Planning Maps / Areas / Central Coast / Norah Head

Norah Head zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Norah Head (Central Coast, NSW) - 3.86 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 Norah Head'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.

Norah Head at a glance

Parcels 508 Median lot 668 m² Mapped easements 7 Bus stops 31

How Norah Head is zoned

Environmental Conservation 55%
Public Recreation 19%
Low Density Residential 11%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 9%
General Residential 3%
Environmental Management 2%

Buying in Norah Head? 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 3.86 km², Norah Head 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, 91% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 3 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Environmental Conservation. The median lot measures about 668 m² across 508 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 Norah Head

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

Population
1,149
usual residents, 2021
Median age
51
years
Median household income
$1,711
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $1,735
Median rent
$400
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$2,167
per month
Household size
2.5
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 7
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1008, and decile 6 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 7
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Norah Head's 1,149 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 3.8%
5-14 12.0%
15-19 5.1%
20-24 4.2%
25-34 5.8%
35-44 11.1%
45-54 12.7%
55-64 16.9%
65-74 14.8%
75-84 8.6%
85+ 5.1%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

8,986 in 2001 to 9,908 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.

Norah Head 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 Norah Head 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 →

Norah Head planning - frequently asked

Is Norah Head flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Norah Head, 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. Central Coast 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 Norah Head bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 91% of Norah Head is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Central Coast average of 69%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Norah Head?

The dominant planning zone in Norah Head is Environmental Conservation, though the suburb also includes Public Recreation and Low Density Residential. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Norah Head have heritage-listed places?

Norah Head 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 Norah Head?

Across 508 surveyed parcels in Norah Head, the median lot size is about 668 m². There are also 7 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 Norah Head have a train station?

There is no train station inside Norah Head itself. The suburb is served by 31 bus stops.

What is the population of Norah Head?

At the 2021 Census Norah Head had 1,149 usual residents, with a median age of 51 and an average household size of 2.5 people. The wider Toukley - Norah Head statistical area, which contains Norah Head, went from 8,986 people in 2001 to 9,908 in 2025, up 10%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Norah Head alone.

Is Norah Head an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Norah Head scores 1008 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 Norah Head?

Median household income in Norah Head was $1,711 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,735 for the typical suburb in Central Coast. Median rent was $400 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,167 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Norah Head property?

A Norah Head 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
Noraville 1.7 km Not mapped 59%
Canton Beach 1.8 km Not mapped 60%
Toukley 3.1 km Not mapped 47%
Magenta 3.6 km Not mapped 94%
Budgewoi 5.7 km Not mapped 49%
Gorokan 6.4 km Not mapped 5%
Buff Point 6.8 km Not mapped 39%
Wyongah 7.2 km Not mapped 36%
Lake Haven 7.3 km Not mapped 15%
Budgewoi Peninsula 7.4 km Not mapped 99%

See all Central Coast suburb profiles →