Curlewis NSW 2381
Curlewis sits 413 km from Sydney CBD in New South Wales, around 5 hours by car. Census data records 779 residents with a median age of 40 and a median household income of $72,956 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population grew 1.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $290 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,000. The area shows high crime risk. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Curlewis a good place to live?
Curlewis scores a D (20/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices, weaker on transit, safety, and community.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 412.8 km · 298 min drive to Sydney
More affordable than most
Median $395K · More affordable than 91% of NSW
High crime risk
Fire 23/100 · Crime 84/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 2/10 · median age 40 · 779 residents
Liveability Rating
20 / 100 · Ranked #1453 in NSWEach bar is Curlewis's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Curlewis?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
20 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataCurlewis's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $395,000, roughly 14% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$395,000
Based on 27 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 21 days — median across 7 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 15 sales $390K
- 4 bed 7 sales $400K
Land
$325,000
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Curlewis are currently listed at around $438,000 on average. Based on 4 houses listed in the past six months.
$438K
4 houses listed in the last 6 months.
4 of the suburb's 283 dwellings (1.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Is Curlewis safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Curlewis sits in the high band, with 70 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 49% on the prior year.
70 offences
48.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20258 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Gunnedah Shire Council has published 5 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
- Mooki River Floodplain Management Plan - Environmental Assessment 2001
- Blackville Floodplain Management Study Report and Plan 2001
- Gunnedah and Carroll Floodplain Management Study 1999
- Gunnedah Flood Plain Management Study - Assessment of Floodplain Management Measures 1999
- Red Bobs - Floodplain Management Study 1995
Schools
One school serve Curlewis, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 77 students in one school (avg 77)
Primary
Walkability
Curlewis is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Curlewis.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 3.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 8.2 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Curlewis.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 185
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Gunnedah: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Curlewis is home to 779 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $73,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
779
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$72,956/yr
Census Median Rent
$290/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$36,400/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
15.2%
Total Dwellings
283
Owner-Occupier Rate
76.8%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
20.7%
Mortgage Stress
16.4%
Work From Home
9.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 90.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 93.1%
- Employment Rate
- 59.6%
- Completed Year 12
- 22.5%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,093 a year through Gunnedah based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 100%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Gunnedah
In the year to August 2026, 25 new dwellings were approved across Gunnedah. That mix is 17 houses and 8 units. Approvals are down 16.7% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.8 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 5 days exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 11.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.2 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Gunnedah monitoring station, 22.3 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Gunnedah Resource Centre, 17.4 kmModerate rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 441 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 626 mm
- 61 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 32.8°C
- 35 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.0°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 2381, 3 of 1,188 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.3% (15 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2381, 302 rooftop-solar systems totalling 2.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 563 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 10 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $395,000 this is under the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Jamie Chaffey The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jamie Chaffey | 37.0% | 63.0% | +5.2 |
| 2022 | Mark Coulton | 32.2% | 67.8% | +0.9 |
| 2019 | Mark Coulton | 33.1% | 66.9% | +1.8 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Kevin Anderson The Nationals
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Kevin Anderson NP | 65.8% |
| 2019 | Kevin Anderson NP | 71.1% |
| 2015 | Kevin Anderson NP | 60.0% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Curlewis?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 779 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Gunnedah NSW 2380
Carroll NSW 2340
Tambar Springs NSW 2381
Spring Ridge NSW 2343
Piallaway NSW 2342
Breeza NSW 2381
Compare Curlewis to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Curlewis
Is Curlewis a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Curlewis is high (84/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Curlewis?
Curlewis has a low recorded bushfire history (23/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Curlewis a good place to live?
Curlewis has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (20/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Curlewis?
Curlewis, NSW had a population of 779 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Curlewis, NSW?
The postcode for Curlewis, NSW is 2381.
How far is Curlewis from Sydney?
Curlewis is 413 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 298 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Curlewis?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Curlewis was $72,956 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Curlewis?
There are too few current rental listings in Curlewis for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $290, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Curlewis?
The median age of residents in Curlewis was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Curlewis at risk of bushfire?
Curlewis has a low recorded bushfire history (23/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Curlewis?
There is 1 school inside the Curlewis boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the air quality in Curlewis?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Curlewis (Gunnedah) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.8 µg/m³ and PM10 of 11.8 µg/m³. That puts Curlewis below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Curlewis?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Curlewis, Gunnedah Resource Centre (17.4 km away), summer days average 32.8°C, winter nights 6°C, 626 mm of rain a year over 61 rainy days, and 35 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Curlewis?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Curlewis belong to?
Curlewis sits within the Gunnedah local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Curlewis?
The average residential rates bill through Gunnedah is $1,093 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Curlewis?
Across Gunnedah, 25 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 16.7% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Curlewis in?
Curlewis sits within the federal Division of Parkes, currently held by Jamie Chaffey (The Nationals).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.