Thinking about buying your first home in Mount Colah (2079)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Mount Colah is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Mount Colah a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Mount Colah (2079) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
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57 min
49 min
49 min
29 min
74 min
Approximate off-peak driving times: straight-line distance × a Sydney detour factor at 35 km/h. Real road times will vary. Saved on this device.
The verdict
Who it is for
Mount Colah suits established families on strong incomes, the $2,505 weekly household median reflects that clearly, who want a large house on a quiet, leafy block and are not dependent on walking to shops or cafes. The single primary school scores an ICSEA of 1098, which is well above average. With 81% owner-occupancy and 84% separate houses, the neighbourhood is stable and settled. Commuters need to be comfortable with a car-dependent lifestyle.
Who would not love it
If bushfire risk concerns you, this suburb demands serious attention. 86.1% of the postcode sits on bushfire-prone land, and that is not a minor footnote. First home buyers are also locked out of the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme at the $1,620,000 house median. Walkability sits at the 13th percentile in Sydney, there are no cafes, no medical services, and no gyms within 1.6 kilometres. Units have also slipped 1.2% in the past year.
What to verify before you bid
- Obtain a Section 10.7 planning certificate and confirm the specific bushfire attack level (BAL) rating for any property you are considering, given that 86.1% of the postcode is bushfire-prone land. - Check home and contents insurance costs before exchange, as BAL ratings in this postcode can significantly affect premiums and insurer availability. - Confirm secondary school zoning, as there is no public high school within the postcode and you will need to verify catchment arrangements for older children.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Mount Colah?
BOCSAR · MOUNT COLAH 2079
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K1,26712 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY−84%Below Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Hornsby
Within LGA: Hornsby
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT46%28 reports
MALICIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY28%17 reports
ASSAULT26%16 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED63%
NON-DOMESTIC38%
Across 16 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Mount Colah
17
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
Reading may be delayed · 00:00 AEST
Macquarie Park station · 11.0 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 26 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Macquarie Park station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Bond count suppressed by DCJ (30 or fewer lodgements this quarter).
Rents here sit around the Sydney middle. A balance of rental stock and owner-occupier demand.
Median weekly rent · Unit · All
Small sample
$630per week
Sep 2025 · bond count suppressed
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Asquith2077
…
2.3 km away
Mount Kuring-Gai2080
…
2.7 km away
Turramurra2074
…
5.5 km away
Normanhurst2076
…
5.6 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2079
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2079. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Mount Colah with another suburb
Also in Hornsby
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Hornsby postcodes, or explore the full Hornsby suburb index.
Mount Colah is the primary suburb with postcode 2079 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Mount Colah is the main locality.
Which local government area is Mount Colah in?
Mount Colah (2079) is located in the Hornsby local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Mount Colah?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Mount Colah (2079) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Mount Colah flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Mount Colah. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Mount Colah?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Mount Colah (2079), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Mount Colah (2079) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Mount Colah (2079). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Mount Colah changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Mount Colah (2079) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
