Forbes River zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Forbes River (Port Macquarie-Hastings, NSW) - 218.4 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
218.4 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 Forbes River'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.
Forbes River at a glance
How Forbes River is zoned
Buying in Forbes River? 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 218.4 km², Forbes River 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, 100% is flagged bushfire-prone. There is 1 heritage-listed site on record, and the dominant land-use zone is National Parks and Nature Reserves. The median lot measures about 307,456 m² across 78 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 Forbes River
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Forbes River 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 941, and decile 3 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Port Macquarie Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing Forbes River. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Forbes River itself.
5,244 in 2001 to 5,331 in 2025, up 2%.
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.
Forbes River 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 Forbes River 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 →Forbes River planning - frequently asked
Is Forbes River flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Forbes River, 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 Forbes River bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 100% of Forbes River 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 Forbes River?
The dominant planning zone in Forbes River is National Parks and Nature Reserves, though the suburb also includes Forestry and Rural Landscape. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Forbes River have heritage-listed places?
Forbes River 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 Forbes River?
Across 78 surveyed parcels in Forbes River, the median lot size is about 307,456 m².
Is Forbes River an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Forbes River scores 941 and sits in decile 3 of 10 nationally and decile 3 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.
Do I need a planning report for a Forbes River property?
A Forbes River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Pappinbarra | 11.2 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Werrikimbe | 11.4 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Banda Banda | 12.3 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Birdwood | 15.0 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Kippara | 17.2 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Pappinbarra | 20.5 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Kindee | 20.9 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Bril Bril | 21.1 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Mount Seaview | 21.1 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Moparrabah Kempsey |
21.4 km | Not mapped | 100% |