Skip to content
Suburb profile ·Wollongong LGA · NSW ·2508

Helensburgh NSW 2508

Helensburgh is in Wollongong LGA, NSW, postcode 2508, with population 6,576.

The read

Growth-momentum

There are enough stretched or weaker signals here that you should assume trade-offs rather than a clean story. Use compare mode to see whether the downside is price, local quality, or weaker momentum before treating it as a target suburb.

$640/wk
Falling
-20.0% YoY
Jun 2025 → Jun 2026 · 13 periods
NSW Fair Trading · postcode 2508 · Jun 2026
$950
$640
Jun 2025Jun 2026
Why it fits

Recent price movement shows visible market momentum. Transport coverage adds a practical access signal. Higher SEIFA context supports a stronger local-quality read.

What to check

Gross yield looks low for an income-first use case.

Read full evidence → Compare suburb Run calculator
Median house
$1.4M
House median, latest period
↑9.5%YoY D8 vs AU
Median rent
$640/wk
Income-stretched rent market
↓20.0%YoY D10 vs AU
Gross yield
2.3%
Low yield band
D7 vs AU
Population
6,576
7K local footprint
D10 vs AU
Schools
2
Matched school context
D8 vs AU
Drive to city
60 min
57.4 km to Sydney CBD · free-flow
Transit to city
2h 34m
Public transport to Sydney CBD · weekday 8am
Solar
1,355
130 added 12mo · 9MW
Price cycleAt its peak
LowPeak

At / near its all-time high

See trend depth →

Price history

House and unit medians · ABS + state datasets

Houses to Q2'26 · Units to Q4'25 — house and unit medians are released on separate cycles, so their latest period can differ.

Trend & investor depth

Derived from this suburb's own price, rent and income history
Cycle positionAt its peak
Low · 2006Peak · 2026

At / near its all-time high

Price growth (compound)% per year
3-yr
+6.1%
5-yr
+4.5%
10-yr
+6.0%
Affordability trajectoryWorsening
Price
+8.8%/yr
Income
+3.3%/yr

Growth in median price vs median household income — worsening — prices outgrowing incomes.

Indicative cashflow-$933/wk (-$48,512/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Market turnover2.3% of homes traded/yr (53 sales · -54% vs 3-yr avg)
Rent stabilityvolatile — rents vary ±9.9% around trend (short window, 13 pts)
Value vs advantage+2% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 9)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Composite · growth · yield · stability
Dgrade · 24/100 · top 76% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 24% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth19
Rental yield29
Stability62
Volatility-8.6ppCycle-2.0Affordability-1.5

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Helensburgh

Owner-occupied 85%Rented 15%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared8.2%
480 of 960 landlords
Avg rental loss$7,971/yr
Landlords (rental income)960
Reported capital gains502
Investor exposure index(low vs national)29.4/100
The read

Owner-occupier stronghold

83% of homes here are owner-occupied and 15% rented, with 8% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

83% owner-occupied — owner-occupiers hold longer and absorb rate shocks, supporting price stability.

What to check

Gross yield 2.3% is thin — returns here lean on capital growth, not cash flow.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

RBA rate · ABS Census 2021 household income
65%
of household income to service a new loan
14.8 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Severe
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $7,031/mo vs median rent $2,773/mo (+154% · +$983/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $5,614/mo (-1,417) · at 6.2% (current): $7,031/mo · at 8.2%: $8,584/mo (+1,553)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Similar-priced suburbs in other council areas that rate higher on a metric.

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying & renting · ABS Census + state data
Buying
11.1x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Stretched
Renting
26%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
Manageable

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $2,500/mo, while renters pay about $2,773/mo — renting runs $273/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$1.44M
Household income · yr
$129K
Median rent · wk
$640
Owner mortgage · mo
$2,500
Gross yield
2.3%

Household income

ABS Census · ATO
$129K household · yr+57.3% vs NSW suburb median
Personal
$51K
Family
$141K
Household
$129K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)fewer than 19% could service the median house
Under $300
48
$300-649
136
$650-999
176
$1,000-1,499
186
$1,500-1,999
225
$2,000-2,999
503
$3,000-3,999
376
$4,000+
386

Serviceability line: a household needs about $5,409/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 41% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $2,133/wk income).

