Pelican, NSW 2281 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Pelican is a suburb of New South Wales, postcode 2281, home to 874 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Lake Macquarie local government area (Inner Regional Australia) and roughly 97 km from the Sydney CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 874
- Median age
- 48 years
- Median household income
- $1,448 /week
- Median personal income
- $706 /week
- Median family income
- $1,760 /week
- Average household size
- 2.5
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Lake Macquarie
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
- Remoteness classification
- Inner Regional Australia
- Federal electorate
- Shortland
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $370 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,785
- Rent share of household income
- 26%
Schools
- Pelican Flat Public School
- Blacksmiths Public School
- Marks Point Public School
- Swansea Public School
- Caves Beach Public School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 16 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 50 bus stops
- Piriwal St Before Bato St
- Piriwal St At Kullara St
- Pelican RSL, Pirriwal St
- Pirriwal St Opp Pelican RSL
- Piriwal St Before Karoburra St
Lifestyle & amenities
- 1 café
- 1 restaurant
- 2 pubs and bars
- 31 parks and reserves
- 5 gyms and fitness centres
- 1 supermarket
- 18 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (28.3°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (17.2°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 1134 mm
- Reference station: Williamtown RAAF, 37.0 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 74.9% of the 394 resolvable premises in Pelican. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.
- Fibre to the Premises: 25.1%
- Fibre to the Node: 74.9%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 896 across postcode 2281 in the year to Dec 2025 (stable on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 240 other offences, 222 violent offences, 135 theft.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pelican?
Pelican (NSW 2281) had 874 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 48. It sits within the Lake Macquarie local government area.
What is the median rent in Pelican?
The median advertised rent in Pelican is $370/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Pelican?
Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Pelican covering government sectors. Nearest include: Pelican Flat Public School (0.5 km), Blacksmiths Public School (0.9 km), Marks Point Public School (1.6 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Pelican?
Pelican is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (74.9% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Pelican?
Across postcode 2281, 896 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Dec 2025. The most common offence categories were other (240), violent (222), theft (135). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Pelican?
In Pelican, mean daily temperatures range from 12.5°C to 23.2°C and annual rainfall is 1,134 mm measured at the Williamtown RAAF weather station (37 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Pelican?
50 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Pelican centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 16 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: