Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Population
Population growth drivers in Fennell Bay are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends
By May 2026, the population of Fennell Bay is estimated to be around 1,860. This figure reflects an increase of 80 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,780. AreaSearch's analysis, based on latest ERP data from ABS (June 2025) and validated new addresses, estimates the resident population at 1,859. This results in a density ratio of 683 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Fennell Bay has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outperforming the Rest of NSW. Interstate migration contributed approximately 85% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, Fennell Bay is expected to grow by 428 persons by 2041, reflecting a gain of 23% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within Fennell Bay when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Fennell Bay has experienced around 33 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Approximately 169 homes were approved over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, with an additional 5 so far in FY-26. On average, 1.3 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built during this period, indicating a balanced supply and demand scenario.
New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $472,000, reflecting a focus on premium properties. In FY-26, $1.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Fennell Bay records 115.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. This level of activity is significantly above the national average, indicating strong developer interest in the area.
New development consists of 84.0% detached dwellings and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 94 people per dwelling approval, further confirming its low-density market status. Looking ahead, Fennell Bay is expected to grow by 427 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Fennell Bay
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Fennell Bay has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
No changes can affect a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include 114-120 Cary Street Mixed Use Development, Speers Point Transport Improvements, Rathmines Park Transformation, and Costco Lake Macquarie Warehouse, with the following list detailing those likely to be most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone
The Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is a critical network infrastructure project upgrading approximately 85km of existing 132kV sub-transmission lines between Kurri Kurri and Muswellbrook, and constructing two new substations at Sandy Creek (Muswellbrook) and Antiene (Singleton). The project delivers an additional 1GW of network transfer capacity, enabling connection of approximately 1.8GW of new renewable generation and storage. Ausgrid, as appointed network operator, is responsible for design, financing, construction and operation. The Project Deed with EnergyCo was signed in December 2025 following Australian Energy Regulator determination, and construction officially commenced on 27 February 2026. The REZ is the first in Australia to upgrade existing distribution poles and wires rather than build new transmission infrastructure. It will create 590 jobs during construction and 220 ongoing local positions, with full capacity expected by 2028.
Tingira Hills Care Community
Tingira Hills Care Community (formerly Opal Hillside) is a major residential aged care facility in the Lake Macquarie region. It offers 120-128 beds across various room types including single en-suite and companion rooms, catering to permanent, respite, dementia, and palliative care needs. The facility features a dedicated Memory Care Neighborhood, a Wellness Centre for rehabilitation, an on-site cafe, hairdressing salon, and a community bus for outings. Architecturally, it was specifically engineered to manage variable founding conditions and ground movement associated with local mine subsidence.
High Speed Rail - Newcastle to Sydney (Line 1)
High Speed Rail Line 1 will connect Newcastle to Sydney on a new dedicated 194km rail line with trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h on surface sections and 200 km/h in tunnels. Around 115km of the route will run through tunnels. The line will reduce travel time between Newcastle and Sydney to around one hour, with Central Coast trips of about 30 minutes. Six stations are proposed at central Newcastle (Broadmeadow), Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast (Gosford), Sydney Central, Parramatta and Western Sydney International Airport. Following release of the business case in early 2026, the project moved into a two-year Development Phase, with the Australian Government investing a further $230 million for design refinement, environmental and planning approvals, and corridor preservation. The first two major contract packages went to tender in 2026: Area Package 1 (around 35km of twin TBM tunnels, an underground station and associated civil works) and Trains, Systems and Systems Integration (supply of trains, design of all systems, rail depot and operations control centre). The Newcastle to Sydney section is estimated to cost around $61.2 billion by 2039, with a further $32 billion to extend to Western Sydney International Airport by 2042. The project is forecast to support up to 15,000 construction jobs annually at peak and add around $250 billion to the Australian economy over a 50-year appraisal period.
Hunter Transmission Project
A critical 110 km overhead 500 kV transmission line project connecting Bayswater Power Station to a new switching station in Olney State Forest near Eraring. As of May 2026, the project is under assessment following the February 2026 lodgement of the Submissions and Amendment Reports. It serves as the northern section of the Sydney Ring, designed to transfer renewable energy from the Central-West Orana and New England REZs. Infrastructure includes new switching stations at Bayswater South and Olney, plus upgrades to existing substations. Environmental surveys are ongoing through May 2026, with a final government determination expected later this year.
Costco Lake Macquarie Warehouse
The Costco Lake Macquarie Warehouse is a 14,000 sqm retail facility and fuel station located on the former Pasminco smelter site in Boolaroo, NSW. It opened on September 21, 2021, providing bulk retail services, contributing to local employment with over 225 jobs, and supporting the area's redevelopment.
Lake Macquarie Square
A sub-regional shopping centre located in Mount Hutton, 14km from Newcastle's CBD. The project, originally a $60 million redevelopment completed in 2019 by Charter Hall, consolidated Lake Macquarie Fair and Mount Hutton Plaza into a single, modern retail destination with approximately 24,000 m2 of prime retail space. The centre is anchored by BIG W, Coles, and Woolworths, with over 70 specialty stores, a medical precinct, childcare, and a 24-hour gym. Revelop acquired the asset in February 2025 for $122.5 million.
