Hay South crime statistics
Reporting period: 2025-07 – 2026-06
59 recorded in this period, compared with 45 in the preceding period.
LGA totals use the selected offence categories. Locality counts and population-adjusted LGA rates are different measures.
About Hay South
Hay South is a rural locality in the Riverina region of New South Wales, situated directly south of the Murrumbidgee River within the Hay Shire local government area (postcode 2711). Spanning a predominantly flat and arid landscape characteristic of the western Riverina, the area is defined by expansive pastoral holdings, agricultural activities, and native vegetation suited to the semi-arid climate. Due to its vast geographic size and sparse population, the demographic profile reflects a very low population density, with residents primarily engaged in broadacre farming, sheep grazing, and related agricultural support industries.
While Hay South itself is largely rural and lacks major commercial hubs, residents rely heavily on the adjacent town of Hay for essential services, retail, healthcare, and education. Local life is centered around the rhythm of pastoral and agricultural management. The locality is traversed by key regional transport links, including the Cobb Highway, facilitating the movement of livestock and agricultural produce to larger markets in New South Wales and Victoria.
Historically, the development of Hay South is closely tied to the exploration and pastoral expansion of the mid-19th century, following the establishment of the town of Hay as a vital crossing point on the Murrumbidgee River. The area played a supporting role in the region's burgeoning wool industry during the height of the Australian pastoral boom, utilizing river transport and later the railway network to connect isolated stations with domestic and international trade routes.
Recorded offence categories
| Category | Current period | Previous period |
|---|---|---|
| Possession and/or use of cannabis | 10 | 5 |
| Fraud | 7 | 1 |
| Breach bail conditions | 5 | 7 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 4 | 0 |
| Possession and/or use of amphetamines | 4 | 6 |
| Receiving or handling stolen goods | 3 | 2 |
| Break and enter dwelling | 2 | 2 |
| Break and enter non-dwelling | 2 | 1 |
| Possession and/or use of narcotics | 2 | 0 |
| Possession and/or use of other drugs | 2 | 0 |
| Resist or hinder officer | 2 | 0 |
| Trespass | 2 | 0 |
| Breach Apprehended Violence Order | 1 | 2 |
| Domestic violence related assault | 1 | 0 |
| Malicious damage to property | 1 | 1 |
| Non-domestic violence related assault | 1 | 1 |
| Offensive conduct | 1 | 1 |
| Other drug offences | 1 | 2 |
Community context
The 2021 Census recorded 357 residents. This is not a current population estimate.
Sources and interpretation
These are police-recorded incident or victim counts, not every unreported incident or a prediction of personal safety. Percentage changes are not tests of statistical significance; small counts need particular care.