Moving to Goonellabah NSW 2480
What the official numbers say about living in Goonellabah — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $320 a week, against a median household income of $1,318 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Goonellabah grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (12,537 → 13,351 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Philippines; most spoken languages besides English: Punjabi, Australian Indigenous, Italian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Goonellabah scores below the national average (decile 3 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (85% of workers), while 13% work from home.
Nearest railway halt: Heritage Park, 5.4 km west.
Nearest bus interchange: Lismore Transit Centre, 5.2 km west.
Nearest airport: Lismore Airport, 6.6 km west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 596 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 15 schools · 1 cafe or restaurant · 4 supermarkets · 16 parks — see them all on the Goonellabah profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Goonellabah Public School 550 m · The Rivers Secondary Collage (Kadina Campus) 1.1 km · Blue Hills College 2.3 km · Summerland Christian College 2.7 km · Lismore Heights Public School 3 km · The Rivers Secondary College - Lismore High Campus 3 km · Wyrallah Road Public School 3.6 km · Wilson Park School 3.6 km
Groceries: Aldi 150 m · Coles 300 m · Woolworths 350 m · IGA 900 m
Parks and reserves: Elders Memorial Park 300 m · Weston Park 650 m · Kadina Park 750 m · Winchester Park 800 m · Holmes Park 900 m · Birdwing Butterfly Gully 900 m · Bottom Oval 950 m · Top Oval 1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Goonellabah, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Australian Magpie · Noisy Miner · Pied Currawong · Tawny Frogmouth · Laughing Kookaburra.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Goonellabah, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goonellabah here | 13,351 | — | 3/10 | 21% |
| Lismore Heights | 2,117 | — | 4/10 | 15% |
| East Lismore | 4,980 | — | 2/10 | 28% |
| Lismore | 3,656 | — | 1/10 | 21% |
| Girards Hill | 1,318 | — | 3/10 | 30% |
| North Lismore | 754 | — | 2/10 | 17% |
| South Lismore | 1,775 | — | 1/10 | 13% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Lismore — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Page — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2480 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Goonellabah profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $320 a week.
The population grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 12,537 people to 13,351. It sits about 596 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line. Local government is Lismore council, and the federal seat is Page.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Goonellabah vs East Lismore · Goonellabah vs Lismore.
Nearby guides: Lismore Heights · East Lismore · Lismore · Girards Hill · North Lismore · South Lismore.
Keep an eye on Goonellabah
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