NSW · Lake Macquarie Council
Sunshine (NSW), NSW, 2264
Desirability index
#718 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Sunshine (NSW) is a small locality in the Lake Macquarie area, home to around 475 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,365 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-13%), roughly 2873.7 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $610, limited but present public transport access, 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
- 475
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $1,575
- Dwelling vacancy
- 21%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 47 of 224
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 50.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 15 / 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.
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $628
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 99
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)
- 1,365
- Against the person
- 348
- Against property
- 515
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 2,873.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 50.9th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -13.2%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault97
- Fraud105
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment115
- Malicious Damage To Property97
- Transport Regulatory Offences251
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
4 public transport stops in this suburb
- Silverwater Rd At Cessnock Rd
- Silverwater Rd At Cessnock Rd
- Sunshine Pde Opp Cessnock Rd
- Sunshine Pde Opp Cessnock Rd
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).
46 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Water recreation structure; Jetty; Boat launching ramp41 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Additional Information Requested
2025· 4 proposals
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah14 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation8 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure25 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure23 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
2024· 6 proposals
November 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure; Jetty; Non-standard Housing1 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
September 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation54 CESSNOCK ROAD SUNSHINE 2264Determined
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Jetty101 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support2 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah20 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
January 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation14 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
2023· 9 proposals
December 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure29 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
November 2023
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation85 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Supporting Development23 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 Maitland Ave Sunshine NSW 2264Determined
September 2023
- Demolition; Dwelling house85 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling; Demolition; Retaining walls, protection of trees85 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
January 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing23 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Demolition16 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development4 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
2022· 11 proposals
November 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development97 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
October 2022
- Dwelling26 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Shed30 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
July 2022
- Alterations and additions to commercial development; Stormwater management systems; Place of public worship; Other54 CESSNOCK ROAD SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Secondary dwelling42 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Retaining walls, protection of trees32 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spaces23 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development42 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
June 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing93 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
May 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development7 WATERSIDE AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
February 2022
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Alterations and additions to residential development97 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
2021· 12 proposals
December 2021
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land20 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
November 2021
- Dwelling30 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
October 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing; Shed30 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
July 2021
- Retaining walls, protection of trees15 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
June 2021
- Dwelling18 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
May 2021
- Dwelling30 MAITLAND AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land22 CESSNOCK ROAD SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Dwelling15 NORMAN AVENUE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development4 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Determined
2020· 3 proposals
3 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
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- Silverwater Rd at Cessnock RdBus stop
- Sunshine Pde opp Cessnock RdBus stop
- Slipway
- Sunshine ParkSlipway
- Waste Basket
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
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Casuarina Point ReservePark
- Sunshine Baths ReservePark
- Sunshine ParkPark
- Waterside ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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)
- 4
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
- 3.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #718 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
- Silverwater Rd At Cessnock Rdtransport
- Silverwater Rd At Cessnock Rdtransport
- Sunshine Pde Opp Cessnock Rdtransport
- Sunshine Pde Opp Cessnock Rdtransport
- Casuarina Point Reservegovernmentpark
- Sunshine Baths Reservegovernmentpark
- Sunshine Parkgovernmentpark
- Waterside Reservegovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to commercial development; Stormwater management systems; Place of public worship; Otherplanning54 CESSNOCK ROAD SUNSHINE 2264Lodged 22 Jul 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning4 SUNSHINE PARADE SUNSHINE 2264Lodged 05 Jan 2023 · 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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