Moving to Woonona NSW 2517
What the official numbers say about living in Woonona — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $395 a week, against a median household income of $1,816 a week.
About 74% of homes are owner-occupied and 25% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Woonona grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (11,442 → 12,374 people).
Around 71% of households are families, averaging 2.5 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Scotland; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Spanish, Arabic.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Woonona sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (58% of workers), while 38% work from home.
Nearest train station: Woonona, 750 m south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Station St opp Wollongong Station, 9.1 km south.
Nearest airport: Shellharbour Airport, 26 km south-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 60 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 19 schools · 13 cafes & restaurants · 3 supermarkets · 22 parks · 7 beaches — see them all on the Woonona profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Woonona Primary School 150 m · Woonona High School 350 m · Woonona East Public School 950 m · Russell Vale Public School 1.4 km · Waniora Public School 1.6 km · Bulli High School 1.7 km · St Joseph's Catholic Parish Primary School 1.8 km · Holy Spirit College 2.1 km
Groceries: IGA 600 m · Woolworths 1.2 km · Coles 2.9 km
Parks and reserves: Pendlebury Park 250 m · Gahans Park 550 m · Hollymount Park 600 m · F.S. (sep) Woods Park 700 m · Gordon Hutton Park 1000 m · Nicholson Park 1.1 km · Collins Park 1.2 km · John Parker Reserve 1.2 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Woonona, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Common Myna · Australian Magpie · Little Wattlebird · Magpie-lark.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Woonona, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woonona here | 12,374 | — | 8/10 | 34% |
| Russell Vale | 1,593 | — | 5/10 | 37% |
| Bulli | 6,798 | — | 10/10 | 58% |
| Bellambi | 4,039 | — | 1/10 | 14% |
| Corrimal | 6,972 | — | 6/10 | 39% |
| East Corrimal | 3,432 | — | 6/10 | 10% |
| Thirroul | 6,348 | — | 10/10 | 51% |
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 2517 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Woonona profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $395 a week, and about 25% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 11,442 people to 12,374. It sits about 60 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Woonona station is roughly 0.8 km away. Local government is Wollongong council, and the federal seat is Cunningham.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Woonona vs Bulli · Woonona vs Bellambi.
Nearby guides: Russell Vale · Bulli · Bellambi · Corrimal · East Corrimal · Thirroul.
Keep an eye on Woonona
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