Cleveland flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Cleveland (Wollongong, NSW) - 3.17 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
3.17 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Cleveland'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.
Cleveland at a glance
How Cleveland is zoned
Buying in Cleveland? 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 3.17 km², Cleveland is highly constrained by planning overlays. About 51% of the suburb sits within a mapped flood overlay, and 100% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 2 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 36,528 m² across 29 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 Cleveland
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Cleveland 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 1033, and decile 7 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Dapto - Avondale, the wider ABS statistical area containing Cleveland. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Cleveland itself.
21,968 in 2001 to 24,842 in 2025, up 13%.
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.
Cleveland 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 Cleveland 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 →Cleveland planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Cleveland?
The schematic on this page is a Cleveland flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid, covering about 51% of the suburb. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Cleveland address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Cleveland flood-prone?
About 51% of Cleveland falls within a mapped flood overlay, against the council-wide suburb average of 4%. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Cleveland bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 100% of Cleveland is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Wollongong average of 56%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Cleveland?
The dominant planning zone in Cleveland is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes Rural Landscape and Environmental Management. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Cleveland have heritage-listed places?
Cleveland 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 Cleveland?
Across 29 surveyed parcels in Cleveland, the median lot size is about 36,528 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 Cleveland have a train station?
There is no train station inside Cleveland itself. The suburb is served by 2 bus stops.
Is Cleveland an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Cleveland scores 1033 and sits in decile 8 of 10 nationally and decile 7 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.
Do I need a planning report for a Cleveland property?
A Cleveland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horsley | 1.6 km | 26% | 45% |
| Dapto | 2.4 km | 7% | 29% |
| Avondale | 2.9 km | 0% | 97% |
| Huntley | 3.2 km | 3% | 94% |
| Koonawarra | 3.5 km | 0% | 38% |
| Stream Hill | 3.7 km | 25% | 88% |
| Wongawilli | 3.9 km | 6% | 79% |
| Yallah | 4.1 km | 0% | 74% |
| Kanahooka | 4.4 km | 0% | 11% |
| Brownsville | 4.6 km | 0% | 59% |