Fernbank Creek zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Fernbank Creek (Port Macquarie-Hastings, NSW) - 14.16 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.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Fernbank Creek'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.

Fernbank Creek at a glance

Parcels 198 Median lot 10,969 m² Mapped easements 4 Bus stops 6

How Fernbank Creek is zoned

Primary Production 62%
Environmental Conservation 27%
Recreational Waterways 7%
Tourist 1%
Environmental Management 1%
Infrastructure 1%

Buying in Fernbank Creek? 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 14.16 km², Fernbank Creek 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, 91% is flagged bushfire-prone. The dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 10,969 m² across 198 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 Fernbank Creek

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

Population
122
usual residents, 2021
Median age
50
years
Median household income
$1,625
per week, Port Macquarie-Hastings suburb typical $1,381
Median rent
$275
per week, Port Macquarie-Hastings suburb typical $350
Median mortgage
$1,625
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 7
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1019, and decile 7 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 8
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Fernbank Creek's 122 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 7.1%
5-14 7.9%
15-19 8.7%
20-24 7.1%
25-34 8.7%
35-44 2.4%
45-54 16.7%
55-64 18.3%
65-74 13.5%
75-84 4.8%
85+ 4.8%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Port Macquarie - West, the wider ABS statistical area containing Fernbank Creek. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Fernbank Creek itself.

12,360 in 2001 to 23,991 in 2025, up 94%.

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.

Fernbank Creek 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 mappingNot mappedNSW 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 Fernbank Creek 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 →

Fernbank Creek planning - frequently asked

Is Fernbank Creek flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Fernbank Creek, 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. Port Macquarie-Hastings 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 Fernbank Creek bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 91% of Fernbank Creek is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Port Macquarie-Hastings average of 93%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Fernbank Creek?

The dominant planning zone in Fernbank Creek is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Recreational Waterways. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Fernbank Creek have heritage-listed places?

No heritage-listed places are on record within Fernbank Creek. Even so, it is worth confirming for an individual property before any works.

What is the typical lot size in Fernbank Creek?

Across 198 surveyed parcels in Fernbank Creek, the median lot size is about 10,969 m². There are also 4 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 Fernbank Creek have a train station?

There is no train station inside Fernbank Creek itself. The suburb is served by 6 bus stops.

What is the population of Fernbank Creek?

At the 2021 Census Fernbank Creek had 122 usual residents, with a median age of 50 and an average household size of 2.8 people. The wider Port Macquarie - West statistical area, which contains Fernbank Creek, went from 12,360 people in 2001 to 23,991 in 2025, up 94%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Fernbank Creek alone.

Is Fernbank Creek an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Fernbank Creek scores 1019 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 Fernbank Creek?

Median household income in Fernbank Creek was $1,625 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,381 for the typical suburb in Port Macquarie-Hastings. Median rent was $275 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,625 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Fernbank Creek property?

A Fernbank Creek 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
Blackmans Point 3.6 km Not mapped 87%
Thrumster 4.0 km Not mapped 86%
Riverside 4.1 km Not mapped 78%
Rawdon Island 4.9 km Not mapped 82%
Sancrox 4.9 km Not mapped 92%
Port Macquarie 6.7 km Not mapped 52%
North Shore 6.8 km Not mapped 88%
The Hatch 7.4 km Not mapped 99%
Lake Innes 9.4 km Not mapped 87%
Redbank 10.1 km Not mapped 96%

See all Port Macquarie-Hastings suburb profiles →