Rathmines Park Transformation
Comprehensive redevelopment of Rathmines Park into a regional recreation destination. Features a $2+ million transformation including Lake Macquarie's biggest skate park, new pump track, youth activity areas, upgraded playground equipment, new playground, learn-to-ride area, youth hub, sports facilities, walking trails, and waterfront amenities. Enhanced connection to Lake Macquarie foreshore with improved accessibility and parking.
Mount Hutton Precinct Area Plan
A precinct-specific planning framework forming Part 12 of the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan 2014. Originally adopted by Council on 10 February 2020 to replace the 2004 plan, it sets controls for infrastructure delivery, built form and natural environment outcomes across the Mount Hutton suburb between Warners Bay and Belmont. The plan supports medium-density housing in the R3 zone south of Cowmeadow Road, road and roundabout upgrades, new shared pathways, stormwater works, and revegetation along Scrubby Creek. The framework has been progressively updated, most recently through the city-wide Housing Diversity amendments adopted by Council on 23 February 2026, which align the DCP with the Housing Diversity Planning Proposal that took effect on 1 August 2025. These reforms permit a broader mix of housing in R2 and R3 zones, allow subdivision down to 200 square metres in R3 and 250 square metres in R2, and remove minimum lot width requirements. A separate but related amendment finalised on 21 March 2025 rezoned 1 Progress Road from R2 Low Density Residential to E1 Local Centre, increasing the maximum building height on that site from 8.5 to 10 metres to support an expansion of the Dunkley Parade shops.
Employment
AreaSearch assessment indicates Fennell Bay faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets
Fennell Bay has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being notably prominent. Its unemployment rate is 5.7%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 855 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 1.8% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.
Workforce participation in Fennell Bay is similar to that of Regional NSW at around 60.5%. According to Census responses, a moderate 18.4% of residents work from home. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area shows strong specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.
Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 0.7% employment compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force increased by 1.5% while employment decreased by 0.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a resultant unemployment rate increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Fennell Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment
According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released in financial year 2023, Fennell Bay had a median income among taxpayers of $50,603. The average income stood at $65,885. This is slightly lower than national averages, which were $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Fennell Bay's median income would be approximately $55,825 as of March 2026, with the average estimated at $72,684. Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Fennell Bay rank modestly, between the 26th and 28th percentiles. Income distribution shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 31.3% of residents (582 people), similar to regional levels where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Fennell Bay, with only 83.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 26th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Fennell Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
In Fennell Bay, as per the latest Census, 88.1% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.9% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fennell Bay stood at 41.3%, similar to Regional NSW, with mortgaged properties at 34.8% and rented dwellings at 24.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,734, higher than the Regional NSW average of $1,733. The median weekly rent was $368, compared to $330 in Regional NSW. Nationally, Fennell Bay's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were less than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Fennell Bay has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households account for 70.8% of all households, consisting of 24.4% couples with children, 31.6% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 27.2% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Fennell Bay faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally
The area's university qualification rate is 17.7%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (32.5%). In total, 24.9% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 7.6% in secondary, 7.4% in primary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.
A substantial 24.9% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.6% in secondary education, 7.4% in primary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Fennell Bay has 15 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a total of 45 routes, offering 558 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically situated 181 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most inhabitants commute outwards, primarily using cars (96%). On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 18.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.
The service frequency averages 79 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 37 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Fennell Bay is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts
Fennell Bay faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment.
Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is more prevalent than average at approximately 53% of the total population (~985 people). The most common conditions are arthritis (11.4%) and mental health issues (10.9%). However, 59.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age adults face notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (398 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly in line with national rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Fennell Bay is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics
Fennell Bay's cultural diversity was below average, with 90.2% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home (89.3%, 95.3% respectively). Christianity dominated the religious landscape, accounting for 52.3%. Judaism stood out as overrepresented at 0.2% compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.
Top ancestry groups were English (31.7%), Australian (30.7%), and Scottish (8.7%). Notable ethnic group divergences included Welsh at 0.8% (vs regional 0.5%), Australian Aboriginal at 5.6% (vs 4.6%), and Samoan at 0.3% (vs 0.1%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Fennell Bay hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average
Fennell Bay's median age of 44 years is similar to Regional NSW's median age of 43, and it is higher than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Fennell Bay has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (12.9%) but fewer residents aged 85 and above (1.2%). Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, there was a decrease in median age from 45 to 44 years, indicating rejuvenation of the population. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 increased from 10.9% to 13.4%, while the percentage of residents aged 0-4 rose from 4.9% to 6.5%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55-64 decreased from 14.0% to 12.1%, and the percentage of residents aged 75-84 dropped from 8.0% to 6.5%. By 2041, Fennell Bay's age composition is expected to shift notably. The number of residents aged 35-44 is projected to increase by 114 people (46%), from 249 to 364. The number of residents aged 65-74 is expected to grow more modestly, adding only 2 residents.