| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
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Key Metrics
Shellharbour / Rest of NSW
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Shellharbour Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Shellharbour?
As of our last update on January 30, 2026, there are 6 child care centres in Shellharbour. Of these, 2 centres provide Long Day Care with 186 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 100 places, and 3 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 3 schools, collectively accommodating 784 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Shellharbour service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Shellharbour as at August 2025 stands at a total of 3,791 people, of this 172 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Shellharbour?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Shellharbour was assessed as having 3,520 people with 155 of these (4.4%) being children under 5yo. Shellharbour has seen 50 new addresses added since this time, which, combined with broader ABS population estimates for resident population, leads us to estimate that Shellharbour has experienced population growth of approximately 271 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Shellharbour compare to those in Rest of NSW?
In Shellharbour, our latest analysis shows there are 0.9 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is significantly lower than the 2.6 children per place across Rest of NSW.
How do childcare fees in Shellharbour relate to those in Rest of NSW?
Childcare fees in Shellharbour average $101, which is noticeably lower than the regional average of $149 in Rest of NSW.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Shellharbour and Rest of NSW?
In Shellharbour, there are 4.2 students per LDC place. This figure is considerably lower than the 6.3 students per LDC place in Rest of NSW.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Shellharbour?
The average LDC in Shellharbour was approved 7.7 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 Shellharbour?
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 Shellharbour 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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