Meerschaum Vale flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Meerschaum Vale (Ballina, NSW) - 36.79 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
36.79 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Meerschaum Vale'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.
Meerschaum Vale at a glance
How Meerschaum Vale is zoned
Buying in Meerschaum Vale? 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 36.79 km², Meerschaum Vale 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 4 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Rural Landscape. The median lot measures about 62,627 m² across 183 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 Meerschaum Vale
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Meerschaum Vale 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 1004, and decile 6 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Meerschaum Vale's 372 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Ballina Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing Meerschaum Vale. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Meerschaum Vale itself.
14,963 in 2001 to 19,370 in 2025, up 29%.
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.
Meerschaum Vale 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 Meerschaum Vale 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 →Meerschaum Vale planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Meerschaum Vale?
The schematic on this page is a Meerschaum Vale flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Meerschaum Vale address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Meerschaum Vale flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Meerschaum Vale and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Meerschaum Vale bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 100% of Meerschaum Vale is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Ballina average of 72%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Meerschaum Vale?
The dominant planning zone in Meerschaum Vale is Rural Landscape, though the suburb also includes Primary Production and Deferred Matter. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Meerschaum Vale have heritage-listed places?
Meerschaum Vale has 4 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 Meerschaum Vale?
Across 183 surveyed parcels in Meerschaum Vale, the median lot size is about 62,627 m². There are also 2 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 Meerschaum Vale have a train station?
There is no train station inside Meerschaum Vale itself. The suburb is served by 50 bus stops.
What is the population of Meerschaum Vale?
At the 2021 Census Meerschaum Vale had 372 usual residents, with a median age of 47 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The wider Ballina Surrounds statistical area, which contains Meerschaum Vale, went from 14,963 people in 2001 to 19,370 in 2025, up 29%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Meerschaum Vale alone.
Is Meerschaum Vale an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Meerschaum Vale scores 1004 and sits in decile 7 of 10 nationally and decile 6 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 Meerschaum Vale?
Median household income in Meerschaum Vale was $1,968 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,812 for the typical suburb in Ballina. Median rent was $435 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,582 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Meerschaum Vale property?
A Meerschaum Vale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalwood | 3.7 km | 0% | 54% |
| Wardell | 4.9 km | Not mapped | 93% |
| Marom Creek Lismore |
4.9 km | 0% | 30% |
| Coolgardie | 5.5 km | Not mapped | 99% |
| Bagotville | 5.7 km | 0% | 99% |
| Rous Mill | 5.7 km | Not mapped | 60% |
| Rous | 7.0 km | Not mapped | 42% |
| Green Forest Lismore |
7.0 km | 0% | 39% |
| Lynwood | 7.1 km | Not mapped | 46% |
| Tuckurimba Lismore |
7.6 km | 0% | 16% |