NSW · Shellharbour Council

Shellharbour City Centre, NSW, 2529

Desirability index

78.4/100

#97 among Coastal & beach suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Shellharbour City Centre is a small locality in the Shellharbour area, home to around 457 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 2,366 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025, roughly 5177.2 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $760 (flats $650, houses $800), 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
457
Median age
71
Median household income / week
$949
Dwelling vacancy
6.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
14 of 224
Median monthly mortgage
$1,798
Employment rate
26.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
14 / 59 / 94

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)
$650
Houses (January to March 2026)
$800
All types (January to March 2026)
$760
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
190

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)
2,366
Against the person
412
Against property
883
Rate per 1,000 residents
5,177.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 1 residents
State safety percentile
61.2th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
+0.3%

Most common offence types

  • Breach Bail Conditions667
  • Fraud135
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment161
  • Steal From Motor Vehicle128
  • Steal From Retail Store211

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

Public transport

22 public transport stops in this suburb

  • College Av After Benson Av
  • New Lake Entrance Rd At Minga Av
  • Stockland Retail Park, New Lake Entrance Rd
  • Stockland Shellharbour
  • Stockland Shellharbour, Lake Entrance Rd

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

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

56 planning-related records

2026· 2 proposals
  • April 2026

  • Signage; Advertising and signage
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Under Assessment
  • January 2026

  • Erection of a new structure; Other Infrastructure
    5 RANGE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2025· 10 proposals
  • December 2025

  • Seniors housing; Residential care facility; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support
    7 WALLAROO DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • November 2025

  • Demolition; Seniors housing; Independent living units; Erection of a new structure
    171 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Office Premise; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    16 COLLEGE AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • October 2025

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Recreation facility (outdoor)
    191 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • August 2025

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Recreation facility (outdoor)
    191 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Entertainment facility; Temporary building, structure or use; Recreation facility (major)
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • April 2025

  • Advertising and signage; Food and drink premise
    Tenancy 2021B, Shellharbour City Square Cnr CollegDetermined
  • Temporary building, structure or use; Temporary structure
    Lamerton Crescent, Shelllharbour City CentreDetermined
  • February 2025

  • Erection of a new structure; Other Infrastructure
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • January 2025

  • Seniors housing; Independent living units; Erection of a new structure
    171 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2024· 4 proposals
  • November 2024

  • Shop top housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure
    13 BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Temporary building, structure or use; Entertainment associated with existing premises
    191 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • September 2024

  • Entertainment facility; Temporary building, structure or use; Temporary structure
    191 WATTLE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • April 2024

  • Signage; Advertising and signage
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2023· 7 proposals
  • November 2023

  • Demolition; Business premises; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Retail Premise
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • October 2023

  • Hotel or motel accomodation; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Tourist and visitor accommodation
    5 MEMORIAL DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Subdivision
    2 EVELYN COURT SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • September 2023

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Temporary structure
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • July 2023

  • Retail premises
    75 CYGNET AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • February 2023

  • Mixed use development
    16 COLLEGE AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Other
    1 RANGE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2022· 12 proposals
  • December 2022

  • Alterations and additions to commercial development
    9 RANGE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • November 2022

  • Shop top housing; Mixed use development; Business premises
    16 COLLEGE AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • October 2022

  • Retail premises
    75 CYGNET AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • September 2022

  • Other
    76 CYGNET AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Take-away food and drink premises; Other
    BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Withdrawn
  • July 2022

  • Alterations and additions to commercial development
    5 BURRA PLACE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • June 2022

  • Change of use
    3 6 BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Mixed use development; Centre based childcare
    73 CYGNET AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Alterations and additions to commercial development; Signage
    3 RANGE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • March 2022

  • Stratum / community title subdivision
    16 COLLEGE AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • February 2022

  • Signage
    73 CYGNET AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Signage
    4 MEMORIAL DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2021· 19 proposals
  • December 2021

  • Alterations and additions to commercial development
    3 MEMORIAL DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • November 2021

  • Other
    College & Benson Avenues and Lamerton Crescent, ShDetermined
  • October 2021

  • Stratum / community title subdivision
    4 BENSON AVENUE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Pub
    3 MEMORIAL DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
  • Signage
    3 MEMORIAL DRIVE SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Determined
2020· 2 proposals

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

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

37 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Baby BuntingBaby Goods

    Unit 18 5 Range Road, Shellharbour City Centre

  • ANZBank
  • Anglican Church, Wallaroo DrBus stop
  • College Av after Benson AvBus stop
  • Cygnet Av opp Chillawong CctBus stop
  • Lakeview Village, Wallaroo DrBus stop
  • New Lake Entrance Rd at Minga AvBus stop
  • Stockland Retail Park, New Lake Entrance RdBus stop
  • Stockland ShellharbourBus stop
  • Wallaroo Dr after Gilder AvBus 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

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Harrison ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
2
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Chemist WarehouseNew Lake Entrance Roadpharmacy
  • My Smile Team ShellharbourCollege Avenuedentist

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
3/10
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)
1
Parks (OSM)
1

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
78.4/100
Cohort rank
#97 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

  • College Av After Benson Avtransport
  • New Lake Entrance Rd At Minga Avtransport
  • Stockland Retail Park, New Lake Entrance Rdtransport
  • Stockland Shellharbourtransport
  • Stockland Shellharbour, Lake Entrance Rdtransport
  • Chemist WarehousehealthNew Lake Entrance Roadpharmacy
  • My Smile Team ShellharbourhealthCollege Avenuedentist
  • Harrison Parkgovernmentpark
  • Advertising and signage; Food and drink premiseplanningTenancy 2021B, Shellharbour City Square Cnr CollegLodged 29 Apr 2025 · Determined
  • Alterations and additions to commercial developmentplanning9 RANGE ROAD SHELLHARBOUR CITY CENTRE 2529Lodged 01 Dec 2022 · Determined

Data sources & freshness

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