NSW · Northern Beaches Council
Scotland Island, NSW, 2105
Desirability index
#508 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Scotland Island is a small locality in the Northern Beaches area, home to around 711 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 75 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-25%), roughly 105.5 offences per 1,000 residents, 8 public transport stops within the suburb, a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 711
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $2,397
- Dwelling vacancy
- 23.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 78 of 336
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,600
- Employment rate
- 62%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 19 / 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 75
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 32
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 105.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 178 residents
- State safety percentile
- 9.6th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -25%
Most common offence types
- Malicious Damage To Property8
- Other Offences32
- Other Theft6
- Steal From Dwelling4
- Steal From Motor Vehicle6
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
8 public transport stops in this suburb
- Scotland Island, Bells Wharf
- Scotland Island, Carols Wharf
- Scotland Island, Eastern Wharf
- Scotland Island, Eastern Wharf
- Scotland Island, Tennis Wharf
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).
74 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Stairway; Supporting Development119 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Additional Information Requested
May 2026
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (external); Supporting Development33 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 KEVIN AVENUE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Additional Information Requested
March 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Access ramp7 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
2025· 6 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure47 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation43 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation87 THOMPSON STREET SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Deferred Commencement
April 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Water recreation structure; Jetty; Mooring Pen9 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Deferred Commencement
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Access ramp; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support17 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
January 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support55 ROBERTSON ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Withdrawn
2024· 17 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure119 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 HAROLD AVENUE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Deferred Commencement
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 HAROLD AVENUE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure91 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure89 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Access ramp13 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Stairway109 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure89 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
June 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development43 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Access ramp13 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure119 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Withdrawn
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Jetty41 ROBERTSON ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Access ramp61 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
March 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Access ramp; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support17 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
January 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 ROBERTSON ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
2023· 19 proposals
November 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure17 THOMPSON STREET SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
October 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support55 ROBERTSON ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure118 THOMPSON STREET SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
August 2023
- Port, wharf, boating facilities107 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development121 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development47 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Dwelling; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs91 RICHARD ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development61 ROBERTSON ROAD SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
July 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Demolition; Retaining walls, protection of trees7 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing3 HAROLD AVENUE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Withdrawn
- Port, wharf, boating facilities17 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
June 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development5 THOMPSON STREET SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
April 2023
- Port, wharf, boating facilities49 FLORENCE TERRACE SCOTLAND ISLAND 2105Determined
2022· 17 proposals
17 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 4 proposals
4 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 7 proposals
7 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
9 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- Bench
- Cargo WharfFerry Terminal
- Carols WharfFerry Terminal
- Eastern WharfFerry Terminal
- Scotland Island Rural Fire BrigadeFire station
Catherine Park, Scotland Island
- Picnic Table (2)
- Telephone
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
Parks & reserves
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Catherine ParkPark
- Elizabeth ParkPark
- Harold ReservePark
- Leahvera ReservePark
- Pathilda ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 8
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
- 31.2/100
- Cohort rank
- #508 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
- Scotland Island, Bells Wharftransport
- Scotland Island, Carols Wharftransport
- Scotland Island, Eastern Wharftransport
- Scotland Island, Eastern Wharftransport
- Scotland Island, Tennis Wharftransport
- Catherine Parkgovernmentpark
- Elizabeth Parkgovernmentpark
- Harold Reservegovernmentpark
- Leahvera Reservegovernmentpark
- Pathilda Reservegovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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