Carey Bay
NSW 2283 · Lake Macquarie
865 (2021) → 873 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.
Carey Bay is a moderate growth suburb in Lake Macquarie, NSW 2283, about 101km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.36M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has no schools recorded, a transport score of 46/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Carey Bay has an overall score of 51/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 100/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
ATO 2023-24, postcode 2283 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.
Top countries of birth: England (4.62%), New Zealand (1.39%), South Africa (1.39%), China (0.92%), USA (0.92%)
Top languages: Afrikaans (0.81%), Persian ED (0.46%), Indonesian (0.46%), Greek (0.35%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q1 2026
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 March 2026
Schools
Reasonable school mix
Around the national average — a reasonable mix of schools, though the strongest options may require some travel.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 981 (below the national average of 1000).
No schools inside the suburb boundary — the schools below are in adjoining suburbs (counted within 10km for the education score).
Nearby (within 10km)
- Coal Point Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1065
- Rathmines Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.3kmICSEA 996
- Toronto Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.3kmICSEA 910
- St Joseph's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.3kmICSEA 1023
- Toronto High SchoolSecondary · Government · 3kmICSEA 961
- Biraban Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.4kmICSEA 871
- Toronto Adventist SchoolPrimary · Independent · 3.8kmICSEA 1173
- Valentine Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.9kmICSEA 1071
- Fennell Bay Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.9kmICSEA 889
- Blackalls Park Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.1kmICSEA 966
- Arcadia Vale Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.3kmICSEA 971
- Charlton Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · 4.6kmICSEA 1063
Source: ACARA MySchool · Updated 2025
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Employment & Economy
Top local industries
Source: DEWR SALM / ABS Census 2021 · Updated SALM Mar 2026 / 2021 Census
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 · Healthdirect NHSD (via Geoscience Australia)
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
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Rich cultural scene
Well above average — a strong mix of cultural venues nearby.
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
Not much nightlife
No licensed on-premises venues recorded in this suburb.
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
Outstanding childcare access
Top 20% nationally for childcare service density and quality — an excellent suburb for families with young children.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register · Updated July 2026
Places of Worship
Mapped places of worship within 3km of the suburb centre, grouped by religion where recorded. Community mapping may not capture every congregation.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
Moderate GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Lake Macquarie
Compare Carey Bay with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Carey Bay
Is Carey Bay safe?
Carey Bay has a residential safety score of 100/100, 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 1,965 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Carey Bay?
In Carey Bay, the median house price is $1.36M and the median unit price is $967K. Median weekly house rent is $650.
How far is Carey Bay from Sydney CBD?
Carey Bay is about 101.1 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 249 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Carey Bay?
Carey Bay has 0 schools. Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Carey Bay?
Carey Bay has a transport score of 46/100 and 8 bus stops.