Moving to Lakelands NSW 2282
What the official numbers say about living in Lakelands — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $450 a week, against a median household income of $2,315 a week.
About 89% of homes are owner-occupied and 10% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Lakelands shrank 4% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,507 → 1,445 people).
Around 81% of households are families, averaging 2.8 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, India; most spoken languages besides English: Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Lakelands sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (69% of workers), while 30% work from home.
Nearest train station: Cardiff, 2.6 km north-east.
Nearest airport: Lake Macquarie Airport, 11.6 km south.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 109 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 40 schools · 5 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 11 parks — see them all on the Lakelands profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Warners Bay High School 750 m · Biddabah Public School 900 m · St Mary's Primary 1.7 km · Cardiff South Public School 1.7 km · Vedic Education Centre 1.8 km · Cardiff Public School 2 km · Warners Bay Public School 2 km · Cardiff High School, Warners Bay 2.3 km
Groceries: Bibina 800 m · Coles 1.3 km · Aldi 2.5 km · Woolworths 2.6 km · IGA 2.7 km
Parks and reserves: Chartley Street Reserve 1.3 km · Leo Park 1.4 km · Ulinga Park 1.7 km · Warner's Bay Foreshore 1.9 km · Wilkinson Park 2.3 km · Allen Park 2.5 km · Mullington Park 2.6 km · Albert Reserve 2.6 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Lakelands, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian Magpie · Australian Raven · Laughing Kookaburra · Magpie-lark.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Lakelands, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakelands here | 1,445 | — | 10/10 | 27% |
| Warners Bay | 8,237 | — | 7/10 | 26% |
| Macquarie Hills | 3,605 | — | 8/10 | 29% |
| Cardiff South | 2,931 | — | 4/10 | 24% |
| Speers Point | 3,400 | — | 7/10 | 28% |
| Cardiff | 6,318 | — | 4/10 | 14% |
| Boolaroo | 1,636 | — | 4/10 | 5% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Lake Macquarie — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Shortland — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2282 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Lakelands profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $450 a week, and about 10% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 4% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,507 people to 1,445. It sits about 109 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Cardiff station is roughly 2.6 km away. Local government is Lake Macquarie council, and the federal seat is Shortland.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Lakelands vs Macquarie Hills · Lakelands vs Cardiff South.
Nearby guides: Warners Bay · Macquarie Hills · Cardiff South · Speers Point · Cardiff · Boolaroo.
Keep an eye on Lakelands
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