SuburbCheck

Fern Bay

NSW 2295 · Port Stephens

4,046 (2021) → 4,453 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth

Part of the Port Stephens local government area (est. 79,727 residents)

39
Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

4,046
Population
$971K
Median house (2025)
92
Safety score
26
Transport score

Fern Bay is a moderate growth suburb in Port Stephens, NSW 2295, about 126km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $971K is around the same as the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 26/100, and is right by the coast. Fern Bay has an overall score of 39/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 92/100.

125.5 km
To Sydney CBD
1.1 km
To coast
$760/wk
Median rent (house)
8.4 km
To nearest station

Demographics

4,046
Population
43
Median age
2.4
Avg household

Age distribution

Port Stephens LGA population (est. 2025)79,727
Median household income (weekly)$1,435
vs NSW median-22.4%
Bachelor degree or higher31.1%
Born in Australia83.3%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse1,607 / 4 / 26

Top countries of birth: England (3.98%), New Zealand (1.24%), Philippines (0.59%), South Africa (0.49%), Ireland (0.4%)

Top languages: Afrikaans (0.37%), Spanish (0.37%), Mandarin (0.3%), Korean (0.27%), Cantonese (0.25%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$971K-13.0%
Median house (2025)
$678K
Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$760 / $600 wk
Rental yield (house)4.1%
Days on market (house)35 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

92
Residential

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

4
Break & enter dwelling99/100k
3
Steal from dwelling74/100k
2
Motor vehicle theft49/100k
15
Domestic assault371/100k
0
Robbery0/100k
5
Non-domestic assault124/100k

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

Total recorded incidents: 119 (all categories, latest year)2,941 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

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

56

Reasonable school mix

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of schools, though the strongest options may require some travel.

35
Within 10km1 in suburb
1
Govt (suburb)
0
Catholic (suburb)
0
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1033 (above the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Fern Bay Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1004

Nearby (within 10km)

  • Stockton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 6kmICSEA 989
  • St Peter's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 6.3kmICSEA 1045
  • Mayfield East Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 6.9kmICSEA 1039
  • Carrington Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 7kmICSEA 986
  • St Dominic's CentreCombined · Catholic · 7.3kmICSEA 996
  • San Clemente High SchoolSecondary · Catholic · 7.4kmICSEA 1039
  • Tighes Hill Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 7.6kmICSEA 1110
  • St Columban's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 7.6kmICSEA 1034
  • Hunter Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · 7.6kmICSEA 1053
  • Newcastle Grammar Bolton Street CampusSecondary · Independent · 7.8km
  • Newcastle Grammar SchoolCombined · Independent · 7.9kmICSEA 1172
  • Newcastle East Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 8.1kmICSEA 1114

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

26
18Bus
CBD commute (est.)Data not available
Nearest train stationNewcastle Interchange (8.4 km)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Liveability

27.5°C
Summer max
18.0°C
Winter max
1,100mm
Rainfall/yr
7h
Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

00 in suburbSupermarkets
11 in suburbCafes/Rest.
44 in suburbParks
55 in suburbPlaygrounds
32 in suburbPools
00 in suburbGyms
0Dog parks
22 in suburbGPs
00 in suburbPharmacies
11 in suburbChildcare
00 in suburbLibraries
119 in suburbSports fields
0Vets
Nearest beachStockton Beach (5.4 km)
Nearest hospitalCalvary Mater Hospital (9.4 km)
Nearest vet7.0 km
Nearest airportNewcastle (13.7 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Fitness

11

Few fitness options

Very few fitness facilities in and around this suburb.

0
Gyms
0
Leisure centres
0
Public pools
11
Sports fields

Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

4

Mostly urban

Very little parkland or outdoor recreation in and around this suburb.

4
Parks
0
Nature reserves
0
Bike paths
0
Hiking trails
0
Dog parks
0
Picnic areas
1
Skate parks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

0

No data

No cultural venues matched to this suburb.

0
Theatres
0
Cinemas
0
Museums
0
Galleries
0
Libraries
0
Arts centres
0
Landmarks

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

21

Quiet area

Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.

0
Pubs & Hotels
0
Bars
1
Clubs RSL/Leagues
1
Dining & Licensed
Licensed venues per 1,000 residents0.25

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW

Childcare

49

Some choices available

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of childcare options, though popular services may have waiting lists.

2
Long Day Care
1
OSHC
Total services3
Exceeding NQS or above1 of 3 rated
Services per 1,000 residents0.74

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register

Population & Growth

Moderate Growth
Annual growth rate2.43%
Projected population 20415,199
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Port Stephens

Fullerton Cove$950K23transportWilliamtown$425K21transportTomago$1.35M17transportCampvaleData not available22transportHeatherbrae$953K49transportRaymond Terrace$715K75transport

Compare Fern Bay with another suburb

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Fern Bay

Frequently asked questions about Fern Bay

Is Fern Bay safe?

Fern Bay has a residential safety score of 92/100, 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 2,941 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Fern Bay?

In Fern Bay, the median house price is $971K and the median unit price is $678K. Median weekly house rent is $760.

How far is Fern Bay from Sydney CBD?

Fern Bay is about 125.5 km from Sydney CBD.

What schools are in Fern Bay?

Fern Bay has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1004 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Fern Bay?

Fern Bay has a transport score of 26/100 and 18 bus stops.

Data sources: ABS Census 2021 & ERP, NSW Valuer General, BOCSAR, TfNSW, ACARA, Bureau of Meteorology, OpenStreetMap, NSW DPHI. Data refreshed quarterly.

Data shown is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. How we calculate scores.