Bateau Bay vs Shelly Beach

Bateau Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 47 in Shelly Beach. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Shelly Beach, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Shelly Beach: a median of $1.61 million, against $1.23 million in Bateau Bay, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bateau Bay tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Bateau Bay

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Shelly Beach carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Bateau Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,228,000 vs $1,610,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Bateau Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 50/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bateau Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 50/100)
  • But Shelly Beach carries lower crime risk (53/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Shelly Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.8% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Bateau Bay and Shelly Beach drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Walkability 64 / 50
Bateau Bay — Walkability: 64/100 Shelly Beach — Walkability: 50/100
Safety 28 / 47
Bateau Bay — Safety: 28/100 Shelly Beach — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 30 / 100
Bateau Bay — Low fire risk: 30/100 Shelly Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bateau Bay has more residents (12,516 vs 1,313); Shelly Beach skews older (47 vs 42).

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Population 12,516
+90% vs other
 1,313
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.0% -0.4%
Median age 42 47
Median household income $76,700/yr $85,592/yr
+12% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $423/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
0-4 5.9% / 4.4%
Bateau Bay — 0-4: 5.9% Shelly Beach — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 13.3% / 10.7%
Bateau Bay — 5-14: 13.3% Shelly Beach — 5-14: 10.7%
15-19 5.3% / 5.9%
Bateau Bay — 15-19: 5.3% Shelly Beach — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 4.4% / 4.7%
Bateau Bay — 20-24: 4.4% Shelly Beach — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 10.8% / 9.1%
Bateau Bay — 25-34: 10.8% Shelly Beach — 25-34: 9.1%
35-44 12.5% / 12.0%
Bateau Bay — 35-44: 12.5% Shelly Beach — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 11.0% / 12.6%
Bateau Bay — 45-54: 11.0% Shelly Beach — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 12.2% / 15.1%
Bateau Bay — 55-64: 12.2% Shelly Beach — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 11.8% / 13.8%
Bateau Bay — 65-74: 11.8% Shelly Beach — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 7.9% / 7.7%
Bateau Bay — 75-84: 7.9% Shelly Beach — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 4.9% / 4.8%
Bateau Bay — 85+: 4.9% Shelly Beach — 85+: 4.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bateau Bay 40.6% couple families
Bateau Bay — Couple Families: 40.6% Bateau Bay — Lone Person: 36.8% Bateau Bay — One Parent Families: 18.9% Bateau Bay — Group Household: 2.6% Bateau Bay — Other Families: 1.1%
Shelly Beach 46.4% couple families
Shelly Beach — Couple Families: 46.4% Shelly Beach — Lone Person: 38.4% Shelly Beach — One Parent Families: 10.7% Shelly Beach — Group Household: 3.3% Shelly Beach — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bateau Bay 25.2% renting
Bateau Bay — Owned Outright: 37.7% Bateau Bay — Mortgage: 37.1% Bateau Bay — Renting: 25.2%
Shelly Beach 16.1% renting
Shelly Beach — Owned Outright: 49.8% Shelly Beach — Mortgage: 34.1% Shelly Beach — Renting: 16.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Certificate III & IV 17.6% / 19.3%
Bateau Bay — Certificate III & IV: 17.6% Shelly Beach — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 10.3% / 10.5%
Bateau Bay — Bachelor Degree: 10.3% Shelly Beach — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 10.1%
Bateau Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Shelly Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 2.4%
Bateau Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Shelly Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.8%
Bateau Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Shelly Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
England 4.0% / 3.5%
Bateau Bay — England: 4.0% Shelly Beach — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.1%
Bateau Bay — New Zealand: 1.5% Shelly Beach — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 0.2% / 0.8%
Bateau Bay — Germany: 0.2% Shelly Beach — Germany: 0.8%
South Africa 0.4% / 0.3%
Bateau Bay — South Africa: 0.4% Shelly Beach — South Africa: 0.3%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Bateau Bay — Netherlands: not among its largest Shelly Beach — Netherlands: 0.7%
Scotland 0.5% / —
Bateau Bay — Scotland: 0.5% Shelly Beach — Scotland: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Bateau Bay — Philippines: 0.4% Shelly Beach — Philippines: not among its largest
China — / 0.4%
Bateau Bay — China: not among its largest Shelly Beach — China: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bateau Bay 79.5% houses
Bateau Bay — Houses: 79.5% Bateau Bay — Townhouses: 11.0% Bateau Bay — Flats / Apartments: 9.5%
Shelly Beach 83.0% houses
Shelly Beach — Houses: 83.0% Shelly Beach — Townhouses: 12.0% Shelly Beach — Flats / Apartments: 5.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Median house price $1,228,000 $1,610,000
Median unit price $625,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 132 sales
 32 days
from 17 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
2 bed $1.17M / $1.2M
Bateau Bay — 2 bed: $1.17M (16 sales) Shelly Beach — 2 bed: $1.2M (7 sales)

