Palona flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Palona (Sutherland Shire, NSW) - 21.08 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
21.08 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Palona'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.
How Palona is zoned
Buying in Palona? 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 21.08 km², Palona 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 National Parks and Nature Reserves. 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 Palona
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Palona suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Royal National Park, the wider ABS statistical area containing Palona. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Palona itself.
20 in 2001 to 45 in 2025, up 125%.
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.
Palona 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.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian 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 Palona 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 →Palona planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Palona?
The schematic on this page is a Palona 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 Palona address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Palona flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Palona and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Palona bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 100% of Palona is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Sutherland Shire average of 46%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Palona?
The dominant planning zone in Palona is National Parks and Nature Reserves, though the suburb also includes Infrastructure. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Palona have heritage-listed places?
Palona 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.
Do I need a planning report for a Palona property?
A Palona 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 suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uloola | 3.7 km | 0% | 100% |
| Yenabilli | 3.8 km | Not mapped | 96% |
| Garie | 4.1 km | 0% | 100% |
| Wattamolla | 4.3 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Warumbul | 5.2 km | Not mapped | 93% |
| Lilyvale Wollongong |
5.7 km | 0% | 100% |
| Marley | 5.8 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Goarra | 5.9 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Waterfall | 6.2 km | 0% | 98% |
| Audley | 7.0 km | Not mapped | 100% |