Shellharbour, NSW 2529 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Shellharbour is a suburb of New South Wales, postcode 2529, home to 3,520 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Shellharbour local government area and roughly 87 km from the Sydney CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 3,520
- Median age
- 46 years
- Median household income
- $1,596 /week
- Median personal income
- $741 /week
- Median family income
- $2,066 /week
- Average household size
- 2.5
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Shellharbour
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Illawarra
- Remoteness classification
- Major Cities of Australia
- Federal electorate
- Whitlam
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $420 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Rent share of household income
- 26%
Schools
- Shell Cove Public School
- Flinders Public School
- Illawarra Environmental Education Centre
- Shellharbour Public School
- Warilla High School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 2 train stops, 17 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 2 train stops, 71 bus stops
- Shellharbour Junction Station, Piper Dr, Stand B
- TXI Piper Dr
- KAR Piper Dr
- Shellharbour Junction Station, Piper Dr, Stand A
- Shellharbour Junction, Platform 1
Lifestyle & amenities
- 42 parks and reserves
- 24 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (25.0°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (17.2°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 1149 mm
- Reference station: Wollongong (University), 25.9 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 63.8% of the 1,925 resolvable premises in Shellharbour. 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: 36.2%
- Fibre to the Node: 63.8%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 1,526 across postcode 2529 in the year to Dec 2025 (stable on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 509 theft, 357 violent offences, 181 vehicle theft.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Shellharbour?
Shellharbour (NSW 2529) had 3,520 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 46. It sits within the Shellharbour local government area.
What is the median rent in Shellharbour?
The median advertised rent in Shellharbour is $420/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Shellharbour?
Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Shellharbour covering government sectors. Nearest include: Shell Cove Public School (0.8 km), Flinders Public School (1.2 km), Illawarra Environmental Education Centre (2.2 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Shellharbour?
Shellharbour is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (63.8% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Shellharbour?
Across postcode 2529, 1,526 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Dec 2025. The most common offence categories were theft (509), violent (357), vehicle theft (181). 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 Shellharbour?
In Shellharbour, mean daily temperatures range from 14.8°C to 21.5°C and annual rainfall is 1,149 mm measured at the Wollongong (University) weather station (25.9 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Shellharbour?
73 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Shellharbour centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 17 bus stops, 2 train 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: