South Bowenfels
NSWSouth Bowenfels is a declining suburb in NSW with 1,326 residents.
- SAL code
- 13594
- SA2
- 103031070
- Population
- 1,326
- LGA
- Lithgow
South Bowenfels, NSW had 1,326 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 3.8% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 65-74 years, and the median age sits at 48. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,167 a month. Around 92.6% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 52.1%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 70.5% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 6 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?1,326
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-3.8%
3yr: -2.1% · 10yr: -7.0%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,608/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
48
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?2/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?6.3%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
No data for this suburb
Parks & green space
?6
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
No data for this suburb
Dwelling approvals
?3
Lithgow · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Lithgow (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; South Bowenfels suburb alone is ~1,326 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 12,829 to 12,124 over 24 years, averaging -0.2% per year.
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Lithgow PS96.6%
- Cooerwull PS 3.3%
- Hampton PS 0.1%
- Wallerawang PS 0.0%
Secondary
Lithgow HS
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Predominantly detached houses (70.5%), owner-occupied (93%), built for families (44% are 4 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Hazard data is not yet available for NSW.
Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
8 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RU1 | ZoneRural | 40.9% | 12.57 km² |
| RU2 | ZoneRural | 31.6% | 9.69 km² |
| R5 | ZoneResidential | 8.4% | 2.58 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 7.6% | 2.33 km² |
| C3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 5.0% | 1.53 km² |
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 4.5% | 1.39 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.2% | 0.36 km² |
| C4 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.7% | 0.20 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.