Black Hill flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Black Hill (Cessnock, NSW) - 45.72 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
45.72 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Black Hill's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address.
Black Hill at a glance
How Black Hill is zoned
Buying in Black Hill? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.
Across its 45.72 km², Black Hill is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 94% is flagged bushfire-prone. There is 1 heritage-listed site on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Rural Landscape. The median lot measures about 12,206 m² across 394 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.
Who lives in Black Hill
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Black Hill suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 1076, and decile 9 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Black Hill's 516 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Cessnock Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing Black Hill. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Black Hill itself.
6,288 in 2001 to 9,974 in 2025, up 59%.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.
Black Hill data sources and coverage
Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.
Check a specific Black Hill address
See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.
See what's in the $9 report →Black Hill planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Black Hill?
The schematic on this page is a Black Hill flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Black Hill address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Black Hill flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Black Hill and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Black Hill bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 94% of Black Hill is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Cessnock average of 91%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Black Hill?
The dominant planning zone in Black Hill is Rural Landscape, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Environmental Living. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Black Hill have heritage-listed places?
Black Hill has 1 heritage-listed place on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.
What is the typical lot size in Black Hill?
Across 394 surveyed parcels in Black Hill, the median lot size is about 12,206 m². There are also 8 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.
Does Black Hill have a train station?
There is no train station inside Black Hill itself. The suburb is served by 34 bus stops.
What is the population of Black Hill?
At the 2021 Census Black Hill had 516 usual residents, with a median age of 47 and an average household size of 3.2 people. The wider Cessnock Surrounds statistical area, which contains Black Hill, went from 6,288 people in 2001 to 9,974 in 2025, up 59%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Black Hill alone.
Is Black Hill an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Black Hill scores 1076 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 9 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.
What is the median household income in Black Hill?
Median household income in Black Hill was $2,980 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,929 for the typical suburb in Cessnock. Median rent was $586 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,665 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Black Hill property?
A Black Hill planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beresfield Newcastle |
2.9 km | Not mapped | 38% |
| Lenaghan Newcastle |
3.4 km | 0% | 100% |
| Thornton Maitland |
4.3 km | Not mapped | 70% |
| Ashtonfield Maitland |
5.1 km | Not mapped | 75% |
| Tarro Newcastle |
5.1 km | 0% | 58% |
| Buttai | 5.6 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Hexham Newcastle |
5.7 km | 0% | 89% |
| Woodberry Maitland |
5.8 km | 0% | 81% |
| Fletcher Newcastle |
5.9 km | Not mapped | 80% |
| Metford Maitland |
6.1 km | 0% | 38% |