Main Arm zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Main Arm (Byron, NSW) - 25.72 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
25.72 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 Main Arm'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.
Main Arm at a glance
How Main Arm is zoned
Buying in Main Arm? 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 25.72 km², Main Arm 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 are 2 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Rural Landscape. The median lot measures about 20,888 m² across 232 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 Main Arm
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Main Arm 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 993, and decile 5 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Main Arm's 640 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Mullumbimby, the wider ABS statistical area containing Main Arm. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Main Arm itself.
7,623 in 2001 to 9,662 in 2025, up 27%.
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.
Main Arm 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 Main Arm 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 →Main Arm planning - frequently asked
Is Main Arm flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Main Arm, 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. Byron 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 Main Arm bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 100% of Main Arm is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Byron average of 94%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Main Arm?
The dominant planning zone in Main Arm is Rural Landscape, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Primary Production. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Main Arm have heritage-listed places?
Main Arm has 2 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 Main Arm?
Across 232 surveyed parcels in Main Arm, the median lot size is about 20,888 m². There are also 13 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 Main Arm?
At the 2021 Census Main Arm had 640 usual residents, with a median age of 45 and an average household size of 2.8 people. The wider Mullumbimby statistical area, which contains Main Arm, went from 7,623 people in 2001 to 9,662 in 2025, up 27%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Main Arm alone.
Is Main Arm an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Main Arm scores 993 and sits in decile 6 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 Main Arm?
Median household income in Main Arm was $1,403 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,634 for the typical suburb in Byron. Median rent was $450 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Main Arm property?
A Main Arm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmwoods | 2.4 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Upper Main Arm | 3.5 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Koonyum Range | 4.1 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| The Pocket | 4.1 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Upper Wilsons Creek | 4.3 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Middle Pocket | 4.8 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Mullumbimby Creek | 5.2 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Wilsons Creek | 6.4 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Upper Burringbar Tweed |
6.5 km | Not mapped | 99% |
| Yelgun | 7.3 km | Not mapped | 100% |