Broken Head zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Broken Head (Byron, NSW) - 26.3 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
26.3 km² - this suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Broken Head's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.
Broken Head at a glance
How Broken Head is zoned
Buying in Broken Head? 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 26.3 km², Broken Head is highly constrained by the planning overlays we hold. We hold no flood mapping covering this suburb, so no flood figure is shown - that is a gap in our data, not an all-clear. Of what is mapped, 92% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 2 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 11,301 m² across 211 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 Broken Head
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Broken Head 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 1070, and decile 9 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Broken Head's 385 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Byron Bay, the wider ABS statistical area containing Broken Head. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Broken Head itself.
9,247 in 2001 to 11,482 in 2025, up 24%.
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.
Broken Head 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 | Not 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 Broken Head 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 →Broken Head planning - frequently asked
Is Broken Head flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Broken Head, so this page can't say how much of the suburb is flood-affected - that is a gap in our data, not an indication that the suburb is free of flood risk. Byron is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Broken Head bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 92% of Broken Head is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Byron average of 94%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Broken Head?
The dominant planning zone in Broken Head is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Deferred Matter. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Broken Head have heritage-listed places?
Broken Head has 2 heritage-listed places 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 Broken Head?
Across 211 surveyed parcels in Broken Head, the median lot size is about 11,301 m². There are also 5 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.
What is the population of Broken Head?
At the 2021 Census Broken Head had 385 usual residents, with a median age of 43 and an average household size of 2.5 people. The wider Byron Bay statistical area, which contains Broken Head, went from 9,247 people in 2001 to 11,482 in 2025, up 24%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Broken Head alone.
Is Broken Head an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Broken Head scores 1070 and sits in decile 9 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 Broken Head?
Median household income in Broken Head was $1,687 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,634 for the typical suburb in Byron. Median rent was $490 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,600 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Broken Head property?
A Broken Head 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newrybar Ballina |
4.6 km | Not mapped | 64% |
| Coopers Shoot | 4.9 km | Not mapped | 99% |
| Suffolk Park | 4.9 km | Not mapped | 82% |
| Knockrow Ballina |
6.3 km | Not mapped | 59% |
| Hayters Hill | 6.3 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Lennox Head Ballina |
7.0 km | Not mapped | 77% |
| Talofa | 7.5 km | Not mapped | 99% |
| Skinners Shoot | 8.1 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Kinvara Ballina |
8.5 km | Not mapped | 96% |
| Brooklet Ballina |
8.9 km | Not mapped | 45% |