Moving to Tarrawanna NSW 2518
What the official numbers say about living in Tarrawanna — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $340 a week, against a median household income of $1,449 a week.
About 65% of homes are owner-occupied and 29% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Tarrawanna grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,996 → 2,184 people).
Around 66% of households are families, averaging 2.4 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, Italy, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Macedonian, Arabic.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Tarrawanna sits around the national average (decile 5 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (62% of workers), while 34% work from home.
Nearest train station: Towradgi, 1.4 km south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Station St opp Wollongong Station, 5.4 km south.
Nearest airport: Shellharbour Airport, 22 km south-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 64 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 30 schools · 11 cafes & restaurants · 6 supermarkets · 29 parks · 4 beaches — see them all on the Tarrawanna profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Tarrawanna Public School 250 m · Wollongong Flexible School 800 m · Fairy Meadow Demonstration School 1.4 km · St Columbkille's Parish School 1.5 km · St Columbkille's Catholic Parish Primary School 1.5 km · Corrimal Public School 1.6 km · Towradgi Public School 1.6 km · Corrimal East Public School 1.7 km
Groceries: Woolworths 1 km · Coles 1.2 km · Woolworths 1.5 km · Aldi 1.7 km · Coles 1.8 km · Foodworks 2.3 km
Parks and reserves: Blaker Park 50 m · Alpini Park 450 m · Phil Miller Park 600 m · Judy Masters Park 900 m · Balfour Park 900 m · Pop Errington Park 1.1 km · War Memorial Park 1.1 km · Corrimal Memorial Park 1.2 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Tarrawanna, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Silver Gull · Magpie-lark · Australian Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Tarrawanna, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrawanna here | 2,184 | — | 5/10 | 66% |
| Fernhill | 987 | — | 3/10 | 8% |
| Corrimal | 6,972 | — | 6/10 | 39% |
| Balgownie | 5,722 | — | 8/10 | 45% |
| Fairy Meadow | 7,512 | — | 5/10 | 8% |
| Towradgi | 3,241 | — | 7/10 | 9% |
| Mount Ousley | 1,611 | — | 10/10 | 26% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Wollongong — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Cunningham — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2518 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Tarrawanna profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $340 a week, and about 29% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,996 people to 2,184. It sits about 64 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Towradgi station is roughly 1.4 km away. Local government is Wollongong council, and the federal seat is Cunningham.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Tarrawanna vs Fernhill · Tarrawanna vs Balgownie.
Nearby guides: Fernhill · Corrimal · Balgownie · Fairy Meadow · Towradgi · Mount Ousley.
Keep an eye on Tarrawanna
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