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Tarrawanna suburb profile

Tarrawanna is a residential suburb in northern Wollongong, tucked against the lower slopes of the Illawarra escarpment. It has a village feel, with tree-lined streets and a mix of older weatherboard cottages and modest post-war homes alongside renovated properties. Local life centres on a compact shopping strip with cafés and everyday services, while the University of Wollongong, larger shops and Wollongong's beaches are within easy reach. The area appeals to families, professionals and students who value quieter streets without losing city and coastal access. Regular bus routes and nearby arterial roads provide commuter links, and the escarpment at the suburb's edge offers bushwalking and lookouts.

Tarrawanna property market performance

Like many smaller suburbs, Tarrawanna sees relatively few recent sales, so there isn't enough data to publish a reliable median price for houses or units. The figures that are available show house values have risen sharply, up 10.9% over the last 12 months.

Over the last three months eight houses and one unit were sold. Houses sold in a median of 26 days over the last 12 months.

The rental market in Tarrawanna saw house rents rise sharply, up 11.8% over the last 12 months to an average of $805 a week.

HousesUnits
Median price
Past 3 months
N/AN/A
Change in value
Past 12 months
10.9%N/A
Sold
Past 3 months
81
Median days on market
Past 12 months
26N/A
Average rent
Past 12 months
$805N/A
Change in rent
Past 12 months
11.8%N/A

5 year median price trend for houses and units

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Tarrawanna demographics

Families dominate the household mix: couple families with children are 42.9% and couple families without children 40.4%, together accounting for 83.3% of reported families. One-parent families make up 14.7% and other families 2.0%.

The community numbers 2,184 people, with a median age of 48. The median total household income is $1,449 a week, roughly $75,348 a year.

In Tarrawanna, most homes are owner-occupied: 40.9% are owned outright and 28.0% are owned with a mortgage, giving an owner-occupied total of 68.9%. Renters account for 31.1% of dwellings.

Tarrawanna infrastructure, key developments and investment opportunities

Tarrawanna shows up in Wollongong City Council’s Infrastructure Delivery Program for footpaths and cycle links, with a new footpath project listed for Caldwell Avenue (Buckland Avenue to Paynes Lane) and other local footpath/cycleway works recorded for the suburb.

Open-space and flood works have been delivered or planned in the area: Harrigan Park is the site of the council’s first “Tiny Forest”, planted with Tarrawanna Public School in June 2022, and council pages list completed flood-mitigation works in Tarrawanna (culvert improvements, reshaping to improve flow and local earth mounding). The Towradgi Creek Flood Study also identifies further mitigation measures for parts of Tarrawanna, including embankments, overland flow routes and a formal detention basin at nearby streets.

Suburbs near Tarrawanna

Some popular suburbs near Tarrawanna include:

  • Fernhill: Leafy residential suburb in Wollongong's northern suburbs, with many older homes.
  • Balgownie: Set against the Illawarra escarpment, with bushland and suburban streets.
  • Fairy Meadow: Coastal plain suburb near beaches, with a mix of housing and local shops.
  • Towradgi: Coastal suburb centred on Towradgi Beach, known for its rock pool and surf.
  • Corrimal: A long-established suburb with a compact main street and nearby parks.

How does Tarrawanna compare to nearby suburbs?

  • Median house prices: Tarrawanna’s median house price is 13.8% lower than Balgownie’s.
  • House price growth: Over the past 12 months, house prices in Tarrawanna have grown 8.3% higher than in Fernhill.
  • Selling speed for houses: Properties in Tarrawanna are selling 25.7% faster than in Balgownie.
  • Selling speed for units: Properties in Tarrawanna are selling 7.9% faster than in Fairy Meadow.

Common questions about Tarrawanna

  • Is Tarrawanna a nice place to live?

    Tarrawanna sits against the lower slopes of the Illawarra escarpment and has a village feel, with tree-lined streets and a mix of older weatherboard cottages, modest post-war homes and renovated properties. Local life centres on a compact shopping strip with cafés and everyday services, while the University of Wollongong, larger shops and Wollongong's beaches are within easy reach. The area appeals to families, professionals and students who value quieter streets without losing city and coastal access.

    The community numbers 2,184 people with a median age of 48, and most homes are owner-occupied (68.9%), reflecting a strong presence of couple families. Regular bus routes and nearby arterial roads provide commuter links, and the escarpment at the suburb’s edge offers bushwalking and lookouts. Council work in the area includes footpath and cycleway improvements, a Tiny Forest at Harrigan Park in partnership with Tarrawanna Public School, and flood-mitigation projects and studies. Whether Tarrawanna suits you depends on whether that quieter, established suburban mix matches what you want.

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  • Is it expensive to live in Tarrawanna?

    A house rented at $805 a week in Tarrawanna would take about 55.6% of a typical local household's weekly income as recorded at the most recent Census. That is a large share of income, so for someone renting rather than buying this rent figure is the main measure of how stretched living here would be against local earnings.

    Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

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  • Is Tarrawanna a good place to invest?

    Over the past 12 months in Tarrawanna, house values rose 10.9% and house rents increased 11.8%. Both are strong gains for the year, with rents edging slightly ahead of capital growth. If rental income is your priority, the rent figure is the one to watch; if capital growth matters more, consider the change in values. Whether that balance suits your goals and circumstances is something you will need to weigh yourself.

    This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

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Choose the right real estate agents in Tarrawanna

Currently, there are 21 real estate agents working in Tarrawanna—but not all agents deliver the same results. The right agent could make a huge difference to your final sale price.

Only 5 out of these 21 agents sold 38.5% of all properties in Tarrawanna over the past year. Choosing one of these top-performing agents means tapping into proven expertise for a better sale outcome.

Real estate agents in Tarrawanna typically charge a commission of 1.63% to 2.63%. Negotiating a fair commission rate and the right structure can motivate your agent to work even harder, helping you sell for more and potentially saving you thousands of dollars.

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