Tiny, exclusive bayside suburb in the Sutherland Shire on the north shore of the Port Hacking estuary, about 26 km south of the Sydney CBD. It is one of Sydney's smallest suburbs by population — 699 residents at the 2021 census, 86.1% born in Australia — and is essentially entirely residential, with houses overlooking Dolans Bay on Burraneer Bay, boats moored in the protected anchorage and boatsheds lining the water's edge. Quiet and leafy rather than commercial, it punches well above its size for prestige: Domain's 2019 Liveable Sydney study ranked Dolans Bay Sydney's best suburb for water views. Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has been a resident.
At a Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Sutherland Shire |
| Council (LGA) | Sutherland Shire Council |
| Postcode | 2229 |
| Distance to Sydney CBD | Dolans Bay lies about 26 km south of the Sydney CBD. With no station in the suburb… |
| Median house price | ~$2.6M–$2.7M (very thin market): realestate.com.au lists the Dolans Bay median house price at $2,675,000 based on 14 sales in the 12 months to Sep 2026 (down 39% year-on-year), while REA property pages cite about $2,575,000 over the past year (mid-2026) |
| Typical rent | ~$1,350/week |
Transport
Bus only — Dolans Bay has no railway station, light rail or ferry wharf. U-Go Mobility bus route 978 runs via Port Hacking Road and Saunders Bay Road, linking the suburb to Caringbah and Westfield Miranda. Caringbah station on the T4 Illawarra line, in the adjacent suburb of Caringbah, is the nearest rail access point.
Schools
There is no school within Dolans Bay itself — the suburb is a small, almost entirely residential waterfront pocket of about 0.4 square kilometres. Local students attend schools in immediately adjacent suburbs, including Caringbah South Public School (NSW government primary school on Port Hacking Road in Caringbah South) and Woolooware High School (government high school in neighbouring Woolooware); Catholic options include Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College Burraneer, an all-girls years 7–12 college on Burraneer Bay in adjacent Burraneer.
Shopping & Amenities
Minimal and water-oriented — Dolans Bay has no shops, cafes or commercial strip of its own; it is a quiet residential waterfront suburb. Boating services anchor local amenity: Burraneer Bay Marina, a private marina offering berths, moorings, boat lift, hardstand and detailing services, operates on the bay at the suburb's edge, and Wikipedia notes the bay features a private marina and slipway with full repair facilities. Wally's Wharf on Port Hacking Road is a Sutherland Shire Council-managed public wharf and boat ramp with free short-term parking (ExplorOz; Parkopedia). The heritage-listed Lyons House stands at 733 Port Hacking Road on the NSW State Heritage Register. Everyday shopping and services are found in adjacent Caringbah South village and Caringbah.
Parks & Outdoors
Port Hacking frontage is the suburb's defining outdoor asset: Dolans Bay opens onto the Port Hacking estuary, its protected waters dotted with moored boats, and Domain's 2019 Liveable Sydney study ranked it Sydney's number-one suburb for water views. Wally's Wharf provides public boat-launching access to the estuary, and Sutherland Shire Council manages the wharf and surrounding foreshore (ExplorOz). Roughly 3.2% of the suburb's land — about two parks — is parkland, with green space limited by the tight waterfront layout. The Burraneer Bay foreshores and sandbars immediately off the suburb's shoreline are popular with local boaters.
Property Market
The median house price in Dolans Bay was around ~$2.6M–$2.7M (very thin market): realestate.com.au lists the Dolans Bay median house price at $2,675,000 based on 14 sales in the 12 months to Sep 2026 (down 39% year-on-year), while REA property pages cite about $2,575,000 over the past year (mid-2026). See our full Sydney property price map for how the suburb compares across the city. Medians here must be read with heavy caution: with only about 14 house sales a year across a suburb of roughly 299 properties, the reported −39% annual change reflects tiny sample size far more than market direction. Absolute waterfront and deep-water frontage homes sell well above the median into the multi-million-dollar range, stock is tightly held, and there is almost no unit stock. OnTheHouse put the five-year house median growth at +8.32% and unit median growth at +15.88% to 30 June 2026, on equally thin bases. Population is small and stable — 598 in 2016 rising to 699 in 2021.
New Developments
Minimal. Dolans Bay is an established, tightly held waterfront suburb with essentially no land for new development — activity is limited to individual home rebuilds and renovations on existing lots. Heritage protections apply to Lyons House, a State-heritage-listed property at 733 Port Hacking Road. The suburb's standing rests on its water views and lifestyle rather than new projects: Domain's 2019 Liveable Sydney study ranked it the top Sydney suburb for water views.
Jobs & Local Economy
Dolans Bay has little local employment — it is essentially a residential and commuter suburb. The main local industry is marine and boating: Burraneer Bay Marina provides berths, boat lift, hardstand and maintenance services on the suburb's waterfront (Burraneer Bay Marina). Most working residents commute to employment centres elsewhere in the Sutherland Shire — Caringbah and Miranda to the north — or into the Sydney CBD, about 26 km away.
Nearby Suburbs
Caringbah South, Caringbah, Woolooware, Lilli Pilli, Burraneer, Port Hacking, Maianbar, Bundeena
Sources & method
Researched 4 September 2026 from named public sources — census and government records, transport authorities, council and planning documents — plus published sales data. Where sources disagree on a figure, the guide says so rather than picking one.
Sources cited in this guide:
Corrections are welcome — if something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
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