Planning Maps / Areas / Wollongong / Coledale

Coledale flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Coledale (Wollongong, NSW) - 2.07 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Coledale'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.

Coledale at a glance

Parcels 599 Median lot 635 m² Mapped easements 2 Train Coledale Station Bus stops 21

How Coledale is zoned

Environmental Management 30%
Environmental Conservation 27%
Low Density Residential 20%
Public Recreation 7%
Infrastructure 6%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 6%

Buying in Coledale? 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 2.07 km², Coledale is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 71% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 6 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Environmental Management. The median lot measures about 635 m² across 599 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 Coledale

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Coledale suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
1,372
usual residents, 2021
Median age
42
years
Median household income
$2,586
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $1,912
Median rent
$600
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$2,600
per month
Household size
2.8
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1111, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Coledale's 1,372 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 4.3%
5-14 16.1%
15-19 7.2%
20-24 5.1%
25-34 8.2%
35-44 12.0%
45-54 15.6%
55-64 15.8%
65-74 11.1%
75-84 3.5%
85+ 1.0%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff, the wider ABS statistical area containing Coledale. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Coledale itself.

10,592 in 2001 to 12,148 in 2025, up 15%.

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.

Coledale 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.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian 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 Coledale 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 →

Coledale planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Coledale?

The schematic on this page is a Coledale 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 Coledale address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.

Is Coledale flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Coledale and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay (the council-wide suburb average is 4%). Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is Coledale bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 71% of Coledale 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 Coledale?

The dominant planning zone in Coledale is Environmental Management, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Low Density Residential. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Coledale have heritage-listed places?

Coledale has 6 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 Coledale?

Across 599 surveyed parcels in Coledale, the median lot size is about 635 m². There are also 2 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 Coledale have a train station?

Yes - Coledale has 1 train station: Coledale Station. It is also served by 21 bus stops.

What is the population of Coledale?

At the 2021 Census Coledale had 1,372 usual residents, with a median age of 42 and an average household size of 2.8 people. The wider Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff statistical area, which contains Coledale, went from 10,592 people in 2001 to 12,148 in 2025, up 15%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Coledale alone.

Is Coledale an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Coledale scores 1111 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 10 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 Coledale?

Median household income in Coledale was $2,586 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,912 for the typical suburb in Wollongong. Median rent was $600 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 Coledale property?

A Coledale 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 suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
Wombarra 1.6 km 0% 76%
Austinmer 1.9 km 0% 73%
Maddens Plains 2.2 km 0% 99%
Scarborough 2.8 km 0% 91%
Thirroul 3.8 km 0% 52%
Clifton 4.2 km 0% 96%
Coalcliff 5.5 km 0% 96%
Bulli 5.6 km 0% 64%
Stanwell Park 7.5 km 0% 87%
Woonona 7.6 km 0% 41%

See all Wollongong suburb profiles →