Planning Maps / Areas / Northern Beaches / North Balgowlah

North Balgowlah zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of North Balgowlah (Northern Beaches, NSW) - 1.13 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is moderately 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 North Balgowlah'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.

North Balgowlah at a glance

Parcels 1,167 Median lot 567 m² Mapped easements 11 Bus stops 48 Landslide overlay 100%

How North Balgowlah is zoned

Low Density Residential 87%
Public Recreation 12%
Infrastructure 1%
Local Centre 0%

Buying in North Balgowlah? 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 1.13 km², North Balgowlah is moderately 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, 26% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 6 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 567 m² across 1,167 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 North Balgowlah

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

Population
3,816
usual residents, 2021
Median age
39
years
Median household income
$4,212
per week, Northern Beaches suburb typical $2,778
Median rent
$825
per week, Northern Beaches suburb typical $700
Median mortgage
$4,005
per month
Household size
3.3
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 1184, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of North Balgowlah's 3,816 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 6.3%
5-14 22.1%
15-19 8.0%
20-24 3.9%
25-34 4.7%
35-44 15.2%
45-54 18.7%
55-64 9.9%
65-74 6.7%
75-84 3.5%
85+ 1.0%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Manly Vale - Allambie Heights, the wider ABS statistical area containing North Balgowlah. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than North Balgowlah itself.

15,266 in 2001 to 17,944 in 2025, up 18%.

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.

North Balgowlah 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 North Balgowlah 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 →

North Balgowlah planning - frequently asked

Is North Balgowlah flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering North Balgowlah, 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. Northern Beaches 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 North Balgowlah bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 26% of North Balgowlah is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Northern Beaches average of 47%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in North Balgowlah?

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

Does North Balgowlah have heritage-listed places?

North Balgowlah has 6 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 North Balgowlah?

Across 1,167 surveyed parcels in North Balgowlah, the median lot size is about 567 m². There are also 11 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 North Balgowlah have a train station?

There is no train station inside North Balgowlah itself. The suburb is served by 48 bus stops.

What is the population of North Balgowlah?

At the 2021 Census North Balgowlah had 3,816 usual residents, with a median age of 39 and an average household size of 3.3 people. The wider Manly Vale - Allambie Heights statistical area, which contains North Balgowlah, went from 15,266 people in 2001 to 17,944 in 2025, up 18%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than North Balgowlah alone.

Is North Balgowlah an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), North Balgowlah scores 1184 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 North Balgowlah?

Median household income in North Balgowlah was $4,212 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,778 for the typical suburb in Northern Beaches. Median rent was $825 a week and the median mortgage repayment $4,005 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a North Balgowlah property?

A North Balgowlah 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
Seaforth 1.0 km Not mapped 37%
Balgowlah 1.2 km Not mapped 8%
Manly Vale 1.3 km Not mapped 23%
Middle Harbour
Unincorporated - Sydney Harbour Area
1.7 km Not mapped 29%
Allambie Heights 2.0 km Not mapped 76%
North Manly 2.1 km 2% 0%
Fairlight 2.2 km Not mapped 0%
Clontarf 2.3 km Not mapped 39%
Balgowlah Heights 2.6 km Not mapped 48%
Queenscliff 3.1 km Not mapped 0%

See all Northern Beaches suburb profiles →