NSW · Sutherland Shire Council
Sylvania Waters, NSW, 2224
Desirability index
58.1/100
How this score is calculated#307 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Sylvania Waters is a smaller suburban community in the Sutherland Shire area, home to around 3,200 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 486 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+8%), roughly 151.9 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $1,050 (flats $730, houses $1,200), 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 and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 3,200
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $2,371
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 70 of 1,136
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,000
- Employment rate
- 57.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 55 / 111 / 98
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)
- $730
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,200
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $1,050
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 65
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)
- 486
- Against the person
- 165
- Against property
- 193
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 151.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 19 residents
- State safety percentile
- 13.1th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +7.8%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault42
- Fraud36
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment59
- Malicious Damage To Property45
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault30
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
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
163 planning-related records
2026· 11 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 CLARENCE CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Under Assessment
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure31 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure10 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Under Assessment
May 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure4 SHOALHAVEN ROAD SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation3 DARLING PLACE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure8 SNOWY PLACE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Additional Information Requested
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Stairway; Supporting Development215 BELGRAVE ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Under Assessment
March 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 MACINTYRE CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure13 LACHLAN AVENUE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure20 GOULBURN PENINSULA SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
2025· 18 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support9 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure9 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure56 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 GOULBURN PENINSULA SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 MACINTYRE CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
August 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure3 CASTLEREAGH CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Withdrawn
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure13 LACHLAN AVENUE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
June 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 MACINTYRE CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Jetty13 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support9 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool13 JAMES COOK ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 CASTLEREAGH CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
March 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Water recreation structure17 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure2 BARCOO ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure32 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure32 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Rejected
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure55 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool2 JAMES COOK ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
2024· 23 proposals
December 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure126 BELGRAVE ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure198 BELGRAVE ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Operational consent issued
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 LACHLAN AVENUE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 RICHMOND AVENUE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure40 JAMES COOK ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure8 ROPER CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure10 GOULBURN PENINSULA SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure; Water Infrastructure17 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water recreation structure42 CASTLEREAGH CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
August 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure9 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Determined
2023· 25 proposals
25 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 31 proposals
31 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 27 proposals
27 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 28 proposals
28 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
60 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Corkscrew CellarsAlcohol
- Ness's PatisserieBakery
- Bbq
- Royal Nails & WaxingBeauty salon
- Bench (14)
- Belgrave Esp after Clarence CresBus stop
- Belgrave Esp after Richmond AvBus stop
- Belgrave Esp at Bogan AvBus stop
- Belgrave Esp at Clarence CresBus stop
- Belgrave Esp at Darling PlBus 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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Hawkesbury ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Sydney Laser Dental Caredentist
- Sylvania Waters Pharmacypharmacy
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
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
- 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)
- 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
- 58.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #307 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
- Sydney Laser Dental Carehealthdentist
- Sylvania Waters Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
- Hawkesbury Parkgovernmentpark
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Jettyplanning13 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 13 Jun 2025 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Water recreation structureplanning17 MURRAY ISLAND SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 28 Mar 2025 · Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural supportplanning9 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 20 Dec 2025 · Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural supportplanning9 HAWKESBURY ESPLANADE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 05 Jun 2025 · Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structureplanning4 SHOALHAVEN ROAD SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 20 May 2026 · Additional Information Requested
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodationplanning3 DARLING PLACE SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 09 Apr 2026 · Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureplanning6 CLARENCE CRESCENT SYLVANIA WATERS 2224Lodged 18 Jun 2026 · Under Assessment
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · 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)
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