Lightning Ridge flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Lightning Ridge
(Walgett, NSW) - 2141.35 km², mapped from live council and
state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Profile updated 26 September 2026.
Suburb-wide figures; the free map shows which overlays touch your lot.
Constraint readout
2141.35 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Lightning Ridge's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top.
Nearby suburbs, nearest first
Lightning Ridge at a glance
How Lightning Ridge is zoned
Buying in Lightning Ridge? 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 2141.35 km², Lightning Ridge is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 100% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 15 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 2,324 m² across 2,318 parcels.
Who lives in Lightning Ridge
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Lightning Ridge 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 834, and decile 1 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Lightning Ridge's 1,946 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Walgett - Lightning Ridge, the wider ABS statistical area containing Lightning Ridge. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Lightning Ridge itself.
8,706 in 2001 to 5,708 in 2025, down 34%.
Source: ABS Census 2021 and SEIFA 2021 (Suburbs and Localities), Regional Population (SA2), CC BY 4.0. Small counts are randomly adjusted by the ABS.
Lightning Ridge data sources and coverage
“Not mapped” means we hold no source layer for this suburb - never an all-clear.
| 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 |
| Aircraft noise contours (ANEF) | Not held | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies, Defence |
| Observed flight paths | Not watched | adsb.lol, under the Open Database License |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 26 September 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 Lightning Ridge 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.
Building or pricing a slab? The $119 geotechnical desktop report covers geology, soils, bores and an indicative AS 2870 site class for a Lightning Ridge lot.
See what's in the $9 report →Lightning Ridge planning - frequently asked
Is Lightning Ridge flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Lightning Ridge and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay.
Is Lightning Ridge bushfire-prone?
Around 100% of Lightning Ridge is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Walgett average of 100%.
What is the zoning in Lightning Ridge?
The dominant planning zone in Lightning Ridge is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Special Activities and General Residential.
Does Lightning Ridge have heritage-listed places?
Lightning Ridge has 15 heritage-listed places on record.
What is the typical lot size in Lightning Ridge?
Across 2,318 surveyed parcels in Lightning Ridge, the median lot size is about 2,324 m². There are also 8 registered easements mapped in the suburb.
Does Lightning Ridge have a train station?
There is no train station inside Lightning Ridge itself. The suburb is served by 2 bus stops.
What is the population of Lightning Ridge?
At the 2021 Census Lightning Ridge had 1,946 usual residents, with a median age of 53 and an average household size of 2.0 people. The wider Walgett - Lightning Ridge statistical area, which contains Lightning Ridge, went from 8,706 people in 2001 to 5,708 in 2025, down 34%.
Is Lightning Ridge an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Lightning Ridge scores 834 and sits in decile 1 of 10 nationally and decile 1 within New South Wales (decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth, decile 10 the least).
What is the median household income in Lightning Ridge?
Median household income in Lightning Ridge was $792 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,083 for the typical suburb in Walgett. Median rent was $200 a week and the median mortgage repayment $867 a month.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angledool | 20.3 km | 0% | 100% |
| Grawin Opal Fields | 47.7 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Cumborah | 48.8 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Goodooga Brewarrina |
50.8 km | 0% | 100% |
| Collarenebri | 57.9 km | <1% | 100% |
| Walgett | 72.7 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Narran Lake Brewarrina |
81.4 km | Not mapped | 90% |
| Talawanta Brewarrina |
88.7 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Cryon | 101.6 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Rowena | 109.6 km | Not mapped | 100% |