South Nowra
NSW 2541 · Shoalhaven
3,165 (2021) → 3,284 est. (2025) · High Growth
Part of the Shoalhaven local government area (est. 111,712 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
South Nowra is a high growth suburb in Shoalhaven, NSW 2541, about 128km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $853K is more affordable than the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 0/100, and is about 14km inland. South Nowra has an overall score of 30/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 45/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: India (4.42%), England (3.1%), Philippines (1.3%), New Zealand (0.98%), Nepal (0.7%)
Top languages: Malayalam (2.02%), Punjabi (0.88%), Nepali (0.76%), Hindi (0.66%), Tagalog (0.63%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025
Residential Safety
Commercial & services hub. This suburb is a major employment and services centre, drawing a significant daily influx of workers and visitors from surrounding areas. Crime figures are recorded by incident location and include offences involving commuters and visitors, not just residents, so the per-resident crime rates below may overstate the risk for people who live here.
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
Totals include incidents involving commuters and visitors, not just residents.
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 951 (below the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Nowra Christian SchoolCombined · IndependentICSEA 1039
Nearby (within 10km)
- St John the Evangelist Catholic High SchoolSecondary · Catholic · 1.4kmICSEA 1031
- Shoalhaven High SchoolSecondary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 864
- Novo Education Space NowraSecondary · Independent · 1.7km
- Nowra East Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3kmICSEA 793
- Nowra Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.2kmICSEA 896
- St Michael's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3.9kmICSEA 990
- Nowra Hill Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.2kmICSEA 990
- Nowra High SchoolSecondary · Government · 4.2kmICSEA 953
- William Campbell CollegePrimary · Independent · 5.1km
- Terara Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 5.5kmICSEA 997
- Illaroo Road Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 5.5kmICSEA 1001
- Shoalhaven River CollegeSecondary · Independent · 5.5kmICSEA 947
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
Mostly urban
Very little parkland or outdoor recreation in and around this suburb.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
No data
No cultural venues matched to this suburb.
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
Quiet area
Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW
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
High GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Shoalhaven
Compare South Nowra with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about South Nowra
Is South Nowra safe?
South Nowra has a residential safety score of 45/100, 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 12,133 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in South Nowra?
In South Nowra, the median house price is $853K and the median unit price is $684K. Median weekly house rent is $550.
How far is South Nowra from Sydney CBD?
South Nowra is about 127.9 km from Sydney CBD.
What schools are in South Nowra?
South Nowra has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1039 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in South Nowra?
South Nowra has a transport score of 0/100.