NSW · Kempsey Council
Verges Creek, 2440
Current weather
16.6°CClear sky
95% humidity · 10.4 km/h wind · 22.8° / 14.6° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- National parks
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Café precinct
- Education hub
Suburb profile
In Kempsey, Verges Creek keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Reasonable public transport access helps with commuting and getting around locally.
Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience. Active development is adding new homes and refreshed pockets throughout the suburb.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 298
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $1,525
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 7 of 103
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,600
- Employment rate
- 51.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
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)
- $380
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $490
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $480
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 112
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
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)
- 52
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 20
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 174.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 94.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +4.3%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order264
- Breach Bail Conditions556
- Domestic Violence Related Assault317
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment411
- Malicious Damage To Property362
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
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
12 public transport stops in this suburb
- Old Station Rd At Gorman Lane
- Old Station Rd At Harold Cct
- Old Station Rd At Inches Rd
- Old Station Rd At Local Rd
- Old Station Rd At Sunset Cl
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
72 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure76 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
March 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure129 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
February 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development36 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
2025· 16 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure33 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool130 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure194 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
November 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool11 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation44 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
September 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation69 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure76 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
August 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah47 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure32 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure56 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation50 EMERALD CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureINCHES ROAD VERGES CREEK 2440Additional Information Requested
February 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure132 BREEZE WAY VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure43 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
January 2025
- Subdivision35 GORMAN LANE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure132 BREEZE WAY VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
2024· 6 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure81 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
September 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure132 BREEZE WAY VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
April 2024
- Subdivision54 VERGES CREEK ROAD VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure84 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool102 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation97 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
2023· 14 proposals
December 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure350 OLD STATION ROAD VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Subdivision54 VERGES CREEK ROAD VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation57 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space78 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
October 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure25 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space5 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
August 2023
- Shed170 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
July 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing122 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
June 2023
- Dwelling29 GORMAN LANE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Shed8 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling34 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
- Dwelling92 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
February 2023
- Dwelling; Earthworks / change in levels194 HAROLD CIRCUIT VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
January 2023
- Shed74 SUNSET CLOSE VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
2022· 1 proposal
December 2022
- Subdivision of land406 OLD STATION ROAD VERGES CREEK 2440Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
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
- Verges Creek Nature ReserveNature reserve
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 5
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 25.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6016th in Australia
- State rank
- 1879th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #468 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #873 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime264
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime556
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime317
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime411
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime362
- Old Station Rd At Gorman Lanetransport
- Old Station Rd At Harold Ccttransport
- Old Station Rd At Inches Rdtransport
- Old Station Rd At Local Rdtransport
- Old Station Rd At Sunset Cltransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
More in Kempsey Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.