Planning Maps / Areas / Central Coast / Pretty Beach

Pretty Beach zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Pretty Beach (Central Coast, NSW) - 0.94 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 Pretty Beach'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.

Pretty Beach at a glance

Parcels 268 Median lot 713 m² Mapped easements 2 Bus stops 8

How Pretty Beach is zoned

Recreational Waterways 45%
Low Density Residential 29%
Environmental Conservation 9%
Environmental Management 5%
Infrastructure 5%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 3%

Buying in Pretty Beach? 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 0.94 km², Pretty Beach 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, 54% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 14 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Recreational Waterways. The median lot measures about 713 m² across 268 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 Pretty Beach

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

Population
314
usual residents, 2021
Median age
57
years
Median household income
$1,818
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $1,735
Median rent
$428
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$1,547
per month
Household size
2.3
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 1086, and decile 9 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Pretty Beach's 314 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 1.3%
5-14 9.3%
15-19 4.3%
20-24 2.3%
25-34 7.0%
35-44 6.3%
45-54 12.3%
55-64 18.9%
65-74 23.5%
75-84 11.9%
85+ 3.0%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

10,153 in 2001 to 11,289 in 2025, up 11%.

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.

Pretty Beach 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 Pretty Beach 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 →

Pretty Beach planning - frequently asked

Is Pretty Beach flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Pretty Beach, 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 Pretty Beach bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 54% of Pretty Beach 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 Pretty Beach?

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

Does Pretty Beach have heritage-listed places?

Pretty Beach has 14 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 Pretty Beach?

Across 268 surveyed parcels in Pretty Beach, the median lot size is about 713 m². There are also 2 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 Pretty Beach have a train station?

There is no train station inside Pretty Beach itself. The suburb is served by 8 bus stops.

What is the population of Pretty Beach?

At the 2021 Census Pretty Beach had 314 usual residents, with a median age of 57 and an average household size of 2.3 people. The wider Box Head - MacMasters Beach statistical area, which contains Pretty Beach, went from 10,153 people in 2001 to 11,289 in 2025, up 11%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Pretty Beach alone.

Is Pretty Beach an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Pretty Beach scores 1086 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 9 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 Pretty Beach?

Median household income in Pretty Beach was $1,818 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,735 for the typical suburb in Central Coast. Median rent was $428 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,547 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Pretty Beach property?

A Pretty Beach 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
Hardys Bay 0.6 km Not mapped 91%
Wagstaffe 0.9 km Not mapped 50%
Killcare 1.2 km Not mapped 68%
Booker Bay 1.4 km Not mapped <1%
Ettalong Beach 1.7 km Not mapped 5%
Daleys Point 2.3 km Not mapped 69%
Killcare Heights 2.5 km Not mapped 94%
Blackwall 2.6 km Not mapped 43%
Empire Bay 3.1 km Not mapped 61%
Umina Beach 3.4 km Not mapped 39%

See all Central Coast suburb profiles →