Planning Maps / Areas / Cessnock / Pokolbin

Pokolbin zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Pokolbin (Cessnock, NSW) - 132.77 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 Pokolbin'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.

Pokolbin at a glance

Parcels 1,303 Median lot 4,193 m² Mapped easements 9 Bus stops 33

How Pokolbin is zoned

Primary Production Small Lots 85%
Forestry 8%
Tourist 3%
Rural Landscape 3%
Infrastructure 1%
Public Recreation 0%

Buying in Pokolbin? 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 132.77 km², Pokolbin 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, 86% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 12 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production Small Lots. The median lot measures about 4,193 m² across 1,303 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 Pokolbin

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

Population
1,049
usual residents, 2021
Median age
57
years
Median household income
$2,395
per week, Cessnock suburb typical $1,929
Median rent
$600
per week, Cessnock suburb typical $346
Median mortgage
$2,550
per month
Household size
2.4
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 1123, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Pokolbin's 1,049 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 2.6%
5-14 8.9%
15-19 3.5%
20-24 3.1%
25-34 5.4%
35-44 10.6%
45-54 12.2%
55-64 22.9%
65-74 22.0%
75-84 8.2%
85+ 0.6%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

7,490 in 2001 to 16,413 in 2025, up 119%.

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.

Pokolbin 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 Pokolbin 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 →

Pokolbin planning - frequently asked

Is Pokolbin flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Pokolbin, 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. Cessnock 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 Pokolbin bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 86% of Pokolbin is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Cessnock average of 91%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Pokolbin?

The dominant planning zone in Pokolbin is Primary Production Small Lots, though the suburb also includes Forestry and Tourist. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Pokolbin have heritage-listed places?

Pokolbin has 12 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 Pokolbin?

Across 1,303 surveyed parcels in Pokolbin, the median lot size is about 4,193 m². There are also 9 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 Pokolbin have a train station?

There is no train station inside Pokolbin itself. The suburb is served by 33 bus stops.

What is the population of Pokolbin?

At the 2021 Census Pokolbin had 1,049 usual residents, with a median age of 57 and an average household size of 2.4 people. The wider Branxton - Greta - Pokolbin statistical area, which contains Pokolbin, went from 7,490 people in 2001 to 16,413 in 2025, up 119%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Pokolbin alone.

Is Pokolbin an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Pokolbin scores 1123 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 Pokolbin?

Median household income in Pokolbin was $2,395 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,929 for the typical suburb in Cessnock. Median rent was $600 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,550 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Pokolbin property?

A Pokolbin 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
Rothbury 7.9 km Not mapped 99%
Lovedale 8.4 km Not mapped 94%
Belford
Singleton
9.5 km Not mapped 98%
North Rothbury 9.5 km Not mapped 84%
Nulkaba 9.9 km Not mapped 93%
Singleton Military Area
Singleton
11.1 km 0% 100%
Mount View 11.2 km Not mapped 96%
Cessnock 11.7 km Not mapped 73%
Bellbird Heights 11.8 km Not mapped 47%
Bellbird 12.1 km Not mapped 79%

See all Cessnock suburb profiles →