Planning Maps / Areas / Ballina / East Ballina

East Ballina flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of East Ballina (Ballina, NSW) - 7.94 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to East Ballina'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.

East Ballina at a glance

Parcels 1,993 Median lot 739 m² Mapped easements 5 Bus stops 28

How East Ballina is zoned

Deferred Matter 29%
Low Density Residential 20%
Natural Waterways 10%
Environmental Conservation 10%
Public Recreation 9%
Medium Density Residential 8%

Buying in East Ballina? 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 7.94 km², East Ballina is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 50% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 9 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Deferred Matter. The median lot measures about 739 m² across 1,993 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 East Ballina

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

Population
5,882
usual residents, 2021
Median age
48
years
Median household income
$1,554
per week, Ballina suburb typical $1,812
Median rent
$460
per week, Ballina suburb typical $410
Median mortgage
$1,800
per month
Household size
2.3
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 7
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1018, and decile 7 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 7
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of East Ballina's 5,882 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 4.6%
5-14 11.0%
15-19 5.3%
20-24 3.3%
25-34 9.4%
35-44 11.8%
45-54 12.9%
55-64 14.4%
65-74 17.1%
75-84 7.5%
85+ 2.7%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

16,711 in 2001 to 18,813 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.

East Ballina 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 East Ballina 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 →

East Ballina planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of East Ballina?

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

Is East Ballina flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers East Ballina 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 East Ballina bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 50% of East Ballina is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Ballina average of 72%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in East Ballina?

The dominant planning zone in East Ballina is Deferred Matter, though the suburb also includes Low Density Residential and Natural Waterways. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does East Ballina have heritage-listed places?

East Ballina has 9 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 East Ballina?

Across 1,993 surveyed parcels in East Ballina, the median lot size is about 739 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.

Does East Ballina have a train station?

There is no train station inside East Ballina itself. The suburb is served by 28 bus stops.

What is the population of East Ballina?

At the 2021 Census East Ballina had 5,882 usual residents, with a median age of 48 and an average household size of 2.3 people. The wider Ballina statistical area, which contains East Ballina, went from 16,711 people in 2001 to 18,813 in 2025, up 13%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than East Ballina alone.

Is East Ballina an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), East Ballina scores 1018 and sits in decile 7 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.

What is the median household income in East Ballina?

Median household income in East Ballina was $1,554 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,812 for the typical suburb in Ballina. Median rent was $460 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,800 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a East Ballina property?

An East Ballina 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
Skennars Head 2.9 km 0% 86%
South Ballina 3.3 km 0% 64%
Ballina 3.3 km 0% 60%
Keith Hall 5.5 km 0% 90%
Cumbalum 6.7 km 0% 76%
West Ballina 6.7 km 0% 74%
Lennox Head 7.4 km Not mapped 77%
Kinvara 8.1 km Not mapped 96%
Pimlico 9.3 km 0% 94%
Empire Vale 9.7 km Not mapped 96%

See all Ballina suburb profiles →