Median taxable income trend (ATO, 2018-19 – 2022-23)$58K → $66K

Housing stock and tenure

ABS Census 2021
Tenure (2,169 households)1.4% social housing
Owned outright
30%
Owned with mortgage
53%
Rented
15%
Dwelling structure3.9% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
82%
Townhouse / semi
3%
Flat / apartment
14%

Getting to work: 54% drive, 2% public transport, 2% walk or cycle, 38% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

ACARA 2025
Total2
Avg ICSEA1064
Students644
Catholic1
Government1
  • Helensburgh Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1057
  • Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1071

Livability

OSM · GTFS · schools + hospitals
75/ 100 livability index

Top 25% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 75% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access52
Public transport (60 stops)88
Schools & hospitals56

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Crime April 2025 - March 2026
7,752
3,494 per 100k
D5 vs AU

Crime

lga
Rate · per 100k3,494
Total incidents7,752· April 2025 - March 2026
  • Assault1,66455%
  • Sexual Offences61720%
  • Robbery411%
  • Break And Enter70323%

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

Some supporting context
secondary dwelling / granny flat screening context Medium broad constraint context

Policy position

Official policy reviewed

Permitted in residential zones under the Housing SEPP; may be approved by consent or as complying development when Housing SEPP and Codes SEPP standards are met.

Rental use: Secondary dwelling rental use is allowed as a dwelling use, subject to planning and tenancy rules.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

79.1%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

Near the state median

State median 77.5% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

11.3%

Broad suburb sampling only; the property zoning and overlays can differ.

31.0 pp below the state median

State median 42.3% · 1,245 valid suburbs

Rental households

14.8%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

11.1 pp below the state median

State median 25.9% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

bushfire high

The staged suburb layer indicates a broad-area constraint that needs address-level checking. No broad-area layer staged for this suburb.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Source reviewed

    State policy position

    QuickProperty reviewed the official secondary dwelling / granny flat policy source.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Test consent or complying-development eligibility, including the 450 m² lot marker and all other standards.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Helensburgh unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Helensburgh, NSW 2508 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

1 broad-area layer staged

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

Bushfire-prone land

Severe broad-area context

About 94.1% of the suburb intersects mapped bushfire-prone land.

May affect: External construction · Roof and wall systems · Openings, screens and decks

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Bushfire exposure

NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land
Severe exposure ~94.1%
~94.1% of the suburb is Bush Fire Prone Land · ~78.3% Category 1 (highest hazard)

Estimated exposure to NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land (CC BY), point-sampled across the suburb. This shows how much of the suburb sits within the official hazard layer — it is not a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating or a property-level assessment. Obtain a BAL assessment (AS 3959) for an individual property.

Planning zones

NSW Land Zoning (EPI)
Dominant zone National Parks and Nature Reserves
Public / Open space 65% Other 13% Residential 11% Rural / Green wedge 4% Industrial 1%
Residential density: Low

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against NSW EPI Land Zoning polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Population outlook

ABS projection · Helensburgh SA2 area · 2022 base
9,088 people · 20229,048 by 2032 (-0.4%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Helensburgh SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Helensburgh NSW — Property Data and Demographics

Helensburgh (postcode 2508) is a medium-sized suburb in New South Wales within the Wollongong local government area. The area has roughly 6,576 residents and an established demographic, with a median age of 38. Households earn a median income of $129K per year, with an average household size of 2.9 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at +1.0% year-on-year at the LGA level. NSW employment has moved +1.2% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. NSW also had 35 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 17 underway, and 67 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are professionals, technicians & trades, clerical & administrative. Employment in the area leans toward construction and healthcare. The top ancestries reported are Australian, English, Irish.

Median house prices in Helensburgh stand at $1.4 million, having posted strong gains by 9.5% over the last twelve months. Units have a median price of $808,000 (-5.9% YoY). The current median weekly rent is $640. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 2.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $2,500.

Helensburgh is served by 2 schools, including 2 primary. The average ICSEA score is 1064, which is above the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 3 rail stations, 57 bus stops. The crime rate in the Wollongong LGA is below average at 3,494 incidents per 100,000 population.

