NSW · Shoalhaven Council
South Nowra, NSW, 2541
Desirability index
#128 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
South Nowra is a smaller suburban community in the Shoalhaven area, home to around 3,165 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show reported crime totals of around 4,614 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025, roughly 1457.8 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $530 (flats $401, houses $550), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 3,165
- Median age
- 33
- Median household income / week
- $1,789
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 47 of 1,110
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 62.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 98 / 103 / 7
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)
- $401
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $550
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $530
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 296
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)
- 4,614
- Against the person
- 1,268
- Against property
- 1,696
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 1,457.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 2 residents
- State safety percentile
- 39.4th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -0.2%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions633
- Domestic Violence Related Assault305
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment444
- Malicious Damage To Property449
- Steal From Retail Store420
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
85 public transport stops in this suburb
- Albatross Rd Before Coral Sea Dr
- Nowra Christian School
- Old Southern Rd Opp Browns Rd
- Quinns Lane At Old Southern Rd
- Quinns Lane At Princes Hwy
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).
271 planning-related records
2026· 21 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 70 SOMERSET AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation23 TREE FROG STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure21 BROWNS ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure; Supporting Development245 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- SubdivisionOLD SOUTHERN ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Hazardous storage establishment6 SEXTANT STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Additional Information Requested
- Subdivision14 Flinders Road, South Nowra (Lot 3 DP 1267770)Under Assessment
- Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry8 INVESTIGATOR STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Additional Information Requested
- Advertising and signage; 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; Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading175 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
April 2026
- Multi-dwelling housing; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation2 WENDY PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Additional Information Requested
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation27 TREE FROG STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
March 2026
- Subdivision22 QUINNS LANE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Advertising structure132 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Subdivision22 QUINNS LANE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- Demolition; Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry40 OXFORD STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)10 Central Avenue South Nowra 2541Under Assessment
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Temporary building, structure or use; Vehicle Sales or Hire Premises104 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation15 WENDY PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; General industry1 NOWRA HILL ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
January 2026
- Attached dwelling; Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)5 HOLLOWAY ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool59 BASIL STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
2025· 33 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; General industry166 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Withdrawn
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development181B OLD SOUTHERN ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Demolition; Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; General industry40 OXFORD STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
November 2025
- Subdivision94 HILLCREST AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
- Subdivision17 EVERGREEN PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Business identification sign193 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Subdivision2 ELIAN CRESCENT SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
October 2025
- Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation15 WENDY PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development82 HILLCREST AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Erection of a new structure; General industry20 BELLEVUE STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)71 Quinns Lane, SOUTH NOWRA - Lot 22 DP 1297984Determined
September 2025
- Industrial development17 CENTRAL AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Under Assessment
August 2025
- Demolition; Subdivision of land327 OLD SOUTHERN ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure10 DOVE CLOSE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Demolition; Commercial development; Advertising and signage; Office Premise; Erection of a new structure; Health services facility; Hospital; Hours of operation and trading; Health Infrastructure102 HILLCREST AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
- Demolition; Industrial development; Erection of a new structure; Hours of operation and trading3 NOWRA HILL ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
June 2025
- Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Storage premises; Self storage units174 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Withdrawn
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Community facility; Co-living94 HILLCREST AVENUE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
April 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support12 BALLINA STREET SOUTH NOWRA 2541Determined
2024· 44 proposals
44 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 52 proposals
52 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 57 proposals
57 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 56 proposals
56 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 8 proposals
8 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
54 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bellevue St at Jellicoe StBus stop
- Central Av after Princes HwyBus stop
- Central Av before Princes HwyBus stop
- Flinders Rd at Cumberland AveBus stop
- Old Southern Rd at Evergreen PlBus stop
- Princes Hwy after Central AveBus stop
- Princes Hwy before Central AvBus stop
- Wattlebird Rd after Firetail StBus stop
- South Nowra Premium MeatsButcher
- Pie FaceCafe
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- South Nowra Rotary ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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)
- 2
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
- 71.7/100
- Cohort rank
- #128 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
- Albatross Rd Before Coral Sea Drtransport
- Nowra Christian Schooltransport
- Old Southern Rd Opp Browns Rdtransport
- Quinns Lane At Old Southern Rdtransport
- Quinns Lane At Princes Hwytransport
- South Nowra Rotary Parkgovernmentpark
- Advertising and signage; 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; Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and tradingplanning175 PRINCES HIGHWAY SOUTH NOWRA 2541Lodged 05 May 2026 · Under Assessment
- Attached dwelling; Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)planning5 HOLLOWAY ROAD SOUTH NOWRA 2541Lodged 22 Jan 2026 · Determined
- Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodationplanning15 WENDY PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Lodged 03 Mar 2026 · Determined
- Attached dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodationplanning15 WENDY PLACE SOUTH NOWRA 2541Lodged 29 Oct 2025 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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