Macquarie Hills
NSW 2285 · Lake Macquarie
3,605 (2021) → 3,727 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.
Macquarie Hills is a moderate growth suburb in Lake Macquarie, NSW 2285, about 110km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $975K is around the same as the NSW average. The suburb has no schools recorded, a transport score of 76/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Macquarie Hills has an overall score of 73/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 100/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
ATO 2023-24, postcode 2285 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.
Top countries of birth: England (1.47%), New Zealand (0.92%), Germany (0.61%), Philippines (0.58%), South Africa (0.47%)
Top languages: Mandarin (0.53%), Vietnamese (0.33%), Australian Indigenous Languages (0.28%), Cantonese (0.28%), German (0.28%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q1 2026
Residential Safety
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
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 1005 (above 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)
- Cardiff Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 1000
- Biddabah Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 1065
- Cardiff South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.9kmICSEA 1017
- Boolaroo Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 981
- Argenton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 934
- Warners Bay High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2kmICSEA 1056
- Alesco Secondary College - Northlakes CampusSecondary · Independent · 2km
- St Kevin's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.2kmICSEA 1071
- Speers Point Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.3kmICSEA 1000
- Cardiff North Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1014
- Cardiff High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 986
- Holy Cross Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.7kmICSEA 1036
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
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
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
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 Macquarie Hills with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Macquarie Hills
Is Macquarie Hills safe?
Macquarie Hills 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 2,524 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Macquarie Hills?
In Macquarie Hills, the median house price is $975K. Median weekly house rent is $720.
How far is Macquarie Hills from Sydney CBD?
Macquarie Hills is about 110.3 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 249 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Macquarie Hills?
Macquarie Hills has 0 schools. Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Macquarie Hills?
Macquarie Hills has a transport score of 76/100 and 34 bus stops.