16 vs 7 sales

3 bed $1.11M / $1.55M
Bateau Bay — 3 bed: $1.11M (102 sales) Shelly Beach — 3 bed: $1.55M (10 sales)

102 vs 10 sales

4 bed $1.31M / $1.76M
Bateau Bay — 4 bed: $1.31M (111 sales) Shelly Beach — 4 bed: $1.76M (18 sales)

111 vs 18 sales

5 bed $1.53M / $1.7M
Bateau Bay — 5 bed: $1.53M (20 sales) Shelly Beach — 5 bed: $1.7M (7 sales)

20 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Bateau Bay has more land zoned for conservation (17% vs 3%).

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Residential 63% 44%
Parks and recreation 13% 52%
Environmental 17% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 0%
Commercial 2% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Houses 3.3%
$720/wk on $1.15M
 3.8%
$900/wk on $1.23M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
House price Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Income Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 19% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Shelly Beach scores higher overall (64 vs 36); Bateau Bay is more walkable (64 vs 50).

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Grade C B
Score 36/100 64/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Bateau Bay carries more bushfire risk (70 vs 0); Bateau Bay carries more crime risk (72 vs 53).

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Bushfire High
70/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
72/100
 Moderate
53/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
39/100
 Moderate
42/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bateau Bay

  • Bateau Bay Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • The Central Coast Montessori Primary School Independent · Primary at peers

Schools in Shelly Beach

  • Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance Campus Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 6 2
Parks & reserves 12 2
Childcare 3 1
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 6 2

Mobility

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Walkability score 64/100 50/100
Distance to Sydney 97 km 96.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 86 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 315.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 30.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2261
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 2261
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Car (driver) 64.2% / 62.3%
Bateau Bay — Car (driver): 64.2% Shelly Beach — Car (driver): 62.3%
Worked from Home 29.6% / 31.8%
Bateau Bay — Worked from Home: 29.6% Shelly Beach — Worked from Home: 31.8%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.3%
Bateau Bay — Car (passenger): 3.9% Shelly Beach — Car (passenger): 3.3%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.0%
Bateau Bay — Walked Only: 1.0% Shelly Beach — Walked Only: 1.0%
Bus 0.5% / 0.8%
Bateau Bay — Bus: 0.5% Shelly Beach — Bus: 0.8%
Train 0.5% / —
Bateau Bay — Train: 0.5% Shelly Beach — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.2%).

Setting

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.0 km
1.1 km to a named beach
 425 m
620 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Connectivity score 97/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 92%
5,768 premises
 100%
577 premises

Climate

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Division Dobell
same for both
Member Emma Mcbride
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bateau Bay Shelly Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bateau Bay

Beach Coastal Parks Regional Centre River

Shelly Beach

Beach Coastal Parks Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bateau Bay

Bateau Bay vs Killarney Vale Bateau Bay vs Long Jetty Bateau Bay vs Tumbi Umbi Bateau Bay vs Forresters Beach

Other comparisons with Shelly Beach

Shelly Beach vs Long Jetty Shelly Beach vs Toowoon Bay
Full data on Bateau Bay Full data on Shelly Beach
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or