Empire Bay zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Empire Bay (Central Coast, NSW) - 5.63 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
5.63 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 Empire Bay'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.
Empire Bay at a glance
How Empire Bay is zoned
Buying in Empire Bay? 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 5.63 km², Empire Bay 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, 61% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 10 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Recreational Waterways. The median lot measures about 788 m² across 939 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 Empire Bay
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Empire Bay 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 1015, and decile 6 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Empire Bay's 2,522 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Box Head - MacMasters Beach, the wider ABS statistical area containing Empire Bay. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Empire Bay itself.
10,153 in 2001 to 11,289 in 2025, up 11%.
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.
Empire Bay 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 Empire Bay 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 →Empire Bay planning - frequently asked
Is Empire Bay flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Empire Bay, 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. Central Coast 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 Empire Bay bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 61% of Empire Bay is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Central Coast average of 69%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Empire Bay?
The dominant planning zone in Empire Bay is Recreational Waterways, though the suburb also includes Environmental Living and National Parks and Nature Reserves. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Empire Bay have heritage-listed places?
Empire Bay has 10 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 Empire Bay?
Across 939 surveyed parcels in Empire Bay, the median lot size is about 788 m². There are also 24 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 Empire Bay have a train station?
There is no train station inside Empire Bay itself. The suburb is served by 60 bus stops and 2 ferry terminals.
What is the population of Empire Bay?
At the 2021 Census Empire Bay had 2,522 usual residents, with a median age of 42 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The wider Box Head - MacMasters Beach statistical area, which contains Empire Bay, went from 10,153 people in 2001 to 11,289 in 2025, up 11%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Empire Bay alone.
Is Empire Bay an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Empire Bay scores 1015 and sits in decile 7 of 10 nationally and decile 6 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 Empire Bay?
Median household income in Empire Bay was $1,884 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,735 for the typical suburb in Central Coast. Median rent was $410 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,165 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Empire Bay property?
An Empire Bay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daleys Point | 1.4 km | Not mapped | 69% |
| Davistown | 2.1 km | Not mapped | 20% |
| Booker Bay | 2.2 km | Not mapped | <1% |
| Killcare | 2.2 km | Not mapped | 68% |
| Kincumber South | 2.4 km | Not mapped | 56% |
| Killcare Heights | 2.4 km | Not mapped | 94% |
| St Huberts Island | 2.5 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Bensville | 2.5 km | Not mapped | 90% |
| Hardys Bay | 2.9 km | Not mapped | 91% |
| Blackwall | 3.0 km | Not mapped | 43% |