| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
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Key Metrics
Fern Bay / Rest of NSW
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Fern Bay Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Fern Bay?
As of our last update on January 30, 2026, there are 4 child care centres in Fern Bay. Of these, 2 centres provide Long Day Care with 198 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 71 places, and a single centre providing other child care services. The suburb also contains a single school with 167 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Fern Bay service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Fern Bay as at August 2025 stands at a total of 4,334 people, of this 323 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Fern Bay?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Fern Bay was assessed as having 4,046 people with 271 of these (6.7%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Fern Bay has experienced population growth of approximately 288 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Fern Bay compare to those in Rest of NSW?
In Fern Bay, our latest analysis shows there are 1.6 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is considerably lower than the 2.6 children per place across Rest of NSW.
How do childcare fees in Fern Bay relate to those in Rest of NSW?
Childcare fees in Fern Bay average $136, which is slightly lower than the regional average of $149 in Rest of NSW.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Fern Bay and Rest of NSW?
In Fern Bay, there are 0.8 students per LDC place. This figure is significantly lower than the 6.3 students per LDC place in Rest of NSW.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Fern Bay?
The average LDC in Fern Bay was approved 6.6 years ago, while across Rest of NSW the typical centre approval is 13 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Fern Bay?
No, daily workforce activity is considered low in this area and is unlikely to be a significant driver of child care demand.
Who would typically use analysis such as this?
Childcare operators, developers, investors and financiers would typically conduct a thorough child care supply and demand analysis (SDA) on Fern Bay before allocating the significant amount of capital required. Boundary-based analysis such as this is often used as an initial guide however, and analysis would be undertaken on the specific site adopting a radial, travel time, or custom catchment to take into account nearby competition and demand drivers that would influence a centre's performance.
Comprehensive Demographic Analysis
Understanding child care demand requires deep analysis of population growth trends, dwelling supply forecasts, and workforce participation rates. Our detailed suburb profiles provide the complete demographic picture, including census data, building approvals, migration patterns, and economic indicators that drive child care demand in each area.
View the full demographic analysis, population projections, and market insights for this area:
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