Planning Maps / Areas / Lismore / Nimbin

Nimbin zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Nimbin (Lismore, NSW) - 72.88 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.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Nimbin'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.

Nimbin at a glance

Parcels 823 Median lot 5,315 m² Mapped easements 6 Bus stops 12

How Nimbin is zoned

Primary Production 91%
Large Lot Residential 3%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 3%
Village 2%
Natural Waterways 1%

Buying in Nimbin? 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 72.88 km², Nimbin 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, 59% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 18 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 5,315 m² across 823 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 Nimbin

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

Population
1,607
usual residents, 2021
Median age
50
years
Median household income
$798
per week, Lismore suburb typical $1,458
Median rent
$300
per week, Lismore suburb typical $313
Median mortgage
$1,199
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 1
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 883, and decile 1 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 1
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Nimbin's 1,607 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 3.9%
5-14 11.2%
15-19 4.3%
20-24 4.0%
25-34 8.5%
35-44 10.6%
45-54 13.7%
55-64 21.2%
65-74 17.2%
75-84 4.5%
85+ 0.9%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

14,249 in 2001 to 16,160 in 2025, up 13%.

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.

Nimbin 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 Nimbin 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 →

Nimbin planning - frequently asked

Is Nimbin flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Nimbin, 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. Lismore 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 Nimbin bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 59% of Nimbin is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Lismore average of 33%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Nimbin?

The dominant planning zone in Nimbin is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Large Lot Residential and National Parks and Nature Reserves. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Nimbin have heritage-listed places?

Nimbin has 18 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 Nimbin?

Across 823 surveyed parcels in Nimbin, the median lot size is about 5,315 m². There are also 6 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 Nimbin have a train station?

There is no train station inside Nimbin itself. The suburb is served by 12 bus stops.

What is the population of Nimbin?

At the 2021 Census Nimbin had 1,607 usual residents, with a median age of 50 and an average household size of 2.0 people. The wider Lismore Surrounds statistical area, which contains Nimbin, went from 14,249 people in 2001 to 16,160 in 2025, up 13%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Nimbin alone.

Is Nimbin an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Nimbin scores 883 and sits in decile 1 of 10 nationally and decile 1 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 Nimbin?

Median household income in Nimbin was $798 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,458 for the typical suburb in Lismore. Median rent was $300 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,199 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Nimbin property?

A Nimbin 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
Blue Knob 5.6 km Not mapped 72%
Tuntable Creek 6.2 km Not mapped 63%
Terania Creek 6.4 km Not mapped 81%
Mountain Top 6.7 km Not mapped 72%
Stony Chute 7.6 km Not mapped 44%
Coffee Camp 7.7 km Not mapped 46%
Nightcap 8.0 km Not mapped 100%
Kunghur Creek
Tweed
8.6 km 2% 100%
Midginbil
Tweed
9.1 km 3% 100%
Lillian Rock
Kyogle
9.6 km Not mapped 100%

See all Lismore suburb profiles →