus stop

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

5 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Clifton ParkPark
  • Francis Ryan ReservePark
  • Wool Lane Sporting ComplexPark
  • Wool Road ReservePark
  • Yellow Bellied Glider ReservePark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
2
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Jervis Bay Physiotherapyphysiotherapist
  • Sanctuary Point Pharmacypharmacy

Data sources & freshness

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.

Data sources & freshness

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 overlaysState government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
15
Parks (OSM)
9

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover featuresOpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
48.0/100
Cohort rank
#239 among Coastal & beach suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Anson St Before Kean Avtransport
  • Kingsford Smith Cres At Gibson Crestransport
  • Macleans Point Rd At Cross Sttransport
  • Paradise Beach Rd Opp Kingsford Smith Crestransport
  • Sanctuary Point Rd At Warrego Drtransport
  • Jervis Bay Physiotherapyhealthphysiotherapist
  • Sanctuary Point Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
  • Clifton Parkgovernmentpark
  • Francis Ryan Reservegovernmentpark
  • Wool Lane Sporting Complexgovernmentpark

Data sources & freshness

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