Child Care Shellharbour City Centre

Needs Analysis

Demand and supply analysis of Child Care Centres and demographic drivers for Shellharbour City Centre 2529. Key stats for childcare operators, investors and developers.

Updated March 15, 2026 4 Centres Pop: 439
Id Name Type Places Approval Distance (Km) Day Rate Availability

* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.

Key Metrics

Shellharbour City Centre / Rest of NSW

LDC Providers
LDC Providers
3
1,058
LDC Places
Total LDC Places
287
67,247
Population
Total Population
439
2,973,097
Per Place
Persons Per Place
1.5
-
Avg Age
Avg Centre Age
5.6 yrs
13 yrs
0-4 Pop
Population 0-4
11
167,084
Kids Per Place
0-4 Per LDC Place
0.04
2.6
Workforce
Workforce Impact
Significant
Standard
School Att
School Attendance
409
-
School Per LDC
School Per LDC Place
1.43
6.3
Avg Fee
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$159
$149
Other
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
0
-

SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:

Shellharbour City Centre Child Care FAQ

What is the Child Care supply composition of Shellharbour City Centre?

As of our last update on March 15, 2026, there are 4 child care centres in Shellharbour City Centre. Of these, 3 centres provide Long Day Care offering 287 places, and a single centre providing other child care services. The suburb also contains a single school with 409 enrolments.

What population do these centres in Shellharbour City Centre service?

AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Shellharbour City Centre as at November 2025 stands at a total of 439 people, of this 11 are estimated to be children under five years of age.

Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Shellharbour City Centre?

Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Shellharbour City Centre was assessed as having 457 people with 10 of these (2.2%) being children under 5yo. Shellharbour City Centre has seen 26 new addresses added since this time, which, combined with broader ABS population estimates for resident population, leads us to estimate that Shellharbour City Centre has experienced a population decline of approximately 18 people from the 2021 Census.

How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Shellharbour City Centre compare to those in Rest of NSW?

In Shellharbour City Centre, our latest analysis shows there are 0 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 City Centre relate to those in Rest of NSW?

Childcare fees in Shellharbour City Centre average $159, which is slightly higher than the regional average of $149 in Rest of NSW.

How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Shellharbour City Centre and Rest of NSW?

In Shellharbour City Centre, there are 1.4 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 Shellharbour City Centre?

The average LDC in Shellharbour City Centre was approved 5.6 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 Shellharbour City Centre?

Yes, workforce activity is significant in this area and is likely a key 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 City Centre 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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