From an investment perspective, Gross rental yield sits at around 2.3% (low yield). Property prices are near the state median ($1.4M/$1.5M). The price-to-income ratio of 11.1x is considered stretched. House prices have moved +9.5% year-on-year. Population growth of +1.0% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield2.3%↓ Low Yield
Price vs State$1.4M/$1.5M· Near Median
Affordability11.1x↓ Stretched
Price Momentum+9.5%↑ Rising
Pop. Growth+1.0%· Stable
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentNSW
Mortgage · mth$2,500
Rent · wk(Census)$535
Market rent · wk(2026-06)$640
Gross yield1.9%
Price / income11.1x
Sales vol (latest Q)(2026-Q2)7
Population growth · Wollongong LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)224,327
5-year growth+0.8% CAGR
YoY change+1%
20012025
Development · Wollongong LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)1,461
Houses 25%Units 75%
YoY change+0%
Employment · Wollongong LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)6.6%
YoY change+0.2pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 2508ATO
Negatively geared8.2%
480 of filers
Avg rental loss$7,971/yr
Landlords (rental income)960
Reported capital gains502
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population6,576
Median age38
Household size2.9
HH income · wk$2,490
Personal income · wk$981
Persons / bedroom0.9
IncomeATO 22-23
Median income$65,796
Mean income$82,940
Earners6,209
YoY change+4.6%
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)9/10
Education (IEO)8/10
Economic (IER)10/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)9/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$2,111 → $2,490
Change+18%
vs NSW median-2.6 pp
Median rent+12.6%
stablevs NSW 2016–21
Top occupationsCensus
Professionals802Technicians & Trades597Clerical & Administrative475Community & Personal Service438Managers434
Top industriesCensus
Construction484Healthcare458Education351Public Admin & Safety289Professional Services277
Top ancestryCensus
Australian3,022English2,911Irish910Scottish768German210
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets1
Pharmacies0
GP / clinics1
Fuel stations1
Cafes & dining1
coles1
TransportGTFS
Rail stations3
Bus stops57
Old Station Rd At Foster St
Old Station Rd At The Crescent
Old Station Rd Opp The Crescent
Hospitals · Wollongong LGAAIHW
Public5
Private6
Bulli Hospitalpublic
Coledale Hospitalpublic
Illawarra Mental Health Servicespublic
Port Kembla Hospitalpublic
Wollongong Hospitalpublic
Figtree Private Hospitalprivate
+5 more in Wollongong LGA
Aged care · Wollongong LGAGEN
Facilities21
Residential places2,120
IRT Woonona201 places
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services168 places
Marco Polo Aged Care Facility167 places
IRT William Beach Gardens160 places
Warrigal Wollongong155 places
Estia Health Figtree120 places
+15 more in Wollongong LGA
Childcare · Wollongong LGAACECQA
Services157
Approved places8,355
Exceeding NQS55
Fun-Damentals - Sport & Movement Skills150 places
Our Space OOSH Pty Ltd135 places
Cedars Christian College Prep Program130 places
Peak TIGS130 places
LITTLE ZAKS ACADEMY CORRIMAL122 places
CatholicCare OOSH- Good Samaritan Fairy Meadow121 places
+151 more in Wollongong LGA
Nearby in Wollongong LGA12
Thirroul$1.8M · 6,348Balgownie$1.6M · 5,722Fairy Meadow$1.4M · 7,512Corrimal$1.3M · 6,972Cordeaux Heights$1.3M · 4,460Kanahooka$1.0M · 5,698West Wollongong$1.2M · 5,223Horsley$1.1M · 9,437Port Kembla$1.2M · 5,088Lake Heights$1.3M · 4,105Keiraville$1.6M · 4,001Bulli$2.4M · 6,798
Tax calculatorsaustax.tools
Stamp Duty CalculatorNSW ↗Land Tax CalculatorNSW ↗Capital Gains Tax↗Depreciation Calculator↗Investment Property Tax↗
Shortlist workspace

Save suburbs here while you browse. Once the shortlist has two or more names, hand it straight into compare.

Current status
Add Helensburgh if it deserves a shortlist slot.

No saved AU suburbs yet.

EMPTY SET

No saved suburbs yet. Start with one ranking or suburb page, then compare once you have two candidates.

Open rankings to save the first candidates.

Model current suburb
Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

There is enough direct local evidence on Helensburgh for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
NSW price medians are parser-guarded official records.

Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
NSW Valuer General · 2026-Q2 · Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records
medium stability · automated · every update · weekly
Available
Market rent
NSW Fair Trading · 2026-06 · State market dataset
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Crime
BOCSAR · April 2025 - March 2026 · Area-level release dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · release-based
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 2 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 60 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Helensburgh FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Helensburgh in?

    Helensburgh is in the Wollongong Local Government Area, NSW, postcode 2508. Council-level context for Wollongong LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Helensburgh?

    The current median house price in Helensburgh, NSW is $1.4M, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Helensburgh?

    The median weekly rent in Helensburgh is $640/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is income-stretched rent market.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Helensburgh?

    Income-stretched rent market: Weekly rent screens at about 51% of annual income. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Helensburgh a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Helensburgh show: Low Yield, Near Median, Stretched. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Helensburgh?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Helensburgh data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.