Fernvale flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Fernvale (Tweed, NSW) - 12.95 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
12.95 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Fernvale'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.
Fernvale at a glance
How Fernvale is zoned
Buying in Fernvale? 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 12.95 km², Fernvale is highly constrained by planning overlays. About 15% of the suburb sits within a mapped flood overlay, and 99% is flagged bushfire-prone. There is 1 heritage-listed site on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Rural Landscape. The median lot measures about 28,002 m² across 125 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 Fernvale
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Fernvale 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 982, and decile 5 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Fernvale's 261 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Murwillumbah Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing Fernvale. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Fernvale itself.
8,963 in 2001 to 10,835 in 2025, up 21%.
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.
Fernvale 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 Fernvale 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 →Fernvale planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Fernvale?
The schematic on this page is a Fernvale flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid, covering about 15% of the suburb. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Fernvale address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Fernvale flood-prone?
About 15% of Fernvale falls within a mapped flood overlay, against the council-wide suburb average of 25%. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Fernvale bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 99% of Fernvale is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Tweed average of 91%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Fernvale?
The dominant planning zone in Fernvale is Rural Landscape, though the suburb also includes National Parks and Nature Reserves. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Fernvale have heritage-listed places?
Fernvale has 1 heritage-listed place 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 Fernvale?
Across 125 surveyed parcels in Fernvale, the median lot size is about 28,002 m². There are also 1 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.
What is the population of Fernvale?
At the 2021 Census Fernvale had 261 usual residents, with a median age of 44 and an average household size of 2.8 people. The wider Murwillumbah Surrounds statistical area, which contains Fernvale, went from 8,963 people in 2001 to 10,835 in 2025, up 21%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Fernvale alone.
Is Fernvale an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Fernvale scores 982 and sits in decile 5 of 10 nationally and decile 5 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 Fernvale?
Median household income in Fernvale was $1,485 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,394 for the typical suburb in Tweed. Median rent was $330 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,645 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Fernvale property?
A Fernvale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Murwillumbah | 3.4 km | 73% | 82% |
| Wardrop Valley | 3.4 km | 2% | 100% |
| Dunbible | 3.5 km | 27% | 99% |
| Kielvale | 4.0 km | 30% | 99% |
| Stokers Siding | 4.6 km | 5% | 100% |
| Bray Park | 5.0 km | 43% | 69% |
| Murwillumbah | 5.7 km | 68% | 61% |
| Byangum | 5.7 km | 36% | 99% |
| Condong | 5.9 km | 100% | 87% |
| Nunderi | 6.1 km | 42% | 93% |