| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.
Key Metrics
Port Macquarie / Rest of NSW
LDC Providers
16
1,076
Total LDC Places
1,202
69,189
Total Population
51,565
2,997,085
Persons Per Place
42.9
-
Avg Centre Age
15.4 yrs
14 yrs
Population 0-4
2,452
167,859
0-4 Per LDC Place
2.04
2.5
Workforce Impact
Standard
Standard
School Attendance
8,298
-
School Per LDC Place
6.9
6.1
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$150
$151
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
945
-
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Approvals Pipeline
Childcare development approvals near Port Macquarie
Development applications around Port Macquarie
Development approvals is a new addition to AreaSearch.
We’re actively expanding council coverage and refining the dataset — details and statuses for some councils may be partial. Check back regularly for the latest pipeline.
CC Approvals
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In the local catchment
Proposed Places
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Where disclosed
Under Assessment
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Awaiting determination
Determined
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Approved or decided
Approvals pipeline
Status, location, timing and project scale
Loading childcare approvals…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Places | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Port Macquarie Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Port Macquarie?
As of our last update on May 24, 2026, there are 46 child care centres in Port Macquarie. Of these, 16 centres provide Long Day Care with 1202 places, 8 centres provide Out of Hours School Care with 860 places, 2 centres provide Preschool/Kindergarten with 85 places, and 20 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 20 schools, collectively accommodating 8,298 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Port Macquarie service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Port Macquarie as at May 2026 stands at a total of 51,565 people, of this 2452 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Port Macquarie?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Port Macquarie was assessed as having 47,693 people with 2,041 of these (4.3%) being children under 5yo. Port Macquarie has seen 776 new addresses added since this time, which, combined with broader ABS population estimates for resident population, leads us to estimate that Port Macquarie has experienced population growth of approximately 3,872 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Port Macquarie compare to those in Rest of NSW?
In Port Macquarie, our latest analysis shows there are 2 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is somewhat lower than the 2.5 children per place across Rest of NSW.
How do childcare fees in Port Macquarie relate to those in Rest of NSW?
Childcare fees in Port Macquarie average $150, which is comparable to the regional average of $151 in Rest of NSW.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Port Macquarie and Rest of NSW?
In Port Macquarie, there are 6.9 students per LDC place. This figure is somewhat higher than the 6.1 students per LDC place in Rest of NSW.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Port Macquarie?
The average LDC in Port Macquarie was approved 15.4 years ago, while across Rest of NSW the typical centre approval is 14 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Port Macquarie?
Workforce activity is within the standard range and may moderately influence child care demand in this area.
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 Port Macquarie 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.
Find & Assess a Centre
Search by name, postcode, or address to explore supply & demand for any child care or school catchment in Australia.
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Nearby suburbs & deeper analysis
What will drive demand from here?
Centre supply and current places are an output, not a leading indicator. For the demand-side drivers of this area — population growth, 0–4 cohort trends, dwelling supply, workforce participation and competing development pipeline — open the relevant deep-dive page.