Cardiff South
NSW 2285 · Lake Macquarie
2,931 (2021) → 3,030 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth
Part of the Lake Macquarie local government area (est. 222,310 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Cardiff South is a moderate growth suburb in Lake Macquarie, NSW 2285, about 111km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $914K is around the same as the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 76/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Cardiff South has an overall score of 71/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 67/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: England (1.23%), New Zealand (0.72%), China (0.51%), Philippines (0.51%), Scotland (0.44%)
Top languages: Samoan (0.68%), Mandarin (0.44%), Macedon (0.31%), Polish (0.31%), Vietnamese (0.31%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025
Schools
Strong school options
Well above average — good-quality schools within reach and a healthy range of options to choose from.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1013 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Cardiff South Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1003
Nearby (within 10km)
- Cardiff High SchoolSecondary · Government · 0.7kmICSEA 977
- Cardiff Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.2kmICSEA 996
- St Kevin's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.4kmICSEA 1074
- Hillsborough Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1007
- Newcastle Junior SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 968
- Warners Bay High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 1052
- Garden Suburb Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 1045
- Cardiff North Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 1029
- Biddabah Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1059
- Mount Hutton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 937
- Charlestown South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.7kmICSEA 1064
- St Mary's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.7kmICSEA 1088
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Fitness
Plenty of options
Well above average — a good spread of gyms and sports facilities within easy reach.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Some green space
Around the national average — a reasonable amount of parks and outdoor space nearby.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Some cultural venues
Around the national average — a handful of cultural venues, with more on offer a short trip away.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
A few good options
A handful of local venues to choose from — nothing epic, but you're not driving far either.
No licensed pubs, bars or clubs are registered in this suburb per the Liquor & Gaming NSW register.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: OpenStreetMap
Childcare
Strong options nearby
Well above average for childcare services — good choice and quality, with most families finding a place without a long drive.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
Moderate GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Lake Macquarie
Compare Cardiff South with another suburb
Compare two suburbs
Frequently asked questions about Cardiff South
Is Cardiff South safe?
Cardiff South has a residential safety score of 67/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 3,105 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Cardiff South?
In Cardiff South, the median house price is $914K and the median unit price is $690K. Median weekly house rent is $710.
How far is Cardiff South from Sydney CBD?
Cardiff South is about 110.5 km from Sydney CBD.
What schools are in Cardiff South?
Cardiff South has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1003 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Cardiff South?
Cardiff South has a transport score of 76/100 and 27 bus stops.