About Karuah - the “Pearl of Port Stephens”

The Community

Port Stephens is a thriving community with great diversity. Residents are attracted to Port Stephens because of its natural beauty, magnificent waterway and rural character. Port Stephens waterway is two and half times the size of Sydney Harbour.

Location

Karuah is approximately 200 km north of Sydney and about 50 km north of Newcastle. It is within driving distance of both of these large cities - only 30 minutes from Newcastle, 2 hours from Sydney, 20 minutes from Newcastle Airport, 20 minutes by boat from Nelson Bay. It is also accessible by public transport with at least 7 local bus services a day as well as bus services that run daily from Newcastle and Sydney (Greyhound   Pioneer).

Karuah is well positioned at the northern entrance of Port Stephens LGA. The Coastal Design Guidelines for NSW identify particular coastal settlement types. Port Stephens LGA contains a number of coastal communities including Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay, Anna Bay, Lemon Tree Passage and Karuah (Coast to Coast 2002).

Township

The township of Karuah is set on an elevated point on the Karuah River. It is framed by a mountainous backdrop to the north and west, surrounded by the river to the east and wetlands to the north and south. The town straddles the border of the Port Stephens LGA and the Great Lakes LGA. Although the centre of Karuah is within Port Stephens LGA, Great Lakes Council has land on the northern side of the Karuah River zoned for urban use. This land is zoned 2a Village, of which about 5 ha is undeveloped.

The main part of the town is located to the west of the Karuah River and is predominantly zoned Residential 2[a] under Port Stephens LEP 2000. The General Business Zone[3a] is concentrated along the old Pacific Highway (Tarean Road). Approximately 40 businesses are located between the Karuah   District RSL club and the Showgrounds. Capital investment in local businesses totalled $8.1 million from 1993-1998. Commercial activities include service station, roadhouse, mini-supermarket, motor vehicle repairs, pharmacy, newsagency, hotel, motels, caravan parks, restaurants, take away food shops, gift shop,boat hire. Other businesses include oyster farming and timber mills .

Karuah is a service centre. In order for a township to be defined as a service centre it needs to provide a range of community services in the form of shops, employment, and social facilities [DIPNR] . A service centre should include the following: primary school; post office; police station; churches; hotel community hall; local sports complexes; small business centre; reticulated water and connection to sewerage works; regular bus services into the town and to larger centres.

Local shops and amenities are within approximately 500 metres of the property.

See also: maps & aerial photos, location