Planning Maps / Areas / North Sydney / Neutral Bay

Neutral Bay zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Neutral Bay (North Sydney, NSW) - 1.28 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained 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 Neutral Bay'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.

Neutral Bay at a glance

Parcels 1,542 Median lot 405 m² Mapped easements 3 Bus stops 66

How Neutral Bay is zoned

Low Density Residential 31%
High Density Residential 28%
Medium Density Residential 16%
Mixed Use 9%
Infrastructure 8%
Public Recreation 6%

Buying in Neutral Bay? 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 1.28 km², Neutral Bay is relatively unconstrained 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. There are 190 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 405 m² across 1,542 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 Neutral Bay

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

Population
10,090
usual residents, 2021
Median age
38
years
Median household income
$2,443
per week, North Sydney suburb typical $2,614
Median rent
$550
per week, North Sydney suburb typical $580
Median mortgage
$2,895
per month
Household size
2.0
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 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1153, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Neutral Bay's 10,090 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.3%
5-14 8.0%
15-19 3.1%
20-24 5.3%
25-34 22.1%
35-44 18.1%
45-54 12.1%
55-64 10.1%
65-74 8.6%
75-84 5.1%
85+ 2.2%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

16,706 in 2001 to 18,384 in 2025, up 10%.

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.

Neutral Bay 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 mappingNot mappedNSW 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 Neutral Bay 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 →

Neutral Bay planning - frequently asked

Is Neutral Bay flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Neutral Bay, 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. North Sydney 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 Neutral Bay bushfire-prone?

Bushfire mapping covers Neutral Bay and little to none of it is mapped as bushfire-prone (the North Sydney average is 4%). Always confirm for the exact lot, as mapping can change.

What is the zoning in Neutral Bay?

The dominant planning zone in Neutral Bay is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes High Density Residential and Medium Density Residential. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Neutral Bay have heritage-listed places?

Neutral Bay has 190 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 Neutral Bay?

Across 1,542 surveyed parcels in Neutral Bay, the median lot size is about 405 m². There are also 3 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 Neutral Bay have a train station?

There is no train station inside Neutral Bay itself. The suburb is served by 66 bus stops.

What is the population of Neutral Bay?

At the 2021 Census Neutral Bay had 10,090 usual residents, with a median age of 38 and an average household size of 2.0 people. The wider Neutral Bay - Kirribilli statistical area, which contains Neutral Bay, went from 16,706 people in 2001 to 18,384 in 2025, up 10%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Neutral Bay alone.

Is Neutral Bay an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Neutral Bay scores 1153 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 10 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 Neutral Bay?

Median household income in Neutral Bay was $2,443 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,614 for the typical suburb in North Sydney. Median rent was $550 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,895 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Neutral Bay property?

A Neutral Bay 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
Kurraba Point 0.9 km Not mapped 0%
North Sydney 1.0 km Not mapped 0%
Cremorne 1.0 km Not mapped 0%
Cremorne Point 1.3 km Not mapped <1%
Cammeray 1.4 km Not mapped 10%
Lavender Bay 1.4 km Not mapped 0%
Kirribilli 1.4 km Not mapped 0%
Milsons Point 1.5 km Not mapped 0%
Crows Nest 1.7 km Not mapped 0%
Mcmahons Point 1.8 km Not mapped 0%

See all North Sydney suburb profiles →