Paterson zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Paterson
(Dungog, NSW) - 41.39 km², mapped from live council and
state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we could measure - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Profile updated 3 October 2026.
Suburb-wide figures; the free map shows which overlays touch your lot.
Constraint readout
41.39 km² - this suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we could measure - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Paterson's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. Magenta is where aircraft were observed in the sampled period, brightest below 3,000 ft. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.
Nearby suburbs, nearest first
Aircraft noise and flight paths over Paterson
Two different things, kept apart on purpose. The ANEF contour is the planning instrument - a forecast published per airport that planning schemes use to control noise-sensitive development. Observed overflight is what a sampled aircraft-tracking feed actually recorded over the suburb - where aircraft flew, how low and how often.
Observed overflight - sampled 4 Sep to 2 Oct 2026
Night movements: observed, lowest 3,000 ft - night is sampled as often as day, but night traffic is light, so this is a floor and no rate can be put on it.
Traffic is sampled rather than watched continuously, so every figure is a floor: aircraft not captured between samples are not represented. Rates are per 500 m square - the busiest square in the suburb, not a count of flights over the suburb - and a square is only rated where enough traffic was seen to measure it. Altitudes are above mean sea level. Flight paths change with runway use, weather, season and airspace design. This is a record of observed traffic; it is not a noise contour and not a planning control.
Paterson at a glance
How Paterson is zoned
Buying in Paterson? 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 41.39 km², Paterson 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, 97% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 42 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 13,025 m² across 566 parcels.
Who lives in Paterson
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Paterson suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 1024, and decile 7 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Paterson's 960 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Dungog, the wider ABS statistical area containing Paterson. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Paterson itself.
8,338 in 2001 to 10,102 in 2025, up 21%.
Source: ABS Census 2021 and SEIFA 2021 (Suburbs and Localities), Regional Population (SA2), CC BY 4.0. Small counts are randomly adjusted by the ABS.
Paterson data sources and coverage
“Not mapped” means we hold no source layer for this suburb - never an all-clear.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Not 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 |
| Aircraft noise contours (ANEF) | Not held | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies, Defence |
| Observed flight paths | Observed | adsb.lol, under the Open Database License |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 3 October 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 Paterson 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.
Aircraft have been seen below 3,000 ft over about 23% of Paterson. The report's Aircraft Overflight page narrows that to the address itself: how many aircraft a day, how low, and at what heights.
Building or pricing a slab? The $119 geotechnical desktop report covers geology, soils, bores and an indicative AS 2870 site class for a Paterson lot.
See what's in the $9 report →Paterson planning - frequently asked
Is Paterson flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Paterson, 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. Dungog is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area.
Is Paterson bushfire-prone?
Around 97% of Paterson is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Dungog average of 98%.
Is Paterson under a flight path?
Aircraft were observed below 3,000 ft over about 23% of Paterson, and over about 46% at any altitude up to 10,000 ft, in the period sampled (4 Sep 2026 to 2 Oct 2026). The lowest measured aircraft was at 1,000 ft, with an average of 4,000 ft. Traffic is sampled rather than watched continuously and flight paths change with runway use, weather and season; the ANEF contour is the planning instrument.
What is the zoning in Paterson?
The dominant planning zone in Paterson is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Environmental Management and Large Lot Residential.
Does Paterson have heritage-listed places?
Paterson has 42 heritage-listed places on record.
What is the typical lot size in Paterson?
Across 566 surveyed parcels in Paterson, the median lot size is about 13,025 m². There are also 9 registered easements mapped in the suburb.
Does Paterson have a train station?
Yes - Paterson has 1 train station: Paterson Station. It is also served by 66 bus stops.
What is the population of Paterson?
At the 2021 Census Paterson had 960 usual residents, with a median age of 41 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The wider Dungog statistical area, which contains Paterson, went from 8,338 people in 2001 to 10,102 in 2025, up 21%.
Is Paterson an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Paterson scores 1024 and sits in decile 8 of 10 nationally and decile 7 within New South Wales (decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth, decile 10 the least).
What is the median household income in Paterson?
Median household income in Paterson was $1,907 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,625 for the typical suburb in Dungog. Median rent was $300 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martins Creek | 4.4 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Tocal | 5.5 km | 5% | 100% |
| Duns Creek Port Stephens |
5.6 km | 17% | 100% |
| Vacy | 6.5 km | Not mapped | 97% |
| Mindaribba Maitland |
8.1 km | 12% | 100% |
| Butterwick Port Stephens |
8.3 km | 29% | 100% |
| Webbers Creek | 8.6 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Woodville Port Stephens |
8.8 km | 64% | 100% |
| Glen Oak Port Stephens |
9.8 km | 18% | 100% |
| Hilldale | 10.2 km | Not mapped | 100% |