NSW · Lithgow Council
South Bowenfels, NSW, 2790
Desirability index
#459 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
South Bowenfels is a small locality in the Lithgow area, home to around 1,326 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,668 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (-5%), roughly 1257.9 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $450 (flats $335, houses $450), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, 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
- 1,326
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,608
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 58 of 574
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 51.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 27 / 152 / 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.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $335
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $450
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $450
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 114
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)
- 1,668
- Against the person
- 477
- Against property
- 600
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 1,257.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 3 residents
- State safety percentile
- 36.9th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -4.8%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order115
- Breach Bail Conditions121
- Domestic Violence Related Assault131
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment178
- Malicious Damage To Property160
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
43 public transport stops in this suburb
- Great Western Hwy Before Kirkley St
- Great Western Hwy Opp Magpie Hollow Rd
- Kirkley St At Tom Lesslie Pl
- Robina Dr At Kirkley St
- Robina Dr At Lilac Pl
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).
96 planning-related records
2026· 9 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 KIRKLEY STREET SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Under Assessment
March 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure18 SURVEYORS WAY SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Subdivision33 MAGPIE HOLLOW ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure125 MCKANES FALLS ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Subdivision71 MCKANES FALLS ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
January 2026
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation33 MAGPIE HOLLOW ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Additional Information Requested
- Shed; Erection of a new structure1A COL DREWE DRIVE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
2025· 13 proposals
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation27 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)LOT 102 OLD BATHURST ROAD, SOUTH BOWENFELSDetermined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure7 HERITAGE CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
August 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure111 OLD BATHURST ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
July 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Barbecues and other outdoor cooking structures2 LILAC PLACE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure3 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure7 SETTLERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure6 STOCKADE CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
April 2025
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure24 ROBINIA DRIVE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
March 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support14 BOWEN CHASE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 WOODLANDS DRIVE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah31 ROBINIA DRIVE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Subdivision33 MAGPIE HOLLOW ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
2024· 16 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 SETTLERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support28 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
November 2024
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)27 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Withdrawn
- Subdivision44 KIRKLEY STREET SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 STOCKADE CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
September 2024
- Subdivision14 CLARET ASH AVENUE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool340 MAGPIE HOLLOW ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 HERITAGE CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support28 GUNNERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure125 MCKANES FALLS ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation7 SETTLERS CLOSE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
April 2024
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Retail Premise; Food and drink premise3584 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
March 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation13 TOM LESSLIE PLACE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
February 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure4 BURSARIA PLACE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support14 BOWEN CHASE SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
2023· 19 proposals
November 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure6 MCKANES FALLS ROAD SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3372 GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY SOUTH BOWENFELS 2790Determined
2022· 18 proposals
18 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 21 proposals
21 proposals lodged in 2021. 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: 2020–2026; 2021; 2022… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
- Blunder Street ReserveNature reserve
- Robina ParkPark
- South Bowenfels Gun EmplacementsPark
- Strathlone Estate ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Bowenfels Medical Practicedoctor
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
- Bowenfels National School Site70 Mudgee Street Old BowenfelsSHR
- Mckanes Falls BridgeJenolan Caves Road LithgowSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 60
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
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
- 51.0/100
- Cohort rank
- #459 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Great Western Hwy Before Kirkley Sttransport
- Great Western Hwy Opp Magpie Hollow Rdtransport
- Kirkley St At Tom Lesslie Pltransport
- Robina Dr At Kirkley Sttransport
- Robina Dr At Lilac Pltransport
- Bowenfels National School Siteheritage70 Mudgee Street Old BowenfelsSHR
- Mckanes Falls BridgeheritageJenolan Caves Road LithgowSHR
- Bowenfels Medical Practicehealthdoctor
- Blunder Street Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Robina Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · 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
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