Nelson flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Nelson (The Hills Shire, NSW) - 4.94 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Nelson'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.

Nelson at a glance

Parcels 174 Median lot 20,530 m² Bus stops 28

How Nelson is zoned

Transition 100%

Buying in Nelson? 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 4.94 km², Nelson 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 3 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Transition. The median lot measures about 20,530 m² across 174 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 Nelson

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Nelson suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
460
usual residents, 2021
Median age
47
years
Median household income
$2,399
per week, The Hills Shire suburb typical $2,650
Median rent
$450
per week, The Hills Shire suburb typical $560
Median mortgage
$2,762
per month
Household size
3.1
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 9
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1051, and decile 8 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 8
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Nelson's 460 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 4.9%
5-14 11.5%
15-19 3.4%
20-24 6.8%
25-34 9.6%
35-44 10.2%
45-54 14.4%
55-64 12.5%
65-74 17.2%
75-84 7.9%
85+ 1.7%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Box Hill - Nelson, the wider ABS statistical area containing Nelson. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Nelson itself.

1,826 in 2001 to 26,348 in 2025, up 1343%.

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.

Nelson 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.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian 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 Nelson 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 →

Nelson planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Nelson?

The schematic on this page is a Nelson 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 Nelson address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.

Is Nelson flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Nelson and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay (the council-wide suburb average is 1%). Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is Nelson bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 100% of Nelson is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a The Hills Shire average of 62%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Nelson?

The dominant planning zone in Nelson is Transition. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Nelson have heritage-listed places?

Nelson has 3 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 Nelson?

Across 174 surveyed parcels in Nelson, the median lot size is about 20,530 m².

Does Nelson have a train station?

There is no train station inside Nelson itself. The suburb is served by 28 bus stops.

What is the population of Nelson?

At the 2021 Census Nelson had 460 usual residents, with a median age of 47 and an average household size of 3.1 people. The wider Box Hill - Nelson statistical area, which contains Nelson, went from 1,826 people in 2001 to 26,348 in 2025, up 1343%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Nelson alone.

Is Nelson an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Nelson scores 1051 and sits in decile 9 of 10 nationally and decile 8 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 Nelson?

Median household income in Nelson was $2,399 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,650 for the typical suburb in The Hills Shire. Median rent was $450 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,762 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Nelson property?

A Nelson 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 suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
Annangrove 2.1 km 0% 94%
Gables 2.3 km 0% 40%
Box Hill 2.9 km 20% 18%
Rouse Hill
Blacktown
4.0 km 4% 50%
Kenthurst 4.5 km 0% 93%
North Kellyville 4.5 km 7% 54%
Grantham Farm
Blacktown
4.8 km 8% 47%
Oakville
Hawkesbury
5.3 km <1% 95%
Scheyville
Hawkesbury
5.5 km 0% 100%
Maraylya 5.6 km 0% 100%

See all The Hills Shire suburb profiles →