NSW · Port Stephens Council
Shoal Bay (NSW), NSW, 2315
Desirability index
#184 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Shoal Bay (NSW) is a small locality in the Port Stephens area, home to around 1,815 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,083 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+4%), roughly 596.7 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $650 (flats $560, houses $740), 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.
Population
- Population
- 1,815
- Median age
- 59
- Median household income / week
- $1,007
- Dwelling vacancy
- 45.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 686 of 1,506
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,700
- Employment rate
- 37.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 80 / 271 / 113
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)
- $560
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $740
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 126
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)
- 1,083
- Against the person
- 276
- Against property
- 335
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 596.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 7 residents
- State safety percentile
- 26.4th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +3.5%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions95
- Domestic Violence Related Assault88
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment86
- Malicious Damage To Property99
- Other Offences185
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
- 962
- Shoal Bay 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
36 public transport stops in this suburb
- 58 Government Rd
- Government Rd At Peterie St
- Government Rd Before Siddons St
- Government Rd Opp Peterie St
- Shoal Bay Public School, Fingal St
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).
180 planning-related records
2026· 17 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses52 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Outdoor dining - registered club43 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation21 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool35 OCEAN BEACH ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool8 VERONA ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)6 ESSENDENE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
May 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)7 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool52 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Demolition; Multi-dwelling housing; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure10 SHOAL BAY AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Additional Information Requested
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure57 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 LEONARD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
April 2026
- Subdivision14 ESSENDENE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
March 2026
- Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Garage, carport or carparking space; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)26 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool66A TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Landscaping structures; Swimming pool46 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Demolition63 RONALD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Under Assessment
2025· 24 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support61 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure87 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation9 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Swimming pool126 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool66 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport; Minor building alterations (external)15 SHOAL BAY AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Outdoor dining - registered club43 SHOAL BAY ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
August 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure5 OCEAN BEACH ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah66 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers; Supporting Development3 LEONARD AVENUE SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure49 TOMAREE ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure72 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure52 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure54 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Carport; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)37 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)27 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure106 RIGNEY STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
March 2025
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35-45 Shoal Bay Road Shoal Bay NSW 2315Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool84 GOVERNMENT ROAD SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35-45 Shoal Bay Road Shoal Bay NSW 2315Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure5 HORACE STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
- Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure101 6 BULLECOURT STREET SHOAL BAY 2315Determined
2024· 32 proposals
32 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 29 proposals
29 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 42 proposals
42 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 34 proposals
34 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 2 proposals
2 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
37 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- 01Bench
- 02Bench
- 03Bench
- 16 Government RdBus stop
- 58 Government RdBus stop
- Bay Village Shops, Shoal Bay RdBus stop
- Government Rd at Peterie StBus stop
- Government Rd before Siddons StBus stop
- Government Rd opp Peterie StBus 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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Anzac ParkPark
- Garden PlacePark
- Passchendaele ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Heritage
2 state heritage places
- Tomaree Head Fortifications2 Shoal Bay Road Shoal BaySHR
- Tomaree Holiday LodgeShoalhaven Road, Shoal BaySHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
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 overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
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
- 59.8/100
- Cohort rank
- #184 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 58 Government Rdtransport
- Government Rd At Peterie Sttransport
- Government Rd Before Siddons Sttransport
- Government Rd Opp Peterie Sttransport
- Shoal Bay Public School, Fingal Sttransport
- Tomaree Head Fortificationsheritage2 Shoal Bay Road Shoal BaySHR
- Tomaree Holiday LodgeheritageShoalhaven Road, Shoal BaySHR
- Anzac Parkgovernmentpark
- Garden Placegovernmentpark
- Passchendaele Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.