Joadja crime statistics
Reporting period: 2025-07 – 2026-06
3 recorded in this period, compared with 2 in the preceding period.
LGA totals use the selected offence categories. Locality counts and population-adjusted LGA rates are different measures.
About Joadja
Joadja is a rural locality in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, situated within the Wingecarribee Shire council area under the postcode 2575. Located approximately 130 kilometres southwest of Sydney and west of Berrima, the area is characterised by a rugged, isolated valley topography surrounded by steep sandstone gorges and native bushland. Due to its remote setting and history as a preserved site, the permanent resident population is very small, contributing to a quiet, rural demographic profile.
As a heritage-listed ghost town and privately held property, Joadja offers virtually no commercial amenities, retail outlets, or public services within its immediate boundaries. Local life is minimal, with surrounding commercial, educational, and healthcare needs met by nearby regional centres such as Mittagong, Bowral, and Berrima. Public access to the locality is strictly managed, and visitors typically engage with the area through pre-arranged historical tours rather than standard residential or recreational activities.
Joadja holds significant national historical and heritage importance as the site of a late 19th-century oil shale mining operation. Established by the Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral Company in the 1870s, the isolated settlement once supported a thriving industrial community complete with retorts, miners' cottages, a school, and a church. Following the decline of the shale oil industry, the town was largely abandoned by the early 20th century, leaving behind extensive ruins that are now protected on the State Heritage Register for their archaeological and historical value.
Recorded offence categories
| Category | Current period | Previous period |
|---|---|---|
| Breach Apprehended Violence Order | 2 | 1 |
| Domestic violence related assault | 1 | 1 |
Community context
The 2021 Census recorded 139 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.